Date: 08-31-2020

Title: A Warning

(S) cripture:
    Ezekiel 16:45-51 (NASB) “You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You are also the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 “Now your older sister is Samaria, who lives north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lives south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. 47 “Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you acted more corruptly in all your conduct than they. 48 “As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. 50 “Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it. 51 “Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half of your sins, for you have multiplied your abominations more than they. Thus you have made your sisters appear righteous by all your abominations which you have committed.

(O) bservation:
    In describing an unfaithful Jerusalem the prophet has given us a warning that needs to be heeded. In this allegory the Lord has described how he took Jerusalem from nothing and made her great and then how she abused this greatness by prostituting herself with other nations. The prophet then compares Jerusalem to others she despised and said that Jerusalem was worse than the other two. Judgment would come but God would also keep his covenant. The judgment would be harsh but there was a note of redemption in that the covenant would be kept.

(A) pplication:
    In the American church we have become lax and soft on sin. In many places we have so watered down the gospel that it does not come close to being what Jesus taught. We have emphasized the love of God to the point that we have removed his wrath. This passage reminds me that the wrath of God is still a reality and we ignore it at our peril. Have we become like Sodom, “arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me.” I am afraid that this is more true than we want to think. When our commitment to follow Jesus is simply one of many commitments in our lives we are on this road. How often do I think I am better than someone else because I am a Christian or I see a person in need and do nothing about it because they don’t deserve any better? I wonder if I prostitute my time with things that dishonor God. Today’s reading was a sobering reading because it again reminded me that God’s wrath is still a reality and people are going to be on the receiving end of it apart from knowing Jesus and following Him. Today I choose to follow the Lord.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, order my steps so that I walk in your ways and not my own. Grant me the strength to be faithful and true to you and your word today. Let me share what I know with others so that they might not be consumed by your wrath. Amen

Date: 08-30-2020

Title: Personal Choices

(S) cripture:
    Ezekiel 14:13-20 (NASB) “Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast, 14 even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares the Lord GOD. 15 “If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land and they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, 16 though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. 17 “Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’ 18 even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. 19 “Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it, 20 even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

(O) bservation:
    The prophet is describing the judgment that is coming to Israel. In it he cites three of their “faith heroes” and says that even they could only save themselves by their righteousness. Even their sons and daughters were in peril. Each must make his personal decision to follow. The outcome is terrible for those who refuse to follow the Lord.

(A) pplication:
    I am responsible for my relationship with the Lord. I must personally decide to follow the Lord, I cannot get in on my parent’s faith. My faith must be my own. It is my responsibility to share and lead and live out my faith before my children and the people around me, but they must follow the Lord by personal choice. I cannot coerce them to follow and they will not be spared because of my choice to follow. It is sobering to think about but our relationship with God is not about the country we live in or the family we were born in, although these can be great assets in our faith walk, but it is in our personal choice to trust in Christ’s death and resurrection for us and then to follow Him.

(P) rayer:
    Lord I thank you for providing a way for me to be made right with you. Thank you for Jesus’ death and resurrection on my behalf. I love you and want to live faithfully for you. I thank you that my daughters have chosen to follow you and their husbands, too. I thank you for my parents and my in-laws who set the example of faith for me and Becky. It is the example we also set before our children. Use me today and let me be a faithful and true witness of your work on our behalf. Amen

Date: 08-29-2020

Title: An Undivided Heart

(S) cripture:
    Ezekiel 11:19 (NASB) “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

(O) bservation:
    These are the exiles who will return and rid the land of all its idols and false worship. While in exile they felt abandoned, but God was still their shelter even if they didn’t realize it. When they return and worship only God, He will give them a new undivided (NIV) heart and put His Spirit in them. He will remove their hard hearts and replace them with hearts of flesh.

(A) pplication:
    An undivided heart, one that is not distracted or torn between two things but fully devoted to the Lord. A new Spirit, God’s Spirit to empower me. These come to the faithful who drive out the profane. I thank the lord for my new heart and the Holy Spirit who dwells within me. Today I want to be undivided in my commitment to the Lord and to make a difference for Him in the lives of others.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, today help me to recognize the profane and remove it from my life so that I might have an undivided heart and experience your love, presence and power in my life. Let me walk undistracted with you today. Amen

Date: 08-28-2020

Title: Lukewarm

(S) cripture:
    Revelation 3:16 (NASB) ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

(O) bservation:
    The Laodiceans are the “whatever” people, just going with the flow, never hot or cold. The angel says this makes God sick. We need to be “hot” in our relationship with the Lord. We are to be faithful in our daily living. Those who are not are like a lukewarm drink that is spewed out of our mouths because it is not what it is supposed to be.

(A) pplication:
    Lord, today I want to be “hot” for you. Remind me of your will, direction, and purpose for my life. I do not want to be complacent in my relationship with you. Help me to be about your business today.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, You, above all are worthy of being followed. Help me to do so fully. When I begin to get lukewarm, call it to my attention and help me to warm up. Do in me what you need to do but just don’t spit me out. Amen

Date: 08-27-2020

Title: Blood Guilt

(S) cripture:
    Ezekiel 3:17 (NASB) “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.

(O) bservation:
    God impresses Ezekiel with the serious nature of his call and the consequences of not carrying it out. If Ezekiel does not warn the people when God speaks then their blood will be on Ezekiel’s head. If he does and they do not repent then will die for their own sin and Ezekiel is not responsible for their decision.

(A) pplication:
    The call of God is a serious call with serious consequences. When we have the truth and refuse to share it with others then their blood is on our head if they die in their sin. That is the awful consequence. I cannot then have any conversation without sharing a word of hope and forgiveness. Today I will look for opportunities to have good conversations.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, today open my mouth and let me speak words for you. Use me today. Let me be faithful to your call in my life. Amen

Date: 08-26-2020

Title: A Daily Prayer

(S) cripture:
    Psalm 143:10 (NASB) Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

(O) bservation:
    In this psalm David asks the Lord for a number of things. He asks for mercy, relief from his enemies, answer to his prayers and a sense of God’s love. These are just a few of his requests. He also asks for God to teach and lead him. That is a prayer we each should pray daily.

(A) pplication:
    I am struck at how often David, described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart, asks the lord to teach and guide him. If David needed to do this continually how much more do I need to do this? It is my heart’s desire to live out God’s will in my life. I want to be guided by the Holy Spirit moment by moment. It does not happen automatically, I must constantly yield myself to God’s Will and direction. This will be my daily prayer because I want to make a difference for the cause of Christ wherever I am.

(P) rayer:
    Lord today I will pray what David prayed. Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Amen

Date: 08-25-2020

Title: Facebook

(S) cripture:
    3 John 1:4 (NASB) I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

(O) bservation:
    In writing to the first century believers John reminds them of the great joy he receives when he hears that they are faithfully walking with the Lord.

(A) pplication:
    I had the privilege of serving on college campuses with Campus Crusade for Christ and WV Baptist Campus Ministry. During those years the Lord allowed me to touch many students with the gospel. The pain of Campus Ministry is that the students graduate and move on with their lives and careers. I know that is the goal, but it is painful to lose those faithful students. It would be like losing a fourth of a congregation each year. I have often wondered what those students are doing today. Some I have kept in touch with but many I have not. Welcome Facebook!! I have made numerous connections with former students through Facebook. To see their families and hear what they are doing brings great joy. I am so pleased that many are continuing to serve the Lord. They are Christians serving the Lord in their chosen professions. Some are serving in pastoral ministries but most are serving through their local churches. The connections through Facebook have renewed relationships and brought incredible joy to me. I am experiencing the joy John wrote about.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, help me to help others follow you. Help me to help them help others so that they might also experience this kind of joy. Amen

Date: 08-24-2020

Title: Love Is Obedience

(S) cripture:
    2 John 1:6 (NASB) And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

(O) bservation:
    Sometimes we wonder what “love” is. Here, John tells us that love is walking in the commands of Jesus. Doing what the Lord commands is love.

(A) pplication:
    If I want to be more loving then I need to walk more closely to the Lord. Today I will demonstrate love by being obedient to the Lord. I will see to do what He commands and requires.

(P) rayer:
    Lord let me demonstrate your love today by being obedient to you. Use me to show your love. Amen

Date: 08-23-2020

Title: Childhood Lessons

(S) cripture:
    Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

(O) bservation:
    This is a promise to Jeremiah about the restoration of the people from exile. Jeremiah has not had much good news in his word from the Lord. This must have come as some refreshing news. God would hear and answer Jeremiah.

(A) pplication:
    As a child, about eight years old, I was part of a Bible memory group at my home church, Highlawn Baptist in Huntington, WV. This club was led by Henry and Theresa Bird. In the course of a couple of years we memorized about 300 Bible verses. We were quizzed each week and at the end we were put in front of the church on a Sunday night and were randomly asked to recite some of the verses. We did not miss one. This verse from Jeremiah was one of the first verses that we memorized. I used the KJV in this post because it is how I memorized it and how I recite it today even though it has been more than 60 years since I have consistently used a King James Version of the Bible. I will never forget the lessons I learned in that Bible Club, they helped shape my life. Bible memory is not something we emphasize much anymore. I wonder what lessons our children are missing because they are not challenged to memorize the scripture. The emphasis on scripture memory is one reason I am thankful for the AWANA program in our church. I wonder how much we as adults are missing because we no longer memorize the scripture. I wonder how often we misquote or misrepresent the Scripture because we say what we think it says rather than quoting it verbatim, and thus knowing what it says. Today I thank the Birds for their investment in my life and the example they set for me.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, help me to get your word right when I use it. Help me to encourage others to write your word on their hearts. Thank you for bringing people like the Birds into my life. Amen

Date: 08-22-2020

Title: Nothing Is Too Hard For God

(S) cripture:
    Jeremiah 32:27 (NASB) “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

(O) bservation:
    Jeremiah has been questioning God and God responds with this revelation about Himself. He is the God of all mankind and asks, “Is anything too hard for me?” The obvious answer is “No”. Nothing is too hard for God.

(A) pplication:
    Today as I look at the world, the nation and our church I wonder what the days ahead will bring. The Covid 19 pandemic has changed how we are meeting and doing ministry. The normal of the past has changed dramatically and I wonder what the future looks like and how we will navigate those new waters. It seems so hard to know what to do and what path to take and then I read Jeremiah this morning. I know there is nothing too hard for God or anything that surprises Him. What a great comfort and reminder from the Lord through Jeremiah this morning. Today I will trust the Lord for the days ahead, I will trust in his strength and the knowledge that even though things might me too hard for me, nothing is too hard for God.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, show the way and I will follow it. Let our church be a light in a dark world and begin with me. Let us trust in you and your word knowing that nothing is too hard or surprises you. Amen