Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”

Zechariah 5:1-4

Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.” Zechariah 5:1-4

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is an unassisted review of Zechariah 5:1-4, which the commentary outlines as the first of three divisions for the text 5:1-6:15 (5:1-4, 5-11, 6:1-15).  Here Zechariah's visions continue as he delivers a message from the Lord about a "curse that goes out over the face of the whole land."  This curse is directed towards those who steal and swear falsely by God's name.  We don't know why only these sins are the scope of God's judgement and we also don't know the details of the curse.  We do know that a specific form of blasphemy (of God's name) is treated very harshly in scripture.  Believers are exhorted to not "mess with fire" here as not being forgiven lends itself to condemnation...eternally.  In general, the broader question at hand is whether we should deliberately, willfully, and consistently commit sin.  Of course we should not.  We are in a daily battle for our souls (see 1 Peter 5:8) and we should remain in Him through daily exercise of spiritual disciplines such as reading and study of God's word, prayer, etc. Such efforts and reverent fear of God serve as a preservative against sin.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who protects from the dark forces of this world - thank You Jesus and for Your Advocate - the Holy Spirit.  I am not deserving of protection nor salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  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 love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to 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.     

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Leviticus 26-27

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter twenty-three (the final chapter) - Either-Or - covering Leviticus 26-27, looking specifically at the third theme for the chapter - God Judges Our Unfaithfulness.  Here, the commentary breaks down v13-39, where we see the details of God's judgement awaiting those who fail to heed God's commands as described in Leviticus.  God's judgement and punishment is described in the commentary as a "cycle of judgement five times....He was stating that He would give His people opportunity after opportunity to turn from their sin, but if they continued to be unfaithful, more judgement would come." The commentary points out that Nehemiah 9 writes about God's warnings from Leviticus 26 coming to pass, including God's cycle of judgement that repeated itself five times. Of course, believers familiar with the Old Testament understand that exile awaited those Israelites whose disobedience persisted. The commentary wraps by encouraging all believers to avoid disobedience to God - draw near to Him and stay near to Him. God brings about obedience through a daily, personal relationship with Him. We are referred to 2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10-12, and 1 Corinthians 3:12-15.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and compassion.  I sin...daily.  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 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.

Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Isaiah 1-6, 2 Kings 15, and 2 Chronicles 26-27 

Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord. Isaiah 2:5

  

Day 174 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues my study of Isaiah, as Isaiah describes God's anger and impending harsh punishment for Judah, who has "rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 5:24). Isaiah's warning is clear that it is directed towards those who "forsake the Lord" (Isaiah 1:18-20, 28 and 4:2-6).  He implores (Isaiah 2) Judah to stop clinging to idols and to stop trusting in "mere humans" that cannot save as only God can.  There are ample references to the end times and the conflict and destruction that will occur (Isaiah 1-3).  Of course during the end times God for the final time overcomes sin and death: "[t]hough [our] sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool (Isaiah 1:18-20)". Isaiah describes spiritual restoration for those who believe - salvation.

My commentary* goes back to Israel for a brief focus (2 Kings 15) on the "political upheaval" there as the throne of Menahem comes to an end and succeeding kings continue to do "evil in the eyes of the Lord". 

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

My study* this morning concludes with a return to Judah (2 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 26-27) as Uzziah dies of leprosy and his son Jotham assumes the throne. Jotham "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the LORD. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices". Isaiah also has a vivid vision of the Lord from the end times (Isaiah 6:1-13).  An interesting aspect of my study's conclusion is how my commentary* notes how Jotham rebuilt and repaired the temple but earlier it is stated that Jotham "did not enter the temple of the Lord".  The final words of my study* this morning are how "Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God".

While Jotham did walk steadfastly before the Lord, he also allowed sin to creep into his own life and into the lives his citizens.  I am reminded how we must use fear of the Lord as a preservative against sin and drive us into His arms.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me beyond question and doubt - You came to save me from sin and death and You will never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God and such love.  I worry and I have other sins.  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 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 messages for me today and every day. 

For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

Joel 1-3

For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. Joel 3:14-16

  

Day 163 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a study of Joel, who prophesies about Judah's spiritual ambivalence and the resulting consequences.  My commentary* describes how "a great disaster befalls Judah" as a famine caused by a swarm of locusts devastates the land.  Joel seizes on the tragedy to warn Judah about another invasion which is to come. My commentary further describes Joel's prophecy on multiple levels: (1) "Joel warns a spiritually ambivalent Judah that anything less than total devotion to the one true God will result in punishment—namely, invasion and destruction by marauding forces from the north." (2) "He further warns that the day of the Lord is coming, when God will bring all mankind to an ultimate accounting for their lives and deeds."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

I have previously posted on fear of God as a preservative against sin and Joel's prophecy (the entire book of Joel) is a stern warning indeed about how we should repent and remain close to God.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has blessed me beyond what I deserve.  I am grateful for Your love.  Yet I am undeserving.  My sin of worry continues.  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 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.

It is you alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet—when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.

Psalm 76, 82, 84, 90, 92, 112, and 115 

It is you alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet—when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. Psalm 76:7-10

Day 116 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues my focus on 112 of David's psalms which my study has not already covered or will not cover through other daily devotions as part of a broader study within their historical context. This study of these 112 psalms groups the psalms into five major topical areas, and I start a new group: "Psalms About Righteousness and Wickedness" where David cries out to the Lord regarding the apparent inequity of the wicked who seem to escape judgment and punishment while the righteous suffer.

Today's psalms focus on how God's wrath against evil is to be feared, a warning to those wicked who claim to be gods yet will nevertheless die, the superiority of the house of God over dwellings of the wicked, the importance of remembering life's brevity, how only the righteous will truly flourish, how benefits accrue to a righteous person, and how idolaters have no source of trust as do believers.

Fear of the Lord strikes me this morning as the key theme of today's psalms.  I have previously posted John Piper's view on how fear of the Lord should serve as a preservative in my battle with temptation and sin - essentially that fear over God's wrath and anger over my sin should stop me in my tracks over sin. While this may be a sobering thought to many we should view it as a measure of God's love as well - God only disciplines those He loves.

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:11-12

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Hebrews 12:4-6

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God who I KNOW loves me.  I know You despise sin and sin separates me from You, and their are eternal consequences to sin.  I am undeserving of Your forgiveness, grace, compassion, and most importantly for Your gift of salvation.  My sin of gossip, worry, etc. continues.  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 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.

“Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

Exodus 19-24

“Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” Exodus 20:20

Day 27 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on God's covenant with Israel and the laws and regulations under which God will rule Israel, including the Ten Commandments.  Moses speaks with God on Mount Sinai and as well the elders experience God's glory.

God's presence at Mount Sinai must have been quite the site - with the thunder and lightning and smoke (v18).  I can imagine the fear - I would have been in fear myself!

This is of course by design.  We should fear God - He both knows everything AND is all powerful.

As I posted a couple of days ago, fear should serve as a preservative and here it is - Moses making the case in so many words.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who protects me from sin...and gives me victory over sin and death.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily.  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 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.

And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Exodus 13:17-15:21

And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. Exodus 14:31

Day 26 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on God's parting of the Red Sea as the Egyptians pursued the Israelites.

Of note here is the how the Israelites fear of destruction by the hand of the Egyptians (Exodus 14:10-12) transitioned to fear of the Lord - this led them to trust in God - although we know this trust wavers time and time again throughout the Old Testament.

I think of how John Piper wrote about fear of God as a preservative.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and worthy of my worship, fear, love, full attention, etc.  You deserve my life - as a living sacrifice.  Help me God You are worthy and I am not...not deserving of the richness You pour out on me.  I sin...daily.  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 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.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. v11-13

The author of Hebrews continues to warn us about falling away...towards sin and unbelief.  The author wants to avoid the fate of unbelief - a fate of struggle in this world and damnation eternally - see also John Piper on this rest.  I get it...life can be painful and full of struggle.  But God IS with us and gives us rest...a rest that is not available elsewhere in this life and an eternal rest...for those who believe.

A key point Piper raises is how disobedience is seen by God - He reveals it to us in our reading of the Word (so we should be reading the Word to stay obedient) and He knows all about all of our disobedience.  A fear of God knowing about our disobedience and fear of God's understanding of this disobedience should drive us closer to God. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who helps me understand my sin so that I can shed myself of these impurities - I desire to be refined by You.  Thank You Jesus for helping me in this way - I am grateful!  Yet I am undeserving of such love.  I sin daily.  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 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 to me today and every day.

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

2 Corinthians 3

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. v4-5

Arrogance is dangerous and it often leads people to deny God or knowingly commit sin with the belief that no consequence will be too great - dangerous indeed! Fear of God should drive us into His arms and towards obedience.  On the other hand, humility is rightly knowing that we all need a Savior and it is He who works in us in all things. Yes, we should have confidence - but it should rest in God alone.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me life and all things - abundantly - thank You Jesus.  Is am not deserving of the many blessings You pour out for me.  I sin daily.  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 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. 

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Acts 19

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. v17

As Paul continues his mission in Ephesus, he baptized believers in the name of Jesus (vs John), placed hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit (v1-4).  Perhaps envious of how God was using Paul (v11-12), some sought glory for themselves but this backfired (v13-17).  This is a powerful example of how we must seek God's glory first, and respect His name vs using it for worldly gain. John Piper also instructs us how fear and respect for God should be used as a preservative for our faith - that we not run away from God as His power may be used for our destruction. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is always with me...watching over me and protecting me - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of Your love and protection. I sin...daily. 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 help me 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.

But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.

Acts 12

But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. v24

In Acts 11-12 we see God working through Peter to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and throughout the lands the Gentiles populate including Antioch where believers are first referred to as Christians (Acts 11:26).  Peter is arrested by Herod but angels help him escape.  

In Acts 12:23, Herod is struck down because "[he] did not give praise to God". 

This is yet another reminder that nothing can stop God's plans and we should fear God as John Piper puts it to preserve our heart for God and to prevent ourselves from running from Him in arrogance, self-sufficiency and through hard-heartedness.  

Herod sought glory for himself and we all often do this - such arrogance is dangerous.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has taught me to be more humble - thank You Jesus.  Thank You for all that You do for me to teach, mold, protect, sustain, bless, etc. I am undeserving of such blessings and love.  I worry and I am discouraging with my speech.  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 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. 

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Luke 12

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. v4-5

Jesus continues to warn us about our focus on "external cleanliness"; and His warnings extend to our behavior which we may falsely believe is "hidden" for "[t]here is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known" (v2).  

We are to fear God - yet at the same time, we are comforted if we do - this double edge sword is explained further by John Piper. He writes that we should "[f]ear the prospect of becoming proud, and arrogant, and self-sufficient, and drifting away from the living God in a kind of hard-heartedness. So fear functions as a preservative. We don’t want to run away from God. Don’t be presumptuous. So there is that aspect of fearing God."  In His commentary, Piper goes on to end with: "Jesus died for us to provide a place where we could enjoy the majesty of God with a kind of fear and trembling and reverence and awe, but not a cowering fear."

God and His refuge is with us always - and we have the Holy Spirit, The Word, the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who provides refuge from the troubles of this world - we just need faith in Him and to draw and stay near to Him.  Thank You Jesus for providing us refuge!  I am undeserving of such blessings and refuge - I daily miss the mark and often stray from You.  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 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.

This will be a sign to the people of Israel.

Ezekiel 4

This will be a sign to the people of Israel. v4

There will be times in our lives when it should be clear that God is doing something to get our attention.  It should not be hard for us to detect that God is up to something in our lives.  If we are close to God we should be able to see how God is using events and circumstances in our lives - see also Romans 12:2 where Paul urges us to "be transformed by the renewing of the mind". This renewing allows us to better see the world from God's perspective.

The Bible of course is full of examples where God uses His power to get our attention.

Ananias and Sapphira failed to give as God intends for us and both were struck dead (Acts 5).  After this it is said that "[g]reat fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events".  


Unfortunately, such events and circumstances cause many of us to push God away.  See also how Jesus healed the demon-possessed man and how (Luke 8:26-39) the "all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear".

This fear should draw us TO God and not AWAY from God.

 My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is full of love and compassion for me and You are ALWAYS doing things for me to help me - for my good.  Thank You Jesus that You love me so much.  Yet I am not worth such love.  I miss the mark daily.  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.  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.