Sun.’s Devo - God’s Great Love for Israel

Read: Ezekiel 35:36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 27:23-27 Edom was considered one of Israel’s greatest rivals. They represent all the nations who hate Israel. They rejoiced when Israel fell and now they will fall and not recover. They will be punished for all their acts of anger, envy and hatred. When God gets finished with them they will know that God heard every evil word they spoke against Israel. Now, the whole earth will rejoice at their fall. *** Ezekiel was given a very encouraging word to the mountains of Israel. They had been been attacked from every direction and their land taken as plunder. Ezekiel was told to prophecy to the mountains and hills of Israel that they would produce heavy crops of fruit for the people who will be coming home. God promised to increase their population and rebuild their cities. They will become even more prosperous than they were before. *** The nation accused Israel of being a nation who devoured its people of their children, but that would never happen again. They had defiled their land with their evil life-style… with murder and idolatry, so God scattered them and punished them for their evil ways. The people of other nations said that God couldn’t keep them safe in their own land, bringing reproach on God’s name. So, God would bring them back to protect his name and show them how holy his name is. *** God will baptize them in holiness and give them a new heart and put a new spirit in them so that they will follow his decrees and obey him. They will be God’s people, and he will be their God. They will experience Gods’ blessing and prosperity. They will be repentant of their past. Their wasteland will be like the Garden of Eden. Everyone will know that the Lord is God. *** James writes his letter to the twelve tribes scattered across the world. He tells us that when troubles and tests come our way, we are to have great joy because it will help us grow in endurance. When our endurance is mature, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. *** When we need wisdom, all we have to do is ask, and God will give it to us. Our faith is what keeps us stable. We cannot have one foot in the world, and one in Christ. We must be totally devoted to Christ and his agenda. Our only boast is in Christ. *** God will bless the ones who patiently endure testing and temptation crowning them with life. When we are being tempted, it is never God who is doing it. We are tempted from our own desires which try to entice us away from God. The enemy’s goal is to draw us into sin that will lead to death. God is good and his gifts are good. He never changes. He chose to give us life and reminds us that we are his prized possessions. *** Lord, may our lives bring honor to You alone. Thank you for wisdom and testings and faith. May it produce righteous fruit in us.