Though he was offered the finest of the king’s royal food and wine in his captivity in Babylon, Daniel knew that his diet of vegetables and water was more healthy. Discretely, he appealed to the king’s steward to test him and his friends for 10 days.  Sure enough, they were superior in looks and intelligence to the other young wise men who ate the king’s rich fare.

Daniel displayed strong personal conviction, discipline, and a humble ability to persuade his captors to agree with him. Such resolve is greatly desirable in today’s Christian youth.

PRAYER: Father, strengthen us as parents and teachers to likewise develop within our children the character qualities found in Daniel. Bring honor to Your Kingdom through them.

READING: Daniel 1,2

God showed a great river to Ezekiel and stated that wherever that river flowed, there would be life.

God’s Spirit and presence are likened to a river. Wherever families, churches, or countries let His river flow, He brings life.

Let the river flow.

PRAYER: Lord, fill my life with Your river. Let Your life flow through me to all around me today. We can’t live without Your river.

READING: Ezekiel 47-49

God made a clear distinction that the priests who were descendants of Zadok were in a special class. They kept to God’s standard in their service … they served without polluting His Holy Place with sin. He thereby committed to giving them an inheritance excelling all others – Himself!

If we all could only realize that the Lord Himself is all we will ever need.

PRAYER: Lord, there is no God besides You. You alone are worthy of our life’s devotion. Every investment we make pales in comparison to the time and service we give to Your Kingdom. You are above ALL.

READING: Ezekiel 44, 45

God had Ezekiel measure everything about the temple in Jerusalem. He already knew the dimensions, but it gives us insight into God’s value system.

In the economy of God, He wants us to be good stewards of everything. If He cares about dimensions, He cares about details that affect the lives of men. He measures every element of your life.

PRAYER: Father, guard my life with Your angels and give me an appreciation for the details of life around me. 

READING: Ezekiel 40-43

Ezekiel predicted significant battles over the Holy Land. A prevailing theme was God’s ability to show His power and justice through His weapons. The armies of men trust their own devices … weapons made with their own hands … but God has at His disposal all the elements of creation. Plague, torrents of rain, hailstones, burning sulfur, mountains overturning, cliffs crumbling, walls falling down … God can even cause His enemies to turn their own swords against each other. When He shows His great power and holiness, then the nations shall KNOW that He is the Lord.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, show Your great power in the earth. Defend Your people. Defend Your Holy Name. Confuse the devices of wickedness in the political systems of men, and build Your glorious Kingdom on earth.

READING: Ezekiel 37-39

The words of the old hymn say, “There shall be showers of blessing.”  Taken from Ezekiel’s treatise on God’s rebuke of shepherds and sheep that take advantage of the flock, he points to the rewards and compensation God will “shower” upon His flock.

In truth, God watches intently upon how His people are treated. Bullying, robbery, and indifference against His children will be adjusted. He loves His sheep.

PRAYER: Father of the flock, use us to be Your loving and nurturing Hand extended. Heal and restore the bruised through our love. We want to show Your heart of compassion and care.

READING: Ezekiel 34-36

Ezekiel was charged by God to issue insights into the future and to warn Israel and contemporary nations about their detestable practices. God held him responsible to do so, even clarifying that a watchman who did not give the warning would have the blood of the offenders on his own conscience.

God  gives to certain people this prophetic nature, one that sees no gray areas. To them, its all cut and dried …  it’s either right or wrong, and they feel constrained to tell you.

The prophetic personality can be abrasive, but their intention is not malicious. It takes all kinds.

PRAYER: Father, give us an appreciation for brothers or sisters who feel constrained to call out wrongs. We trust Your process of working through the Body of Christ to bring it to perfection.

READING: Ezekiel 32, 33

God controls nations and their armies. It’s as if He plays chess with them to accomplish His purposes in the earth. Their leaders are on a leash that is in God’s hand. Therefore, it is pointless to fear the current “wars and rumors of wars.”

Our protection is important to God. The Psalmist said, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”

PRAYER: Lord, we trust in the shelter or Your wings. Hide us from all evil. You are our God and all else is sinking sand.

READING: Ezekiel 29-31

As Ezekiel is pronouncing judgment upon the King of Tyre, he breaks into this description of none other than Lucifer, a prominent angel in whom was found wickedness. It’s as if the King of Tyre is the puppet of Satan, finding his power from him.

This makes us wonder about where powerful political figures get their strength and impact.

Regardless, God’s people seek to be filled with HIS Spirit and power, not that of the world. We pray and ask Him to deliver us from the evil influences of our day. We are safe in His arms.

PRAYER: Father, You rule over all the earth and every principality and power. We will fear no evil, for Your Rod and Your Staff, they comfort us. Hallelujah!

READING: Ezekiel 26-28

To Ezekiel was given the unpopular task of verbalizing God’s judgments upon nations and cities who were to reap His vengeance. If Ezekiel had been a contemporary  book author, I doubt that he would make the NYT best sellers list.

When God judged a nation (Ammon) or city (Tyre), everyone suddenly found out what God liked and didn’t like. He was KNOWN by His judgments.

Our spiritual journey is greatly aided by God’s Word which spells out what pleases or displeases God. We are spared the grief of finding out the hard way. (Sometimes)

PRAYER: Father, forgive us our sins. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness so that our lives may be a sweet smelling savor in Your nostrils.

READING: Ezekiel 23-25