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Ezekiel_10

Scripture Ezekiel 10:18Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. Observation - What does it say?If Ezekiel has been a bit confusing for you, check out this short animated overview. https://youtu.be/R-CIPu1nko8Understanding - What does it mean?God, in his holiness, will not dwell with unholy people.The Israelites had worshiped idols in the very temple created for God to be worshipped and to dwell with his people. This intense idolatry led to the destruction of those Israelite idol worshippers and God’s glory departing from his temple.There is nothing like God’s presence. We were created to dwell with him. It’s where we will find every desire of our heart fully satisfied. Moses pointed out in Exodus 33 that God’s presence with his people would be the only thing that set them apart among the nations. For that reason, he pleaded with God to not send him anywhere that God would not accompany him. Israel lost the battle at Ai because Achan had sinned, causing God to not go out to battle with them. But once Israel cleansed their community by removing Achan, God's presence returned and they triumphed the next time they faced Ai. Life ApplicationI recognize that I’m not that special. I don’t have any particular gifts or talents that would enable me to change the world. I don’t have tons of money in the bank or access to other resources that would enable me to accomplish significant things (I’m not depressed… lol. Just follow me.). Bottom line is that the only thing that is going to set me apart and enable me to accomplish anything of great eternal significance, is the presence of God in my life.Therefore, I would be stupid to be nonchalant about dabbling in sin! Jesus calls us to be perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect. Paul commanded Timothy to cleanse himself of common practices so he could become an instrument for noble purposes. Jesus wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus commanding them to repent and return to their first love or else their lampstand (symbolizing God’s presence) would be removed from them.God, forgive me for my sins! Please examine our hearts and bring conviction of sin. May we never see your glory depart from us because we are living double lives, worshipping you one moment, but giving ourselves to sin the next. May your glory never leave us! Amen.
 
-Levi Thompson
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1 Peter_1

Scripture  
1 Peter 1:6-9  In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. Observation-What does it say?  The letters of 1 & 2 Peter were written by “The Rock.” Not the wrestler, but the apostle.  The one who was so zealous for the Lord, he was willing to cut off a man’s ear.  He was also the one who denied knowing Jesus, not once but three times.  He was the one who proclaimed the Lord’s salvation on the day of pentecost.  It is also believed that Peter was crucified as a martyr for his profession of Jesus.  Needles to say, Peter experienced his share of joy and tribulation as a Christian.    In the beginning of his first letter, Peter writes to his audience about the joy to be found in following Jesus.  He gives us two reasons to be filled with joy in this life, despite the possibility of suffering tribulation.  “The first reason for our joy is the great future God promises us and his unswerving commitment to keep it for us and us for it. In other words, our joy is based on the happiness of our future with God and the certainty that we will make it there...The second reason is that God has a design for our distresses in this life”(John Piper).   Understanding-What does it mean?  For some reason, the phrase “the proof is in the pudding” has surfaced several times in my life recently.  Whether the source be from a pod-cast I am listening to, an article I’m reading, or a colleague of mine saying the phrase, it has been circling around in my life recently.  While I think it’s a strange phrase, and even though I like pudding, I always find it gross to think about.  It’s as if I have to reach my hand into a bowl of pudding to find some sort of clue or evidence of something.  I can be a little weird about textures.But, in our faith, the proof is more than just in the pudding.  Our faith is evidenced by the way we love others.  Our love of others is in response to the great love that God bestows on us as adopted children and heirs to the kingdom (1 John 4:19, Romans 8:17).  It’s because we have our hope set on the kingdom of heaven that we can find joy in the unpleasant but temporary circumstances here on earth (James 1:2-4).  It is also this faith that is the evidence of heaven (Hebrews 11:1). 
Life Application  
Jesus, help me to show my hope through loving others.  In times of distress, uncertainty, or financial hardship, help me to seek out others to show your love to.  And when I start feeling as though I can’t make it, help me to know I can lean on your understanding.  
 
-Tyler Galloway
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Ezekiel_8

Scripture - What stood out?Ezekiel 8:6 And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable.”Observation - What does it say?Ezekiel 8 is a very detailed description of a vision of God that the prophet Ezekiel had. The focus of this chapter is idol worship. The idol of jealousy, personal idols, sun worship, the mourning of the false god Tammuz are all mentioned in this vision.Although this is a description of the spiritual state of the nation of Judah, and an extreme one at that, this is also an apt description of what goes on inside our own hearts where today - post Jesus - the temple of God resides. Cue the run on sentences!Understanding - What does it mean?I really wish I could post the entire chapter as my scripture portion. When I read this chapter I knew I was reading about actual idols being worshiped at that time in history, but I was really forced to ask myself again, “Ken, are you replacing God with anything in your life right now?” That is my working definition of idol worship today. Most of us don’t worship other gods outright anymore. Not in this country anyway. What we do instead is replace God with other things that in no way shape or form are anywhere near as dangerous as actual idols...right? I am talking to myself here. Seriously.And then there is this verse from the same chapter: 16 He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east.Here is another gut check. These 25 men were in the inner court of the house of God, and they still chose to turn their backs on him and worship the sun! Can you imagine that? And so of course I had to ask myself…”What am I doing currently, inside my own heart (the current-day temple of God) where I have turned my back on God as I turn to glorify and worship something else.Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?
God help me to identify areas of my life that I knowingly or unknowingly keep from you. Whatever I have labelled as “none of God’s concern” may I turn that over to you. Help me to grab hold of all the things that I have placed above you - jealousies, hurts, worries, sorrows, ambitions, lusts - and put them in their rightful place, far away from your number one spot in my heart. Help me today to identify one area of my life that I have placed above you somehow and help me to lay it before you today. In Jesus’s name do I pray. Amen.
 
 

-kenneth lee

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