DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5:
WORD OF WISDOM
Many times we use today to fight yesterday's battles and miss out on
tomorrow's promise.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Making the Most of Our Time
"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal
praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to
speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make
it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are
without, redeeming the time."
Colossians 4:2-5
Looking at the accomplishments of his life, it's hard to believe that
Charles Spurgeon only lived fifty-seven years. He wrote around 150 books,
pastored what was at the time the largest church in the world, ran an
orphanage, led a Bible college, and preached four to ten times each week. It
is said that he even knew the names of the more than 6,000 members of the
Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. How did all that happen? It happened
because he used his time wisely. Spurgeon said, "I wish it could be said of
us that we wasted neither an hour of our time, nor an hour of other people's
time."
While each of us have different gifts, talents, and abilities, all of us get
the same twenty-four hours each day in which to work. The reality is that
while many people are busy, much of their activity is far from productive.
Our society glorifies vacations and retirement, but while there is nothing
wrong with taking care of our health and proper rest, most people are not
suffering from overwork.
The most precious resource God has entrusted to us is time. And it is up to
us to fill the time He has gifted to us with positive and productive effort
for Him. No amount of talent can make up for an unwillingness to work. Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow wrote:
The heights by great men reached and kept Were not attained by sudden
flight, But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the
night.
If we use our time wisely and well, we can accomplish the work God has given
us to do for Him.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Ezekiel 19-21New King James Version (NKJV)
Israel Degraded
19 "Moreover take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2 and say:
'What is your mother? A lioness:
She lay down among the lions;
Among the young lions she nourished her cubs.
3
She brought up one of her cubs,
And he became a young lion;
He learned to catch prey,
And he devoured men.
4
The nations also heard of him;
He was trapped in their pit,
And they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt.
5
'When she saw that she waited, that her hope was lost,
She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.
6
He roved among the lions,
And became a young lion;
He learned to catch prey;
He devoured men.
7
He knew their desolate places,[a]
And laid waste their cities;
The land with its fullness was desolated
By the noise of his roaring.
8
Then the nations set against him from the provinces on every side,
And spread their net over him;
He was trapped in their pit.
9
They put him in a cage with chains,
And brought him to the king of Babylon;
They brought him in nets,
That his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.
10
'Your mother was like a vine in your bloodline,[b]
Planted by the waters,
Fruitful and full of branches
Because of many waters.
11
She had strong branches for scepters of rulers.
She towered in stature above the thick branches,
And was seen in her height amid the dense foliage.
12
But she was plucked up in fury,
She was cast down to the ground,
And the east wind dried her fruit.
Her strong branches were broken and withered;
The fire consumed them.
13
And now she is planted in the wilderness,
In a dry and thirsty land.
14
Fire has come out from a rod of her branches
And devoured her fruit,
So that she has no strong branch- a scepter for ruling.'"
This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation.
The Rebellions of Israel
20 It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day
of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the
Lord, and sat before me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 3
"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the
Lord God: "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord God, "I
will not be inquired of by you."' 4 Will you judge them, son of man, will
you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers.
5 "Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "On the day when I chose Israel and
raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made
Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to
them, saying, 'I am the Lord your God.' 6 On that day I raised My hand in
an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I
had searched out for them, 'flowing with milk and honey,'[c] the glory of
all lands. 7 Then I said to them, 'Each of you, throw away the abominations
which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of
Egypt. I am the Lord your God.' 8 But they rebelled against Me and would
not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before
their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, 'I will
pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of
the land of Egypt.' 9 But I acted for My name's sake, that it should not be
profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made
Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
10 "Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into
the wilderness. 11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My
judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them.'[d] 12 Moreover I
also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they
might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 Yet the house of
Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My
statutes; they despised My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live
by them';[e] and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour
out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14 But I acted for
My name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose
sight I had brought them out. 15 So I also raised My hand in an oath to
them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I
had given them, 'flowing with milk and honey,'[f] the glory of all lands,
16 because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but
profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17
Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of
them in the wilderness.
18 "But I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the
statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves
with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My
judgments, and do them; 20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign
between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.'
21 "Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in
My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, 'which, if a man
does, he shall live by them';[g] but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said
I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the
wilderness. 22 Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name's
sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose
sight I had brought them out. 23 Also I raised My hand in an oath to those
in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse
them throughout the countries, 24 because they had not executed My
judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their
eyes were fixed on their fathers' idols.
25 "Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and
judgments by which they could not live; 26 and I pronounced them unclean
because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to
pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they might
know that I am the Lord."'
27 "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them,
'Thus says the Lord God: "In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by
being unfaithful to Me. 28 When I brought them into the land concerning
which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the
high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and
provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma
and poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I said to them, 'What is this
high place to which you go?' So its name is called Bamah[h] to this day."'
30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Are you
defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry
according to their abominations? 31 For when you offer your gifts and make
your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols,
even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I
live," says the Lord God, "I will not be inquired of by you. 32 What you
have in your mind shall never be, when you say, 'We will be like the
Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.'
God Will Restore Israel
33 "As I live," says the Lord God, "surely with a mighty hand, with an
outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34 I will
bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you
are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury
poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and
there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36 Just as I pleaded My
case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will
plead My case with you," says the Lord God.
37 "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond
of the covenant; 38 I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who
transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they
dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that
I am the Lord.
39 "As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord God: "Go, serve every
one of you his idols-and hereafter-if you will not obey Me; but profane My
holy name no more with your gifts and your idols. 40 For on My holy
mountain, on the mountain height of Israel," says the Lord God, "there all
the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will
accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of
your sacrifices, together with all your holy things. 41 I will accept you
as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of
the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you
before the Gentiles. 42 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I
bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My
hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43 And there you shall remember
your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall
loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have
committed. 44 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt
with you for My name's sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according
to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel," says the Lord God.'"
Fire in the Forest
45 Furthermore the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 46 "Son of man, set
your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against
the forest land, the South,[i] 47 and say to the forest of the South, 'Hear
the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I will kindle a fire
in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the
blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the
north shall be scorched by it. 48 All flesh shall see that I, the Lord,
have kindled it; it shall not be quenched."'"
49 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! They say of me, 'Does he not speak
parables?'"
Babylon, the Sword of God
21 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your
face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against
the land of Israel; 3 and say to the land of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord:
"Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and
cut off both righteous and wicked from you. 4 Because I will cut off both
righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath
against all flesh from south to north, 5 that all flesh may know that I,
the Lord, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return
anymore."' 6 Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking heart, and sigh
with bitterness before their eyes. 7 And it shall be when they say to you,
'Why are you sighing?' that you shall answer, 'Because of the news; when it
comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will
faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall
be brought to pass,' says the Lord God."
8 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 "Son of man, prophesy
and say, 'Thus says the Lord!' Say:
'A sword, a sword is sharpened
And also polished!
10
Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter,
Polished to flash like lightning!
Should we then make mirth?
It despises the scepter of My son,
As it does all wood.
11
And He has given it to be polished,
That it may be handled;
This sword is sharpened, and it is polished
To be given into the hand of the slayer.'
12
"Cry and wail, son of man;
For it will be against My people,
Against all the princes of Israel.
Terrors including the sword will be against My people;
Therefore strike your thigh.
13
"Because it is a testing,
And what if the sword despises even the scepter?
The scepter shall be no more,"
says the Lord God.
14
"You therefore, son of man, prophesy,
And strike your hands together.
The third time let the sword do double damage.
It is the sword that slays,
The sword that slays the great men,
That enters their private chambers.
15
I have set the point of the sword against all their gates,
That the heart may melt and many may stumble.
Ah! It is made bright;
It is grasped for slaughter:
16
"Swords at the ready!
Thrust right!
Set your blade!
Thrust left-
Wherever your edge is ordered!
17
"I also will beat My fists together,
And I will cause My fury to rest;
I, the Lord, have spoken."
18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying: 19 "And son of man,
appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to go;
both of them shall go from the same land. Make a sign; put it at the head of
the road to the city. 20 Appoint a road for the sword to go to Rabbah of
the Ammonites, and to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of
Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to
use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at
the liver. 22 In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem: to set up
battering rams, to call for a slaughter, to lift the voice with shouting, to
set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a siege mound, and to build
a wall. 23 And it will be to them like a false divination in the eyes of
those who have sworn oaths with them; but he will bring their iniquity to
remembrance, that they may be taken.
24 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Because you have made your iniquity
to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all
your doings your sins appear-because you have come to remembrance, you shall
be taken in hand.
25 'Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,
whose iniquity shall end, 26 thus says the Lord God:
"Remove the turban, and take off the crown;
Nothing shall remain the same.
Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted.
27
Overthrown, overthrown,
I will make it overthrown!
It shall be no longer,
Until He comes whose right it is,
And I will give it to Him."'
A Sword Against the Ammonites
28 "And you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the Lord God
concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,' and say:
'A sword, a sword is drawn,
Polished for slaughter,
For consuming, for flashing-
29
While they see false visions for you,
While they divine a lie to you,
To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain
Whose day has come,
Whose iniquity shall end.
30
'Return it to its sheath.
I will judge you
In the place where you were created,
In the land of your nativity.
31
I will pour out My indignation on you;
I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath,
And deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy.
32
You shall be fuel for the fire;
Your blood shall be in the midst of the land.
You shall not be remembered,
For I the Lord have spoken.'"
Footnotes:
a.Ezekiel 19:7 Septuagint reads He stood in insolence; Targum reads He
destroyed its palaces; Vulgate reads He learned to make widows.
b.Ezekiel 19:10 Literally blood, following Masoretic Text, Syriac, and
Vulgate; Septuagint reads like a flower on a pomegranate tree; Targum reads
in your likeness.
c.Ezekiel 20:6 Exodus 3:8
d.Ezekiel 20:11 Leviticus 18:5
e.Ezekiel 20:13 Leviticus 18:5
f.Ezekiel 20:15 Exodus 3:8
g.Ezekiel 20:21 Leviticus 18:5
h.Ezekiel 20:29 Literally High Place
i.Ezekiel 20:46 Hebrew Negev
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.
