Saturday, April 9, 2016

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Ezekiel, Chapter 12, Verse 18-19
18 Son of man, eat your bread trembling and drink your water shaking with fear. 19 And say to the people of the land: Thus says the Lord GOD about the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: they shall eat their bread in fear and drink their water in horror, because the land will be emptied of what fills it—the lawlessness of all its inhabitants.


We become lawless when we lack leaders that had a leader’s heart. God measures the greatness of a leaders heart not his intelligence or his wealth. Ezekiel message is that God punishes evil leaders and those who follow them. No nation rises above its leadership. God desires that leaders first develop the following characteristics of the heart: 1) Healthy personal security 2) Strong biblical identity 3) Growing intimacy with Him 4) Consistent personal disciplines 5) Pure motives and ambitions 6) Biblical values and priorities 7) Humble servant’s heart 8) Healthy community relationships 9) Principle-centered decisions 10) Compassionate love for people.

Also, Ezekiel was warning the Israelite's that this type of fear is a result of being a lawless nation. Israel had become a nation without respect for God or man and suffered exile. If we as a nation follow the same path what could be the result for our nation? No nation rises above its leadership.[1]


[1] John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership Bible.

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