And you will know that I am the Lord, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.

Ezekiel 11

And you will know that I am the Lord, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you. v12

God gives Ezekiel a message to deliver to Jaazaniah and Pelatiah, leaders of the people and He is passing judgement on them for leading the city into sin.  In verse 12, God gets to the core of how Jerusalem is led into sin - by allowing wordly influences to play a greater role than God.  

God must be more, we and the world must become less.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 

He must become greater; I must become less.  John 3:30

We are foreigners in this world - citizens of Heaven.  As such, our allegiance lies with Jesus, not with the world.  We are to be set apart.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has transformed my heart, my mind, and my life - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.

Isaiah 51

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. v6-7

We live IN the world, yet we are encouraged to remember that we are not citizens of the world nor should we focus on the temporal nature of what holds us in bondage - sin and the idols that so easily entangle us.  

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 1 Peter 1:17 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Hebrews 12:1 

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God whose kingdom lasts forever - I know that this world will disappear and only You and those who believe will remain and that You will save a place for us.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of Your love as my sin continues - I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Please help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 84

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. v10

We are told that we are foreigners in "this world" and at home and citizens of Heaven.

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.  1 Peter 1:17

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ[.] Philippians 3:20

As such we should not grow comfortable with this world and not "conform".

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

We should "[b]e holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy" (Leviticus 19:2).

God knows that we cannot do this alone - so He provides the Word, our brothers and sisters in Christ, the church, and of course Jesus Christ His Son through which we have the Holy Spirit - the same power the brought Jesus from the grave.

Our time here on earth is to be spent discipling others and bringing others to Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has brought me out of the miry pit...again and again.  You always welcome me back with open arms - You free from the sting of sin and death and You put me on a path to live a life more like You.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worthy of such love.  I often do not obey and I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.

1 Chronicles 29

We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. v15

As a follow up to yesterday's post, David continues to remain humble and he demonstrates this further by stating what all believers should recognize - that we exist solely to glorify God and we should not conform to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2).  We are foreigners, we should be mindful of our host (God), and live with eternity in mind (considering Heaven is our Home).

Also, apart from God we have no good things.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Psalm 16:2

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am selfish - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn from You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

Deuteronomy 24

Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this. v17-18

As we continue to have an intense debate over immigration in our country - we can all agree that we should care for those who struggle due to difficult circumstances.  Moses reminds us how the Lord rescued the Israelites from bondage and we should all remember how Jesus came to rescue each of us and commands us to love others as He loves us (John 13:34).

Lord Jesus, help me love others as You love me.

My Prayer: Lord, I know You love me - You provide for all of my needs and I am not of want for anything.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such blessings.  I am lazy.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

1 Peter 1

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. v17

God is just...and His justice is perfect.

He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. Psalm 9:8

 

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

 

"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done." Matthew 16:27

 

As such, we should live our time on earth with reverent fear.  We are not citizens of earth so we should respect the host - our God the Father.  And we should respect our God the Father because our bodies are not our own...we live for the glory of God.  We have a God who is perfect in all ways, is all powerful, and all knowing.  He is Lord of Lords and He reigns over all.  He demands our love and is worthy of it.  He knows everything about us yet chose to adopt us, and suffer and die for us.  

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, no doubt You are a great God worthy of my praise, worship, love, and obedience.  Thank You for being my God.  You have done everything for me yet I know I am undeserving.  I am selfish, lazy, and I worry.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

Psalm 39

Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. v5

We are reminded this morning that God is in control, that our earthly security is a mere phantom, that every new day is a gift of grace from God (and we are not deserving of such a gift) and that we must live life with the end in mind.

David expands and clarifies this further:

Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. v6 

In light of God's dominion over our life, Peter admonishes us to live a life of reverent fear:

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.  1 Peter 1:17

Living today with intention will provide us with hope for a secure future in Heaven: 

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”

The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.  Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.   

Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken. 

 All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. Micah 4:1-5

My Prayer: Lord, You are our hope....our only hope.  We live on earth as foreigners assaulted from all sides...but You protect us and You rescue us...and through faith in You we receive not just forgiveness from sins but eternity in heaven - our true home.  What a great God You are!  Thank You for such gifts Jesus but I am not worth (Matthew 5:3) such a God and I am completely dependent on You.  Forgive me for my many sins of impatience, anger, etc.  Help me overcome and turn from such sins towards You and help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

1 Peter 1

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. v17

Three key points that I see here:
1. God WILL judge us
2. Our home is not an earthly one but in Heaven
3. We should live with the end in mind, knowing that God will judge us and we should be prepared

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a righteous judge, treating us fairly and often mercifully when we don't get what we deserve as we know the wages of sin is death.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such mercy as I am often lazy and passive in light what You ask me to do...please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me live with the end in mind.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” v15

Peter is encouraging the early church in modern-day Turkey that they are to be set apart...to glorify God through what they do.

This verse which I am calling is out is sprinkled throughout the Bible:
- Leviticus 11:44
- Leviticus 19:2
- Ezekiel 36:23

First of all, we are made in God's image to glorify Him.  Second, we are called to being others to Him so others should desire God through what they see in us.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are pure, holy and blameless...perfect.  All that You are, have done will do, is perfect.  Everything You have done for me and will do for me is perfect.  You know everything about me and what is good for me.  You love me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am weak, and I often do not glorify You through what I do.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me be holy!  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal her of this cancer - thank You Jesus for the healing You have already provided!  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Philippians 3

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. v20-21

Much as I posted yesterday, God calls us forward, not backward.  Because we are called forward and today because we are citizens of heaven we are aliens in this world and not to become comfortable in the here and now...we have a job to do...and God calls us forward...pressing on.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God who is able to defeat the grave and one who is able to transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like Your glorious body!  How awesome You are!  I know You love me and for this I am deeply thankful and full of praise.  I am not worth such a love.  I am lazy, selfish, and disobedient.  Please forgive me Jesus! Help me overcome such sin and turn forward towards You instead!  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer. Help me serve and lead Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

Philippians 3

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. v8-9

I pray that I may have this perspective that I should place ALL of my confidence not in the flesh and not in the world but in Christ my Lord and Savior. 

Referring to the heroes and faithful of the Old Testament, the author of Hebrews writes:

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.  Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.  Hebrews 11:13-16

My Prayer: Lord, I know I have a true home, and that is in heaven with You.  I have read and heard much about heaven and it sounds like an incredible place and I look forward to being with You in heaven.  Yet now my time on earth is riddled with worry and other sin and I need Your forgiveness.  Thank You that You love me despite my sin but please forgive me and help me turn from this sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me understand that I am a foreigner on earth and that I should live with the end in sight...and that I exist solely on earth to glorify You.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.