When you think about the return of Jesus, what comes to mind? When we look to Scripture, we see that Jesus declared that his mission was a Kingdom. And in his return, he will banish evil and restore his creation. This is exciting news when you consider that you’re a citizen of his Kingdom.   

When you think of who Jesus in on Christmas, what comes to mind? Do you see Him coming as the True King? King Jesus’ coming upsets the balance of power, and He interrupts the comfort of our routines and leads His faithful followers on a joyous adventure.

As we see in Ezekiel, heaven means we have an eternal home.  In light of this good news, how should your life change to prepare for eternity and how should you help as many other people as you can get there, too?    

In Ezekiel 37, the valley is described as being full of dry bones. Do you believe that God can resurrect and restore His people — you and me? He can and does. If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, it’s important to remember what you’ve been saved from to experience the joy of your salvation.   

In Ezekiel, we see that God restores lives through a fourfold process: cleanse all our sins, change our hearts, confirm our commitment, and compel our witness to others. Which of these do you relate to the most? And which one challenges you the most?

Do you think you are a leader or a follower? Why does the Bible use the metaphor of sheep to describe people? If this is so, Jesus is our good shepherd worth following. How have you experienced this in your life?

In Proverbs 3, we are reminded to trust God above our own understanding and He will guide our path. Consider your own faith. How consistently do you lean into and trust God with your life?

Ours is a culture of avoiding personal responsibility for our choices. However, God holds us accountable for our choices. And personal responsibility is the pathway to personal transformation. So, consider how fully you own your accountability before God, your need for forgiveness from God, and your practice of repentance toward God as this is a part of following Jesus.

In Ezekiel 11, God commits to three things He’s going to do to bring about change in His people: His presence, bringing them back to the promised land, and giving them a new heart. Consider a time in your life when one of God’s promises brought about a change in you. And, in doing so, do you see how God changes us from the inside out?     

Our human tendency is to drift toward substitutes for God. Can you relate to this? However, God’s guarantee is that He will not share His glory with another. And Jesus is the glory of God in person, so we should orient our life toward and around Him.