Monday, March 2, 2020

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TURN AND LIVE

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 18-19

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

 

Here is a father and son in Nazareth Village. They are actors wearing the clothing that would have been worn during the first century. Not much different from many parts of the Middle East today. Today’s reading refers to fathers and sons. I’m thankful for sons Reynold and Ron who help me with this blog. Bless you, my sons!

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: Ezekiel 18:31

Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?

 

The last three words of Ezekiel 18 are “turn and live.” This is the most important decision anyone could ever make. To decide to go God’s way instead of our own way is totally life changing for time and for eternity. Another word for this change of direction is “repentance” (18:30). Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” We need to lock into the way that God says in His Word is right!! That may be the most important reason for this daily blog. Consistently reading God’s Word is the only way to know what God thinks!! Chapter 18 begins with a proverb which points out that a son (or daughter) can change directions, even if their father does not. This truth is backed up by 18:14. Chapter 19 shifts emphasis to “mother,” in this case she is “Israel.” In our case, it may be those things in our background which keep us away from God. Again, if that is the case, “TURN AND LIVE!” Decide today to go God’s way and make the determination that there is no turning back. A Jewish ruler asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Here is Jesus’ answer (click here for John 3:1-21). This man showed up at Jesus’ Cross (John 19:39-42).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, that “turn and live” decision is eternally important. I pray for grace to daily check the GPS road map (the Bible) to make sure I have not turned away from Your highway of life onto a road of my own choosing. I’m moving always forward at Your instructions. Lord Jesus, You invited me to follow You. Here I come! I ask for strength so that I won’t lag behind and lose sight of You! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

“A new heart and a new spirit.” I had open-heart surgery when I was 64. God did open-heart surgery on me when I was 16. He placed His Spirit in my heart. My physical heart is doing just fine, and because of constant monitoring of my spiritual heart every day as I read and pray, I believe that I’m spiritually healthy. Of course that is a subjective judgment on my part; God is the only One who truly knows my heart and He’s monitoring my spiritual condition. I’ll find out His final report sooner or later.

The book of Ezekiel is all about restoring the Jews as a nation in their ancestral home. There was a brief period around 200 BC when Israel’s sovereignty was restored. Israel became a sovereign state once again in 1948. I invite you to join me in thinking about modern Israel by reading one of the most thoughtful commentators anywhere. Charles Krauthammer was raised in Montreal, Canada, but now lives in the U.S.A. He has his M.D. and has practised as a psychiatrist, but now is a full-time journalist. In keeping with the “Make You Think” theme I introduced yesterday, I have a suggestion. Click here for Charles’ Washington Post article from June 4th, 2010. He is Jewish. His column is entitled, “Those Troublesome Jews.”

Yours for accepting God’s invitation to “Come now, and let us reason [make you think] together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient you shall eat of the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:18-19),

David

19 thoughts on “Monday, March 2, 2020”

  1. We turn and live for You, Lord God. We open our hearts to be restored by You and You, alone. We give thanks and praise for You making our sins white as snow. Where would we be without You, Lord. Our hearts and our flesh may fail but God is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever. We come now and reason together for the sake of Your loving mercy and grace upon our lives. In Jesus’ Name, amen. Be well, fellow saints in the Lord. Wishing you a blessed day.

    Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 ESV

    This is my desire (with lyrics) / I give you my heart
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obi5ZGujiuU

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  3. Dear Father God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for David, Reynold and Ron Mainse and all Your other faithful people who bring us Your Word. Bless them all abundantly, Lord, and help them to keep on faithfully serving You. That goes for all Your children, Lord. Please help each one to be the best person they can be, guided and led and empowered by You.
    We again commit our families, our country and our leaders to You, Lord. May Your will be done in them, Father, in Jesus’s great name, amen

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  4. Remembering the chorus “Look and Live. My brother Live. Look to Jesus now and Live” (it’s on You Tube but I don’t know how to attach it here).

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  5. G’day,yall (Southern slang:all inclusive.)Just an observance and not meant for argument:The shortest phrase in the (NIV) bible is “Repent !” (Ezekiel 18:30),thus,this contention/assertion.
    The English language never existed in the time Jesus was a man.So,therefore,the KJV can not be argued as the ‘only word of God’…Hear-me-out….When we have thoughts we then have to ‘translate’ them into words ‘to communicate them’ to others (or for posterity).The original languages of the biblical manuscripts were
    written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek.Those were the languages of their writers.(They translated ‘their thoughts’ into their own language.)Scholars from the 1500’s translated the ‘thoughts’ from those manuscripts into early English.To translate word-for-word would result in gibberish.Those scholars are long gone.
    Martin Luther’s aim was to have a bible that the common man could read and understand…”and understand”! In more modern times,there are many translations.WE must understand that scholars are translating these thoughts (Dare I use this phrase “Under God’s guidance”?) with the greatest of human accuracy and intent,to ‘translate the thoughts’ of those manuscripts.I can not know if all versions of the bible are so but I think most are sincere translations.Even the King James has some flaws but “we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water “.
    (I often get interrupted in this blog.Today it was a close friend’s phone call.)
    God bless

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    • It’s a good discussion. In fact, we were just mentioning Tyndale in our Bible study, Sunday morning at church.

      Early Modern English Bible translations are of between about 1500 and 1800, the period of Early Modern English. This, the first major period of Bible translation into the English language, began with the introduction of the Tyndale Bible.[7][self-published source?] The first complete edition of his New Testament was in 1526. William Tyndale used the Greek and Hebrew texts of the New Testament (NT) and Old Testament (OT) in addition to Jerome’s Latin translation. He was the first translator to use the printing press – this enabled the distribution of several thousand copies of his New Testament translation throughout England. Tyndale did not complete his Old Testament translation.[8]

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      • Thank you Beverlee.I have learned a lot from my pastor during our many discussions over coffee but not enough to ‘argue’ or be entirely confident of my stand.Also,I don’t think Jesus would want us arguing over such matters as doctrine and translations.He will straighten such matters out when He returns.(He put that specific thought in my heart shortly after I surrendered to Him.)God bless

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