Ezekiel 35:1-36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 27:23-27 There are some passages in the Bible that cause us to scratch our heads; they are difficult to understand. And other verses, while clear in meaning, can be even much more difficult to act on. For example, James 1:2 tells us to "consider it pure joy … whenever you face trials of many kinds." The meaning of the command is clear, but...  Read More

Ezekiel 33:1-34:31; Hebrews 13:1-25; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 27:21-22 John Maxwell says that a leader is someone who “knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way” and every one of us is called to be a leader. The only question is whether we are leading effectively or not.Ezekiel uses two images to describe leadership. He first describes leaders as watchmen who see what is coming and share this...  Read More

Ezekiel 31:1-32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 27:18-20 Water, like a mirror, reflects our physical image.  And, in the second proverb at the end of our reading, we’re told that our life—our behavior—also reflects our hearts (27:19).  The simplicity of this proverb could take us in one of two directions.  It could be that my behavior reveals my heart to myself.  When we take an ...  Read More

Ezekiel 29:1-30:26l; Hebrews 11:32-12:13; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 27:17 Christianity is personal but not private. When we enter into a relationship with Christ we also enter into a relationship with his family. Hebrews 11 has described the community of faith that we are a part of, and chapter 12 describes what difference this community should make in our lives. Notice even those who have followed...  Read More

Ezekiel 27:1-28:26; Hebrews 11:17-31; Psalm 111:1-10; Proverbs 27:15-16 Pride is an insidious disease within our hearts. It can cause us to insulate ourselves from God and believe that we can falsely save ourselves. We need to learn to break through this self-reliance and walk by faith.Ezekiel points us to the foolishness of Tyre’s pride. They relied on their wealth, wisdom, and position in the wo...  Read More

Ezekiel 24:1-26:21; Hebrews 11:1-16; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 27:14 What is the most quoted psalm in the New Testament? You may think it is a cherished psalm like Psalm 23 or maybe the longest psalm, Psalm 119--and you would be wrong. The most quoted psalm is Psalm 110. It is only seven verses but points to Jesus as our king, priest, and judge.Christ is king. Verse 1 shows David's understanding tha...  Read More

Ezekiel 23:1-49; Hebrews 10:18-39; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 27:13 "What do you want"? When kids are young and unable to fully verbalize what they want, parents can find themselves asking this question often. Kids often respond by pointing, with grunts, and sometimes with screams and tears. Even at a young age, when someone wants something and is motivated to acquire it, there is little you can do ...  Read More

Ezekiel 21:1-22:31; Hebrews 10:1-17; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 27:12“That’s mean!” declared one of our little boys in a roar of indignation as his beloved stuffed animal was temporarily taken away as punishment for wrongdoing. “Whose choice was it?” my husband and I asked, so wanting our little one to understand. After a moment, he murmurs, “Mine,” voice meeker, eyes downcast, realizing his own act...  Read More

Ezekiel 20:1-49; Hebrews 9:11-28; Psalm 107:1-43; Proverbs 27:11We worship a patient God. This may seem like a strange way to think about God but as Ezekiel and many other parts of Scripture, point out God is abundantly patient.Ezekiel describes a series of moments when God was patient towards Israel rather than responding in judgment. He rescued them from Egypt and despite their rebellion, he wit...  Read More

Ezekiel 18:1-19:14; Hebrews 9:1-10; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 27:10No one is born a Christian. Everyone is responsible for making a choice either for or against God. Each person must choose their eternal destiny. Ezekiel prophesies that judgment is coming and that everyone must decide whether to pursue righteousness or wickedness. Ezekiel 18 describes a man who followed God and reflected this in t...  Read More

Ezekiel 16:42-17:24; Hebrews 8:1-13; Psalm 106:13-31; Proverbs 27:7-9Everyone’s doing it! We have all said these words as kids when we wanted to do something that went against our family rules and, if you’re a parent and said no to your kids, then you have heard this phrase. It speaks to our innate desire to fit in and conform to the pattern around us.This tendency towards conformity can be seen r...  Read More

Ezekiel 14:12-16:41; Hebrews 7:18-28; Psalm 106:1-12; Proverbs 27:4-6We are more loved than we can fathom. So much of the world’s love must be earned and maintained, while God’s love is unconditional. This amazing love needs to be understood and believed.God describes his love for his people in Ezekiel 16 using the image of an adoptive parent. He took Israel in like an abandoned child and raised h...  Read More