Sunday, October 16, 2011

Valley of Dry Bones

I came across Ezekiel 37: 1-14 a few weeks ago in a small group study about being born again. Upon reading this set of verses, my heart just sang out to the Lord. What was gathered was that the verses depict life before Christ, when we were dead to sin, vs when Christ enters our lives and we are born again.

              "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord God, you know." 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 will know that I am the Lord."
               So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath; Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 
               The he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, I my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord."

Grace be with you! 

Sunday, October 9, 2011

"No More My God"



"No more, my God, I boast no more 
Of all the duties I have done;
I quit the hopes I held before, 
To trust the merits of Thy Son.

Now, for the loss I bear His name,
What was my gain I count my loss;
My former pride I call my shame, 
And nail my glory to His cross. 

Yes, and I must and will esteem
All things but loss for Jesus' sake;
O may my soul be found in Him, 
And of His Righteousness partake! 

The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before Thy Throne;
But faith can answer Thy demands, 
By pleading what my Lord has done."

-- Isaac Watts


Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Musically speaking

Here are three songs that have been pertinent to my life recently. 



"Able"
NEEDTOBREATHE





"Like a Lion"
Kristian Stanfill


"Take My Hand"
Shawn McDonald