Daily Devotional Writing From Pastor Scott

Daniel 6: God...closed the mouths of the lions.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:38:44 -0500

Daniel's political enemies might have conspired to have him thrown into the den of lions but they couldn't control the lions, themselves. God sends an angel to do that and his man survives unscathed his night with the big cats. The king is relieved. After all, it was his gullible foolishness that caused all of this in the first place. He's ready to acknowledge the power and authority of Daniel's God. Darius then turns his attention to the conspirators and their families. He has them all thrown into the lion's den. God's angel has already departed and they come to a horrible end. As I read this I'm reminded that Daniel represents God in a wicked and heartless regime. Nebuchadnezzar, it seems, had a genuine change of heart. Darius, on the other hand, has been impressed and humbled by Daniel's God and from now on he will treat Daniel's God with respect. In other words, Darius' experience was not nearly as personal as was Nebuchadnezzar's. Daniel prospers under Darius and then under Cyrus. Apparently, neither of these two become worshipers of the Lord but they respect Daniel and his God. We Christians have something to learn here. If possible, we want people to become believers -- to join us in worship of the only One worthy of worship. However, we may not always see that happen. In some cases the best we will see is that others will decide we and our faith have earned their respect. Hopefully, that will be a first step to something more for them, but that decision is out of our hands.

Daniel 6: Your God...is going to get you out of this.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:02:30 -0500

Darius' ego trip has put one of his most loyal supporters in jeopardy. The command making himself the only object of prayer was a dumb one in the first place. Who does he think he is anyway! I see that when the trap is sprung that Darius works all day long trying to find a way to reverse it. I don't get that one. Law of the Medes and Persians or not, he is the King after all. Finally, Darius gives up and prepares to toss Daniel into the den of lions. Darius gives Daniel a pep talk and in he goes. In this passage Darius is cut a lot of slack so I need to be careful in how I think about it. Still, I have to admit that Darius gets under my skin a bit. He makes a dumb law then, even though he is king and all, can't figure a way out of it. He then tells Daniel, "Your God...is going to get you out of this." If Darius had all this faith in God why did he issue his silly decree in the first place?" But, of course, he is right. God is King of kings and he is King over the king of the beasts. The lions are under his authority and God controls them through the night. As I say, I don't want to be too hard on Darius, but it's not smart to place oneself or others in jeopardy through our own foolishness and then say, "God will take care of things." I'm glad that the Lord is gracious to me in my silliness, but I don't want to tempt the Lord either.

Daniel 6: He continued to pray just as he had always done.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:11:23 -0500

The king has been duped by Daniel's political enemies into banning prayer. They're sure Daniel will "break the law" and pray anyway...and they are right. I like the phrase "he continued to pray just as he had always done." One can't "continue" to pray unless he is in the habit of praying in the first place. Daniel has lived in a pagan culture for a long time but he has found an anchor in prayer. Three times each day he retreats to a place of prayer, keeping his connection with his God intact. Through the years he has risen to a powerful position in multiple administrations. He has been an explainer of dreams and a solver of mysteries. Now we see the key to it all. Daniel prayed. I don't think we can overestimate the importance of "continuing to pray."

Daniel 6: We're never going to find anything against this Daniel unless we can cook up something religious.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:31:53 -0500

At the end of chapter five we find a simple statement that Darius the Mede was made king. Apparently, there's a lot of history loaded into that statement. The handwriting on the wall informed the now dead Belshazzar that his kingdom was going to be handed over to the "Medes and Persians," a confederacy that rose to challenge the power of Babylonia. Apparently, there's a lot of historical push and shove concerning all that happened in that take over. Daniel spares us all that, barely mentioning his own rise to authority in the reorganized kingdom, now under the rule of Darius. This king recognizes leadership capability when he sees it and makes Daniel, first, one of his three vice-regents, and then moves to make Daniel the man in charge. Of course, there are those who oppose this elevation of Daniel and they scramble to find some way to discredit him. When they can't come up with anything, they focus in on his religion. They conclude that his devotion to his God is his weakest point and decide to attack there. I know it isn't intended, but what a compliment to Daniel! After living among the Babylonians for many years he's still known for his devotion to the Lord. It all started many years earlier when he decided to keep the dietary laws of his religion. Now, we see him untouched by the pagan culture. Things are about to get dicey for Daniel, but for now, he can say "thanks" to his enemies for the compliment.

Daniel 5: Mene, Teqel, Peres.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:46:47 -0500

Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, only makes a brief appearance on the grand stage of Biblical history and in that appearance he is a drunken loser. In spite of the fact that his father's story is well known Belshazzar chooses stupid arrogance and practically dares the God his father came to honor to do anything to stop him. So, God Almighty takes up his dare. Even as Belshazzar uses the items taken from the Temple as table ware for a drunken party the hand of God appears to write the three words of condemnation. As Daniel explains to him, "God has numbered your life and it just doesn't add up! He has weighed the value of your life and it doesn't make weight. He has decided to divide your kingdom and give it to others." This unworthy man's life is about to end in an unworthy way. It's pitiful isn't it! Nebuchadnezzar has already done all the heavy lifting for his son. Not only did he hand over to him the most powerful kingdom on earth, but Nebuchadnezzar went through the years of out-of-his-mind torment to get his head screwed on straight about the God of the Hebrews. All Belshazzar had to do was pick up where his father left off. Instead we get stupidity. The Lord expects him to gain from his father's experience. When he doesn't do it, it's "Mene, Teqel, Peres" and a brief appearance on the world stage before going down in flames.

Daniel 4: He knows how to turn a proud person into a humble man or woman.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:14:12 -0500

In his mercy the Lord dealt with Nebuchadnezzar in a direct and attention getting way. Here was a man driven by arrogance and drunk with power. The Lord stripped all that away from him and sent him out into the wilderness for seven years. That sounds like a long time, but it's short compared to the 40 years it took the Israelites to learn a similar lesson. We don't know what has happening inside of Nebuchadnezzar during those long years of insanity, but somehow God was dealing with him and the end result was filled with redemption. In fact, one of the strongest examples of this is the fact that Nebuchadnezzar is allowed to write his own testimony, found here. His words are filled with humble praise and thanksgiving to God. This is a case of strong discipline yielding very desirable results. Nebuchadnezzar was made into a new man by the grace of God. Know what? That's just the kind of stuff God does. The focus here shouldn't be on seven years of mental illness - that only came as a last resort. The central issue here is that God takes messed up lives and makes them new. The "grass diet" was just the method. The made-new life was the result. Nebuchadnezzar isn't complaining about the diet, but he certainly thanks the Lord for what he did for him.

Daniel 4: The High God rules human kingdoms and puts whomever he wishes in charge.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:46:56 -0500

When Daniel gave the king the meaning of his dream of warning the ball was placed in Nebuchadnezzar's court. He could humbly respond to the Lord's overtures to him or not. In the terms of tennis, he "whiffed it." That is, he totally bungled the opportunity he was given. At the beginning he was ignorant concerning the God Daniel worshipped and could be cut some slack when he didn't get it. Now, he's not only seen what this God can do, he's heard from him personally -- not once, but twice. It's time for him to respond. Instead, he chooses to tip his hat to the Lord and then continue as he always has. As Nebuchadnezzar congratulates himself on all "he" has done the Lord moves on his life in one last act of mercy: the Lord grants to him a mental breakdown! I know it doesn't sound much like mercy -- it seems more like judgment. However, if dreams and miracles can't get his attention the Lord has only two choices: destroy him or humble him. It is in mercy that the Lord humbles Nebuchadnezzar. I see here the commitment God has made to redeem the lost. When human wisdom might dictate giving up and moving on to the next candidate, God says, "Let's give it one more try -- this time, maybe some strong medicine will do the trick." I don't think God routinely causes mental breakdowns, but I do think he goes to extreme measures in granting mercy to us. He is, indeed, the God of "Second Chances."

Daniel 4: Make a clean break with your sins...quit your wicked life...then you will continue to have a good life.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:15:42 -0500

Daniel 4: Make a clean break with your sins...quit your wicked life...then you will continue to have a good life.
Nebuchadnezzar's been dreaming again. This time he dreams of a larger-than-life tree that commands the landscape and provides for all around it. In the dream God orders the tree to be cut down but the stump be saved. Nebuchadnezzar wants to know the meaning of the dream and Daniel comes through for him. The kings "statue" dream was about his kingdom. His "tree" dream is about him personally. The Lord is weary of Nebuchadnezzar's ignoring him. When there are miraculous events that declare God Almighty to him Nebuchadnezzar gives God lip service, but goes on living his own way. This time, the Lord will touch his life directly to humble him enough that he will stop merely declaring the Lord to be God but will start acting as though he believes it is so. After explaining the dream to Nebuchadnezzar Daniel pleads with him to respond now and avoid the reality of what he has dreamed. In other words, through the dream and Daniel's interpretation of it Nebuchadnezzar is being given a choice. If he continues as he is the dream will become reality. If he repents right now and changes his ways he can continue "to have a good life." I see this as an example of the openness of God. Nebuchadnezzar's future is not already set, but based on how he responds to this warning, it is already known. If he heeds this warning from God things will go one way. If he ignores it, things will go the other. In this I see the Lord as knowing, not just one set future, but all possible futures. In this application we see God not only warning Nebuchadnezzar, but offering him a much more desirable alternative. Still, the Lord won't negate his free will...the ball is in his court.

Daniel 3: I see four men, walking around freely in the fire.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:01:09 -0500

A "theophany" is the appearance of God in human forum, specifically in the Old Testament. Abraham and Jacob and Moses had such encounters and then there is this incident: three men are tossed into the fire, but the king sees four. I understand that there are theological reasons to hesitate here, but I'm glad to hide behind the "devotional" aspect of my writing and leap wholeheartedly into this fire! The Hebrews are being executed because of their faithfulness to the Lord. Then, in the fire, we see a fourth man who, even the pagan king, can tell us "God-like." On that day Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego experienced a "theophany." They met the Lord in that furnace and he protected them from the fire! The furnaces of life might scare me to death, but it is in those places that I find One who is not only unafraid, but is in complete authority. Since he is God he can appear in whatever form he wants, and because he is God there is nothing that is going to happen to me there that he does not allow and can't see me through.

Daniel 3: The God we serve can rescue us...but even if he doesn't....

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:50:28 -0500

I love this story! The pagan king orders the three Hebrew men to worship his statue; it's either worship or die in the furnace. Their response is one for the ages: "The God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace...but even if he doesn't...we still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up." Now, that's trusting faith! I've never been where they are and I hope I never am. However, if such a day comes I pray that I'll have the same backbone they did. At a much less intense level, I'm taken by their "even if he doesn't" statement. They knew what God "could" do but they weren't sure of what he "would" do. If they're given a choice, they'll vote for divine rescue, but, obviously they aren't the ones choosing. If they have to, they'll go with option two: obedience even to death. I, too, believe the Lord knows how to rescue his people. However, there are times when it seems God has something bigger going on and my predicament is not at the core of what is happening. At times like that the Lord trusts me to trust him. So, "even if he doesn't" do what I want, I must declare my allegiance to him and then hold fast to it.

Daniel 3: Anyone who does not kneel and worship shall be thrown...into a...furnace.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:24:32 -0500

Any pollster will agree that an opinion freely given is more valuable than one that starts with, "If you don't say this I'll kill you." One response of Nebuchadnezzar to his dream is to build a statue of himself and then command everyone to worship it. Can't you imagine him watching this show and commenting, "See how they love me!" The truth of the matter is that there's a lot more self-preservation than love going on in that event. This is leadership at its worst. A boss who says, "Do it or I'll fire you" or a parent who says, "Do it or I'll whip you" or a pastor who says, "Do it or God will get you" is a graduate of Nebuchadnezzar's school of leadership. In this case, what the king wants is wrong in the first place, but even if what he wanted people to do was clearly the right thing he is going about it in the wrong way. Real leaders lead by vision and example. People follow because they have joined themselves to that vision and believe that the leader is the person who can help them get there. Jesus didn't say, "Follow me or you're going to hell." Instead, he said, "Follow me and I'll make you fishers of men."

Daniel 2: Your God is beyond question the God of all gods, the Master of all kings.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:59:15 -0500

So, with Nebuchadnezzar now convinced that the Lord is God and Master of all, things are going to smooth out for the Hebrews, right? Wrong! Truth be told, Nebuchadnezzar hasn't a clue. He takes Daniel's dream interpretation and goes right out to build a statue of himself, based on that dream. He then demands that everyone, including those who worship the Master of all kings, bow down to him instead. I'm telling you he is clueless! The dream episode impacted Nebuchadnezzar and in that his attitude concerning God Almighty changed. However, his application of this new knowledge is skewed and greatly lacking. In fact, he is years away from anything close to a humble relationship with his Creator. I've seen it in people's lives. A person prays the sinner's prayer and receives Christ and then, within two weeks does something so ill advised that I can hardly believe it. At one time I would have concluded that they had "back slid." However, I've come to realize that, while it is true that some have "looked back" others are still in the process of becoming believers. They aren't sure what it means to follow Jesus, so they do silly stuff and stumble along, putting their spiritual lives in great jeopardy. Nebuchadnezzar has made a big move in declaring Daniel's God the God of all gods. However, he's a long way from what that God of all gods wants to accomplish in his life. In fact, his journey has only begun.

Daniel 2: There is a God in heaven who solves mysteries, and he has solved this one.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:52:59 -0500

Daniel is the interpreter of dreams. When Nebuchadnezzar has a disturbing dream it is Daniel who comes through, not only with the interpretation of the dream, but the dream itself. This good man is always careful to give credit where credit is due, and he tells this pagan king that it is his God who has solved this mystery. "All the king's horses and all the king's men" couldn't do it, but God could and did. Daniel describes the dream and then he explains the meaning. The vexing mystery is unraveled for Nebuchadnezzar and he likes what he hears. I haven't had any deep, meaningful dreams of late. However, life does have more than its share of mysteries. Who hasn't asked, at some point, "why?" If you've never received one of those middle-of-the-night phone calls I'm happy for you but don't think that call will never come. Sooner or later we all face some mystery of life. I'm glad today to be reminded that "there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries." In this statement Daniel reveals his Source. God is the great Mystery-Solver.

Daniel 2: If it please your majesty, tell us the dream.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:14:08 -0500

Nebuchadnezzar is having some repeating, vivid dreams and he's sure they are a message from some god. He has an entire division of wise men who are supposed to be experts in such things but he suspects that they are all just carnival fortune tellers. He knows that if he tells them his dream that they'll make up an interpretation so he decides to really put them to the test. Not only are they to interpret his dream, they are to first tell him the dream, itself. If they can do that he'll know something supernatural is going on. Nebuchadnezzar also has decided on an incentive plan for his wise men. If they can't tell him his dream he'll kill them and their families. If they do tell him, he'll make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. I can't help but feel sorry for the fortunetellers who are in over their heads. If the king told them his dream some would, no doubt, take it quite seriously and try to figure it out for him. I am also a bit frustrated with Nebuchadnezzar. Here is a man arrogant in his power. The lives of all these men and their loved ones (including Daniel and his friends) are, in his eyes, disposable. However, the Lord knows all of this and is using it for his own purposes. Nebuchadnezzar has already been impressed with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah as individuals. Now, he's going to find out about the God they serve.

Daniel 1: Daniel determined that he would not defile himself by eating the king's food.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:11:38 -0500

The hardest time for me to stay on a diet is when I'm on vacation. There are so many nice places to eat, we're out of our routine, and there's the strange notion that "what happens on vacation stays on vacation." One "off diet" meal leads to another and I end up bringing home, not just pleasant memories and photos of all the places we saw, but a few extra pounds too. Of course, Daniel and his companions aren't on vacation. They've been taken against their will to a distant land with little hope of returning home. Even if they did go back, things are very different than when they left. Still, they are in very pleasant surroundings. They're part of the household of the most powerful king on earth and they're being groomed to serve in the royal court. Their rations are not bread and water, but the richest of foods and the finest of wines. The thing is that their religion has strict dietary rules. That pork chop might look quite tasty, but it's forbidden to them by their God. If I struggle with my diet just because I'm a few hundred miles from home, think of their struggle. The Temple, Jerusalem, and their family ties are all in their past. Do the rules even apply anymore? If they do just go along with what is being asked of them where will it take them next? Does saying "yes" here mean they will be expected to say "yes" somewhere else, like, for instance, the worship of an idol? Daniel decides to draw the line right where he is. He's a follower of God and God has given him some dietary rules. He'll be respectful, but he'll hold steady at this minor point. If he never starts down the path away from God he'll never end up where that path leads. I don't know if this passage will help me stay on my diet or not, but it certainly can help me remember that spiritual failure doesn't start with my rejecting God in some big way - it starts with little things. If I win there, I'm much more likely to conquer the "biggie" when it shows up.

Daniel 1: The Master handed King Jehoiakim of Judah over to him.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:45:19 -0500

My devotional journey moves now to the book of Daniel. I'm glad to arrive here. For several months I've spent time in some of the hard scrabble writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. I'm ready to enjoy some devotional reading of some of the greatest stories of the Bible. Daniel isn't above giving us visions and prophecies - in fact, his book is divided almost equally between stories of God's deliverance and prophecies of God's sovereignty. For now, though, I'm looking forward to Daniel's rise to prominence in Babylon, the story of the fiery furnace, and, of course, the lion's den! The events of Daniel take place around 600 years before Christ. When King Jehoiakim of Judah rebels against his master Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon Jerusalem is attacked and brought to her knees. The Temple is ransacked and many of its citizens are taken captive. Among the captives are members of the royal line. Nebuchadnezzar's policy is to pick of the best of the people of this defeated nation and indoctrinate them into the ways of his nation. Daniel is one of those chosen for this. Off he goes to Babylon, apparently, under the control of a king and government that has no interest in his Hebrew heritage. In this dark hour of uncertainty it may have seemed that God had lost interest in them, but it isn't so. Things are just getting interesting!

Ezekiel 48: The name of the city will be Yahweh-Shammah: "God-is-There."

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:14:39 -0500

In his vision Ezekiel continues measuring the Temple and the land surrounding it. He sees a stream flowing out of the Temple that increases in size, giving life to all it touches. The prophet measures out divisions in the land and finds that there is a place for all the people of Israel; no one is excluded. Ezekiel sees that there are gates named after each tribe, providing abundant entrance to all who will come. He then concludes that the Holy City will be christened with a new name: "Yahweh-Shammah." In that, he understands that people far and near will conclude the same thing, that heaven has come to earth and that God is now with us. After journeying through Ezekiel for some time now and hearing his pain-filled sermons I find this passage to be a welcoming place to land: a flowing river, green trees, and the Holy City with space for all who will come to the Presence of God. That's God's intent for Israel and it's his intent for all Creation. If you think about it, the book of Revelation follows the same pattern: war, suffering, hard times giving way to eternity as the Lord intended it in the first place. For Ezekiel a vision of God's intentions is all about the restoration of Israel and the Temple. The Revelator paints a broader picture, but that River is still there and his rebuilt Jerusalem comes down out of heaven. For both, the end result is "Yahweh-Shammah." I join both of these godly men in looking forward to that day.

Ezekiel 43: Draw a picture...

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:21:07 -0500

As a casual reader, one of the bewildering portions of Ezekiel has been, to me, all the measuring that takes place in the final chapters of the book. In his vision Ezekiel crawls all over the Temple measuring every nook and cranny, carefully making note of every inch. If I thought about it at all I thought maybe these were the plans for the promised rebuilding of the Temple. However, I don't think that's the actual intent. The Lord tells Ezekiel, "Draw a picture so they can see the design and meaning and live by its design and intent." Concerning the Temple the prophet is told, "Everything around it becomes holy ground." God had called the people of Israel to be his own, holy nation. All the laws, rituals, and even the construction of the Temple had the purpose of helping to bring that to pass. In this case Ezekiel is to rediscover the power of the architecture of that place of worship. Ezekiel's vision of the Temple is to remind his people of how far they have fallen from the holiness to which they were called. It is also intended to give them hope and call them back to God. Ezekiel is going to go right on with his vision, talking about the rituals and the work of the priests and the feasts, all with that same intent. However, I'm still thinking about the purpose of sacred space. The Temple was not just built to be a functional place of worship. It was to call people to holiness -- a place set apart for the worship of a God set apart by a people set apart. The layout and the furnishings were not just for practical use. Just looking at the building was to create longing for holiness. I don't know that I'm deep enough to fully grasp this, but I'm reminded today that as I read of Ezekiel with his tape measure that there's more going on than just the drawing of blueprints.

Ezekiel 39: I'll use them to demonstrate my holiness with all the nations watching.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:19:16 -0500

The prophet has encouraging words for the broken people of God. The Lord will breathe life back into their dry bones and the nation will be brought back from the destruction that has come. It is at this point that Ezekiel turns his attention to the "distant future" and the mysterious "Gog and Magog." From what I can tell, the more down to earth commentators think that Ezekiel's original audience knew just who he was talking about and that this prophecy is much like those given against Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, and other nations in the region. Taken at face value, then, Ezekiel is prophesying that in a more distant future, after the restoration of Israel, another regional power will come against God's people. When that happens, the Lord will move to defend them and will destroy the invaders. However, there are two things that get the attention of many. First, this nation from "the north" isn't clearly identified in history. Second, "Magog" is mentioned in a similarly vague way in Genesis and then Gog and Magog make a major appearance in the book of Revelation as part of the wind up of history. If we conclude that the "distant future" Ezekiel is talking about is still in our future we find ourselves out swimming in the deeper waters of prophecy. I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not ready to go there. I think it is more likely that Ezekiel was talking about a nation well known to him and his listeners and that the distant future wasn't "book of Revelation distant." I think that when John wrote Revelation that he was reminded of Ezekiel's words: an attack on God's people by a coalition of enemy forces. He used that reference to describe the scene of the final battle. To me, the key to the whole passage is God's promise to defend his people and to "demonstrate his holiness" to the world. That concept plugs into both the Ezekiel and the Revelation prophecies. It also plugs into my life: that when everything seems to be against me the Lord knows how to rescue me as one of his people. Rather than getting all mystic about this passage, I'd rather find here yet another promise of God's faithfulness even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Ezekiel 37: Dry bones, listen to the message of God.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:25:10 -0500

Ezekiel speaks to people who think they've gone too far and have said "no" to God and just plain messed up once too often. They think they're like dinosaur bones some archeologist might dig up in the desert someday: interesting, but dry and lifeless. The truth is that they're right. They've been written off because of their rejection of God. To picture themselves as "dry bones" is not an overreaction, it is a valid realization. Their only hope is the only hope they have ever had: they must turn back to God. In his vision Ezekiel is asked, "Can these bones live?" His answer is right on: "Lord, you know." The restoration of Israel is up to the Lord. They're on the verge of being written off of the pages of history. The only possibility of their not becoming dry fossils is to respond to the mercy of God and depend on him to breathe life back into them. All of that is true of my life too. It's only when I accept two facts that I have hope. Fact one: my sins have made me spiritually into a pile of dry bones. Fact two: my only hope is in God's mercy and forgiveness. The only route out of this mess is for me to accept the title, "dry bones" and then listen to God's message. That alone can change my dry bones situation.

Ezekiel 36: I, God, rebuilt ruins and replant empty waste places.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:06:35 -0500

In this "new heart" passage Ezekiel envisions God's people repenting of their rebellion and mourning over the results of it. He sees them walking through a devastated Jerusalem and confessing it was their sins that brought it all to pass. In the face of such repentance, Ezekiel has an encouraging word: God specializes in taking messed up things and restoring them to "better than new" condition. Once the Lord is given a chance, he'll turn these weed patches into a "Garden of Eden." No doubt, these are encouraging words to the people of Ezekiel's day. They are also uplifting words for us too. In a more literal sense, we look forward to a "new heaven and a new earth" that has been promised by God. What sin has destroyed the Lord will redeem -- and that redeemed world will be vastly superior to what we see now. In a spiritual sense, this passage describes what the Lord accomplishes in the human heart. Sin destroys lives, making a wreck out of what was once wonderfully promising. When I cooperate with God, opening my life up to him he goes to work. In my life he "rebuilds ruins and replants empty waste places." He's God, and he does stuff like that. As Ezekiel puts it, "I, God, said so, and I'll do it."

Ezekiel 36: I'll...replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:39:34 -0500

I've always felt that this is the mountain top of the book of Ezekiel. Things are going to change in a glorious day to come. Through the centuries the Lord has sent gifted leaders to Israel. He has given them the Law upon which to build their civilization and a beautiful Temple in which to worship. He has given them a land of their own and has been with them through their many ups and downs. Still, failure has dominated them. They have tossed all their advantages aside and have paid a terrible price for doing so. Ezekiel says that things are going to change. The change won't come because some new national leader leads them back to God. It won't come by God's restating his laws to them, and it won't come simply because they try harder to please the Lord. The change will be at the core of their lives. The Lord says he is going to give them a new heart. Under this new arraignment self-centered living will give way to God-centered living. Their very affections will be transformed. The result will be a people fully connected to God. I love this portion of scripture because I believe the message is not only for these ancient Israelites, but for God's people today. For every Christian who battles inner battles, who struggles with living wholly for God, this is a wonderful word of hope. The Lord is not only in the sin forgiving business -- he's in the heart transforming business as well. We find hope for a deeper, heart changing work of God in this passage. Throughout the years Christians have read this message and come away with a prayer on their lips: "Lord, do that for me - do it in me - today."

Ezekiel 34: From now on, I myself am the shepherd.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:55:14 -0500

Sometimes people wander away from the faith as innocent victims rather than guilty rebels. In this passage Ezekiel expresses the Lord's condemnation of the religious leaders who have utterly failed to minister to the people of God. These leaders, Ezekiel says, are like predatory shepherds who care only for themselves and use the sheep to their own ends. Here in America we know all about predatory clergy as disgusting stories of immoral and predatory behavior have rocked the Church. Sometimes it is clear that the secular media loves to pick on Christianity, but in this case the actions and the cover up needs to be exposed to light. How many people have grown up with a distrust of God and the Church because of the failure of these awful shepherds? Ezekiel describes the flock as "scattered," "exposed" and "vulnerable." He tells us that the Lord will judge these predatory shepherds and then, he will turn his attention to the broken ones. He, personally, will be their shepherd. "I will bring them back" he promises. I fear that sometimes we "church people" are too hard on those who are living self destructive lives. Each one has a story that, yes, may include personal failure (the Lord says he's "stepping in and judging between one sheep and another"). However, some folks have had plenty of help in messing up their lives. Much of the blame may go to some authority figure like a parent, teacher, and, sadly, even a pastor who failed them either intentionally or by neglect.

Ezekiel 33: They love to hear you talk, but nothing comes out of it.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:53:28 -0500

They've gotten used to Ezekiel. For years he has preached his sermons and acted out various illustrations for them. His words are seldom encouraging, in fact, they are down right condemning. Beyond that all his approaches to basically the same sermon have become to them like well worn clothes: nothing to get excited about, but comfortable. These days, it isn't unusual for folks to show up at Ezekiel's house on a summer evening just to see what Ezekiel has up his sleeve today. They aren't interested in responding to his message but they do find his rants somewhat entertaining. As a Sunday preacher I have to say that this passage is chilling to me. The folks at my church have also heard my sermons for a long time now. Sometimes I fear that they're so used to me that, as it was in Ezekiel's day, "they love to hear you talk, but nothing comes out of it." It's interesting how small things become big things as I think about stuff like this. For instance, a couple of weeks ago I suggested folks take a particular course of action. Yesterday I was handed something someone had done as a direct result of that sermon. I can't tell you how encouraging that is to me. It is also humbling. I am flattered that anyone would come to my church and listen to me preach my sermons week after week. I'm encouraged that some folks actually take what I say to heart and literally respond by doing something they wouldn't have done otherwise. I'm humbled that I have the opportunity to touch lives each week in this way, realizing that in myself I have nothing to offer. If anything "comes out of it" it will take cooperation with God by both preacher and listeners.

Ezekiel 33: None of his sins will be kept on the books.

noreply@blogger.com (G.R. ''Scott'' Cundiff) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:56:19 -0500

Since Ezekiel's mission throughout most of his ministry is to warn people of pending destruction, and since he is about as rough and tumble a guy as you'll ever meet, his messages are generally not especially uplifting. He's like a doctor with a poor bedside manner: he isn't especially interested in dressing things up but for the good of his patient he tells it like it is. Still, as I journey through the book of Ezekiel, I find plenty of sunshine along with his gruffness. At one point he tells people that they can't rely on past goodness to cover current sin. If even the most pious of person turns from God's ways to sin he or she will be judged not for their past, but their current life. However, there's good news in flip side of that situation. If a person who is living a sinful life hears Ezekiel's hard message and decides to pay attention and straighten up there's a real possibility of life. God will gladly give him a second chance. Now that's a message for any day. The Lord loves it when sinners turn to him. He doesn't hold our past against us and is more than willing to forgive sins and transform lives. That's good news for every one of us who has made bad choices and wishes life had a rewind button. We can't go back but by God's grace we can go forward. If a person turns to God, Ezekiel tells us, "He'll live."