Are we listening?

SCRIPTURE: Zech. 7:8-13; Zech. 8:16,17
⁸ And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah: ⁹ “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’

¹¹ “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. ¹² They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry.

¹³ “‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the LORD Almighty.

¹⁶ These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; ¹⁷ do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: I was sad when I read these verses today. The ones from chapter 7 speak of the Lord's expectations of his people. They are words that indicate we are to treat each other with respect, kindness and justice. But the people disobeyed, and as a result, God turned his ear and his blessing away from them. In chapter 8, the Father again tells them to speak truth to one another, not to plot evil against others and not to swear falsely. These are good things that God wants us to do. This makes for wonderful living and a pleasant society where the Lord's blessing is experienced. But I see God's people (the Church) behaving with a lack of integrity just like the Israelites did long ago. I have personally seen leaders in my denomination lie (or "shade") the truth to the entire body of pastors that they are supposed to be serving. There has been deception, graft, greed, arrogance, lack of justice, on the part of denominational leaders as well as lack of submission, grumbling, and lack of integrity in those pastors whom they lead. Both are wrong. Does everyone do this? Of course not, thank God! But enough of it occurs that I am concerned that if repentance does not happen, we will lose much of the effectiveness and blessing God intends for us. I believe we have already suffered much because we do not follow Biblical principles with intensity of purpose as we ought to do. I know I need to fully commit myself to walk in his ways even if others don't. But I love my people, my denomination, and I so desire to see us marked by truth-telling. I believe the prophet's words are for us today. I believe they carry a warning that we need to heed. It applies to us as individuals and as a corporate body. I am afraid of what the Lord will do if we do not change our ways.

PRAYER: Father, I know you love the Church. I know the Church (all of it, not just our denomination) faces the same temptations of the flesh that your people Israel did. Please help us to listen to prophets today who warn us as your prophets did back then. Help us to listen to the written Word you gave us as a guide. Unfortunately, we marginalize those who aren't encouraging in every way. It is seen almost as a sin to be negative or to point out problems. I pray for a spirit of repentance to be upon us all. May we heed what you say. May our greatest desire be to obey you in all things instead of to succeed in the eyes of our peers. Oh, may we learn to speak the truth to one another in love! It is something that is so little done in the Body. I know I have sinned myself in this in the past. I have repented, but I am not above falling again. Keep my heart and conscience clear, Lord. Thank you for forgiving and cleansing me. Your grace is magnificent. May we all experience it in increasing measure. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

What Is My Source?

SCRIPTURE: Zech.4:6
⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

OBSERVATION: Zerubbabel was one of the leaders charged with the rebuilding of the temple. It was a daunting assignment and task from God. The Jews had few resources and constant opposition and threats from the people surrounding them. I am sure Zerubbabel felt overwhelmed by the call the Lord had given him to fulfill, like many leaders do. The word of the Lord comes to him from the prophet and tells him that it is not by any might or power that he has that the task will be accomplished, but by the Spirit of God.

APPLICATION: Why do I so often forget that I can accomplish nothing significant for God on my own? Why do I feel the need to prove my worth to him in any way? Why can't I just fully accept his grace working through me and relax in the knowledge that he magnificently chooses to show his power through my weaknesses? Oh, how I need this reminder often! It is by the power of the Spirit that God will accomplish his will in my life and no striving on my part will bring it about. My only work is to stay focused on seeking him and glorifying his Name. He will exalt me when he wants to for his glory, and if he chooses humble ways for me to serve in his kingdom, I will be privileged to do that as well.

PRAYER: Father, I have to admit to sometimes being frustrated in not being able to point to something good and say to you, "Look what I did for you? Aren't you proud of me?" But you love me without any work on my part (in fact my work is like the chaff that blows away). What you are proud of is when I let you show yourself strong through me. So do that Lord, for I am a weak vessel, and you could bring much glory to yourself through me. It would be obvious that I was not the source of any spiritually worthwhile accomplishment. And I do so desire to serve you and bring you glory. You are worthy of all praise. I give myself to you with a spirit of gratitude for however you choose to use me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A Picture of Redemption

SCRIPTURE: Zech. 3:1-3
¹ Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. ² The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

³ Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. ⁴ The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: What a beautiful picture of what our Redeemer does for us. Here is the high priest, Joshua, before God, with Satan standing next to him and accusing him. Joshua is in the throne room of heaven in dirty priestly garments! That is shocking! Would anyone even think of showing up to see the President of the U.S. in dirty clothes, let alone the King of all creation? Not only was he a sinner, but his priestly garments (the best he had or could give) were a mess. He deserved to be accused. But Satan is rebuked by God and Joshua's dirty vestments are exchanged for rich garments. And like Joshua, my best is but filthy rags to God. I cannot do anything to impress him. Yet, Jesus, my Redeemer, steps in to give me robes of righteousness that Satan cannot take away, and he stops the mouth of my accuser.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord, for saving me, cleansing me, and then giving me rich garments to wear. You treat me like royalty when I have earned none of it. In fact, all I have earned is shame and judgement. But you took all my punishment and shame and made me an heir with you! How indescribably marvelous! When I am feeling like a failure, help me to remember the identity you have given me and help me to live up to it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Giving Distractions the Cold Shoulder

SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:3,4
³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴ Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: I think of Jesus as a friendly, warm person. So the injunction to "not greet anyone on the road" seems a bit strange. But the message is a clear one. We are not to get distracted by anything or anyone whe we have been given an assignment by God. We are to maintain our focus on the task at hand. This is such an appropriate word for me! I have a real tendency to get distracted, especially by people. I tell myself (and others) that people are more important than things. This is true, but nothing is more important than doing the Lord's will and I should let nothing distract me from that. Maintaining focus for me includes letting nothing interfere with my quiet time with God and making a priority of whatever instructions he gives me during the time I spend with him.

PRAYER: Father, I know I have often been distracted and have lost focus on doing what you have given me to do. I repent. Help me to have discernment from your Spirit whenever I begin to lose my focus. I want to order my life according to your direction. Speak to me Lord, and tell me what you want me to do. Keep me on that narrow path you have for me.I want to walk in your way for me at all times. Thank you for loving and caring for me and allowing me to participate in your kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Tactics of Our Enemy

SCRIPTURE: Ezra 4:1-4; 8, 11-16
¹ When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, ² they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

³ But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

⁴ Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.^{[a] 5} They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

⁸ Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

11 To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:

¹² The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.

¹³ Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer. ¹⁴ Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, ¹⁵ so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. ¹⁶ We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

OBSERVATION: This book is full of tactics that Satan uses against us to make us ineffective in the kingdom. In vss. 1-4, the people living in the land pretended to want to help the Jews rebuild the temple. But the leaders recognized the duplicity of those coming and would not let them participate in the work. When that tactic didn't work, they wrote a letter to the king accusing the Jews of being seditious and rebellious to the king. They told the truth about the past of the people but included an erroneous interpretation of the facts.

APPLICATION: One of the most successful strategies of Satan to defeat the work of God is to destroy the Church from within by getting its members to grumble, complain and sow discord among each other. The devil has been quite successful at joining the church! I must guard my heart and my mouth by NOT gossiping, complaining, grumbling or causing factions in any way. And I must resist the other very effective weapon used by Satan. It is his oldest recorded weapon; taking truth and giving it just enough of a twist that it is believable but will lead to deception. The Word of God and prayer are my most effective tools to give me protection against this ploy of the enemy. Keeping in mind the redemptive work of Jesus will guard my mind against the accusations of the "accuser of the brethren". The Spirit will reveal deception if I ask for His wisdom and discernment.

PRAYER: Father, I pray for the Church. Keep us all from listening to the voice of our foe and from letting our flesh triumph over our spirit. Give us the discernment to realize when we are being served a cocktail of truth that has been spiked with a twist of deception. May we gain the victory that you have already purchased for us by your blood. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Peace Through the Storm

SCRIPTURE: Luke 8:22-25
²² One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. ²³ As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

²⁴ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ²⁵ “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

OBSERVATION: The disciples have Jesus in the boat with them when a dangerous storm suddenly overtakes their boat. They are furiously working to try to keep from being swamped and going down. Meanwhile, Jesus is asleep. They wake him because they are afraid they are all doomed to die. Jesus remains calm and can't understand why they are so fearful. "Where's your faith?", he asks.

APPLICATION: I have been where the disciples were. Heart pounding out of my chest and my mind consumed with worry over what seemed an impossible crisis that could destroy us or our family. I need to remember what the disciples learned here; that when God is with us, we have nothing to fear. No matter what the circumstances look like, if I stay in the boat with Jesus, nothing can touch me unless it is his will. If he allows it, then it is for my instruction and I need to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. I can have peace during the midst of turmoil knowing that he is the captain of my ship.

PRAYER: Thank you Father, for loving me and being my protection against and through every storm. You will give me perfect peace when my mind is staid on you. Oh, how I need to keep this in mind at all times. Help me to call on you in every situation and to trust you even when I see waves that are higher than my head. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Poetic Companions

SCRIPTURE: Ps. 85:10-13
¹⁰ Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
¹¹ Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
¹² The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
¹³ Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: I was rushed today. I had to catch an early plane and was eating breakfast with my husband at the Corner Bakery before he took me to the airport. We were reading today's devotional verses together on the computer while we were eating, as we usually do. The beautiful poetry of these verses arrested my attention and caused me to stop and take a moment to appreciate the truths contained in them. The writer of the psalm used poetic devise to talk about things that go together; companions that walk together in our lives. Love and faithfulness; can you really have one without the other? I think not. If you truly love someone or something, you will be faithful to it. They really can't be separated. Then righteousness and peace "kiss" each other. How true! Right living causes us to have peace because we have no guilt to rob us of it. We have confidence with God when we live rightly. How skilled was the author in using these words to paint a picture of such a wondrous truth.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for the gift of wisdom given to us in such lovely language. Words themselves are gifts from you. Thank you for speech and the written word. May I live by the truths revealed here, and may they be evident in my life to others who know me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

How to Lose Your Sight; topic: Spiritual Blindness

SCRIPTURE: Luke 6:1-10
¹ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. ² Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ⁴ He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. ⁸ But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰ He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. ¹¹ But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

OBSERVATION: Both of these incidences have to do with spiritual blindness. The Pharisees and their ilk were concerned with following rules, the letter of the law, without any thought given to the reasons (or spirit) behind them. No consideration was given to the "whys" or the heart of what God said. They simply had a check list of "dos and don'ts". Jesus made them angry with his flaunting of the regulations. It did not matter that he was healing a man who had suffered for years from a debilitating deformity. They completely dismissed the possibility that God was showing his approval of Jesus by performing a miracle through him. They were blind to God's work because their focus had shifted from a personal relationship with God to one of feeling spiritually justified by their own "works" of adherence to a set of rules.

APPLICATION: There are many in our churches today who have a "Pharisaical spirit". They are dismissive of those who don't behave in ways they approve of even in the face of evidence of God's approval. I once heard a quote by Rev. Steve Brown that expresses this truth very succinctly,"The degree of spiritual blindness of a person is in direct proportion to their inordinate concern over trivial matters". The trouble is, it's easy to see this trait in others and much more difficult to see it in ourselves. It is easier to have rules of behavior to follow than to seek the heart of God in a matter. If we don't keep current in our relationship with God, any one of us can become a pharisaical person. We all need daily Bread.

PRAYER: Father, keep me from focusing on the minor matters, and convict me by your Spirit if I start to be off track in this regard. I want to learn your heart in increasing measure; to understand the "whys" of your ways without getting prideful in reaching some level of personal holiness in my behavior and then getting stuck there. I always have more to learn and can only credit your grace with any maturity I may have achieved. None of it is my doing. I thank you for your grace in leading and teaching me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Effective Intercession

SCRIPTURE: Dan. 9:3-19
³ So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴ I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:

“O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, ⁵ we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. ⁶ We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

⁷ “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. ⁸ O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. ⁹ The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; ¹⁰ we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. ¹¹ All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. ¹² You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. ¹³ Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. ¹⁴ The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

¹⁵ “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. ¹⁶ O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

¹⁷ “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. ¹⁸ Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹ O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

OBSERVATION: It has always been a source of fascination to me that Daniel, who was spoken of in the scriptures as a man obedient to, and highly favored and esteemed by the Lord, speaks of his nation's sins as if they were his own. He repents for the people and for himself in the same breath. He does not separate himself from the actions of the nation as a whole but includes himself in all they have done. I think this is an amazing example of intercession. Daniel then pleads for mercy on behalf of the nation, imploring the Lord for restoration. He does this with intensity, even fasting and putting on sackcloth and ashes, which was an outward sign of humiliation.

APPLICATION: I want to learn from this example to be a better intercessor. There are people I care about who have turned from God just like Daniel's people had. Though I have endeavored to obey and honor God in my life, I have certainly been a sinner, saved by grace, and can relate to those who are still in sin. But this passage seems to call for me to "take on" the sin of others and pray as if I need to repent and turn as much as they do (in a similar way to what a sinless Jesus did for us; taking on our sins as his own). If doing so, and humbling myself to fast and pray with intensity can cause the grace of God to come to those who need it, it is certainly worth the effort.

PRAYER: Father, give me a heart and a burning desire to discomfort myself enough to truly intercede like Daniel did so that I may see others saved and brought back to you. Answer my prayers for these other precious souls that I love so much. Restore them to yourself and restore them to sweet fellowship with me as well. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Who Is In Control?

SCRIPTURE: Luke :3-13
³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”

⁵ The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶ And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

⁸ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

⁹ The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. ¹⁰ For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
¹¹ they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

¹² Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

¹³ When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

OBSERVATION: I have heard this passage taught and have taught it myself many times, and I have always heard it divided into the different temptations and discussed. The first area of temptation was physical needs and appetites, the second was desires of the mind and heart (power, riches, fame), the third was in the area of identity. All true. But what struck me as I was thinking about this just a few days ago was that there is a common thread through all the temptations that I had never really noticed before. It is the issue of control. Was Jesus going to control his own destiny in any way or was he going to surrender control to God, his Father, in everything.

APPLICATION: I think this is still the central question that all of us humans struggle with. It is the crux of what being a Christian is all about. Who has control of my life? I have the right to take control or to give it to anyone or anything else. It is a daily decision to give control of my life to God. And I can learn from this passage how to be successful in doing that. Jesus used one weapon to defeat Satan's deceptions and enticements. He used the Word of God. That is a primary weapon that I need to be skilled in using. Jesus went before us and did everything to give us all we need to defeat the devil in our own lives. He overcame the worst the devil could do---kill him; and he lives to help us overcome our adversary. Hallelujah!!

PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for going before us in everything an for doing all that is necessary for us to gain victory over all the wiles of the enemy! Teach me to rely on every promise in your Word and to pray in the Spirit, using all the defensive and offensive tools you have given me to defeat my adversary. I give you control of my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Even When It's My Fault

SCRIPTURE: Ps. 130

¹ Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
² O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

³ If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
⁴ But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

⁵ I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
⁶ My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

⁷ O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
⁸ He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

OBVSERVATION: What a comforting psalm! David is in the depths of despair and the innocent life of his son hangs in the balance. God has told him his son will die as punishment for his sin with Bathsheba. David committed adultery with the wife of a close friend who had been with him through all his trials with Saul and when she got pregnant as a result, he had her husband murdered to cover up his sin. He is in despair, calling on God's mercy and unfailing love to change the situation that he himself created. And he is waiting anxiously for God's reply. He ends by affirming that he is trusting in God's unfailing love. (By the way, God does not change his mind in this case, and the child dies. But David accepts the answer without blaming God).

APPLICATION: I have counted on, and continue to count on God to hear me and give me comfort, even when I have been the cause of my own trouble and grief. He is faithful, and I can trust that whatever his decision is, it is for my best.

PRAYER: Father in heaven, holy is your Name, your kingdom come and your will be done here on earth, just like it is in heaven. Teach me to trust always in your unfailing love, your forgiveness, and your healing hand to touch me in the deepest recesses of my heart. Those pains are as bad as any that I have in the physical realm. I am so glad that you heal and answer prayer, even when I am the cause of my own suffering. I love you, Lord. Thank you for your grace. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

What Kind of a Servant Are You?

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:6-12
⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

OBSERVATION: The King and Creator of all the earth came and was born in the most humble of circumstances. There was no room for him at the inn. He was born in a smelly stable with a hay box for a bed.

APPLICATION: We have adages that somewhat communicate that the value of a thing cannot be judged by outward appearances, such as, "You can't judge a book by it's cover". The coming of Jesus is just such a case. His value certainly was not reflected in the manner of his coming nor his subsequent living conditions. I have had cause to reflect on this from a personal point of view. When we were pastoring a church, most people accorded us a fair amount of respect (especially others in pastoral ministry). Now that my husband is functioning at our Bible college as Director of Facilities (not a pastor or a professor) it is amazing to see how some people pass him over as a person of little worth. My respect for him has grown as I have seen his response to those who treat him like a hired hand and a servant. He has kept a gracious attitude and his response has been to serve with a smile in return. Now I must also say that many treat him with much respect and express gratitude for his prompt attention to their needs, so the previous statement is not reflective of everybody. But you can tell a lot about a person's heart from both sides of this equation. My husband has shown me what a true servant heart is. His mother has a statement in the fly-leaf of her Bible that says, "You never know what kind of a servant you are until someone treats you like one". Michael has shown me that he has a true servant's heart because he responds to those who obviously have little regard for him with equal effort and grace as he does to those who do show him respect. I have also observed that those who treat him like he is "less than" are usually insecure and have their own sense of value wrapped up in their positions. I have been more like them and less like my husband. Sometimes I feel like pointing out to these people that my husband graduated summa cum laud and had his IQ tested at 165 in junior high and that he missed only one problem in math on his college entrance exam, etc. I am repenting of that. My value is based in Who I know and His opinion of my worth. I need to endeavor to have grace with those who do not treat me in accordance with my value. Jesus was not treated by others in accordance with His value either; and a servant is not above his master. This time in my life is a time to grow in an attitude of true servanthood and to find my joy in Jesus' acceptance of me.

PRAYER: Father, help me to be more like Jesus and more like my husband when it comes to serving others. I am so happy to serve when I am appreciated, but not so happy when I am not. You served those who despised you, died for those who mocked you. I want to be like that! Help me to grow and to not need the accolades of others. All I need is to hear you say to me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant". Thank you for a wonderful husband who loves me and is such a great example in this area. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Uniqueness of Leadership

SCRIPTURE: Ezek. 44:1-3
¹ Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, and it was shut. ² The LORD said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it. ³ The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the LORD. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.”

OBSERVATION: Leadership has its privileges. No one except the prince is allowed to go through the east gate, but the prince alone can sit in the gateway to eat in the presence of the Lord (this is a special picture of unique fellowship with the Lord). He does not go through the gate, but enters the portico of the gate and then leaves the same way.

APPLICATION: There is a special anointing that comes from God upon leadership. I have felt it. When we were assistant pastors, I thought we experienced it, but what we experienced then was nothing compared to what we felt when we were the lead pastors of a church. It is a kind of weight of authority and a special insight that comes from God so that you can minister to people with the Lord's mind and the Lord's power. It's not that God loves leaders more, it is that they have been given a unique task to accomplish for the good of all God's flock that are under their care. I have seen pastors lose this through disobedience, but it is definitely there for those called to serve as leaders. Now that we are not lead pastors, that weight of authority is gone. I know that if we step back into that kind of a position, it will come upon us again. It is a comfort to know that God equips for whatever task he calls us to. There is a special burden that comes with leadership, special responsibilities; and it is a good thing that God gives with those burdens and extra measure of insight and ability to call upon his divine anointing. Having experienced this, I now give pastors and other leaders my full attention and cooperation when they lead me and teach me. I also give them an extra measure of grace when they fall short in some way, knowing the difficulty of the task and how many people try to pull them in different directions.

PRAYER: Father, I pray for my pastors and those over me in any leadership capacity. I know the difficulty of their task and I know how much they need to hear from you. Give them an extra measure of your grace and let them hear the voice of your Spirit above all the others screaming for their attention. Give them the strength to make the hard calls and to go where you are leading, even if it is unpopular with the people under their care. May they not be swayed by the need for approval from humans but be only needing your approval. Provide for them as you have promised to do, and give them wise counselors. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Impressions from Revelation 21

SCRIPTURE: Rev. 21:3,4; 8; 19-21; 24
³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

¹⁹ The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.^{[d] 21} The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.

²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

OBSERVATIONS: I was struck by various verses from this chapter. Here are my abbreviated observations: 1) vs. 3,4: The preciousness of the promise given to us as believers that one day there will be no more sorrow, no sin to mar the sweetness of life, no pain of any kind is something I count on, marvel at, and am comforted by. 2) vs. 8: The fact that God lists being cowardly as one of the sins in the same list with sexual immorality, idolatry, lying, and occult practices is rather amazing to me. But when I consider that fear (and by extension, the cowardice it produces if we let ourselves be controlled by it) is the opposite of faith, it becomes more understandable. Cowardice is, viewed that way, a form of idolatry, since it is a lack of trust in the Lord. 3) vs. 19-21: This description of heaven really appeals to me since I am a lover of jewels. I know what most of these are and have had the privilege of viewing these gemstones under a high-powered microscope. They are as fascinating and beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. The inclusions in most stones actually look like a beautiful universe of stars and galaxies when you look at the inside of them. I am looking forward to being there in heaven! A woman can never have too much beautiful jewelry to look at. There, I will be living in it! 4) vs. 24: We are made in God's image, and because of that, we bring "splendor" into the holy City that we will be a part of. How incredible is that! We who are fallen humans will receive the fullness of our redemption and will actually add to the splendor of heaven. Given the ornate description preceding this verse, that is astounding and wonderful.

APPLICATION: No matter what happens to me here on earth, whatever pain and sorrow or suffering I must endure, the surety of what I will receive in heaven is reward and comfort enough for me to not give up and to praise God through it all. He has indeed made "great and precious" promises to me. Jesus told us that he goes to "prepare a place for us", and my, what a place it is! I must keep my "eyes on the prize" and meditate on these things with regularity.

PRAYER: Oh my dear Lord, how great is your destiny for me! How wonderful that you have lavished on us such beauty and such richness. But the greatest thing of all is your promise that when we are with you in heaven there will be no more pain or sorrow. I am so grateful that you will make all things new! May I keep these things in mind always; especially when life here on earth gets difficult. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Spirit of Resurrection

SCRIPTURE: Ezek. 37:11-14
¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

OBSERVATION: What an awesome vision to show the resurrection power of the Lord! Ezekiel is taken to a valley full of dead, dry bones. They weren't even connected together in full skeletons. Yet God puts them back together with skin, muscles, organs, and then brings breath back into them so that they live. There is no greater miracle than bringing something long dead back to life.

APPLICATION: The message here is so important for me to remember. There is nothing that God cannot resurrect. Hope that has died, dreams that have remained unfulfilled, health that has been taken away; nothing is beyond the Lord's power to change and bring back to life. I need to keep the resurrection power of God in mind as I pray for situations that seem hopeless. Though I see no way of change, nothing is beyond the power of God. It gives me hope.

PRAYER: Father, I do get discouraged sometimes when I don't see immediate answers to my prayers. This scripture is so encouraging to me. I know you hear and answer. Teach me to listen carefully to your Spirit and to pray in accordance with your will. Then I can have confidence that all will be done as it should be. You will prevail over every enemy and will bring to life things that are now dead. Thank you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Justice of God

SCRIPTURE: Ezek. 33:11-20
¹¹ Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’

¹² “Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness.’ ¹³ If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done. ¹⁴ And if I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just and right— ¹⁵ if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen, follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not die. ¹⁶ None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.

¹⁷ “Yet your countrymen say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. ¹⁸ If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it. ¹⁹ And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so. ²⁰ Yet, O house of Israel, you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to his own ways.”

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: People haven't changed much since the time of Ezekiel. I think most of us still do not understand the way God thinks about forgiveness and judgement. We tend to make judgements of others on the basis of comparison and intent. "If I do less wrong than another person, I don't deserve the same punishment" is the thinking of most. If I look around and can find people a lot "worse" than me, I deserve kudos for living a good life. Also, if my intention is to be a decent person, the wrong I do should not be counted against me. But God does not think like that. We are told we cannot trust in our own righteousness to cover over any sins we may commit. Our trust has to be in God. He is the only one who can forgive; and his heart is to do that. As it says, he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is that we turn from our sinful ways. And we cannot justify ourselves by comparing our righteousness to others who are more sinful than we are. Our standard is to be what God says is just and right. We are to compare ourselves only to that standard. The key is to remember that my relationship with the Lord has to be daily and stay current "in the moment". I must not depend on what I have done in the past. I need daily grace to obey and serve my Lord.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for loving me so much that you desire daily communion with me. I ask that you continue to teach me your ways and show me your will for my life. Help me to understand how you view things and give me your wisdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Amazing Grace

SCRIPTURE: Daniel 2,3,4
These 3 chapters contain stories that cumulatively spoke to me.

OBSERVATION: Nebuchadnezzar was a ruthless man who gained power by killing, starving and mutilating many people, including women and children. He ruled through fear and intimidation. Yet God shows him incredible mercy. In these 3 chapters are stories of incredible miracles and signs given to this wicked king to show him that God is the only true deity and is worthy of praise and honor. In Dan. 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that terrifies him and Daniel prays to receive from God the content and meaning of the dream. The king is so impressed that he prostrates himself before Daniel and tells everyone to honor Daniel's God. In chapter 3, the king has forgotten the lesson and sentences 3 Hebrew men to death in a fiery furnace for refusing to worship a giant golden idol he has made. When the men are protected by God from death, Nebuchadnezzar again recognizes the greatness of God. Then in chapter 4, Daniel again interprets a dream that warns Nebuchadnezzar about the arrogance in his heart and tells him of a judgement God will pronounce against him for continuing in pride. This takes place and the king finally gives God praise as ultimate sovereign of the earth.

APPLICATION: It amazes me the lengths the Lord goes to to reach this king who has committed such evil. It shows the wonder of God's truly amazing grace and love. It should give us confidence that there is no one who will not have ample revelation of God's holiness, love, and forgiveness if we pray for them. If they do not choose God after that, we can be confident that all judgement of God is just and right. Also, this should teach us that if God will go to such lengths for an evil man, we have no right to hold grudges and harbor unforgiveness toward anyone. God loves them, and so must we. After all, we have been recipients of his grace and forgiveness when we didn't deserve it. And God himself says we must forgive as we have been forgiven.

PRAYER: How awesome is your love, Lord! That you would go to such lengths for a man such as Nebuchadnezzar was is simply amazing! How can I ever possibly doubt your love for me after reading stories like these? And yet, sometimes when things are happening in my life that I don't understand I have doubted your love for me. I never want to doubt again, Lord. Bring these things to my mind whenever I am tempted to question your love for me. I trust you with my life and know you will make all things beautiful in their time. I love you, Lord. Thank you for your love and grace. Make me as loving and gracious as you are. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Spirit of Control and its Consequences

SCRIPTURE: Rev. 16:8-11

⁸ The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. ⁹ They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony ¹¹ and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

OBSERVATION: I am always amazed when I read these verses. The people know it is God judging them. They know He has control over what is happening and yet they willfully refuse to repent and glorify God. Instead they curse Him. They would rather suffer torment than submit to God. It is the height of hubris and stubbornness.

APPLICATION: More and more often I am running into people like this. It used to be a rare thing to meet people who hated God. But there are people around who worship their own ability to control their lives more than anything else. The idea of a God, even if He proves Himself real, that would demand submission is hateful to them. They would rather suffer than give up control of their lives. I think many of them don't realize that they are under the control of Satan. They think themselves free, but they have believed a lie. Satan is very willing to give people what they want in order to gain ultimate control. (Remember he offered Jesus the whole world when he tempted Him in the desert; Jesus only had to bow to Satan to obtain anything man could ever dream of having. The thread that ran through every temptation was the question of whether He would take control of His own life from His Father). The spirit of control is a dangerous thing and I must fight it. I must freely choose to let God be in control of my life.

PRAYER: Father, sin really boils down to taking control of my life from You and handling it all myself. You gave us the power to choose to serve You or to go our own way. I give You my life; all of it. I know that when I control things, I mess them up. My old nature still fights to rule and reign, but I have chosen to give You the control of my life. I must make that choice daily in order to live it out. You love me and have my best interest at heart. Have Your way in me, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Unfailing Love

SCRIPTURE: Lam. 3:19-33
¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
²⁷ It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence,
for the LORD has laid it on him.
²⁹ Let him bury his face in the dust—
there may yet be hope.
³⁰ Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.

³¹ For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.
³² Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Jeremiah is overwhelmed with grief and pouring out his heart to the Lord. He feels he will die from grief, yet he brings to mind the faithfulness of the Lord in some of the most oft quoted verses of the Bible. The Lord's mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness. Those who suffer are not left hopeless for He will show compassion. His love is unfailing. He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to any of His children. We often suffer from our own sin, though Jeremiah is suffering from seeing the intense judgment God is bringing on the people of Judah for their sin. Jeremiah lets us know that whatever the "yoke" God has put on us to bear, we should do it with patience and humility and wait for the Lord's deliverance.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for Your Word. There is such comfort in it. I so relate to Jeremiah. I tend to be one who battles depression for a number of reasons, but like Jeremiah, I have found You to be faithful. Even when I don't understand why things are happening the way they are, whenever I wait on You, I find peace and comfort and discover that Your ways are perfect. So perfect, and so much better than my own ways. I pray that I will learn to rest in You quickly when things go wrong in my view. I praise You for Your love and care for me. Thank You so much. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Law of Christian "Karma"

SCRIPTURE: Obadiah 1:15
“The day of the LORD is near
for all nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you;
your deeds will return upon your own head.

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: If the day of the Lord was near when Obadiah wrote these words hundreds of years ago, it is much nearer now. I also read in Revelation chapter 14 today and was struck with the similarity between this verse and one in Rev. which says that when God is judging the nations that those who serve the Lord and escape will do so because "their deeds will follow them". Here in Obadiah God says that the evil deeds of those being judged will come back on them. All the evil they have done to others will befall them as well. Apparently our actions are very important! The Bible makes it clear that our words are important too ("The power of life and death is in the tongue") but both of these passages focus on our actions. The idea of "karma" in the eastern religions contain this truth also, which leads me to believe that this principle of God, that what we do comes back on us, has been observable since creation. So, I must consider my actions very carefully. What I do to others, how I treat them, what I say about them matters to God. I can expect to get back what I give.

PRAYER: Father, so often I speak or act impulsively, without giving careful thought to what I say and do. Help me to stop and think, to act and speak in a much ore deliberate manner. I want the words and actions that follow me to be good ones and to reflect Your character and values. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

THE MIND OF THE REBELLIOUS

SCRIPTURE: Jer.43:1-3; Jer. 44:15-18
¹ When Jeremiah finished telling the people all the words of the LORD their God—everything the LORD had sent him to tell them— ² Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’ ³ But Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians, so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”

¹⁵ Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, ¹⁶ “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD! ¹⁷ We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our fathers, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. ¹⁸ But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.”

OBSERVATION: It's amazing how even though the Lord has had extreme patience with His people in warning them of the consequences of their idolatry and disobedience, they still persist in their rebellion. They had sworn to obey what Jeremiah the prophet told them the word of the Lord was in their current crisis, yet when they hear it, they immediately justify what they want to do. They refuse to believe Jeremiah is telling them the truth and call him a liar, even though his track record is perfect. Though they profess loyalty to God with their lips, they reject obedience the moment the Lord tells them something they don't want to hear. And they justify their sin by ascribing their good times to their idolatrous actions rather than to God's patience.

APPLICATION: This is so typical of those Christians who love to come to church and worship but do not want to change their lifestyle to line up with God's Word. They either twist or ignore the Word so that they can justify their continuing to choose their own way. They are Christians in name but not in deed. The Word has no effect on their choices. They do not deny themselves any pleasure they want to enjoy and yet deceive themselves that they are a part of the people of God. They have no faith to believe that God's ways are best, and that to receive God's best, they may have to deny getting what they want through their own efforts and wait patiently for Him.

PRAYER: Father, the Church has been so harmed by people who call themselves by Your Name and yet willfully disobey You. I admit that at times I have fallen into that category myself. I repent! Cleanse Your Body, The Church, and make us a Bride prepared for You that is without spot or wrinkle. May we take Your call to holiness seriously and in so doing, glorify You in the eyes of the world so that many would be drawn to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Trouble with Rose-Colored Glasses

SCRIPTURE: Jer. 40:13-16
¹³ Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah ¹⁴ and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

¹⁵ Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?”

¹⁶ But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Johanan warns Gedaliah that someone he trusts has duplicitous intent and is planning on assassinating him. But Gedaliah refuses to believe it. He is an optimist. His "rose-colored glasses" cost him his life. In general, I believe God wants us to believe the best about people and to be optimistic. But when good people warn about the ill intent of others, I should at least be on my guard and watch them carefully. There are those who for various reasons want to cause division or curry favor with some who are in authority. They think the way to get what they want is to "depose" any who are in their way through character assassination. It is wise to listen to the warning of others who come to tell you that a particular person does not have your back.

PRAYER: Father, help me to have wisdom and discernment with others. May I heed Your warnings about others who would cause destruction to the Body of Christ. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Oh, How the Mighty Have Fallen

SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 28:11-19

¹¹ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹² “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“‘You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
¹³ You were in Eden,
the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald,
chrysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire,^[b] turquoise and beryl.^[c]
Your settings and mountings^[d] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.
¹⁴ You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
¹⁵ You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
¹⁶ Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, O guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.
¹⁷ Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.
¹⁸ By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
¹⁹ All the nations who knew you
are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.’”

OBSERVATION: So often in prophecy God switches between the now, the future, and the distant future without clear separation. These verses seem to clearly be speaking of Satan. We must remember that their are spiritual principalities and powers (demon spirits) that rule over geographical locations on earth. It seems that Tyre had Satan himself as its spiritual principality. God speaks of Satan's creation and his fall. Verses 18, 19 seem to switch back to talking of the earthly ruler of Tyre again; although God makes it clear in other scriptures that Satan will finally be defeated once and for all as well.

APPLICATION: If Satan, the guardian cherub and worship leader of heaven could fall, why do we sometimes allow ourselves to get lifted up in pride and think it impossible that we could ever reject the Lord completely? And why do we think that others we meet who are spiritually mature are beyond failure? It is possible for any of us to fall away from God. The only prevention for that is to stay close to Jesus. If we start to make small compromises, it can lead us down a slippery slope very fast.

PRAYER: Father, I know I need You all the time. Speak to me by Your Spirit whenever I start to compromise in the least. Search me and know my heart, see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. I echo the prayer of David, and seek Your grace in my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Trusting God When Things Are Unfair

SCRIPTURE: Ezek. 24:15-24
¹⁵ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁶ “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. ¹⁷ Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover the lower part of your face or eat the customary food of mourners.”

¹⁸ So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.

¹⁹ Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?”

²⁰ So I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me: ²¹ Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword. ²² And you will do as I have done. You will not cover the lower part of your face or eat the customary food of mourners. ²³ You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep but will waste away because of your sins and groan among yourselves. ²⁴ Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.’

OBSERVATIONS: This has always seemed so harsh to me. Ezekiel has to suffer the loss of his beloved wife and not mourn for her in the customary way just to be a sign to the rebellious Israelites of the kind of judgment coming their way. Yet Ezekiel does not question the Lord about this. He simply obeys what he is told to do.

APPLICATION: All of the prophets had to suffer somewhat to be obedient to the Lord. Ridicule was common; threats from authorities were also to be expected. But I admire Ezekiel most of all. He was asked to do the most bizarre things of any of the prophets (lie on his sides for over a year while cutting his hair up and cooking his food over cow dung for example). This would have been the hardest thing he was ever asked to do. To lose the love of his life, his support through all his trials, not for anything wrong he had done, but as an example of what God was going through in losing His people and what the people were going to go through when judgement came upon them. I have to ask myself when I read this, "Would I be as obedient as Ezekiel was?" I hope I would, but honestly, I don't know. God has never asked anything so difficult from me. How God's heart longs for such obedient servants. His promise to them is to care for them and protect them through everything. Ezekiel had the joy of intimate fellowship with God, but it came at a high price.

PRAYER: Lord, I have tasted and seen that You are good. You have sustained me and been my comfort through many tough trials, persecutions, and even the consequences of my own disobedience. I want to be a servant like Ezekiel. Hearing Your Word and obeying every command, no matter how difficult. I know it is the only way to live a joyful and happy life. Trouble and pain come whether a person serves You or not. So help me to have only the pain that comes from serving You because that is the only productive pain. You give life through every trouble if I am obedient to You. Strengthen me to be like Ezekiel, my hero. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Lord Works on Our Behalf

SCRIPTURE: Ps. 111
¹ Praise the LORD.^[b]

I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

² Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
³ Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
⁴ He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
⁵ He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
⁶ He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
⁷ The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
⁸ They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.
⁹ He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: I love this psalm. It speaks for itself, but a couple of things stood out to me. He provides faithfully for those who fear Him. He provides not just what they need, but goes beyond that in showing His power by giving them the lands of other nations. This has a two-fold meaning I think. He gives the riches of the ungodly to those who serve Him and He works to give His people the "lands of other nations" through evangelism. By blessing His people and showing His power through them, we win the world to Jesus.

PRAYER: Thank You for all Your blessings, Lord. May I always live in praise and worship and the fear of the Lord so that I will be under Your protection and provision. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Utopia at Last

SCRIPTURE: Rev. 7:14-17
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
¹⁶ Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

OBSERVATION: I love these verses! They declare the final victory of the Lamb of God. Here are people who suffered through the tribulation and stayed true to God. There reward is eternal LIFE in heaven. And look at the benefits! They will never be hungry, thirsty, scorched with heat or sorrowful, for God Himself will wipe away all their tears. No ill health, no trouble of any kind; only praise to a wonderful God and fellowship forever with our faithful Husband, Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION: Whenever I am going through trials here on earth, whether they be of health, money issues, relationship woes, or anything else, it is such a comfort to think on these verses. There will be a time when all that will be over. All I need to do is stay close to Jesus. He told me, even with Him in my life (and sometimes because of Him in my life) that I would suffer here on earth. But suffering here on earth happens to everyone, Christian or not. In fact, I think those without Him suffer more. So, I hold on to Him here and receive His comfort, wisdom and love while undergoing whatever trials I am destined to face, and then in heaven have eternal freedom from strife.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord! What a fantastic promise! I am so blessed even through all the trouble I face here to experience Your love, grace and sustaining power through it all. No wonder when we get to heaven and experience the fullness of Your redemption that we will be always overflowing with praise to You. Keep me mindful of my future with You whenever I am going through trouble here on earth. In Jesus' Name, Amen.