From the Heart by B.Demaere

Exploring the Bible by B.Demaere: Ezekiel's Awesome Vision (Ezekiel 1:4-14) :   As I looked, I saw a great storm coming toward me from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone wit...

  As I looked, I saw a great storm coming toward me from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light.  The fire inside the cloud glowed like gleaming amber.  From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human, except that each had four faces and two pairs of wings.  Their legs were straight like human legs, but their feet were split like calves' feet and shone like burnished bronze.  Beneath each of their wings I could see human  hands.  The wings of each living being touched the wings of the two beings beside it.  The living beings were able to fly in any direction without turning around.  Each had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back.  Each had two pairs of outstretched wings---one pair stretched out to touch the wings of the living beings on either side of it, and the other pair covered its body.  They w

Promises to Keep Devotional by B.Demaere: King Jehoiachin: The King who would not repent (Ez... :   (Introduction to the book of Ezekiel)   This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity.  The Lord gave a message t...

  (Introduction to the book of Ezekiel)   This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity.  The Lord gave a message to me, Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, there beside the Kedar River in the land of the Babylonians, and I felt the hand of the Lord take hold of me. This is definitely not the book I would have chosen, but rather the book to the Romans.  But the Lord insisted and won and persuaded me to go through the book of Ezekiel with you.  The excuse I gave him was that it was too hard, but here we go, the book of Ezekiel.  He simply told me to tell you what I see. King Jeoiachin, a troubled king by what I see.  He had been placed on the throne at quite a young age.  He became rebellious and all his life would not repent.  Here we see him in the fifth year of his thirty-seven years captivity in Babylonia.  His grandfather had been King Josiah, a reputable king who knew God and even brought a religious reform. Why would King Jehoiachin  had not repented after  se

Promises to Keep Devotional by B.Demaere: Humility in Service (1Peter 5:1-7) 1Peter 5:12) :  And now, a word to you elders in the churches.  I, too, am an elder, and a witness to the sufferings of Christ.  And I, too, will share his...

 And now, a word to you elders in the churches.  I, too, am an elder, and a witness to the sufferings of Christ.  And I, too, will share his glory and his honor when he returns.  As a fellow elder, this is my appeal to you: Care for the flock of God entrusted to you.  Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly---not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.  Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by example.  And when the head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor.  You younger men, accept the authority of the elders. And all of you serve each other in humility, for                               "God sets himself against the proud                                  but he shows favor to the humble." So humble yourselves, under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.  Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you. (Now he

  So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer too.  For if you are willing to suffer for Christ , you have decided to stop sinning.  And you won't spend the rest of your life chasing after evil desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.  You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy---their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. I have really enjoyed this epistle written that the Apostle Peter wrote for us.  Even more so now,  he gives us in these preceding verses, I think the key to holy living.  The important words are underlined: no where he says that we will suffer as to scare us, but that we must be willing and ready to suffer.  Some of us suffer, but we are not willing or ready.  I mean here, insults from anyone we come in contact with.  When we are finally willing and ready it plunges