December 27 – With Repentance Comes Forgiveness

“Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” – Ezekiel 33:11 (ESV)

Although often misunderstood therefore rejected by many, there is a consequence to inaction regarding our eternal state. A careful reading of our Scriptures reveals the consequences of no repentance due to unbelief. The Lord God declares that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Why? Because God knows that death for those who reject God’s offer of salvation by His grace through faith in Jesus means an eternity separated from God and all others. So the Lord calls for all to a repentance of sin. Repentance is an act of turning around and away from the ways which lead to eternal death and receive from God the free gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).  The Israelites who were exiled to Babylon had lost hope and reasoned that if they were liable to death in judgment that was inevitable, they were in a hopeless condition and had no future. God replied that He had no pleasure in seeing the wicked go into death for their sin, but desires them to repent and live. This is true of all God has called (2 Peter 3:9). He calls us to “Repent and be saved!” for there is no other way.

 

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May 8 – Moved to Follow

 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” -  Ezekiel 36:27 (NASB)

 

All who truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have experienced a great change in our lives. The prophet Ezekiel was used by God to explain in part these words from God. The promise is for us as well. God's plan and promise is that when we believe in Jesus, God's Holy Spirit is sent to dwell, to live within us spiritually. When Jesus was still on earth He also  made this promise of the Holy Spirit and He mentioned several functions which He would fill. One of these promised functions is in today's verse.  The Holy Spirit lives in the hearts of believers to motivate us to obey the Lord. As we trust in Him, we learn to sense the impulse within us often to do what is pleasing to God. In Hebrews 10:24, we are encouraged accordingly: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,”  It may reading the Bible or hearing the Word preached that our hearts are stirred with the desire to do what God says He wants in His Word. The stirring is the work of the Holy Spirit moving us to follow God's will.

 

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September 10 – Removed from Common Use

“And the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.” – Ezekiel 37:28 (NASB)

What is it for us to be ‘removed from common use?’ It is sanctification, what the Holy Spirit does for us. Today we consider the title of God some call His name. This is a promise given to us as it was a promise to the people of Israel in Ezekiel’s prophecy⸺a promise for the future we hold today. YAHWEH M’KADDEESHCHEM: “The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy” The word Kaddosh means holy, to dedicate, set apart, sanctify. We can find this title name in Leviticus 20:8 “You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Let’s notice the last word of this verse ‘forever.’ Ezekiel was giving a prophecy regarding what would be at the end of time when Israel is fully restored in God’s Kingdom. Then  there will be an everlasting sanctuary for all the people of God. When God sanctifies Israel and all true Israel it means to make holy, separate. This is the work of the Holy Spirit who is sanctifying all of God’s people. This sanctification, it’s a promise we have now and will be fully realized and experienced when we are with Jesus in heaven.

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May 10 – Moved to Follow

““I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” Ezekiel 36:27 (NASB)

The context of this promise is God speaking to His people Israel through His prophet Ezekiel. After having centuries of repeatedly turning from God for pagan non-gods, He was promising that one day He will do for them what they needed to follow His Way always. Those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have experienced a great change in our lives. God's plan and promise is that when, by faith, we choose to believe in Jesus, God's Holy Spirit is sent to live in us. When Jesus was on earth He made this promise and including several functions which He would fill. One of these promised functions is in today's verse.  The Holy Spirit is living in the hearts of believers to enable us to obey the Lord. As we trust in Him, we learn to sense the impulse in us to do what is pleasing to God. It may be through reading the Bible or hearing the Word preached that our hearts are stirred with the desire to do what God says He wants us to do in His Word. The stirring is the work of the Holy Spirit moving us to follow God's will.

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January 9 – Hearts of Stone – Hearts of Flesh

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”  - Ezekiel 36:26  (ESV)

We recognize that the prophet Ezekiel was delivering God’s word to His people and the promise was what God was going to do in the future. For us it is a promise of what God does in us today when we accept the gift Jesus Christ has for us.  The gift of eternal life results in changing the hearts of all who choose to believe by faith in God.  One day as Jesus entered Jericho, He captured the attention of Jericho’s Chief Tax Collector.  Zaccheus, a powerful and wealthy man had enriched himself by cheating others as he collected taxes.  That was the graft practiced by corrupt tax collectors. So, they were despised by all the people. Zaccheus was also a short man who needed to climb a tree to see Jesus over the crowds and from above.  Jesus called him out of the tree and Zaccheus came to believe.  He received a new heart and spirit from Jesus that day.  It changed Zaccheus’  life, just as God promises to change our lives when we believe.  Let's be thankful for the new heart God has given to us when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. 

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September 2 - Patiently Knows

“And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 34:31 (ESV)

This is a common comparison made throughout the Bible between those who believe in God the Father and His Son as our shepherd and us as His sheep. It is understandable because sheep ranching was a major means of making a living.  Jesus calls us His sheep as recorded in the Gospels but today's verse is from the Old Testament prophecy given to Ezekiel. The promise given to us is that God loves us even though He knows that we are not perfect.  He knows us just as He knew His people in Old Testament days. What the Lord told His followers in Ezekiel’s day can be applied to us today. He knows who we are. He knows where we came from. He says we are his people and what he means is that we are human.  Just as sheep left without a shepherd and on their own, will wander off and get lost or even killed by wild animals, God knows we make mistakes and sometimes fail Him. But in spite of our weaknesses or failings, He is patient with us and loves us.  He still wants us to remember that He is our God and we belong to Him. He is our shepherd and He is not ashamed to be known as our God.

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March 8 – Lives and Walks

“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16b (NIV)

Many promises were given by God to His people Israel and are recorded in the Old Testament. Even through we may not particularly belong to this race of people, the promises were also given to all who believe and have asked Jesus to be their Savior. We are part of God's family and he has adopted us as his children. Our verse today is an occasion in the New Testament where that promise is claimed by Paul the apostle in his letter to the Corinthian Christians. Paul knew that the verse, which was given by God first in Leviticus and then again through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, was for all who believed. Yes friends, if you are a believer in Jesus this promise is given to you. We can rejoice knowing that God lives with us and walks among us and that He alone is our God. Today, let's embrace the truth that we are His people and joyfully live in this promise no matter what circumstances we face. He IS with us - always.  

September 17 – Providing Rest

“I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 34:15 (NIV)

Shepherds were very common in the world during the days that these words of the Bible were written. God often spoke of Himself as our Shepherd. As the sheep followed their Shepherd, God wants us to follow Him and trust Him to provide what we need – even the times of rest. We can picture a flock of sheep relaxing in a nice cool place after feeding on the grass and drinking from the cool stream. With all their needs supplied the sheep can enjoy a good rest. This is what our Lords wants to do for us. He wants us to pause and relax trusting that all our needs are taken care of by Him for He is our shepherd, our Good Shepherd.

May 5 – Moved to Follow

“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:27 (NIV)

Those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have experienced a great change in our lives. The prophet Ezekiel was used by God to explain in part when he wrote these words. God's plan and promise is that when we believe in Jesus, God's Holy Spirit is sent to live in us. When Jesus was still on earth He also  made this promise and He mentioned several functions which He would fill. One of these promised functions is in today's verse.  The Holy Spirit is living in the hearts of believers to move us to obey the Lord. As we trust in Him, we learn to sense the impulse in us often to do what is pleasing to God. It may be through reading the Bible or hearing the Word preached that our hearts are stirred with the desire to do what God says He wants us to do in His Word. The stirring is the work of the Holy Spirit moving us to follow God's will. 

September 1

“You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 34:31 (NIV)

We realize that God loves us even though He knows that we are not perfect. He knows us just as He knew His people in Old Testament days. What the Lord told His followers in Ezekiel’s day can be applied to us today. He knows who we are. He knows where we came from. He says we are his people and what he means is that we are human. Just as sheep left on their own will wander off and get lost or even killed by wild animals, God knows we make mistakes and sometimes fail Him. But in spite of our weaknesses or failings, He is patient with us and loves us. He still wants us to remember that He is our God. He is not ashamed to be known as our God.

January 14

“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”  Ezekiel 36:27

When we accept Christ as our Savior, there is a great change in our lives. One thing that happens is that the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. He is in us to perform God’s purposes in our lives. God knows that we do not have it in us to live as we ought. We cannot follow the rules that God has put down for us to obey. That’s why God has given us His Holy Spirit to live within us and to become a part of our lives. He helps us to see when we have failed to please God and encourages us and helps us to move in the right direction. Let’s recognize the work of the Spirit in our lives today.