Monday March 29, 2021

Faith : a full commitment !

Hebrews 11: 7 - By faith Noah... condemned the world.

There is something very powerful about this verse ! The correct term for condemnation means that by his faith Noah made evident the unbelief of those around him. We must understand that faith can be a blessing but also a curse, a smell of life but also a smell of death (2 Corinthians 2:16). Jesus made it clear that He did not come to judge the world, but that judgment comes because His words are rejected (Compare John 12:47 and 48).

When we rub shoulders with ministries of faith, if our hearts harden, we bring about our own condemnation. When we come to know the Word of Faith, we become responsible ! The punishment that strikes ignorance is not at all the same as that which strikes rebellion. If we are not determined to change, it is better for us to refrain from coming into contact with the Word of Faith.

God is never in check and his Word does not return to Him without having accomplished His will (Isaiah 55:11). You see, the Word of Faith is not a magic formula that you try to see if it works. Entering into a process of faith requires a complete and irreversible commitment. Jesus said : "Whoever puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Everyone who has experienced the power of God by faith has gone through with their resolve !

My beloveds, I often like to compare faith to nitroglycerin, but it is an explosive that must be handled with care ! If our heart is not whole with the Lord, let us ask Him to change us before entering into a Word of Faith so that we are fully blessed.

Good reflection !

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministry)

Sunday March 28, 2021

A prophet without a miracle !

John 10:41 - ... John did no miracles...

How surprising is this statement, don't you think ? John the Baptist was a great prophet, Jesus will bear this testimony of him : "I say it to you in truth, among those who are born of women, there has not appeared one greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11.11). However, if the ministry of John the Baptist was powerful and blessed, it did not involve any miracle. He was only a forerunner to open the way to the Lord.

My reflection is : are we able to limit ourselves to what God asks of us without “envying” those who are more successful than us ? Take a break before answering this question : “If you had a choice between the ministry of John the Baptist and that of the apostle Peter, which one would you choose ?". After answering, ask yourself : “Why ?". If we are to be honest, we would probably all choose the ministry of the apostle Peter, because it was dotted with extraordinary miracles. The ministry of John the Baptist was “austere”, difficult and without a demonstration of power, except a strong conviction of sin which reached his listeners.

Yet many of us are called to a ministry which will not “break the house”, but which is of great use. How many faithful servants in the shadows will there be for a platform preacher who will make this ministry possible ! If John the Baptist had “envied” Jesus, he would have started to pray for the sick, to cast out demons and he would have strayed from his mission. John was a man full of humility, who knew his place and who would say : "He must grow, and I must decrease" (John 3.30).

My beloved, the important thing is to find the place that God has reserved for us in the advancement of his Kingdom. If we are tempted to take someone else's place, there will be two shortcomings : there will be an empty chair and it is very uncomfortable to be two people in the same chair. May the Lord grant us to fully accept Our call and to fulfill it faithfully.

Good reflection !

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministry)

Saturday March 27, 2021

History of thinking !

Philippians 4.6 - Do not worry about anything; but in all things make your needs known to God by prayers and supplications, with thanksgiving.

Let me tell you a little story : a missionary finds himself lost in the jungle. He is pursued by a lion. He tries to take shelter in a tree, but it is too small. He prays earnestly : "Lord, come to my aid, can't you see that this lion is going to eat me ?". The lion kneels at the foot of the tree and says : “Lord, thank you for this good meal !".

Then the sky opens and a voice is heard : "My friend the lion, I know that you are faithful and I ask you to fast today".

I leave it to you to meditate. Here's another : a daddy is glued to his computer screen. His five-year-old son comes up to him and asks : "Can I play with my truck ?". The dad replies : "Yes of course".

A few minutes later the boy comes back and asks : "Daddy, can I have a glass of milk ?". The father sighs and says : “Yes you can !".

A little later, the little boy comes back for the third time and asks : "Can I turn on the television ?". The dad starts to get annoyed because he is very busy on his computer and he says to him : “But hey, you can !".

The little boy finds a hammer that had been misplaced and is about to knock on the television, saying : “Daddy can I… ?". The father without turning around yells : "YES YOU CAN !".

Hebrews 10:24 - Let’s Watch Over One Another...

Have a good day and good thinking !

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministry)

Friday March 26, 2021

It is insignificant !

Proverbs 24.33 and 34 - A little sleep, a little drowsiness, a little crossing your hands to sleep !... And poverty will surprise you, like a prowler, and famine, like a man in arms.

It is an established fact that the greatest technical disasters are very often the result of small accumulated negligence. We don't always realize it, but the little things matter a lot. In our verse, the "lazy" ultimately does not ask for much, to let go a little and fold his arms...

If we think about it, the devil is not going to come with his "big hooves" to do us harm, but he will watch for the slightest little flaw, the little detail, the little breach to destroy. This is why the Lord called us to watch !

In fact, we need to think about the consequences of small negligence, small oversights, postponements... We have a very human propensity to focus on the important, which seems essential, to the detriment of the small details. But rest assured, if I may put it that way, that is where the enemy will "wait" for you.

Jesus told us : "He who is faithful in the smallest things is also in great" (Luke 16:10). My beloveds, let us admit that we need to return to the fidelity of the little things. Those little details of life where we don't behave with dignity as we display ourselves as Christians. It would be a shame if our testimony was tarnished by that.

Good reflection !

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministry)

Thursday 25 March 2021

I have heard a lot of people talking !

Acts 9:13 - Ananias replied, : "Lord, I have heard many people speak of this man and say all the evil that he has done..." (T.O.B.).

Ananias was a disciple of Damascus, Saul of Tarsus (the apostle Paul) had just converted following a powerful encounter with the Lord. Now, in a vision, the Lord sent Ananias into the mouth of the wolf. We can understand his reluctance.

My point today is : what if Ananias had remained on his opinion of Saul because of the reputation of this man ? We can hear people talk about other people, and this often affects our “judgment”. Bad reputation is a gangrenous poison that divides even friends (Proverbs 17.9). We often forget that the Lord is capable of dramatic changes, capable of changing a Saul of Tarsus into Paul and making him one of the greatest men the earth has borne.

Ananias had enough intimacy with the Lord to allow himself to be transformed in his opinions and to adopt God's point of view on a human being. I really like these words of Ananias : “Saul, my brother ! ”(Acts 9:17). All his reservations were over because he had allowed himself to be convinced by the testimony of God.

My beloved, do not stop at rumors, slander or slander, justified accusations or not, if we do not want to "miss" a divine appointment. Let us seek the face of God to know what He thinks, what is his gaze on such or such situation, on such or such person.

Good reflection !

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministry)