JEREMIAH-LAMENTATIONS-EZEKIEL

It's Wednesday morning in Tennessee.  Yesterday, it rained hard all day long.  This morning, it is quiet outside.  I stayed up until 1:30am talking and playing games with my nephews, Mom and Dad, and Vicky.  We started playing games about 8:00pm.  My brother got off work after twelve hours.  Phil and Patrice came over then at eight and stayed to about 11:00am.  My brother works in an oil refinery.  Imagine buying crude at $150.00 a barrel and now they are worth $43.00 a barrel.  They lose one million dollars a day in his business.  Well, I've got my coffee right here, and I'm reading in Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel.  Here are my thoughts on these chapters:   1) STRONG HEARTS TURN WEAK- In Jer. 48:41 it says: "and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs."  Tough men turn weak when they stand before the judgment of God.  So many times I've witnessed to men, who acted tough, but they will not be tough in God's presence, and they will not be tough in Hell.  In an instant, they will be crying out like a woman in birth.  Let us be compassionately persistent when witnessing to strong men.  *On the airplane Monday, I led a lady to Christ who reads the news on a major radio station for several hours each day.  She was not tough, but wide open to the Gospel.   2) THINK ON HIM AND HER- The Him is God; and the Her is Jerusalem.  In Jer. 51:50, it says: "… remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind."  Here the captives were going into captivity, and God's prophet is told to say: "remember the LORD afar off"; don't forget God, do turn back to Him, do think on Him.  And then, "and let Jerusalem come into your mind."  This is what Nehemiah did.  He thought about Jerusalem even though at his age, he had never seen it!  Now, I've not seen the LORD, but I think about Him; I've not seen Heaven, but I think about it!  Lord, help me to think of you throughout the day, let me dwell on that which is eternal.  Forgive me when I get earthly minded, and give attention to worldly things that bring you no pleasure.  Help me LORD, to think on my great God!   3) HOW ABOUT THE HEDGE?  In Lam. 3:7, it reads: "He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out"; In Job 1:10 it reads: "Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?" (Satan asks)  What about the hedge?  Do you feel it traps you or protects you?  One person believes that standards traps them and ruins their fun, and yet another thanks God for the protection it brings into their lives.  The difference is attitude!  One feels a hedge keeps them from running wild in life, and another realizes it keeps them undamaged by this wicked world.  How do you feel?  I have enjoyed having the hedge in my life, and as a man in his fifties, I want it more all the time!  Thank you LORD for the Hedge, I don't need to escape its boundaries, nor do I desire it.  How about you?   4) EXPRESS DELIVERY- In Ezek. 1:3, the Bible reads: "The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest," This is not talking about the speed of the message, but the uniqueness of the message… expressly for Ezekiel.  Do you know that today the LORD wants to talk expressly to us?  I'm not talking about audible words, but in our spirit!  "Today, if you hear his voice; hardened not your hearts"  "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."  It sounds like Jesus wants to talk with us (expressly) today!  LORD, help me to be all ears today!  Help me to be tender-hearted.  Help me to be totally receptive.  Speak through life, and circumstances.  Speak through Your Word and by Your Spirit.  Let me live this day in tune with your Spirit.  Speak expressly to me dear LORD.  "Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth."   Well, I'm just getting started, but need to finish.  Have a blessed day in the LORD wherever you are.  Drop me a brief email from time to time just to let me know someone out there is being blessed.  Pastor Mike Mutchler  (pastor@grandviewcares.com)