“You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the Lord daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the Lord. This is a perpetual statute. Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for a regular burnt offering.” Ezekiel 46:13-15 (ESV) Ezekiel is pointing to the sacrificial system during the millennial temple worship that will serve as a memorial to the once-for-all sacrifice Christ made. Blood sacrifices will not be necessary since Christ has already provided the complete atoning work on the cross. His substitutionary atonement satisfied the justice of God and provided for the removal of our sins. “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:11-12 (ESV) Jesus shed His blood so that we could come into a right relationship with God. In Christ, we are reconciled to God and the penalty of our sin has been paid in full. The blood of the sinless sacrificial Son of God has purchased your salvation. Jesus paid the debt you could not pay. Jesus took your place so that you could benefit personally from the redemptive activity produced by His obedience to death on a cross. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Ezekiel
“And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.” Ezekiel 43:3-5 (ESV) When Ezekiel experienced the glory of the Lord, he fell on his face. When Isaiah encountered God’s holiness, he responded in humility by saying, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). When the apostle John encountered the Lord in a vision from the island of Patmos, he fell at His feet as though dead. How do you respond to the glory of the Lord? When you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you transferred your trust from yourself to Jesus alone for salvation. Your sins were removed and you became the righteousness of Christ. Instantaneously, you were filled with the Holy Spirit and became God’s temple. God has chosen to take up permanent residence inside of you by the Person of His Holy Spirit. You have been filled with the glory of the Lord. Are you walking with the full awareness of God’s glory inside of you? Are you allowing the glory of God to be revealed through your conversation and through your conduct? Others can be drawn to Christ as you allow the glory of God to become evidenced through your life. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. And the man said to me, ‘Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.’” Ezekiel 40:2-4 (ESV) Ezekiel was transported via visions from God to the land of Israel. In the visions, Ezekiel was given a tour by an angel of the Lord whose appearance was like bronze. Ezekiel was shown exceptional details about the temple God would build. Once the details were made fully known to Ezekiel, he was to then declare all that he had seen to the house of Israel. Since this exact temple has never been built, it must refer to a future time period whereby God will build His temple. Many scholars believe that Ezekiel’s visions refer to the great millennial temple that will be filled with God’s glory during the millennial reign of Christ on the earth. As you read Ezekiel 40-42, be reminded of God’s desire to be the focus of your worship. You are created by God to worship Him and Him alone. Eliminate idols. An idol is anything that comes between you and God. Reserve your allegiance and your affection for the One who has redeemed you from the empty way of life and brought you into the kingdom of light. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37:4-6 (ESV) Imagine the level at which Ezekiel’s faith was challenged when God told him to prophesy to the dry bones that were located throughout the valley. Ezekiel prophesied as God commanded and then witnessed the impossible become a reality. God reconnected the bones and sinews and made flesh appear covered with skin. Then God breathed life into them as Ezekiel witnessed the miracle personally. Have you ever faced an impossible situation? Have you been confronted by a circumstance that seemed hopeless? Recall the desperation you felt and the sense of hopelessness that covered you like a dark cloud. You knew the only way to experience a breakthrough would be for God to intervene. “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Matthew 19:26 (ESV) Trust God with the impossible situations that come into your path as you live on this broken planet. Remember that nothing happens without God’s permission and He always has the final say. If God allows difficulty to come your way, He will use it for your good and for His glory. God will not waste the pain you endure. God will redeem your pain and He will make a way when there seems to be no way. Entrust your life and your circumstances to His care. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
New Heart and Spirit
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV) Remove the activity of God and hope dissipates. God initiates the love relationship made available to us by His grace. The only way a person can come into a right relationship with God and be reconciled is by responding to God’s redemptive activity. The only way to know God personally and to obey God completely is by God’s enabling. Ezekiel prophesied the Word of the Lord affirming God’s redemptive activity. God said that He would give them a new heart and put a new spirit within them. God would remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. God would put His Spirit within them and cause them to walk in His statutes and enable them to obey His rules. You cannot live the life God has for you outside of God’s provision. God does not expect you to live the Christian life in your own strength. In fact, you will fail. To live in the center of God’s will requires God’s power. At the moment of your conversion, God removes your sin, imputes the righteousness of Christ, adopts you into His family, and fills you with the Holy Spirit. You become the walking tabernacle of His presence. God empowers you to walk in His ways and to fulfill His will on the earth. Yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to have His way in your life. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Sound the Alert
“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” Ezekiel 33:7 (ESV) God positioned Ezekiel as the watchman for the house of Israel. Ezekiel had a mandate from God to receive and declare God’s Word to the people. The divine responsibility was placed upon Ezekiel to sound the alert of God’s impending judgment. Ezekiel was entrusted with the message from God. “For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (ESV) You have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. You have been given the cure to the cancer of sin. God has armed you with the Good News of Jesus Christ so that you can join Him in His redemptive activity. What are you doing with the treasure you have been given? Sound the alert. Everybody will spend forever somewhere. The only hope is for people to repent of their sin and place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation. You know the Truth! You have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and placed in the kingdom of light. You are God’s workmanship and He has established you as a watchman to sound the alert. You have been given the assignment to share the bad news and the Good News. The bad news is that a person without Christ will spend eternity in hell. The Good News is that Jesus died to pay the penalty of our sin so that we do not have to go to hell. Sound the alert! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.” Ezekiel 28:14-17 (ESV) Ezekiel’s third message against Tyre was directed to the ruler, Ethbaal III. His heart was filled with pride and he identified himself as a god. Ethbaal III self-proclaimed that his wisdom was greater than that of Daniel. Interestingly, Daniel was serving in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, which God would raise up to destroy Tyre. Ezekiel prophesied that the death of Ethbaal III would be a shameful death, namely, “You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners” (Ezekiel 28:10). A parallel between Ethbaal III and Satan is established. Clearly the influence of Satan was at work in the prideful heart of the king of Tyre. Pride eroded the position that Lucifer had as the guardian cherub. He was a perfect creation by God until pride seeped in. As a child of God, keep pride on the slide. Don’t allow pride to gain access to your life. Embrace the way of humility by acknowledging your dependency upon the Lord. Be grateful for what God has done to deliver you out of the kingdom of darkness when He placed you in the kingdom of light. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
God’s Justice
“For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 25:6-7 (ESV) God’s judgment would equal Ammon’s sin. The nation rejoiced over Judah’s misfortune when attacked by Nebuchadnezzar. Ammon hoped to benefit from Judah’s destruction. Ammon rejoiced over the destruction of the temple. God demonstrated His justice by sending them to the people of the East as a possession. These nomads would overtake the Ammonites and turn their capital city into pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. However, rest would cease for the Ammonites. God’s love demands the demonstration of His justice. Without justice, there is no love. Without love, there is no justice. In spite of our rebellion, God chose to pursue us with His redeeming love. In spite of our sin, God chose to provide the only acceptable sacrifice to satisfy His justice and to eradicate the consequences of our sin. “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2 (ESV) Pause to thank God for His mercy in your life. Rejoice over the immeasurable grace God has extended to you. In Christ, you are a new creation because of the awesome price Jesus paid for your deliverance. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the Lord daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. 14 And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the Lord. This is a perpetual statute. 15 Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for a regular burnt offering.” Ezekiel 46:13-15 (ESV) Ezekiel is pointing to the sacrificial system during the millennial temple worship that will serve as a memorial to the once-for-all sacrifice Christ made. Blood sacrifices will not be necessary since Christ has already provided the complete atoning work on the cross. His substitutionary atonement satisfied the justice of God and provided for the removal of our sins. “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:11-12 (ESV) Jesus shed His blood so that we could come into a right relationship with God. In Christ, we are reconciled to God and the penalty of our sin has been paid in full. The blood of the sinless sacrificial Son of God has purchased your salvation. Jesus paid the debt you could not pay. Jesus took your place so that you could benefit personally from the redemptive activity produced by His obedience to death on a cross. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 254: Ezekiel 46-48) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.” Ezekiel 43:3-5 (ESV) When Ezekiel experienced the glory of the Lord, he fell on his face. When Isaiah encountered God’s holiness, he responded in humility by saying, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). When the apostle John encountered the Lord in a vision from the island of Patmos, he fell at His feet as though dead. How do you respond to the glory of the Lord? When you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you transferred your trust from yourself to Jesus alone for salvation. Your sins were removed and you became the righteousness of Christ. Instantaneously, you were filled with the Holy Spirit and became God’s temple. God has chosen to take up permanent residence inside of you by the Person of His Holy Spirit. You have been filled with the glory of the Lord. Are you walking with the full awareness of God’s glory inside of you? Are you allowing the glory of God to be revealed through your conversation and through your conduct? Others can be drawn to Christ as you allow the glory of God to become evidenced through your life. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 253: Ezekiel 43-45) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. 3 When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. 4 And the man said to me, ‘Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.’” Ezekiel 40:2-4 (ESV) Ezekiel was transported via visions from God to the land of Israel. In the visions, Ezekiel was given a tour by an angel of the Lord whose appearance was like bronze. Ezekiel was shown exceptional details about the temple God would build. Once the details were made fully known to Ezekiel, he was to then declare all that he had seen to the house of Israel. Since this exact temple has never been built, it must refer to a future time period whereby God will build His temple. Many scholars believe that Ezekiel’s visions refer to the great millennial temple that will be filled with God’s glory during the millennial reign of Christ on the earth. As you read Ezekiel 40-42, be reminded of God’s desire to be the focus of your worship. You are created by God to worship Him and Him alone. Eliminate idols. An idol is anything that comes between you and God. Reserve your allegiance and your affection for the One who has redeemed you from the empty way of life and brought you into the kingdom of light. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 252: Ezekiel 40-42) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37:4-6 (ESV) Imagine the level at which Ezekiel’s faith was challenged when God told him to prophesy to the dry bones that were located throughout the valley. Ezekiel prophesied as God commanded and then witnessed the impossible become a reality. God reconnected the bones and sinews and made flesh appear covered with skin. Then God breathed life into them as Ezekiel witnessed the miracle personally. Have you ever faced an impossible situation? Have you been confronted by a circumstance that seemed hopeless? Recall the desperation you felt and the sense of hopelessness that covered you like a dark cloud. You knew the only way to experience a breakthrough would be for God to intervene. “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Matthew 19:26 (ESV) Trust God with the impossible situations that come into your path as you live on this broken planet. Remember that nothing happens without God’s permission and He always has the final say. If God allows difficulty to come your way, He will use it for your good and for His glory. God will not waste the pain your endure. God will redeem your pain and He will make a way when there seems to be no way. Entrust your life and your circumstances to His care. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 251: Ezekiel 37-39) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
New Heart and Spirit
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV) Remove the activity of God and hope dissipates. God initiates the love relationship made available to us by His grace. The only way a person can come into a right relationship with God and be reconciled is by responding to God’s redemptive activity. The only way to know God personally and to obey God completely is by God’s enabling. Ezekiel prophesied the Word of the Lord affirming God’s redemptive activity. God said that He would give them a new heart and put a new spirit within them. God would remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. God would put His Spirit within them and cause them to walk in His statutes and enable them to obey His rules. You cannot live the life God has for you outside of God’s provision. God does not expect you to live the Christian life in your own strength. In fact, you will fail. To live in the center of God’s will requires God’s power. At the moment of your conversion, God removes your sin, imputes the righteousness of Christ, adopts you into His family, and fills you with the Holy Spirit. You become the walking tabernacle of His presence. God empowers you to walk in His ways and to fulfill His will on the earth. Yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to have His way in your life. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 250: Ezekiel 34-36) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Sound the Alert
“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” Ezekiel 33:7 (ESV) God positioned Ezekiel as the watchman for the house of Israel. Ezekiel had a mandate from God to receive and declare God’s Word to the people. The divine responsibility was placed upon Ezekiel to sound the alert of God’s impending judgment. Ezekiel was entrusted with the message from God. “For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (ESV) You have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. You have been given the cure to the cancer of sin. God has armed you with the Good News of Jesus Christ so that you can join Him in His redemptive activity. What are you doing with the treasure you have been given? Sound the alert. Everybody will spend forever somewhere. The only hope is for people to repent of their sin and place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation. You know the Truth! You have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and placed in the kingdom of light. You are God’s workmanship and He has established you as a watchman to sound the alert. You have been given the assignment to share the bad news and the Good News. The bad news is that a person without Christ will spend eternity in hell. The Good News is that Jesus died to pay the penalty of our sin so that we do not have to go to hell. Sound the alert! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 249: Ezekiel 31-33) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. 16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.” Ezekiel 28:14-17 (ESV) Ezekiel’s third message against Tyre was directed to the ruler, Ethbaal III. His heart was filled with pride and he identified himself as a god. Ethbaal III self-proclaimed that his wisdom was greater than that of Daniel. Interestingly, Daniel was serving in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, which God would raise up to destroy Tyre. Ezekiel prophesied that the death of Ethbaal III would be a shameful death, namely, “You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners” (Ezekiel 28:10). A parallel between Ethbaal III and Satan is established. Clearly the influence of Satan was at work in the prideful heart of the king of Tyre. Pride eroded the position that Lucifer had as the guardian cherub. He was a perfect creation by God until pride seeped in. As a child of God, keep pride on the slide. Don’t allow pride to gain access to your life. Embrace the way of humility by acknowledging your dependency upon the Lord. Be grateful for what God has done to deliver you out of the kingdom of darkness when He placed you in the kingdom of light. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 248: Ezekiel 28-30) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
God’s Justice
“For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, 7 therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 25:6-7 (ESV) God’s judgment would equal Ammon’s sin. The nation rejoiced over Judah’s misfortune when attacked by Nebuchadnezzar. Ammon hoped to benefit from Judah’s destruction. Ammon rejoiced over the destruction of the temple. God demonstrated His justice by sending them to the people of the East as a possession. These nomads would overtake the Ammonites and turn their capital city into pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. However, rest would cease for the Ammonites. God’s love demands the demonstration of His justice. Without justice, there is no love. Without love, there is no justice. In spite of our rebellion, God chose to pursue us with His redeeming love. In spite of our sin, God chose to provide the only acceptable sacrifice to satisfy His justice and to eradicate the consequences of our sin. “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2 (ESV) Pause to thank God for His mercy in your life. Rejoice over the immeasurable grace God has extended to you. In Christ, you are a new creation because of the awesome price Jesus paid for your deliverance. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 247: Ezekiel 25-27) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell