Matthew 1-4

Today's Reading - Matthew 1-4

Wow, it is already October, and we start the New Testament. I always love reading Gospels, the Gospels are Jesus, and each Gospel may tell of the same story, but they are all different as they are told in the eyes and heart of the writer.

Let's get a little background on Matthew before we start. Matthew was written by Matthew, one of Jesus' 12 disciples. Matthew was a tax collector before he began following Jesus, so knowing that he was a tax collector, will help you while you read this book.
I would guess a tax collector would be good with numbers, figures, and details. Matthew tells of a lot of Jesus' teachings. The main goal of Matthew is to make the connection between the Old Testament to the New Testament to prove that Jesus was truly the Messiah. This is why Matthew spent 17 verses tracing back Jesus' genealogy to Abraham.

I am sure that we have heard the story of the birth of Jesus, but Matthew focuses on Joseph's side starting in verse 1:18. Starting in chapter 2 notice the battle between satan and GOD, as satan tried to wipe out Jesus from the beginning.

Matthew 4:18-22 ESV18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter)
and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea,
for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them,
"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers,
James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the
boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and
he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and
their father and followed him.

Just As You Are
As I was reading the verses today, I could not help but to think of the men that Jesus chose. They were not the most religious, in fact some were just the opposite of the religious. Just think, these men that Jesus needed were going to change the world, and He had 3 years to train and release these men.

These men were just like you and I. They had certain personality traits, they had a job or trade that they performed, maybe they liked it, maybe they did not. These were just ordinary men. But, Jesus used them, each different, to help with His work.

When Jesus called each man, He did not ask them to change their personality. He did not come to Peter and say, "I need you, but Peter, you have to tone it down a little bit. You need to be a little more passive". He knew every man's trait and used it to His glory. All that Jesus asked was to simply; follow Him.

Jesus knows you. He knows what you like and dislike. He knows if you like to be in front of people, or stay behind the scenes. He knows if you are outspoken or very quiet. Yes, he knows you better than you do. Now here is the neat thing, Jesus does not ask you to change. He wants you just like you are. He can use you just like you are. Jesus knew Mathew's traits, he knew that he was a details guy. And He used him to write an amazing book of the Bible.

Have you heard Jesus call? If you have, are you trying to change to be someone Jesus could use more effectively? If you know that you do not like to be around people, are you trying to force yourself to be around people? DON'T. Jesus wants you just like you are, and He will use you to do amazing things, just like you are. All you need to do is to heed His call to follow Him, and give Him your entire heart, then hang on, for the ride of your life!!! - Have a Great Day! Jim

Bible Trivia
How many generations were in the line of Jesus?(Read carefully, it is a tricky question)
Hint: Matthew 1:17

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We Need Your Prayers
A group of us are starting a church in Ocean Shores, WA. The Connection ChurchWe need and would covet your prayers! Since we have started this, satan has been right there, we have had two people with serious injuries, two families pets had to visit the vet/hospital, and I have had my disease is attacking again. If you would like to commit to prayer for us, please visit our Prayer Page page.

Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah

Today's Reading - Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah

Good Morning! Today, we look at three more minor prophets; Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah. Let's get a little background on these prophets first.
Zephaniah was sent to wake up the people of Judah. GOD wanted them to repent of their sinful ways, and urge them to return to GOD. Zephaniah prophesied in the days of King Josiah.
Haggai was a neat book with a great message. This was my favorite out of the three books. Haggai was sent to tell the people of Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.Zechariah was sent to give hope to the people in Jerusalem by telling them of the coming Messiah.

Haggai 1:5-10 ESV5 Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much,
and harvested little. You eat, but you never
have enough; you drink, but you never have
your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is
warm. And he who earns wages does so to put
them into a bag with holes.7" Thus says the LORD
of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the
hills and bring wood and build the house, that
I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified,
says the LORD.
9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little.
And when you brought it home, I blew it away.
Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my
house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself
with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens
above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.

Give Careful Thought
The story of Haggai is simple, yet one that we need to be reminded of. The Lord's house was in "Ruins" while the people were living comfortably. GOD had provided for them, and they became comfortable. GOD was not pleased that His people had forgotten about HIM, so HE reminded them with a drought. (v1:10-11)

Did you catch that it was not so much that the building was in ruins, and not that GOD wanted a building. He wanted the people hearts and minds to be focused on Him, and GOD needed a place to be honored.

I really like the phrase that appears several times in the NIV version; "Give careful thought." It is like GOD was saying to HIS people. "My children, try and put two and two together, I provide for you, you are ignoring ME, and there just happens to be a drought, do you see the connection? Give careful thought to what is happening."

GOD loves us so much, and HE loves to provide for us, but sometimes we start to take these blessings for granted. GOD may soon be forgotten as the giver of these gifts, as we start to look to ourselves and others. GOD then may need to get our attention by sending us a "Drought."

If you feel that you are going through a drought in your life right now, you may want to check your heart. Does the place that you meet Jesus, lay in ruins? Or are you spending time daily, building and cleaning it up? Making it a place where Christ can be honored?

Have a great weekend! Over the weekend we finish the Old Testament, then Monday, we start the New Testament. I hope that our study of the Old Testament has blessed you. I know a lot of people dismiss the Old Testament as being not revelent today. I pray that you have seen the opposite.

Bible Trivia
How many swords did the disciples take with them when they followed Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane?
Hint: Luke 22:38-39

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk

Today's Reading - Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk

Good Morning, today we move through 3 more minor prophets; Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. All of these are very short, easy read books.

To give you a little background on these minor prophets; Micah's focus is on GOD's hatred of sin, but HIS promise to rescue those with a changed heart. Micah also has one of the clearest prophecies of the coming King; Jesus.

Nahum deals with the fall of Nineveh. There is a very graphic description of Nineveh after their destruction. After reading this, GOD is a god of love, mercy, and second chances, but HE is also a god that is to be taken seriously.

Habakkuk is an neat book. It is dialogue between Habakkuk and GOD. The apostle Paul quoted Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17. For you history lovers, this verse had a profound influence on Martin Luther which lead to the Protestant reformation.

Habakkuk 1:4, 13-14, 2:4 ESV
4 So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.
13 You who are of purer eyes than
to see evil and cannot look at wrong,
why do you idly look at traitors and remain
silent when the wicked swallows up the man
more righteous than he?
14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea,
like crawling things that have no ruler. (Habakkuk speaking)
2:4 Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith. (GOD speaking)

Righteous Live By Faith
There are some passages that I read in the Bible that I have to remind myself that these words were written thousands of years ago. The reason I remind myself of this is because the words that were written seem to apply to our day and age. A great example of this is verse 1:4 "The law is paralyzed."

I can identify with Habakkuk and his thoughts. I have had many conversations (OK, complaints) with GOD about this sickness that HE has allowed me to have. I have asked GOD many times: Why do I have this?
I love YOU, and I do my best to serve YOU will all my heart.
I could do so much more for YOUR kingdom if I felt good.
How come YOU let me feel sick?
WHY, WHY, WHY?
Why don't you give this to some child rapist that is sitting in jail, or some murderer, or anyone who takes a clear stand against YOU? Give this to them!

You know with all the questions and complaints that I have presented to GOD, HE has never once shown me a clear answer. HE has not even revealed a little bit of the future either, it is a day by day FAITH issue. It would be so easy to accept if I knew THIS is why you have this, HERE is what I am doing, this is WHY.

I am sure, that if you think for a moment, you can identify with mine and Habakkuk thoughts. Maybe you are not sick, but struggling with finances, finding a spouse, struggling with a job/boss, getting picked on or ridiculed for what you believe and stand up for.

The events that you go through in your life, GOD may never tell you why, until you go home. You may search the Bible forwards and back, and never come up with the answer.
But, I can tell you three principles that we need to live by:
GOD is sovereign. Meaning HIS wisdom goes way beyond ours. HE knows all, and HIS ways are perfect.
BUT....... no buts, GOD is sovereign....period.
Habakkuk 2:4 - The righteous live by FAITH.
Live your life day by day. Take each day one day at a time.
We are taught this by the Lord's Prayer, and the parable of the birds.

Have a blessed day!
For Friday's reading start to take a look at Zephaniah, Haggai, and Zechariah.

Bible Trivia
Did Jesus know He was to be crucified?
Hint: Matthew 20:17-19

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We Need Your Prayers
A group of us are starting a church in Ocean Shores, WA. The Connection Church
We need and would covet your prayers! Since we have started this, satan has been right there, we have had two people with serious injuries, two families pets had to visit the vet/hospital, and I have had my disease is attacking again. If you would like to commit to prayer for us, please visit our Prayer Page page.

Hope to see you Friday! :)

Obadiah & Jonah

Today's Reading - Obadiah & Jonah

Good Monday Morning! I hope that you have had a restful weekend. Today we are looking at two more prophets; Obadiah and Jonah. Obadiah is a short book that is aimed at the Edomites; a people who did not support Israel when they were being destroyed. You can find a list of the crimes against the Edomites in verses 11-14. The main theme of Obadiah is that GOD will punish those who refuse to live justly & right.

Jonah is a great book that is very easy to read. I would encourage you to take the time to read it. Jonah answers the question whether GOD blesses the wicked. It should be read as a parable. As you are reading watch for GOD's control over nature, and animals. Jesus makes reference to this story in Mathew 12:39-41

Jonah 4:5-11 ESV5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the
city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under
it in the shade, till he should see what would become
of the city. 6 Now the LORD God appointed a plant and
made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over
his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was
exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came
up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the
plant, so that it withered.....
8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind,
and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was
faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better
for me to die than to live." 9 But God said to Jonah, "Do you do
well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to
be angry, angry enough to die." 10 And the LORD said,
"You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did
you make it grow, which came into being in a night and
perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh,
that great city, in which there are more than 120,000
persons who do not know their right hand from their
left, and also much cattle?"

A Little of Jonah in All of Us
As I read the story of Jonah, I can see a little of Jonah (Well a lot) in myself. See if you can identify with Jonah's attitude.

Have you ever felt that GOD was calling you to HIM, or to do a certain task? You may be resisting HIS calling... maybe you feel that you are not ready, maybe you are not ready to make the commitment, maybe it is something that you are against. Whatever your feelings may be, you turn away from GOD's calling, like Jonah. In fact Jonah headed for Tarshish, the exact opposite direction of Nineveh.

After some time of fleeing or avoiding GOD's calling you have either come to know or will come to know that once Jesus has begun to work in your heart, you usually will submit to Jesus' love for you. His love is intriguing, once you feel a small part of it, you must experience more. So, now you are becoming committed to His task, so you feel that it is yours.

That is so common today, when we do our everyday tasks it is so easy to forget that we have Jesus helping us, I know that I feel a lot of times that I have to do it all, I forget I am the servant, He is my master. All He asks me is to do my best, the results are up to Him, and I have to be OK with whatever He decides to do. He is Christ, I am not.

This is where Jonah failed. He forgot that GOD is sovereign, HE is in control. Jonah was the servant, but he forgot this and became angry with GOD. GOD even gave Jonah a wonderful example with the vine for shade. Jonah did nothing to cultivate the vine (Nineveh) so it was not his to dictate what happens to the vine. Nineveh was GOD's. He had been at work there for some time, it was HIS, not Jonah's.

In your life there are going to be things that happen that you will not agree with. I know it is hard because we have feelings and we care about certain situations. But, we must always remember that GOD is sovereign, HE knows best. Always look to Him whether things are good or bad.

Bible Trivia
What made Jonah angry enough to die?
Hint: Jonah 4:6-9


September's Reading Schedule

Have a Blessed Day!

Joel & Amos

Two Prophets Joel & Amos

Happy Friday. In today's readings we work our way through two small books of the Bible; Joel and Amos.
To give you a little history on both; Joel was written by Joel, son of Pethuel. The message of Joel is that there is going to come a day that GOD will intervene in human history. GOD has influences on our daily life, but, there will come a time when we will meet face to face. Only a changed heart and life though Jesus Christ will bring around restoration.
We also learn in Joel that GOD chastens/disciplines the ones HE loves.

Amos is a book that was written to a very specific group of people. Amos was prophesying to a rich society and people. The time period was during the reign of Uzziah, and Jeroboam. Do you remember Uzziah from 2 Chronicles 26:1-4?One trait that I like about Amos is that he was just a regular guy. GOD loves to use the ordinary and plain to do the extraordinary. That to me is always encouraging!

Amos 4:5, 5:21-235 Burn leavened bread as a thank
offering and brag about your freewill
offerings- boast about them, you Israelites,
for this is what you love to do,"
declares the Sovereign LORD. - NIV Version

21 "I hate, I despise your feasts,and I take
no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt
offerings and grain offerings,I will not
accept them;and the peace offerings
of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
deceased away from me the noise
of your songs;
to the melody of your harps
I will not listen. - ESV Version - Very strong words, huh?

Thought for the Day
Today, I thought that we would touch on both themes from Joel and Amos.Joel's message is very clear; every person currently living or deceased, will come face to face with GOD in judgement for their sins. No one will escape this judgement, no one. The one, the only thing that will save us is:

And everyone who calls
on the name of the LORD will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the LORD has said,
among the survivors
whom the LORD calls. Joel 2:32

Yes, it is that simple, and that easy; Jesus Christ. This is our mission, we as believers know this, but our friends and family are going to face the same judgement from GOD, and they may not know this. We MUST spread this good news, I cannot imagine myself before GOD receiving my judgement and seeing my friend next to me knowing that he is going to receive the same judgment, and I never told him the Good News.
What a shame I would feel if he were to look at me and ask, "Why did you never tell me about this?" I do not want to be in that position, even if it means that he may think I am a "Jesus Freak" here on earth.
Amos is directed at your heart. Amos wanted to make sure that your offerings to GOD are pure and true. Your "Offerings" are not only money, but can be time, worship, and life. We need to do a heart check every once in a while to make sure our motives are done with a pure heart.
We were watching the movie "Facing the Giants" (Good movie by the way), the movie had a great example of this. The head coach was in desperate need of a new car, so a player and his father gave him a new truck. They pushed his old car away, and left the new truck in it's place with a note on the window and the title in the truck.
The two sat in their car at a distance from the coach and watched him and his reaction. The coach saw GOD, and how HE met a need of his. I am sure that the coach knew it was someone that he knew, but GOD received the glory, not the player and his father. Just before the scene ended, the father said to the son, "No one knows about this." A wonderful offering from the heart to glorify GOD and meet a need of HIS body. Very cool! - Have a Blessed Weekend - Jim :)

Bible Trivia
Amos refers to a different kind of famine, not a famine for food or water, but a famine........?? Hint: Amos 11-12

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Have a Blessed Day!

Daniel

Do You Bring Glory to GOD? - Daniel

Good Morning! I hope that you have had a restful weekend and found time to read a little bit of Daniel. For me, it was a nice change up from reading about the sin that caused the doom and destruction of Jerusalem, to the triumph of taking a stand for GOD.

There are two good stories; The Fiery Furnace and Daniel and the Lions Den that would be worth your time reading.

To give you a little history on the book of Daniel. If you were to place Daniel in chronological order, it would appear around 2 Chronicles 36:4-10; the reign of king Jehoiakim. You see the Bible is not that hard when you start to put all the pieces together. Daniel should be divided into two parts, Chapters 1-6 tells of stories of Daniel, while chapters 7-12 tell of Daniel's visions of end times. These chapters would be a good companion to Revelation.

There are two other stories that are worth reading. One is a good story on dieting and the other is a king that GOD turned crazy, he started eating grass like a cow?!? This was due to his prideful ways. So, if you ever have a craving for grass, you may need to check your pride level. :)

Daniel 3:28-30 ESV
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed
be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who has sent his angel and delivered his servants,
who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command,
and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and
worship any god except their own God....
29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation,
or language that speaks anything against the God
of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn
limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there
is no other god who is able to rescue in this way."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Thought for the Day
These verses are the ending of the story of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. Daniel has two stories where a believer's faith was tested to the extreme. In both of these stories the situation must have been terribly stressful, try for a moment to put yourself in their position.

In both situations, it meant sure human death, if GOD did not intervene. But in both stories they went boldly, not knowing if GOD would rescue them, or if they would find themselves at Jesus' feet in heaven. I would imagine most of us would not have to have our faith tested to those extremes, but when your faith is tested by the fires of life, is GOD glorified?

We as followers face trials every day, some are very large, and some are minor, but all are a test of our faith. How you handle these fiery trials is an example of how strong your faith is. If you crumble, become discouraged, maybe become angry at GOD, your faith needs to be strengthened. But, if you endure these trials with the attitude that no matter the outcome, you will trust and keep the faith that GOD is sovereign.

Always know that your friends and the other people that know you, know what you believe and stand for. Every time you withstand a fiery trial, speaks volumes of your faith. You are a shinning example of Jesus without speaking a word, GOD is glorified, satan losses. Heh Heh Heh.
Remember this when you face the next trial. I truly believe that we will be rewarded for our faithfulness when we go home. Have a GOD Glorified Day! Jim

Bible Trivia
What new name was given to Daniel?
Hint: Daniel 1:7

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View September's Reading Schedule

We Need Your Prayers
A group of us are starting a church in Ocean Shores, WA. The Connection ChurchWe need and would covet your prayers! Since we have started this, satan has been right there, we have had two people with serious injuries, two families pets had to visit the vet/hospital, and I have had my disease is attacking again. If you would like to commit to prayer for us, please visit our Prayer Page page.

Have a Blessed Day!

Ezekiel 46-48

Are You Being Honest? - Ezekiel 46-48

Happy Friday! Today we finish with Ezekiel and over the weekend we will just about read all of Daniel. Over the weekend try and find some quiet time with GOD, maybe go to the park and read some of Daniel, it is a good story.As we finish with Ezekiel, we read about the vision Ezekiel is having with "The man" about the new temple, land boundaries, division of the land, and the customs that GOD is bringing back. I love the last phrase of the book of Ezekiel. It gives hope for the future city and hope in the hearts and mind of it's people. Perfect ending to the book.


Ezekiel 45:9-12
'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have gone far
enough, O princes of Israel! Give up your violence and
oppression and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing
my people, declares the Sovereign LORD. 10 You are to
use accurate scales, an accurate ephah and an accurate bath.
11 The ephah and the bath are to be the same size, the bath
containing a tenth of a homer and the ephah a tenth of a homer;
the homer is to be the standard measure for both. 12 The shekel
is to consist of twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty- five
shekels plus fifteen shekels equal one mina.

Thought for the Day
You might read the above verses and think that this only applies to people that run a business or company. So, if I do not own a company or business then it does not apply to me, right?

This principle applies to business people, and the individual and his or her personal life too. This principle should not only apply to our Christian brothers and sisters, but especially to our non- believing friends. What a great way to be an example for Jesus.

These principles go beyond money, I would call it personal integrity. Stop and think for a moment, think about some dealings that you have had with a friend or business contact. If you have a situation in mind, would you have done the same thing if Jesus were standing right next to you?

Maybe instead of lending that person money, you might have given that person the money, without asking anything in return. Maybe instead of selling an item for more than you think it was worth, you would have sold it for the true value. And here is a hard one, what if someone at the store gives you too much change back? You have left the building and are counting your change, and realize the store gave you $20 instead of $10. Do you say to yourself, "It was their careless mistake" or do you go back and return it to the cashier? No one else knows........ except Jesus.

The way that we conduct business with our money speak volumes about us as Christians. It is tempting when we are faced with these situations, but money, and our love for it, is one major value that separates us from the the world. Did you happen to notice in the scriptures, that if a person cheated another person on a measurement of a ephah, they were also cheating GOD? When that cheated person would offer up that ephah as a sacrifice it would not be a true ephah. I would think that GOD would not hold the cheated person responsible, but the person that did the cheating responsible.

Bible Trivia
What was the potter's field also known as?
Hint: Matthew 27:7-8

Have a Blessed Day!

Ezekiel 40-42

Your Duty As Believers - Ezekiel 40-42

Good Morning! Chapter 33 is the start of a new tone in the book. The tone changes from doom to hope and restoration. Chapter 33 and 34 give us, what I believe, is good insight on our accountability if you are a follower of Christ.Chapters 35 & 36 are more prophecies. Chapter 37 is a well known story that I am sure you have you have heard sermons on this chapter before; The Valley of Dry Bones.
Chapter 40 is a great turning point for the people of Israel. After being scattered and living in poverty GOD is going to bring HIS people together. GOD is going to breath life into the temple and gives Ezekiel dimension and instructions. Notice how GOD is a god of detail as you read chapters 40 and on.
The other verse worth noting is 33:11 GOD has said twice that he cares for the wicked in this book. He gives us a good example.

Ezekiel 33:7-9 NIV
7 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman
for the house of Israel; so hear the word I
speak and give them warning from me.
8 When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man,
you will surely die,' and you do not speak
out to dissuade him from his ways, that
wicked man will die for his sin, and I will
hold you accountable for his blood.
9 But if you do warn the wicked man
to turn from his ways and he does not do
so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.

Thought for the Day
These are some pretty strong words spoken by GOD. GOD will hold us accountable for others around us who are non-believers that are a part of our lives. I am not GOD and I do not know on what level of accountability we are going to be held, but I do know what it says in the Bible. We are told to GO and make disciples.

To be honest this really should come naturally. Once anyone has had an encounter with Jesus Christ, it is hard not to tell others what amazing things He has done in your life. If you are not there yet, I would encourage you to move into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Once you start to seek Him, He will meet you there and amazing things will start to take place in your life.

In sharing Jesus with others remember that everyone has their own style. For a long time I used to feel bad that I did not have a BOLD faith where I could just walk up to a stranger and preach fire and brimstone.

We have a person in our church plant that has this gift, and I really admire him for it. But that is not me, I have come to learn that I have other gifts and other ways of reaching people for Christ.

Jesus knows this, and He knows you. He will use you and your personality for His glory. Jesus needs all types, the bold and the shy. The important thing is that you are making a effort and allowing Jesus' love to shine through you.

In Closing.... September 13th and 14th is Rosh Hashanah or The Feast of Trumpets. I believe as Christians we need to be aware of the 7 "Holidays" or "Feasts" that GOD appointed with our ancestors. You can read more about the Jewish holiday in the link, be sure to click on the Shofar to hear it blow.
Rosh Hashanah is a day of no work and solemn rest. In searching for links of Rosh Hashanah I found this one minute video worth watching; never give up fighting!

Bible Trivia
What river divided when the prophet Elisha struck it with Elijah's cloak?
Hint: 2 Kings 2:12-14

Have a Blessed Day!

Ezekiel 33-36

satan - Behind the Scenes - Ezekiel 33-36

There are times when I am reading the Bible, my mind becomes distracted. It starts to wander and think about "Life." For me, when I read the Bible, I read in little portions, not chapter after chapter. By doing this I find I get more out of the text and the Bible stays fresh and alive.
The reason that I mentioned this, is if you were not paying attention you might of missed a very interesting section of our readings; Chapter 28:11-19 .
At once glance you would think that this is a prophecy against the King of Tyre, but these words are directed at someone totally different.
In studying the Bible there is what is called a double reference, another good example is when Jesus was speaking to Peter, but He was actually speaking to someone else. Jesus spoke to Peter and told him, Get behind me, Satan! This was not directed at Peter, but the force behind Peter.
Here Ezekiel is speaking to the King of Tyre, but the message is actually for the force behind the king; satan.

The picture below is the fantastic remains of the ancient Triumphal Arch in Tyre, Lebanon. In this prophecy GOD told Tyre that they were finished, and if you read the history of Tyre, was GOD said, came true.

Ezekiel 28:11-17 ESV
11 The word of the LORD came to me:
12 "Son of man, take up a lament concerning
the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what
the Sovereign LORD says: " 'You were the
model of perfection,full of wisdom and perfect
in beauty.
(A Human would not be a model of perfection)

13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God;
every precious
stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite,
onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
on the day you
were created they were prepared.
(Humans are born, not created)

14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
(Holy Temple of GOD)

15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
(Humans born are sinful, not blameless)

16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, O guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.

17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.

Thought for the Day
I do not know about you, but sometimes I ask myself, "Why does life have to be so hard at times?" In these times it is good to remind myself that I am involved in this huge cosmic battle between good and evil. I have taken a stand, and I now have this force that hates me and will do anything to take me down and make my life hard at times.

In Ephesians 6:12 we are told that "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Yes, satan does have influences on your life. This does not give us reason to fail and give in, it should give you a fire to fight! You are involved in this massive battle that is coming to an end. satan knows that he lost at the Cross and Ressurection (Heh heh heh sorry satan) so he wants to take as many people and families with him.

You might be thinking, how am I going to battle such a powerful force? One word, JESUS! You have to stay close to Jesus by praying, reading your Bible, surrounding yourself with other soliders.

One tatic that I believe satan is using these days is keeping us busy. We live in a 24/7 world. We have so many "things" and responsibilities these days, that it leaves little time for Jesus and church. If you can identify with this, fight back and make time for the things that are eternal.

So if you are feeling like "Life" is so dang hard, and why does it have to be like this? Remember there is a lot more going on around you that you cannot see. You are involved in the battle of all times, and the real cool thing...... we WIN! :) Keep fighting the good fight! Jesus knows what you are dealing with and He is there to help you, just call on Him.

Bible Trivia
What sin made satan fall?
Hint: Ezekiel 28:17

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A group of us are starting a church in Ocean Shores, WA. Please visit our web site; The Connection to watch us grow.
We would love your opinions as a believer or non- believer, please visit our Questionnaire Page. Please forward this page to your friends and family if you like, we need your input.
We need and would covet your prayers! Since we have started this, satan has been right there, the spiritual warfare has been pretty heavy. If you would like to commit to prayer for us, please visit our Prayer Page page.
Have a Blessed Day!

Ezekiel 22-24

WHY? - Ezekiel 22-24

Good Morning! Today we move through chapter 24. In our readings you will read about several oracles that are quite interesting to read. Have you noticed how the LORD addresses HIMSELF through the book of Ezekiel? Sovereign LORD, it appears time and time again.There is another chapter that is worth noting and reading. It is chapter 20. There is one theme that is repeated again and again; do not desecrate MY Sabbaths. The one word that jumped out at me, is "MY". GOD did not call it "The" Sabbath, HE called it MY, like HE is saying to us that it was/is personal to HIM.


Ezekiel 24:15-24 ESV
Ezekiel's Wife Dies
15 The word of the LORD came to me: 16 "Son of man,
behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away
from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep,
nor shall your tears run down. 17 Sigh, but not aloud;
make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban,
and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips,
nor eat the bread of men." 18 So I spoke to the people
in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the
next morning I did as I was commanded.
19 And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what
these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?"
20 Then I said to them, "The word of the LORD came to me:
21 'Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD:
Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power,
the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and
your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.
22 And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips,
nor eat the bread of men. 23 Your turbans shall be on your heads
and your shoes on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but
you shall rot away in your iniquities and groan to one another.
24 Thus shall Ezekiel be to you a sign; according to all that he
has done you shall do. When this comes, then you will know
that I am the Lord GOD.'

Thought for the Day
Wow, after you read this story there is not much else you can say. Can you even try and put yourself in Ezekiel's shoes for a moment? I am not sure if I can.

Imagine GOD telling you that HE is going to kill your spouse or loved one for the cause of the project that He is having you work on. For me, we are starting a church in Ocean Shores If GOD told me that HE was going to take Kim (my wife), and because of her dying, others would see the example and learn. I think that I would say,"Forget the church LORD, I do not want to be involved anymore!" What would be your response to GOD?

What a test of faith on Ezekiel's part. And to make matters harder, GOD told Ezekiel that he was not to mourn, he was to dress normal with a festive turban and sandals. He could not act or dress like he was in mourning. If you remember, the "Act" of mourning was very big back them. A person would put on a sackcloth, maybe shave, and put ash on his/her face. To ask Ezekiel not to mourn was HUGE!

There are two points that I wanted to make to get you thinking. Serving GOD at times is not easy, and at times there are going to be situations that do not make sense, in fact it may even cause you to think, "This is not worth it." It is OK to think these things, because when you work through these feelings you will come out a stronger person.

Just make sure you work through them, or have someone help you through. Do not let the situation push you away from Jesus. Yes, know that GOD will take you places and will ask you to do things that you are not going to want to do, or go. But, you must. GOD will never leave you and if He brings you into a situation, HE will see you through it.

In closing, you always need to remember this; how you act during a personal crisis can speak much louder than any words could.

Know that whatever you are going through is inspiring a lot of other people. You do not have to tell your story or preach, people know, and you give them hope. The pain that you will go through will inspire many.

Bible Trivia
When Moses died, in what land did GOD bury him?
Hint: Deuteronomy 34:5-6

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Our Church PlantA group of us are starting a church in Ocean Shores, WA. Please visit our web site; The Connection to watch us grow.
We would love your opinions as a believer or non- believer, please visit our Questionnaire Page. Please forward this page to your friends and family if you like, we need your input.
We need and would covet your prayers! Since we have started this, satan has been right there, the spiritual warfare has been pretty heavy. If you would like to commit to prayer for us, please visit our Prayer Page page.

Have a Blessed Weekend!

Ezekiel 17-19

Where is Your Heart? - Ezekiel 17-19

Good Morning! I really enjoyed the chapters that we read today. Did you happen to catch verse 18:32? I know that there are many that believe GOD is this almighty being that is waiting for you do do something wrong, then punish or destroy you. This verse tells of just the opposite.


Ezekiel 14:2-3, 16:30And the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man,
these men have taken their idols into their hearts,
and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces.
"How sick is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, because you
did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute

Thought for the Day
Chapter 16 is a neat allegory. I would encourage you to take time to read it. It is a love story of betrayal and unfaithfulness. It is a story that if you were to change the names and make it into a story that anyone could relate in today's world, we would shake our head in sorrow, and curse the unfaithful one. But, we are those unfaithful ones.

I believe that from time to time, we all need a "Heart check?" We need to take time and make sure that our priorities are lining up. Two areas that I always seem to need improvement on are; time and money.

Time is very easy. Make a list of what you spend the most time on and the least amount of time. Now, I am sure that unless you are a monk or nun you are not going to be spending 12 hours a day praying, reading your Bible, or just spending time with GOD. But I would hope that it does appear on your list. If it is on your list, compare that time to your other, leisure, time.

How does it compare to your TV or computer time? I just did one of the time checks and realized that I was not spending enough time in prayer. It is funny how you start out good, and it is a priority, but life seems to get in the way. You really have to fight for your GOD time.

Money is the other "Heart Check" When was the last time you sat down and figured out how much you are tithing? Or maybe you are at the point of looking at..... if you are not tithing. I have come to learn that the actual act of tithing is what is not important, it is the TRUST that GOD is in control. You are depending on HIM and not of the world to get you by day by day.

This has been very hard for me, you see, I like to control my money. I always have, so this is a day by day growth process for me. One thing that I have learned is that GOD works with your daily needs. HE wants you to need HIM day by day. Just think, if GOD put a million dollars in your bank account, do you think that you would need HIM as much as when you need HIM day by day. I know that I would start to become a little comfortable.

One other little voice that has been echoing in my head, is that you can not out give GOD. I am trying to get up enough faith to challenge HIM in this area. Have you ever thought about that, or tried it? It is hard, I know.
I hope that you find time this week for a "Heart Check" we all need occasional tune ups. Have a great day! - Jim

Bible Trivia
What does GOD compare idol worship too?
Hint: Ezekiel 16:32

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Our Church PlantA group of us are starting a church in Ocean Shores, WA. Please visit our web site; The Connection to watch us grow.We would love your opinions as a believer or non- believer, please visit our Questionnaire Page. Please forward this page to your friends and family if you like, we need your input.We need and would covet your prayers! Since we have started this, satan has been right there, the spiritual warfare has been pretty heavy. If you would like to commit to prayer for us, please visit our Prayer Page page.
Have a Blessed Day!

Ezekiel 10-13

Are You Honest with GOD? - Ezekiel 10-13

Happy Labor Day! I hope that you are enjoying this last big three day weekend before the fall season.
Over the weekend we started Ezekiel. Ezekiel was an Israelite priest and prophet who was taken to Babylon with the first wave of captives from Judah around 598 B.C.Ezekiel contains a variety of prophetic visions and oracles, which Ezekiel presented to the exiles over a 22 year period. Ezekiel has some bizarre visions that are quite interesting to read. Chapters 1 and 2 are a great examples.If you have an artist or if you connect with GOD through an expression of art, here is a neat exercise. Read Ezekiel 1, then draw what you are reading. If you like, send your drawing to me and I will post it in the devotional.

Jeremiah 20:7-13 ESV
7 O LORD, you have deceived me,
and I was deceived;
you are stronger than I,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all the day;
everyone mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I cry out,
I shout, "Violence and destruction!
"For the word of the LORD has become for mea reproach and derision all day long.
9 If I say, "I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,
"there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
10 For I hear many whispering.
Terror is on every side!
"Denounce him! Let us denounce him!"
say all my close friends,
watching for my fall.
"Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we can overcome him
and take our revenge on him."
11 But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble;
they will not overcome me.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonor
will never be forgotten.
12 O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous,
who sees the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.
13 Sing to the LORD;
praise the LORD!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hand of evildoers.

Thought for the Day
While I work I listen to a lot of sermons, podcasts from various pastors that I like. I was listening to one that got me thinking about Jeremiah again, so I went back and visited our friend Jeremiah.

One trait that I admire about Jeremiah, was how he was honest with GOD. Let's face it, if you move to the front line in GOD's army, there are going to be things that GOD asks you to do which will be difficult. You may not be the most popular person, you may be ridiculed, and even not liked by non-believers, and yes, even other believers.

I believe that a good test of your relationship with Christ is your ability to be honest with Him. There were several occasions where Jeremiah complained to GOD; See Jeremiah 11:18-12:6; 15:10-21; 17:14-18; 18:18- 23; 20:7-13, 14-18. In these passages you will read where Jeremiah expresses his frustrations of being GOD's prophet.

So, how honest are you with GOD? Do you tell HIM when you are sad, mad, hurt, frustrated, or are just struggling to keep it all together? Please do not misunderstand me, being honest with GOD is not bashing, or being hurtful to HIM. There should always be the underlying respect and honor for who HE is. Being honest means acknowledging who GOD is, but telling HIM, I do not get this!

One experience that I had, when I was very sick, I was very angry at GOD. I remember nights in bed yelling at HIM, "I do not understand", I asked HIM repeatedly "What are you doing to me?" "WHY?" Through this experience my relationship with HIM grew. My honesty took our relationship to a new level, I now know that I can be very honest with HIM and have HIM still love me the same, plus, I felt much better getting those feelings off my chest. HE knows what you are feeling and thinking anyway, so why not verbally express it?

If you are not at the point in your relationship where you are honest with GOD. Move in that direction. It is very emotionally freeing and you will find yourself in a deeper friendship with Jesus. :)

Bible Trivia
What did GOD ask Ezekiel to eat?
Hint: Ezekiel 3:1-3

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Our Church Plant
A group of us are starting a church in Ocean Shores, WA. Please visit our web site; The Connection to watch us grow.
We would love your opinions as a believer or non- believer, please visit our Questionnaire Page. Please forward this page to your friends and family if you like, we need your input.
We need and would covet your prayers! Since we have started this, satan has been right there, the spiritual warfare has been pretty heavy. If you would like to commit to prayer for us, please visit our Prayer Page page.
Enjoy Your Labor Day!