My Dear Friend,

I am sure this piece, which is addressed solely to Christians, is timely. I also hope it is encouraging. But I must admit, it is not very flattering.

Instead, it is a challenge. A biblical challenge. A self-examining challenge. A life-changing challenge. And a prophetic one, since it was given by Israel's major prophet, Ezekiel.

Ezekiel's name means "strength of God," or "the man God strengthens." So, if you want your life, ministry, or church to have God's strength - divine power, energy, stamina, fortitude, and overcoming courage - read on! Provided you are willing to change any thoughts or ways God's Word or Spirit may require.

Ezekiel 33 records this timely challenge. Let's examine it in detail:

"Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord" (Ezekiel 33:30, NKJV). Or, stop talking, so God can talk and you can "hear." Stop listening to idle and foolish talk so you may focus on God's supremely wise talk, standing perfectly still, overawed by His awesome greatness, and giving Him your full attention. And this "word" of prophecy, says Ezekiel, comes from the sole Source of eternal truth, "the Lord."

"They come to you as [My] people come" (Ezekiel 33:31, NKJV). "[My] people" speaks of those who name God's name and frequent His house. In Ezekiel's day, God's people were Abraham's ethnic children, the Jews. Today they are Abraham's faith children, us, born-again Christians. We attend religious gatherings as God's covenant people always have, regularly and reverently. So, by going to church, we appear to be the church, the genuine called-out assembly of grace-redeemed believers.

"They sit before you as My people" (Ezekiel 33:31, NKJV). When we "sit," our physical posture silently professes that our spiritual purpose is correct. We are still and focused, eager to receive a spiritual and moral message from heaven. In every way we present ourselves as the very incarnation of religious earnestness - God's deeply committed children ready to hear the Word of God from the man of God in the house of God so we can do the will of God. Surely, we are God's delight, not His disappointment.

"And they hear your words" (Ezekiel 33:31, NKJV). By dutifully listening we flatter ourselves by assuming God is delighted with us. Well, He is glad our auditory system is working properly, detecting and interpreting the sounds vibrating from the mouth of our "prophet," or minister. After all, we must audibly hear God's will before we can diligently do it. But Ezekiel has more to say.

"But they will not do it" (Ezekiel 33:31, ESV). Or, "They have no intention of doing what you say" (NLT). Here God addresses not our ability but our willingness. He did not say they "cannot" do His Word; He said they "will not" do it! So, our stubbornness is blocking our obedience. But you would never know it by our speech. We continue saying all the right things. Our words are full of religious devotion: "with their mouth they show much love" (Ezekiel 33:31, NKJV). But this "love" rings hollow to God.

Probing deeper, the Spirit of Truth speaking through the prophet uncovers the real root of our rebellion and hypocrisy: "their hearts pursue their own gain" (Ezekiel 33:31, NKJV). Or, "Their hearts seek only after money" (NLT). We love our money more than our Messiah, and yearn for material things more than spiritual things. (This reference to the “heart” may also suggest, as any experienced pastor or counselor will tell you, that, if not love of money, then other unsettled sins or issues of the heart may be preventing us from having a close walk with God.)

This conflicted state - our talk going one way and hearts another - transforms our otherwise acceptable worship into awful worship! Instead of ushering in meaningful, real, God encounters, our worship is dead and powerless, mere religious entertainment.

God told Ezekiel the Jews saw him as an entertainer and his messages as good, clean, religious entertainment. He was like a beautiful melody, "You are to them as a very lovely song" (Ezekiel 33:32, NKJV). He was like a gifted singer with a satiny smooth voice, "One who has a pleasant voice." Or, he was like a musician skillfully plucking a harp or playing a flute: "and can play well on an instrument." In their minds, this changed Ezekiel's vital prophecies into vain performances and left them tragically unchanged. They were all ears but no tears, all talk but no walk, all religion but no reality. "They hear your words, but they do not do them" (Ezekiel 33:32, NKJV). Or, "They do not put them into practice" (NIV).

Oswald Chambers called Ezekiel's listeners "enchanted but unchanged." This is amazing, seeing they were superbly taught with inspired sermons and prophecies from the finest of preachers. Ezekiel often experienced God's intense glory, sensed His mighty hand, heard His clear voice, and delivered His timely messages - and wrote a major biblical book. Yet even Ezekiel, "the man God strengthened," could not awaken the Jews' stubborn, cold, sleeping hearts. They refused to let his inspired words inspire meaningful changes in their uninspired thinking and living. So, their gatherings remained lifeless, empty, meaningless.

And so have many of ours. Many Christians go to church, sit in church, listen in church, pray in church, sing in church, and fellowship in church - yet, incredibly, remain unchanged outside church! Thus, we degrade our church meetings and turn them into empty religious rituals. We come regularly, and mostly reverently. We sit, fairly still, listening for a blessing as we hear testimonies, prayers, preaching, teaching, and choirs. We are thrilled when our ministers' messages are clever or comforting. We are sometimes active, shouting, raising our hands, coming to the altar, and even occasionally weeping. But it all stops there. Our religion doesn't go home with us. Why? We won't change the things that mean more to us than God to have more of God. So, we rise, wipe away our tears, and go home, enchanted but unchanged.

And we leave Christ weeping at our altars! He sees Ezekiel's sad scenario being repeated all over again and it breaks His heart. He knows it doesn't have to be this way. He yearns to see us identify our heart sins and idols, tear them down, and change.

Whatever our spiritual blockages are, the moment we change, Christ changes: He stops weeping and starts rejoicing! No longer disappointed, He delights in us. And He begins transforming our dead, religious meetings into lively, inspired events. We exposit the written Word, and then experience the living Word. We study God, and then sense God!

Something amazing happens: we encounter God's Glory, or fully sensed, manifest Presence. The gifts of grace begin flowing. Not false but true prophecies come, unsolicited, by the Spirit, and just when deeply troubled believers need them! The sick are anointed - and openly healed! Miracles come spontaneously and change lives. God's Spirit, like heavenly wind and fire, falls in His fullness. With power! We sense God's hand, as Ezekiel did. His "fear" - or deep reverential respect and heavy sense of awe - falls, enveloping everyone. The Spirit convicts those needing correction, and confessions flow, impostors are exposed, and self-serving church shoppers are repelled. And any demons present, unable to bear the intensity of God's Presence, manifest and flee! What is happening?

The supernatural river of God, the same heavenly river of life and revival Ezekiel envisioned, is flowing (Ezekiel 47:1-12). Not in the Millennium, but now. In our time. In our meetings. And "everything will live wherever the river goes" (Ezekiel 47:9, NKJV). Sinners are saved. Saints are sanctified. Disciples are trained. Ministers are called. Missionaries are sent. Other divine ministerial initiatives flow. Why are these wonders happening in our formerly unwonderful meetings? God is doing a new thing. And what has caused this?

Our changes have attracted our Christ who, in turn, has empowered radical changes. Spiritual reality has replaced our religious hypocrisy. Our talk now matches our walk. Our hearts are free of idols. God alone reigns unrivaled. Our worship is pure and true again. Old religious entertainments are gone and new divine encounters have replaced them. They are leading us steadily forward, in Christ's footsteps, into a glorious future. And there's one more sweet, new thing.

We are no longer God's disappointment. We are now His delight!

For God’s delight,

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES