A Study in Ezekiel 36 & 37 Ezekiel 36:23-27

Rom 5 3 We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. 4 And patience produces character, & character produces hope. 5 And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us. NCV

Hope: the confident expectation & anticipation of good, improvement or a positive end result to a desire.

1) Fresh Hope Begins As God is Glorified in Our Life- Eze 36:23 23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; & the nations shall know that I am the L ORD,” says the Lord G OD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.

23 And I will sanctify My great name, …when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. Hallowed- a place of honor or special recognition, to set apart to give special credit or acknowledgment, to respect by giving gratitude or thanks.

Hope believes that God ultimately will be glorified in your life; that God’s work will be seen, His character will be recognized & His honor will be expressed through your life. The other option is to believe that I am battling it out alone and my life will only reflect what I can accomplish.

Deut 7 6 "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.

Deut 7 7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers…

I need reminders that there is hope in this world. In the midst of all of life's troubles and failures, I need mental pictures to remind me that all is not lost as long as God is alive and in control of His world. James DeLoach

Do I believe that God can be glorified in my life or am I basing my hope on how good I can make my own life?

2) Fresh Hope Grows as God Restores Us- Eze 36: Then I will sprinkle clean water on you & you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness & from all your idols.

2) Fresh Hope Grows as God Restores Us- Eze 36: I will give you a new heart & put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh & give you a heart of flesh.

2) Fresh Hope Grows as God Restores Us- Eze 36: I will put My Spirit within you & cause you to walk in My statutes & you will keep My judgments & do them.

Restoration is a key theme throughout the Scriptures. While the world, our own problems, the work of Satan & other factors tear away at the fabric of our hope, God builds it back again & again.

2 Cor 1 8 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the trouble we suffered in Asia. We had great burdens there that were beyond our own strength. We even gave up hope of living. NCV

2 Cor 1 9 Truly, in our own hearts we believed we would die. But this happened so we would not trust in ourselves but in God, who raises people from the dead. 10 God saved us from these great dangers of death, and He will continue to save us. We have put our hope in Him, and He will save us again. NCV

2 Cor 4 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. NIV

2 Cor 4 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. NIV

The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures Amazing Grace v.4

Do I believe that God is restoring me day by day? Do I have hope that God is working in my life to bring new & better days ahead?

A Study in Ezekiel 36 & 37 Ezekiel 36:23-27