Incredible!

O. T. #1923  "Incredible!"

April 15, 2021

Ezekiel 34

LET IT GLOW

So I have had this verse sitting on my desk for 11 days now. (It is a daily devotional spiral thing that is written by Billy Graham. Wanted to share it with you as well as his comments.

(May you know) His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. (Ephesians 1:19-20)

NLT tells us that what Paul does for the church at Ephesus: I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe Him.  

KJV says it this way: exceeding greatness of His power.

Did you know that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to you and me today? He gives us supernatural power to overcome temptations, to smile through tears, to experience joy despite life's burdens and trials. The Holy Spirit will raise you from the mundane, the monotonous, the hopeless; He will raise you out of your spiritual lifelessness and transform you.

Three months ago we visited my cousin, a real estate agent, about listing our farm for sale. During those three months my family struggled with making that decision definite. I dare say that it has been the hardest decision for us to make in a few years. You see, I grew up on this farm, lived my first 18 years in this farmhouse. However, the Lord spoke to my heart that it was time to sell, letting it go. My husband struggled with this since it is the only house he has ever lived in for 15 years. Our son has had cows on the land that long, too. He and his wife lived her while she got her masters degree. It was our my parents' home for about 49 years. It was the place we visited for peace, acceptance, and love while in the ministry. (We were gone 17 years.)

What lead us to this point is that my brother has sold lots on 40 acres of our parents' farm across the road. Now two new houses have been built and two more are in progress. Also, behind the back 40 acres we own are a hundred houses being built on that old farm. Our neighborhood is not the same anymore. Can you understand the struggle we had?

Well, 3 days after we finally signed the papers to list the farm for sale, a developer is intending to buy it. (Same company building the houses behind us.) Folks, we are getting an outrageous price for it. (Maybe we priced it so high thinking no one would want to buy it, don't know.) I said all of this to show you how our God works when we are in His will. Truly, it is the incredible and exceeding great power of God that is at work here.

I think this will open up some new avenues of ministry for my family. We cannot out give our God. I consider it a blessing from Him. I have said that life is full of challenges; it is how we respond that counts. So pray for us that we find the house in the place God has for us to live and the town, too. As we look forward to an exciting future, we must stay focused on God's leading. This country road of faith has taken us around the world in mission work spreading the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. I know it will continue to do so. Such showers of blessings! Isn't God incredible? He does exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think!

As I think on the blessings God is giving us, I consider you one of them. Thank you, dear friends for your faithfulness to study God's Word with me. It is not anything I can say, but the Lord's Words.

Have you experienced the power of God working in your life lately? Will you take time to share with us?

LET IT GROW

In Ezekiel 33-39, God gave this prophet words of restoration concerning Israel. In chapter 34, God warns His dealings with the shepherds, prophets, priests, and kings of Judah/Israel/Jerusalem. Their false prophets prophesied deliverance from Babylon (Jeremiah 28); the priests, such as Eli's sons lived immoral lives (1Samuel 2); the kings, such as Rehoboam, overtaxed the people (2Chronicles 10).

The sheep (Jews-God's chosen people) were not ministered to by those folks. How are the sheep described in verses 4-5? They were sick, diseased, broken, and scattered. The sheep were wandering through the mountains and up on high hills, where idol worship took place, led by false shepherds. Therefore, they were scattered among the nations.

In verses 11-16, the Lord Himself will regather Israel from all the nations among which they were scattered. In reference to being sheep, the Jews would:

• be fed in good pastureland,
• lie down in peace at the pleasant places in mountains and hills;
• be fed by the rivers,
• have God tend to them, searching for the lost sheep that went astray,
• be bandaged injured ones and the weak will be strengthened,
• be separated as sheep from the goats,
• no longer be abused flocks.

LET IT GO

Thank You Father that You can send down an army to rescue us.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus can be our atonement for sin.

As You pour down showers of blessings upon us, may it overflow to others.

I raise up hallelujah!

Heavenly Father, please bless all who read this with salvation in Jesus and encouragement today.