The Word on My Walk to Work

After witnessing the incredible change brought by the power of Jesus, the people chose their status quo...their comfort. In our lives, we have to make a similar choice. Do we want Jesus (and the change he brings) or would we rather just have our status quo? Matthew 8:34 - And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their...

The attitude of John the Baptist - it's not about me, it's about Jesus - that attitude will radically transform your Christian life. John 3:30 - He must increase, but I must decrease.

Nehemiah was walking in such close fellowship with God that prayer was the natural reflex when any challenge, difficulty, or blessing came his way. As believers, we should have the same fellowship that results in the reflex of prayer. Nehemiah 2:4 - Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

It just so happens that the king couldn't sleep on THAT night where Haman was plotting Mordecai's execution. It just so happens the king realized he needed to honor Mordecai's heroics on THAT which would completely foil the attempt on his life. It just so happens=God is in charge and He will work His plan! Esther 6:1 - On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of r...

Zechariah's vision of the golden candlestick fed by the oil of two trees is a vivid demonstration of our need of something outside ourselves...God's spirit. We can't accomplish anything by our night and power, it's only through submitting to His spirit and allowing Him to work in and through us. Zechariah 4:6 - Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LOR...

"I am with you." These were God's words to his people that were attempting the risky and difficult task of building God's house. And they are God's words to us today whenever we step out by faith in obedience to Him! Haggai 1:13 - Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.

King Darius strongly rebuked the enemies of the temple rebuilding effort...but this was AFTER the people had committed to return to the work that God wanted them to do. They stepped out by faith, took a risk, and obeyed and it was only afterwards that God came through for them. Obedience first, God's blessing second. Ezra 6:7 - Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the J...

Ezra 2 contains the number of people returning to rebuild the temple and lists them all as "the children of" specific fathers and grandfathers who led their families in the decision to pursue God's will for their lives.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego "yielded their bodies" to serve the Lord and Nebuchadnezzar took notice. As believers today, we should do the same! Daniel 3:28- Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies,...

God promised a new temple for his people and this promise of hope was so real that over multiple chapters of Ezekiel, it was measured and described in great detail. Our hope in God's promise is just as real! Ezekiel 42:20 - He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane pla...

God announces judgment for the powerful nations and empires for this purpose, that they may know that I am the LORD!Ezekiel 30:26 - And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

God accuses the prophets of plastering the people with untempered mortar. Instead of giving them truth, they smoothed things over trying to make things look good...but that didn't last. Unfortunately many Bible teachers today do the same. Ezekiel 22:28 - And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the L...

Those that were marked as belonging to God in Ezekiel's vision were those that were burdened by the sin of their people. God's people today are known for the very same thing. They are grieved not just for the sin of others, but for their own sin as well. Ezekiel 9:4 - And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreh...

God needed His people to know that He had not spoken in vain. He had warned them that their sin would bring judgement if they didn't repent, they had refused to listen, and now God was going to do exactly what He said He would do. Today God still does not speak in vain, what He says He will do! Ezekiel 6:10 - And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would...

God had a message for Ezekiel to give to his people, but first he needed to "eat this roll"...he needed to take that message in and make it a part of who he was before he could give it to others. We need to do the same with God's Word! Ezekiel 3:1-3 - Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mout...

The mercies of God are because of his daily renewed compassions which demonstrate his great faithfulness! Lamentations 3:21-23 - This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

God does correct His people, but He always corrects in measure...just the right amount. Never in spite, never in revenge, but just enough to help us change our behavior. Jeremiah 46:28 - Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure;...

There are things that bring fear to our hearts, but we don't have to let that fear control how we live! Jeremiah 42:11- Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

Pride and faith don't go together...they are incompatible! Habakkuk 2:4 - Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

The story of Jehoiachin and his unlikely restoration is even more remarkable when you consider it as a picture of God's awesome grace in our lives!2 Kings 25:27-30 - And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil–merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign...

The ends for God's people is always expected. This is God's promise for his people. No matter how difficult or out of control things might seem, God is working His expected end! Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

There's a great danger in experiencing healing slightly. It makes the immediate discomfort go away while never actually dealing with the root problem. Beware of religion that only provides slight healing... religion that makes you feel good without being willing to tell you the truth! Jeremiah 6:14 - They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; wh...

We should always seek the LORD, but we should should specifically seek him "before"...at the right time. There will come a time when it will be too late! Zephaniah 2:2-3 - Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, whic...

When we think of whirlwinds and storms, we think of chaos and disorder, but God is so powerful, he can work His incredible plan...He can have His way even in the midst of the storms of life. Nahum 1:3 - The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

It's makes a great difference when we choose to submit ourselves as servants of God...but when we instead serve ourselves we lose that great blessing! Isaiah 65:13-14Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry:behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty:behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: Behold, my servants shal...