Ezekiel 12

Chapter 12

Vs 2 – They have eyes to see but not ears to hear in their rebellion.  This is me – I will often miss what God is saying to me but I see it.  This verse tells us why God has Ezekiel act out what is happening in the rest of the chapter. 

Vs. 3 – Vs. 6  These are powerful verses in showing that people are watching us and we need to live that way.

Vs. 15, 16  They will be scattered throughout the nations, but I will spare some and they will acknowledged their detestable acts.  Confession is seen throughout the Word of God and yet it is something that I know that I struggle with at time – keeping a short account with God.

Vs. 21 – 25 God keeps his word and we need to live our lives with that truth in mind.  The visions that are true will be fulfilled.  God is who gives the visions and to God is where we should go to get the vision.

41 today

Today is my 41st birthday.  It has been a good day so far and the plan is for it to continue.  I bought a bunch of books today, had lunch with the staff, and laughed a lot with friends and family.  Tonight is church, so I am sure it will be a night full of well wishing and birthday wishes.  God has blessed me with a great family and great friends and that makes me thankful.

Ezekiel 11

I am not sure anyone else is getting anything out of these posts from Ezekiel but they are helping me to see what God is saying – although I hope you are getting something.  On to chapter 11.

Let me cut to the chase today and focus in on what spoke to my heart:

The undivided heart in verse 19.  My heart gets divided up but God says if I put all the junk away he will give me an undivided heart and he will put a new spirit in!

God goes on to say that he will remove the heart of stone and replace is with a fresh strong blood pumping heart.  I have a tendency to have that gets hard and stony but it is great to know that God wants a fresh strong blood pumping heart in me!

I want to have a new spirit and a soft heart for God!

Ezekiel 10

The Glory of God departs the temple.

I find it interesting that the Glory of God departs in sections:

Vs. 3 - Goes from  inner court

Vs. 4 - the to the  threshing floor 

Vs. 18 - then over cherub

Vs. 19 – then the east gate of the temple and then gone

Isn’t that how it works in our lives.  We think that God just leaves us high and dry but the truth be told we slowly push him out, one section at a time.

Powerful chapter that makes me desire to keep God in my inner court.

Ezekiel 7, 8, and 9

Ezekiel 7

This chapter is all about the coming Judgement on Israel. 

The phrase continues “Then you shall know I am the Lord”.

When God brings Judgement it is fierce as seen in the destruction in the verses and the reactions of those who are not killed.

Israel has been unfaithful to God and he will do what he needs to awaken them so that they know who He is.

Does God have to remind us who He is?

Ezekiel 8

There are abominations in the temple and the further you read the worse they get.

Today we are the temple and what abominations are we doing?

God says in verse 18 that He will not listen to them or hear them because of their abominations.

Ezekiel 9

The Wicked are slain.

The wicked are slain by “those who have charge over the city” and there will be no mercy extended to anyone.

Ezekiel falls on his face and begs God to spare them but God responds with “he will recompense their deeds on their own heads”.

These chapters are sad but they remind me of something that my Pastor taught me growing up:  “If you can not listen, then you can feel.”  That is what is happening to Israel in these chapters, they do not listen to God so he has them feel the consequences of their actions.

Makes me think about how well I listen to God.

My Christian Blogs

Found a great site that you need to check out www.mychristianblogs.com .  Thanks Bill for letting me know about this site – a lot of good stuff!

Ezekiel 5 and 6

Ezekiel 5

I meant to post this yesterday, but the day got away from me. 

Just some thoughts and observations on it:

1. Ezekiel is asked to use a sword and not a razor to cut his hair and beard.  Powerful symbolism in this – an instrument of war is used to cut the hair.

2.  Ezekiel continues to be obedient to all God asks of him – cut his hair, weight it out, divide into thirds, etc.

3. Verse 7 tells us that they were so bad that they could not even keep the pagan rules.

4.  Worshipping idols in the the temple of God and so the God withdraws of his favor.

5.  God does what he says – verse 13.

Ezekiel 6

1.  Idolatry is bringing down God’s Judgement.

2.  A positive is that God will keep a remnant – vs 8.

3.  God is bringing the sword, famine, and plague – vs 11.

4.  “Then they will know that I am the LORD” – vs 14.  This is about letting them know their is one true God and not to punish.

In these two chapters is a lot of things but we see that Ezekiel is faithful to do what God calls him to do and that God is truly a Jealous God that wants us to have eyes and hearts just for Him.

Any Thoughts?

Ezekiel 4

I have just started studying Ezekiel and hit chapter 4 today.

A few thoughts -

People would think someone was actually crazy if they told them they were to lay on their left side for around a year and then on their right side for over a month. 

God calls Ezekiel to cook with fire from dried human dung.  Ezekiel argues and wins with God and gets to cook with dried cow dung.

God calls us to do somethings that look crazy to the rest of the world including other Christians but the question is are we willing to obedient to what we are called to do.  Sometimes it is not easy but it is best to be obedient and that is where I am at in my life right now.

Have you been placed in a situation that would not make sense to the rest of the world but you went through it because God was calling you too?

Vision

I have been thinking and praying a lot lately, more than normal, I mean a lot.  Just to be honest about me, much of the time my prayers are selfish stuff but there are times that I get out of my own way and pray for others things.  I have been praying for a personal vision and for a vision for whatever ministry I end up in, but again I spend time thinking and praying for a vision for where are I candidating in a few weeks.  I have been studying Nehemiah, Ezra, and now I am into Ezekiel.  I think because I have been in these it has really put the vision bug in my head as well as reading some leadership things recently.  So I wrestle with vision – a personal one at the this point.  Do I have a personal vision?

Do you have one and what is it if you do?

The best site I have found it a while

Check this site out and watch the videos – they are amazing!

http://www.iamsecond.com/