“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”

Sadly, God did not find someone to intercede for the land in this passage in Ezek. 22.

What God is looking for is someone to love what He loves and hate what he hates, and then plead with Him for others who are indifferent to His ways.  Christ Jesus is always the way to God.  He is what men really need.

DAILY PRAYER:  Father in Heaven, use me to be a tool to bring men to You through prayer and witnessing.

DAILY READING:  Ezek. 21-5

Generally, children will follow the tracks their parents have cut in life.  That is why parents should take great care to establish good habits in their children’s lives such as faithful attendance at church, good table manners, healthy eating etc. It’s not what they’re taught but rather what they’ve caught. They catch it from their parents.

It is even reflected in the football team they root for.  [Go Bucks]

DAILY PRAYER;  Father in Heaven, cause me to walk in straight paths to lead the footsteps of those that follow.

DAILY READING:  Ezek. 16-20

As I listen to the book of Ezekiel on Biblegateway audio Bible, I can’t help but imagine the living creatures to be jet airplanes.

Then, I found a youtube video which assembles pix of jets as it scrolls the first chapter of Ezekiel.  It makes sense.  [do a Youtube search on “Airplanes in Ezekiel”]

Regardless, the Bible speak to us today.  The important stuff is that we need to get right with God, and stay close to Him in perilous times.  We are safe in His arms of love.

DAILY PRAYER;  Lord, You have the end times in Your hand.  I will not fear, but trust You and Your mighty power to direct my life.

DAILY READING: Ezek. 11-5

God’s Spirit gave insight to Ezekiel about His grief over the detestable things the people Israel and Judah had been doing.  A man clothed in linen marked the heads of people who also grieved over the sin.  Their lives were spared when God’s anger over sin was unleashed.

We love the sinner but hate the sin.  Christ;s blood can remove all sin, but a healthy fear of the Lord and grief over sin helps pave the way for the revival God wants to bring.

DAILY PRAYER:  Father, give us a hatred for the things You hate, and a love for the things You love.

DAILY READING:  Ezek. 6-10

God gave to Ezekiel instructions on giving warnings. Essentially, if he warned evildoers of their fate if they persisted in their sin, their blood was upon them.  However, if he did not warn them of the consequence of their sin, their blood was upon him.  He had a personal responsibility to them.

The warning is an important part of being a parent, educator, task leader, or law enforcement officer. Its effective use allows time and space to repent or bring correction to wrong behavior.  It should be an integral part of life.

DAILY PRAYER:  Father, teach me to be a effective authority figure by using the warning.

DAILY READING:  Ezekiel 1-5

1. Low in the grave He lay,
   Jesus, my Savior,
   Waiting the coming day,
   Jesus, my Lord!
   • Refrain:
     Up from the grave He arose,
     With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
     He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
     And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
     He arose! He arose!
     Hallelujah! Christ arose!
2. Vainly they watch His bed,
   Jesus, my Savior;
   Vainly they seal the dead,
   Jesus, my Lord!
3. Death cannot keep his Prey,
   Jesus, my Savior;
   He tore the bars away,
   Jesus, my Lord!

-Robert Lowry, 1874

So were the words of Jeremiah in his lament.  The heartbreaking words and descriptions he gives of the hardship he endured to be a faithful messenger for God are painfully expressed in the book of Lamentations.

Greater still the hardship our Savior endured to pay the penalty for our sin.  As we consider Christ’s suffering today, let us look with anticipation to tomorrow’s celebration of His Resurrection Life.

DAILY PRAYER:  Lord Jesus, thank You for laying in the tomb, bravely enduring all that death could inflict, rising to walk again, victoriously destroying sin’s sting.  Hallelujah, What A Savor!

DAILY READING:  Lam. 4,5

As Jeremiah describes the devastation of Jerusalem and her inhabitants by the armies of Babylon, one can only imagine the heartache experienced by all who loved her.  The prophet even described the event by likening her sin to a yoke, woven by God and harnessed to her shoulders to be carried as a burden.  [Lam. 1:14]

Isaiah foretold that the Savior will have “Borne our griefs and carried our sorrows … for the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  He took the yoke of grief and sorrow made to fit us, and wore it Himself and took it to His death on the cross.

We can live free from the grief sin brings because of His sacrifice.

DAILY PRAYER:  Lord Jesus, we live in gratitude for the painful death You suffered to free us from the weight and grief of sin.  We praise You today and everyday.

DAILY READING:  Lam. 1-3

George Beverly Shea, soloist for Billy Graham crusades, would often sing the well-known spiritual, “There is a Balm in Gilead.”

Historically, there was a rare perfume from the region of Gilead that was used medicinally as a universal cure.  Figuratively, the song is referring to Jesus Who is able to heal the sin sick soul.

As Christians, we know we can come to Jesus for ANY cure we need.  He is the Balm in Gilead.

DAILY PRAYER:  Lord, heal me and I will be healed.  Save me and I will be saved.  You are our true cure.

DAILY READING:  Jer. 51,52