September 18 - Turning Hearts

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 45,46; Luke 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Only a heart turned towards God
can turn other hearts the same way. 

Most people look for a leader that turns heads.  When Israel wanted a king, their first choice was Saul, because he stood head and shoulders above everyone else - literally.  But God’s choice was David, the runt of his family, because he was a man after His own heart.  The heart is more important to God than the head, or the face for that matter.  And history proves that only a heart turned towards God can turn other hearts the same way.

Zechariah was told by the angel, Gabriel, that his son would go before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous (Luke 1:17).  This is exactly what Malachi had prophesied 400 years earlier (Mal. 4:5).  John the Baptist would not be a head-turner.  His wardrobe of camel’s hair and diet of locusts may have turned a few stomachs, but he would not win people over with his charm and good looks.  Yet he did turn hearts and you can only do that in God’s Spirit and power - the same way Elijah did. 

The other day I glanced in the rear-view mirror while driving and noticed a patch of whiskers under my nose that somehow I missed while shaving in the shower the past few days.  Obviously I need to look in the mirror a little more often, but I’m actually glad that my physical appearance is not high on my list of priorities.  “Lord, I want to spend more time developing a heart for You and the lost than I spend in looking good on the outside.  Turning hearts is more important than turning heads, and for that I need Your Spirit and power.” 

September 17 - Come On Up!

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 42-44; Revelation 22

MAXIMize YOUR DAY 

When we think about our hope of heaven
remember to tell others, “come on up!” 

If you want to find out the meaning of life, skip to the end of God's manual for life!  The final chapter of His master plan describes His eternal family, adopted from every nation on earth, in a setting more beautiful than our human minds can imagine. If you get excited about winning the things of this world with Bob Barker’s “come on down” just think how you’ll feel when God says, “come on up!”

As someone with a deep appreciation for the intricacies of God’s creation (I taught Science and the Bible at PLBC for years), I think this earth, despite human sabotage, is awe-inspiring.  But the new earth and new heaven, without the contaminants of sin, will be beyond spectacular.

How can we even picture with our limited imaginations a river of life, trees offering eternal youth, golden streets, bejeweled gates and the glory of our Saviour so bright a sun is no longer necessary.

But it was the closing words of this final chapter that caught my attention: the Spirit and the Bride say “Come!” (22:17).  We have the opportunity as the Bride of Christ to partner with the Holy Spirit and invite those who have not yet heard of the hope of heaven to join us.  By knowing the outcome before it happens, we also know what we must do now.  We have this window of time to tell the world what we know and invite them to “come on up!”

“Lord, I pray that my tendency to be conservative will not contain my anticipation of heaven.  And I pray that my natural shyness will not constrain me from sharing that hope with everyone you put in my path today.”

September 16 - God the Builder

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 40,41; Psalms 128; Revelation 21

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The first earth is astounding; imagine how wonderful
the new and improved version will be. 

It’s another day of “coincidences”: both readings feature angelic beings pulling out their measuring tapes (rods actually) and giving us perspective on God’s future rebuilding projects.  Ezekiel’s vision focuses just on the temple, while John’s encompasses the whole city of Jerusalem.  Both visions include minute details of the building plans.  Why are the dimensions of the temple and the New Jerusalem significant?

Having built a few houses, I appreciate how important detailed plans and accurate measurements can be.  One of my projects was renovating a 20 year-old house and while doing so, I learned this about myself – I don’t like building on another man’s foundation.  When a house isn’t square or level, installing tile, countertops and crown moldings becomes frustrating to say the least.  I much prefer starting from scratch and doing it right the first time.  Apparently God does too!

No doubt that’s why He’s going to build a new heaven and a new earth.  We get a glimpse of how radically different this new creation will be by the cubed shape of the new city of Jerusalem (the K.J. version calls it “foursquare” which means I’m in!).  Whoever heard of a city 1500 miles high?  The first earth is astounding; I can’t begin to imagine how wonderful the new and improved version will be.

As I thought about God’s re-creation, I realized how He does the same with our lives.  We often think that when we come to Christ we are stuck with the imperfect foundations laid by our family circumstances and that all God can do with us is renovate.  The Bible disagrees with that idea, reminding us that we are brand new creations; the old has gone and all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17),  Any baggage we deal with from our past life is there because we have trouble letting go of the familiar.

“Lord, I want to trust Your ability to completely remake me.  Pull out Your measuring tape and redesign me for the next heaven and earth.”

September 15 - The Ultimate Endurance Test

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 38,39; Psalms 145; Revelation 20

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The secret to staying within God’s Kingdom and
enduring with Him to the end is submission to the King. 

This morning is one where we can say with Hannibal Smith (head of the A-Team), “I love it when a plan comes together!”  All the assigned passages dovetail perfectly.  In fact, the prophecies concerning Gog and Magog in Ezekiel connect seamlessly to John’s prophecy in Revelation.  They were written over 600 years apart about an event yet to happen more than 2000 years later.  And the reason these powers will fall is conveniently explained in the hinge-pin Psalm: Your Kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures through all generations…The Lord…lifts up all who are bowed down…The Lord watches over all who love Him, but the wicked He will destroy (145:13,14,20).

History is an anthology of great kingdoms rising and falling.  They seem so powerful and unstoppable while they are in power, but they all come crashing down eventually.  The same will be true for the one world-wide superpower that attempts to mess with God and His people in the end time.  I love the Tshirt I saw in Jerusalem of a map of Israel filled with intimidating cactus thorns under which reads, “Don’t Mess With Israel.”   While funny and somewhat true, it misses the point.  Israel’s pride has been its downfall, just like every other kingdom  around them.  The only constant is God’s promise and it’s that promise alone that has sustained His people Israel under the old covenant and His people the church under the new.

The secret to staying within His Kingdom and enduring with Him to the end is submission to the King.  Bowing down to Him and loving Him keeps us within the protective boundaries of His eternal Kingdom, but pride will always lead us outside the walls into the line of fire.  “Lord, keep me humble today and every day of my life so I can pass the ultimate endurance test!”

September 14 - Skin and Bones

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 36,37; Psalms 110; Revelation 19

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When we stop feeding our souls
we suffer from spiritual anorexia. 

The Jews had a fatal case of spiritual anorexia. When you trust in the flesh, you soon find out there’s not much there – and what little substance you find is only temporary.  Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones is an accurate analogy of Israel’s self-destruction through spiritual starvation.

But this picture of seemingly irrevocable death is suddenly infused with hope: “dry bones, hear the word of the Lord” (37:4).  If Israel had only heard and heeded God’s life-giving Word before, they would never have come to this ignominious end.  Still, with God, His judgment may be swift, but His mercy is everlasting.  Ultimately, His grace is powerful enough to even revive the dead.

While Ezekiel prophesied, the flesh began to re-form on the bones, but still there was no life.  They were back where they started, just before getting carried away to Babylon – flesh and bones with no spiritual vitality.  But just as He did with Adam and with the disciples after the resurrection, God breathed on the lifeless bodies and they became living souls, an unstoppable army ready for battle.  The promise that follows, that Israel would one day return to their homeland, was finally fulfilled. I got to witness the result of that miracle first-hand in Israel a few years ago.  Our guide, Daniel, related one amazing story after another of the War of Independence in ’48 and the 6 Day War in ’67 when Israel overcame impossible odds to reclaim their promised land.

“Lord, thank You that Your mercy never fails. Breathe on me today so that all that I do is in Your strength alone.”

September 13 - Response-ability

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 33-35; Revelation 18

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When we fail to tell others about Jesus,
their blood is on our hands; when we do,
the responsibility shifts to them.

I never planned on doing this!  If I had my way, I’d have spent the last 50 plus years running a business and the only people I’d be responsible for would be my staff and customers.  But instead I became the overseer of 100s of students and parishioners at a college and various churches for most of those years.  It was exciting and terrifying at the same time, knowing that each of those lives represented 100s or perhaps 1000s more they in turn could eventually influence!

That weight of responsibility hit me during my reading this morning.  In Ezekiel 33 I was reminded of how accountable I am as a minister to tell others about Jesus.  If they reject the message then that responsibility shifts to them; if I fail to tell them when God asks me to, their blood is on my hands.  In chapter 34, I stand with the shepherds who are obligated to care for their sheep before seeking their own comforts.  Sometimes I just want to watch TV.  Sometimes I just want to be one of the sheep and have someone worry about me for a change.

But when I hear the life-changing exploits of these same church members, students and graduates, all those second thoughts disappear.  It’s the cycle of real life, and I wouldn’t have traded it for the most profitable business imaginable!

“Thank you Lord that You had a better plan for my life than I did.  Remind me of this joy in serving You the next time I have second thoughts!”

September 12 - Four’s a Crowd

 Read today’s texts first: Daniel 3-4; Psalm 81; Revelation 17 

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Three’s company but when Jesus joins us
four feels like a comforting crowd of support. 

I’ve heard the story from Daniel 3 countless times growing up and read it even more as an adult, but I never connected the experiences of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to their friendship. The clearest theme emerging from these prophetic books is the importance of our dependence on God, but an underlying theme is our interdependence on each other. We see that relationship illustrated in the body of Christ, where Christ is the head, the source of all we do, but we are also vitally connected to each other.

While I think about my upbringing as close to ideal, there was one downside to the way I was raised. My Dad instilled in me the values of a strong work ethic and a sense of self-sufficiency. While it is good to work hard to support yourself and your family, it is not good to exclude others from helping you. I remember a time working on the set-up team at church when several people offered to help me carry things. My first and almost instinctive response is “no thanks, I’ve got it!” But God reminded me then and since that when I respond like that, I am depriving others of the joy in working together.

Daniel and his friends were able to fast from the royal food and not bow to peer pressure, even when their lives depended on it, because of their individual trust in God and also the support they gained from one another.  Three is company, but I love how their friendship was honoured by Jesus Himself joining their fraternity, and in all places – a fiery furnace.  With good Christian friends and the friendship of God Himself, we have a crowd of support behind us.

“Lord, I pray that among the things You are doing to humble me will be a renewed desire to let others join me in my work, especially when things get too hot for me to handle on my own!”

September 11 - Just Another Terrorist

 Read today’s texts first: Daniel 1-2; Revelation 16

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When terrorism threatens, remember we are on
the winning side and that Jesus will be standing
with us in any fiery trial we face. 

It’s September 11 and coincidentally the passages from both testaments focus on terrorism from the Middle East – Iraq to be exact, known then as Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was the Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden of Daniel’s day – a megalomaniac bent on world domination. He was so petulant and self-absorbed that he was ready to execute all of his “wise” men until Daniel intervenes.

What amazes me from this account and the next few chapters is how even a terrorist/world dictator is subject to God. The dream Neb had, which Daniel both described and interpreted for him, showed how fragile even a world power is in comparison to the “Rock”. The rock that destroys the four world powers represents God’s Kingdom, and the passage in Revelation describes that final showdown at Armageddon.

Every once in a while Neb got a clue as to who was really in control, telling Daniel, your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings (2:47). But it would take several more miraculous demonstrations by Daniel and his friends, plus a personal crisis (a complete mental breakdown) before Neb would actually submit to this one true God.

Daniel and his buddies, however, knew from the start they were on the winning side. They sacrificed privileges (like eating from the king’s table) and refused to bow to other gods when “everyone else was doing it!”  Even though they worked for a terrorist who threatened them with hungry lions and blazing furnaces, they were as steady as the Rock who stood with them (I love it that Jesus Himself hung out with them at the barbeque when they were supposed to be the main course). Daniel had the inside scoop on who would win in the end, seeing the very same things described in Revelation hundreds of years before John would write about it and thousands of years before it would actually take place.

We are living in those days now.

“Lord give me the faith of Daniel in the threat of terrorism today, knowing I’m on the winning side and that You will be standing with me in any fiery trial I may face.”

September 10 - I Still Dare to Hope!

 Read today’s texts first: Lamentations 3-5; Revelation 15

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Worship isn’t about feeding God’s pride
(He doesn’t have any); it’s about losing ours! 

In the middle of a seemingly hopeless lament is this hope-filled song of praise. This is why we worship. God doesn’t need His ego stroked. We worship Him to remind ourselves of Who He is and why we need Him. It’s not about feeding God’s pride (He doesn’t have any); it’s about losing ours!

Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The unfailing love of the Lord never ends!  By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”  The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. (3:21-25)

I sang this portion of Scripture in the early 70’s, when psalters were popular. When you combine music, which is the language of the soul, with God’s Word, hope becomes readily recognizable and accessible, even in the darkest night.

Fast forward to our reading in Revelation and you gain a glimpse into the future of the remnant who survived the toughest battle in history standing by the glassy sea singing the song of Moses: 

Great and marvelous are your actions, Lord God Almighty.  Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?  For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed. (15:3-4) 

“Lord, You said You will never leave us, even when we mess up.  Thank You that we can always dare to hope!”

 

September 9 - God Resists the Proud

 Read today’s texts first: Lamentations 1-2; Obadiah; Revelation 14

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

God cares more about disciplining and restoring His people than what the world thinks about Him. 

I’ve read it many times, preached it on a few occasions, but not until this last month reading through Jeremiah, Ezekiel and now Lamentations have I noticed how true this statement is: God opposes the proud and yet is so willing to give grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).

Israel and Judah continually struggled with pride, wanting to do things their way.  Ironically, they tended to be just like the nations around them.  They had been commissioned to make a difference in their world by introducing God’s Kingdom on planet Earth.  But representing His Kingdom requires absolute submission to the King.  When they chose to have one of their own as king they were never able to fully regain their reliance on the King of kings.

The pride problem was pervasive among the neighbouring nations too (Obadiah 3).  What amazed me most was how God used these corrupt neighbours to deliver judgment on His own people.   I’ve never thought about this before but surely God was concerned about how He was being represented.  He has a reputation to maintain.  When His people followed Him, the other nations feared them and their God.  But at this time in their history, the Jews’ enemies were laughing at both God and His people.  That would bother me if I were God and I may be tempted to bail the gang out one more time, just to protect my own rep.

God cares more about disciplining and restoring His people than what the world thinks about Him.  “Lord, I know that at times I still care too much about what people think of me.  Forgive me for my pride and help me care more about what You think.”

September 8 - Tell Me What I Want to Hear!

 Read today’s texts first: Jeremiah 42-44; Psalm 48; Revelation 13

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When hearing from God, avoid selective listening
and responding with, “tell me anything but that!” 

No wonder Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet – no one listened to him. This passage started off as a possible exception, with the people promising to do whatever Jeremiah said. They were finally ready to do God’s will, no matter what. Ten days later Jerry returned with a surprisingly upbeat message: God promised to be their defense if they didn’t return to Egypt. Egypt represented their former life – a life of bondage to foreign rulers and false gods.

It seemed like a reasonable request to me, exactly like the one they were offered 900 years earlier right after they had escaped Pharaoh’s armies and were poised to enter their promised land. But that same fear of the unknown and comfort with their old life (how soon they forgot what it was really like) produced the same response. We’ll do anything You want Lord, except that. Tell us what we want to hear.

It seems like such a stupid response. Hadn’t they learned by now how trustworthy God is? Why didn’t they get it? While I was shaking my head at their faithlessness, I began thinking about my own. I remembered my own fear of the unknown when God first called me into ministry – “anything but that Lord! I want to be a successful businessman and have the gift of giving. I can do more by supporting others who are better suited for full-time ministry. Tell me what I want to hear.”

“Lord, I know that was a long time ago and I’ve grown up a little since then, but I still struggle with selective listening. Forgive my sporadic faith. I really do want to listen to everything You have to say to me, and I really do want to obey. May what is said of the die-hard remnant in Revelation be true for me: this calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints” (10).

September 7 - The Overcome and the Overcomers

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 26; Jeremiah 40-41; Revelation 12 

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

We can be an overcomer only when Jesus
is our Saviour, our source and our story.

This seemingly random collection of passages has surprising continuity. I love the chronological approach of this Bible reading plan. The OT readings focus on the final moments leading up to the capture of Jerusalem and the deportation of God’s people to Babylon. We read how Israel and Judah wanted to be like the other nations. Well, they got their wish – they were all so full of pride God had to bring every last one of them to their knees. The overcomers were now overcome!

Fast forward to Revelation and we find God’s people again, this time getting it right.  While facing the fiercest opposition in history, Satan himself leading an all-out attack on believers in the Great Tribulation, the remnant prevail. They overcome, not with superior Bible knowledge, not with good looks, charm or brilliant military strategies – they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony (12:11). The blood refers to their need for a Savior; their testimony articulates that need.

We cannot overcome Satan and his forces with human strength. Our only hope at overcoming comes through a dependence on God and one another. That is a lesson for every potential church leader. I worked with young leaders for most of my ministry and they were often smart, good-looking, and talented. But the best thing we can teach them is that none of those things factor in the conflict they will face. What matters most is that they never forget their need for a Saviour and for each other – the secret to our invincibility.

“Lord, I need You more than ever. Be my Saviour, my source and my story as I live out this day and those still remaining.”

September 6 - Timber!

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 29-32; Revelation 11

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Like a tree, our health and productivity is dependent
on where and how deep we extend our roots. 

Ezekiel has the most to say about Israel’s arch enemy, Egypt.  Four chapters are devoted to bringing down this undisputed world power.  The analogy Zeke uses is a cedar of Lebanon, which he first applies to Assyria and then to Egypt.  I was intrigued by the tree illustration because I always thought a strong tree by deep springs was a good thing, not an example of pride poised for a fall.

The problem with the cedar in this analogy was its flashy foliage, beautiful branches and lofty attitude.  This tree was more concerned about how high it towered over other trees than how deep its roots were. Comparison is the theme of this story, found in the introduction (31:2), middle (5-6), and the conclusion (8-9).  Note the descriptors: “who can be compared”, “overshadowing”, “towered higher”, “rival”, “equal”, “compare”, “match” and “envy”.

This towering tree is an illustration of pride and Egypt was about to discover what Assyria had already learned – pride precedes destruction.  The application for me and all of us is simple: a tree remains healthy when it develops deep roots and stays connected to its source of nutrients and life-giving water.  The height of its trunk, the reach of its branches and the abundance of its fruit is incidental, the natural result of an unobstructed root system.

“Lord, You are my source.  Help me identify any infestation of pride in my life that might undermine my relationship with You.”

September 5 - One “Man” Turns Many Nations

 Read today’s texts first:  Ezekiel 25-28; Revelation 10

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When we resist God’s will and try to assert
our own independence, we actually become
puppets in the hands of Satan. 

This passage includes a series of prophecies about specific cities and nations that had rebelled against God and attacked His people.  Having studied the historical accuracy of these detailed predictions (biblical prophecy is history written in advance) I now know you don’t mess with God.  He says what He means and does what He says!

But there’s another powerful personality described within this prophetic passage.  Ezekiel shifts from the city of Tyre to the ruler of Tyre to the King of Tyre.  The language changes dramatically and it soon becomes obvious that the description within 28:11-19 is of Lucifer, aka Satan.  He was the anointed cherub whom God expelled from His presence because of pride.

Why is this unique passage (the only other one describing Lucifer is Isaiah 14) wedged between prophetic judgments of rebellious people groups?  I believe the connection is obvious – the King behind the human rulers of rebellious cities and nations is the source of all pride and rebellion.  Jesus made it clear that when we resist His will, as Peter did in Matthew 16:23, we are motivated by Satan.

“Lord, when I resist Your will in my life and try to assert my own independence, I actually become a puppet controlled by Satan and His cohorts.  Both Ezekiel and Revelation serve to remind me that You are the final judge and Your will will ultimately be done.  I choose to do Your will today.”

September 4 - Can One Man Turn a Nation?

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 22-24; Revelation 9

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

To be “outstanding” you need to
stand out from the crowd. 

I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none (22:30).  God’s hand of judgment was often held back by an intercessor, be it Abraham, Moses or one of His prophets.  We often ask, “what can one man do to change their world?”  God’s answer – a lot!

To be outstanding you need to stand out from the crowd.  It’s not easy to be different.  Our insecurities cause us to conform, to try and fit in, to be like everyone else.  But our world has enough followers.  Like the lemmings, what looks like a walk on the beach can turn out to be deadly.  In my younger days, I often tried to justify wrong choices with the well-used “everyone’s doing it!”, to which my mom would predictably respond, “if everyone jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?”  Unfortunately, metaphorically and literally, that actually happens, every day!

To be the man in the gap doesn’t mean you have to dress weird, talk weird or act weird.  In fact, it requires just the opposite.  Turning around a nation, or even just your next-door neighbour, requires a rational and relational representation of Jesus.  When Jesus walked planet Earth He was that man in the gap, and sinners loved Him.  Our world is looking for leaders, for wall-builders, for intercessors – those who can point out the right way with confidence and clarity.

“Lord, change whatever You need to in me to make me that man!”

September 3 - How Do I Get There From Here?

 Read today’s texts first:  Ezekiel 20-21; Ps. 111; Revelation 8

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The lost won’t turn around and follow you
if you’re heading in the same direction. 

I don’t normally connect my journal entries, but a theme of life’s journey is emerging from my first three readings this month.  After expanding our peripheral vision to include our past and future, it makes sense to figure out how we get where we are going.

The answer is not hidden in some Bible code or a DaVinci painting.  The basic rule of hermeneutics is simple - the plain things are the main things and the main things are the plain things.  What is obvious according to Ezekiel and the Holy Spirit is the recurring theme from chapter 20: I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them (20:11,13,21).  If you really want to live and fulfill your destiny, do it God’s way with God’s help.  Obedience is not an option!

Israel was delayed, derailed and ultimately deported because of chronic disobedience.  God diagnosed their problem: you say, “we want to be like the other nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.”  Get a clue!  How are you going to bring the nations to the true God if you want to follow their false gods?

That question comes back to me, because I’m often guilty of the same tendency.  “Lord, when I’m tempted to live like the world, remind me that they don’t even know what life’s all about.  They won’t turn around and follow me if I’m heading in the same direction.  You can’t get here from there!”

September 2 - Know Where You’re Going

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Living in the moment has no meaning
without an eternal perspective. 

While I’m a big fan of living in the moment, the moment has no meaning without an eternal perspective.  Our readings in Ezekiel illustrate the importance of our past; Revelation rounds out the big picture with a glimpse into our future.  When we need to be reminded of the meaning of life, it’s always a good idea to skip ahead to the closing chapters of the ultimate manual for life.

In chapter 7 we see the gathering around the throne.  Not only do we find the remnant of the 12 tribes of Israel, but we see representation from every other nation, tribe, people group and language, worshipping our God as one united family.  This is the end result of God’s incredible master plan – this is our final destination!

Israel’s purpose was the same as the church (compare Exodus 19:6 with 1 Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:6).  As a kingdom of priests, they were to serve as representatives of God’s Kingdom on earth so that the nations could come to God.  Unfortunately, instead of being influencers, they were more often the influenced, wanting to be like the other nations.

The church at times has the same problem, and so do I!  “Lord, may my life be focused on one ultimate objective – extending your Kingdom to every nation.  When I’m tempted to backtrack and be like the rest of the world, remind me of my destination, to be with You, and my destiny, to be like You!”

September 1 - Remember Where You Came From

 Read today’s texts first:  Ezekiel 15-16; Psalm 70; Revelation 6

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The straight and narrow has no cul-de-sacs, round-abouts,

detours or U-turns – there’s no going back.  

They say when you get to my age, you lose two things: first, your memory, then …?  Old joke, chronic problem!  The nation of Israel frequently suffered memory loss, forgetting how God adopted this abused and abandoned child (16:43), cleaned her up and then transformed her into a beautiful princess. Ironically, Israel then prostituted herself with the same nations who had abandoned her.

The straight and narrow should have no cul-de-sacs, round-abouts, detours or U-turns – there’s no going back.  When I used to go hiking in the woods, I was told to take note of my surroundings and even mark my route to avoid wandering in circles.  Israel was told the same thing, to remember their journey through regular fasts and feasts, memorial altars, and supposedly unforgettable rites like circumcision.  Yet time and time again, Israel would forget how far they had come and how they had got there.  The consequence of their forgetfulness was a return to their former bondage.

Fortunately, God never forgets: “I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth” (16:60).  “Lord, thank you for the constant reminders of Your faithfulness to Israel and to me.  As I read Your Word each day, help me to remember to mark the milestones of my life.  May I never forget where I’ve come from and how I got where I am today.  There’s no turning back!” 

September Devo - Back To School

Summer is wonderful, but if we wanted it year-round we’d move to Mexico!  We here in BC welcome the cooler weather and the turning of the leaves, especially the leaves of our children’s or grandchildren’s textbooks!

September may be the time when the younger generation heads back to school literally, but we the older generation can and should do the same thing, at least figuratively. Henry Ford said: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” Amen to that!

When I retired after 27 years as president of a theological college, I figured I could relax. No more teaching for a while, so no more learning was needed. But the Good Book challenged me to keep studying. This verse came to mind: “Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life” (Deut. 5:33).

I committed to reading at least three chapters of the Bible each day and posting a devotional blog based on that reading (check it out: www.robbuzza.blogspot.ca).

I do it because the Bible is God’s instruction manual for life on this earth and beyond. I like this acronym for the B.I.B.L.E. - Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.

What do you want to learn this fall? Maybe add some extra knowledge for our trivia contests, keep current with current affairs, develop another life skill, learn how to do a new craft, or figure out a new way to help someone else?

May I recommend a great book to study that will not only change your life, but could also change the lives of those around you. It’s time to go back to School - Bible School that is! 

August 31 - Worthy is the Lamb

 Read today’s texts first: Ezekiel 12-14; Revelation 5

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY 

There is only one true God and He is awesome,
in the original and literal sense of the word! 

It is shocking to see how far God’s people had drifted from Him. In yesterday’s reading we saw the leaders of Judah audaciously worshipping their man-made idols in God’s holy Temple, thinking He wasn’t watching (8:12). They had become so used to blind, dumb, powerless idols formed by their own hands, they’d forgotten about the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God who formed them with His hands.

If only they could have seen what Ezekiel was seeing, or John, the Revelator, for that matter. God gave them both a glimpse into heaven, and what they saw was unimaginable and indescribable. What they were able to put into words is as hard for us to comprehend as it was for them. But we know two things for sure after reading through both Ezekiel and the Revelation - there is only one true God and He is awesome, in the original sense of the word!

John saw a scroll in God’s hand and heard an angel calling for someone worthy to receive the scroll and pronounce its judgments. When his search finally ended with the only One proven worthy, the Lamb of God, the reaction in heaven and earth speaks volumes:

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (5:11-13).

Yesterday we talked about the transition of Jan’s mom to glory. In that moment every ache in her body was healed, any doubt she ever had faded away, every sacrifice she gave up for her Saviour became suddenly and completely worthit!  “Lord, help me remember to live every day on this earth with the anticipation of standing before your throne and joining my voice with hers and the millions of others who are singing, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!’”