Ezekiel 36:26 “‘Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.’” 

HARD TO SOFT

Have you ever known someone who was just plain ornery?  I have.  Everything they say is said with a critique or a jab.  They always look mad – mad at the world.  You can just picture their heart being made of stone, can’t you?  We would call them hard hearted.  That’s what we were before Christ.  God called His children the same.  But He changed them, and He can change us.

My old heart of stone, that cold, hard muscle in my chest, was removed and the Lord replaced it with a soft, moldable one.  This one had been fashioned by Christ.  It had His stamp on it.  In fact, His Spirit now lives in it.  He is the one who directs my thoughts and words now, at least when I surrender to Him daily.

TEACHING MOMENT

I am sure little Johnny has probably said something harsh or mean to someone, hasn’t he?  Those are the moments we talk about our hearts.  Those are the opportunities to point out the hardness of our hearts without Christ.  Most children really want to be sensitive to others, but that flesh gets in the way.  That original hard heart is tough.

How do you keep your heart tender and soft towards the things of the Lord?  You stay in His Word.  You keep an attitude of prayer.  You spend time with the Father.  He will keep His hands firmly on your heart massaging and manipulating (in a good way) it towards things that please Him.  A soft heart pumps much better than a hard one.

So, is your heart hard or soft?  Is it a rock or flesh?  How do you view life – with cynicism or hope?  Open your chest to the master cardiologist.  He wants to give you a heart transplant.  And this heart He wants to give you does not have to be cross checked for compatibility.  His heart fits all chests – guaranteed.

Father, here is my heart.  Take it and exchange it for an eternal one, one made from the heart of Your Son.  Thank You for giving me Your heartbeat for others.

Ezekiel 31:2 “‘Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes, “Whom are you like in your greatness?”’”

ALWAYS SOMEONE GREATER

Why do we do it?  Why do we compare ourselves to others, thinking we are so much better?  You can always find someone who “appears” less than you.  It is easy to make yourself seem superior.  That is exactly what Pharaoh had done.  In fact, he was worshipped as a god in Egypt.  Now that’s pretty high thinking.

I am sure you have never seen yourself as a god, but we definitely can laud ourselves over others.  We say things like, “Well, I’m not as bad as he is.”  Or we say, “I would NEVER stoop that low.”  That’s not much better than Pharaoh.  We put others down, thus making us look higher.

TEACHING MOMENT

This is one of those character building issues that every parent faces.  We cannot allow our children to put others down.  We should teach them to build others up.  In our walk with Christ, our motto should always be “More of Him and less of me.”  When you humble yourself, God will exalt you.

Similarly, when you see your child serving humbly or putting their little brother or sister before them, that is your chance to exalt them, to build them up, to praise them.  This will teach your child the importance of Christ-like humility.  And that is a trait that will guide them well.

So, let me ask you a question.  Are you in need of humbling or exalting?  Hmmmm.  “Well Carl, I am the most humble person alive.”  You just blew it.  Lol.  Seek to follow the Lord’s example of humility.  Seek to serve others as Christ would.  Seek to be the servant and not the served.

Father, Your Son showed us the way.  Help me follow His path and not insist of my own recognition and praise.

Ezekiel 30:25 “‘Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.’” 

WHO WILL GOD USE IN YOUR LIFE?

It has always amazed me why the Lord chose to use Babylon to judge not only Israel and Judah, but also the surrounding nations.  The Babylonians were ruthless.  Not only would they defeat an enemy, but then they would take the people and disperse them to other defeated lands.

And the Lord is very clear that it is He who is using Babylon to judge.  He is clear that they are His tool for judging.  So, will the Lord do that today?  Will He allow unbelievers to “judge” us?  Will He allow us to suffer under the hand of a pagan?  Bottom line – God will use whatever it takes to bring us back to Him.

TEACHING MOMENT

I have tried to teach the children I have had the privilege to know that God places people in our lives as authority figures for a reason.  I truly believe if God puts someone in authority over us then we need to trust there is something He is trying to teach us.  Submission to authority is important.  Unless your authority tells you to do something illegal or immoral, you are to obey.  Period.

But what if they are constantly ridiculing your faith or talking evil about God?  Then we need to be that witness they need.  We need to stand firm, as Ephesians says.  We need to NOT be surprised that a lost person will speak that way.  How we model this to our children will teach them volumes for the rest of their lives.  Instead of coming home every day complaining about your lost boss, ask your children to pray with you for their salvation.  Ask them how you should respond to them.

Maybe right now you are battling one of those bosses.  Maybe right now you are up under someone who is a tyrant in the workplace.  Have you asked yourself why they are the way they are?  Don’t you think they need prayer?  Are YOU the instrument of salvation God has placed in their life?  Or are they the instrument of correction and judgment in yours?

Father, I want to pray a dangerous prayer.  Thank You for sending “judges” in my life.  Thank You for giving me a reminder of who I was outside of Christ.  But Lord, give me the courage to stop complaining about my “judge” and start claiming them for Christ.

Ezekiel 27:1-2 “1 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 ‘And you, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre;’”

HUMBLING

Chapters 25-27 of Ezekiel are spent naming Judah’s enemies and the Lord proclaiming their judgment.  They all bragged on their success over Israel and Judah and even rejoiced in their downfall.  Now the Lord is telling Ezekiel to proclaim their demise.  But the Lord spends an entire chapter on Tyre.  Why?

Tyre was a city of Phillistia.  Do you remember how severe they treated Israel?  They were horrible to them.  This went on for years, all the while they bragged of their beauty and wealth and success.  But watch out!  Things have a way of changing.  And they did.

TEACHING MOMENT

We want our children to be proud of their accomplishments.  What parent doesn’t get a little puffed up when their little Gertrude or Elrod receives an award at school or a trophy at the game?  We want to encourage them to be the very best at whatever they do.  But we have to come up short in the bragging department.  Pride really does come before the fall.

It is important to teach our children that pride is not flattering.  Pride drives people away.  Look at Jesus.  He never exhibited a proud moment.  He was always the humble one.  He was always the servant.  Even though He was the MOST confident person to have ever lived, He knew the dangers of pride.  He had seen it in Lucifer which resulted in his fall from heaven.

So, proud Dad and Mom, in what or whom is your pride?  All our pride should be directed toward the Lord.  He is the only one we should take pride in. Sure, our children need to be praised and encouraged, but do NOT take pride in your children.  Did I say that?  Yep.  What I mean is, don’t boast in them.  Boast in what the Lord can and will do through them.  There’s a big difference.

Father, I know misplaced pride will only do harm.  Teach me to boast in You and what You can do through me.  Help me to show others that any good in me is only You.

Ezekiel 22:30 “‘I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.’”

BE THE ONE

In this chapter, the Lord God is telling Ezekiel about the impending doom that is going fall upon Jerusalem.  Here he is, the prophet of God, and he is hearing that there is no one to “stand in the gap” for his beloved city.  No one is righteous enough.  No one cares enough about God to rescue the city.

Aren’t you glad He sent Jesus to “stand in the gap” for us?  He not only stood in for us, but He stood in for everyone from every generation.  His righteousness was enough to rescue not just one city, but every city that repents and turns to Him.  He took the spot in the gap that could be filled with no other.

TEACHING MOMENT

As believers, we are to teach our children to “stand in the gap” now.  We need to stand proud and tall representing our Lord.  If you haven’t noticed, the world is against us.  Everywhere you look Christians are being persecuted and ridiculed.  In many foreign countries Christians are being killed.  But we have to stand up for Jesus, no matter the cost.

Now, don’t hear me saying that we should make our children martyrs.  I am NOT saying that.  But I am saying that we should teach them to stand up for the Word of God and how it tells us to live.  Little Susie will face obstacles in her walk with Christ.  People will challenge her beliefs.  Make sure she knows how to answer.

Are you being challenged in your walk by a neighbor, fellow worker or even your boss?  Or is your walk so private that no one even knows you are a believer?  It is time to stand up.  It is time to stand in the gap.  It is time to take a stand for Jesus.  Let others know exactly where you stand.  And if you have confused someone by your lifestyle, ask them to forgive you.  Set the record straight.

Father, give the courage to stand in the gap for You.  I know You will be standing right beside me so there is no need for fear. Help me to stand in order to draw others to You.

Ezekiel 20:20 “‘Sanctify My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’”

GOD’S DAY

Today we see such a drop off in attendance at church here in America.  People seem to think that it’s just not as important as it use to be.  Regular attenders today are people who attend just 40% of the time.  While 40% would be a great batting average in baseball, it doesn’t quite cut it spiritually.

What if God only listened to 40% of your prayers?  What if God only protected you 40% of the time?  What if God decided to take off 40% of the days in a year?  Hmmmm.  That doesn’t sound very good, does it?  Now, this is not a legalistic, guilt producing rant.  It’s just a reminder that God’s days are important.  He says, “that you may know that I am the LORD your God.”

TEACHING MOMENT

So, this means that we are to be very diligent to have our families in church on Sundays.  Regular (not 40%) worship attendance shows our children that it is important.  It teaches them that this day is special.  Sure, we need to be worshipping the Lord every day.  But the day of worship is the time we come together with other believers to build unity in the body.

How can we expect little Johnny or Susie to understand the importance of Sunday worship if we spend every weekend at the lake or soccer field?  How will they learn to make this day holy?  We need other believers in our lives.  They are going to need the encouragement of believers as they walk through the challenges of life.

I want to encourage you to look at your attendance record at church.  Why do you go?  How often do you go?  What are you telling your children when they ask you why you go?  Sundays should be a day we hold sacred.  It is God’s day. It is the day He has set aside for us to spend time with Him.  Don’t miss this time.

Father, I know You are there every day, but Lord, thank You for making the Sabbath.  You just want to spend time with me, I know that.  Help me, Father, to dedicate my time to You.  Remind me how special this day is.

Ezekiel 16:62-63 “62 ‘Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, 63 so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,’ the Lord GOD declares.”

ALL HE’S DONE

How soon we forget all the Lord has done for us, right?  He has rescued us from the very pit of hell, and yet, we still complain.  “Why this, God?” or “God, will you give me….?”  We don’t stop very often to just thank Him for saving us from an eternal punishment.

God is telling Ezekiel that the covenant is renewed, but He doesn’t want them to forget Who He is.  He is a covenant keeping God, but He also wants them to remember what He has forgiven. He even calls it their “humiliation.”

TEACHING TIME

Help your children to recall the worse thing they have ever done in disobeying you.  Then talk about how that was forgiven and dealt with by you.  I hope you don’t keep a scoreboard lined with all their “mistakes.”  How would your board look if God did that?

Just as your children need to know you forgive and erase the board, God does too.  But this is only possible if 1) the have truly repented and 2) if they seek His will for the next step.

What is your biggest sin against the Heavenly Father?  What have you have been forgiven of right now?  How will you ever truly thanked him for all of that?  Do it now.  As appropriate, pray for your children to learn how to pray for forgiveness.

Father, Forgiver of All, cleanse me today with an everlasting love.  Allow me to point others, especially my children, to You and remind them of Your forgiving power.

Ezekiel 14:14 “‘even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares the Lord God.’”

NO ONE ELSE

The Lord is attempting to show Ezekiel that NO ONE would escape His judgment.  Even the three most righteous men who had lived (up to that time) could not help them.  We know of the righteousness of these three men.  Noah escaped the flood, Daniel escaped the lions and Job escaped death itself.  But still they could not deliver Israel.

No one can escape God’s judgment today either…unless…they turn to Jesus.  Unlike those other three men, Jesus has the ability to deliver them.  Why?  Because He is God.  He laid down His righteousness to give it to us.  We are righteous only because of Him.

TEACHING MOMENT

Similarly, there is not one thing you can do to deliver your children.  Nope, not one!  You are powerless to redeem your children.  As bad as you want to save them, there is nothing you can do.  That is entirely in the hands of Jesus.  Your children need to know that.  They need to know that your faith will not save them.  Your church attendance will not get them into heaven.  Your devotions with them and prayer time with them will not deliver them.

But THEIR acceptance of Jesus can!  Little Elrod and Gertrude can access the very throne of God by giving their hearts and lives over to the King of Kings!  Now, here is where your part comes in.  You pray for and speak truth to them.  Your job is to provide the environment where strong roots of faith can grow.  Can you do that?

The responsibility we are given as parents is huge.  God did not give us children to just throw them into the pit of hell.  He expects us to lead them to Him.  He expects us to do all we can to point them to the only true deliverer.  What better job, though?  Right?  We have that privilege.

Father, show me how to best till the soil of my children’s heart to hear You.  Help me lead them to righteousness by becoming Your child through the righteousness of Christ.

Ezekiel 12:1-2 “1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 ‘Son of man, you live in the midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house.’”

JUST BE FAITHFUL

Ezekiel had a tough job.  He was living in the midst of a rebellious, stubborn people whom God described as blind and deaf.  They seemingly couldn’t see or hear what He was doing in their midst.  I am sure Ezekiel thought, “God, why even bother?  They don’t care.”

We are living in the same kind of generation.  All around us people are thumbing their nose at God.  They could care less about knowing Jesus.  They certainly don’t want to follow Him and live for Him.  Sometimes it gets very discouraging, doesn’t it?  And this is the kind of generation you are bringing up your children.  Don’t you want to cry out to God to deliver you?

TEACHING MOMENT

But no!  Ezekiel was faithful to do exactly what the Lord told Him to do.  Now, I don’t suggest you dig a hole through a wall and crawl through it (read the rest of chapter 12).  But I do suggest that you present a clear case to your neighbors for Christ.  How?  By being that neighbor who does NOT complain.  Be the neighbor who cares as much about their yard as you do yours.  Let your children see and even help you to do something nice for your neighbor.

Give your neighbor a message of hope, love, peace and grace.  Show them Jesus.  I promise if you do that your children will observe it and want to model it with their friends.  I’ve said before that most lessons we teach our kids are caught and not taught.  This is one of them.  Follow exactly the message the Lord gives you.  He will show you how to minister and witness to those around you if you will just listen.

Father, show me how to reach my lost neighbors.  Give me the words to say and the perfect time to say them.  Soften their heart to hear.  Open their eyes to see.

Ezekiel 8:3 “He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located.” 

ATTENTION GETTER

When I read this verse, my first thought was I bet that hurt.  Haha.  Having your hair yanked is not fun.  Ezekiel is lifted up by the Lord to see what is going on “in secret” among the people.  If you read the rest of chapter 8 you will see what he saw.  The people had deserted God and were worshipping all sorts of other pagan gods.  God had to get Ezekiel’s attention.  He had to make him aware of what was going on.

Does God need to tug on your hair to get your attention?  Really?  Are you that oblivious to what is going on around you?  Are you blind to your own disobedience?  God will get our attention.  He will NOT let His children continue down the road to destruction.  He will judge.  And that is not a threat.  It’s a promise.  But anything He does is for our good, to bring us back to Him.

TEACHING MOMENT

I bet you have to occasionally point out to little Susie or Elrod the errors of their way.  I bet they don’t see what they are doing as wrong.  In our society today, anything goes, or so it seems.  If you point out any sin you are seen as prudish or intolerant.  Don’t let your children’s behaviors become “acceptable” just because everyone else is doing it.

Remember – you are being used by the Lord Jesus to guide them toward holiness.  Holiness demands sacrifice.  Holiness demands giving up those things of the world that will drag you down.  Holiness demands keeping their little eyes on Jesus and not the world.

What kind of example are you living?  Is there ANYTHING in your life you do NOT want your children to emulate?  If there is, stop it!  I could name things here, but there is no need.  If you are a follower of Christ, you know exactly what those things are.  Be the example for others to follow.

Father of holiness, instill in me the desire to be holy.  Give me the passion to abandon any and all things that would hold me hostage to this world.  Break the chains of worldly desires and allow me to live in a way that honors You.