199 Ezekiel 018 – 020; Acts 16.1 – 16.15
Ezekiel answers the sixty-four dollar question. Who pays for the sins committed? God's answer is the person who does them. It seems obvious that this would be the answer, however, even in this day a lot of people think that somehow the sins of the children come from the sins of the parents. Not! We are not animals and therefore we can make choices. Parents need to understand that children can be in a good home and still do evil and they can come from an unrighteous home and do what is right. The sins of the parents are not passed on to their children! Amen. By the way, we should still try to set a good example.
One of the insights that has helped me in my reading as to why the repetition of all the sins committed is that many times the leaders or the people in the streets are asking questions. The prophet then has to answer those questions even though he has already said these things in another place. For the prophet the answer is always the same, it's your sin. The other reason for all the repetition is the people of Israel were hard of hearing.
Dreams many times are given to us by God. Paul had one that changed where he was going and then changed the course of that area. Have you had any dreams lately?
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
198 Friday, July 17, 2009
198 Ezekiel 015 – 017; Acts 15.22 – 15.41
More graphic language in order for “the chosen” to get the point. Jerusalem started believing their own press reports. God called Israel from nothing and made them the envy of other nations. Israel had forgotten their roots. They had come from a trailer park and had been taken to the gated community, but the chosen somehow forgot God had done this for them. They not only forget Yahweh, but they are chasing other gods.
God was not content to just talk about judgment; the Lord wanted Israel to know where it ranked in relation to other sinful nations. Israel is worse than Sodom and her sister cities. Shock! Samaria did not do half the sin Israel is guilty of--Shock! Here is a little salt for that wound. The point is made in a poignant way.
Barnabas and Paul have a heated disagreement over John, known as Mark. Barnabas wanted him to come along on a trip, but Paul did not like his attitude. Barnabas, the encourager took Mark and Paul took Silas. It's okay to have disagreements even over people. Later Paul asks for Mark to come long on a trip. In the end the kingdom of God was served and Mark got better or Paul softened.
More graphic language in order for “the chosen” to get the point. Jerusalem started believing their own press reports. God called Israel from nothing and made them the envy of other nations. Israel had forgotten their roots. They had come from a trailer park and had been taken to the gated community, but the chosen somehow forgot God had done this for them. They not only forget Yahweh, but they are chasing other gods.
God was not content to just talk about judgment; the Lord wanted Israel to know where it ranked in relation to other sinful nations. Israel is worse than Sodom and her sister cities. Shock! Samaria did not do half the sin Israel is guilty of--Shock! Here is a little salt for that wound. The point is made in a poignant way.
Barnabas and Paul have a heated disagreement over John, known as Mark. Barnabas wanted him to come along on a trip, but Paul did not like his attitude. Barnabas, the encourager took Mark and Paul took Silas. It's okay to have disagreements even over people. Later Paul asks for Mark to come long on a trip. In the end the kingdom of God was served and Mark got better or Paul softened.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
197 Thursday, July 16, 2009
197 Ezekiel 012 – 014; Acts 15.1 – 15.21
What good is an eye if it cannot see and an ear if it cannot hear? Nothing! What good are the people of God if they do not behave as the people of God? If an eye is to see and it does not see then it has lost its purpose. If the point of the people of God is to behave like His people and they do not, then have they not lost their purpose? If salt has lost its saltiness then has it not lost its purpose? Scripture says the salt is to be tossed away! Still God sends Ezekiel with another object lesson for these stubborn people. Maybe they have not listened in the past, but God will try again. Before we judge the chosen frozen let's think about sometime God was clearly communicating to us and we just did not listen. All of us can have ears and eyes that take an unexcused absence. What is God trying to tell you now? By the way the chosen were listening, but listening to what they wanted to hear. Truth hurts, but believing a lie can kill you!
Who has to obey the law and who doesn't? A special meeting was called in Jerusalem to discuss if the gentiles, who had come to faith, needed to be circumcised. Peter, Paul, and Barnabas saved the day as they explained theologically and by eye witness accounts what God was doing among the gentiles. Someone is either trying to add to the faith or they want to take away from the faith. It is always one or the other.
What good is an eye if it cannot see and an ear if it cannot hear? Nothing! What good are the people of God if they do not behave as the people of God? If an eye is to see and it does not see then it has lost its purpose. If the point of the people of God is to behave like His people and they do not, then have they not lost their purpose? If salt has lost its saltiness then has it not lost its purpose? Scripture says the salt is to be tossed away! Still God sends Ezekiel with another object lesson for these stubborn people. Maybe they have not listened in the past, but God will try again. Before we judge the chosen frozen let's think about sometime God was clearly communicating to us and we just did not listen. All of us can have ears and eyes that take an unexcused absence. What is God trying to tell you now? By the way the chosen were listening, but listening to what they wanted to hear. Truth hurts, but believing a lie can kill you!
Who has to obey the law and who doesn't? A special meeting was called in Jerusalem to discuss if the gentiles, who had come to faith, needed to be circumcised. Peter, Paul, and Barnabas saved the day as they explained theologically and by eye witness accounts what God was doing among the gentiles. Someone is either trying to add to the faith or they want to take away from the faith. It is always one or the other.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
195 Tuesday, July 14, 2009
195 Ezekiel 009 – 011; Acts 014
It is a good day to look upset. It is a good day to look repentant. Those with the mark will receive mercy. In the book of Revelation if you have the mark of the beast you are doomed, but here it is good to be marked. God always has someone who gets it. The numbers are few, yet they are there.
The wheels within wheels and all the creatures that represent the Glory of God are back. Ezekiel drops us back in on the move of God from the Temple. God's Glory has left the Temple. If you can reflect for a moment on how unbelievable the day was when the Glory of God filled the Temple. It was absolutely staggering. Now in the opposite way it is absolutely staggering. When you read John chapter one and that God became flesh and we beheld His Glory; it is in this context of God's Glory left and never came back until Jesus.
The gods have come down!! That was the reaction of people when Paul healed a man. Then Paul and Barnabas had to convince them of their own mortality. God works through us humans and we are to never take the credit. We are never to rob God of His Glory.
In the last few paragraphs we have some insight into how Paul and Barnabas operated when in a new town. They established a strong core of believers. It is always about the core. So goes the core so goes the church. You all are a part of the core. How are you doing? Thank you for being a part of the core. God bless you in your service to our Lord.
It is a good day to look upset. It is a good day to look repentant. Those with the mark will receive mercy. In the book of Revelation if you have the mark of the beast you are doomed, but here it is good to be marked. God always has someone who gets it. The numbers are few, yet they are there.
The wheels within wheels and all the creatures that represent the Glory of God are back. Ezekiel drops us back in on the move of God from the Temple. God's Glory has left the Temple. If you can reflect for a moment on how unbelievable the day was when the Glory of God filled the Temple. It was absolutely staggering. Now in the opposite way it is absolutely staggering. When you read John chapter one and that God became flesh and we beheld His Glory; it is in this context of God's Glory left and never came back until Jesus.
The gods have come down!! That was the reaction of people when Paul healed a man. Then Paul and Barnabas had to convince them of their own mortality. God works through us humans and we are to never take the credit. We are never to rob God of His Glory.
In the last few paragraphs we have some insight into how Paul and Barnabas operated when in a new town. They established a strong core of believers. It is always about the core. So goes the core so goes the church. You all are a part of the core. How are you doing? Thank you for being a part of the core. God bless you in your service to our Lord.
Monday, July 13, 2009
194 Monday, July 13, 2009
194 Ezekiel 007 – 008; Acts 13.14 – 13.52
You have not seen the worst. You walk into our church and go to the prayer chapel only to see an idol placed there for some sex goddess. But, you have not seen the worst. How would you feel? How would you gage that statement--you have not seen the worst. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Everything falls apart if the first commandment is not followed. Everything becomes broken if the first commandment is not obeyed. Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul, and might. Love God and do as you please is what Martin Luther would tell his students. Why? If you love God then you will do what pleases God and that will please you. God's will and our will coalesce together for God's glory. The dream relationship is the will of a free human agent surrendering to the Will of Yahweh, out of love and not duress. Having said that remember, even if it is under duress, it is better than doing God's will no matter what motivation is in ones heart.
Do you think Paul knew the O.T.? Paul gives the story of Jesus starting back with Israel in Egypt. It is a great lesson on how the Apostles read the O.T.. We should know the O.T. for in the O.T. the message of Christ is in seed form and is in full bloom in the N.T.. Without the Old there would be no New. When you read the N.T. you will be pleasantly surprised at how many explicit and implicit references are made regarding the O.T. Information does not automatically lead to transformation, however without the truth one will never get to transformation. God has packed a lot of truth in the Scriptures.
You have not seen the worst. You walk into our church and go to the prayer chapel only to see an idol placed there for some sex goddess. But, you have not seen the worst. How would you feel? How would you gage that statement--you have not seen the worst. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Everything falls apart if the first commandment is not followed. Everything becomes broken if the first commandment is not obeyed. Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul, and might. Love God and do as you please is what Martin Luther would tell his students. Why? If you love God then you will do what pleases God and that will please you. God's will and our will coalesce together for God's glory. The dream relationship is the will of a free human agent surrendering to the Will of Yahweh, out of love and not duress. Having said that remember, even if it is under duress, it is better than doing God's will no matter what motivation is in ones heart.
Do you think Paul knew the O.T.? Paul gives the story of Jesus starting back with Israel in Egypt. It is a great lesson on how the Apostles read the O.T.. We should know the O.T. for in the O.T. the message of Christ is in seed form and is in full bloom in the N.T.. Without the Old there would be no New. When you read the N.T. you will be pleasantly surprised at how many explicit and implicit references are made regarding the O.T. Information does not automatically lead to transformation, however without the truth one will never get to transformation. God has packed a lot of truth in the Scriptures.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
193 Sunday, July 12, 2009
193 Ezekiel 004 – 006; Acts 13.1 – 13.14
When you read the major and minor prophets one thing has to continually be on your mind, they are writing to a nation. Israel was a nation set up by Yahweh to reveal the glory of God. God's glory was to be revealed by Israel in everything they did. Their justice system, their diet, their care for each other and the foreigner, how they worshiped, even how they were to win their battles against other nations were ways God's glory could be revealed. The book of Acts is the transition book from nation to church. It is about the acts of the Holy Spirit in and through the Apostles and the church. It reveals that the Spirit is no longer just coming down on kings, priests and prophets, but is coming down on all flesh. This is the church age not the chosen nation age. This is the age of God's grace opening up to all people in every tongue and color. The prophets had to say quite a bit to Israel because they were a nation representing God in every detail of life. Israel more or less had blown it in every detail. They had totally wiped out.
How many ways do you have to tell someone they have blown it? Jonah went to Nineveh and said judgment is coming, repent! They did. This is the third major prophet and God is using Ezekiel in a different way than He used Isaiah and Jeremiah. Ezekiel becomes the sermon in these chapters as God is trying to illustrate to His chosen people that their sin is serious. The reason so many words and warnings are used is that Israelites are God's children and He wants them to honor and obey him. Instead they mock Yahweh with their words and disobedience. They are so in denial that they do not see what they are doing as sin. God is dealing with a nation addicted to sin. God is trying to wake them up! He is trying to get them off the juice.
In this chapter is a great example of the Holy Spirit working in and through the Apostles and the church. Barnabas and Paul are at the church in Antioch fasting and praying. God speaks to the church about sending Paul and Barnabas to a special work. This type of thing could of never happened in the O.T.. What is God saying to you? What is God saying to our church?
When you read the major and minor prophets one thing has to continually be on your mind, they are writing to a nation. Israel was a nation set up by Yahweh to reveal the glory of God. God's glory was to be revealed by Israel in everything they did. Their justice system, their diet, their care for each other and the foreigner, how they worshiped, even how they were to win their battles against other nations were ways God's glory could be revealed. The book of Acts is the transition book from nation to church. It is about the acts of the Holy Spirit in and through the Apostles and the church. It reveals that the Spirit is no longer just coming down on kings, priests and prophets, but is coming down on all flesh. This is the church age not the chosen nation age. This is the age of God's grace opening up to all people in every tongue and color. The prophets had to say quite a bit to Israel because they were a nation representing God in every detail of life. Israel more or less had blown it in every detail. They had totally wiped out.
How many ways do you have to tell someone they have blown it? Jonah went to Nineveh and said judgment is coming, repent! They did. This is the third major prophet and God is using Ezekiel in a different way than He used Isaiah and Jeremiah. Ezekiel becomes the sermon in these chapters as God is trying to illustrate to His chosen people that their sin is serious. The reason so many words and warnings are used is that Israelites are God's children and He wants them to honor and obey him. Instead they mock Yahweh with their words and disobedience. They are so in denial that they do not see what they are doing as sin. God is dealing with a nation addicted to sin. God is trying to wake them up! He is trying to get them off the juice.
In this chapter is a great example of the Holy Spirit working in and through the Apostles and the church. Barnabas and Paul are at the church in Antioch fasting and praying. God speaks to the church about sending Paul and Barnabas to a special work. This type of thing could of never happened in the O.T.. What is God saying to you? What is God saying to our church?
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