DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 7:
WORD OF WISDOM
Two of the most important things we can give our children are roots and
wings.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Willing Sacrifices
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Romans 12:1-2
There are times when even the best Christians are tempted to hold back on
what they know they should do for God. They give less, work less, care less,
and invest less in the lives of others than they could. There are many
reasons for this, but the truth is that God deserves nothing less than the
very best of all that we can do for Him. Yet too often we are reluctant to
surrender to Him, and try to get away with giving and doing as little as
possible.
I read a humorous story that illustrates this principle in action. A pilot
and his navigator were shot down and had been surviving for a few days in a
tiny life raft. They had no food or water left, and there seemed to be no
hope that they would be rescued. Finally the pilot began to pray. "God, you
know I haven't lived a very good life. I've been a miserable husband and a
terrible father, I've cheated, lied and stolen, and haven't had any use for
the church. But God, if you'll save us from dying out here, I promise I'll
never..." Just then the navigator interrupted, "Don't say another word! I
think I see land!"
The reality is that in light of the mercy of God that keeps us from the
eternity in Hell we deserve, anything that God asks of us should be given
freely and willingly. It is not in any way unreasonable for us to present
even our lives as an offering of gratitude and praise for our salvation.
Nothing that we give back to God can be a true sacrifice, because everything
already belongs to Him.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Ezekiel 25-27New King James Version (NKJV)
Proclamation Against Ammon
25 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face
against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them. 3 Say to the Ammonites,
'Hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God: "Because you said,
'Aha!' against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of
Israel when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went
into captivity, 4 indeed, therefore, I will deliver you as a possession to
the men of the East, and they shall set their encampments among you and make
their dwellings among you; they shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink
your milk. 5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and Ammon a resting
place for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."
6 'For thus says the Lord God: "Because you clapped your hands, stamped your
feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your disdain for the land of Israel, 7
indeed, therefore, I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as
plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will
cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you, and you shall
know that I am the Lord."
Proclamation Against Moab
8 'Thus says the Lord God: "Because Moab and Seir say, 'Look! The house of
Judah is like all the nations,' 9 therefore, behold, I will clear the
territory of Moab of cities, of the cities on its frontier, the glory of the
country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kirjathaim. 10 To the men of the
East I will give it as a possession, together with the Ammonites, that the
Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. 11 And I will execute
judgments upon Moab, and they shall know that I am the Lord."
Proclamation Against Edom
12 'Thus says the Lord God: "Because of what Edom did against the house of
Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on
them," 13 therefore thus says the Lord God: "I will also stretch out My
hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from
Teman; Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14 I will lay My vengeance on Edom by
the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger
and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance," says the Lord
God.
Proclamation Against Philistia
15 'Thus says the Lord God: "Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and
took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old hatred,"
16 therefore thus says the Lord God: "I will stretch out My hand against the
Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant of
the seacoast. 17 I will execute great vengeance on them with furious
rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I lay My vengeance
upon them."'"
Proclamation Against Tyre
26 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month,
that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, because Tyre
has said against Jerusalem, 'Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the
peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid
waste.'
3 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and
will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves
to come up. 4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her
towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a
rock. 5 It shall be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea, for
I have spoken,' says the Lord God; 'it shall become plunder for the nations.
6 Also her daughter villages which are in the fields shall be slain by the
sword. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.'
7 "For thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the
north Nebuchadnezzar[a] king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, with
chariots, and with horsemen, and an army with many people. 8 He will slay
with the sword your daughter villages in the fields; he will heap up a siege
mound against you, build a wall against you, and raise a defense against
you. 9 He will direct his battering rams against your walls, and with his
axes he will break down your towers. 10 Because of the abundance of his
horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the
horsemen, the wagons, and the chariots, when he enters your gates, as men
enter a city that has been breached. 11 With the hooves of his horses he
will trample all your streets; he will slay your people by the sword, and
your strong pillars will fall to the ground. 12 They will plunder your
riches and pillage your merchandise; they will break down your walls and
destroy your pleasant houses; they will lay your stones, your timber, and
your soil in the midst of the water. 13 I will put an end to the sound of
your songs, and the sound of your harps shall be heard no more. 14 I will
make you like the top of a rock; you shall be a place for spreading nets,
and you shall never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken,' says the Lord
God.
15 "Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: 'Will the coastlands not shake at the
sound of your fall, when the wounded cry, when slaughter is made in the
midst of you? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their
thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments;
they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground,
tremble every moment, and be astonished at you. 17 And they will take up a
lamentation for you, and say to you:
"How you have perished,
O one inhabited by seafaring men,
O renowned city,
Who was strong at sea,
She and her inhabitants,
Who caused their terror to be on all her inhabitants!
18
Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall;
Yes, the coastlands by the sea are troubled at your departure."'
19 "For thus says the Lord God: 'When I make you a desolate city, like
cities that are not inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you, and great
waters cover you, 20 then I will bring you down with those who descend into
the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lowest part
of the earth, in places desolate from antiquity, with those who go down to
the Pit, so that you may never be inhabited; and I shall establish glory in
the land of the living. 21 I will make you a terror, and you shall be no
more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again,' says the
Lord God."
Lamentation for Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, 2 "Now, son of man, take
up a lamentation for Tyre, 3 and say to Tyre, 'You who are situated at the
entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, thus says
the Lord God:
"O Tyre, you have said,
'I am perfect in beauty.'
4
Your borders are in the midst of the seas.
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
5
They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir;
They took a cedar from Lebanon to make you a mast.
6
Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars;
The company of Ashurites have inlaid your planks
With ivory from the coasts of Cyprus.[b]
7
Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was what you spread for your sail;
Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was what covered you.
8
"Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen;
Your wise men, O Tyre, were in you;
They became your pilots.
9
Elders of Gebal and its wise men
Were in you to caulk your seams;
All the ships of the sea
And their oarsmen were in you
To market your merchandise.
10
"Those from Persia, Lydia,[c] and Libya[d]
Were in your army as men of war;
They hung shield and helmet in you;
They gave splendor to you.
11
Men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around,
And the men of Gammad were in your towers;
They hung their shields on your walls all around;
They made your beauty perfect.
12 "Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave
you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods. 13 Javan, Tubal, and
Meshech were your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze
for your merchandise. 14 Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your
wares with horses, steeds, and mules. 15 The men of Dedan were your
traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory
tusks and ebony as payment. 16 Syria was your merchant because of the
abundance of goods you made. They gave you for your wares emeralds, purple,
embroidery, fine linen, corals, and rubies. 17 Judah and the land of Israel
were your traders. They traded for your merchandise wheat of Minnith,
millet, honey, oil, and balm. 18 Damascus was your merchant because of the
abundance of goods you made, because of your many luxury items, with the
wine of Helbon and with white wool. 19 Dan and Javan paid for your wares,
traversing back and forth. Wrought iron, cassia, and cane were among your
merchandise. 20 Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. 21
Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your regular merchants. They traded
with you in lambs, rams, and goats. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah
were your merchants. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all
kinds of precious stones, and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants
of Sheba, Assyria, and Chilmad were your merchants. 24 These were your
merchants in choice items-in purple clothes, in embroidered garments, in
chests of multicolored apparel, in sturdy woven cords, which were in your
marketplace.
25
"The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise.
You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas.
26
Your oarsmen brought you into many waters,
But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.
27
"Your riches, wares, and merchandise,
Your mariners and pilots,
Your caulkers and merchandisers,
All your men of war who are in you,
And the entire company which is in your midst,
Will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your ruin.
28
The common-land will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots.
29
"All who handle the oar,
The mariners,
All the pilots of the sea
Will come down from their ships and stand on the shore.
30
They will make their voice heard because of you;
They will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads;
They will roll about in ashes;
31
They will shave themselves completely bald because of you,
Gird themselves with sackcloth,
And weep for you
With bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.
32
In their wailing for you
They will take up a lamentation,
And lament for you:
'What city is like Tyre,
Destroyed in the midst of the sea?
33
'When your wares went out by sea,
You satisfied many people;
You enriched the kings of the earth
With your many luxury goods and your merchandise.
34
But you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters;
Your merchandise and the entire company will fall in your midst.
35
All the inhabitants of the isles will be astonished at you;
Their kings will be greatly afraid,
And their countenance will be troubled.
36
The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you;
You will become a horror, and be no more forever.'"'"
Footnotes:
a.Ezekiel 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, and so elsewhere in this book
b.Ezekiel 27:6 Hebrew Kittim, western lands, especially Cyprus
c.Ezekiel 27:10 Hebrew Lud
d.Ezekiel 27:10 Hebrew Put
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
