Dave Yadallee's personal blog

Day 244, 1 September 2021



Ezekiel 21 -22



Ezekiel 21



Babylon, the Sword of the Lord



1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2 (Eze 20:46; 4:7; 25:2) Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem,

and speak against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,

3 (Job 9:22; Jer 21:13) and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord:

I am against you, and will draw My sword from its sheath, and will cut off

from you the righteous and the wicked.

4 (Eze 20:47; 7:2) Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous

and the wicked, therefore My sword shall be drawn from its sheath

against all flesh from the south to the north,

5 (Eze 21:30; Na 1:9) that all flesh shall know that I the Lord have drawn

forth My sword from its sheath. It shall not return anymore.

6 (Isa 22:4; Eze 6:11) As for you, son of man, groan with breaking heart

and bitter grief, groan before their eyes.

7 Eze 7:17; Isa 13:7It shall be when they say to you, "Why do you groan?"

that you shall answer, "Because of the news that is coming. And every heart

shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint,

and all knees shall be weak as water. It comes and shall be brought to pass,"

says the Lord God.

8 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

9 (Eze 21:3) Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord! Say:

A sword, a sword is sharpened

and also furbished!

10 (Ps 110:5-6; Eze 20:47) It is sharpened to make a slaughter;

it is furbished so that it may glitter like lightning.

Should we then make cheer, the rod of My son despising every tree?

11 (Eze 21:19) He has given it to be furbished,

that it may be handled;

the sword is sharpened,

and it is furbished to give it into the hand of the slayer.

12 (Eze 21:6; Joel 1:13) Cry out and howl, son of man;

for it shall be against My people,

it shall be against all the officials of Israel.

Terrors by reason of the sword

shall be upon My people;

therefore strike your thigh.

13 (Eze 21:10) Because it is a trial, and what if even the rod which

despises shall be no more? says the Lord God.

14 (Nu 24:10; 2Ki 24:1) You therefore, son of man, prophesy

and clap your hands together.

And let the sword be doubled

the third time,

the sword of the slain.

It is the sword of the great one slain,

which surrounds them.

15 (Jer 17:27; Eze 21:7) That their hearts may faint,

and many fall at all their gates,

I have given the glittering sword.

Ah! It is made for striking like lightning;

it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

16 Show yourself sharp, go to the right hand.

Set yourself. Go to the left hand,

wherever your edge is set.

17 (Eze 5:13; 21:14) I will also clap My hands together,

and I will cause My fury to rest;

I the Lord have spoken.

18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying:

19 (Jer 1:10; Eze 4:1-3) As for you, son of man, appoint two ways

for the sword of the king of Babylon to come. Both of them shall come out

of one land. And make a signpost. Make it at the head of the way to the city.

20 (Jer 49:2; Am 1:14) Appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah

of the sons of Ammon and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.

21 (Ge 31:19; Pr 16:33) For the king of Babylon stands at the parting

of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination:

He shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks in the liver.

22 (Eze 4:2; 26:9) At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem:

to appoint battering rams, to open the mouth for the slaughter,

to lift up the voice with a battle shout, to appoint battering rams

against the gates, to cast up a ramp, and to build a siege tower.

23 (Nu 5:15; Eze 21:24) It shall be to them as a false divination

in their sight, to those who have sworn oaths. But he will call

to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be seized.

24 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have made your iniquity

to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that

in all your deeds your sins do appear, because, I say, that you have

come to remembrance, you shall be seized with the hand.

25 (Eze 35:5; 2Ch 36:13) You, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day

has come in the time of the punishment of the end,

26 (Eze 17:24; Ps 75:7) thus says the Lord God: Remove the diadem

and take off the crown. This shall not be the same anymore.

Exalt what is low, and abase what is high.

27 (Ps 2:6; Ge 49:10) A ruin, a ruin, a ruin I shall make it.

And it shall be no more until He comes whose right it is,

and I shall give it to Him.



A Sword Against the Ammonites



28 (Eze 21:9-10; 21:20) You, son of man, prophesy and say: Thus says

the Lord God concerning the sons of Ammon and concerning their reproach,

and say,

The sword, the sword is drawn,

furbished for the slaughter,

to cause it to consume

that it may be like lightning,

29 (Eze 21:25; 22:28) while they see vanity for you,

while they divine a lie to you

to bring you upon the necks

of the wicked who are slain,

whose day has come

in the time of the punishment of the end.

30 (Jer 47:6-7; Eze 16:38) Return it to its sheath.

I will judge you

in the place where you were created,

in the land of your nativity.

31 (Ps 18:15; Isa 30:33) I will pour out My indignation upon you;

I will blow against you in the fire of My wrath,

and deliver you into the hand of cruel men,

skilled in destruction.

32 (Eze 25:10; Mal 4:1) You shall be fuel to the fire;

your blood shall be in the midst of the land.

You shall be no more remembered,

for I the Lord have spoken.



Ezekiel 22



The Sins of Jerusalem



1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2 (Eze 20:4; 24:6) Now you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge

the bloody city? Indeed, you shall show her all her abominations.

3 (Eze 22:27) Then say, Thus says the Lord God: The city sheds blood

in her midst, that her time may come, and makes idols against herself

to defile herself.

4 (2Ki 21:16; Ps 44:13-14) You have become guilty in your blood that

you have shed and have defiled yourself with your idols which you have made.

And you have caused your day to draw near and have come to your years.

Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mocking

to all countries.

5 Those who are near and those who are far from you shall mock you,

you of infamy and much turmoil.

6 (Isa 1:23; Eze 22:27) The princes of Israel in you, every one according

to his power, have been bent on shedding blood.

7 (Ex 22:21-22; Dt 27:16) In you they have treated father and mother lightly.

In your midst they have dealt with the stranger by oppression.

In you they have vexed the fatherless and the widow.

8 (Eze 20:13; 22:26) You have despised My holy things and have profaned

My Sabbaths.

9 (Lev 19:16; Hos 4:10) In you are men who carry slanders to shed blood.

And in you they eat at the mountain shrines.

In your midst they commit lewdness.

10 (Lev 18:19; 18:7-8) In you they have uncovered their fathers' nakedness.

In you they have humbled her who was unclean in her menstrual impurity.

11 (Lev 18:15; 20:17) One has committed abomination with his neighbour's wife,

and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. And another in you

has humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

12 (Dt 27:25; Eze 23:35) In you they have taken bribes to shed blood.

You have taken usury and increase, and you have injured your neighbours

for gain by extortion, and you have forgotten Me, says the Lord God.

13 (Isa 33:15; Eze 21:17) Therefore I have struck My hand toward

your dishonest gain which you have made, and toward your blood which has been

in your midst.

14 (Eze 17:24; 21:7) Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong

in the days that I shall deal with you? I the Lord have spoken and will do it.

15 (Dt 4:27; Zec 7:14) I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you

in the countries and consume your filthiness out of you.

16 (Eze 6:7; Ps 83:18) You shall profane yourself in the sight of the nations,

and you shall know that I am the Lord.



Jerusalem as God's Furnace



17 The word of the Lord came to me, saying:

18 (Ps 119:119; Isa 1:22) Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross

to Me. All of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the midst

of the furnace. They are the dross of silver.

19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you all have become dross,

therefore, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.

20 As they gather silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into the midst

of a furnace to blow fire on it to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger

and in My fury, and I will lay you there and melt you.

21 Indeed, I will gather you and blow upon you in the fire of My wrath,

and you shall be melted in the midst of it.

22 (Eze 20:8; 20:33) As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace,

so you shall be melted in the midst of it. And you shall know that

I the Lord have poured out My fury upon you.



Indictment of Sinful Leaders



23 The word of the Lord came to me, saying:

24 (Isa 9:13; Jer 2:30) Son of man, say to her: You are the land that

is not cleansed nor rained upon in the day of indignation.

25 (Hos 6:9; Jer 2:34) There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst

like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls. They have

taken the treasure and precious things. They have made many widows

in her midst.

26 (Lev 10:10; 1Sa 2:12-17) Her priests have violated My law

and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction

between the holy and profane, nor have they shown the difference

between the unclean and the clean, and they have hidden their eyes from

My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

27 (Eze 22:13; Isa 1:23) Her officials in her midst are like wolves ravening

the prey by shedding blood and destroying lives in order

to obtain dishonest gain.

28 (Jer 23:25–32; Eze 13:6-7) Her prophets have daubed them with whitewash,

seeing vanity and divining lies for them, saying,

"Thus says the Lord God," when the Lord has not spoken.

29 (Eze 22:7; Ex 23:9; Isa 5:7) The people of the land have used oppression

and exercised robbery and have vexed the poor and needy and have oppressed

the sojourner wrongfully.

30 (Jer 5:1; Eze 13:5) I sought for a man among them who would build up

the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land so that I would not

destroy it, but I found no one.

31 (Eze 7:8-9; 9:10) Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them.

I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath.

Their own way I have recompensed on their heads, says the Lord God.



2) Our Daily Bread for 1 September 2021

https://odb.org/CA/2021/09/01/fix-up-time

Entitled Fix Up Time



Eph 4:20-32



20 But you did not learn about Christ in this manner,

21 (Eph 1:13) if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him,

as the truth is in Jesus:

22 (Ro 6:6; Heb 3:13) that you put off the former way of life

in the old nature, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

23 (Ro 12:2; Col 3:10) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 (Ro 6:4; Eph 2:10) and that you put on the new nature,

which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness.



Rules for the New Life



25 (Col 3:9; Zec 8:16; Ro 12:5) Therefore, putting away lying,

let every man speak truthfully with his neighbor, for we are members

of one another.

26 (Ps 37:8; 4:4) Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down

on your anger.

27 (Jas 4:7) Do not give place to the devil.

28 (Ex 20:15; 1Th 4:11-12) Let him who steals steal no more. Instead,

let him labor, working with his hands things which are good,

that he may have something to share with him who is in need.

29 (Col 4:6) Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth,

but only that which is good for building up,

that it may give grace to the listeners.

30 (1Th 5:19; Isa 63:10; Ro 8:23) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,

in whom you are sealed for the day of redemption.

31 (Col 3:8; Ecc 7:9; Col 3:19) Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts,

and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you.

32 (2Co 2:10; Col 3:12-13; Mt 6:12) And be kind one to another, tenderhearted,

forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.



It was time to give the inside of our home a fresh, new look. But just as I'd

begun prepping a room for painting, our state government announced it would be

halting the sale of many home improvement items due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As soon as I heard the announcement, I rushed to the store and purchased

the essential materials. You simply can't remodel without the proper supplies.



Paul had a bit of a remodeling project in mind when he wrote Ephesians 4.

But the changes he was talking about went far beyond superficial alterations.

Even though trusting Jesus as Savior makes us a new creation, there's still

some ongoing work the Spirit needs to do. And it takes time and work for Him

to accomplish "true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).



The presence of the Spirit makes needed changes on the inside that can help

us reflect Jesus in our words and actions. He helps us replace lying

with speaking "truthfully" (v. 25). He guides us to avoid sin in regard

to anger (v. 26). And He directs us to speak words that are

"helpful for building others up" (v. 29). These Spirit-controlled actions

are part of the internal change that's manifested in things like kindness,

compassion, and forgiveness (v. 32). The Spirit works in us to enable us

to imitate Jesus Himself and reflect the heart

of our heavenly Father (v. 24; 5:1).



By: Dave Branon



Reflect & Pray



In what areas do you need the Holy Spirit to make real,

heart-based improvement in you through His leading and strength?

How will you get started?



Loving God, thank You for making me a new creation in Christ.

Help my actions, through Your guidance,

to reflect the change You've made in me.



Learn more about the Trinity at https://discoveryseries.org/HP101 .





3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation



Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools



Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 4 "Formula" for Forgiveness





Luke 17:3 - 4



3 (Lev 19:17; Mt 18:21)"Take heed to yourselves."



"If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive

him. 4 (Mt 18:21–22) If he sins against you seven times in a day,

and seven times in a day turns to you, saying,

'I repent,' you must forgive him."



The context of these verses give us an interesting perspective of Jesus'

disciples. In a corollary passage in Matthew 18, the disciples (through

Peter, the designated mouthpiece) ask Jesus,

21 (Mt 18:15; Lk 17:3–4) Then Peter came to Him and said,

"Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me?

Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21)

The disciples wanted a "formula" for forgiveness: they wanted to be able to

develop a checklist. Once, twice, maybe three times a brother could be

forgiven, but after that, you could write him off. After all, if

he keeps on offending over and over again, he doesn't deserve to be forgiven!

But Jesus says, " Rebuke him - let him know his fault; if he repents,

forgive him - even seven times in the same day!"

And the disciplines' response is predictable: "Lord, increase our faith!" They

were more comfortable with their own formula for forgiveness than with the

outrageous demands of the love that Christ imposed upon them.

We are so like the disciples. We want to draw a line and say. "This far

- no more. I'll forgive you once, but don't do it again. Now that you're

forgiven, you'd better shape up!". Yet God's love doesn't recognise "again".

He forgives, and no matter how often we come to him inrepentance

for repeated offenses, his arms of forgiveness are open to us.

That is the way God wants us to forgive. He wants us to lay aside our

checklists, put away our suspicaions, abandon our scoreboards, and forgive.

Seven times, or seventy times seven, as often as we have sinned against God

and been forgiven, we are to forgive.



Application



a) Have I ever kept a "scorecard" of performance on someone I

have forgiven ? Why?



b) Why do I need "increased faith" to be able to forgive as

Jesus calls me to?





4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland



Malachi 3:10-12



10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in

My house, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not

open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing,

that there will not be room enough to receive it.

11 I will rebuke the devourer

for your sakes, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground,

and the vines in your field will not fail to bear fruit,

says the Lord of Hosts.

12 Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be

a delightful land, says the Lord of Hosts.



5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:



When you are Worried Over Money



Matt 6:19-21



Treasures in Heaven



Lk 12:33–34



19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth

and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up

for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy

and where thieves do not break in nor steal, 21 for where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also.



Remember God's promises when You pray



The Lord's prayer



Matthew 6:9-13



9 "Therefore pray in this manner:

Our Father who is in heaven,

hallowed be Your name.

10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;

Your will be done

on earth, as it is in heaven.

11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.

12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."



6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)



Nova Scotia



Total population 942700

Muslim population (est.) 14629



With 6 of the Nova Scotia's 10 universities located in Halifax, there is

a high concentration of Muslin international students in the area,

a harvest field in itself.

Pray for Nova Scotoa and her Muslim populations



- in and around Halifax and other cities



- on university campuses



- for new workers among Muslims



- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach

to Muslims in their areas.



- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend

to share Jesus with and disciple them



- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their

new faith in Jesus with other Muslims



Halifax is the centre of Muslim activity for the Province of Nova Scotia

with at least 10 Islamic centres (mosques) and musallas

(prayer locations, especially for Friday prayer). And there are other mosques

in Chebucto, Kearney Lake, Dartmouth, Bedford and Truto.



Though the original community of Muslims was primarily composed of

newcomers from Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, continued immigration

has further diversified this community. Anf it is said thay Arabic

is the second most spoken language in Halifax.



while conservative estimates place the number of Muslims at almost 15000

in 2014, the Imama of a primary Halifax mosque estimates their population

somewhere between 25000 to 30000.



Adding further



30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020



Under the Keep Praying page



When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month

and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days

of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that

usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,

of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be

decorated and festivals will be held.

For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the

distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of

Islam.

You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",

which means Blessed Eid!"

Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you

know, and Muslims around the world:

- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions

in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about

unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such

movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three

decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim

relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.



Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,

"What does this mean?"

13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."



Peter's Speech at Pentecost



14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice

and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,

let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,

since it is the third hour of the day.

16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,

'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.'



- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective

discipleship movements among Muslim people.



- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for

Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.



Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a

hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under

a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the

house."



Ideas for prayer



- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you

- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving

Christ among Muslim people -



Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."

- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims

throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!



My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further

call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity



(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .



7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada



http://www.ehc.ca



1st Day of the month



a) Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada



Joel 2:28 And it will be that, afterwards,

I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream

dreams, and your young men will see visions.

Acts 2:17 "In the last days it shall be," says God, "

that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall

prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream

dreams.



b) Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister

would be directed to do that which pleases God



Prov 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water;

He turns it to any place He will.





Conclusion:



Pray to the Lord and pray to not to sin is His eyes.



Pray to the Lord "Loving God, thank You for making me

a new creation in Christ.

Help my actions, through Your guidance,

to reflect the change You've made in me."



Pray to the Lord and pray to be a true forgiver and increase our faith in Him.



Pray to the Lord and give tithes.



Pray to the Lord and lay your treasure in Heaven.



Pray for Nova Scotoa and her Muslim populations



- in and around Halifax and other cities



- on university campuses



- for new workers among Muslims



- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach

to Muslims in their areas.



- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend

to share Jesus with and disciple them



- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their

new faith in Jesus with other Muslims



Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective

discipleship movements among Muslim people.



Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have God's heart for

Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.



Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on the World



Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister

would be directed to do that which pleases God



Pray that the Lord will change the hearts of persecutors in India

and they will turn to Christ.



Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.

and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness



Remember eternity starts now -

Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.