Ezekiel 36-45

Today is Wednesday.  Tonight, we will "Walk Thru The Bible" in the book of Hebrews.  I'm excited about sharing about this great book tonight.  This morning, I'm in the last of Ezekiel.  Only a few chapters will be left and then Daniel.  (One of my favorite books of the Bible.)  Here are a few gems I've mined:

1) A NEW HEART- Ezekiel 36:26 says:  "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you:  and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."  We would describe this as the "new birth" of a believer.  God changing our hearts as we give our hearts to Him!  Praise the LORD we have a new heart that is open to God and hears God direct us and speaking to us in our spirit.  The new "spirit" is the Holy Spirit that lives within us.  We should die to self each day and life unto Christ.  This is a new way of living made possible only by Jesus Christ!

2) FIRST PERSON GOD- I started noticing this as I read this morning, so I had to go back and re read it and mark it down and count it out, and sure enough, it's all there..... God is a "first person God".  You see, normally the Bible in Ezekiel will say: "The Word of the Lord came unto me saying....."  But starting in chapter 34, through chapter 39, we see that the LORD uses the personal pronoun "I"... a whole lot.  God speaks personally to the people.  In Chapter 34 (30 I's); Chapter 35 (21 I's); Chapter 36 (41 I's); Chapter 37 (22 I's); Chapter 38 (16 I's); and Chapter 39 (27 I's).  Nowhere else do you see a concentration of such first person pronouns in Ezekiel as we read here.  God is a First Person God!  We stand before Him personally!  We must accept Him personally!  We must worship Him personally!  And He is our personal GOD!!  Thank you Jesus!!

3) THERE OUGHT TO BE A DIFFERENCE- Ezekiel 44:23 says: "And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.."  Somethings are clean, and somethings are unclean.  There is a difference!  For a Christian, somethings please God and somethings do not.  Some things are lawful, and somethings edify not.  We are to pick that which is pleasing to our Lord.  There must be a difference between things!!  Actions!!  Attitudes!!  Intentions!!  etc. 

Well, I hope you have a great Wednesday and enjoy your church service tonight as well.  May God bless you and have a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler