by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Ezekiel 24-26
Our God is God. The Creator of the Universe and the Author of all things good. He is the beginning and the end.
The day will come when there will no longer be any evil because our pure, holy God will rid His creation of Satan and all who follow him. He is all good; He is also all-powerful.
When we read the current chapters of Ezekiel, it gets pretty heavy, because we don’t normally think in terms of judgment. We think of God as a loving Father – which He is. But He is also holy. If God were to judge everything according to His standards today, there wouldn’t be much left. But there will come a day when it’s all over.
I’ve always thought that if anyone really understood who Jesus was and what He did for us, they would receive Him. His love is unconditional, but we have to receive it. We have to know Him personally and allow Him to order our steps.
Our choices are clear. Light versus dark. Life versus death. Love versus hate. Good versus evil.
I choose Jesus with all the light, life, love and good He brings.
I Peter 1
All of the letters we have read so far have been written by the apostle Paul, who never saw Jesus in the flesh.
Remember, he was called by the Lord when he was on the way to arrest some Christians. Then for three years he spent time with the Lord, re-reading the Old Testament scriptures and understanding God’s plan of redemption. During this time, God revealed to Paul what had been hidden up to that point, that is the new birth and the Holy Spirit now living within the hearts of man.
Peter had a different perspective. He not only knew Jesus; Peter was one of the three disciples who were with Him in the most eye-opening times. (The transfiguration and when He raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead). One of Jesus’s closest disciples.
Yet throughout the three plus years Peter was following Jesus, he never really understood what was about to take place. Actually it takes the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to people, so the full understanding couldn’t come until after Jesus was resurrected and Peter was born again.
When we read the letters from Peter, we get a little different slant of the same message. The new birth, the living hope, the promises which are here now and the ones to come.
Peter addresses those who are currently suffering for their faith. There are various trials which people are going through, but their faith is compared to precious gold to be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I’d like to point out one very encouraging word, encouraging to us when we have loved ones who just don’t seem to “get it.” Peter speaks of the fact that we have been “born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living Word of God.”(V. 23)
When we have shared the gospel of Jesus with someone, that seed is imperishable seed planted in their heart. They might not pay any attention to us at the time, but that seed has been planted and it won’t go away. It will never die.
At the right moment that person, knowing they need help beyond their own abilities, may reach out to God. And in that moment, that imperishable seed of God’s Word is still there within them reminding them of God’s plan of redemption.
I have seen this happen many times. I have shared the gospel with someone who seemed to ignore what I was saying, only to find later that they had received the Lord. And I have seen parents who have shared with their children, only to find them going astray. Yet at the right moment, that Word would cause the young ones to turn around and receive the Lord.
Once the Word of God is shared, it will not go away. It may lie dormant for a long time, but the Word is there, and it will spring forth at the right time.
That brings great hope to those of us who are praying for our loved ones. Hopefully, we will never give up!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Ezekiel 19-21
“What was your mother? A lioness among lions. She lay down among young lions. She reared her cubs. When she brought up one of her cubs, He became a lion.” (19:2)
This is a picture of Israel in her former days. A strong, powerful mother to many young lions. Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Josiah…many young lions who embraced their heritage of honoring the Lord God as their king.
What happened? We can look around today and see the same things.
When people begin to have a “spirit of familiarity,” they don’t honor what they have. They take it for granted.
Have you ever seen cows grazing in a pasture? If not, let me share some interesting lessons to be learned. If you watch them long enough, you will see a few go over to the fence, stick the tips of their noses through, and graze “on the other side of the fence.” (This is where we get the phrase, “The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.”)
You can scan the pasture and readily see that the greenest grass is within the fence, but these cows don’t seem to appreciate it. They like the “other side” better.
That same spirit is here in our modern society when it comes to those who have been brought up in Christianity. A rebellious spirit can rise up and cause people to think that the “grass is greener somewhere else.”
When we look at humans instead of cows, this plays out in people wanting to look to other religions instead of their own. There are so many out there. Could they all be wrong?
The answer is “Yes, they can all be wrong.” There is only one God and only one way to Him.
There is only One who paid the price for their sins. There is only One who cleanses us, forgives us, heals us, and empowers us with His Spirit actually living within us. There is only One who arose from the dead. Jesus is the only One.
When we look at Israel in the time of Ezekiel, the Jews were looking on the other side of the fence and they saw many cults around. Surely they couldn’t all be wrong. Yes, they could. There was only One God. Jesus hadn’t yet come, but God was laying the groundwork to bring Him to the earth. He was developing His people to receive Him into their heritage and help to save the world.
If they would just listen and remain faithful.
We could learn a lot from Israel.
James 5
“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (V.16)
This is a verse to keep in mind when we are praying – especially when we have a crisis before us.
James compares us to Elijah. He prayed and the rain stopped in his land for three years. Then he prayed again and the rain started back. Powerful!
Do you think that your prayers can accomplish that much? James says that they can.
One difference between Elijah and us is that Elijah believed his prayers would be answered. Do you remember the story about his prayer for rain to return?
First he “heard” the sound of rain. (In his heart he knew that it was time). Then he went up on the mountain, put his head between his knees, and began to pray. He told his servant to go and check to see if he saw any signs of rain, but the servant saw none.
He then sent the servant seven times, as he was praying, to check for rain. Finally, the servant returned saying that there was a cloud the size of a man’s hand.
It was here! Elijah then told the servant to run and tell Ahab to run for cover because torrents were on their way. And that is exactly what happened.
Elijah knew what he was praying for and he knew that it was time. So he refused to give up until he saw the rain.
Our prayers too can avail much if we press into what God wants us to. We can hear by the spirit what he wants us to pray for – and we can push forth in faith and patience to receive.
Are you wanting awakening in your family? In your country? In the world? You know that it is God’s will and it is definitely time. Pray and don’t stop until you see your answer.
You are a righteous man, and your prayers can avail much.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Ezekiel 13-15
Do you have a pure heart? That’s what pleases God, and it is what will bring you to your best life.
So just what is a pure heart? It’s one which seeks God’s will and not its own. A pure heart is free from self-centeredness and strife and as such, can hear properly when God speaks.
Jesus said, “I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear I judge; and My judgment is just, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which has sent Me.” (John 5:30) When we are willing to seek our Father’s will and not our own selfish one, we will hear clearly from Him also.
This is the key to what makes false prophecy. A man who selfishly seeks his own will doesn’t hear God’s voice clearly. He is busy running after his own desires, and his thinking gets to be contaminated. Thus he doesn’t hear clearly.
What is a false prophet? He is one who speaks out of his own mind, and doesn’t represent the Lord..
So this is what we see in Ezekiel. The prophets in Jerusalem are saying “peace, peace,” when there is no peace. They are speaking from their own minds and tickling ears – leading people astray.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
So let’s allow Him to strip away those preconceived ideas and selfish ideologies, and fill our hearts with His truth. That’s where His freedom lies – and that’s where we find the greatest happiness.
James 1
(Note: James, who wrote this book, was the natural brother of Jesus, but didn’t believe in Him until after His resurrection. James went on to be one of the early church leaders, a fact which should give us hope concerning our families who are not yet believers).
I like the way the Amplified Bible starts this book. “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you fall into temptations, testings, or trials, knowing that the trying of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”(V 2-3)
Remember how Hebrews harped on endurance, or patience? Well, here we go again. Endurance is one of the most important factors in our faith-walk. We have to hold up our faith with endurance, or we will give up and miss out on the blessing.
But if we have endurance working on our behalf, we will receive the things we are believing for.
So when you come to testings and trials, don’t sit down on the job. Think of yourself as being in an intense workout, producing your endurance muscle. You are getting stronger, and closer to your goal, even when it doesn’t seem like it.
While we are waiting, we need to realize that it is not God who is testing us. “God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” (V 13) Your own lust is tempting you and testing you. So as you are holding on to your promise, know that your heart is being cleansed by your resolve also. When you don’t give in, the devil starts losing his hold on you.
Hold fast. Endure. Be patient. You will receive, if you don’t quit! Faith and patience can accomplish wonderful things in your life.
