Breathing Life Into Dry Bones!

Reading:  Ezekiel 34 - 37
My Verse:  "And he said to me, Son of man,
                         can these bones live?"  (Ezekiel 37:3).

Spooky!  Bone chilling!  You, LORD God, bring Ezekiel to a valley full of the bones of a defeated army.  You make him walk around amongst these bones and then ask him this question.  Ezekiel, answers as a true man of faith, "O LORD God, you know."  Even before the amazing events that follow Ezekiel is able to say basically, that You, LORD God can do whatever You choose to do.  You are God Almighty and can bring life even to dry bones and to dead hearts!

Love this story.  My son and I are working on a traditional Dena'ina children's story.  It actually has a scene in it where Raven, who had supernatural powers, brings to life some sand people he has drawn. I did not connect these two stories before and yet there is such similarity.  This reminds me of how there is this collective historical memory within cultures, even those cultures that have been isolated for long periods of time.  You, LORD God, help forgetful peoples everywhere by instilling within their culture these markers of "redemptive analogies" as Don Richardson calls them in his book Peace Child.

In his other book Eternity In Their Hearts Richardson states this about cultures. "God, via general revelation, imprints human cultures in a variety of ways.  Discerning the particular way God has already imprinted a given culture helps a missionary discover how to poignantly explain redemption to members of that culture."   He calls it the "Melchizedek Factor."  Paul used it when he went to Athens and taught about the altar to their "unknown god."

Every culture has imprinted within it a way of remembering You.  Because we are such a forgetful and wayward people, You have seen to it that there is always a way for us to find our way back to You.  I love that.  

You are God Almighty!  Nothing is too hard for You because You  know all about everything that is - even the things that are bizarre, spooky and unfathomable to us!

I have been thinking much of late about "ease of mind."  There are so many things in this world that can take that away from us.  It is easy to become obsessed with something that takes our thoughts off of You, LORD God - then we become anxious.

This story is so wonderful in that it reminds me of Your overall power and love and care for us.  You have all things in hand - nothing is beyond your power or ability to redeem.  You can save the most vile and lost of men, renew his heart and life with Your love and mercy.

"I will plant a new heart and a new spirit inside of you.
I will take out your stubborn,
     stony heart and give you a willing,
     tender heart of flesh.
And I will put My Spirit inside of you
     and inspire you to live by My statutes,
     and follow My laws" (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

You alone, LORD God, can free us and heal us enough to see You for Who You are.
You alone, LORD God, can enable us to be transformed such that we can see that which is good and acceptable and perfect!
You alone, LORD God, can give us ease of mind.

"Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).

Thank You for this story of the dry bones!
"Come Alive Dry Bones" sung by Lauren Dangle

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Watchman Of Our Souls

Reading:  Ezekiel 29 - 33
My Verse:  "So you, son of man,
                       I have made a watchman for the house of Israel.
                    Whenever you hear a word from my mouth,
                       you shall give them warning from me"  (Ezekiel 33:7).

What a wonderfully intriguing metaphor. Watchmen sat in towers in ancient times to watch for danger.  Most cities had great walls built around them with turrets for the watchmen to position themselves in to keep a watch.  The agrarian societies also had to have towers near their fields to guard them from thieves and animals as this was their main food source.  Watchmen were terribly important to these societies.  Here Ezekiel is designated by You, LORD God as a watchman for Israel. But he was not just watching out for physical danger but for the very souls of the people.

This idea of "watching out" for the souls of the people is brought up  frequently  in the New Testament.

"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.
They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.
Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden,
     for that would be of no advantage to you"  (Hebrews 13:17).

What an incredible task church leaders have!  I like how this is stated in a study I read.
"Just as a watchman on the walls of Jerusalem would be scanning the horizon, watching for anything that could cause trouble to his people, so the leaders of the church are meant to keep watch over the souls of the people, that they would be cared for spiritually."

But the church leaders are not the only ones tasked with "being on watch!"  We are all to be alert and aware of the dangers of the enemy.  As Paul told Timothy.

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world" (1 Peter 5:6-9).

I like how it was pointed out in one of my readings that a good watchman was ever watchful for any kind of disturbance that might indicate danger.  He wouldn't just brush it off but investigated anything that appeared out of the ordinary and then dealt with it accordingly.  We too need to do that in our daily lives - ever vigilant to anything that may bring us into the danger of straying from You, LORD God!

We also need to be alert and aware of our particular weaknesses - as we are flawed and each of us do have weak areas in our natures that can cause us to fall.  Nehemiah 4: 7-15 is a beautiful illustration of this.  They were rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem and there were gaps or low areas they were not able to repair as quickly as needed.  They had to put "watches" at these particular weak spots so the enemy would not overwhelm them.

I like in this story how Nehemiah reminded the people, "Do not be afraid of them.  Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome."  Yes, we do need to take action and do what we are able but always remembering that You, LORD God are there to help us, enable us to resist the enemy.

Psalms 121:5 reminds us that we cannot do the "watching" on our own.  If we try to do so without You, LORD God, it would be for nought!

'Unless the LORD watches over the city, 
   the watchmen stand guard in vain."

Yes, we are called on to be on guard, be alert and watchful but always trusting in You, LORD God for in the end it is You who are the Watchman of our souls!

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.
   From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD, 
   who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
   he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;
   the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep your from all evil;
   he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep
   your going out and your coming in
   from this time forth and forevermore."  (Psalm 121)

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

They Will Know That I AM GOD.

Reading:  Ezekiel 25 - 28
My Verse:  "Then they will know that I am the LORD God . . ." (Ezekiel 25:17).

Ammon, Moab, Seir, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon . . . nations destroyed by You, LORD God because they "acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity" Your people.  You destroyed them for their pride, cruelty and arrogance.  You destroyed them in such a way that they and all the world would know that You are the LORD God almighty.

Atheism - the disbelief in the existence of a god or gods,  is an interesting thing.  The Gallup International reports that in 2015, 11% of the world claimed to be atheists, in 2012 it was 13%.  Most atheists reside in Europe and East Asia.  In China 61% of the population claimed to be atheists and in Europe 20%.

To be an atheist is to believe that all of life is the result of total randomness.  I can't even begin to go into how this belief, to my way of thinking, is total inanity.  How can one truly, intelligently look at creation and say it is the result of a random act, to mere chance?  One has only to look at the complexity of a single organism, the complex workings of our solar system, the interconnectedness of plant life and animal life - I could go on forever here - to realize that there is incredible order to all that exists and order does not come out of chaos or nothingness.  Even many of the great atheists have had to relent and admit this - many now, however reluctantly, purport that there is an intelligence behind the creation of the universe.

LORD God, You shout out Your existence to us every day through all of nature.

You shout out Your existence through the very sciences that many purport to disprove You!  When one truly searches out the whys of all that is one can only come to the conclusion that You truly are there.

Modern science is based on the work of scientists who did their incredible work from their firm belief that You were the Creator of all that is.  Scientists such as Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), Isaac Newton 1643-1727) are just some of these amazing scientists who were not afraid of delving into our world because they believed it was a world of order.  They believed there is a reason behind all that is.

I like what Russ Miller, the creator and manager of Creation, Evolution & Science Ministries  states.  He says,  "I am a General Manager and make logical decisions based on facts.  After I saw observable science doesn't support Darwinism or old-earth beliefs I realized these false teachings are undermining the world's faith in Jesus Christ.  Now I am doing something to help.  I don't tell people what to think; I present facts from science and the Bible.  Through The Holy Spirit those with ears to hear will hear, and those with eyes to see will see."  They use the Grand Canyon as their stage for presenting Biblical truth.

I also like what Albert Einstein said on truth.

"A man should look for what is and not for what he thinks should be."

You, LORD God, ask us to use our minds, the minds You have given us to seek out truth.  And You tell us that if we seek that truth we will find it. Matthew 6:33  Luke 11:9  You do not expect us to blindly believe.

All will one day come to realize that You indeed are the LORD God.  (Philippians 2:10)

Help me to be faithful in prayer for those still blinded by the false teachings that keep them in their darkness and unknowing.  Help me to pray for them that their eyes will be opened to the truth of You as You do all things that they may know that You indeed are the LORD God!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

God is Love

Reading:  Ezekiel 23,24
My Verse:  "The word of the LORD came to me:  
                       "Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes
                         away from you at a stroke;

                    yet you shall not mourn or weep, 
                    nor shall your tears run down.

                   Sigh, but not aloud;
                        make no mourning for the dead.
                   Bind on your turban,
                        and put your shoes on your feet;
                        do not cover your lips,
                        nor eat the bread of men."

                   So I spoke to the people in the morning,
                        and at evening my wife died.

                   And on the next morning I did as I was commanded" (Ezekiel 24:15-18).

What an incredible thing!  Oh, LORD God, and that I would read this on Valentine's Day!  You actually told Ezekiel that You would take his wife.  Not only that but he was not to mourn her in the typical way.  And she was his "delight." Ezekiel loved her.

Prior to this You have Ezekiel tell the people that You will punish them for all their disobedience, their "corrosive lewedness."  Because they would not relent You will vent upon them Your holy judgement.

"Therefore, thus says the LORD God:
     Woe to the bloody city, 
     to the pot whose corrosion is in it,
     and whose corrosion has not gone out of it!"

    . . . 

 Therefore thus says the LORD God:
     Woe to the bloody city!

She has wearied herself with toil;
     its abundant corrosion does not go out of it.

Into the fire with its corrosion!
On account of your unclean lewdness,
     because I would have cleansed you and your were not cleansed from your uncleanness,
    you shall not be cleansed anymore till I have satisfied my fury upon you.

I am the LORD.
I have spoken;
     it shall come to pass;
I will do it.
I will not go back;
I will not spare;
I will not relent;
     according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged,
     declares the LORD God"  (Ezekiel 24:6-14).

This is a place You do not want to go to with us.  You would so much rather we relent and allow You to heal and forgive us.

My heart hurts for Ezekiel.  The ESV study bible states that he was only 35 at this time.   What was required of him was so huge.  Yet, the situation required much and I know that You were with Ezekiel through his pain, his awful loss.

This incredible event illustrates so graphically to what great lengths You will go to bring us to You.  Again I thank You for the heroes who have stood up for You, willing to do whatever was needed to bring Your purposes about. Ezekiel was certainly one of them.

So many of those that scorn Your love for them have no idea with whom they contend.  You will not be scorned.

"Do not be deceived,
 God is not mocked
     [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed,
      nor treated with contempt
      nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside];
for whatever a man sows,
this and this only is what he will reap" (Galatians 6:7AMP).

Oh, LORD God, on this day we celebrate "love."  Yet few realize that You, LORD God, are Love - love originates from You.

"Whoever does not love does not know God,
   because God is love" (1 John 4:8).

"And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.
   God is love;
      whoever abides in love abides in God,
      and God in him" (1 John 4:16).

Hard to understand but taking Ezekiel's wife was done out of Your love for Ezekiel, his wife and for us.  Thank You for loving us so much.  Thank You for Your son Jesus.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Standing In the Gap

Reading:  Ezekiel 21, 22
My Verse:  "And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall
                         and stand in the gap before Me
                         for the land,
                         that I should not destroy it,
                         but I found none"  (Ezekiel 22:30).

This incredible statement speaks to Your love,  Oh LORD God.   You search us out, You want so much for us to stand up for what is right, to stand up against wrong, against all that defies Your precepts!

It really is fascinating that You would search out someone to stand up to You for those that become so lost in their sin.  You truly are incredibly patient and long suffering.  You give us every chance to be saved from our sin.  This causes me to be ever so much more thankful for those heroes who have stood up and begged You to stay Your judgement on those that are truly guilty and deserving of such punishment.

Abraham was one of those heroes when he pleaded with You for the lives of those living in Sodom and Gomorrah.  This whole story is fascinating but the main point being that You, LORD God, were willing to delay or put off Your punishment of those incredibly sinful people.  You were willing to do this because of Your love for Abraham.  I just love this story.

Joseph is another hero who stood up for those deserving of punishment.  He was a most beautifully persistent and steadfast man in the midst of all the horrific circumstances he found himself in.  By being so consistent in his faith he was enabled to do wonderful things for not only the Egyptians, but also for his own people the Israelites and finally  his own brothers who sold  him into slavery.

Moses, Deborah the Judge, Daniel,  Mary - Mother of Jesus are all wonderful examples of those heroes You sought out to carry out Your purposes, LORD God.  Thank You for them.  Thank You for all the heroes throughout history who have stood up for You.  They fill that gap with their awesome faith, their willingness to be Your agents for good here on this earth.

"Yet, the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
     therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
     Blessed are all who wait for him!"  (Isaiah 30:18)

"Say to them, as I live, declares the LORD God,
     I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked,
     but that the wicked turn from his way and live;
     turn back, turn back from your evil ways,
     for why will you die,
        O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11)

I cannot even begin to say I fully understand how You, LORD God in all Your omniscience, omnipresence, and all-powerfulness would call on us to stand up to You for others.  What these stories do tell me is Your relationship with us is truly dynamic!

Thank You, LORD God for raising up individuals to stand in the gap for the many who are so incredibly lost in their sin.  Thank You, LORD God that Your love is so perfect.  Your judgements are not set in stone.  You are a loving and perfect God - You will make changes in how You do things as the need arises.  And in all this You are always doing what is best for us in Your perfect love!

Thank you for this.  Help me to be faithful in prayer for those that need You!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!