Blessed Sunday to you all!

Today I heard one of the finest sermons I think I will ever hear. Our associate pastor, Pastor Marc spoke on the story in Ezekiel of the vision of Ezekiel and the dry bones.

Ezekiel 37: 4 “Dry bones listen to the Word of the Lord! This the Sovereign Lord says, “Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!”

The pre-story is that the nation of Israel had once again broken their relationship with God—and if you know any of the history of Israel and their relationship with God this was not new! But the most amazing thing is that God always in His power and compassionate grace forgave this stubborn nation and restored them again.

In the story of Ezekiel and the dry bones God re-knits these bones together into new creatures made fit to serve Him. God re-forms these dry dead bones in the power of forgiveness, raises them by His grace and sets them to His purpose. But here is the thing…If you read the story you will read that in the vision, God re-joins the bones and then lays on the tendons, muscle and skin. But these new creations are still dead bodies until He breathes His very breath into them.

How much like the nation of Israel are we? How often have we broken our relationship with God through our own sin? And how often have we been in need of forgiveness? How many times have we needed God to re-connect our dry bones with His love, grace and forgives and once again breathe His healing Holy Spirit to regenerate our deadness into new life.

God loves us so much that he breathes His very breath of new life into each of us and He becomes a part of each breath that we take. It is through that breath that we are renewed, re-knitted and once again made whole. In that breath we are granted the gift of forgiveness and healing grace. We are raised up and set to his purpose. Our purpose is to help others to know God. We are called to be models of forgiveness for others. When others see that we have been forgiven then we have been given the power of forgiveness and must forgive others. When God forgives us it is turned into action. The action now is our responsibility to be the model of forgiveness for others.

So here is the question…Do we just talk the talk or do we talk and walk the path God has laid before us through the life of Jesus? Do we ask for forgiveness and offer forgiveness to others or do we allow the unforgiveness to control us and not allow God to re-fit us, raise us up and use us for His purpose?

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. When you pray remember to lift each other up in prayer. Remember that each of us is fighting some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.