Nov 9 The Shepherd’s Rod

Father, I see a pattern as You show Your people how You want them to live.  You reveal Yourself and call them to purify themselves and turn from idols.

As they rebelled and worshipped first the idols of Egypt, then a golden calf and later the idols of wood and stone from other nations, You repeatedly preserved them as a people “for the sake of Your Name.”  But there was judgment and a purging of those who would not follow You.

Ezekiel speaks Your words saying, “I will judge you…I will take note of you as you pass under My rod…”

This is the same rod of which the Psalmist wrote “Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.”

A shepherd uses his rod for many things.  One is to have the sheep pass under it as a way of counting to be sure every sheep is where it should be and accounted for.

It is also a way of inspecting them.  As each sheep passes, the shepherd looks to see that each is well fed, rested, and not ill.   As the rod parts their hair, inspection is made of the skin for wounds, parasites, anything that would indicate a need for further care.

Father, I am a sheep of Your pasture.  I want to “pass under Your rod” for Your inspection and loving care.   Count me to be sure that I am where I am supposed to be.  Inspect me.  Look for any sign of weakness or disease in me.  When so, heal me and I will be healed.

I come now, to seek You, to inquire of You.  There are so many things in my life that I need Your wisdom about, Your guidance, Your direction.  I need Your strength to bear up under the challenges of the world today.  And Your peace to sustain me through them.

I need Your patience where I need to wait, and Your boldness where I need to act.  I want to see where You would have me join You in Your work so I don’t spend my energy on fruitless endeavors.

My part in this is to be sure my life is rid of idols.  I will examine my actions, my attitudes, my relationships, to be sure nothing and no one is stealing my passion to live for You.   Strengthen me with Your Word and with Your presence.

I am called by Your Name.  I desire to live in obedience so that Your Name will be preserved and honored.  Father, let my life glorify Your name.  Amen

Ezekiel 20:1-38

Nov 9 the Shepherd’s Rod

Father, I see a pattern as You show Your people how You want them to live.  You reveal Yourself and call them to purify themselves and turn from idols.

As they rebelled and worshipped first the idols of Egypt, then a golden calf and later the idols of wood and stone from other nations, You repeatedly preserved them as a people “for the sake of Your Name.”  But there was judgment and a purging of those who would not follow You.

Ezekiel speaks Your words saying, “I will judge you…I will take note of you as you pass under My rod…”

This is the same rod of which the Psalmist wrote “Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.”

A shepherd uses his rod for many things.  One is to have the sheep pass under it as a way of counting to be sure every sheep is where it should be and accounted for.

It is also a way of inspecting them.  As each sheep passes, the shepherd looks to see that each is well fed, rested, and not ill.   As the rod parts their hair, inspection is made of the skin for wounds, parasites, anything that would indicate a need for further care.

Father, I am a sheep of Your pasture.  I want to “pass under Your rod” for Your inspection and loving care.   Count me to be sure that I am where I am supposed to be.  Inspect me.  Look for any sign of weakness or disease in me.  When so, heal me and I will be healed.

I come now, to seek You, to inquire of You.  There are so many things in my life that I need Your wisdom about, Your guidance, Your direction.  I need Your strength to bear up under the challenges of the world today.  And Your peace to sustain me through them.

I need Your patience where I need to wait, and Your boldness where I need to act.  I want to see where You would have me join You in Your work so I don’t spend my energy on fruitless endeavors.

My part in this is to be sure my life is rid of idols.  I will examine my actions, my attitudes, my relationships, to be sure nothing and no one is stealing my passion to live for You.   Strengthen me with Your Word and with Your presence.

I am called by Your Name.  I desire to live in obedience so that Your Name will be preserved and honored.  Father, let my life glorify Your name.  Amen

Ezekiel 20:1-38

Nov 5 Nothing is hidden from You

Father, one way You characterize Your people, the Israelites, is that “they are a rebellious people.” They did not worship only You.  They brought in other pagan practices, worshipped idols, did not accept Your instruction or correction, and denied Your true prophets and the prophecies.  They were guilty of going their own way.

It was clear, Lord, that You could see what they were doing even when they thought it was in secret.  And You paid back those who prophesied falsely and those who disheartened Your people with lies.  You knew their actions, their motives, their thoughts. 

There is nothing hidden from You. 

And the same is true today, Lord.

Before a word is even on my lips, You know it.  You know me inside and out.  There is nothing I can do in secret that You are not already aware of.   Once again, as it always has been: nothing is hidden from You.

Holy Father, when something else starts to take Your place in my life or in my heart, show me immediately so I can repent and turn away from it.

You also said of Your people:  “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear.”

Father, I want to see and hear You.  Help me receive Your instruction in obedience and Your correction in humility.  Help me understand how the prophecies You have given affect how I am to live.  If You see me participating in something I should not, show me immediately so I can turn from it.

If I go my own way from impatience when waiting to hear from You, help me wait patiently.  If it is in disobedience and rebellion, show me my error, and how to get back on Your path.

Father, Ezekiel was Your man.  He heard from You in a real way.  And he was obedient.  I want to be like Ezekiel in this way.  Let me hear from You in a real way.  And guide me to be obedient. 

I desire to worship You and only You.  Amen

Ezekiel 12:1-13:23

Nov 9 The Shepherd’s Rod

Father, I see a pattern as You show Your people how You want them to live.  You reveal Yourself and call them to purify themselves and turn from idols.

As they rebelled and worshipped first the idols of Egypt, then a golden calf and later the idols of wood and stone from other nations, You repeatedly preserved them as a people “for the sake of Your Name.”  But there was judgment and a purging of those who would not follow You.

Ezekiel speaks Your words saying, “I will judge you…I will take note of you as you pass under My rod…”

This is the same rod of which the Psalmist wrote “Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.”

A shepherd uses his rod for many things.  One is to have the sheep pass under it as a way of counting to be sure every sheep is where it should be and accounted for.

It is also a way of inspecting them.  As each sheep passes, the shepherd looks to see that each is well fed, rested, and not ill.   As the rod parts their hair, inspection is made of the skin for wounds, parasites, anything that would indicate a need for further care.

Father, I am a sheep of Your pasture.  I want to “pass under Your rod” for Your inspection and loving care.   Count me to be sure that I am where I am supposed to be.  Inspect me.  Look for any sign of weakness or disease in me.  When so, heal me and I will be healed.

I come now, to seek You, to inquire of You.  There are so many things in my life that I need Your wisdom about, Your guidance, Your direction.  I need Your strength to bear up under the challenges of the world today.  And Your peace to sustain me through them.

I need Your patience where I need to wait, and Your boldness where I need to act.  I want to see where You would have me join You in Your work so I don’t spend my energy on fruitless endeavors.

My part in this is to be sure my life is rid of idols.  I will examine my actions, my attitudes, my relationships, to be sure nothing and no one is stealing my passion to live for You.   Strengthen me with Your Word and with Your presence.

I am called by Your Name.  I desire to live in obedience so that Your Name will be preserved and honored.  Father, let my life glorify Your name.  Amen

Ezekiel 20:1-38

Nov 5 Nothing hidden from You

Father, one way You characterize Your people, the Israelites, is that “they are a rebellious people.” They did not worship only You.  They brought in other pagan practices, worshipped idols, did not accept Your instruction or correction, and denied Your true prophets and the prophecies.  They were guilty of going their own way.

It was clear, Lord, that You could see what they were doing even when they thought it was in secret.  And You paid back those who prophesied falsely and those who disheartened Your people with lies.  You knew their actions, their motives, their thoughts. 

There is nothing hidden from You. 

And the same is true today, Lord.

Before a word is even on my lips, You know it.  You know me inside and out.  There is nothing I can do in secret that You are not already aware of.   Once again, as it always has been: nothing is hidden from You.

Holy Father, When something else starts to take Your place in my life or in my heart, show me immediately so I can repent and turn away from it.

You also said of Your people:  “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear.”

Father, I want to see and hear You.  Help me receive Your instruction in obedience; and Your correction in humility.  Help me understand how the prophecies You have given affect how I am to live.  If You see me participating in something I should not, show me immediately so I can turn from it.

If I go my own way from impatience when waiting to hear from You, help me wait patiently.  If it is in disobedience and rebellion, show me my error, and how to get back on Your path.

Father, Ezekiel was Your man.  He heard from You in a real way.  And he was obedient.  I want to be like Ezekiel in this way.  Let me hear from You in a real way.  And guide me to be obedient. 

I desire to worship You and only You.  Amen

Ezekiel 12:1-13:23

Nov 9 The Shepherd’s Rod

Father, I can see a pattern in Your treatment of Your people.  You revealed Yourself to them in Egypt and told them to “get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt.”

And although You delivered them, they continued to worship a golden calf.  Yet You did not destroy them, “for the sake of Your Name.”

In the desert they rebelled again, and then their children, who You led and protected in the desert, rebelled, not following You; but again You preserved them.

Generations later, the nation of Israel continued to defile itself, and You acted to “disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries.”  Here, You spoke to them only through Ezekiel the Prophet.

It was always Your purpose that they would be Your people and You would be their God.  And Your judgment of them was just, as they “passed under Your rod.”

Father, I come now, to seek You, to inquire of You.  There are so many things in my life that I need Your wisdom about, Your guidance, Your direction.  I need Your strength to bear up under the challenges, and Your peace to sustain me through them.

I need Your patience where I need to wait, and Your boldness where I need to act.  I want to see where You would have me join You in Your work so I do not spend my energy on fruitless endeavors.

My part in this is to be sure my life is rid of idols.  I will examine my actions, my attitudes, my relationships, to be sure nothing and no one is stealing my passion to live for You.   I want to “pass under Your rod” for Your inspection and loving care.

This is the same rod of which the Psalmist wrote “Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.”

A shepherd uses his rod for many things.  One is to have the sheep pass under it.  It is a way of counting to be sure every sheep is where it should be and accounted for.

It is also a way of inspecting them.  As each sheep passes, the shepherd looks to see that each is well fed, rested, and not ill.   As the rod parts their hair, inspection is made of the skin for wounds, parasites, anything that would indicate a need for further care.

Father, I am a sheep of Your pasture.  Inspect me.  Look for any sign of weakness or disease in me.  When so, heal me and I will be healed.

Strengthen me with Your Word and with Your presence.

Be sure that I am where I am supposed to be.

I too, am called by Your Name.  So I desire to live in obedience so that Your Name will be preserved and honored.  Father, let my life glorify Your name.  Amen

Ezekiel 20:1-38

Nov 5 All-knowing: Nothing is hidden from You

Father, one way You characterize Your people, the Israelites, is that “they are a rebellious people.” They did not worship only You.  They brought in other pagan practices, worshipped idols, did not accept Your instruction or correction, and denied Your true prophets and the prophecies.  They were guilty of going their own way.

It was clear, Lord, that You could see what they were doing even when they thought it was in secret.  And You paid back those who prophesied falsely and those who disheartened Your people with lies.  You knew their actions, their motives, their thoughts.

There is nothing hidden from You.

And the same is true today, Lord.

Before a word is even on my lips, You know it.  You know me inside and out.  There is nothing I can do in secret that You are not already aware of.   Once again, as it always has been: nothing is hidden from You.

Holy Father, I will worship You and only You.  When something else starts to take Your place in my life or in my heart, show me immediately so I can repent and turn away from it.

You also said of Your people:  “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear.”   Show me if there are pagan practices in my own culture that take away from my worshipping You.   If You see me participating in something I should not, show me immediately so I can turn from it.

Father, help me receive Your instruction in obedience; and Your correction in humility.  Help me understand how the prophecies You have given affect how I am to live.

I know I often go my own way.  If it is from impatience when waiting to hear from You, help me wait patiently.  If it is in disobedience and rebellion, show me my error, and how to get back on Your path.

Father, Ezekiel was Your man.  He heard from You in a real way.  And he was obedient.  I desire to be like Ezekiel in this way.  Let me hear from You in a real way.  And guide me to be obedient.  Amen

Ezekiel 12:1-13:23

Oct 30 Great is Your faithfulness

Father, Jeremiah continues here, not only beginning each stanza with successive letters of the Hebrew alephbet, but each verse within the stanza begins with the same letter!

Still, the outpouring of the description of all this suffering continues.  There are vivid word pictures and comparisons that describe personal devastation.

Yet, in the middle of all of this, come the words fashioned into a famous hymn.  “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Even in the midst of this harsh punishment, Jeremiah reflects on Your goodness.  And instructs the people:  “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.  Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say; ‘We have sinned and rebelled…’.”   It’s the same today.  Father, You seek the lost and the rebellious.  You still hold out salvation for them.  They need only come to You.

But there will be a time when it is too late.  When You will surely punish.

O Father, turn the hardened hearts back to You before it is too late!

In Jeremiah’s day, You spoke through prophets.  But now You speak through Yourself.  You walked the earth as Jesus Christ.  There are people who are heavy on my heart now, who need You.  Speak to these who need You in their lives.  Show me how to encourage them toward You without being harassing or pushy.

Bring someone into their lives who they will listen to.  Use circumstances in their lives to get their attention directed to You.  Convict their hearts that they need a Savior.  Draw back the veil of lies and deceit they have been believing.  Or they will “walk in darkness rather than the light”…they will be “dragged from the path and mangled and left without help”. 

Your love for them is clear.  Your compassion is renown.  Your faithfulness is great.  I rely on all these Lord, and totally trust in You!  Amen

Lamentations 3:1-66; Hebrews 1:1-4

Nov 5 You are All-Knowing

Father, one way You characterize Your people, the Israelites, is that “they are a rebellious people”. They did not worship only You. They brought in other pagan practices, worshipped idols, did not accept Your instruction or correction, and denied Your true prophets and the prophecies. They were guilty of going their own way.

It was clear, Lord, that You could see what they were doing even when they thought it was in secret. And You paid back those who prophesied falsely and those who disheartened Your people with lies. You knew their actions, their motives, their thoughts. There is nothing hidden from You.

The same is true today, Lord. Before a word is even on my lips, You know it. You know me inside and out. There is nothing I can do in secret that You are not already aware of.   Once again, as it always has been, nothing is hidden from You.

Holy Father, I will worship You and only You. When something else starts to take Your place in my life or in my heart, show me immediately so I can repent and turn away from it.

You also said of Your people: “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear”.   Show me if there are pagan practices in my own culture that take away from my worshipping You.   If You see me participating in something I should not, again, show me immediately so I can turn from it.

Father, help me receive Your instruction in obedience; and Your correction in humility. Help me understand how the prophecies You have given affect how I am to live. I know I often go my own way. If it is from impatience when waiting to hear from You, help me wait patiently till I do hear from You. If it is in disobedience and rebellion, show me my error, and how to get back on Your path.

Father, Ezekiel was Your man. He heard from You in a real way. And he was obedient. I desire to be like Ezekiel in this way. Let me hear from You in a real way. And guide me to be obedient. Amen

Ezekiel 12:1-14:11

Oct 24 The Answer IS Your Word

Father, what a wonderful list of things to both pursue and stay away from, for my own good! I love that You say to “flee the evil desires of youth” because not all desires of youth are evil. Being young doesn’t mean one is evil, just that one might be more susceptible to evil. When I was younger, it was more important to me to be ‘right’ so I would press my point and become involved in unproductive arguments. You refer to them as “foolish and stupid”. I agree. And have since learned the value of a soft word and gentle instruction.

Even so, You share that “…in the last days…people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power…swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth”. Paul saw this already in his day. I see it all around me.

It almost seems there is an entire generation described above. Paul says: “they will not get very far because…their folly will be clear to everyone”. Unfortunately, with an entire generation behaving like this, it appears as the norm. Television shows and media portray fathers, police, authority figures as idiots, not worthy of obedience or respect. More and more our political leaders and sports heroes turn out to be corrupt cheaters. Some of our children grew up knowing You and were taught Your values, but they have turned away from You in this permissive and deadly society.

But there are many who love You and follow You. Let them be role models and mentors to this generation. And let me live a godly life as an example. I seek and value You and Your characteristics, but sometimes pride and ungratefulness (as an example) rear their ugly heads in me.   I have Your Word to be my guide. Your Word is effective for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. And it will “equip me for every good work”.

For all of us the answer is in Your Word, and IS Your Word. Keep it in the forefront of my mind as a guide. But also let me use it wisely in gently correcting and praying for others. Father, return this generation of self absorbed, materialistic, pleasure-seeking people to the godly values that will save them. They have been deceived. Open their eyes Lord, before it’s too late. Bring the Prodigal sons and daughters home. Amen

2 Timothy 2:22-3:17