November 6

November 6
One Year Bible Readings:
Ezekiel 14:12-16:41
Hebrews 7:18-28
Psalm 106:1-12
Proverbs 27:4-6
Supplemental Reading for The One Year Bible.
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog.

Ezekiel:
Ezekiel chapter 15 is an interesting one for me today, where God basically calls Jerusalem a useless grape vine. In reading this I am also reminded that Jesus in John 15 uses the grape vine analogy again saying "I am the vine and you are the branches." This tells me that Jesus redeems even useless grape vines! :)  
Q: However, using this Ezekiel analogy, are we growing in our lives like trees or like vines? How thick are your roots? How solid is your core?

Ezekiel chapter 16 is a fascinating and sad look at the city of Jerusalem. This is the first time I have really spent a little bit of time with this chapter. The question I find for myself in reading this chapter is this: has God blessed us similarly in some ways that he blessed Jerusalem? Have we, perhaps, in some ways used the blessings that God has given us in improper ways? Verse 6 in this chapter stood out to me: "But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, `Live!'" Bible commentaries suggest that this one word - Live! - is God's basic desire for all humans. How powerful is that realization? How very beautiful... Live! Let us Live!
 
Hebrews:
Hebrews chapter 7 verse 27 teaches us today: "Jesus does not need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people." I hadn't really thought a lot about this before. In the Old Testament the Levitical priests had to offer sacrifices first for their own sins - and then they would be clean / pure enough to offer sacrifices for others sins. The good news of course in the New Testament and in this chapter is that we now have the perfectly clean and pure High Priest of Jesus Christ - who does not need to purify himself first! He never sinned.  
Q: Will you take your sins to Jesus, your High Priest?

Psalm:
Psalm 106 is a repentive Psalm, likely written by a Levitical priest after returning to Jerusalem after its destruction. Verse 2 stood out to me today - "Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him half enough?"  
Q: Can you list all of the glorious miracles of God? Can anyone? Are you praising God today? Every day?

Verse 3 is powerful- "Happy are those who deal justly with others and always do what is right." I think this is such an important thing to know - we will be happy when we deal justly with others and when we do what is right. This is happiness. Not money or fame or power or luxuries. Dealing justly with others and doing what is right is happiness.  
Q: So, Biblically, are you happy?

Proverbs:
Proverbs 27 verse 6 is an interesting one. And indeed true. "Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy."
Q: Why should we watch out for many kisses from an enemy? Let us thank God for a friend who will speak truth into our life! Even if it hurts at first to hear it. Think about this - is someone being a better friend to you if they tell you a truth about your life that may wound you - or if they say nothing at all and let you keep on keepin' on with something wrong you may be doing? Let us embrace and welcome truthful wounds from our friends! We need this type of iron sharpening iron. Sometimes we need to be lovingly and truthfully wounded by our friends to grow closer to God.

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