I was meditating on a verse that my husband shared with our children during family bible study today. We are going through the book of Mark. The verse stuck with me much because the Lord had shared the same meaning with me in the past. The Lord showed me how this verse still applies to todays church!
Mark 6:19-20
"Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly."
It says that Herod knew that John the Baptist was a holy and just man and that Herod gladly heard him!
The Spirit has spoken to my heart and told me many professing Christians are like Herod. They love to hear good preaching from godly men but when it comes to obedience they will shun the godly man because they are unwilling to go through the trials because of their unbelief in God's word. This exposes their hearts and show that even though they loved the preaching they never had real faith in God. They become like Herod. When things got hard for Herod he cared more about saving his own life and reputation than standing firm on the truth he enjoyed hearing.
I have seen many Herod's in Christiandom. These professing Christians love to listen to real preaching that comes from godly men like Tozer, Pink, Ravenhill, ect. But command these people to personally OBEY the preaching they listen to and they will shun you, run away, form a group against you, and call you all sorts of names. Just like Herod, who loved Johns preaching, when the truth came out and exposed his own life, John was made the enemy. When trials come upon these professed Christians they will end up persecuting the true saints, like Herod, to save their own lives.
God also took me to Ezekiel and showed me a similar verse. Many of those who claim God's name are like those in Ezekiel. God sees EVERYTHING. Nothing is hidden from His site.
Eze 33:30 “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’
Eze 33:31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
Eze 33:32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.
Eze 33:33 And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
These verses describe well of many profess Christians today. Oh, how they love to hear good preaching and talk about the testimonies of many godly men. They will travel state to state, conference to conference to hear godly men preach. Ezekiel and John the baptist were true men of God who preached in the Spirit and wisdom of God and many loved to hear them, but did not obey what they said. Just like today. Many Godly men like Piper, Daniels, Washer, ect... are being heard today by so many Christians who really hear them as more of a lovely song, a form of entertainment. For with their mouth boast of godliness, but the Lord sees that they are disobedient and their hearts still pursue their own gain!
Are we like the majority of the children of Israel who were hearing only? Have we taken the message of the cross seriously from the godly saints that God use to stir up the body?
Let us examine ourselves to make sure we are those who HEAR and OBEY the word of God.
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