THE THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Though we have free will, your next step could be your last
“Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?”
Proverbs 20:24 (KJV)
“5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
Matthew 20
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
The kingdom of heaven – The kingdom of God
The phrase “kingdom of God” occurs 68 times in 10 different New Testament books, while “kingdom of heaven” occurs only 32 times, and only in the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 19:23-24 (KJV), “23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
Jesus makes no distinction between the two terms but seems to consider them synonymous
For example
Kingdom of heaven
Matthew 11:11 (KJV), “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Kingdom of God
Luke 7:28 (KJV), “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
In the case of the rich ruler, the kingdom of God is the literal rule of Christ on the earth during the millennium
Daniel 2:44 (KJV), “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
Choose to serve not to be served
Matthew 20:26-28 (KJV), “26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Isaiah 53:10 (KJV), “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”
It only takes a moment to allow Jesus to save your life
Matthew 20:34 (KJV), “So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.”
Luke 23:42-43 (KJV), “42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Hosea 1
Hosea 1:1 (KJV), “The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.”
Who was Hosea?
[1] Hosea was a prophet to the northern kingdom during its final years of existence. God appointed Hosea to expose Israel’s widespread corruption and apostasy and call the Israelites to repent and return to God. In a unique form of symbolism, the Lord used Hosea’s family to illustrate the enduring covenant and redeeming love God has for the nation of Israel.
Why did God tell Hosea to marry a prostitute?
Hosea 1:2 (KJV), “The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.”
[2] God wanted to provide an illustration of His relationship with the people of Israel, who had been unfaithful to Him by practicing idolatry
Hosea 1:3-4 (KJV), “3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. 4 And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.”
Is it inconceivable for God to place us in a situation for us to see first hand what we have done wrong?
God’s prophetic words to Hosea on Israel’s destruction
Hosea 1:4-5 (KJV), “4 And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.”
Lo-Ruhamah – In Hebrew, Lo-ruhamah means “she has not received mercy” or “no pity”
Hosea 1:6 (KJV), “And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.”
Lo-Ammi – means “not my people”
Hosea 1:9 (KJV), “Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.”
Jeremiah 35 The Obedient Rechabites
God then told Jeremiah to go and tell the people of Judah to learn a lesson from the Rechabites’ faithful obedience
Jeremiah 35:12-14 (KJV), “12 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, 13 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord. 14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.”
Proverbs 20 Please read
Ezekiel 33
The Watchman and His Message
Who is the watchman?
Ezekiel 33:2 (KJV), “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman.”
The watchman’s role
Ezekiel 33:3-6 (KJV), “3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.”
Ezekiel is made a watchman
Ezekiel 33:7 (KJV), “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.”
God’s salvation message to Ezekiel is no different than His message to us today
Ezekiel 33:14-16 (KJV), “14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.”
God was righteous God then and God is no different today (important READ)
Ezekiel 33:17-20 (KJV), “17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. 18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. 20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.”
Ezekiel is no longer mute
Remember back in chapter 3
Ezekiel 3:26-27 (KJV), “26 And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.”
Ezekiel 33:22 (KJV), “Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.”
Be doers of the word not just hearers
Then…
Ezekiel 33:31-32 (KJV), “31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. 32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.”
And now
James 1:22-23 (KJV), “22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.”
Grow in the Word of the Lord 