Month: September 2025

Fire moved Back and Forth

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It has been my observation while trying to feel a small portion of the things Ezekiel must have felt when he was confronted with his throne room vision – we are called to service. He could hear and see the angels moving. Perhaps he could feel the wind and the vibrations emanating from the vision. The angels are active, they are industrious by nature, seeking the opportunity to serve. I think, on our best days, that should be our view, our singular chosen role in life – service to Jesus.

Ezekiel 1:12-14 says — Wherever the Spirit would go, they [the angels] would go, without turning as they went. The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning [NIV].

They went straight forward, looking where they were heading, they were not looking about, the singleness of their gaze revealed the singularity of their heart to the matter at hand. There was no hesitation. They moved as a community to accomplish one goal. They did not hinder each other. Each was interested in the community goal, no shining stars seeking individual glory in this group.

They moved wherever the Spirit of God beckoned, they used the wisdom God gave them to drive their motions and actions so they could implement God’s will, to serve the purpose and vision of God, to accomplish his directives. I wonder, when we read that Lucifer falls like lightning into his own ruin (see Luke 10:19), if we can assume that angels fly like lightening as they accomplish God’s work? Perhaps.

Some people I read suggest that the Spirit of God is the driver of the angels. It is their honor to be led directly by God, thus their instant obedience. I find their obedience to be awe inspiring. They are created, just as we are, yet we rebelled. They did not. Consider for a minute the honor they receive for their obedience. The angels are ‘that close’ to the one true living God. Our rebellion keeps us at a distance. Yet we know our turn is coming, soon we shall be eye to eye with God, as the angels are.

Ezekiel saw them by their own light, as if it was burning coals of fire, the amber glow reddish burn, yellow flames of fire. The heat and glow could be seen as their love and fervent zeal of service for the one true living God. Their splendor and brightness flashing like lightening could be their forcefulness against the enemies of God (similar to Psalms 18:12).

The fire moved back and forth (up and down) and it was laser bright. We know the counter point is the world of darkness, the place deeper and darker than the valley of the shadow of death, the lair of the ruler of darkness, the operational headquarters granted to Lucifer. This laser light pierces all places even the headquarters of lucifer. Angels operate in Gods shekinah glory. They conceal the reflected light for us, we see then as with a candlelight, the dim light of man. This is what we see moving around the angels. But when the arc angel shouts and we rise to go home, then we will see them clearly.

I think the appearance of the burning coals and lightening points to the wrath of God, his judgement happening at that time to the Israeli nation. The coals were scattered upon the city of Jerusalem to consume it, to level it because of their rebellion (please make a careful read of Ezekiel 10:1-22, take note of the similarities). At the same time, I think we should see the light display as a message of comfort, God is on the job, taking care of business, bringing truth and light into the darkness of this present trouble. To the one this fire is bright, it is very reviving and refreshing; to the other, out of the fire comes fresh lightning to destroy them. Rejoice, bow down and be grateful we are on the right side of the fence.

I choose Jesus.

A Mighty Fortress

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1 A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2 Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.

3 And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

4 That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!

Martin Luther was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation, and his theological beliefs form the basis of Lutheranism.

Born: November 10, 1483, Eisleben, Germany

Died: February 18, 1546 (age 62 years), Eisleben, Germany

A Child of God (You are special to God)

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by Sharla Guenther

This week you won’t be hearing a story about someone from the Bible.  Instead we’re going to tell a story about you and God.

In the Bible there is a book called Psalms.  David wrote some of the chapters in this book when he was feeling happy, sad and scared.  In the story of David and Goliath you might remember that David was a shepherd and when he was out in the fields he would play music and write some of these songs and poems to God.

This psalm was added to the Bible (like all the other books of the Bible) because what he wrote was given to him from God.  God gave David a talent for writing songs and He gave David the words and thoughts to write it down.

This psalm tells us a lot about God and how powerful He is.  It also shows us just how much God is involved and cares for us. 

David starts the psalm by praising God for always being there for him.  He knows that God knows him inside and out and even what he’s feeling, thinking and what he’s going to do before he does it!

David knows that God is all around him cheering for him and giving him a hand along the way.

Knowing how much God cares about him and everyone else this way, David feels like smiling and crying at the same time because he can’t believe how great God is. 

Have you ever seen your mom or dad crying at a kindergarten graduation or after you did something really great?  This was how David was feeling and I can imagine him thinking these things and crying big happy tears!

Next David thinks about where he could go to get away from God.  He’s not trying to get away but he’s trying to think if there’s any place that God wouldn’t be able to find him. 

Do you think there is a place you could go where God wouldn’t be able to find you?

The way David describes it, I think of superheroes.  Imagine you could fly as high as the moon or even higher; God would be there.  Imagine if you could drill a deep, deep hole right to the middle of the earth, God would be there too!

What if you hid in your darkest closet.  Would God find you?  Yes!  We might think it’s dark and no one can see us but God is light, He doesn’t see the darkness at all! 

There is no place on earth or beyond that you could hide that God wouldn’t find you.  He is always keeping track of you!  Hide and seek won’t work with God, He knows where you’re going to hide before you get there!

The next part David discusses is about before we were born!  Do you think God knew you BEFORE you were born?  The answer is yes! 

God put you together when you were as tiny as a marble and even smaller!  He had big plans for how you would look, what you would be like;  He was part of it all.

He knew all about you when you were still inside your mother’s tummy.  Every tiny freckle, the color of your hair, even that one funny birthmark that you have that no one else has, is all the work of God.

Even now God knows how your growing and changing, what you like and don’t like.  He has big plans for your life and He’s hoping you’ll keep looking to Him so you can be the very best you can be.

And another thing, God doesn’t make junk!  He made you beautiful and precious and in His perfect way.  So don’t let anyone make you think that you’re not good enough or smart enough or pretty enough.  You were planned and made by the God of the universe who made you special and different from everyone else!

God is amazing!  David started to think about all of God’s thoughts.  How many thoughts He must have.  If you took all the sand from all the world and counted each small grain of it; God would still have more thoughts than all of that!

As David gets closer to the end he starts talking about the wicked people in the world. I think it bothers him more and more because he understands how much God loves us, how wonderful and amazing He is, but there are still such wicked people that hate God.

David wants all the wicked people that make fun of God and the people that don’t use God’s name in a nice way to be taken off the earth.  He doesn’t want to be near them.

The last two verses David asks God to do some things for him.  He asks God to search his thoughts and his desires.  He wants God to see his loyalty and love for Him.

David wants to stay strong and be challenged by God.  When we face difficult times these challenges can make us grow stronger and count on God more.  David welcomed these times so he could have a better relationship with God.

The last thing he asks God is that if there’s any bad thought or sin in him that God would lead him away from doing that and help him find his way to God in heaven.

Throughout this chapter David talks about God’s knowledge about every part of us from beginning to end.  Realizing this, he accepts and asks God to search him and to keep him true and on the path to knowing and seeking God.

So whenever you’re feeling bad about yourself or alone remember Psalm 139 and how you can never get away from God, He is always with us, cheering for us along the way.

Answering for our actions

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It was my observation while researching God’s mercy, there exists within the nature of Elohim a characteristic to be actively compassionate. We call this God’s mercy. Consider this – we were once alienated from God by our disobedience, we were destined to face God and answer for our actions. Now, within the new covenant, we are part of the family, adapted into Abraham’s family. We walk with God. In the past we had earned banishment, now we are part of the community of God.

Isaiah 65: 16-19 says — Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes. See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more [NIV].

Consider what Isaiah wrote — See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind [NIV]. It is possible to say Isaiah 65:17 teaches we will not remember much of our life on earth. He seems to be saying our memories will be purged. The preceding sentence (Isaiah 65:16) says — For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes [NIV].

Together, I think these two verses means, in God’s mercy, upon resurrection, our memories will be cleansed of the strife and troubles we experienced. But the good stuff remains in our memories. This is why John can write (Revelation 21:4) — He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away [NIV]. God’s mercy gives us a pass to heaven – Selah!


By what right do we obtain a pass to Heaven? Did we not by our sins, take part in rebellion which tried to dethrone Elohim? And did we not in times past move in this world by Lucifer’s nudge, sowing disobedience? Did we not live by the lust of our eyes and heart? How can God love us? Our struggle is with the notions of justice vs the notions of mercy. They complement each other, but one is applied more aggressively than the other in each case. Our answer to the question – how can God love us? The door pass (faith) is provided by his redemptive mercy and love which renews every morning.

Seem too simple? Could our resistance to the idea of pure mercy be part of a subtle resistance to faith. Sometimes I struggle to accept mercy being this simple. The Israelites had the same problem. Paul said, speaking of Israel — they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge (Romans 10:2). The Israelites did not understand the one thing that would make a difference in their life. Consider Hebrews 4:2 — For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us [believers], just as they [some of the Israelites] did; but the message they heard [in the wilderness] was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed [NIV].  

Goodness. To obtain mercy from God, we must believe it is achievable. It is not enough to know what he did in the past; we must believe it is available to each of us now. An endless supply of mercy – Why an endless supply? Because we know ourselves. We need an endless supply of mercy to survive. We have two choices. #1 — We starve to death, sitting on the doorstep of a banquet hall, rejecting the invitation. Or, #2 — we grab hold of God’s mercy (Romans 10:9), enter the hall, and sit down with the other brave souls who have embraced the redemptive power and mercy of the blood of Jesus.

I choose Jesus.