Breath...

"I will make breath enter you, 
and you will come to life."

Ezekiel 37:5

I was reading Ezekiel 37 in my devotions. I am fascinated with the Valley of Dry Bones. The Spirit of the Lord takes Ezekiel to a valley and he walks up and down among these old dry bones. When Ezeliel was asked if these bones could live again, he replied, "Oh Sovereign Lord, only You know".

Have you ever walked among a valley of dry bones?

This is past the Valley of Death. These bones were dry and dusty. Death had come and gone and time and  weather had bleached the bones white.   

What bones are in your valley?
Was it the death of dreams, relationships, ministries....hope?

What happens after death has come and gone? What do we do with the bones? Some of those dreams were wonderful and exciting...Some of those relationships were our best friends. And without hope, where is our future?

We can find a new dream. We can look for new ministry opportunities. We can make new relationships. We can put our hope in something or someone else. But the ones that have died will dry up and become dusty bones.And without the breath of life, the new dreams, ministries, relationships and hopes are just as dead as the old ones.

The Spirit of the Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones and tell them to come to life. As he did, the bones came together, tendons and flesh appeared....but he saw that there was no breath in them.

Do we do that sometimes? Make our plans...move forward with our hopes and dreams only to realize there is no life in them? What are we missing? 

"Prophesy to the breath...'O breath, breathe into these that they may live..."

I wonder how many times we run ahead of Him and don't stop and ask him to "breathe into these that they may live"?

It's not just the big dreams and hopes that can become dry bones...sometimes it's just our everyday life. I was writing this today, and three times I stopped and put it away. I just couldn't seem to articulate what was in my heart and mind. It wasn't until I was sitting in prayer meeting tonight that I realized...I was one of those dry dusty bones. There is nothing huge or daunting in my life that is the problem. I am just feeling a little dry. 

I needed the breath of God...

I looked up the word "breath" in Strong's Concordance and it actually means...spirit. So, would that mean the breath of God is the Spirit of God?

As I sat there tonight, I breathed a quiet prayer, "God, I need a fresh breath of Your Spirit". And just like stopping and taking a deep breath of fresh air can relax the tension in your body, a fresh breath of His Spirit can blow away the dust and fill your spirit with His Spirit.

Pastor Alec has been speaking to us lately about being led by the Spirit in all that we do. What would happen if we asked God to breathe His Spirit on us fresh each day? Do you know what happened in Ezekiel's valley? 

"When Ezekiel did this, breath entered them and they came to life and stood on their feet.. a vast army"

What kind of army could we become? What battles would we win that perhaps we are now losing? Would He bring life back into some of those dreams we thought were dead and gone? The relationships we have lost? The hopes we had given up on? 
Breath of God, breathe on me....

Guide...

"The Lord will guide you always..." 
Isaiah 58:11  

I'm doing a Bible Study by Priscilla Shirer called "One in a Million". The section that I am going through right now talks about our wilderness.  

Have you ever found yourself in a wilderness? 

I think most of us assume that when we are in that wilderness place it's because the enemy is fighting against us, or perhaps, we have taken a wrong turn and put ourselves there. And I believe both of those are possibilities. But didn't God take the Israelites through the wilderness....on purpose?  

The easiest and most direct route from Egypt to Canaan was about a 30 day journey east, and yet God led them south. He knew they would have to face the Philistines and they were not prepared for battle. Exodus 13:17 tells us He knew they would change their minds and go back to Egypt.  

Priscilla said in her book, "He often chooses a wilderness journey for us to give us an opportunity to experience Him in a way we might miss if we were in a place of ease and convenience". 

So, again...have you ever been in a wilderness? 
Who was your Guide? 

God doesn't always guide us down the path we expect - but, He does always guide us. He requires whole-hearted devotion....and trust.  

Trust...not one of my strengths. Perhaps that's why I find myself in the wilderness so many times.
 

There is so much to be learned in the wilderness. God wanted the Israelites to learn to be obedient and to test their intentions.  

What is He teaching you? 

I would never have chosen the path my life has taken the past few years. There was turmoil, hurt, loss, desperation, fear, panic...but there were moments of celebrations and rejoicing, also. You see, much like the Israelites, I had battles to fight, choices to make, lessons to learn. 

Didn't always win the battle 
Didn't always make the right choice 
But the lessons were invaluable!
  

Desperation requires we cling to a life line. My lifeline was God. I clung to Him will all my might; and with Him as my Guide, I was able to make it through my wilderness. And along the way not only did I learn much about myself, but about my God, also. 

Deuteronomy 8:2 says, "...He led you...to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart..."  

What's in your heart?
  

A lot of what was in my heart was independence, and self-reliance;  inadequacy and lack of self esteem, always looking for approval, and mistrust.  But in the wilderness, I had to... 

depend on my Guide 
be loved by my Guide 
look for approval only from my Guide 
and…TRUST my Guide. 

God positioned the Israelites to see great miracles.  I, too, have seen miracles in my wilderness.  

Healing 
Restoration 
Peace 
Comfort 
Provision 
…Hope. 

I don’t now what your wilderness may be, or how long you have been there. I don’t know what your “Promised Land” is…but I do know this… 

“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” 

Isaiah 58:11 

Always remember, He is your… 

Guide

Mercy...

Do you ever read some of the stories in the Bible and think to yourself, “People! What were you thinking?” I have just finished reading Chronicles and the history of the kings. These were God’s people…His nation. They had been delivered from slavery and given the land where they were living. And yet, they kept forgetting who brought them there. 

Don’t we do the same thing?

The books of Kings and Chronicles lay out the history of the Kings of Israel and Judah. A king would begin his reign and follow all of God’s commands.

He would tear down the idols.
He would restore the temple.
He would reinstate the feasts and festivals.
He would command the people to follow God’s laws.

Then, after his death one of his sons would come along. You would think that having this Godly king as a father, he would have the same beliefs, standards and principles. But amazingly, time after time the son would come to power and return to their wicked ways.

He would put back the idols.
He would use the temple for his idol worship.
He would forgo the feasts and festivals…  
And the people would follow him…..

Where was the faith of the people? Was it in their God or was it in whatever king was reigning at the time? Why did no one, priests included, say “Wait a minute! I don’t really care what the king does, but I’m going to obey my God!”
I don’t begin to understand the times and ways of that time period. Maybe like the Queen in Alice in Wonderland they would hear “Off with your head!” But it seems to me that they just followed the tide and didn’t make God their God. 

Where was their fear? 
Did they fear man more than they feared? 

Where is our fear?
Do we fear man for than we fear God?
 

King Josiah was 8 years old when he began his reign. When he was 16 years old, he began to seek the God of David. When he was 20 years old, he began to purge Jerusalem and Judah of the idol worship. When he was 26 years old, he assigned men to repair the temple of the Lord.  In the process, they found the Book of the Law. It was brought to Josiah and read to him. He was grieved at discovering that the nation’s fathers had not kept the word of the Lord. He changed the way things were done from that moment on.

He celebrated the Passover
He appointed priests to the temple duties
He had the Levites return the ark to the temple.
He commanded the people to worship God… 
And the people followed him……

When Josiah died, one of his sons became king….Jehoiakim. “And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God.” And again… 

the people followed him…

Nebuchadnezzar finally came in and took over and so began their captivity.

Three things I noticed as I read through Chronicles.

First, these people were followers. Whatever king was on the throne, he set the standards and they followed. I understand now why Jesus called us sheep. We tend to blindly follow the leader.

Second, time after time after time, when they returned to God, He took them back. Manasseh was an evil king, but “…when he was in distress he sought the favor of the Lord and humbled himself greatly before God…And when he prayed, the Lord was moved …and listened to his entreaty.” (2 Chronicles 33:12, 13)

Another thing occurred to me though, that I thought was interesting. Even though Josiah was just a little boy of 8 when he began his reign, and his father Amon was an evil king… “he began to seek the God of David.” Why?

There must have been a remnant.”

Doesn’t God always leave a remnant? God always planned to have a people, and even though the people kept wandering off, He always kept a remnant. He promises that even in the end of the age, there will be a remnant. A piece of His perfect plan that will not be lost.

The only explanation I can come up with for God to act this way is…Mercy. To continually forgive us when we vacillate so in our convictions and actions is the act of a merciful God. How many times have I said, “Lord, I believe” and then turned away when it doesn’t go my way? Or I have to wait too long for an answer? Or I don’t receive the answer I want? And yet, when I realize I have gone my own way and call out to Him…He

is moved 
and listens 
and forgives. 
All because of His….

Mercy………..

Everything...

"You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemy".

Psalm 23:5 (NLT)

As I have spent the past few weeks seeking God and searching for a clearer revelation of who He is, I have had the opportunity to pray with and for several women. These women have all come from different backgrounds, ages, and circumstances. But all have one thing in common....they love God with all their hearts and look to Him to be their everything.

Their circumstances have been, and still are, formidable. These aren't just little "I wish" prayers. These are life altering circumstances... 

• A single mom who received a layoff notice...She needed God to be her source.
• A wife and mother called back for a second mammogram...Her fear was great and she needed God to be her peace and strength.
• A woman who recently had a mastectomy and was doing so well the doctors said the choice for chemotherapy was hers...She needed God to be her healer and give her wisdom.
• A woman whose marriage had fallen apart... She needed God to be her comfort.
• A woman whose mother was coming for an extended visit and their relationship was strained...She needed God to be her patience and help her love with His love.
• A woman who had just bought her first home....While filled with joy and excitement, she needed God to be her provider.

All of these women had critical issues they were facing. But each one of them knew the Source to run to.

Psalm 23 says, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all that I need." (NLT) Everything we have need of, God already has provided for us.

Verse 5 of this Psalm says He has prepared a table, a feast, for us. I picture this as a veritable feast with more than we could ask or imagine on it (Ephesians 3:20). When you are invited to a feast, what do you expect to find? Being from the south, we had numerous potluck dinners after church. And everyone would bring out their best casseroles, salads, breads and desserts. More food than you could "ask or imagine" would show up and be laid out on the tables. There was no way you could even have just a taste from every one of them.

God's table is laid out with something so much greater than food. On His table is our...

source
peace
strength
healing
wisdom
comfort
patience
love
provision
...all of this and so much more.

The rest of that verse tells us that this table has been laid out "in the presence of my enemy". You know what that tells me? Our enemy is fully aware of everything that sits on that table! He knows that the answer to every trial he has put in our path is right there in front of us....and he will do whatever he can to prevent us for walking up to the table and receiving what we need. All the fears, the anxieties, the worries, the sicknesses, the disappointments, the irritations....every thing has been put in our path to distract us from the feast on the table.

My commitment, my desire, is to boldly walk up to the table, in the presence of my enemy, and take from it...

The source I need
The peace I need
The strength I need
The healing I need.
The wisdom I need
The comfort I need
The patience I need
The love I need
The provision I need
WHATEVER I need!

Because He is my..... 

Everything!