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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 17 September 2023:
Ezekiel 18:4 – Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.
God holds everyone accountable for their own actions.
Ezekiel 18:20 – The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son.
Neither sin nor salvation are transferable from one generation to the next. Your relationship with God is between you and God.
Ezekiel 18:20-25 — The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
People are often judged by others because of their family backgrounds, and many social groups hate each other because of conflicts that occurred between past generations. God does not accept this and demands that we hold people accountable for their actions only.
Chapter 18 is all about accountability. We are all responsible for our own actions; we all stand before Judgment alone, and there are no excuses. Stop blaming heredity, environment, chemicals, or circumstances for your sins. Repent, have a changed heart. Remember too that it is not how you start but how you finish that counts. Don’t worry about your past sins, and be sure to NEVER return to them. Don’t worry about what is not in your control (uncontrollable circumstances), but only what is in your control – your response to circumstances. Be faithful with today, one day at a time.
Ezekiel 18:23, 32 — Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? … For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.
God wants all sinners to repent. He has commanded you to send that message.
God does not desire that anyone should suffer or be lost. He does not reject men, men reject Him. People suffer the consequences of sin and then blame God for it or even deny His existence – “If there were a God, He wouldn’t let these things happen.” We suffer in a world torn apart by sin, and we add to the pain by sinning ourselves. Some argue that God is not just while they themselves could not stand before His righteous judgment. In fact it is only by God’s mercy that we don’t face His total judgment. As the Bible says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) In today’s readings from Ezekiel God says, “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now.., Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just…? Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life…. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.” Again the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
- Revelation 3:20 — Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Ezekiel 18:27, 28 – Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
Both in the Old Testament and New Testament, people had a hard time accepting the fact that God offers complete forgiveness to all people equally, regardless of how terribly they have sinned and regardless of how late in life they accept His forgiveness. It doesn’t seem fair to the person who has diligently sought to please the Lord his whole life that a person who has sinned greatly his whole life could, in the end, receive the same forgiveness. However, God wants all people to be saved. His desires should be our desires. We should rejoice when the wicked are saved.
Psalm 107:1, 2, 8 – Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
If you have been saved by Jesus, then say so! Proclaim your salvation and share the Gospel to as many as you can.
- Mark 16:15 — And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
- Romans 10:13-15 — For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
- Isaiah 12:4 — And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 — All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
- 1 Corinthians 9:16 — For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Psalm 107:9 – For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Only Jesus can satisfy the longing of your soul. If you feel empty in any area of your life, turn to God to be filled.
Psalm 107:43 – Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Psalm 107 is a powerful testimony of God’s Love and Majesty. Be wise and meditate upon this chapter today.
Psalm 108:2, 3 – I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples.
Pray for a love for God that is so powerful your first desire in the morning is to be with Him in fellowship that is so powerful it is all you want to talk about with others.
Psalm 108:13 – With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.
Let God worry about your enemies and your troubles. Focus your attention on Him, and let Him do what you cannot do anyway.
Proverbs 17:1 – Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
Don’t complicate life with needless strife. Life is already hard enough. Have an attitude of gratitude.
Proverbs 17:3 – The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.
God uses trials to test your heart. How differently do you act when times get tough? Why does God test the heart? He already knows what is in your heart, but He wants you to see it.
Proverbs 17:4 – An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
Who you choose to listen to reveals the condition of your heart.
Proverbs 17:6 – Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.
God brings unity to family.
Proverbs 17:9 — He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Great verse! 1 Peter 4:8 says this: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Proverbs 17:10 – A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
Wise people value rebukes.
Proverbs 17:14 – The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
If you get in a fight with someone, you have usually failed somewhere long before the fight. Learn to identify and correct “the beginning of strife.”
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 17 September 2023: “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Psalm 107:43) Psalm 107 is a powerful testimony of God’s Love and Majesty. Be wise and meditate upon this chapter today. The more you appreciate God’s love for you and His mercy and grace bestowed upon you, the more you will love others, forgive others, give to others and desire the same love in their lives. The better you know Jesus, the more you will trust Him, desire to please Him, get excited about Him, proclaim Him, and live for Him.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 