The Vision, Day 19 Expectations. Read Ezekiel chapter 19. We just read in the last chapter how each person is responsible for their own choices and the consequences of those choices. Today, we see God telling Ezekiel to write a sad song. This sad song is to be a reminder of the failure of the kings of Israel. These kings were raised by their mother to be strong and good, but instead they made the decision to do bad things. As a result they were captured and carried away. Their mother had great expectations for all they would accomplish, but unfortunately their own choices limited them. It can be hard…

The Vision, Day 18 Choices. Read Ezekiel chapter 18. We each have a choice to make. We can choose to repent and obey God. Or, we can choose death. There are no other alternatives. The avoidance of the choice just means that we have, by default, chosen death. Will we make the decision to choose Christ and choose life today? Here’s the video devotional – https://youtu.be/0Turvl7dYdY

The Vision, Day 16 God’s faithfulness in his covenant. Read Ezekiel chapter 16. Throughout this chapter, we read of God’s faithfulness. We also read of the people of Israel’s complete and utter betrayal of that faithfulness. It’s such a stark reminder of the way in which God treats us, and how we in turn often treat him. While this chapter is specific to the people of Israel, it is a reminder of the character of God. Who he is never changes. He has offered a covenant to us through his son Jesus Christ and even when we are not faithful to him, even when we fall short and we don’t…

The Vision, Day 15 Consequences. Read Ezekiel chapter 15. The people had to understand that their choices had consequences. As we see Ezekiel sharing God’s message to the people, God reminds the people that the land is also suffering because of their sin. God is bringing judgment on everything and that includes the land. Plants won’t grow and crops will fail because of the sin of the people of Israel. We need to understand that when we sin, there are ramifications that reach far beyond just ourselves. Sin impacts other people and we impact the world around us. Are we being good stewards of everything that God has given us…

The Vision, Day 14 Individual accountability. Read Ezekiel chapter 14. As the Lord is continuing to explain judgment on the people of Israel, he makes the statement that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were involved, they would only be able to save themselves. The people of Israel would understand those were three of the most righteous people from their recorded history. Even as good as they were, their belief in Christ and obedience to him were only good enough to account for themselves. Their children and their family still had individual responsibility to God. We must understand that each one of us have our own accountability to God. We…

The Vision, Day 13 Liars. Read Ezekiel chapter 13. The land was full of prophets. The problem was that most of the prophets were not actually prophets of God. Instead, they would put together their own vision or desire for the people, and then they would tell it to them using God’s name. Saying that God had spoken to them. Lying to the people about what they were to be doing. It’s so hard to live the way God wants you to live, when you have so many different people spouting ideas about what God has actually said. The people in this day and time we’re reliant on the prophets…

The Vision, Day 12 Equipped, but ignorant. Read Ezekiel chapter 12. Reading through this chapter, we see Ezekiel given another mission to demonstrate what is coming for the people. God starts by making the statement that the people have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear. God has used this phrase multiple times throughout the Old Testament to explain how and why people are not being obedient to him. When you look at this phrase, it’s a reminder that these people have all of the tools necessary to be obedient. They are simply choosing not to. They are equipped in every way…

The Vision, Day 11 Division. Read Ezekiel chapter 11. It’s interesting reading about division today. Here in this chapter, God is telling Ezekiel more about the judgment that is upcoming. But then, he starts to explain his restoration, and how he is going to bring the people of Israel back together. It says he’s going to give them a heart of flesh and remove their heart of stone. He’s going to help them be undivided. As I read that, I understand that unity only happens through Christ. Division will always happen when we are apart and away from Christ. As we go through this important election day here in the…

The Vision, Day 10 The filling of God’s glory. Read Ezekiel chapter 10. We see Ezekiel encountering God’s glory again. We have the visual representation of the glory of God from chapter 1. Now Ezekiel sees that moving into the temple in Jerusalem. At that point, an awe-inspiring image fills Ezekiel’s eyes. He sees the temple full of God’s glory. When God is able to fill that which is supposed to do to work of God, it is an awesome sight to behold. We understand just how truly impactful God’s glory can be. The question becomes, are we allowing God’s glory to fill us. Are we opening our lives the…