Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 17-33

Have you ever lost a pet and gone days looking for it? You worry that it’s out in the cold, or that something has happened to your furry friend. Worse yet, have you ever turned around in the store and been unable to find your child? You instantly panic and begin yelling their name, praying they will answer. It is one of the worse feelings in the world. God loves each one of us with that kind of love – a love that wants to bring every lost soul home.

GOD IS NOT WANTING ANYONE TO PERISH.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9

This same message is evident in the book of Ezekiel. Even as God is prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem as a punishment to His people for their sins, He speaks of His desire that all should come to repentance – than none should perish. He appointed Ezekiel as a “watchman” to tell those who were sinning to repent and to encourage those who were not sinning to continue in their righteousness (Ez.33:7-9). The same message of God’s desire to save the lost and to bless His people is presented in chapters 18 and 33 of Ezekiel.

“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live…

“The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins. When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins. And suppose I tell some wicked people that they will surely die, but then they turn from their sins and do what is just and right…then they will surely live and not die. None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live.” – Ezekiel 33:11-16

GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US.

I love that our God never gives up on us – that He is always willing to forgive, always desiring for His children to come to repentance. Often we give up on the chance that our friend or loved one will ever turn from their sinful lifestyle but God never gives up. Just like Ezekiel, HE HAS APPOINTED US ALL AS WATCHMEN. He wants us to help bring back the lost sheep and watch over those who are not lost to help them stay in the flock. He is a loving God who wishes to extend grace to His people. But our God is also a jealous God and a just God. We have a choice to either sin or not sin, and we will be judged by our choices.

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die, says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.” – Ezekiel 18:23-24

A grapevine exists for the purpose of producing fruit. But what if it stops producing fruit? What else is it good for?

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. – Hebrews 6:7-8

Then this message came to Ezekiel:
“Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree? Can its wood be used for making things, like pegs to hang pots and pans? No, it can only be used for fuel, and even as fuel, it burns too quickly. Vines are useless both before and after being put into the fire!

“And this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Jerusalem are like grapevines growing among the trees of the forest. Since they are useless, I have thrown them on the fire to be burned. And I will see to it that if they escape from one fire, they will fall into another. When I turn against them, you will know that I am the Lord. And I will make the land desolate because my people have been unfaithful to me. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” – Ezekiel 15

GOD WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.

Vines are only good for bearing fruit. If they are not going to bear fruit, then they are only useful for building fires – but even their fires burn too quickly, so they are still useless. We are created to live a fruitful life – a life of righteousness and good works that flow out of our faith relationship with God.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.” – John 15:1-6

Father God, thank you for creating us with a purpose in mind for our lives. Thank you for placing a desire in our hearts to please you and to serve you. As we go through our day, give us quiet moments of pondering the purpose for which you have us here today. Prune us and mold us into a grapevine whose produce comes straight from the desires of your heart. CREATE IN US A WATCHMAN’S HEART so that we will care passionately about the lost souls around us. Give us eyes to see the lost and a heart of grace to reach out to them. Use us to bring back the lost sheep and care for those in your flock, that none would be lost. Thank you for being a God of love and grace. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 13-16

Israel: “Time passes and prophecies come to nothing.”

God: “I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.”

New proverb from God: “The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!”

God: “I am the Lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Israel: “He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.”

God: “No more delay! I will NOW do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” – Ezekiel 12:21-28

The Israelites had lost their fear of God. They were no longer taking Him seriously. They needed someone to paint a picture for them of their unfaithfulness and disrespect. In Ezekiel 16, the Lord used a parable to describe His people as a wife who is unfaithful to her husband. God had blessed His people and they had, in turn, put other things ahead of God, making idols of the very things God had blessed them with.

Reading through this parable, I could not help but see the resemblance of this kind of unfaithfulness in America, among Christians and non-Christians. We are so quick to fall in love with the things of this world instead of running after things that have eternal value. We are willing to sacrifice so much of what God has blessed us with in order to have more and more of what the world has to offer. We run after earthly possessions and accomplishments, instead of running after God.

“On the day you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was not cut and you were never washed, rubbed with salt, and wrapped in cloth. No one had the slightest interest in you; no one pitied you or cared for you. On the day you were born, you were unwanted, dumped in a field and left to die. BUT I CAME BY AND SAW YOU THERE, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’ And I HELPED YOU to thrive like a plant in the field…

“What a sick heart you have, says the Sovereign Lord, to do such things as these, acting like a shameless prostitute…so eager for sin…you are the opposite of other prostitutes. You pay your lovers instead of their paying you!” – Ezekiel 16:4-16, 28b-34

Oh, help us, Lord! In a book that describes the wrath of God and His severe punishment on a nation that was unfaithful after He had done so much for them, He uses a parable that could easily be used to describe us.

God blesses us with time and we spend it on ourselves.
God blesses us with money and we use it to buy more of what the world has to offer.
God blesses us with a television and we watch unwholesome programs.
God blesses us with beauty and we use it to bring attention to ourselves.
God blesses us with beautiful bodies and we dress immodestly.
God blesses us with a sense of humor and we participate in coarse joking.
God blesses us with intelligence and we make our own decisions.
God blesses us with talent and we allow pride to grow.
God blesses us with family and we gossip & complain about them.

Forgive us, Lord!
Forgive us for the importance we put on the things of this world and on our own physical beauty.
Forgive us for embracing “the land of merchants” and always wanting more.
Forgive us for thinking that our fame and beauty are our own.
Forgive us for thinking anything you have blessed us with is ours to enjoy.
Forgive us, Lord!

“I will be a sanctuary to you during your time of exile.” – Ezekiel 11:16

Wow, these words are so powerful. God was punishing His people by allowing Jerusalem to be destroyed, including the Temple – their place of worship. Why? To remind them that the Temple was never meant to BE worshipped but a place to worship GOD. Now the Temple is gone and they were far from their homes and all God had blessed them with, but they still had God. He was with them and He desired to be their sanctuary. He stripped them of everything so that they would fall on their knees and recognize Him as the only place to go to worship.

Lord, be our sanctuary. Do a work in our hearts as we look to you alone for our salvation. May your words in Ezekiel describe us as we return our attention to You and remove every trace of idols from our lives:

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. – Ezekiel 11:19-20

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 4-12

God called Ezekiel to be WEIRD. I am not sure there is any better word to describe his calling. God used some very dramatic visual aids to be performed by or lived out by Ezekiel, getting the attention of his audience with visual messages that would be hard to forget. Ezekiel could have let pride get in the way and could have said – “No God, that’s just WEIRD. What would people think of me?” But instead Ezekiel experienced things like no one else ever had or ever will, all because he was willing to be WEIRD for God.

Ezekiel took a brick and drew a map of Jerusalem on it. Similar to a young boy playing with Legos, Ezekiel built a wall around the brick and then set up enemy camps to surround the city/brick, with little miniature siege ramps and battering rams. He took an iron griddle and placed it between himself and the brick (Ezekiel 4:1-3).

Then Ezekiel lay on his side facing the replica of Jerusalem and placed the sins of Israel on himself. He was tied up with ropes and confined to this position for 390 days, one day for each year of Israel’s sin. Then Ezekiel turned over and on his right side for another 40 days, one for each year of Judah’s sin. For 430 days (that’s 14 months), Ezekiel laid on his side, tied up with rope, baring his arm and prophesying Jerusalem’s destruction (4:4-8).

During this time, Ezekiel ate food he had prepared in advance and rationed out. He did this to show how food in Jerusalem would be hard to find and rationed in small portions. God asked him to prepare this bread using human dung to show how the Israelites would be forced to eat defiled bread in the Gentile lands to which they would be banished. This was when Ezekiel had a “Please, not that God – that’s just too WEIRD” moment. God relented and allowed Ezekiel to bake his bread over cow dung instead (still gross but not quite as WEIRD). – Ezekiel 4:9-17

Then Ezekiel shaved his head and divided the hair into three piles. He took 1/3 of the hair and laid it on the brick replica of Jerusalem. He then acted out the siege with his miniature enemies, just as a young child would play with their toys. He took another third of his hair and spread it across his battle ground and then chopped it up with a sword. Then he took the last third of his hair and lifted it for the wind to scatter. He then took some of the hair in front of him and threw it on the fire. Some of God’s people would not survive the famine, some would die violent deaths in the battle, and some would be scattered into exile (5:1-4).

“But I will let a few of my people escape destruction, and they will be scattered among the nations of the world. Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins. They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them.” – Ezekiel 6:8-10

On another occasion, when all the leaders of Judah were in Ezekiel’s home, God took ahold of Ezekiel. In a moment, he was facing what appeared to be a man who looked like gleaming ambers from the waist up and a burning fire from the waist down. He reached out with what seemed to be a hand and took Ezekiel by the hair, lifting him into the sky and transporting him back to Jerusalem in a vision from God. God showed Ezekiel the detestable and wicked sins that were being committed in the Temple, sins committed in dark secret rooms but seen by God. Then Ezekiel watched as God’s wrath was poured out on the city – no mercy, no pity – the Temple courtyards filling up with the corpses. Then Ezekiel saw what appeared to be a throne above the heads of the cherubim.

“Then the glory of the Lord rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the door of the Temple. The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord. The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could be heard even in the inner courtyard…Then the cherubim rose upward…Then THE GLORY OF THE LORD MOVED OUT from the door of the Temple and hovered above the cherubim…” – Ezekiel 10:4-5,15a,18

Every sin had been seen by God and every thought known by God. He knew those in exile in Jerusalem were still bragging about their freedom and how they would now get all the land that was owned by those who had been taken into exile. Even in the horrible situation they were in, they were greedy and prideful (11:5,15-16). Those in exile continued to have rebellious hearts, refusing to see and hear the God they believed was still in the Temple in Jerusalem (12:2).

So God called Ezekiel to be WEIRD once more. During the day, Ezekiel packed all of his belongings and moved them outside of his home – a scene that immediately caught the attention of God’s people. Then, as night fell, Ezekiel went back into his home and began digging a hole in the wall with his bare hands, just as a captive would need to do in order to escape imprisonment. He then crawled out of the hole and lifted his pack on his shoulder. His WEIRD antics had everyone’s attention now. He then gave them a message from the Lord, prophesying about the way in which King Zedekiah would soon be leaving Jerusalem. He would be captured and brought to Babylon to be a captive just as they would be. His army would be scattered and their last chance at being rescued by their king would vanish (Ezekiel 12).

The story of Ezekiel’s life is bizarre and interesting, but it comes down to one simple statement – Ezekiel was WEIRD because God called him to be WEIRD. He was willing to be WEIRD if that’s what God wanted him to be, if that’s what it took for God to get the attention of His people.

So what happens if God asks us to be WEIRD for Him? What happens if He asks us to do something that seems unreasonable, ridiculous, or just plain WEIRD? Are we willing to go there? Are we willing to put pride aside and do whatever God asks us to do? Hmmmm. That’s a hard question to answer honestly. I think I will go back for a second cup of my morning coffee and seek the heart of God on this one…

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 1-3, Psalm 89

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. – Psalm 37:24

Jeremiah was not the only one God called to prophesy to His people during this difficult time in the life of Israel and Judah. While Jeremiah was hearing from God from within the walls of Jerusalem, Ezekiel had already been exiled to Babylon when “he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him” (Ezekiel 1:3). I love that description! Can you testify to that action in your life? Have you felt the hand of the Lord take hold of you?

The call on Ezekiel’s life would be a very difficult one but God equipped him for what was ahead, just as He continues to equip us today. Through visions, God would show Ezekiel the worst side of the Israelites. Ezekiel’s eyes would be opened to the horrific things God’s people were doing – the reason God was so angry and His punishment was so harsh. That is a lot for one person to know, a heavy burden for one man to carry. With this call came a great deal of responsibility which added to the weight on Ezekiel’s shoulders.

“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. If I warn the wicked saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.” – Ezekiel 3:17-19

The call on Ezekiel’s life was great, but so is the God who called him and who would equip him! All he had to do was respond in obedience to what God was calling him to do and to say. He was not responsible for the choices of others, but he would be held accountable for his own response to God’s call.

Just as Ezekiel saw the horrible and heartbreaking actions of his people, he also saw the glory of God and was filled with the Spirit. He had difficulty even describing what he saw, so he described it as best he could using descriptions such as “looked like” or “what appeared to be” or “this is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me”.

Above the surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me. “Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.” The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words. – Ezekiel 1:26-2:2

Praise God that the Spirit of the Lord continues to fill us and set us on our feet when we feel overwhelmed. God also gives us His words to fill and prepare us for what is ahead.

“Open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me. It held a scroll, which he unrolled. And I saw that both sides were covered with funeral songs, words of sorrow, and pronouncements of doom. The voice said to me, “Son of man, eat what I am giving you – eat this scroll! Then go and give its message to the people of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll. “Fill your stomach with this,” he said. And when I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth…Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.” Then the Spirit lifted me up… – Ezekiel 2:8b-3:3,10-12a

What God is calling you to do today is no heavier than the call He gave Ezekiel. Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed and have fallen on your face before the Lord. Trust God’s Spirit to lift you up off your face and fill you. Rest in His hand as you feel the strength of the Lord’s hold on your life.

“The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and turmoil, but the Lord’s hold on me was strong.” – Ezekiel 3:14

Notice Ezekiel did not say that he went in joy and peace but rather bitterness and turmoil. God allowed Ezekiel’s heart to break at the things that were breaking His heart. The road ahead of Ezekiel would not be an easy one but neither would God leave him alone to face what He was calling him to do. In the same way, God will not leave you alone.

If Ezekiel resisted God’s call and disobeyed, people would die. That is a lot of pressure. Those of us who have been called by God to work in the pro-life pregnancy center ministry face this kind of pressure every day. If we resist God’s call or refuse to speak the words His Spirit gives us to say, babies will die. If any of us give in to our fear and to the lies of the enemy, God’s children might not hear the message of salvation. We do not know for sure if there will be another opportunity for them to hear that Jesus died for their sins, that there is forgiveness and hope in their future if only they will repent and make Him Lord. They might not listen but God is calling us to obey him regardless of the response of His people.

Are we ready to accept God’s call? When He places His Word in front of us and tells us to eat, will we find the time to consume his words and let them sink deep into our heart, listening carefully to what He has to say to us? Do you feel the hand of the Lord on your life? HIS HOLD ON YOU IS STRONG – Do not resist.

I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong. – Psalm 89:21

Today’s Reading: Daniel 2-3

Tell me what I dreamed and what it means – this was the unreasonable demand of King Nebuchadnezzar of all of the wise men of Babylon. When they were unable to do this, he ordered their execution. When the officers came to kill Daniel, he handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. He asked for more time then went to his friend Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) and asked them to pray.

He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said,

“Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power.
He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.
He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light.
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength.
You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.” – Daniel 2:18-23

So, when faced with a difficult situation, a matter of life or death, Daniel gathered his friends together and they prayed for God’s intervention. Then, when God answered their prayer, Daniel first took time to praise God, acknowledging the source of all wisdom, power, knowledge and strength.

PRAYER and PRAISE – two of the main ingredients to Daniel’s success, to his excellence.

God revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel, who in turn gave God all the glory explaining to the king why God was revealing this dream. Daniel in essence said – What you have asked is impossible, but nothing is impossible for God. God doesn’t have to explain this dream to you or reveal the future to you, but He has because God wants you to understand what is in your heart (Dan. 2:27-30).

Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court. – Dan. 2:48-49

Now these four young Jewish men in captivity were being entrusted with even more. These young men of excellence were faithful to God and God was enlarging their territory.

OPPORTUNITY and ADVANCEMENT – two of the results of their faith, of their excellence.

King Nebuchadnezzar’s response to God revealing the meaning of his dream was to acknowledge that Daniel’s God is the greatest of gods. This was the problem. He did not recognize God as the ONLY true God, just that He was the Most High of all gods. He still did not accept that God was the only One to be worshipped. Nebuchadnezzar made a 90 foot by 90 foot statue made of gold out in the province where Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were in leadership. The base of this statue would have been much bigger than a basketball court to give you an idea of its size. He commanded that everyone bow and worship this statue.

Once more, these three young men were given the opportunity to choose excellence, even when faced with the possibility of death. King Nebuchadnezzar may not have recognized who the only true God is, but these young men did. Their new positions of authority and power did not boast their pride but they remained humbly faithful to their God. They refused to bow to the statue.

STRENGTH and COURAGE – evidence of their excellence in both character and actions.

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will NEVER serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” – Daniel 3:16-18

Wow! This has been one of my favorite testimonies of faith since I was a little girl and it remains extremely powerful to me today. EVEN IF God doesn’t answer their prayer as they have requested, they will serve God and only God. In good times and difficult times, during the struggles and in the triumphs, after the mistakes and the victories, we have the opportunity to praise God!

What are you asking for today? Does your faith in God hinge on whether or not He answers your prayer your way? Prayer and praise – these two ingredients of Daniel’s faith are available to us. Are we prepared to praise God no matter how He answers our prayer? Do we trust the heart of God enough to trust His hand? Are we living out the excellence that God is producing within us?

Today’s Reading: Daniel 1

Are you ready? A new season is ahead for us. God has a plan for each of us in the coming days but are we prepared for the opportunities He has before us? We have been chosen for a specific purpose. The future is unknown but we know whom we serve. What do we need to do TODAY to be ready for what He has for us TOMORROW? Let’s look at four young men who had no idea what was ahead for them yet were prepared to be used by God in a powerful way.

When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus. – Daniel 1:18-21

Let’s consider what an incredible opportunity this was for these four young Jewish men. Jerusalem has been attacked and God’s people have been brought to Babylon where they will spend the next 70 years in exile. These Jewish families were allowed to live in peace and comfort in this new country but it did not take away the daily realization that they were most definitely in captivity. They could not leave and go home – they were strangers in a strange land.

THEY WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY WERE READY.

The king ordered his chief of staff to bring to the palace some of the young men from Judah’s royal family and other noble families who were strong, healthy, and good-looking, as well as knowledgeable in every branch of learning – gifted with knowledge and good judgment (Daniel 1:3-4). These young men did not have to suddenly prepare themselves for this opportunity; it was given them because they were ready. They had spent their time learning and listening. They were already healthy and strong. They were ready, therefore they were chosen.

THEY REMEMBERED TO WHOM THEY BELONGED.

Now that they were in royal service to the king, he wanted their loyalty. He renamed them after Babylonian gods in order to redefine them. Daniel’s name meant “God is my judge” but the chief of staff renamed him Belteshazzar, “Bel protects his life.” Hananiah meant “the Lord is grace” but he was given the name Shadrach, “command of Aku”. Mishael, “who is God?” became Meshach “who is Aku?” Azariah, “the Lord helps”, became Abednego, “servant of Nebo” (1:7). Nebuchadnezzar was trying to redefine them but these young men never lost track of the God to whom they truly belonged – who was their judge, who defined “grace”, who would tell them what to do and who would help them.

THEY CHOSE EXCELLENCE, SO GOD MADE THEM EXCELLENT.

The king wanted their loyalty so he treated all of the young men very well. They were given fine wine and delicious foods to eat (you know what they say – the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach). But the meats prepared were probably unclean by Jewish standards, using unclean meats such as pork. The custom in Babylon was to dedicate their wine to their gods so drinking the wine would have been disloyal to God.

This royal treatment was a way for King Nebuchadnezzar to win the loyalty of all of these young men – giving them a taste of what the world had to offer them, what the king could give them if they were loyal to him. Everyone else compromised their standards but these four young men remained loyal to the God of Israel. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah chose a more excellent way, denying themselves the rich foods and choosing vegetables and water instead (1:8-16).

God blessed their faithfulness by making them men of excellence. God gave these young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17). No one impressed King Nebuchadnezzar more than these four young men. They were found to be ten times more capable than any of the others. They were found to be men of excellence.

I want to be a woman of excellence. That is my prayer. I want to be prepared for the opportunities God sends my way. I want to prepare myself – both physically and intellectually – so that I am ready to be used by God. When the world tries to win my loyalty, I want to remember to whom I belong and who is my judge, and choose what God has to offer me instead of what the world has to offer. When difficult times come, I want to remember the grace of God and that He is the One who will help me. I want to be ready.

I CHOOSE EXCELLENCE!

God calls us to excel in who we are and in what we do, in our character and our actions. “Whatever you do, do well…” (Eccl. 9:12). Our pursuit of excellence cannot be of human effort for that will quickly become our own obsession for earthly significance. With excellence as our goal and our eyes focused on Jesus, the Spirit can work in us to produce character and spiritual maturity.

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. – Philippians 1:11

And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen. – 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 43-52; 2 Kings 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36

A big part of Jeremiah’s message to the people of Judah – both those already in exile as well as those still fighting or not yet taken into captivity – was that there was HOPE FOR THEIR FUTURE. God had promised He would bring them back to their land in 70 years. Jeremiah wanted the people to know they could trust God and that this return to Jerusalem someday was possible because nothing was too difficult for God. What a great message for me to hear today and to enjoy in my morning coffee.

God told Jeremiah to buy a piece of land that Jeremiah’s cousin was going to ask him to purchase from him. He wanted Jeremiah to do this in order to show the people that he trusted God and fully believed the Promised Land would once again be theirs. As you can imagine, for anyone to purchase land at this point in the battle would appear very foolish yet what Jeremiah was doing was MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE GOD WAS PROMISING – that’s how much he trusted his God! Do we trust God that much?

“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and the earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!…
You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles…
You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt – things still remembered to this day! And you continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name famous to this day. You brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders, with a strong hand and powerful arm, and with overwhelming terror. You gave the people of Israel this land that you had promised their ancestors long before – a land flowing with milk and honey.

Our ancestors came and conquered it and lived in it, but they refused to obey you or follow your word. They have not done anything you commanded. That is why you have sent this terrible disaster upon them. See how the siege ramps have been built against the city walls! Through war, famine, and disease, the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, who will conquer it. Everything has happened just as you said. AND YET, O Sovereign Lord, you have told me to buy the field – paying good money for it before these witnesses – even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.” – Jeremiah 32:17-25

This sounds like a conversation we might have with God at times, pointing out to God how ridiculous it is that He would ask us to do ______________________when we are in the midst of ___________________ (fill in the blanks for how that applies to your life right now). God calls us to trust in His promises, just as He wanted Jeremiah to show his trust in God.

Then the message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?” – Jeremiah 32:26

This is the same question God asked Sarah when she struggled to believe in His promise that she would bear children, even at her age (Genesis 18:14). She quickly learned that God can be trusted to keep His promise.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. – Hebrews 10:23

And this is what God was promising His people at this time as they were gathering everything they could from within the city of Jerusalem to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps, trying hard to fight the Babylonians and resist captivity:

“Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s wounds and give it prosperity and true peace. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild their towns. I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellions. Then this city will bring me joy, glory and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see all the good I do for my people, and they will tremble with awe at the peace and prosperity I provide for them.” – Jer. 33:6-9

What battle are you fighting right now that you need to hear God’s promises that He will heal…restore…rebuild…cleanse…and forgive?

Enter into the presence of your God and trust that nothing is too hard for Him!

What might God be asking you to do today to show you trust Him, regardless of the circumstances in your life?

Enter into the presence of your God and listen closely with a heart willing to obey.

What is your answer to God when He asks, “Is anything too hard for me?”

Enter into the presence of your God and seek the answer to that question.

Do you remember the old Hillsong chorus we used to sing in church all the time?

“Nothing is too difficult for Thee,
Nothing is too difficult for Thee;
O, great and mighty God,
Great in power and mighty in deed,
Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing,
Nothing is too difficult for Thee.” – [Ah Lord God, Kay Chance]

Nothing is too hard for our God. He wants us to enter into His presence, trusting in His promises, and give Him every situation we are facing. He wants us to remember how He conquered death and believe in His power to conquer anything. Let’s go to Him with sincere hearts, fully trusting in our Great and Mighty God.

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, LET US GO RIGHT INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD with sincere hearts fully trusting him. – Hebrews 10:20-22a

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 32-42

When we choose a spouse, we are not only getting a husband or wife, we are getting a whole family! Some of you are already laughing because you know the hard core truth of that statement. The love of your life comes with parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins… They come with their traditions, their norms and their expectations. So when I said my vows to Scott, I was also making a commitment to become a Sherwood. I remember how awkward it felt to start calling them “Mom” and “Dad”, but now they are just my parents. I love them with all my heart. They are my people.

“I will be their God and they will be my people.” – Exodus 6:7

These are the powerful words of God when He made a covenant with His people – the promise to hold onto as God sent Moses to Pharoah with the command to let His people go. It is interesting that God uses these words again through the prophet Jeremiah as His people are once more entering captivity. He reminds them that, just as He rescued them from Egypt, He has plans to deliver them from the exile they are beginning in Babylon.

We may read right over those words without thinking much of them, but to the people of Judah, “I will be their God and they will be my people” meant something. It reminded them that God had once rescued them and made a covenant with them on Mt. Sinai – a covenant written on stone tablets that required them to obey ten commandments as a way of remaining faithful to God, the first of which they broke over and over again – “You must not have any other god before me” (Exodus 20:3).

“The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will NOT be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves a wife,” says the Lord. “But this is the NEW COVENANT I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people…And I will forgive them their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” – Jeremiah 31:31-34

This new covenant would not be written on stone tablets, it would be written on their hearts. The old covenant required obedience and faithfulness to the God who met with their leader on the mountain while they stayed at a distance. The new covenant would be deep within each individual child of God, written on their hearts as each one had the opportunity to experience a personal God living within them.

What a God of restoration we serve!!! God’s people were experiencing the fury of God while He equipped Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and take His people captive for 70 years. Yet, in the midst of this sentencing, God was expressing love and promising to bring them home again starting over with a new covenant that would draw them closer to Him instead of pushing them away – a covenant that would last forever!

“They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. And I will make an EVERLASTING COVENANT with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land.” – Jer. 32:38-41

These words of God are repeated in Hebrews 8:8-12 and explained in Hebrews 9 & 10, helping us understand that the new covenant was put in place when Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins. But first let’s look at Romans 8:3, “The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”

Hebrews 9:1 and verses 6-8 explain why the temple and its traditions had to be destroyed as Jeremiah prophesied: That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth…When these things were in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

With the old covenant, God’s people were not given access to freely enter His presence as we are given now. Because Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins by the power of the eternal Spirit, He mediates a new covenant with God as he appears before God on our behalf. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him (Heb. 10:20-22a).

So here I am today, enjoying my morning coffee in the presence of a God I can trust and it all goes back to the time we have studied as we read through 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, as well as the books of the prophets and now the book of Jeremiah. The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple Solomon built led the way to a new and everlasting covenant through the death of the perfect sacrifice – Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for writing this covenant on my heart. You have given me one heart and one purpose: to worship you forever! You have placed a desire in my heart to worship you and I will never leave you! I will find joy in doing good for you because you find joy in doing good for me. I will serve you faithfully and wholeheartedly because you are a faithful and wholehearted God! Lord, I soak in your presence this morning with a sincere heart, fully trusting you!

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 20-31

“Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord. “I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him. Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Mark well the path by which you came. Come back again…” – Jeremiah 31:20-21

I think these verses sum up well the prophecies of the book of Jeremiah. Because He loves, he punishes. Because He is our Father, he longs for us to respond to punishment so He can have mercy on us. He wants us to find our way back to Him. This is why Jesus died on the cross for us, in order that we could experience forgiveness and restoration. This is why He rose again – to give us hope for our future!

Jeremiah is a difficult book to read. It’s hard to hear chapter after chapter of the painful consequences God’s people suffered due to their sin and unfaithfulness. But there are several chapters here in the middle of Jeremiah that speak strongly of God’s love and His mercy – of HOPE FOR THE FUTURE of God’s people.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

This is one of my favorite verses – one of my life verses. When we take this verse and study the context of the time in which it was originally spoken, it does not take away from its meaning but rather enhances how we can apply this verse to our lives.

God’s people have been unfaithful generation after generation, and He has handed them over to the King of Babylon as a consequence of their sin. After bringing them into the promised land of Canaan, after 40 years of wandering in the desert and then dwelling among them in the beautiful temple Solomon built, God is taking away His gift and sending them into exile for a period of 70 years as a punishment for their sins. That is a long time. That would be like someone returning today after being exiled in 1947.

At the time this letter in Chapter 29 is being written, the attack on Judah and Jerusalem has been going on for years. Thousands of the Israelites have already been captured and exiled to Babylon while Jeremiah is imprisoned in the heart of Jerusalem while the attack on the city continues. After years of proclaiming the MESSAGE of PAINFUL CONSEQUENCES, now God has a MESSAGE of HOPE for His people. God wants them to know He loves them and that their time of pain and suffering will not last forever – that He has a plan to bring them back, a plan to bless their lives once again.

Let’s read through these verses of hope and allow God to speak to our hearts. To get the full message, I encourage you to read through Jeremiah 29-31. I have pulled a few verses and phrases that speak to my heart. I pray that as you read them the Spirit will fill you with the message God has for you on this Easter Sunday.

“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce…Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper…”

“I will restore…For I will bring you home again…For I am with you and will save you…I will give you back your health and heal your wounds…There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving and I will multiply my people, not diminish them…You will be my people and I will be your God.” – Jeremiah 30:3,10,11,17,19,22

I love this part! Even in the midst of suffering, God promises His people that they will find blessings:

“Those who survive the coming destruction will find blessings even in the barren land, for I will give rest to the people of Israel…I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will be happy again and dance merrily with your tambourines…Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care….The Lord, who scattered his people, will gather them and watch over them as a shepherd does his flock…Their life will be like a watered garden, and all their sorrows will be gone…I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing…Do not weep any longer…There is hope for your future,” says the Lord…”For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.” – Jeremiah 31:2-4,9-10, 12-13, 16-17, 25

THERE IS HOPE FOR YOUR FUTURE. This is the message that we speak to the men and women who come to the Pregnancy Resource Center. It is a message for those who have walked away from God’s perfect plan and are wondering what comes next. There are often natural consequences to our sin, to a life of doing what we want to do instead of following God’s plan for our lives. But God’s plan does not go away! When we seek Him with our whole hearts, we will find Him! Even in the midst of suffering the results of our sin, God will be with us and we will see His blessings in our lives. He will restore us and bring us joy. He has a plan.

It’s time to stop resisting God’s plan for our lives. If you seek Him, He will be found and there will be HOPE for your future.

Lord, I thank you for the hope you give us even in the darkest of situations. I thank you for your love for us that is revealed when you restore and renew us, like the hope that was given to all of us through your resurrection. Thank you for being the God who gives rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing. Help us to trust you and find hope for our future. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 10 – 19

Why do bad things happen to good people? Have you ever gone through a difficult time or a time of persecution and wondered why God was allowing difficult times in your life? Have you ever suffered physical pain or disease or watched a loved one struggle with cancer and wonder why God does not heal all of His faithful children?

Jeremiah was called by God to proclaim to the people of Judah their future destruction and captivity. Although intimidated by God’s call on his life, Jeremiah was obedient and listened to God, passing on each message the Lord gave him. Yet, as we read through the book of Jeremiah, we see that life was not easy for him. We can imagine that his message was less than popular for it was extremely harsh. For example, listen to these words of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah:

“For I will upset the careful plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will allow the people to be slaughtered by invading armies, and I will leave their dead bodies as food for the vultures and wild animals. I will reduce Jerusalem to ruins, making it a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will gasp at the destruction they see there. I will see to it that your enemies lay siege to the city until all the food is gone. Then those trapped inside will eat their own sons and daughters and friends. They will be driven to utter despair” – Jeremiah 19:7-9

As you can imagine, Jeremiah’s message did not get a resounding “Amen” or “Preach it, brother!” Instead he was persecuted, plotted against, arrested, mocked, flogged, whipped, put it stocks and placed on trial. When Jerusalem was attacked, Jeremiah’s life was in danger as well. When the people of Judah were led into exile, Jeremiah was also taken captive.

Listen to these words of Jeremiah and God’s response to His faithful servant:

Jeremiah: “What sorrow is mine, my mother. Oh, that I had died at birth! I am hated everywhere I go.”

God: “I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU, Jeremiah.” (Jer. 15:10-11)

Jeremiah: “Lord, you know what’s happening to me. Please step in and help me…I bear your name…Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook, like a spring that has gone dry.”

God: “I AM WITH YOU to protect you and rescue you…I will certainly keep you safe…I will rescue you…” (Jer. 15:15-21)

Jeremiah: “Lord, you are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble!” (Jer. 16:19)

God: “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” (Jer. 17:7-8)

Jeremiah: “O Lord, if you heal me, I will truly be healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone!” (Jer. 17:14)

We know from other Scriptures that sometimes God’s children go through times of suffering, even when they are following God’s will for their lives. Consider the words of Paul:

In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. – 2 Corinthians 6:4-5

So, if following God does not guarantee us a life of peace, why do we continue to serve Him?

So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. – 2 Timothy 2:10-12a

Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. – 2 Tim. 3:12

But also consider our reward: God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).

I WILL BLESS YOU. I WILL GIVE YOU JOY.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. – 1 Peter 1:6

…Be very glad – for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. – 1 Peter 4:13

I am going to stir a second helping of the words of God to Jeremiah into my morning coffee and choose to be glad no matter what the circumstances:

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8