Thursday, March 3, 2016

“I WILL” – GOD

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 20

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

This is a model of the Temple as it may have looked in ancient times.

 

Key Verse: Ezekiel 20:5

Say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, “I am the Lord your God.”‘”

 

Four times here in chapter 20 God speaks through the Prophet Ezekiel saying that judgment is held back, “For My Name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles” (verses 9, 14, 22, 44). The writer of the most detailed of the Bible commentaries, Matthew Henry (1662-1714), writes, “When nothing in us will furnish Him with a reason for His favours, He furnishes Himself with one.” Ten times in the last 11 verses of the chapter God says, “I will,” and we can count on Him to consistently carry out His will. “Man proposes, but God disposes.” This is a statement by Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471). He wrote a classic book called, The Imitation of Christ, which can be purchased on Amazon (click here). Proverbs 16:9 tells us that “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Thank You, Lord God, that again and again You initiate action to accomplish Your will. You have given me will power. Therefore, I choose to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!” I pray this for Your “Name’s sake” and in the Name of the One who could say about His Father, “I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29b), Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

When I pray the “Our Father” prayer that Jesus taught His disciples (students) to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” I’m very conscious of the fact that God has put His plans for my best into the area of my human free will. I’m made, according to the Scriptures, in the image and likeness of God. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness'” (Genesis 1:26a). We are not like creatures programmed to behave in a certain way, but we have the freedom to make our own choices. The most dangerous and yet glorious choice is whether we will serve God or ourselves. When I give my will to do God’s will by praying for God’s will, not just in general, but concerning specific matters, God will, without violating my free will with which He created me, bring about His will. Prayer is my “welcome mat” for God. “Come in, Lord God. You’re in charge here!” Remember the question, WWJD? What would Jesus do? I find out the answer to that question sooner or later in God’s time, because I’ve prayed!

Yours most sincerely and prayerfully,

David

P.S. On the “Make You Think” challenge of the past few days, I’m asking readers to think about the reason that God would bother sending Prophets to speak of coming events. Surely God could’ve done anything He wanted to do without telling us in advance. Tomorrow, God willing, I’ll give my thoughts on this question.

20 thoughts on “Thursday, March 3, 2016

  1. Interesting chapter today. JESUS said to His Father -NOT MY will but thine (will be done) The thief on the cross said to JESUS – remember me when you come into your paradise; in other words, he said “I WILL” to JESUS. In 1975, I said “I WILL” surrender my miserable life to YOU LORD and HE (JESUS) said to me – “I WILL” save you Terry and make something beautiful out of your life & thank GOD HE did.. “I will” is so much more positive, so much more productive; so much better that – “I won’t” If I WILL is positive when we say it and mean it, how much more positive and effective and meaningful is it when The LORD of GLORY says it and DOES IT!
    Rev. Terry Felvus Grassie On

  2. Amen, David. Looking forward to reading your thoughts, tomorrow. Here is another quote from Thomas a Kempis: “Without the Way, there is no going,
    Without the Truth, there is no knowing, Without the Life, there is no living.”
    “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'” John 14:6. Blessings fellow saints in the Lord!

    “Feed my sheep.” John 21:17

    Faith of our Fathers, Living Still

    “Faith of our fathers, living still
    In spite of dungeon, fire and sword,
    O how our hearts beat high with joy
    Whene’er we hear that glorious word!
    Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
    We will be true to thee till death!

    Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,
    Were still in heart and conscience free;
    And blest would be their children’s fate,
    If they, like them should die for thee:
    Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
    We will be true to thee till death!

    Faith of our fathers, we will strive
    To win all nations unto thee;
    And through the truth that comes from God
    Mankind shall then indeed be free.
    Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
    We will be true to thee till death!

    Faith of our fathers, we will love
    Both friend and foe in all our strife,
    And preach thee, too, as love knows how
    By kindly words and virtuous life.
    Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
    We will be true to thee till death!”

    Author: Frederick William Faber (1849)

    Faith of our Fathers
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVg9B4zpv0A&list=RDIVg9B4zpv0A#t=11

  3. I prayed your pray Pastor David, I truly want to do God’s will in everything. Thank you fellow blog friends for your input. Have a. Blessed Day

  4. Yes Lord God, Father in Heaven, YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE IN THIS EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!!!

    I pray Lord, Your will be done in me, as it is in heaven! AMEN!!

  5. What a powerful chapter! I see God continuously exercising “His Grace” towards a people that constantly rebel and continue to live in their sinful practices. God continued to respond according to His Nature – Who He is. Being merciful towards those who deserved judgment. Constantly, he restrains his hand – they are punished or disciplined – but always spared. 40-44 ‘his hand is outstretched still”!

    “Grace, fathomless as the sea, Grace, flowing from Calvary,
    Grace, enough for eternity, Grace enough for me.”

  6. It works!!!
    I am a senior a little slow with modern technology; but Ron’s assistance with search under http://www.100words.ca is truly invaluable. I am truly grateful for the efficient threesome that you are. Yes, indeed David you have been blessed with two amazing sons to come on board with you in this project of reading through the bible! Your family continues to be a shining example of what God intends for family. Continue shining!

  7. Thanks again,David.That question was on my mind when this poem came to me.God bless
    What Would Jesus Do?

    What would Jesus do,if He were here today,
    Would He still see hope in we who follow
    And bring back the many gone astray,
    Filling the void in this land so hollow.

    What would Jesus say to those with no light,
    Would He remind them of His Father’s love
    That shines in those with souls so bright,
    Whereby they’ll share His home above.

    What would Jesus do with hearts of stone,
    Would He warn them of Hell’s damnation
    Where together they suffer all alone,
    As so many will find from this great nation.

    What would Jesus do where all else failed,
    Should He climb back upon His cross,
    To let them see where He was nailed;
    He did it once to save our eternal loss.

    What would you do to pay that holy debt,
    Would you wait to feel the fires of Hell
    Or would you see the Devil’s threat,
    Where so many will hear sin’s last knell.
    G W(Bill) Marshall /April 21, 2013

  8. Wow! A lot of thought provoking messages today. Amen to all of them.

    Each day many prayers are prayed over on this blog. Just a reminder that tomorrow is World Day of Prayer.

    Blessings to all brothers and sisters in Christ.

    Pam

  9. I never understood the need to ask the question What would Jesus do, since if you know the Lord the answer is obvious, Jesus would always choose to Love His Father with all his heart, mind and strength and love others as Himself. If one needs a reminder to do the same perhaps the better question would be, How would I treat Jesus if…. he was the one cutting me off in traffic, if he was the homeless man on the street, if he was the crying baby on the plane, if he was my child who just spill milk on the good carpet—etc– we all say we love Jesus, so the best way to prove it and do what Jesus would do is to treat everyone like they were Jesus.

  10. I am amazed that at the end of all god’s admonishment, his people would say – is god speaking in riddles ( parables)? Talk about having “ears but cannot hear”. It’s much like today’s mainstream people who want to shape god into their personal servant

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