Heath's Tidbits

Ezekiel 20

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:44:00 +0000

But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. Ezek 20:9

The Army Achievement medal can be awarded for numerous reasons, and often is awarded as a leadership and/or integrity award. I participated in a warfighter exercise at Ft. Dix towards the end of my enlistment and had to perform several duties outside of my normal area, but I did my best and learned a lot. After I got back to my regular unit, I received the Army Achievement medal on recommendation from a Ft. Dix commander due to my performance at their base. The last line of the commendation always struck me. "Specialist Tibbetts performance is a credit to himself, his unit, his country, and the United States Army." I realized that my performance as a solider was always representative of something bigger than myself.

Sometimes as Christians we forget that we are representing someone bigger than ourselves. God says here in Ezekiel that He took his actions for His name's sake. God's will is that His people would make Him known among the nations as well as among their own generations. When this doesn't happen, God will do what is necessary to glorify Himself, and as a result, bring more people to Him. We need to really examine what we are doing to glorify that name of Jesus Christ in our lives. Have we forgotten who made us what we are today? Is His name being glorified by our actions and words? Do people hear us speak the name of Jesus, or do they hear the same words out of our mouths that are spoken by those who live in the flesh? Remember today that you represent not just yourself, but your God. And those who know of your faith, will base their judgment of who God is, based on your attitude towards Him.

Ezekiel 19

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:34:00 +0000

'And fire has gone out from its branch; it has consumed its shoots and fruit, so that there is not in it a strong branch, a scepter to rule.'Ezek 19:14

Being the son of a professional athlete must be difficult. I watch a lot of college sports, and much will be made over a young man who is the son of a great basketball or football player. But so many times I've watched these young men get hyped for who their father is, instead of their own abilities. I can often see these fathers in the stands, desperate to see their sons compete at the same high level they used to play. And I don't know if I should pity the fathers who can't let go of the past, or the sons who can't please their fathers. Athletic family dynasties are rare.

The people of Israel absolutely begged God for a human king. And when Israel and Judah split into two nations, they both continued with a king on the throne, and it ultimately destroyed each nation. The people were warned that these men would concern themselves with their own fortunes than that of the people, and still God was begged. Now God is making it clear that the royal family has been exhausted. There will only be one more ruler, but when the days come that Israel is reestablished, there will be no king sitting on her throne. Jesus will come one day, in power and authority, and He will be their king. He will not be removed for someone better and He will not be found incompetent. What do you plead with God to do in your life? All of us have prayed a prayer that we later thanked God for not answering. The reason this happens is because we start asking God for whatever it may be, without seeking whether it's His will. Israel sought their own will without wisdom, and we have seen where it got them. Be as diligent to seek God's will in your life as you are in seeking your own. Recognize that God is putting together so many details you and I can never see, that we must trust Him when our prayers appear to be delayed or unanswered.

Ezekiel 18

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:14:00 +0000

What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, "The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children's teeth are set on edge"? Ezek 18:2

My guess is that out of all the areas of Ezekiel 18, this one might be the most confounding. The rest of the chapter really describes what is going on here: children will not pay for the sins of their fathers. Now the consequences of sin certainly affect the children. When a husband gets a divorce, it affects his children. However, the children don't actually pay the penalty for that sin. If a righteous son comes from an unrighteous father, will the son pay for his father's unrighteousness? God says the answer is no, and that's why He disregards this proverb. For God, each and every person is judged as an individual. If my parents are believers in Jesus Christ, their faith is not credited to me. In the same way, if my parents were deliberate and willful sinners who never chose repentance, that doesn't mean that I will be the same as them. It always comes down to a choice. We can allow our families to influence who we are, but our choices are always our own. If my dad is an alcoholic, that does not guarantee I will be one. If my dad is a pastor, that does not guarantee I will be one. Have you been accepting the blame for the sins of your parents? Is a bad upbringing still haunting you? Do not accept blame for the sins of others, because God does not credit them to you. Remember that God sees you as an individual. So don't live in the past, but live in the presence of God.

Ezekiel 17

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:11:00 +0000

On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches. Ezek 17:23

England has nearly always been a monarchy, and subjecting itself to the rule of the king or queen of the royal family. But from 1653 to 1658, England was a republic. The people had become tired of the selfishness that seemed to dominate those who sat on England's throne. So they rebelled, along with most of England's army, and captured the ruling king, Charles I, and killed him. And everything seemed great for a while. Oliver Cromwell, who had led the Army, served as Lord Protector over England until his death in 1658. At that time the republic began to break down. The Parliament seemed to forget what they had fought for, and people were losing confidence in the system. So they searched for the exiled son of Charles I, and soon after placed Charles II as king of England.

When England decided to return to the monarchy, they continued with the same royal line they had been under before. There was a feeling that God had allowed the royal family to gain his position, and so to restore them would be as restoring God's plan for the nation. Here in Ezekiel we see another monarchy restored. The two great eagles that are mentioned are the kings of Babylon and Egypt, and the idea is that kings from another nation, and a line other than David, had rule over God's people. But verse 23 begins explaining that there is another king coming. There is a restoration coming to the throne. The fulfillment of this promise is Jesus. Another king never sits on the throne of Israel, and so when Jesus arrives and seems to have all the makings of a king, the people are desperate for Him to be just that. They were ready to have a king on the throne again. Are you displacing the King in your life? Imagine that your life is a throne with your name on it; Who sits there? Do you allow Jesus to sit on the throne of your life and have lordship over you, or do you often ask Him to get up so you can take control? That's exactly what you do when you choose to deliberately cave to temptation. That's exactly what you do when you ignore God's calling for your life because it seems too difficult. Jesus is not just a man...He is a king. He died to purchase your life. Will you despose Him today, or depend on Him? The quality of your day today will depend very much on who sits on the throne of your life.

Ezekiel 16

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:36:00 +0000

"Also My bread which I gave you, fine flour, oil and honey with which I fed you, you would offer before them for a soothing aroma; so it happened," declares the Lord GOD. Ezek 16:19

In my early days of working for an insurance company, I got a lot of questions that I didn't know the immediate answer to. So I would go to people that had been with the company a while and ask them to fill in the blanks that my training had missed. One man called me and said we had given him $1500 to take care of a repair to his car, but he wondered if he had to use that money to do it. My immediate thought was that he could probably do whatever he wanted with the money. But as I asked a co-worker, they told me that the gentleman had a responsibility to use the money to repair his car. What if he had another accident and we found that he hadn't used the previous payout for the intended usage? Auto insurance isn't paying you because you were in an accident, but it's paying to repair your car to the condition it was in before the accident. Spending the claim money on something other than the claim, wasn't acting in good faith and could have his policy cancelled.

Just as their was a specific intention for the claim money, there is a specific intention for the gifts that God gives to us. Whether it is blessings in our family, job, or anywhere else in life, the intention is always that we would glorify God. I don't praise myself for my home. I don't praise myself for the work I do in the ministry. As soon as I do that, I've lost sight of who gave these gifts to me in the first place. As Christians, we should remember who gave us our money, time, and ability to act. And as Christians, all those elements of our lives should be used to glorify God. Are you spending your gifts from God on yourself? Are you seeking the praise and prestige of men? Everytime we act apart from God, we damage our relationship to Him. It allows selfishness to rule in us. And that means we are less likely to find His will for our lives. We've lost sight that God's gifts are given to equip us to be the person He wants us to be. Let us not waste these gifts on takers...let's us them for the giver.

Ezekiel 15

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:23:00 +0000

Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,' " declares the Lord GOD. Ezek 15:8

It's everyone else's fault. So many people look for someone to blame in for their circumstances, and instead of blaming themselves, they look for someone else to direct their ire towards. The employee who doesn't get a raise, blames the boss instead of examining how diligently he has been working. The student who does poorly in a class blames the teacher who just "doesn't like me". The marriage that falls apart is always the fault of the other spouse, and never the one you're talking to. We are just so unwilling to accept the blame.

In this chapter God talks about the wood of a tree and the wood of a vine. The wood of a tree is useful in many ways, and can be fashioned into something that stands the test of time (furniture, home, etc). A vine is not good for this kind of work. It's basically just fuel for the fire, and will burn up for a time and then be done. The people of Jerusalem were like vines. They weren't producing anything lasting, but were simply burning up their lives with nothing to show for it. And in this case, God may have gotten the blame. He's mean because He brought destruction on His own people. He's not keeping His promises to protect and watch His people. Actually the only reason destruction came upon the people is because they were unfaithful. They used to walk with God when things got tough, but the generation at this time in history were completely turned to false gods or no gods at all. Are you a faithful person? Do you keep your relationship with the Lord in first priority at all times, or does it waver? Do you blame God or others for the problems that occur due to your sin? When you find yourself making decisions apart from what God wants you to do, you are being no better than the Jews who ignored Him in the same way. Everytime we ignore Him instead of magnifying Him in our lives, we find ourselves out of the will of God, and wasting time that could have been spent on meaningful things. Is your life producing something that is lasting, or just burning up in the days of your life? It's a constant question all through the book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 14

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:56:00 +0000

Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. Ezek 14:6

Harvey and Paula Darden were starting to have that feeling...we're in the wrong place. They had been invited to tour the White House, but as they got there they were directed into an invitation only breakfast hosted by President Obama. Harvey tried to tell security that he was sure they were in the wrong place, but security told them to "go with the flow". Soon after, the Dardens are in the main banquet room. As Harvey looked around, he KNEW they were in the wrong place. Everyone was very well dressed, except for He and Paula whom he described as looking "exactly like tourists to the White House."

We've all had that feeling that we're not in the right place, and it always makes me feel uneasy. Maybe I think I'm going to get in trouble or something, but I just hate knowing that I've messed up. God points out to the elders of Israel that they have messed up and that their in the wrong place. They have put idols in their hearts and set them up in their lives, instead of allowing God to have first place. But the Lord says to them to repent and turn away. That's always God's desire; not that we say sorry, but we then do something about it. He also says to "turn your faces". Literally the phrase means "put them back where they belong". They should have been looking at God, but they were looking everywhere else. Where are you that your shouldn't be? This can be a place you go physically or mentally. You know you shouldn't be there, but you try to rationalize or justify why it's ok for you. There is nothing that allows sin to be ok for one person that isn't ok for another. Get yourself back where you belong. Put God first. Identify your idols in your life and turn away from them. And idol is anything that you place in priority above or alongside God (family, job, money). Acknowledge your idols today and remove them from first place.

Ezekiel 13

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 13:28:00 +0000

Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, 'Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?' Ezek 13:12

Living in Pennsylvania has been a big change from living in the Midwest. While there are many differences between the two areas, one of the biggest involves houses. Not the price difference, but the fact that you can find 100-year-old homes in Pennsylvania that are still fit to live in. We saw many homes for sale that needed some updating, but were still structurally sound from top to bottom. I could count on one hand the number of 100-year-old homes I've ever seen in Missouri. I'm not saying that Missouri doesn't have it's fair share of craftsman in its past, but if you brought back the builders from 100 years ago to look at their homes now (or the place their homes once stood), I think the Missouri builders would feel a sense of sorrow that their work didn't stand up.

False prophets were a dime a dozen in Israel. It's no wonder that the people were so easily misled, because there were plenty of people who claimed to speak for God who had never met Him personally. These false prophets were accused of putting up a whitewall of lies that was likened to plaster. And as the destruction comes, even as these prophets said all would be well, God asks what good their "prophecies" were? They worked so hard at all the wrong things, instead of allowing God to direct their words and their work. What will your work look like in 100 years? Are you doing eternal things, or just living the week to week life that we get so easily caught up in? You find yourself living day to day, paycheck to paycheck, moment to moment, but never really making plans to go anywhere. Seek out God's will for you. His desire isn't just that you float through life, putting up a little plaster here and there, only to see your work and effort have no real meaning. Find something, maybe through your church, or interaction with your neighbors, or helping those less fortunate that will allow you to make a permanent mark on people, and a mark that will outlive yourself.

Ezekiel 12

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:22:00 +0000

Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be performed,""' declares the Lord GOD. Ezek 12:28

Getting hit by a pitch in little league was rough, but not nearly as bad as when you get hit in the major leagues. You have big, strong pitchers throwing in the 90's and some guys have been hurt very badly with injuries ranging from broken hands to Ray Chapman who actually died after being hit in the head by a pitch. After a hitter is hit, he has two choices: take your base or start a fight. I've never understood the guys that walk 4 or 5 steps down towards first and then decide to charge the mound. I don't think a pitcher should be attacked because a ball got away from him, but it's amazing how ferocious these guys get after being hit.

Is the batter who walks five steps towards first base more compassionate than the batter who immediately charges the mound? Of course not, because the delay was minimal and didn't change anything. We can't really learn grace and compassion from a baseball player, but we would be wise to learn from God. How many days did God have to watch, hear, and even see the sin of Israel contained in the thoughts of His people? There is no one who endures more when wronged than our Lord does. Yet, He delayed His judgements in order that the people could apologize, turn back and stop hurting the heart of God. But they choose to continue as they were. Do you immediately lash out when someone wrongs you? If we were to be like Jesus, we would be willing to allow the other person to acknowledge their mistakes. We all know that there are times that we realize we made the wrong choice, but someone else telling us embarrasses us. So instead of jumping down someone's throat after a mistake or grievance, give people a moment to correct the situation on their own. They'll appreciate you, and they'll see grace and compassion. Just because someone acted like a jerk to you, doesn't give you the right to repay that attitude to them. Let us live the compassion of Jesus with those around us when they do wrong.

Ezekiel 11

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:43:00 +0000

And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, Ezek 11:19

If I needed a heart transplant, it is a very involved process. You can't just shove any heart-sized object into my chest and have everything work. You have to find a heart from someone with a similar blood type, and the replacement heart has to be in good working order. A surgeon would be unwilling to place a new heart into someone if he knew that it wasn't a good fit. It would be a waste of the heart and a danger to his patient.

God here is talking about a heart transplant, but He's not replacing a heart that is failing, but a heart that is dead. These people had died to shame and remorse. Their hearts were hard and beyond conviction. God's desire was not just to bring judgment on His people, but to awaken them inside. He would replace their stony and unfeeling hearts with living hearts of flesh, easily effected by the realization that judgment came because they set aside their God. Your heart may not be a rock, but are their some rocky areas? Some people that you are very calloused towards? Some needs that you know of in the lives of others, but have chosen to ignore? Or are there sins you are making excuses for instead of pushing them out of your life? Let us pray today that God would give us a heart of flesh. Let us look at our lives fresh and see the areas that we have hardened against who God wants us to be. Let's stop living like we're the only person on the planet who has issues and problems.

Ezekiel 10

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. Ezek 10:18

Remember the first time you used a microscope? As you looked through the eyepiece, you suddenly realized that there was so much more going on in this world that we had never seen. Some of it I wanted to see, like chloroplasts in a leaf. Some of it I didn't want to see, like the 20/20 report on bedbugs in hotel sheets. Either way, it made me aware that just because I can't see something, doesn't mean it's not happening.

This is especially true on a spiritual level. We talk about God, Jesus, or Holy Spirit, but we forget about the angelic work that is going on all around us. What if like the prophet Elisha, we could have our eyes truly opened for a few moments to see the angels, and the demons, that move around the places that we live and work. In the case of the temple, God removed His glory and His presence from the threshold, or the entrance of the temple. And so the angels hovered above, watching the movements of the people who were oblivious below. I don't want to be oblivious. I want to remember that I am a servant of the Lord, and there are many other unseen servants moving about me many of my days. Are you living as if the unseen does not exist? Let's remember that our lives are all about faith...trusting the unseen over the seen. Remember today, and be praying for, the unseen spiritual battles that are going on around us.

Ezekiel 9

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:33:00 +0000

The LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst." Ezek 9:4

I never had to send artillery rounds into battle, but we trained on enough fire missions during my time in the military that I always had a fear in the back of my mind: putting rounds onto friendly targets. There were a few times during training that one of our artillery units would land a round short or long and we would cease fire until they figured out their mistakes. Air Force pilots don't have these same worries. They often support troops from the air in the same way that we do from the read. But these pilots are equipped with laser guided bombs. So they drop the bomb on an estimated target, and troops on the ground use a targeting laser on the appropriate target. The bomb seeks out that laser and can destroy its target without risking the lives of friendly troops.

If I had to describe God in one word, the word I would most use is that He's personal. I believe that still covers words like loving and forgiving, because they make up the personal care that God shows towards His people. It's an overwhelming thought to know that the God of the universe knows and cares for me and listens when I pray. Here in Ezekiel 9, we have another proof of the personal nature of our God. When He brings destruction upon Jerusalem for their idolatries, He spares those who have not allowed themselves to be sucked in by falsehoods. He places a mark on their forehead, similar to the one that will be used in Revelation to determine who is for the antichrist, and who is for the Lord. So once again, God is accused of being an Old Testament God of judgement, we see that judgement falls on those who deserved it, but those who were truly distraught over the choices of the city were spared. Does sin really bother you? And not just your sin, but do you find yourself disturbed by the sin of others? If this judgement were coming to your town today, would He place a mark of protection on you? What do you do about sin? Do you challenge fellow believers to leave their sin behind? Do you simply go along with the sin and fail to set an example that will cause others to choose selflessness over selfishness. God is paying attention and is completely aware of all our choices. Let us live set apart in a world of unbelievers who all live pretty much the same.

Ezekiel 8

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Then He brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun. Ezek 8:16

While I was in high school we went to the same church for that entire time, before finally moving to a new church when I started college. Our family had committed to giving towards the building fund, but of course after moving we certainly didn't have any intention of continuing that support. A few months later we received a letter from the church asking us to keep our commitment. We had left because we felt the Word of God wasn't being clearly taught, and the pastor and church knew that. But the church still decided to ask us to support them financially. A year later after they had their new addition, I was talking to one of their members who went on and on about their building, but said nothing of any ministry they were doing. In fact, that church had been ignoring the needs of those in their neighborhood, reaching for those in more affluent neighborhoods further away. They were more concerned with glorifying their church than their Lord.

Where does our worship go in church? While it seems a no brainer that our worship is for our Lord, I've been in services where the church seemed to be glorifying themselves more than God. In this passage, you have men inside the house of God who are bowing to the sun and worshipping it. The sun didn't secure their nation for them. The sun didn't build and support the work of the temple they worshipped in. The people of Israel had misplaced their worship. Is your church misplacing its worship? Are you emphasizing the pastor, the building, or God? Churches that stop growing and ministering after a pastor leaves, were building themselves on the wrong foundations. Is the Word of God shared and explained, or do we get by with new facilities and funny stories? Make sure that before you walk into your church, you remember what the purpose is. It's not to make friends, or to put in your time. It is set aside so that you and I have a place we can go and shut out the world and allow ourselves to be fully attentive to God's message for us.

Ezekiel 7

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:14:00 +0000

'Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and bring all your abominations upon you. Ezek 7:3

Matt Holliday is not my favorite player. The St. Louis Cardinals picked him up halfway through the 2009 season, and he was a great addition. Solid bat, good fielding, and just an overall great player. That is, until the playoffs came. Holliday dropped an easy fly ball that could have ended a game, but instead allowed the Dodgers to win the game and ultimately the series. After the season was over, Holliday wanted a new contract, but he didn't base it on his performance. He based it on everyone around him. So he waited for the other available players to sign contracts, so he could compare his numbers and ask for more. The problem is, the other players didn't sign for much money, so he had nothing to compare himself to. For the first time, he would have to stand on his own merits as a player, instead of magnifying the deficiencies of others.

Notice here how God is going to judge. He's not going to judge based on the behavior and actions of other people, but of the guilty themselves. Certainly Israel wasn't the only nation prone to idolatry and worshipping false gods. But, they were the only one that had been chosen personally by the Lord. So when the time of judgment came, they couldn't compare themselves against other nations, but only the stand God sets. Do you realize that everything we do is measured by the standard God sets? And His standard is perfection, which means we can't hit it. Only through Jesus Christ covering my sin, can I know that when God does a final examination after my death, He will see the perfect life of Jesus covering my imperfect life because I asked Him to. Who are you comparing yourself against: man or God? If you compare yourself against enough people, you'll eventually feel good about yourself and not worry about your sin. God wants us constantly aware that He is the standard setter. So stop comparing yourself to other Christians or even to non-believers. On the day you stand before the Lord, there will be no one standing near enough to make you look better. You will be judged alone.

Ezekiel 6

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:47:00 +0000

"Then they will know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them." Ezek 6:10

Christians all over the world face tremendous persecution and hardship as a result of their unwillingness to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ. Often the imprisonment of these believers happens with absolutely no charges being filed. Family members beg to know where their loved one is being kept, but to no avail. It becomes clear that these believers will not receive any kind of due process, but will suffer for the crime of faith.

There is something else that we learn of God's discipline here in this chapter. Not only will God discipline His children when we sin, but He will make the sin clear to us. God went about and had the idols and altars destroyed that Israel had given their hearts to. In times that I have been disciplined by the Lord over my sin, I have always known what the sin was. It may partly have been because I felt guilty, but I also believe the Holy Spirit makes our sin clear to us so that we can avoid it in the future. If we were unaware of what we had done wrong, His discipline wouldn't serve a purpose because we wouldn't know what to avoid. God's Word and His actions are not in vain. He has a purpose behind everything that He does. When I know that God has lead me to a particular place, whether I wanted to be there or not, I begin to think about what it is that God wants me to learn. As Christians we need to remember who God is. Because of what He had done in Ezekiel's time, the people would know that He is the Lord. He is not just a god among gods. He's not just available to talk when you feel like it. He's not someone we consult at particular moments of our lives. He has complete Lordship over our lives. There's not a think He says "yes" to that we should ever respond back with "no". Let's remember that He is a God of love, and as a result of that love, He doesn't promise He won't take us through times that are painful. Sometimes the pain is what's required to give us a strong reminder of what we should stay away from. What sin is God plainly telling you to drop that you keep ignoring? He is not just telling us that leaving that sin would be a good idea. He's telling us it's His will for our lives.

Ezekiel 5

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:01:00 +0000

'Thus My anger will be spent and I will satisfy My wrath on them, and I will be appeased ; then they will know that I, the LORD, have spoken in My zeal when I have spent My wrath upon them. Ezek 5:13

I had stitches when I was five because I don't listen to my mommy. There was always a puddle of water on one part of our playground, and in the winter it turned to ice. I decided to join everyone on the ice by running as fast as I could and then skating across it. Apparently I skated too far and hit the concrete, because I don't even remember it. I woke up in the nurse's office with my chin busted open. The doctor gave me 10 stitches and after a week or so, I went it to have them taken out. He asked if I could count backwards from ten while he pulled them out. I said I could, until he pulled the first one. The pain was so bad (at least in my five-year-old memory) that I quickly chose crying over counting. They did give me the tweezers to keep as a memento, but my mom broke my heart when I wasn't allowed to use them to get candy out of the Christmas candy dish.

The pain that I went through wasn't fun for me or the doctor, but it was necessary. And the more I read the Old Testament, the more I see the heart of God in the destruction of Jerusalem. Would the loving thing have been to leave the people in their sin and not bring about the destruction? God had sent prophet after prophet and the people resisted and grew more rebellious. If He had not acted, there would have been no nation of God to save. The wrath of God was a satisfiable wrath, and it had a purpose. So many times people use the excuse that they were angry, but it was a righteous anger. The anger of God always has a purpose. The anger of humans often has no purpose except to make us feel better, but it rarely accomplishes that. Do you struggle with the sin of anger? As Christians our desire should to be like God, and one of those areas is how He handles anger. His anger always has a purpose. It's intention is not to scare people, but to ultimately bring them back to Him. Love is always behind the anger of God. His love for His people and His desire that they would live lives that will be pleasing to Him and rewarding to them. Does your anger have a godly purpose? Don't use the excuse that this is how God made you. That's the argument that homosexuals use. You have a choice, and that choice needs to be to serve God at every turn.

Ezekiel 4

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:44:00 +0000

Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity. Ezek 4:4

School assembly day was always a great day. You had shortened classes, time to talk to your friends, and hopefully something fun to take part in. Sometimes that was the case (I still can't believe that Seatbelt Man signed that picture for me!), but not so with the guy in the wheelchair. That was probably a Junior High assembly when the guy wheeled out and told us about how he jumped off a bridge into a river, only to find out the river was a foot deep. He broke his neck and had to spend the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair. The lesson was that we should think about our choices instead of just doing whatever comes to mind.

The man in the wheelchair had suffered, and the intended result was that we would see that suffering and we would make a different choice. Well Ezekiel didn't have a walk in the park on this assignment. God tells him to draw a picture of Jerusalem on a clay tablet and show it under siege. Then Ezekiel has to lay on his left side for a number of days that would be equal to the number of years Jerusalem has been in sin against the Lord. However, it also coincides to the 390 days that Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem as well. During his time laying there he's eating poorly and just miserable. And here is another example of a people that should have listened, but never did. Do you have an unbelieving family member or friend who shuts you down when you try to talk about your faith? Pretty much all of us do, but what do you do about it? Do you just keep your mouth shut and pretend like there is no eternity for that person to worry about? God knew the choice they would make. Ezekiel probably figured it out pretty quickly as well. But God continued to reach out to them. He continued to make the truth known. God doesn't give up on the hard hearted, so neither should we. Don't write people off because they've always been hard to the gospel before. You never know what even in their life will suddenly show them who they are in light of eternity. And as believers we need to be there prepared to help them through it.

Ezekiel 3

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:24:00 +0000

"However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself." Ezek 3:21

I've always been torn by the practice of flashing your lights at oncoming cars to warn them of speed traps ahead. When I first figured out what my parents were doing, I thought it was a great idea and a way for people to work together. After driving for a few years, I began to have second thoughts. If someone is driving at an unsafe speed, should I warn them so they avoid a ticket? Am I really helping them? It seems like I was helping people avoid a punishment that was to supposed to curb that kind of behavior. I've found that I don't do this as often as I once did.

When we see someone who is sinning, what should we do? Ezekiel was given the task of going to his own people. There would be no excuse that he didn't know the language or the culture, because he grew up in it. God tells Ezekiel that He will tell the prophet when to speak, and one of those times is when God leads him to confront a sinner. Here is the interesting part. The warning wasn't just for the benefit of the sinner, but for Ezekiel himself. When I warn a speeding driver of a cop, I'm not really benefiting myself at all. But, the prophet was told that if he was led to confront someone over their sin, and he choose not to, that Ezekiel would be guilty of sin. By delivering these people from sin, he would also be delivering himself from judgment. Ignoring the sin of our family and friends is never the loving thing to do. We need to make sure that we come in an attitude of love and concern instead of acting as though we are the only righteous person in the room. I'm sure that Ezekiel approached his fellow countrymen with love and compassion. Not all listened, but it's clear that some must have based on this command to the prophet. Who do you know around you that's struggling with sin? Maybe they're contemplating a an unbiblical divorce. Maybe they are abusing alcohol or another substance. Maybe they're being a poor witness in some other way amongst unbelievers. Whatever it is, if God lays the person on your heart, pray and then go and think about how you would want someone to approach you if the roles were reversed.

Ezekiel 2

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:48:00 +0000

As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. Ezek 2:2

I think as a teen I always secretly wanted to be a rebel, but I just couldn't pull it off. As much as I loved school in general, there were a few classes that I didn't enjoy (Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Algebra II, the list goes on). As I was sitting in class one day I thought of the kids in my school who skipped classes they didn't like. I thought about getting right up out of my desk and walking out of the classroom and leaving. But I wondered if I could even do it. So I made a move from my desk and raised myself just out of my seat to prove to myself that I could really do it. Then I sat back down and endured the rest of my class. I just wasn't the kind of person who could do that.

I'm sure Ezekiel thought the same thing about Himself as God is calling him. This isn't the most exciting call a person can receive. When I've been placed in a new position of ministry, it's exciting. However, God tells Ezekiel twice that he is to share God's message even if the people aren't listening. That indicates to me that the people probably weren't going to listen. So why and how would Ezekiel be able to do this? Because of verse 2. In verse 1 God tells Ezekiel to stand, and in verse 2, the Holy Spirit of God gives him the strength to do what was asked. You see God doesn't send us off by ourselves to serve Him. A missionary could be dropped off in hostile area all alone to share the gospel, but he wouldn't really be alone. God gives us what we need to do what He asks. In Ezekiel's day, the Holy Spirit wasn't a guarantee like it is for us today. The Holy Spirit moved and worked, but only today through Christ do we have Him living inside of us constantly. So what do you need to do that the Holy Spirit can't help you through? Nothing! Whether you want to be more bold to share your faith, obedient to avoid a particular sin, or even if you want to pray more effectively, the Holy Spirit can accomplish all of those things in you. You have the power through Him, but you need to add your willingness to His awesomeness.

Ezekiel 1

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:49:00 +0000

The appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was like sparkling beryl, and all four of them had the same form, their appearance and workmanship being as if one wheel were within another. Ezek 1:16

When I was preparing for basic training I had to take the ASVAB. This is a test administered to every incoming recruit to determine if you're an idiot or not. If you're determined not to be an idiot, the test should indicate what areas of expertise you could be most easily trained. My recruiter told me not to worry about studying for it, because it would be easy for me. So on test day, everything was going fine until I got to the mechanical portion of the test. There were simple schematics of machine parts and you had to determine how the machine worked. Thanks to some strategic guesses on that multiple choice section, I came out considered to have a good working knowledge of machines. My mechanic would challenge that assumption.

Of all the machines I have ever come across, this one in Ezekiel 1 is the most confusing. The description is mind-boggling and goes beyond verse 16. This is where we find out that these four wheels that Ezekiel sees are actually all inside of one another and able to turn freely without being on the ground. I get the sense of the gears of a clock, but more tightly packed. The wheels were covered in eyes, and seem to be manipulated by angelic beings, but not all the time. It's almost as if they were waiting on something. I argue that the "something" they were waiting on was the command of God. This seems to be a description to me of the way God works. We look at our lives and see them as chaotic and confusing. But if we were to see a mechanism by which God works, we would see the orderly image of these wheels all being precisely turned and controlled. God doesn't work haphazardly, but works with the ability to be in complete control at all times. That doesn't mean that we have no choices to make. We need to choose to pray and ask God to make these moves. We need to submit that when we see God making a move, we move with Him. Our prayer today should be, "God if you're doing it, then I should be on board."

Lamentations 5

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:22:00 +0000

Why do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long? Lam 5:20

My wife and I have tried a variety of punishments with our children. During the Thanksgiving holiday, my middle daughter lost her mind and her manners. As a result, we sat her in a room by herself for 20 minutes where she couldn't play with her cousins. Our hope was that she would have time to think about her actions and how much she didn't like missing out on play time. I know I'm an old softy and around 15 minutes I was considering letting her out early for good behavior, but she started asking if she could come out now. I didn't want her to think she could just ask her way out of punishments, so I had to leave her in for the final five minutes.

This is a rough verse for me to read, because Israel went through a lot as God worked on their hearts. I'm sure that just like Kaitlyn thought I had forgotten her in that room, Israel thought God had forgotten them. Their hope was that they would get to see their mistake and move on, but God's judgement on the people lasted 70 years before some of the people were allowed to return to Jerusalem. I'm sure that felt like forever, but it wasn't just about recognizing what they did wrong. God had to level a punishment that would be a sufficient and future reminder to not stray away in the same manor. When I tell my children to stop doing something, but offer no discipline, they don't always listen. But when discipline is added, I suddenly have their attention. Do you feel like God has disciplined you long enough for your sin? You might evaluate whether God is disciplining you, or if Satan is just keeping a guilt trip on you. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit, and He will let you know. If you're going through the consequences of your sin, write it down to remind yourself how it felt to be specifically disciplined by the Lord and how you plan to avoid those actions in the future. He'll keep the discipline on as long as He thinks is necessary to get your full attention. A spanking is short and gets our attention only until the pain subsides. God works much more patiently and His desire is that the punishment will lead us away from sin. It may not be fun, but it is one of the greatest proofs that God loves us and wants to see great things in our lives.

Lamentations 4

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:43:00 +0000

The precious sons of Zion, weighed against fine gold, how they are regarded as earthen jars, the work of a potter's hands! Lam 4:2

The president of my seminary was probably not the typical seminary president. He actually taught a class every semester, and loved to tell jokes. While I always had a good time in his class, it's one of the serious things that he said that I have never forgotten. Dr. Mike said that when he graduated seminary, he wrote down the names of 15 of his friends who graduated with him, so he could remember to pray for them often. All these years later, 9 of the 15 were no longer in ministry, and he said that all 9 were out of the ministry due to sexual sin or misconduct.

The precious sons of Zion here are the Jewish priests. They were weighed against fine gold, indicating their purity and service for the Lord. But they lost sight of an important characteristic of God, just as Dr. Mike's friend did: God's holiness. Because God is holy He cannot just look the other way or dismiss our sin. He gives us warnings and reminders to make opposite choices when we are tempted or have fallen into sin, but sometimes we ignore Him, hoping for the merciful God. But God will do whatever it takes to make His people holy. In the case of the priests, He was willing to strip them of their duties and honor and start over completely to bring holiness back to the forefront of His people. Are you living in light of the holiness of God? You may not be an Old Testament priest or a New Testament pastor, but we are all priests according to the book of Hebrews. We all approach God and serve Him as individuals. Are you serving Him, or serving yourself? Are you living differently in Christ or the same as you always were?

Lamentations 3

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:59:00 +0000

They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. Lam 3:23

I have struggled with my weight ever since college. I went to Basic Training for the National Guard during my freshman year and got into the best shape of my life. Of course after getting home, I could never work out to that same level and I began to gain weight. Eventually I tried a method called "The Weighdown" which is more emphasizing how much you eat over what you eat. So I really just tried to moderate my portions, but I remember one day that I ate a lot of junk all through the day. My wife told me that the weighdown book says to put a day like that behind you and start over the next day. What a relief that was to me, that I hadn't totally blown everything in a day.

We've all had days like this, and apparently the great prophet Jeremiah was no different. He had moments that he felt completely cut off from God, and the first half of Lamentations 3 is pretty depressing. But then we see so much hope in the second half, that I could hardly pick which verse was my favorite. I love verse 21 where he recalls the God he serves and he has hope. But verse 23 is even better to me, because it reminds us of the lesson that God built into the days. The sun goes down and the moon comes up and the day is over and done. Then the sun rises again on a new day. It's the same with our sin. Did you fail in your efforts to resist and leave sin behind yesterday? Well, today is a new day! You can seek the Holy Spirit to give you reminders when you begin facing temptation. Ask Him to remind you of the failure and disappointment you felt in your day before. You can be a new person. God doesn't hold onto the past...people do. If you're willing to repent and move forward, the Lord is waiting on you. Nothing you can do will diminish His love for you. So lay out the failures of your yesterday to Him, and embrace the new day He has given you today and serve Him in it!

Lamentations 2

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:14:00 +0000

Your prophets have seen for you false and foolish visions; and they have not exposed your iniquity so as to restore you from captivity, Lam 2:14

I was watching a church service on TV one Sunday morning as I got ready for church. I always enjoyed hearing the music while I started my day, and one particular morning I got to hear the pastor preach. He was held in high regard as a preacher of the Word, and was talking about relationships. He said that in a church their size, several thousand strong, there were probably some people who were unmarried but living together in the congregation. He said that wasn't "the best idea", but never called it sin and didn't develop the point at all. I'm sure there were some there that day that found themselves in that situation, but because the pastor didn't really emphasize the problem with it, the people didn't either.

Talking about sin is not fun. It brings up old hurts, regrets and reminders of our failures. But as Christians, we need to be prepared to confront our sin at any moment. In Lamentations, we learn part of the failure of the people came from the men of God they trusted. These prophets were responsible to point out sin in the lives of the people, but not only would they not tell them the truth about their sin, but they would lie to make the people feel better! How would you react today if your pastor told you that they see sin in your life? Would you be embarrassed? Would you prefer he just lie and say nothing? The proper response would to be thankful. When a pastor shows a believer his/her sin, the purpose is to help you get over your sin. These prophets probably felt they could keep everyone happy if they were told who great they were. The problem was, their lives weren't great, and we need to be prepared to examine our own lives for sin, and to listen to the admonitions of those around us. Will you be quiet for a few moments today and ask the Holy Spirit to show you areas of sin that are remaining in your life? Will you ask Him to prepare you for the moment a pastor or friend shows you your sin? There are few acts more loving than that.

Lamentations 1

noreply@blogger.com (Bro. Heath) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:43:00 +0000

She weeps bitterly in the night and her tears are on her cheeks; she has none to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. Lam 1:2

Is there anything worse than the soap opera that makes up the lives of teenagers? My youth group growing up had 50 kids in it, and one of the worst things that could happen was that a boy and girl started dating from the group. As was the usual custom, they would break up soon after and then everyone had to pick a side of which friend they liked and which one they were mad at. It was completely ridiculous that one day two people could be friends and then next day, they just had anger towards one another. Not the best example in the church for lost teenagers.

It's amazing how the things we once loved become the source of our greatest disappointment, just like a boyfriend or girlfriend we thought we couldn't live without. Before Christ we did what we wanted, when we wanted. But now that we know who He is, it changes our lives. And those choices that were made so easily before have become our enemies. Those who lived for alcohol and eventually made the turn away from it, find it to be one of the hardest choices to leave behind. Sin all seems great until we realize that price that was paid on a cross to overcome sin. You know that your sin never gives you satisfaction, so why do you go back to it? It entices like a lover, but afterwards beats you up. Going back to the things that defined us before Christ will never give us the satisfaction that Satan promises it will. You need to make a clear and conscious effort to leave the old you behind. Just as Jerusalem realized, all their old pals were gone when the day came to pay for their sin. Jesus died to make you a new creation, not re-creation of the old.