GOD’S COVENANT – ATONEMENT
Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 16-17
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
No, that’s not snow! About 20 kilometres north of Laodicea is the famous hot springs of Turkey. It is known as Pamukkale or ancient Hierapolis. The water terraces overflow with mineral rich blue water. Philip, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, who brought the message of the Great Creator’s covenant and atonement to this area, would have enjoyed the same view and perhaps bathed in the springs.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Ezekiel 16:62-63
“And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord God.
Ezekiel, true to his calling as a prophet, is representing God to humanity, and in particular to God’s people, Israel. Imagine the capacity of God to feel abandoned, betrayed, unloved, and unwanted. We have feelings which can be hurt, but do we consider God’s feelings? God considers all who believe in Him to be His Bride (read Revelation 19:7-9). Ezekiel tries to shame God’s people into repentance by comparing them to a prostitute and an adulterous wife who breaks wedlock. He even says that Jerusalem is worse than Sodom, a city which God destroyed because of its evil. But God, true and faithful to His side of the covenant, renews His marriage covenant by Himself. He provides a way to erase the past through the atonement provided by the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11 and Hebrews 13:20-21). God promised an everlasting covenant. He has done His part; now we must receive it, sign it, believe it and keep it as true believers.
Chapter 17 begins by God asking Ezekiel to pose a riddle. The dictionary says that a riddle is “a question or statement intentionally phrased so as to require ingenuity in ascertaining its answer or meaning.” Why would God use this tactic? It seems that God will try every possible means to help us think deeply. Someone has said, “When a person begins to think, God has the advantage.”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Thank You, Lord God, that You did not put the Covenant and the Atonement into a riddle. You made it so very plain so that a person can understand that You are committed to the most solemn and binding agreement into which any two parties can enter. You have kept Your part in this act of total commitment to us. I pray for daily grace to keep my part. In legal language, You are the “Party of the first part,” and I’m the “party of the second part.” Thank You that I don’t need a law degree to understand that! Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Our first Crossroads Treasurer was the late George Inkster. I was Pastor to the Inkster family in Sudbury, Ontario, for five years. At least twice Norma-Jean, our children and I were Sunday dinner guests at the Inkster home. Both times George had a riddle for us to think about and talk about during the meal. One of the Inkster children told me that their Dad did this regularly. I would say that all the Inkster children turned out to be deep thinkers about all the matters of life. George could also throw out amazing mathematical challenges. He had the answers to complicated problems clearly figured out in advance.
I mentioned above that God has the advantage when we begin to think. Shauna Simmons Jenkins hosted an amazing children’s TV show for our network, CTS, called, TQ. Later she launched a video series for teens called, Make You Think! I recommend this for the very reason stated in the name of the series. During my “Thank You Canada” tour to 180 cities during 2010 to 2012, I sold this video series to a number of churches for their youth group discussions. I highly recommend these well-done quality DVD’s. For information on purchasing this excellent production go to makeyouthink.com.
Yours for learning how to think with greater depth than ever,
David
The “Make You Think” motor home was my home on wheels for the Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario “Thank You Canada” tour in the late winter and Spring of 2011.
To ger from Monday’s blog:
Lord You know Ger’s Brother Eldon, he fell and suffered some serious injuries and has liver disease,
Lord it reminds me of what ends You will go to get someone’s attention! I believe You were calling Eldon along time ago and he perhaps didn’t feel worthy to come to You and the Masons were handy! This is such an empty group, I didn’t think they were still around! I pray the Holy Spirit will dissolve this group, they have no substance at all!
Lord Only YOU have substance for all of us, YOU have unconditional love for all of us! I pray the Holy Spirit will speak to Eldon’s heart, that he will be over joyed to see his sister! I pray the Holy Spirit will open his heart to receive Jesus Christ as his Saviour! The angels will be singing prises of glory and honour to our God! It will be a time to dance a joyful dance! In Jesus Name We Pray AMEN!
WOW! Who drove the beautiful Motor Home? I love those modes of transportation: you can travel with your home anywhere! Thank you Lord for providing this home on wheels!
Oh, thank You, God, for the covenant and giving us the opportunity to make atonement for our sin, and to be saved and forgiven through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! We bow to You, our Heavenly Father, our Precious Messiah, and to the sanctity of the Holy Spirit. You are the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. We are nothing without You, but everything with You. We owe it all to You, Lord, our everlasting mighty King, our Shepherd of the sheep! Yes, God of peace, our creator, redeemer and conqueror, makes us complete, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, in every good work to do His will. Oh make us so, God, that we may be pleasing in Your sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen, amen, and amen!!! God’s continued blessings and prayers, dearest saints in the Lord!
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8 NIV
Crowder – Come As You Are (Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjgioXrnEME
Beautiful Prayer and Poem [Echoes of Eternity]
Thank you.
For the month of March, Echoes of Eternity,
a poem by Horatius Bonar, 1808-1889
“I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till trav’ling days are done.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“My Father’s house above
Has many mansions; I’ve a place
Prepared for you in love.”
I trust in Jesus—in that house,
According to His word,
Redeemed by grace, my soul shall live
Forever with the Lord.”
Here is a real treasure:
What is Revival, Horatius Bonar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Lym1Mi4C8
Published on Mar 21, 2013
A large video collection of classic hymns, contemporary Praise and Worship songs, and the works (audio books, devotional readings, and sermons) of men greatly used of God, such as: Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, A.W. Tozer, A.W. Pink, John Owen, Oswald Chambers, Andrew Murray, E.M. Bounds, John Bunyan, George Whitefield, and many more, covering topics on many aspects of the Christian life. May your time spent here be blessed.
Amen! Keeping you in prayer Pastor David! Thank you Sah, Irene and Catherine for your prayers for my brother Eldon. He is a highly motivated and social person and this is God’s way, although unfortunate to get his attention. I believe God is hearing us when we pray. When I first heard that he was sick, I said to myself, this will be a hard assignment, but nothing is too difficult for God. I trust you Lord! Thank you again for your very meaningful prayers. We love you Lord!
Ger God is with you and someone told me years ago, it’s when we are down on our knees that we look up! That is true!
I would ask people to ask God to show me where I put the 2 coupons for bread and an article entitled 3 Healing Words!
The other day He showed me where my ear ring was and He told me I had another light bulb in the cupboard and sure enough! I did! Thanks be to God!
please pray for healing for Dana, she is a wife/mom, has a hernia and a tumour in her stomach! Pray the Lord will hearl her and she will see God’s Glory in her healing!
David and Norma-Jean look wonderful! Praise and thank God for healing in their lives!
Blessings to everyone!
Lord God I pray for your healing power to shrink that hernia in Dana’s stomach, for nothing is impossible for you. I also pray for her total healing spiritually and emotionally. In Your Mighty Name Jesus, I pray. Amen!
Thank you Beverlee for these good resources, poem and song!
Bless you, sister Ger; praying for your brother.
Thank you Reynold for the beautiful photo…it truly does look like snow…complemented by the blue, blue sky.
Thank you Pastor David…the importance and necessity of deep thinking!!
That is evident in you. I too am “the party of the second part”
The pain in God’s heart so exposed in this scripture.
Also God’s love for his people and faithfulness!!!
I was a away for a couple of days. Just letting you know, Ger, that I prayed for your brother Eldon today. I often pray to God to do whatever he wants to do in family or friends lives – to intervene – to get their attention – so they will be able to think of their eternal relationship with God. But, I also believe this for myself as well when things happen to me so unexpectedly. I feel God also stops me in my tracks to get my attention. So, these few weeks after an unexpected heart attack, I feel God has stopped me for a reason. I was trying to understand how I was feeling. The word ‘pensive” seemed describe my heart but pensive means, “Sad thoughtfulness”. It seemed that was the way I was feeling but then it wasn’t “a sad – sad” kind of thing. But more of deep sense of ‘quietness” – ‘a quiet thoughtfulness” in my heart as I quietly lay myself before the Lord…”What do you, O God, want me to hear? to know? to do?” There is a song and I can’t remember the name, maybe Beverley can help me…goes something like like, “I want to know your will ..I want to hear your voice” – whatever it is, this is my prayer these days as I keep my eyes on the Lord. (Yes, David, these days I am doing a lot of thinking!!). I was blessed as I re-read Ezek. 13-15, about the mortar. That God uses things that he allows in our lives to strengthen our faith, enable us to remain steadfast, to hear his voice or do his will. As the psalmist says, “He strengthened me with strength in my soul” Ps. 138:3 KJV. I love this verse. God uses His Word, His Spirit and the circumstances and situations of life to make us strong in faith and trust – or just get our attention so that we are open to the next step along the way. Blessings of healing, strength and encouragement “to all” who going through ‘stuff’ today. God is the God of the mountains and the valleys, the God IN the storms. I remember reading about someone crying out to the Lord, “get me OUT of this situation” but God answered, “No, get ME INTO the situation. I am IN it WITH YOU”. O yes, Beverley, Thank you for the song and resources. I will look up these resources. Samuel
Hey Pastor Samuel,
I hope the song you’re looking for is by Chris Tomlin, In the Secret
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU4U8_wMdRs
It is close to the lyrics you provided–a beautiful song.
If not, maybe some of the other wonderful saints have an idea to share.
The word that comes to me when I hear your voice is “surrender”. Yes, you have surrendered it all to Jesus and are reconciled–like a leaf that has fallen to the ground and lays softly in the pile, resting there, content to stay or move as the wind blows. Be still and know that I am God, is the scripture I have hanging on my door, to remind myself, constantly. A dear friend called and gave me a scripture that came to her, yesterday: Psalm 16:11 NIV–
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
I can understand the way you are feeling, having gone through two major back surgeries from October 23, 2014 to October 30, 2015. I am wanting to rush forward but still have to adhere to strengthening through daily exercise, swimming, and physio. God has His Hand on me, as He does on you, and all the saints who are hurting. Still, my heart often gets weighed down and out of sorts. These past two days have been filled with strange incidents; people are on edge and in chaos; lashing out. The devil is trying to stir the pot in many cases. But I am not over-reacting and I hear the voice of the Holy Spirit telling me to “just forgive”. Do not be hurt or affected or become downtrodden from the incidents in this world. “Just forgive.” Knowing how much our Lord and Saviour loves us, and smiles down when He sees us react with love and kindness towards others–and ourselves, makes it better. Having a really good cup of tea makes it better, too! 😀 Be still and know that I am God. Amen!
David I remember my dad bought a Winabago when I was little we had it for a long time . We traveled all across Canada , and some places in the U.S.A . I have good
memories of those trips .Dad use to take pictures when we stopped alot were scenery
which he loved . I love your photos Renold.
Lianne Hogg
Yes indeed! FORGIVE best word that God ever gave us, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us! It is the best prescription from our Lord God!
Amen! Sah.
Praying for all with special needs, in Jesus Name, Amen!