The story of the dry bones mentioned in Ezekiel chapter 37, has been interpreted as the re-gathering of the Jews from many nations back to the land of Israel, this event happened in our time, when Israel was established as a nation in 1948. An interesting fact is that one of the first places that was excavated shortly after Israel received it’s sovereignty was the site called Masada, the last Jewish stronghold against Rome.

The archaeologists that excavated Masada knew all about it, based on the writings of Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius. They came upon a synagogue on the mountain fortress, and there they found only one preserved portion of scripture, Ezekiel 37. When they uncovered this find, the discoverers wept, realizing that they themselves were these “dry bones that came to life.” At a time in which this prophecy was being fulfilled, this portion of scripture was preserved in a place where hope was once lost! .1

Some believe that Israel will not be allowed to fully return to the land of Israel to possess it as an eternal possession until Israel has accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. The valley of the dry bones can also be interpreted as the spiritual rebirth of Israel, a symbolic representation of Israel’s spiritual state with God. Israel’s condition is no different from that of any person who is not born again. Before the new birth, we are all spiritually dead in our souls. It is described as being dead in trespasses and sins.

 

The Dry Bones Live

The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.

And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”

So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.” - Ezekiel 37:1-14

In the story of the valley of dry bones, it is said that the bones were very dry, this is to help us see just how spiritually dead Israel was in this prophecy. If we apply the prophecy to born again Christians, we can have a more personal connection with it. We too were dry bones, dead in our sins. With the grace of God we have the new life; this new life will be fully manifested when Christ returns. We will not be able to boast about how good we were or declare how deserving we are to enter into glory, it is only the sacrificial blood of Jesus and His grace that will be accepted. The challenge for us is to go out and prophecy to the dry bones of the world and tell them about the source of new life, Jesus Christ, Son of the living God.

How To Speak - Colossians 4:6

  What is your speech like? We as Christians ought to be so sensitive to the needs, hurts, and disappointments of others that no unkind words come from our lips and no harsh tone is heard in our voices - even when we find it necessary to be firm. We have Christ dwelling within us, and as we yield to His control His love will become evident not only in what we say but also in how we say it.

The difference between being an offense or a blessing is sometimes just a manner of speaking. Let your speech always be with grace. Colossians 4:6

                                                          Thought

                         Gentle words fall lightly but carry great weight. _______________________________________________________________________________________

How does the first commandment apply to you. Thou shall have no other God before me. (Exodus 20: 3)  "I AM the Lord thy God." the Creator states. Is the God of all creation, the God of the Holy Bible, really your God who you serve and obey? Or have you conjured up your own false "god or gods"? Or are you falsely worshiping according to the traditions of men," which Jesus said would cause you to worship God in vain? (Mark 7:7.)

These are things you need to consider! God says that He is the one who has "brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Throughout the Bible, ancient Egypt is used as a type of sin. All men and women are held in slavery to the organized system of this world, and to their personal weaknesses.

When a person wants to change, God brings him out of that bondage - and he comes out willingly and gladly!

You need to examine whether or not you have ever really come out from the false traditions and ways of this world and have also repented of your own personal sins. God commands: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Have you put something else in place of God? Is your time, your interest, your service taken up more with something other than the true God? What idol have you placed between yourself and the true God of Heaven, studying His Word, and living by it?

                                                         Thought

                                 Put God first. He is our ultimate FATHER

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Take a look at these two sides. Do you bear any of these attitudes whether good or bad. If you bear any of the good qualities keep up the good works. Keep shining for the Lord.

If you bear any of the bad qualities ask God to help you get rid of them so that you can live a better life pleasing to God.

When at the end of your life what will you want people to say about you? Do you want them to say good things or bad things? You make the choice as to how you live your life being a good person or a bad one. 

                                                                               Thought

                                           Whether good or bad you are making a mark in life.

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A good mother loves her family and provides an atmosphere where each member can find acceptance, security, and understanding. She is there when the children need a listening ear, a comforting word, a warm hug, or a loving touch on a fevered brow. And for the Christian mother, her greatest joy is in teaching her children to trust and love Jesus as their Savior.

Mothers like that deserve to be honored - not just on one special day each year but every day. And that recognition should involve more than words; it ought to be shown in respect and thoughtfulness and loving deeds.

                                                                            Thought

                                       Godly Mothers not only bring you up, they bring you to God. __________________________________________________________________________________

People have always had a tendency to want to "help" God when He seems slow fulfilling His promise.

The Lord had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as countless as the stars and that an heir would come from his own aging body (Genesis 15:1-5). Abraham believed the Lord, but Sarah ran out of patience. She talked Abraham into fathering children through her maidservant Hagar. Ishmael was born, but he wasn't the son of promise (17:18-21). Fourteen years later, when Abraham and Sarah were very old, God did the impossible - Sarah conceived and the son of promise, Isaac, was born.

A godly woman shared this story: "Once during my husband's absence, a crisis arose. I needed to act quickly, but I was utterly helpless. Finally I prayed, 'Lord, this is impossible for me. You'll have to take over completely. I can't even help You!" She testified that God then accomplished the impossible when she admitted her helplessness.

 When we depend on ourselves, people see what we can do and our testimony is, "Didn't I do well!" When we depend on God, people see what He can do and our testimony is, "Didn't God do well!" Which testimony will you have today?

                                                                          Thought

                                  Facing an impossibility gives us the opportunity to trust God

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In today's lesson, Peter listed four things that will help us continue in our spiritual climb and not slide back:  

                1. Submitting to one another (1 Peter 5:5 )

                2. Humbling ourselves before Almighty God (v.6)                                  

                3. Casting all our cares on our caring Lord Jesus Christ (v.7)                   

                4. Disciplining ourselves and being watchful (v.8).

These four actions and attitudes enable us to resist Satan's attacks (v9) and allow God's grace to strengthen us and cause us to be established in our faith (v. 10).

Satan wants to keep us from making progress in our spiritual life. With the Lord's help, though, we can keep on climbing.

                                                                       Thought

                               TO AVOID SIN'S TRAGEDY, LEARN SATAN'S STRATEGIES 

             The devil walks about like a roaring lion ... Resist him, steadfast in the faith. 

                                                                 1 Peter 4: 8-9

1. To fulfill a promise - Matthew 24:7 2. To prove who God is. - Matthew 27: 50-54 3. To show God's power - Acts 16:26 - Revelations 6:12

For all pastors, teachers, scientist, theologians, people of the world, and Haitians who does not know why earthquakes occur, refer to the Holy Bible and you will get your answer. This is what I did. __________________________________________________________________________________

Poor Jacob. He thought he would never see two of his sons again, and he was afraid he would lose a third. He cried, "All these things are against me" ( Genesis 42:36).

Jacob's sons had sold their younger brother Joseph into slavery in Egypt. Now, 20 years later, a severe famine had forced them to go there to buy grain. Joseph, who had become Pharaoh's officer in charge ot Egypt's food supply, immediately recognized them, but they didn't know him. So Joseph tested them to find out if they had changed for the better. Speaking through an interpreter, he treated them harshly. He took his brother Simeon hostage and had their money put into their sacks of grain to make them look like thieves. The brothers were afraid and bewildered.

No wonder Jacob believed that everything was against him. But he was wrong! These circumstances were merely part of a series of events that would not only return Simeon to Jacob but would aslo reunite him with Joseph, whom he thought had died 20 years earlier.

Do you sometimes feel like crying. "All these things are against me"? Read Genesis 45 and see what God did for Jacob. Let his story strengthen your faith in the One who works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

                                                                             Thought

                                            Trusting God can transform a trial into a treasure.

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1. Don't try to answer critics, let God be your defense.                                                 Matthew 10:16-20 - “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues....But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

2. The size of your enemies determine the size of your rewards

a) You can't do anything right to turn an enemy on. b) You can't do anything to turn a true friend off.

3. God uses enemies to bless you.

 Psalm 2: 8-9 - Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."             Psalm 110: 1 - A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.  

 More Scriptural Reading Concerning the Enemy                                                                  Ezek 28:11-19, -  Isa 14:12-14, - 1 John 3:8,  

 Jesus' Words
Read Matthew 5:43-45. In verse 43 the word translated "neighbor" can also be translated "friend." What seems more natural: to love your friend or your enemy? Verse 44 tells us to "love" our enemies. Could you really love someone who was an enemy? With the Holy Spirit you can.

                                                                  Thought

                                     The greater the attacks, the greater your advances.

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Abram's nephew Lot was in a lot of trouble. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot lived, had been overtaken by a group of marauding kings. They sacked Sodom, captured Lot and his household, and then fled north. When Abram heard that his nephew had been kidnapped, he rounded up 318 trained servants, chased them, and rescued Lot.

Sometimes we might feel that all around us are people who don't know the God of the Holy Bible. They may speak of religion or faith, but genuine trust in the Lord of the universe seems to be the exception. That shouldn't stop us.

Abram was surrounded by people who didn't know God - yet he kept the faith. So must we, especially during those times when we feel alone.

                                                                        Thought

                          When you walk with God, you'll be out of step with the world.

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  As heirs of the grace of God, we should be gracious in our attitude toward others. The spirit of the world says, "Get even with those who mistreat you." the Spirit of Christ says, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you" (Matthew 5:44).

If you want to know how spiritual you are, ask youself, "What is my attifude toward those who mistreat me? Am I kind, considerate, and loving in my words and actions toward them?" In Romans 12:17 we are directed not to repay evil for evil. It only adds fuel to the fire. We as Christians are to put the fire out and aid in promoting peace not war.

To live like Christ is not natural; it 's supernatural. Only as we yield to the Holy spirit can we ever hope to exhibit the life of Christ.

                                                                   Thought

                                                    He who throws dirt gets dirty also.

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A Jewish leader was invited to speak at a gathering of Christians in the USA who were celebrating Israel's 50th anniversary. The rabbi saw Christians as friends of the Jews. He declared, "We are safe in America not in spite of Christianity. We are safe because of Christianity.

This statement is a welcome rebuttal to the accusation that the Christian faith is anti-Semitic and even responsible for the death of 6 million Jews during World War II. It's true that some Christian leaders in Germany were guilty of anti-Semitism and cowardice, but they were not the ones who influenced Hitler. He was deeply affected by the writings of the bitterly atheistic philosopher Nietzsche, who hated the Christian faith and advocated the slaughter of the Jews.

Bible-believing Christians are to reflect the attitude of the apostle Paul, who had a deep love for his fellow Jews (Romans 10:1). He longed for them to discover, as he had, that Jesus is the promised Messiah. the Savior of people of all nations. Paul even said that he would be willing to be cursed by God if it would result in blessing and salvation for the Jews.  Romans 9:3.

Does your heart ache for the descendants of Abraham? They have a rich Old Testament heritage, but they need Jesus Christ. Pray for them today.

                                                           Thought

Every one needs to choose Jesus even God's chosen people. For Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." John 14:6

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As followers of Jesus Christ, we should be able to say with the Apostle Paul, "One thing I do ... I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Is that your purpose?

                                                         Thought

We fulfill our purpose whe we serve our Creator Jehovah God.

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Not long ago my mother was dealing with a physical body situation. The Lord lead me to read Mark 11:22-23. As I put the Words Of Jesus in my mouth, I took each verse and read it. After applying each one to her situation I could see clearly the ability of God to heal and work out any situation we may have.

Mark 11:22 - And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Read it aloud and say I have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 - For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain (any life situation that seems to be too large to handle), Be thou removed (gone, out of sight, no more of this ever), and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass (shall happen); he shall have whatsoever he saith.

^{Mark 11:24 -}  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Read these verses aloud. As you read them hear the voice of Jesus - not just your own. These are His words, coming out of your mouth, speaking directly to you. Then, have faith, pray,  and obey. Go deep in your heart, speak, pray, and believe it and you shall have it. Simple as that. Now get started and do it now.

                                                                   Thought

When you have faith in God impossible things happens, because He is able to do so.

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                                          Dress For Success Niv. Colossians 3:12-14

We make decisions for our worldly dress codes. Every day, for work, school, or recreation, we all have to decide what to wear. Even in the dress-down over centuries people strive for the right look. But we must also make choices about another wardrobe-our attitudes and actions. If we claim to be followers of Christ, our spiritual apparel is of far greater significance than our physical clothing. 

Take a look at God's dress code for us. His chosen people, we are to clothe ourselves with "kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering". We are to demonstrate patience and forgiveness. And above all, we must "put on love: which is the bond of perfection."

Ask yourself: Do I begin each day by acknowledging Christ as the Person in charge, the One for whom I work? Do I take time to clothe myself with attitudes that please Him? Am I wearing what people are most longing to see - compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love?

If so, I'll be dressed for success in God's service. 

                                                                          Thought

                                 Kindness is christianity with its working clothes on. 

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                                                       FOR SALE: ONE SOUL

                                  What will a man give in exchange for his soul - Matthew 16:26

One would think that selling one's soul is only a figment of literary fiction. As medeival as it seems, however, several cases of soul-selling have occurred. We can't literally sell our soul, but we can lose our soul to gain something else. We need to examine Jesus' question. "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?"(Matthew 16:26). Our answers today would differ only in specifics from the responses of Jesus'day: the world, the flesh, and the devil. The lusts that captivate us and the thirst for unbridled pleasure, success, revenge, or material things have certainly taken on far more importance to many people than any considerations of eternity.

Nothing on earth compares to the gifts of God's love and forgiveness. If the pleasures of this world are preventing you from trusting in Jesus christ, please think again. It's not worth the cost of your eternal soul.

                                                                        THOUGHT

                            Jesus is the only fountain who can satisfy the thirst soul.

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If you would like to support this ministry through tithes, donations feel free to do so. Whatever you do in word and deeds, do all  as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:17). When you give to this ministry you are giving unto the Lord for His work and word to proceed. When you give it will come back to you more than you gave (Luke 6:38) Your donations will help keep this much needed ministry alive by helping others less fortunate and aiding in helping this Gospel Messege  go around the world.

Thank You So Much,

Charlene Williams 

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