Ezek. 17-19; Rev. 7

We’ve all seen a picture of a mighty eagle swooping down on its prey. Ezekiel 17 starts out with some great visual imagery of an eagle ripping the treetops off a cedar tree, ultimately showing a display of power that is sometimes bridled and sometimes unbridled.




Mighty conquerors are aptly likened to birds or beasts of prey, but their destructive passions are tempered by their desire to follow God's plans. Later we see God’s promise to us (Ezekiel 17: 22-24) as He talks about He Himself taking a shoot from the very top of a cedar and planting it. This tree will bear fruit and become a splendid tree because it is by the Lord’s design not man’s. As we go on in Chapter 18 we see that in our design and left to our own sin we will surely die.

Thankfully we have a way out. "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

Through our repentance and relationship with Christ we are a new creation and can have eternal life and I thank the Lord for this gift and grace.


Blessings,
Pastor Jason

NEXT READING: Ezek. 20,21; Ps. 111; Rev. 8

"Be still, and know that I am God"

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 17, 2 Chronicles 28, Psalm 46, James 3

“Be still, and know that I [am] God…” Psalm 46:10

Oh that sweet, sweet place of ‘knowing’ that God is God. The Hebrew word for know is ‘yada’ meaning to know, to know by experience, to get to know to be skilled at knowing. It is a very intense word of relationship and communion. You can know ‘about’ someone but to ‘know’ a person, to ‘yada’ a person is a deep relationship—ongoing and vibrant. The Psalmist is confident in God, he writes of God’s saving power and the beauty of His presence in the holy place where the Most High Dwells. In verses 4-5 it says, “[There is] a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy [place] of the tabernacle of the Most High. God [is] in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.” In both Ezekiel and in Revelation, we are told about the river in the city of God. In Revelation, we are told that on either side of the river there are trees that bear twelve manners of fruit. Tell me that heaven is not going to be an incredible place? The leaves of the trees are for the healings of the nations. This is what those in the Old Testament were looking for. It says that these died in faith not having received the promises, but having seen it a far off they claimed it and they said, “I am just a stranger and a pilgrim here, I am looking for a city which hath foundation, whose maker and builder is God.” I enjoy traveling, but you know when it is time to go home, it is such a great feeling. You walk in your house and go, ‘Ahhh…”. However, really, we should not hold on too tightly to what we have here on earth, because this is not our home—our home is a city where our maker and builder is God! There is a stream in that city, and the steams make glad the city of God, the holy place of ‘his dwelling’ the dwelling of the Most High. In closing this morning, one phrase really caught my eye, “God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.” (v. 5) Maybe you are facing rough circumstances or frustrations today or in this season of your life. Be encouraged because God is your help and even when it seems the darkest…just at the break of dawn your deliverance will come.

Be blessed today,
Carol

Tomorrow’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 29-31, James 4

1 Kings 20,21; 2 Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

After succeeding his father, Asa, Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel. The Bible says "... He sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel." (2 Chronicles 17:4)

Jehoshaphat sent teachers with the Book of the Law throughout Judah. Unfortunately he made the mistake of allying himself with Ahab. (2 Chronicles 18:1) One of Ahab’s problems is he didn’t like hearing the truth and this drove him to false prophets and false spirits. Jehoshaphat wanted a real prophet of God. Ahab didn't, saying "But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me." (1 Kings 22:8) Micaiah prophesied disaster for Israel. In a strange parody of a self-fulfilling prophecy, Ahab says, "Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?" In the coming battle, Ahab in disguise is killed and Jehoshaphat returns to his palace in Jerusalem. He then begins to turn the people back to God. He appoints judges in the land and in the fortified cities. In Jerusalem, he appoints Levites and family heads to administer the Law of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 19:8)

We should be encouraged to not stand in a place of pride or just wanting our ears tickled as Ahab did. Instead let’s be open to the Lord and attack every day from a place of humility saying, “Lord what would YOU have me do today”. (Jehoshaphat set his face to seek the LORD….2 Chronicles 20:3)

When Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossae (the book of Colossians) he did this because many of the Christians there had begun to listen to false teachers, like Ahab and his false prophets. One of the most devastating things about false teachings is so many of them have threads of truth or better said may seem so close to the gospel that it is hard to spot the truth from fiction. Yet these false teachings fork off on their own journey that runs down a crooked path. Paul really tried to emphasize Christ is superior in this letter. I believe Paul wrote more about Christ in Colossians than in any other letters. These letters remind us that our past life is gone, “water under the bridge”. Christ has made us free and calls us to live in that freedom. So, again let’s take every day and ask the Lord, “What would YOU have me do today?” as we live our lives for His service.

Blessings,
Pastor Jason


Next Reading: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4

Prov 4-6; Romans 8

 As we read through Proverbs 4 there is a main theme we can see here and this is that the condition of our heart will effect everything else in our lives. Things like putting other people before ourselves, living in wisdom & staying focused on the Lord are all sighted here in these scriptures. The condition of our heart and the choices we make will all culminate in the direct outcome of our spiritual lives.. "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

Take a look at our world; I would say many of us have car alarms (most cars come with them built in these days)  yet a car alarm only works if we respond to the sound of the alarm. Sometimes those things will go on for hours without anybody even turning a head. How about our spiritual alarms? Shouldn't we be even more sensitive to the alarms that go off inside us? That still small voice. Isn't there more importance in these eternal matters than the physical property we have? Having all the wisdom of Solomon doesn't help if we don't listen to the alarms going off. What comes to mind here is; "discernment" - the ability to determine and choose the good from the bad, the right from the wrong.

While as infants we lack discernment, as we grow up we develop this trait. Sometimes as adults even though we have developed discernment and can clearly speak to friends about the choices they should make we still have a hard time "discerning" what is good for our hearts.

Consider this... If you have alarms going off, maybe even some that have faded to the background because you have ignored them for so long, consider listening a little more carefully. Take the triggers of those alarms and present them to God. Bring forth a repentant and broken heart. Let's ask Him to create in us a "new heart". Let's place our hearts at the foot of the cross  and experience the forgiveness God purchased for us there. Then, let's watch over our hearts with all diligence; because from it flow the issues of life.


Blessings my Friends,
Pastor Jason

Next Reading: Prov 7-9; Romans 9

Ruth 1,2; Psalm 53; 61; 2 Corinthians 5

“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.” Psalm 61:1-3

“The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." Ruth 2:12

Is your heart overwhelmed today? Do you need a strong tower from the enemy? Two of our passages deal with people in crisis, people who need their God to be a strong tower from the enemy and a refuge from the storm. David writes this psalm at a time that he had been in exile because of the rebellion of his son Absalom. David had fled across the Jordan River as an army from Hebron, led by Absalom, came to take Jerusalem. He did not want to face his son in battle. Rather than taking a stand in Jerusalem, a victory that would have surely been David’s, the King fled with his armies in to exile. David cries out to God, “Hear my cry, O God, attend to my prayer.” (Psalm 61:2) In Ruth we read the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Naomi returns to Jerusalem, broken and destitute, with her daughter in law Ruth, a foreigner. Both women are widows and without a redemptive miracle, they will both be poorly outcast and beggars or for a young, widowed woman, even worse, sent to the streets. I am sure Naomi cried out, O God, hear my cry…attend to my prayer! When we are in crisis it seems more like the end of the world, rather than the ends of the earth! Many a time I have cried out, “Lord, lead me, lead me to THE Rock, that is higher than I.” When we are so low, there is only one place to go and that is up. But when we are feeling so low, up seems so far away. But God is THE Rock and He does lift us up to a place that is higher than our circumstances, higher than us. “He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deut. 32:4) “The Eternal God is my refuge and underneath is His everlasting arms.” (Deut. 33:27) God is faithful, He is our Rock, He is our Refuge. God delivers Naomi and Ruth, God rescues David, and God delivers and rescues us. Perhaps today, you need the deliverance and rescuing of your God. Today is your day, your day to cry out to God and a day to be led to the Rock, Jesus Christ.

Victorious in Christ,
Carol Danna

Next Reading: Ruth 3, 4; Psalm 64-65; 2 Corinthians 6