Tag Archives: Ezekiel

Consume Me

18 Thursday Jan 2018

Posted by in Deuteronomy, Ezekial, Hebrews, Isaiah, Matthew

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The past few nights in this windy city of Amarillo, Jason and I have been blessed by the fire that crackles and sparks in our beautiful fireplace.  No television to turn our attention away from a marvelous act of nature, no distractions to keep us from watching the flames as they soar high into the chimney in an array of colors from yellow to orange to blue.  No phones, no lights…nothing but the sound of our breathing and the awe-inspiring view of the all-consuming fire. I watched that fire last night dry those pieces of wood until they fell under their own weight and became nothing but dry ash on the bottom of the floor and I thought of God.

God is referred to in the Bible as an all-consuming fire, we should be worshipping Him with holy fear and awe (Hebrews 12:28-29) but we continue to get muddied up by the ways of the world.  Like I mentioned in my video last night (go back and watch it if you missed it) that we get so entangled in ourselves and in our own sin and selfishness that we forget that we are supposed to be the light in the room for others.  We lead by example and we follow the example of Christ.  There is no other way.  There is no sin that is ok for now!!  We have to call things forth and start driving out the things that are taking out our friends and loved ones with the Word of God and stop counseling them!  The Word is a double-edged sword that divides our soul and spirit.

God is an all-consuming fire. 

When you take a look at what fire does to wood, imagine what it can do to our soul if we let it.  I was thinking of Ezekiel last night in the valley of dry bones.  What made the bones dry?  It doesn’t say, but the bones represented the people of Israel and their sin…more than likely after the jealous, all-consuming fire of God swept through just as Moses prophesied to them (Deut 4:23-24).  What makes us think that we are guarded from God’s judgement just because we (as a society) have conditioned ourselves to believe that it is ok to let things slide to the point of our eternal doom?  The grace of Jesus is NOT greasy and cannot be mocked.

Because I have a pyrotechnic-wanna-be husband (lol), the fire in our fireplace last night reached epic heights and temperatures as it dried out that wood. The air around it became magnetized almost as the overwhelming heat rose through the chimney. It was the most beautiful sight to behold and I thought of the living water of Christ.  It covers us and washes away our filth that comes from the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning (Isaiah 4:4).  We are baptized in water for repentance but the Holy Spirit of Christ will baptize us with a NEW fire…one that was atoned for by His death.  And THAT needs to stay lit…and the only way for the Holy Spirit fire to stay lit is for us to continue to walk in it and show others the way to their own salvation. We have to keep setting the example to follow and become more like Christ, DAILY dying to ourselves for the sake of the building up of the Kingdom of God!

Let God’s all-consuming fire melt away the things that are troubling you, the things that are keeping you in bondage, the things that you refuse to speak out because it is so shameful…let it BURN away and then speak to your own dry bones and let them live again NEW then don’t stay quiet against the things of this world…you were brought here for a reason and a purpose…SHINE YOUR LIGHT…your dry bones can live…and so can THEIRS…Open your mouth and speak the truth…which is the Word of God.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 – The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”

“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”

4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”

10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lordsays: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”

Matthew 3:11-12 – “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

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Defining Character

16 Friday Sep 2016

Posted by in 1 Corinthians, Ezekial, Obadiah, Proverbs, Romans

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Webster defines “character” as one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual.

character2In attempting to define my character, I am realizing that my attributes are my strengths, but also my weaknesses. God has perfect character because He is holy, trustworthy, and unchanging. He created me in His image at the beginning of time in order to love and hold me and walk with me in and through life. I was made to see God face to face. It was the first sin that cast us all out and made us different.

In defining my own character, I realize that my sins and my circumstances changed my character along the way to righteousness. I was born to live for God and to trust Him, so I believe God is refining me through the difficult circumstances I find myself in so that He can stretch me and further develop my character. He wants to see my capacity to trust and obey my Perfect Creator. I can’t walk with God when there are still parts of my makeup that need to be tested. I am reminded of artists who draw caricatures of people. They attempt, in a few short strokes of a pencil, to capture the true essence of a person. Most times we laugh at the distorted view of ourselves because we are covering up the fact that the artist hits the nail on the head. It becomes hard to look at our misconstrued faces which show a funny side to our inward flaws. However, this is no laughing matter. I have to constantly look at my real face in a mirror and say, “This is who I am, God. Please make me more like You.”

character3Here goes….me in a nutshell….

I would say that I am a serious individual. I don’t like games. There is a time for work and that seems to be all the time for me. I’m a bit judgmental and critical but the flaws I see in others are often a reflection of myself. I have a tendency to let jealousy and bitterness take root in some aspects of my life and it taints everything in an instant. I tend to be self-righteous and through that horrible characteristic I end up losing compassion and humility. I have major control issues. I’m known to be a tad selfish and very impatient. I’m rebuking all of those things right now in Jesus’ name. I can’t change what I don’t acknowledge.

Obadiah 12 – You should not gloat over your brother
in the day of his misfortune,
nor rejoice over the people of Judah
in the day of their destruction,
nor boast so much
in the day of their trouble.

character4How often, within my own character, do I misjudge and misconstrue the truth of what a person is really going through? How many times do I really (if I am being 100% honest) rejoice at the misfortune of my enemies? I am tired of living like that. Because I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE to be on the other side. Character is what we all should be working on. I don’t desire to be wiped out like Edom.

You can read Obadiah about the prophecy against Edom at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Obadiah

To further your reading, consider this from:

Romans 5:3-5 – Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

How is our character built if all we do is sit around in our jealous envy and judge others? That alone, is suffering if you ask me. We must be willing to go through those emotions without acting on them (even in our minds) if we are to develop our character.

Related Scriptures: Proverbs 24:17; Ezekiel 35:15; 1 Corinthians 15:33

Take a Stand

05 Monday Sep 2016

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stand8Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV) – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us  from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Have you ever been in a spiritual fire so hot that you know beyond of shadow of a doubt that there is no way you could possibly survive? I’ve been placed into several furnaces, most of the time by MYSELF. Other people have thrown me in, out of sheer anger toward the behavior that I was displaying that sent everyone around me packing. Sometimes I am thrown in against my will, sometimes I jump in head first knowing full well what I am getting myself into. I’m soon to be thrown into another, but there is no need to defend myself when I know the truth.

stand7Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV) – But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

WHEN…It says WHEN, not IF. Here is the thing. When we are walking in the will of God, and when opposition rears its ugly head, we are not back down. However, and here is the kicker, we must submit humbly to authority in every situation because the truth never needs defending. The TRUTH, not the silly lies we tell ourselves to get by and manipulate situations for our benefit. Hello?!?!?!

stand2We are also called to take a stand. There are so many dead churches in the world, people filling pews and claiming to know God through their words but missing the boat completely through their actions. Who is taking a stand for God? Are you only doing it when it suits you and times are easy? Or are you taking a stand when other peoples egos and pride are causing them to lash out at your very existence? I am talking to myself here. I fight against pride and ego on a daily basis that comes from the inside of ME. Who am I to judge? I only see it because I got it but I know now what to recognize so I don’t cast other unsuspecting souls into the blazing furnace. Are you like me and react on instinct and forget to praise? The enemy of our souls wants us dead, but we can stand up with NO FEAR and walk in the truth and authority given to us by Jesus Christ. I am not afraid. Let the fires rage. I trust and believe in the promise of God.

You can read Daniel 1-4 about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Daniel

To further your reading, consider this from:

stand10Jeremiah 1:8 (NIV) – 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

What are we afraid of? Them? Yourself? The lady playing piano in the front of church with her judgmental stares? The pastor preaching condemnation and fear to lead those to repentance? The ex-spouse spitting and ranting from the other side of a courtroom? Or are we standing boldly in reverence to our Lord and Savior no matter the situation? Who do YOU stand for? What is your legacy?

Related Scriptures: Psalm 27:1-2; Joshua 1:5; Ezekiel 2:6

Going Fishing!

02 Friday Sep 2016

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Ezekiel 47:3-12 – As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

fish6Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

I was such a prissy little girl. I only wore dresses and frilly little socks with patent leather shoes. When I finally got past my fear of the big farm house in the middle of nowhere that the dinosaurs must have built, I decided to go spend the weekend with the man who hung the moon, my Papaw, the apple of my eye. He and Mamaw were so old fashioned that they slept in different rooms. I couldn’t have been more than 8 years old. We all retired to bed early after watching golf on a blaring TV because Papaw couldn’t hear and refused to get hearing aids.

fish5We all went to our own corners of the big house, Papaw in his room in the back, Mamaw and I cuddled in the front bedroom where my mom used to sleep. Round about 4:30am, I felt someone nudging me. “Julie Anne, where are your play clothes?!? JULIE ANNE!! Wake up and tell me where your play clothes are!”

Papaw had gone through my little red suitcase that said, “Going to Grandmas” and found my only play clothes: dresses, frilly socks, and patent leather shoes. When I told him that as I wiped the sleep from my eyes, his exasperated sigh said it all. The next thing I knew, he had handed me a cup of his special “kid coffee” (milk, sugar, and a splash of coffee for flavor), and bundled me up in his old pickup truck and we were off to Kmart, lumbering down the long driveway before the sun. He purchased for me with his meager wages a pair of blue jeans, a t-shirt, and some tennis shoes and we were off. Once I was donned in proper “Papaw attire” that was more than uncomfortable, we went fishing.

fish2The beauty that surrounded me at Cypress Lake took my breath away. I could hear the birds singing their morning song in the cypress trees that grew right out of the lake, the squirrels chased each other from tree to tree, and the fish were hopping in the warm water sustained by the rising sun. My Papaw put creepy, crawly critters on the end of my line and taught me how to cast. And we caught fish!! His proud smile warmed my heart each time I looked into his shining blue eyes for approval. On more than one occasion, I caught my line in a tree. “We aren’t fishing for squirrels, Julie Anne!” we the patient words from a loving man as he cut my line time and again.

The rest of that sunny day, we golfed from his homemade fairway and hole (I hit a hole in one in the field behind the house), we bowled, and we drank Shirley Temples on the porch swing. Me and Papaw! Two peas in a pod!

The scripture above reminded me of that time. The River of Living Water symbolizes life from Him and the blessings that flow from His throne. God’s power can transform anyone no matter how lifeless we are. So many souls float along that river, just waiting to be caught and brought into the boat. What about you? Are you bearing fruit from the life sustaining source, and are you pulling people in by your actions? Or are you still making excuses as to why you can’t cross the swollen river in faith?

fish1Jesus is so patient with me too. He wants to walk in fields with me, sit on a quiet lake, and look at me with proud, loving eyes. He cuts my fishing line and lets things loose that don’t belong, branches caught that symbolize wrong people that can’t hold the weight of responsibility. He calls me to fish in His lake brimming with souls ready to be pulled into His boat. My Papaw would be so proud! Today, I am a fisher of men!!!

You can read Ezekiel 44-48 about Ezekiel’s call to prophecy and the vision of sin and judgment at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Ezekiel

To further your reading, consider this from:

Mark 1:16-17 – As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me”, Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

fish7NEVER stop following Jesus, and you too will fish for men and without even trying, you WILL catch them! What is on the end of your lure, your line? Are you fishing with the right bait? Are you actions proving your faithfulness? The gospel is the net lifting people from the dark waters of sin and shame. Don’t let them drown! Cast your line and into waters that have never been fished before and watch God move!

Related Scriptures: Matthew 13:47; Habakkuk 1:14; Matthew 4:19

Restoration

01 Thursday Sep 2016

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I know a woman who is very close to me who was struggling against the restoration of her family. She has a sister who had written her off years ago and she prayed for her sister daily. Other members of her family came back into the fold after many years of watching their beloved (the woman) run head first into pits designed to keep her in bondage. After her recovery and after watching to see if it would happen again, forgiveness and love began to be the cornerstone of all their relationships, except for this one cherished, lost relationship between sisters and friends. Forgiveness and love were there, but that was it. Nothing more was made available by either party as to the words of encouragement these sisters used to share, the long nights on the phone talking about life and love, the trust. All of that was gone. Until…

restore3Ezekiel 39:25-29 –  “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. 26 They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. 27 When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations. 28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. 29 I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

restore2God is in the business of restoring things. Recently, these two sisters, not by any choice of their own, were reunited in a family environment and eyes were opened to the truth. Healing took place, revelation of the future ran aground, and each saw from their own vantage point that their battle was not against flesh and blood. God promises to restore to us all the years the locusts have eaten and in one recent conversation, both women were able to share everything that had taken place in their lives since their last positive encounter over 10 years ago. The Holy Spirit of God poured out, overflowed, and manifested in the hearts of two women who love each other dearly. They were gathered back to one another and each were no longer in exile. Praise the Lord for He is awesome!

You can read Ezekiel 39-43 about Ezekiel’s call to prophecy and the vision of sin and judgment at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Ezekiel

To further your reading, consider this from:

restore1Joel 2:25 – “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten– the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — my great army that I sent among you.”

That who sent among us??? GOD! He sent the army that devoured everything in sight? But WHY?? So that we would know that ALL good things come from Him alone and we cannot do anything in our own strength. He allowed it to bring us closer to HIM! The crops that were harvested long ago were eaten by the massive swarm that was unrelenting. The fields lay empty and we set aside every dream and let them die only to see them live again! God promises restoration.

I have to remember in the process of waiting that I am God’s servant, NOT His advisor. Hope surrounds me…the consistent expectation of what is to come.

Related Scriptures: Jeremiah 33:7; Micah 4:4; Psalm 126:3

Dry Bones…Come Alive

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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I have been doing a lot of reflecting lately, looking into the mirror of truth, and I don’t always like what I see. However, I know that everything about me is on display, I have opened the closet and let out all the skeletons and they are no more. I daily walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the valley of dry bones. I examine what brought me here and reflect on my regrettable choices, some regrettable choices I made just YESTERDAY.

bones3Ezekiel 37:1-10 (NIV) – The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

bones4God alone has the power to bring life from death, but I can speak life over my own situation and allow Him to do the rest. He is able to resurrect ALL the dead things in my heart. I no longer believe that my mistakes and regrets pose too much of an obstacle for Him. If I did, I would not live. I have been cleaned out and made new. There is a process to the rebuilding of my body, mind, soul, and spirit…the bones. I can’t just jump up from the ground and start running. Everything comes back in proper sequence, so I must be patient. LOVE is the first word that needs to be spoken into those bones. Next comes FORGIVENESS.

Ezekial had little faith the the dry bones would come to life, but he prophesied anyway. I love how specific he was in his request of these bones. God wants specifics. We have not because we ask not. Some things that are out of our control seem to big for our Awesome Creator of the ENTIRE universe. How insane is that? It’s time to start speaking life into the dry bones, into every single situation that seems hopeless and completely out of control. It’s time to get real precise with God and tell Him exactly what our hearts desires are. He already knows the thoughts that race out of control in my head, so why do I attempt to keep it all secret? He is the God of ALL and His love for me is never ending.

bones1You can read Ezekiel 34-38 about Ezekiel’s call to prophecy and the vision of sin and judgment at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Ezekiel

To further your reading, consider this from:

Matthew 9:4-8 (NIV) – Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.

I no longer walk with my head down low weighed down by the burdens of the past. Like the paralytic, I have been forgiven my sins. It’s time to take up my mat and walk.

DRY BONES…COME ALIVE

Related Scriptures: Deuteronomy 32:39; Psalm 104:29-30; Isaiah 26:19

The Watchman

30 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by in 1 Samuel, Ezekial, Hebrews, Romans

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watchmanHave you ever watched a ship sink? It doesn’t happen right away. Depending on the size, it may take HOURS or days for it to go completely under the waves. Imagine yourself, standing on the edge of a pier. From your vantage point, you see a ship out to sea that is about to encounter a storm that you know will capsize that ship and sink it. You have a phone in your hand and it is the ONLY lifeline to that ship. What do you do? Do you call in the warning and give the people that are on that ship enough time to escape the impending storm? Or do you sit idly by and watch it all unfold and see the people perish because you didn’t want to hurt their feelings? I was speaking to someone the other day about the beautiful burden of responsibility for not only myself, but for others in their walk with the Lord. So many times we DON’T tell people the truth out of fear of hurting someone’s feelings, and then we get our panties all in a wad when someone tells US the truth about our very own disaster coming in waves from the horizon. Does that make sense to you? Why would I be ok with NOT sounding the warning when someone’s ship is sinking but also not be willing to heed that very same warning when I am already under the water?

watchman2Ezekiel 33:1-11 – The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’

7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.

10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’

warning8Why would you die? I used to think I was just strong-minded in not listening to spiritual authority, but that is not the case at all. As long as I am rebelling, I am going against all that God has planned for me. If my heart isn’t in it, then I am just being hollow and empty. Without true obedience there is no proper respect for the people around me and in turn for the Lord. I NEED the watchmen in my life to show me the way when I am and stop reacting so negatively or ignoring the warnings altogether. I also need to be bold enough to sound the horn when things are going awry. When someone is under my care, it is ABSOLUTELY my responsibility to show them the right way to go. If I don’t, I will be held accountable to the Lord for their misconduct. I don’t want anyone’s blood on MY head.

With covenant comes knowledge and with knowledge, responsibility.

You can read Ezekiel 29-33 about Ezekiel’s call to prophecy and the vision of sin and judgment at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Ezekiel

To further your reading, consider this from:

Romans 13:1-5 – Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

My decisions and my rebellion and my bad attitude affects EVERYONE around me. Jesus was obedient, and now I can trade my sin for His righteousness and stop being such a nuisance to those in authority over me. Joyce Meyer says, “Obedience closes the gates of hell and opens the windows of heaven.” AMEN!

I thank God every day for sending people my way who help me walk away from the plank and back onto to the majestic ship of the Lord!

Related Scriptures: 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Romans 5:19; Hebrews 13:17

The Adversary

29 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by in 1 Peter, Ezekial, Isaiah, James, Romans

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God sees and knows everything. Nothing in this world happens without his permission. As those of us who live in the deep south recall, only 11 years ago on this very day, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in South Louisiana and Mississippi and the struggle of our nation was brought to the limelight as boats and homes were ripped to shreds, waters flooded up to 12 miles from beaches, people were left stranded to fend for themselves with no water, food, gasoline, or electricity for hundreds of miles inland, and heads of state did nothing but point fingers as people perished. The evil of that day did not come from the storm, but from the enemy of our land who twisted everything then ducked for cover and the citizens of the world were left attacking one other and calling one another names. 
In the physical, everything was falling apart, but in the spiritual, a new war was waging and satan was having a hey-day.

adversary3We want to think that satan is some ugly thing walking around with a pitchfork, red skin, and horns, but please read the following scripture to see exactly what happened with the “morning star”, Lucifer, the “bringer of the dawn.”  If we don’t recognize our adversary, how are we to wage war against him when he attacks?

Ezekiel 28:12-19 – “‘You were the seal of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.’”

adversary2You and I are engaged in a cosmic battle of epic proportions. We know we are facing a real opponent because this world bears the bloody, painful scars of this conflict: wars, genocide, hate, shattered lives, broken homes, suicide, rape, abuse, addictions, and immorality of every kind, not to mention storms that wreak havoc, kill people, and turn neighbors against one another when the hands that are supposed to reach out to help are not there. We must be careful as we walk through tragedy to see who the real culprit is behind our anger and injustice.

You can read Ezekiel 25-28 about Ezekiel’s call to prophecy and the vision of sin and judgment at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Ezekiel

To further your reading, consider this from:

adversary1Isaiah 14:12-15 – How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,
to the depths of the pit.

We must be careful what we let in, not only to our physical homes, but our spiritual homes as well. The devil doesn’t come in with a red cape and pointy horns. He comes in looking like everything you ever wished for. My heart breaks for those who had to pay the price for the injustice after Katrina. My heart breaks for the ones whose eyes were turned from the carnage because of their own agendas and people’s lives were lost in the process of the blame game. My heart breaks for everyone involved in that tragedy. Never forget that our God is bigger and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is BIGGER…never forget….

Related Scriptures: James 4:7; Romans 11:36; 1 Peter 5:8-11

At God’s Command

26 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by in 1 Peter, Deuteronomy, Ezekial, Genesis, Joshua

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Let’s think back to Genesis and the story of Noah for a moment. The world was flooded with evil, waves upon waves of sin swept over the hearts of those who once loved God. Adam and Eve’s descendants ran rampart, continuing to choose the easy way out and life was a circus for most. But Noah, he walked faithfully with God. Was he without sin? Absolutely not. In fact, he got plastered one day because of the overwhelming circumstances surrounding him and passed out naked in a cave only to be ridiculed by his son. However, his obedience to long term commitment changed the course of all creation, because he did ALL that the Lord commanded him.

Do you think his neighbors laughed at him? Do you think he may have faced opposition while preparing food and building rooms on a massive ship where there was no water that would hold a remnant of all living creatures? Do you think he completely understood his calling, sometimes to the point of even questioning God?

command5Ezekiel 24:16-18 – “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.17 Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.”

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.

What about Ezekiel? God told him point blank that he would soon lose something very precious to him carrying with it the same sense of tragedy that had befallen on Noah and the rest of the world. Ezekiel had to deal with his tragedy and lead the Israelites by example. Ezekiel’s loss, like many of our very own losses today, was deep and painful, but God used it to bring glory to the Kingdom, to direct others to the throne of grace.

command2God doesn’t call us to “easy”, He calls us to “worth it”.  

Are we really listening? Are we doing ALL that He commanded us to do?

Look people, look around you! Take a look at the wasteland, the hungry, the poor. Open your eyes to the deception, the fear, the hopelessness. STOP PRETENDING THAT IT DOESN’T EXIST!! We live in a fallen, broken world that only gets worse by the day. Are you willing? Are you ready? Can you lay aside all the things that SEEM to make sense and do the ONE thing that doesn’t make sense? Can you be the small flame that has the potential to reach the world? It may be that you have never been this way before, but God orders our steps! It’s up to us to STEP.

Put your name there….___________ did all that the Lord commanded…even in the face of adversity and heartache.

You can read Ezekiel 21-24 about Ezekiel’s call to prophecy and the vision of sin and judgment at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Ezekiel

To further your reading, consider this from:

Deuteronomy 5:33 – Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you,so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

How we handle current situations in our lives determines the possibilities of the future. Are we wallowing around in self-pity, or standing up and doing what God has asked us to do with a quiet and humble heart?

Related Scriptures: Genesis 6:22; Joshua 22:2; 1 Peter 2:12

The Teacup

25 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by in 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Ezekial, Galatians, Isaiah

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From my journal entry 7/1/14 – God sees me in terms of what I will become and not just what I am right now. Right now I am an emotional, guilt-ridden, shameful woman in the shape of a lump of clay. God see me differently and that became evident as I sat and listened to His voice. The Tilghman’s came today. I love them so very much and I was so grateful to be held by them, spiritually and physically, especially after this relapse that landed me back in the padded chair at my beloved home called Jacob’s Well. We had an opportunity to chit-chat about everything that took place prior to my going back to the street. There were a lot of tears, then the Lord came in. As I was sitting in an attitude of prayer, I began to feel squeezed. I felt the pressure from all sides as if in a cocoon. I was surrounded by darkness and regardless of the pressure I was feeling, I felt safe. There was a constant “whooshing sound” that calmed my nerves as the pressure on my body increased. The Glory of the Lord was coming through in a magnificent light up and to my left in a small crack that permeated the darkness of my quiet cell of existence. I was ok. I was safe. I was secure. And I was perfectly content even though the squeezing of every muscle in my body was almost too much to bear. Before I could even express my discomfort, the words, “Be still, be quiet, rest, you are my beautiful teacup”, came flashing through my spirit. At that exact moment, without knowing at all what was taking place in the spiritual realms around me, Pastor Tilghman spoke up and read something to me as the words of my Lord were still processing.

teacup1 Ezekiel 18:31-32 (NIV) – Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

There was a couple who took a trip to England to shop in a beautiful antique store to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked “May we see that? We’ve never seen a cup quite so beautiful.” As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke, “You don’t understand. I have not always been a teacup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay.

My master took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, “Don’t do that.” “I don’t like it!” “Let me alone,” but he only smiled, and gently said; “Not yet!”

teacup3Then. WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. “Stop it I’m getting so dizzy I’m going to be sick!”, I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly; ‘Not yet.’

He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then… Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the .” Help! Get me out of here!” I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, ‘Not yet’.

When I thought I couldn’t bear it another minute, the opened. He carefully took me out and put me on he shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! “Ah, this is much better,” I thought. But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. ‘Oh, please; Stop it, Stop it!! I cried. He only shook his head and said. ‘Not yet!’.

Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering “What’s he going to do to me next?” An hour later he handed me a mirror and said ‘Look at yourself.’ And I did. I said, ‘That’s not me; that couldn’t be me. It’s beautiful. I’m beautiful!”

teacup4Quietly he spoke: “I want you to remember, then, he said, ‘I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you’d have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn’t put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn’t done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn’t put you back in that second oven, you wouldn’t have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you.”

I am being molded. I am in the fire. I will come out even more beautiful on the other side. The crack of Light was God checking on His masterpiece. I just need more time. I am here to be molded and shaped into His beautiful creation. He will hand me my mirror at the end of all of this and I will be able to catch a glimpse of the beauty in His creation!!

You can read Ezekiel 16-20 about Ezekiel’s call to prophecy and the vision of sin and judgment at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Ezekiel

To further your reading, consider this from:

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NIV) – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

I have not been reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated. I am RECREATED and living a new life in Christ with the Holy Spirit dwelling in my being! I have a new perspective and a brand new attitude!!

Related Scriptures: Galatians 6:15; Isaiah 65:17;