Message for Pastors

Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. 8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. (Ezekiel 2:5-8)

For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel; 6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. 8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 3:5-9)

Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. (Ezekiel 3:17-21)

I did not select these passages. I just pasted in the passages from Ezekiel that the cross-referencing list I am using listed. I am amazed how well they go together.
I am amazed how this passage of Ezekiel is also in the context of eating the words of God as described in Revelation 10 the same as the Jeremiah passage was.
These passages are so important for pastors, I want to remember them in the years ahead, I will need to find a place to put them where I will see them again.
Going to other countries is not a bad thing, but the greater challenge is shepherding well God's people where they are well established. I used to prefer staying back here because I wanted to stay in comfortable and familiar surroundings, I recognise now that I should not think that way.
Ezekiel 3:17-21. Such grave responsibility! The horror at the thought that this might apply to me, and why should it not? I even need to rebuke sin in the righteous, not just the wicked. Can I do that? I will really need God's promise in Ezekiel 3:8-9 that God will toughen me to do this. God has said it, it must be true, I can do it. I remember also that I must speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15) and that makes it doubly hard!

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

That's why I need Jesus, and I need to remember that there is an eternity to be won and lost.