Victory in Christ

God told Ezekiel to relay His words about the temple to the people of Israel for a reason: “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern.” (Ezekiel 43:10) We also must make sure we are measuring ourselves by the pattern. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:23-25)

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 43-45

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There are many things that we do not understand, but God always knows. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29)

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 40-42

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Our Heavenly Father wanted the Israelites to know that He was their God. “So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward.” (Ezekiel 39:22) And He has prepared a place for His faithful. “But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16) That heavenly home is greater than our minds can comprehend. Our Creator will be there, our Savior will be there, and He tells us who else will be there. ““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭21‬-‭23‬) God’s Word is plain and simple if we will just give it diligent study and allow it to change us. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬‬‬)

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 37-39

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We know how Solomon was given great knowledge and wisdom from God. He shares with us where knowledge starts. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7) If we have the fear he is talking about here we will give God the reverence and honor that He deserves. If we have this kind of attitude toward our Heavenly Father, the love for Him will show in our desire to learn more of His word and serve Him with all of our being. Job shared a similar statement, adding to it understanding. “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” (Job 28:28) In Psalms we have another similar statement with an extra piece of information. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” (Psalms 111:10) As this verse says, if we love Him and follow His word completely, we will praise Him without end.

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 33-36

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Hate is a strong word, yet we are told there are things that God hates. “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19) How can we counteract these things that our Heavenly Father hates? Have lots of fruit in our life. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 31-32

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God gave the assignments of land for each tribe and at the end He gave a name for the city. “The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, ‘The LORD Is There.’” This did not mean they would be able to see Him, but that He would be with them like He was with Joshua. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)  No matter how weak we get, we have a source of strength that never fades. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalms 73:26) Our Savior also promised to be with us at all times. “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) No matter what this life may throw at us, we will always have our Savior and Heavenly Father to lean on for strength.

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 28-30

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God has blessed each one of us with more than what we deserve. Those blessings are not just for our own desires. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8) Paul even tells the Ephesians (and us) that doing these good works is why we were created in Christ. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) According to the wise words of Solomon, we are not to put off doing those good works if we have the opportunity. “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.” (Proverbs 3:27-28)

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 25-27

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Several times in Ezekiel we see the phrase “know that I am the LORD”.  (Ezekiel 37:6, 37:13, 38:23, 39:6, 39:7, 39:22, 39:28)  God showed His power so that all people would know that He was the one in control. He does not use miraculous ways today to show us that He is Lord as He did back then, but the more we study His word the better we will know Him and His power. The apostle John told us the key for our knowing God. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) This is the same key that Jesus said would show that we were followers of His. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 23-24

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Many times in scripture we are told how God feels about those who are humble. “For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.” (Psalm 149:4) “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11) Paul encourages us to be motivated with a humble attitude like Christ. “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:1-5)

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 21-22

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Being called some kind of animal is normally not something we desire, except when God is the one making the comparison. “And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 34:31) Thru Ezekiel God is reminding His people that He will watch over and care for them like a shepherd does his flock, BUT they have to follow Him like sheep. In the 23rd Psalm David shares his knowledge that with God as our shepherd, we have all that we need. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalms 23:1) Jesus also gave us reason to want to be like sheep when He described the Judgement Day. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:31-34) In the rest of Matthew 25 Jesus told some of the things we need to do so we can be compared to sheep and not goats.

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 18-20