Ezekial 2

"And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.  You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.  But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you."
-Ezekial 2:6-8


I discovered this verse the other night in the wee hours with coconut oil slathered all over my face. It struck me hardcore.

We live in a world of briars and thorns and other hurts. You just have to suck it up sometimes and tell the world to step off. We can't shrink back from trouble like Satan wants us to!

I think that we are too nice sometimes. If you believe in something you should profess it, right? And if you don't agree with something you should rebuke it, right?

RIGHT!

"Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.  As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God."
-1 Peter 4:1-2

Take this verse and tuck it in your heart, please! God commands us to not live in our earthly desire stench like the rest of society. Stand out! ****She types as she pounds it into her own head!**** We all have such horrible tendencies to call Jesus our Savior and then do nothing about it. Don't just speak it, live it!

Do as Ruth did when her mother-in-law, Naomi, told her to go back to Moab and marry again. Ruth refused saying that she wouldn't go back to worshipping her Gods because she knew what the love of a REAL, live God felt like.

"But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” ¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her."
-Ruth 1:16-18

How can we so easily turn back after feeling that? But we do.

"However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."
-1 Peter 4:16

Suffer on because God says in His word that it is going to happen whether we like it or not. So why not "like it"?

Be bold. Be brave. Stand out. Stand up. For Jesus...

Peace on Earth.