Be the light
Month: September 2026
Quote for the Day
This brings into focus a startling truth concerning an inappropriate method of prayer, which I am afraid has been practiced by many: They have fixed their spiritual eyes on the thing they are praying about more than on Jesus. The principle is: “When anything is larger than Jesus in the eyes of your heart, that thing has become an idol.” Mark Virkler
Reflection on Ezekiel 19:1-14
Scripture
Now the vine is transplanted to the wilderness, where the ground is hard and dry.
Observation
This chapter is in the form of a funeral song for the leaders of Israel,
Two lion cubs are described, referring to two of the kings towards the end of the dynasty ruling over Judah.
The first cub grows to be a strong young lion who hunts prey but becomes a man-eater. He is trapped in a pit and taken to Egypt.
The lioness takes another cub who also grows strong. He also becomes a man-eater, demolishing fortresses and destroying towns. The nations attack him and take him in a cage to Babylon,
Judah was a strong and fruitful vine growing tall. But it was uprooted in fury and transplanted to the desert where the ground is hard and dry. Its remaining limbs are not strong enough to be a ruler’s sceptre.
Application.
Judah had been a strong and fruitful vine planted in a fertile place. But its people had failed to obey God. They rebelled against him over and over. So he uprooted them and planted them in a foreign land where they would struggle to maintain their identity.
The discipline of the Lord never feels good at the time, but it is always positive. God leads us away from places and relationships that are bad for us. It feels like we have been uprooted and transplanted to hard, dry ground. But it is always for our good. He protects us from sins or a lifestyle that is leading to death.
A vine must be pruned to bear better fruit and more fruit. The Lord will prune us to see us bear more fruit for His kingdom.
Listen
Lord, is there more you would say to me about this chapter?.
Keith, leaders are like lions. If they do their job properly and take their calling seriously, they will protect my people from other predators,
Sometimes they themselves become the man eaters who pray on the flock, whether that is a nation or a church. They will face even greater punishment than others, because they know what they have done is wrong, but they use people for their own indulgence. I hate all who do this.
Quote for the Day
Logos is the whole Bible. Rhema is the word of God spoken by His mouth for the immediate time and situation. We need to understand and experience rhema as well as Logos. Mark Virkler
The Lord is my fortress…
The woman who fears the Lord…
Quote for the Day
Jesus lived out of an inner flow of thoughts and pictures from His Father, doing nothing of His own initiative (see John 5:19-20,30). We can do the same. Mark Virkler
Don’t worry…
Reflection on Ezekiel 18:1-32
Scripture
“Repent and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you. Put all your rebellion behind you. And find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.”
Observation
Ezekiel addresses a proverb common in Israel at that time, “The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s mouths pucker at the taste.” This expression is meant to convey that children are punished for the sins of their parents. The Lord says, “No! Every person is judged for their own sins.”
He gives an example of a man who is righteous in every way. This person will live because of his righteous deeds. If the man has a son who is an evil person, the son will not benefit from his father’s righteousness. And if this man has a son who is righteous, he will not be punished for his father’s sins.
God wants everyone to repent and to turn away from their sins and live.
Application
God wants everyone to repent and turn to him. This is the consistent theme of both the Old and New Testaments.
We love our own ways, doing our own things, setting our own rules. God calls that sin, and he wants us to surrender to His ways.
God is not wanting to punish people for his own pleasure. He wants us to turn away from paths that lead to death and instead to go his way that leads to everlasting life.
When we make that decision to follow him, he gives us a new heart and a new spirit. Over time he takes away our desires for self-centredness and gives us a desire to do what is right.
Surrender to the Lord and let Him transform you.
Listen
Lord, what else do you want to say to me about repentance and the way of righteousness?
Keith, it is not about how you start that matters but how you finish the race. Many people start off well, but fail to stay the course. Unless they repent they will not see eternal life. But there are many who come to see the futility of sin and they turn to me later in life. They will live.
People may see this as unfair. Why should 30 years of good deeds be overturned by one year of sin? It isn’t about good deeds versus bad deeds. My judgment is based on a person’s trajectory. Are they running towards me or away from me? Do they love me in their hearts or do they hate me?
We are God’s children…
