Daily Devotional For Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Good morning Southside! I am following the One Year Chronological Bible reading suggestion and any Bible verses you see highlighted in bold (ex. John 3:16), means it is a link to that verse. All you have to do is click on the reference and it will take you to the verse online. Our daily devotional reading for today comes from Ezekiel 3:16-19: 

“After seven days the LORD gave me a message. He said, (17) “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from Me, warn people immediately. (18) If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. (19) If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed Me” (NLT).

If you have a great meteorologist in your town, you are blessed. When we lived in Louisville, KY, tornadoes would come our way. Our meteorologists would warn us ahead of time of the approaching story and warn us of the potential for tornadoes. Their warning as well as the tornado sirens helped people and us get to our basements for safety and survival. In this passage, Ezekiel is sort of like a “spiritual” meteorologist for the Lord. 

God has called each of us to be His “spiritual meteorologists and it is not a matter of if we are one; it is a matter are we a good one. God gave Ezekiel a message and it was up to him with what he would do with it. God has given you and me a message through the Gospel to tell others and it is up to us what we will do with it. If Ezekiel failed to deliver the message, people would die and God would hold him personally responsible for their deaths. Before you think you are off the hook, you are not. If you fail to share the Gospel and people die without Christ around you, God holds you personally responsible also.

If you doubt my word, read 2 Corinthians 5:20. We know that those who do not let the Lord give them His life, they will perish (Matt. 7:13; Phil. 3:18-19). Since this is the truth, why would we not warn them? How would you feel if every time a massive deadly storm came through and your local meteorologist and the sirens never warned you? If you survived, you would be livid and want an investigation, even criminal charges. God holds no one more responsible for the lost people in their city than the Christians who live in it. 

Reflection Assignment: What kind of spiritual meteorologist are you with the Gospel warning God has given you? What kind of watchman are you with the message to warn people with the Gospel? The church is fat with great and good church members. It is famished with spiritual meteorologists. Which would the Lord say you are and why?

Scripture To Meditate On: Romans 10:13-14,  “For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (14) But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?” (NLT).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I understand You hold me personally to share the Gospel just like you held Ezekiel personally to share Your message to the people of Judah. I do not want anyone to die and go to hell because I kept my mouth shut. Thank You that someone took the time to share the Gospel with me. Help me to be Your messenger in my community. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly