Monthly Archives: September 2016

September 11 – A Lesson From Former Priests

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Ezekiel 44-45

The Levites were sinful men. Some of them had done things that resulted in God’s taking away their positions as priests. In this life, they had to bear their shame for the sins they committed. Yet God gave them other responsibilities in the care of the temple and the temple services.

All of us bear the marks of the sins we have committed. Some of us publicly bear the shame and embarrassment of past choices. Broken marriages, addictions, abortions, and the like never go away. We remember. Others remember.

And sometimes those sins can exclude us from certain parts of ministry. But I am thankful that God doesn’t just write us off.

God has things for us to do in service to Him. He forgives every sin we bring to Him and dresses us with Jesus’ righteousness before the Father. So if that particular sin we’ve committed excludes us from serving as a deacon, we can serve as a grounds keeper. We can visit the sick, or care for widows. If our past prevents us from being a pastor, we might help with the food outreach or keep track of the church finances.

I know there will be some who disagree with me on this. Doesn’t God forgive and wash us clean? Absolutely! We are whiter than snow before our Holy God when He sees us through the blood of His Son.  I think of Matthew, a dishonest tax collector, or Paul, a killer of Christians, both of whom served God in incredible ways after they met Jesus. I am forever thankful for that fact.

A murderer still faces the consequence for that murder, even if he or she comes to the Savior while behind bars. They are free from the law of sin and death. But they are not free to walk out of that prison. A child who was aborted does’t automatically come to life when the parent confesses that sin. People hurt by the actions of an addict don’t automatically heal just because the addict asked God to forgive him or her. Sometimes we just have to live with consequences for sin.

But that’s not an excuse to quit serving. Ezekiel tells us the former priests took on other responsibilities to keep the ministry of the temple running. They could no longer serve as priests because of the sins they had committed, so they got busy serving in other ways.

I guess I’m just suggesting that, if your church fellowship feels led to take away a ministry you’ve participated in, don’t get mad and walk away. Find some other way to serve. Serving God is not about you, anyway.

 

September 10 – All Of Me

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Ezekiel 42-43

These chapters have me asking myself what it means to be the temple of God in 2016. It occurs to me I was thinking way too small.

I have asked Jesus into my heart. I’ve pictured my repentant heart as the place where God lives on earth. But as vital as my heart is, it’s not everything.

Ezekiel reports that God said, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of my feet…” (43:7)

Have you ever seen the old Steve Martin movie, “All of Me”? I think one of the funniest scenes in the movie is when the “spirit” of Lily Tomlin’s character enters Martin’s character. Watching Martin trying to navigate his steps, while being controlled by that spirit just cracks me up every time. Martin has to learn to walk, and talk, and move as one with that spirit. The challenge comes when Martin tries to take control and move independently of the spirit.

Being God’s temple is kind of like that. If God’s spirit is in me, He not only controls my thoughts and feelings, but my fingers and toes, my voice… all of me! His throne, His dwelling place, reaches down to the soles my feet.

And my life can’t be complete, I can’t maneuver through this life effectively, or be of any use to God, until I learn to move as one with His Spirit.

Father, Take all of me. My heart, my thoughts, down to the soles of my feet. May my arms be Your arms, my feet be Your feet, my elbows and knees and eyes and tongue, be controlled by You alone. I submit myself… all of me… to You.

 

September 9 – A Sturdy Wall

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Ezekiel 40-41

The wall around the temple in Ezekiel’s vision was as thick as it was tall: one rod deep, one rod high (40:5). If my calculations are right, it was about 10 1/2 feet tall and 10 1/2 feet thick. Sounds pretty sturdy to me.

I found a couple of interesting videos on bibliaprints.com that show 3D versions of what the temple in Ezekiel looked like. The videos go verse by verse and it blew me away. That temple looks so amazingly beautiful.

And it humbled me to think that today I am that temple of God. Do I protect the Presence with a sturdy wall around me? Am I as intentional about creating a dwelling place for my Lord that is as lovely as Ezekiel’s temple seems to have been? Can God feel at home in my heart?

Every inch of the temple I read about today was accounted for. Would this temple called Connie hold up to the same scrutiny?

I pray that is so.

September 8 – It’s Final

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Ezekiel 38-39

“Behold, it is coming and it shall be done,” declares the Lord God. “That is the day of which I have spoken.” (39:8)

This verse was written concerning Gog’s impending defeat at the hand of the Israelites. According to Ezekiel, it was going to be a decisive victory for the Jews, and a complete devastation for Gog.

But as I think about this part of Scripture, I am reminded that this verse is relevant still today. It is a verse I feel ok about taking out of context because it is a theme that is repeated often: God has the final word.

Period.

We read in the Bible that Jesus is coming again. The world as we know it will end. There will be a day of judgment, and eternity to live with the decision you made while living in this body.

Like it or not, believe it or not, God will have the last word. “Behold, it is coming and it shall be done.”

 

 

Sept 7 – Breathe On Me

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Ezekiel 35-37

As I read about Ezekiel’s experience with the dried up bones in the wilderness, the words of an Edwin Hatch hymn kept going through my mind. This is my prayer today:

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me life anew,
That I may love what Thou doest love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will
To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Till I am wholly Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
So I shall never die,
But live with Thee 
The perfect life
Of Thine eternity.

                         Amen

September 6 – It’s Not A Suggestion

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Ezekiel 32-34

The last thing Jesus said before ascending into heaven was, “get out there and tell people about Me.” (Matthew 28). The Great Commission, as it is known, is a call to action for all believers.

Ezekiel tells us how important it is to warn people about the consequences for not listening to God. He calls us watchmen, we who see the sword coming to destroy, and who blow the trumpet and warn the people.

Ezekiel says if the people don’t heed the warning, their destruction is on them. But look at 33:6. If the watchman (that’s you and me) knows there is danger ahead and doesn’t warn the people…

that man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. (33:8)

Ezekiel repeats that fact in verse 9. God is that serious about holding us responsible for telling our family, neighbors, friends about the Truth. We have the Good News, that Jesus paid the price for sin and offers forgiveness as a gift.

But the flip side of the Good News is really bad news! That is eternal hell, separated from God, in agony and regret.

The Bible is clear, if we  don’t warn people about the consequences for rejecting God’s grace, the forgiveness of sin, they will die in their sin…

and it will be our fault.

 

September 5 – Becoming god

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Ezekiel 28-31

I know there are some who believe that with meditation, with good thoughts, with positive attitudes, with doing good deeds, and having compassion and treating people kindly, we can become a supreme being, a god, or attain a level of perfection. That is a dangerous theology, and it’s the belief that ended up causing Satan’s fall from heaven. It’s the lie that convinced Eve to disobey God.

Ezekiel reports that God will destroy Tyre, saying:

Because your heart is lifted up and you have said, “I am a god… you will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken,” declares the Lord God. (28:2-10)

Once again I am reminded that there is one God and it’s not me. Thinking otherwise comes with devastating consequences.

September 4 – I’ve Got Confidence

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Ezekiel 24-27

All the cities Ezekiel is pronouncing God’s judgment over were cities that had things going on. They were successful merchants and traders, or they housed mighty warriors. They were sailors. Bakers. Jewelers. People living in comfort.

But they denied God, and God was going to demonstrate what the consequences are for sin. Nothing they had placed their confidence in would be able to save them.

Where have I placed my own confidence? Is it in myself? In having a healthy body? Career advancement? My family? My possessions? What about my reputation, or my generosity?

God would have me see that anything I think I have or am cannot stand against God’s holiness. He is the ultimate authority, the final Word. If I’ve placed my confidence in anything other than God Himself, I will be as devastated as the people I read about today.

Oh, I’ve got confidence. But it isn’t in me! I have confidence in God. I believe He is who He says He is, and means what He’s said. I’ve got confidence that God is going to carry me right into eternity because I have accepted His gift of grace through the blood of Jesus.

I have confidence to face today because God has promised to go with me. God is my confidence.

 

September 3 – It’s Personal

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Ezekiel 22-23

As I read these chapters this morning, I was hit with the realization that God is not indifferent concerning my sin. In fact, when I sin, He takes it personally.

23:38 says, “Again, they have done this to Me…”

I remember when the Jews were demanding a king for the first time, Samuel felt like he had failed God somehow. God told him not to feel that way. “for they have not rejected you, but the have rejected Me from being king over them.” (1 Sam 8:7)

I might feel bad about lying to my friend, or guilty about lusting after my neighbor’s husband, or ashamed concerning a TV show I watch or an internet site I visit. But God is offended. He looks at every sin I commit as a rejection of Him, a slap in His face.

As I think of this I get a picture of Jesus on the cross, in pain and agony as He takes on my sin. And I see me, tossing another sin His way, slapping His bruised and bleeding face, pouring salt into the open wounds on His back, and laughing as I do.

I might think my sin is no big deal. But My Savior takes it personally.

September 2 – God Reveals Himself

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Ezekiel 20-21

Everything that happened to the children of Israel happened for one reason. Many believe things happened because they were God’s chosen people, people He loved best and blessed most. I’m not so sure about that.

God makes it clear that the things that happened to Israel happened to reveal Himself to them and the world. (20:5,9,12,14,20,22,26,37,41,44,48)

Everything that happened to Israel happened because He loves you and me, because He wants us to know Him. I read Ezekiel and hear God say, “Connie, I love you. See me. Obey me. Know me.”

I believe the same holds true today. Everything that happens to us happens in order to reveal God to the world. So, if you have a minute, I’d like to share how God has revealed Himself to me this past month.

I’m actually writing this on Saturday September 3. It’s been quite a week.

I shared with you a while back that I was selling two condos in order to buy a house on the island where I have had a vacation home for a few years. My prayer was that God would open and close doors as He saw fit. I promised I’d not push on any door He closed, and that I’d walk through the open ones. Not my will, but Thine dear Lord.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to share all the details of my journey (nor would it interest you) but here are the highlights:

Both condos sold the first weekend they went on the market. That threw me into panic mode as it would leave me homeless as soon as they closed. One was a cash offer, so I had some flexibility there. The buyer agreed to rent to me for two weeks after we closed. She even let me name the price. Blessed!

I began an urgent search for houses. My realtor goes to my church and worked hard to find what I was looking for. I thought he’d succeeded, and put a bid on a cute little house in a neighborhood I liked. I walked through that open door.

They rejected my offer. I countered. They rejected the counter. My realtor felt they were asking $50,000 over what the comps showed. I walked away from that closed door. And looked at about twenty more homes.

I had to go back north to take care of my Ohio condo. So I left my realtor and a dear friend, Mary Jo, in charge of house hunting for me. The next Friday I got a call from Mary Jo. “Connie,” she said. “You’ve got to see this house. I would buy it myself. And I don’t think it’ll be on the market long.”

Another open door? I immediately started packing for the thirteen hour drive. I called my sister who said she would go with me. She was at work, and rearranged her schedule. We’d go down Friday, see the house on Saturday, and head back to Ohio on Sunday because she had obligations on Sunday night. We braced ourselves for a grueling weekend.

We were about two hours down the road when she got a frantic call from her daughter. Something was up, and she needed her mom. After several minutes of trying to figure how that was going to happen, I pulled into a Comfort Inn. My sister would call her husband to come get her, and I’d go to Georgia on my own.

I got to Georgia at about 1:00 on Saturday and went straight to the house where my realtor and Mary Jo were waiting for me. It was perfect! It was close to everything. It had been remodeled recently. And I loved it. My realtor put a call in to the other realtor with my offer. I felt God had opened this door for me to go through.

While they were on the phone, the other realtor got another call from someone with cash. Long story short, the owner asked us both to give us our last best offer. They would decide which offer to accept on Monday. I put in my offer. Open door, you know.

I went to my vacation home (it was still mine as closing hadn’t happened yet). I was set to go north the next day, Sunday, when I got a call from my realtor. He said there was an open house on Sunday he thought I might want to see in case the house I was waiting on didn’t go through. I really had no pressing reason to hurry back north, so I said I’d stay and go to the open house.

Ok. Are you still with me? This house is on the north side of the island. I’d been looking on the south end. It’s in a nice neighborhood, but it’s seven miles from my desired area. But I didn’t want to miss an open door. Remember I’d promised God I’d continue to walk until He closed the door.

Sunday after church, we pulled into the drive at the open house. Cute! We walked up to the front porch. Perfect! I walked through the front door and immediately fell in love. I told my realtor I like this one better than the one I had put an offer on just the day before. It was bright, and open, and I could immediately see my furniture in there.

Needless to say I put an offer on it. My realtor went right to work putting together the necessary papers, dot.looped them to me and the seller, and by 10:00 Sunday night I had a home ($35,000 less than the house I had an offer on the day before).

We withdrew the offer on the other, more expensive house.

Now here is where I see God reveal Himself. If my friend had not seen the house on the south end of the island and called to tell me about it, I would not have gone to the island that weekend. If my sister had indeed gone with me I would not have been available to go to the open house and see the home I eventually bought.

He revealed Himself in the quick sell of two properties, through the realtor who gave up his Sunday evening to get this done, through timing, timing, timing. He even revealed Himself in that, the house I traveled thirteen hours to see is still on the market after the inspection revealed several serious issues.

 

Now it all hasn’t been smooth sailing. I closed on this house Monday, moved my furniture in on Wednesday, and was welcomed by Hurricane Hermine on Friday. The large oak tree in my back yard blew over, damaging a fence and my new neighbor’s enclosed porch. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

I could tell you that one of the tree guys I spoke to said, after looking at the root system, that this could have just as well demolished my house and the neighbor next door. I could tell you about the guy who is painting my house, who was able to clean up the tree in my yard and my neighbors today, the day after the storm, when the tree guys had me on a waiting list.

Right now I am sitting on my back porch, listening to the happy sounds of children in the pool of the family who found my tree in their back yard. The sun is shining, and the humidity is thankfully low. And I know God is in it all, because everything that happened revealed a God who directs our paths when we let Him, and who wants everyone to see Him in me, in us who know Him.

Because He is not willing that any should die without Him. Let’s allow Him to continue to reveal Himself in the details of our lives, and let people know Who it is that directs our steps.