November 5, 2024 -Indestructible Living

EZEKIEL 12:1-14:11

HEBREWS 7:1-17

PSALM 105:37-45

PROVERBS 27:3

One Year Bible Audio & Daily Reading (oneyearbibleonline.com)

Ezekiel 14:14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?

Here are the reasons why the leaders of a church need to be superior examples of Godly men and women. The elders need to be spiritually mature, biblically grounded and walking in fellowship with God. They should be vulnerable and honest with each other and their church family so that when tempted to turn their hearts to idols that will cause them to put wicked stumbling blocks before their people, it will be apparent to others and they can be lovingly redirected to God and restored in their walk. I can't help but think that if the elders would have been humble and honest with the Israelite community and each other someone might have recognized that they were turning away from God and been able to lovingly restore them. But instead they did things on their own in their own way which resulted in God not listening to them at all. In the church today our church leadership should be the same. They should humbly come before God daily seeking His wisdom. They should daily be in the word. They should be grounded in those things so well that they live a life that is an example to others holding each other accountable to remain so. There should be vulnerable and transparent interaction with their congregation. Inviting the church to join with them in prayer and the seeking of wisdom and direction from the Lord and listening to what they sense He is calling their church to. And in doing so God will honor that and hear their inquiry, Any church that has secrecy and disconnection between the leadership and its members is bound to create some confusion and hard feeling. Lack of transparency allows room for the enemy to sew speculation and doubts among the people and they become wicked stumbling blocks and will halt the progress of the Spirts power and their ability to inquire of God.

Hebrews 7:11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.

The Levitical priesthood was flawed because of their humanity. There was no evaluation of the integrity and life of those who inherited the priesthood. They were put into leadership because of who they were. Jesus like Melchizedek was not of the line of Aaron. Their priesthood was based on their life of integrity.

16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

Our leadership in the church today should be decided by and evaluation of each person's heart. They should have a heart that inspires them to live an indestructible life. It may sound difficult to be that kind of person but we have read over and over again that the secret to living a Christ filled life is to be in the word, prayer, and fellowship with others who are walking with Christ. No one will be perfect but when we walk humbly with the Lord He can direct us, guide us, provide for us and teach us to do better.

Psalm 105:39 He spread out a cloud as a covering,

    and a fire to give light at night.

40 They asked, and he brought them quail;

    he fed them well with the bread of heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

    it flowed like a river in the desert.

He guided the Israelites in the desert, fed them when they were hungry and gave them water when they were thirsty. When we are walking through the deserts of our lives He will do the same for us. And the more we walk with Him the more indestructible our lives will be.