DEVOTIONS

What Is That I Hear?

 NOVEMBER 27, 2023
 Daily Reading – Ezekiel 36-38 / 1 Peter 2

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Have you ever been around a couple, they hear a song playing, they look at each other and say, “That is our song.” Did they write it? Did they buy the rights to it? Is it only their song? Most likely not. What they mean is that song has a special meaning to them. It reminds them of a day or place they were together when they heard it. It became their special song. In church we sing a song; “There’s a New Song in My Heart.” But why a new song? Have you developed a craving for Psalms and Hymns? Did all your old musical tastes go out the window? Probably not. Yet, there is a new desire to sing praises to God. Why?

        Well, if you think about it, you will realize a song is really a group of words put together by someone to convey a certain idea or belief. Every song (that is worth anything at all) has some message. You might ask about concertos or sonnets, songs that have no words. Yet even these pieces of music convey a mood that the originator intended.

        Why is there a new song in your heart? That is simple. Jesus now resides in your heart in the person of the Holy Spirit. In John 1:14 it says of Jesus, “the Word was made flesh.” So, if Jesus is in your heart, there are a new set of words in your heart. Words that tell a new story. A story of love, peace, joy, and of eternal life. You have a new story in your heart. Therefore, you have a new song. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Music brings back memories. Yet, we all need a new song in our hearts. A new composer, writing a new song. God puts a song there that brings joy to our soul. Sing unto the Lord a new song. Let all that have breath praise His name. There is a new song in our heart.

Do you hear a new song?

Valuable To God

 NOVEMBER 25 & 26, 2023
 NOVEMBER 25 – Daily Reading – Ezekiel 32-35 / 1 Peter 1
 NOVEMBER 26 – NO READING

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Reading Ezekiel 34, as a pastor, I begin to do a self- examination. Could I be guilty of any of the things mentioned? I know this was written to the prophets of Israel and that God was talking of bringing the nation of Israel and making them his own again. I know, after the captivity He is promising to bring some back, and care for them in Israel. I understand, much of this will take place during the millennial period when He comes to Shepherd His flock Himself. Even so, in my self-examination as under-shepherd of His flock, I find myself short in the balance. I see areas of ministry I am lacking in and can do better.

 

      Yet, the two little lines that stick out to me are, “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.” When all is said and done, God takes care of His own. If you read that verse as I do, there is a heightened emphasis on “MY”. Will feed “MY flock” He says. It does us well to remember that we are all, pastors included, part of His flock. He supplies our every need. He is the perfect Shepherd who knows when we are diseased and strengthens us. The great Physician that can heal us and bind up our broken souls. He calls to us as He did to the disciples, “follow me,” and those that know Him hear his voice and follow Him. Also, He seeks for us to fellowship with Him. My friend that is more valuable than all the treasure in the world. God counts us a valuable to Him and seeks after us.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        I heard it asked, “How much is a soul worth? The answer is priceless. The stewardship of that soul should be valuable also. Of all that we are a steward of today, the lives Christ loves, and has put in our care, are more important than anything else.

 

Did you know you are valuable to God?

 

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        God loves us and wants to redeem our soul. Yet, it is up to us if we will be a Victim or Victor as we saw this week in;

  ● Visual Problem
  ● Verdict Is In
  ● Vacancy Of Leadership
  ● Value Your Days
  ● Violent Storms Ahead
  ● Valuable To God

        If we reject Christ, we become victim of our own disobedience. If we accept Him, we become victorious over hell and the grave. Are you a Victim or Victor.

       Enjoy today with your church and hear what God has prepared in the heart of His man for you this week.

   See you tomorrow.

 

 SUNDAYS:

       Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastors heart. Whatever scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

 

November 27, 2023	Ezekiel 36-38	1 Peter 2
November 28, 2023	Ezekiel 39-41	1 Peter 3
November 29, 2023	Ezekiel 42-45	1 Peter 4-5
November 30, 2023	Ezekiel 46-48	2 Peter 1
December 1, 2023	Daniel 1-2	2 Peter 2
December 2, 2023	Daniel 3-4	2 Peter 3
December 3, 2023	No Passages Assigned

Victim or Victor

Violent Storms Ahead

 NOVEMBER 24, 2023
 Daily Reading – Ezekiel 28-31 / James 5

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 30:1-3 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Years ago, I was with a group of children, teens, and adults at a Bible Camp secluded in a wooded area not far from our church. Suddenly something happened. The children were crying and screaming. Adults ran for cover. Some began to panic, and their cries caused unsettled feelings in others around them. What happened? Did a wild animal scare them? No, it was not an animal. Did a cabin collapse or tree fall to cause this fear? No not that either. It was a dark cloud descending rapidly on the camp and fierce winds blowing things around. It came from nowhere with little warning. Some feared it was a tornado sweeping through the area of which we were unaware. Had we been near a radio or TV we may have heard of its approach and been able to plan accordingly. In a short while, it blew over and things were fine. However, for a while, there was a bit of tension in the air.

 

        Fear often strikes the heart of people during dark and stormy times. Especially if they come up unannounced. Repeatedly in Ezekiel we read, “The word of the Lord came unto me.” Following each one there is a prophecy of what was to come. Many of these prophesies have been fulfilled, some have been partially fulfilled. Yet not one detail has ever been left out. The prophecies of the Lord always come true as they are given. This leaves us to know, the rest are still to come. God says cloudy days and violent storms are ahead for the lost. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        With no plan for the future, many stroll along as if nothing will ever happen. To them, it will seem as if there was no warning for these violent storms. Yet, a storm is coming, you can plan on it. Live life today, but plan for eternity. To do so you must live your life in Christ.

Are you ready?

 

 Value Your Days

 NOVEMBER 23, 2023
 Daily Reading – Ezekiel 24-27 / James 4

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 24:16 & 18 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down…
So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        How many years do you have with the ones you love? How many weeks, days, hours, or minutes? The answers are we do not know. We were created by God for His use as He sees fit. None of us know how, or when God is going to call us home in order for His plan for eternity to be fulfilled. Ezekiel served God. Doing exactly as God asked him to do. Yet, in Ezekiel 24, God tells him He is going to take his wife’s life so He can make a point to the children of Israel. None of us know if in doing so, God may have been kind to her. Some of you are probably thinking, how could this be God’s grace toward Ezekiel’s wife? It may have been, had she lived, she may have been taken and tortured. Some men from the region may have done terrible things to her had she still been around. Ezekiel may have had to watch as someone he loved was mistreated, and suffer a horrible, lengthy death. Or worse, a long dreadful struggling life.

 

        None of us know how, when, or why God may take us. What we do know is Heb. 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto men once to die…” That is an appointment set by God we all will keep, should Jesus not return first. So, what are we doing with today? This might be our last day together. Are we wasting it fighting and arguing? We all need to keep on living our life as if there was a tomorrow. Yet, if you knew this was your last day together, what might you do differently? 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        God never promises tomorrow. What you have is today. Use it to glorify God and let those around you know you love them. If today was the last day that you had to leave an impression on those around you, what impression are you leaving?

What will the impression of Christ in you be?

 

 Vacancy Of Leadership

 NOVEMBER 22, 2023
 Daily Reading – Ezekiel 21-23 / James 3

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

       God was looking for someone who would become a hedge of protection. Someone that might cause Him to reconsider the destruction of Israel. He was seeking such a one but found none. Hezekiah and Josiah both tried to bring the people back to God unsuccessfully. Even though they were not able to draw people back to the Lord, they were able, by their actions and prayers to keep God from destroying them. But there was a vacancy of leadership. Not one prophet, religious leader, or royalty who cared about God.

 

         As I read this, I see something we all should remember. Do you realize you have a royal priesthood in your home? Men, we are responsible to stand in the gap for our family, as Moses did for the children of Israel. We are to build a hedge of protection round about our family. Wives and single mothers, you are not off the hook. You too should be in daily protective prayer for your children and grandchildren. Wives, you should be bombarding the throne of grace for your husband. That he will be the man that stands where God can see Him. Not ashamed to be humble before God. A man who gives credit to the Lord for all that he is and does. That is what God was looking for then, and we serve a never changing God. We all have responsibilities in this world. The most important thing we can do for our families is for Christians to become the hedge in our home. Stand up for Jesus and watch Him stand up for you. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        How do you build a hedge and stand in the gap for your family? Study of God’s Word. Stay in contact with God daily. Guard your life that nothing interferes with your communication with God. If you see sin arise, confess it and turn from it.

Will you be a hedge for your family?