Standing on My Own

Ezekiel 18: ²⁰ The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.

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³⁰ “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. ³¹ Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? ³² For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

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Watching the consequence of sin play out, I said to myself “I will never do that!” I heard of neighbors who had been shot or jailed because of theft. I watched executives who were fired because of porn or sex in the office. Then one day I realized, someone may be watching me and saying the same.

• At one time I used to point out sin in others.
• At one time I used to see the wrong people did.
• At one time I used to say “Look at that person and the awful thing they did.”

Talking about other people is an easy way to get the spotlight off of me. I mean it’s easier to tell people what’s wrong with “that” person than to admit my own sin. BUT GOD knows better.

• GOD says to me “All have sinned and fall short of MY glory.”
• GOD says to me “Confess your sins and believe in your heart that JESUS died for your sins and you will be saved.”
• GOD says to me “Get a new heart and a new SPIRIT simply by turning to ME.”

I can no longer blame someone else for the sins they commit. I can’t even blame them if their sin affected me. All I can do is confess my sins to the LIVING GOD and praise HIM for my forgiveness. My sin is my sin and I need to stand on my own and ask GOD for HIS favor.

• Are you blaming someone for the situation you are in?
• Do you think it it their sin that caused you to be where you are?
• Can you let go of their sin and look at you own heart?
• Will you confess your sins to GOD and allow HIM to cleanse you of all unrighteousness?

Being Raised Up

Ezekiel 17: ²² “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³ On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.

“‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’”

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Looking back I can see that it was GOD who raised me up to places I would never have dreamt. I wasn’t super poor but I do remember eating a stale bread mustard sandwich because we had run out of groceries. “I want to help people” was my fleeting thought back then. Years later as I flew with the top executives on the corporate jet I forgot about the “mustard sandwich” people because I was under tremendous pressure to produce for the company.

• When GOD raises me up, it is for HIS purpose not mine.
• When GOD raises me up, it is to tell people about HIM not pander to those who could care less about HIM.
• When GOD raises me up, it is to help those who need help rather than filling the pockets of the greedy.

Tall trees are cut down and never remembered BUT GOD can take an unassuming shoot like myself and raise it up to places unimagined. HE wants people to see HIM so HE raises up people who are willing to proclaim HIS name. Caution should be take not to forget HIM in the process. GOD wants me to remember HIM daily and to live my life with purpose.

Stripping me of my admiration of money, GOD sends me to places where HE leads me.  HE gives me the words to say and the people to hear them. One person is enough, but for some reason HE provides me with plenty to pray for and watch over. GOD raises me up to do HIS will. By the way, JESUS is the tree in the story!

• Are you climbing the ladder of success?
• Why do you want to be on top?
• Can you take GOD with you and tell HIS message to your huge audience?
• Will you hide GOD or shout HIM when HE raises you up?
• Can you stop looking at money and practice speaking about GOD today? 

Ashamed and Humiliated

Ezekiel 16: ⁶² So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶³ Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.

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Phone call after phone call made the day seem full of energy. I could handle it because my lavish company car had the first “hands free” gadget on the market. As I zipped along, dishing out advice I could feel the power of “my” title. When the title was stripped away along with the car, I felt a loss of self-worth. I was ashamed and humiliated.

• There have been many times I have placed my self-worth in the wrong places.
• There have been many times I have desired to be worth something to the wrong people.
• There have been many times I have casted my pearls before swine in order to feel like something.

Making it to the top made the fall even further. I mean for a while I receive no phone calls and I as the one who sought after advice. Wandering and pleading was new for me, but after a while I got used to the new desert location. I could hear GOD for a change rather than the incessant ringing of my phone.

• GOD said to me “I will establish MY covenant with you.”
• GOD said to me “I will enable you to know that I AM the LORD.”
• GOD said to me “I will make atonement for you and all you have done and you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation.”

Boasting about wealth and title soon disappeared. After a while I found myself speaking again, this time it was for something extremely valuable, namely the LORD. HE restored me to speak on HIS behalf and enable me to talk about HIS SON to those HE sent me. GOD made atonement for my blindness through the death burial and resurrection of the living JESUS. I am indebted to HIM.

• Are you ashamed about where you are?
• Are you demands not being met?
• Can you stop demanding and start confessing to the LORD?
• Will you change your ways and turn your words into GOD’s words?

Being Useful

Ezekiel 15: The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? ³ Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? ⁴ And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? ⁵ If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?

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With lack of care, I tossed the box of paper to whatever location it landed. I did not appreciate the job, but I liked getting a paycheck. Loading and unloading a truck was not my idea of a job. In fact any job at that time was not my idea of a job.

• There were times that I did not care.
• There were times that I felt everyone owed me something.
• There were times that I looked down on where I was even when I was not worthy of being where I was.

Talk about being useless to the organization. I wanted to hide from “work” as much as possible. In fact, whenever someone was ready to goof off, I was there with my goof shoes on. I was getting paid to unload trucks and did not appreciate one minute. GOD had to show me something about myself.

• GOD said to me “Like a door on its hinges, a lazy man turns back and forth on his bed.”
• GOD said to me “Lazy people are too lazy to lift the food from their plate to their mouth.”
• GOD said to me “Lazy people think they are seven times smarter than the people who really have good sense.”

My laziness was useless to the company and sometimes my laziness crept into my relationship with GOD. I mean sometimes I was too tired to pray or too busy to serve or too broke to give. After a while I took an inventory and was doing everything for myself and nothing for GOD. In fact, GOD was dead last in my life and I was on top.

GOD wants me to put HIM first and others second before I get to myself. HE wants me to hold HIM with the highest regard and ask “What would YOU like me to do?” on a regular basis. My life is definitely HIS to do as HE wishes. I should be thankful on a daily basis.

• Are you grousing and complaining?
• Are you sick and tired of where you are?
• Can you stop complaining and start appreciating where GOD has you?
• Will you allow GOD to work in your life by asking HIM where HE wants you?

Consoled by Your Children’s Actions

Ezekiel 14: ²¹ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to kill its men and their animals! ²² Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. They will come to you, and when you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. ²³ You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

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Raising children is no small task. I mean watching them from infantile frailty all the way to adulthood can be quite tenuous. Every cut, bruise or ailment cuts me to the bone. Sometimes I question GOD as to why they have to go through turmoil.

• Sometimes I wonder “Why the pain?”
• Sometimes I ponder “Why the turmoil?
• Sometimes I contemplate “Why the difficulty in life?”

Even before I had children, I dreaded the thought of bringing a life into the world as it existed. Killing, hatred and disease seemed like a dreadful place to want to have more people grow up. BUT GOD said something different.

• GOD said to me “Your children are MINE and I need them to do something that only they can do.”
• GOD said to me “I will enable them to survive and you will be consoled by their conduct.”
• GOD said to me “I hold all life in MY hand to those who believe in ME, no one can pluck them out of MY hand.”

GOD is the deliverer. Only HE can bring people out of difficulty. No doctor, lawyer, or financial institution can save one soul, BUT GOD can and is willing! HE throws my sins away and saves me from calamity and HE blesses my family with compassionate protection. I can only thank GOD for HIS continual fortification.

• Are your kids going through something>?
• Are you worried about someone else and feel helpless?
• Can you give your worries to the LORD by telling HIM how you feel?
• Will you ask GOD to help the part of you that does not believe?
• Will you praise GOD today in the middle of your thoughts?

Negative or Positive

Ezekiel 13: ²² Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, ²³ therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

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It was a small still voice that told me to encourage this particular person so I did. That person desperately needed to hear the words of encouragement. The next day there was a preacher who said some words in a way that I did not agree. “I wonder if I need to tell that person what they did wrong?” was the first thought that came to mind.

• Sometimes I want to discourage the righteous people with “my” opinion.
• Sometimes I want to dishearten the righteous people with “my” thinking.
• Sometimes I want to disagree with the righteous people because I want “my” voice heard.

When I want the spotlight so badly I may try to argue “my” point or fight to be heard rather than being led by GOD. This quarrelsome behavior causes discouragement rather than building people up for the LORD, meanwhile I have not gone to the people who “do” need to hear encouragement to change their ways. GOD wants me to make a choice.

• GOD wants me to choose my words carefully and not twist HIS words into mine.
• GOD wants me to stay away from discouraging words by seeking the best for people.
• GOD wants me to encourage people to change their ways and focus on GOD rather than looking at me.

Negativity is all around, from television to work to neighbors, it is hard pressed to hear an encouraging word. BUT GOD says “encourage people to follow ME.” GOD is truly amazing, I feel encouraged by HIS word.

• Are you speaking negativity?
• Do your words tear people down or build people up?
• Can you stop using your poisonous negative words and build “that” person up?
• Will you go out and encourage a person to follow GOD today?

It Will Happen Soon

Ezekiel 12: ²⁶ The word of the Lord came to me: ²⁷ “Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’

²⁸ “Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

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“Pack your bags and be in [insert some distant city] on Monday” were the words spoken to me is a hasty decision. It was Friday and in one moment my life changed by the decision of a company. There was no time to think, just move.

• Sometimes situations happen quickly.
• Sometimes life changes rapidly.
• Sometimes the unexpected pops up when I am not ready.

Complacency had me relax in my position. I thought I could be in one place forever. I usually put in a nice effort and was satisfied that I contributed value, but the change came unexpectedly. GOD does the same. Many situations, bad or good, happen rapidly. How can I be ready for them?

• GOD says to me “Take up your cross daily” meaning I need to pay attention to HIS salvation of me on a daily basis.
• GOD says to me “Pray without ceasing” meaning stay in continual communication with GOD because anything can happen quickly.
• GOD says to me “Put oil in your lamp” meaning be prepared for MY return at a moment’s notice.

Surprise is not in GOD’s vocabulary. HE knows what I am going to go through way before it happens, but I am blind to the timing and get surprised many times. Since I can’t go through life fearing the next moment, GOD wants me to seek peace by paying attention to HIM as often as I can. HE says “MY yoke is easy and MY burden is light.”

Instead of constantly thinking on disaster, I can think about GOD. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. I can find peace knowing anything can happen.

• Are you worried?
• Are many thoughts flooding your mind?
• Can you relax for a moment and allow GOD to provide you with comfort?
• Will you let HIS timing happen while you sit back and relax?