The Life of Dry Bones in God's Kingdom

 Ezekiel 37:11-14 - 11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”

I know we all remember the Valley of Dry bones over and over we have heard numerous messages and songs written about the Valley of Dry bones. This is an awesome and amazing story the Lord shares with us about each of our own restoration in this broken life we live in. all things are possible just as the Lord speaks it out as His will deems it so. All He does is for the Glory of His kingdom and for a teaching and learning opportunity for every single living person. This shows that not even death can keep us down if the Lord so desires for us to receive what He had given for us. He controls our outcome with his Glory not our enemies. We fall short and hand over our lives to the death at our door and the enemies lies confuse and confine us, even define us but the Lord is letting us know He has a plan for us to be given a fresh life even from death to be made new even from dry bones. 

The Lord continues to let the people of Israel know about coming home and being led by one leader and not by many Shepperd's. The Lord is cleansing all plates. the people of Israel will be made whole and return to their lands and the people surrounding Israel will be taken out and swept up in one place and He even tells how their destruction will benefit Israel for the next seven years. Gog and its associates will forever be no more. 

Ezekiel 39:25-29 - 25 “So now, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will end the captivity of my people[h]; I will have mercy on all Israel, for I jealously guard my holy reputation! 26 They will accept responsibility for[i] their past shame and unfaithfulness after they come home to live in peace in their own land, with no one to bother them. 27 When I bring them home from the lands of their enemies, I will display my holiness among them for all the nations to see. 28 Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. 29 And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

This is such a fantastic Love that the Lord has for His people that is clearly undeserved, but the Lord also brings in a new heart and a new spirit to fill His people to will and follow His directions. I am so thankful that the Lord has looked to each of us as a matter to be saved. Each and everyone of us He has a desire for. Each of us He personally knitted in our mothers womb. He gave and continues to give each of us our breath for life. we none deserve it and we none control it but we do get to choose Him just as He chose us. Thank you Father for your love for me!

Father Thank you for your love for me help me to give back to you and be obedient in this ol' body to continually receive the infilling of your presence and your word. Please let me continually give to you and give you all the glory you so deserve. In the holy precious gracious merciful amazing name of Christ Jesus, Amen!

God's Love Undeserved

 This was doozy of a time for Israel. The Lord had punished them by allowing their enemies and surrounding nations to take them and rule them because of the way they had acted and things they had done to defile His name and His people. The neighboring people that took Israel over done so in jest and with horrific actions against Israel. The Shepherds of Israel the leaders didn't lead Israel as God had directed. They took the money and offerings and horded it and didn't take care of God's people. Israel continued to defile God's good name in idolatry and actions against God and basic humanity. 

After all this the people were still wrong and God was still mad at them but He wasn't going to allow His name to be defiled continually by His people. God Came back and destroyed those that took advantage of His people and killed all that Killed His people with even more vigor. God killed them all. God freed all His people and called them back to their Lands where He had given to their ancestors. God blessed them not for their sakes but for the sake of His name. 

Ezekiel 36:25-27 - 25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.[c] 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

This is exactly what the Lord has done for each and everyone of us through Our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. We, NONE of us, absolutely none of us deserve our salvation, the cleansing of our souls and gift of freedom from self. We have all lost ourselves in Self in some way or another, we were each born into this sinful flesh. Its all about self and personal desires and never about someone else or God for that matter, but He loves us so much and when we see and feel His presence and give ourselves to Him he gives us a new heart that allows us to look past this ol' flesh (Self) and look to Him and begin to Give Him all the Glory. Then we begin to receive the blessing He has for us just waiting on us to yield into Him, even though we never deserved. 

Father forgive me of my selfishness and idolatrous ways, continue to guide and direct me into your ways Father. I wish to yield into your presence and your will for my life in all I do. I wish to give you all the Glory Father and never receive it for myself in any way. I ask all in the glorious precious beautiful wonderful amazing righteous humble name above all names, Christ Jesus, Amen!

False Repentance/Rebuke of God's Commands/Fall of Israel

It's hard to comprehend how the people of Israel set there and repented for their sins and ask the prophet to speak to the Lord there God for them. They even go as far as to say that they will do what ever is asked of them even if they don't like it, they say they will obey God's commands. Now when the Prophet Jeremiah goes to the Lord their God as requested he comes back with a message of hope and promise, even of blessings and a promise of death and despair for failure to do as commanded. However, the people completely rebuked God and His commands and even called Jeremiah a liar. They claim to not believe him. I believe this is just an excuse to do as they wished. 

Still after they continue to do as they wish and go to Egypt as the Lord commanded them not too. The Prophet Ezekiel told them the same thing and they blatantly refused to obey the Lord their God. The Lord continued to tell them of the destruction they had coming upon them if they  stayed in Egypt or failed to give up their worship of idols and He explained the death and destruction that would befall them and they just completely denied and rebuked God and His commands. 

I know we are looking back at a time when the prophet served as an intermediary between the people and God, just as Jesus Does for us now even more openly. Its tough to look at these people and see the lies and false repentance and ask why do they do that? Why do they Lie so blatantly? What possesses them to so openly rebuke God? If we are really honest and dig down deep we find that we have been there or are there ourselves now. I think if we really dig into the honesty of our hearts we don't wanna follow any rules or commands of no one or nothing but our own personal desires.  This ol' flesh is a selfish thing that we all must battle in our walk with Christ Jesus. Where are you? Are you new to faith? Are you stagnant in your walk? Are you or have you grown complacent? What is your position in the walk of faith in your life right now? Are you hungry? Are you Thirsty? He is there to feed and water us if we simply just obey His commands and simply do it His way (Not your own). I know I didn't realize it for years that I wanted to obey was clear, but that I was continually doing it my way and not as simple as His ways. If its not His way it is defiance and being disobedient. How are you obeying the Word of God? Are you Obeying the Word of God? Are you blatantly defiant? Why if so?

Father show me how to have a Truly Repentant Heart as you desire of me. Father help me to receive any and all correction and direction with an open heart, mind & soul. Let me receive all you have for me and grasp it fully and wholly as you desire of me. Father I wish to continually Grow and never become stagnant in my life and walk with you ever again. Give me the Wisdom I need to follow you for eternity. I ask and pray all in the precious beautiful wonderful amazing humble gracious merciful guiding loving Name above all other names Christ Jesus, Amen!

New Ventures/ Quit wining about God: Look in the mirror

Family good day, I'm picking this up again brothers and sisters One Year Chronological Bible Daily Readings, https://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-chrono/?version=51&startmmdd=0101

Me and my Bothers in Christ are stepping up our game, our search for truth. We are diving into this venture as a team (Team Jesus, Team Disciple) we are doing this together for the opportunity of growth in each of us as individuals and as a group of men seeking after the Kingdom of God. Now one of the Guys has been doing this for well over a decade. Along with the reading of the Word daily we are gonna write what we receive from it daily as well (a word, a thought, a paragraph or a book) whatever is on our hearts about the reading. This is gonna allow us to steer free from getting off the path of the Word. We will all share and read the same thing daily and be able to share with one another weekly. We will all have opportunity to grow. It allows us to be held accountable and hold others accountable for our actions or inactions. We have been together for a long time now and know each other well but that's even better so we know we are all free of judgement and condemnation. We all continually come together with love and compassion as taught by the Word. I feel this is going to be a tremendous time of growth and opportunity for us as individuals and men of God. Holy Spirit is really opening up to my heart about this so much. I think this its gonna be so profound we need to share this direction we are going with delving into our growth in Christ (the Word). Feel free each and everyone of you to do something similar in your Groups, Men and Women alike. Now the reading:

First off in Lamentations 5, I get so frustrated with Israel in times like these the Lord wouldn't and doesn't leave them, they left Him by their actions and inactions. It took me so long to see the reality in these times in my life personally. I wholly believe we all have times such as this. We ask Lord, Lord why have you forsaken me? Why are you not there? Where have you gone? What have I done to make you mad? Why don't you answer me? Why are you Silent?

Yes we are all, at times in a repetition on question after question for the Lord. He always has an answer. I believe He is rarely silent like we think He is. I think He has likely already answered us or the answer isn't what we wanted to hear or the answer isn't what we expected it to be or He is wanting us to go to Him with devotion to find the answer. Where and how do you say? Well the Word, not I say, but He says. Jesus says "I am the Word". We must always look to the Word for answers first. Yes we pray and that is a must as well, but how can we discern the Lord's will over our lives if we don't know the Word (Jesus)? How do we know Jesus (the Word)? Through the Word, Holy Spirit can lead us to the answers we seek. If we are not going to the Word for answers we are likely going to the wrong place or the wrong people (even if Godly (maybe even pastors)). Now don't take me as saying don't go to your pastors or to the good Godly righteous men and women in your lives, No! We absolutely should, but not until we have sought out the answers from God, Jesus, Holy Spirit first in the Word and Prayer and possibly fasting before you go to others. If we are diligently seeking the Kingdom of God we will get confirmations from those we seek out after we seek the Trinity in all ways. We may be and more than likely are being led astray by our deceitful hearts if we are not in the Word and very very clear on knowing what the Word says. Our feeling are clearly not to be trusted until we are on good foundation (good ground to grow)(Mature in the Word). 

Jeremiah 17:9 -  “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

I guess I find this very personal for me because I was once Israel in so many ways. The thing I see different and why I get so frustrated with Israel is because they were raised to understand and know the Lord for all He has done and all he does for them. They were taught from birth about being the children of God, about the coming Messiah and about the need they have for God in all they do and for all He has done in their ancestors lives. I didn't have all this knowledge. I just was told that I needed to go to church and follow Jesus. That's the overall gist of my knowledge. I didn't know the depth or the details of what I really needed to know. Do You? I continually ask do I do enough? Do I know enough? Do I really know God as I should? Do I look at things the way God, Jesus, Holy Spirit desires me too? Am I being led by His will for my life? Am I being lead by this Ol' deceitful fleshly heart? Am I aligning or allowing myself to be aligned with His will for my life? Help me Father, Son, and Spirit I need you all this Ol' broken human vessel so desires to be in your will but fails daily and continues to fall minute by minute at times. Help me I'm not capable without you leading my life and my heart and soul to align with yours. I wasn't totally brought up with a depth of the true understanding in the Word as I now see we all need to have. ARE YOU? I think, well am I being overly critical? Am I becoming a zealot of sorts? Am I off in the head? Lord, am I being too extreme? Am I not being extreme enough? I know your grace is sufficient for all things and will cover a lot. We must look to one another as Scripture says too with love.(underline mine)

James 4:6 - 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 4:8 - 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

I could go on and on here just thought this was the most relevant on what Holy Spirit had for me today. I do see this area as a personal battle field for me though. I so dislike when people ask why does God do this or do that? Most all they are asking is a lie. God doesn't do bad in anyway, shape or form. God will however use bad for His good though. He might use a bad situation to turn a heart or and eye to Him or open a door for a lost person to be found or to reveal a lost soul or a wayward individual. Its all gonna be for His glory not ours. He is forever the same. Never bad! Never turned away! If you don't see God, realize its you that has strayed or turned away. Look to the Word to find your way back. No where else!

There is more I could write on my daily reading today such as why Edom was destroyed and deserved it in my opinion. How Israel got rebuilt and what happened to them. Why God allowed Babylon to rule over Israel. Why Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam and all who was with Him. Maybe more later. 

Father, help me to see your wisdom in my life always never to allow this deceitful heart of flesh to lead me astray again. I wish to forever see your will over my life without hesitation. I know the more I know you the more I know your will. Help me to stay in your Word (Jesus) more and more as every day passes. I allow myself to be held accountable to each and every soul you have placed in my life, but only to be held accountable to your will and your Word not an individuals thoughts or judgement. Father I ask this same thing for every single loved one who is taking the time to read this. Help each of us to be aligned with you. I ask all in the Holy beautiful gracious humble magnificent amazing wonderful name above all names, Christ Jesus, Amen!