EZEKIEL

It is Thursday morning in Tennessee.  Cool outside.  We had a great time with the Butlers last night.  We went out to eat and attended their church for the evening.  Scott and Janet Butler are Kim Butler's parents (who our son, Alex, is dating in college.)  They are wonderful people and they have a great church as well.  We enjoyed ourselves and then came home to play more Rook cards.  We play every time we are with my Mother and Sister and Nephews, but rarely ever in Oregon.  It is fun.  Today, I read in Ezekiel.  I am going with my father to a doctor's appointment, so I just want to mention two thoughts: 1) LIVE!  In Ezekiel 16:6, God is speaking to Israel and likens to seeing her on the day she was born, and no one cared for her.  She was a baby that was delivered, but not even cleaned up after the delivery.  And God is saying:  "And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live."  God wants the best for us!!  Remember: (Jer 29:11)  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."   God has good plans for every life.... IF we will look to Him!!  Heaven is waiting for us dear child.  Don't get too upset with life's circumstances... they are only for a vapor that appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away.  Take heart... God loves us!!  God says to each of us:  "LIVE!" 2) HARD TIMES- Yes, there are hard times we must go through if we live on this planet.  No getting around them.  It is inherently part of life.  In Ezekiel 24, Ezekiel went through some hard times as an illustration to the nation of Israel.  In verse 16, God said: "Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down."  Now, what was the desire of Ezekiel's eyes?  In verse 18, we find out: "So I spake unto the people in the morning:  and at even my wife died:  and I did in the morning as I was commanded."  His wife died!!  And yet, he was not able to mourn because God said not to do so as an example of Israel's response to God's judgment.  How hard to go through!!  Don't always understand God's ways, but always know God loves us and is for us!!  You too will have hard times in this life, but don't fall apart.... our loved ones are only taken away for a little while.... in Heaven, they are waiting for us if they were saved.  Keep a stiff upper lip!!  Look to the LORD... keep on keeping on... till Jesus Comes, or we meet Him in death.  Faithful unto death!! Have a blessed day dear friend!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler