Good day dear friends. Let me say how much I appreciate you and your willingness to get deeper into God's Word. It has been a difficult journey for some to even understand The Message version (and yes, the translator's choice of some words have disturbed even me!), but I thank God for you and your willingness to be a student of the most precious word there is, and that is the love letter from God to you and me.
If you like a particular devotion, please forward it to a friend. And if you get someone to subscribe to ConCafe, it won't hurt my feelings. It's up to us to awaken the sleeping giant that is the Christian nation, too comfortable in their sleeping and inactivity; imagine what would happen if all of God's people prayed and lived His Word!
Here is our study guide for today:
Wednesday: Ezekiel 7, 8, 9, 10Ezekiel 8 tell’s one of Ezekiel’s dramatic visionary experiences. What connection do see between Ezekiel’s extraordinary visions and the circumstance of his ministry in exile?
Imagine the holiest place you can and then imagine arriving there and finding all that had once made it such a holy place is now the exact opposite. And imagine yourself standing up and speaking against it. You would find that your message to those in that once holy place would be unwelcomed and ridiculed. You would soon find yourself outside that holy place and standing somewhere else.
Ezekiel saw in his vision exactly what had happened to The Temple. The once majestic symbol of Israel's faith and might had now been turned into a worship place for Asherah, the sex goddess, whose religious "practice" attracted so many. In another part of the Temple Ezekiel finds paintings on the walls of reptiles and animals and monsters as worshiped by the Egyptians. And he found men worshiping them. And these God called the "elders." He also found a woman weeping for another goddess. And then he found men worshiping the sun.
Are you shocked? Would you be shocked to know that some people have quit worshiping God and started "worshiping" other things while in worship services? Their minds distracted, they cannot focus or center themselves on God, instead they fret and worry about what they should be doing. Others think of places they could be and soon leave the worship of God to be out in the "worship" of sun, surf, etc. You might argue that this is not to be compared with the terrible atrocities being committed by the so-called people of God, but what is the difference? If we're there in body but not in mind and spirit, then we're not truly in worship. God deserves and wants our full attention and devotion. What are you going to do this coming Sunday?
PRAYER: Loving Father, let me center myself completely in You today and all days. Let my days in church be days where I do worship You in spirit and truth. Let those days be days when You truly speak to me and my life and help me be the person You want. I ask this in Jesus' precious and mighty name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
If you like a particular devotion, please forward it to a friend. And if you get someone to subscribe to ConCafe, it won't hurt my feelings. It's up to us to awaken the sleeping giant that is the Christian nation, too comfortable in their sleeping and inactivity; imagine what would happen if all of God's people prayed and lived His Word!
Here is our study guide for today:
Wednesday: Ezekiel 7, 8, 9, 10Ezekiel 8 tell’s one of Ezekiel’s dramatic visionary experiences. What connection do see between Ezekiel’s extraordinary visions and the circumstance of his ministry in exile?
Imagine the holiest place you can and then imagine arriving there and finding all that had once made it such a holy place is now the exact opposite. And imagine yourself standing up and speaking against it. You would find that your message to those in that once holy place would be unwelcomed and ridiculed. You would soon find yourself outside that holy place and standing somewhere else.
Ezekiel saw in his vision exactly what had happened to The Temple. The once majestic symbol of Israel's faith and might had now been turned into a worship place for Asherah, the sex goddess, whose religious "practice" attracted so many. In another part of the Temple Ezekiel finds paintings on the walls of reptiles and animals and monsters as worshiped by the Egyptians. And he found men worshiping them. And these God called the "elders." He also found a woman weeping for another goddess. And then he found men worshiping the sun.
Are you shocked? Would you be shocked to know that some people have quit worshiping God and started "worshiping" other things while in worship services? Their minds distracted, they cannot focus or center themselves on God, instead they fret and worry about what they should be doing. Others think of places they could be and soon leave the worship of God to be out in the "worship" of sun, surf, etc. You might argue that this is not to be compared with the terrible atrocities being committed by the so-called people of God, but what is the difference? If we're there in body but not in mind and spirit, then we're not truly in worship. God deserves and wants our full attention and devotion. What are you going to do this coming Sunday?
PRAYER: Loving Father, let me center myself completely in You today and all days. Let my days in church be days where I do worship You in spirit and truth. Let those days be days when You truly speak to me and my life and help me be the person You want. I ask this in Jesus' precious and mighty name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
