How the business deals with legal factors Essay Example for Free

How the business deals with legal factors Essay A legal factor that has a big impact on Tesco’s is protecting employees which, includes the laws about how many hours an employee can work. This amount of hours depends on the employees contract, if they are a full time member of staff then they have to work between 35-45 hours a week but no more, these hours also have to be over reasonably shift, for example having a 8 hour shift a day over 5 days a week. If they are a part time member then they can work any amount of hours a week as long as it is no longer the 35 hours. This can impact on Tesco’s as they have to keep to the terms and conditions of their contracts with staff , which could affect activates Tesco’s wish to do as they may not fit in the with hours the members of staff involved can work. Tesco’s can deal with this by offering willing to work staff overtime shifts, if staff are willing to do this, it means that Tesco’s doesn’t need to employ any more member which works out better for them as if they were to do this, they would then have to find the correct amount of hours agreed in the contact which might not be available. Even though some staff maybe willing to work more hours, they may feel that because they are helping out the business that they don’t need to be as professional and honest as they are when working their own scheduled shifts, this article (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/tesco-accused-of-using-electronic-armbands-to-monitor-its-staff-8493952.html)is about how Tesco’s is trying to deal with this issue. Tesco’s has come up with this idea of its warehouse and forklift staff wearing electronic bracelets which helps improve the efficiency of it workers as it means they don’t have to carry around items such as pen and paper as the armband collects this data which also means they are collection correct data. This armband also allows Tesco’s to monitor their staff to check that they are doing their jobs when expected of them and that they are not taking any un-agreed breaks, the arm band also informs the staff of when they are allowed there b reaks. This helps Tesco’s make sure their staff are not working over the hours allowed or working under the hours agreed. A legal factor that impacts Tata motors  is the protection of customers and employees, like all businesses Tata has to keep to legal factors and laws, the need to treat all of their customers fairly and honestly, this helps customers feel they can trust the business as well as giving the a good reputation. Challenges that Tata face when selling their products are making sure they pass the sales of good act which means they need to describe the product exactly how it is and not say it does something it actually doesn’t. It also needs to pass the customer credit act. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/tata-motors-focus-on-customer-satisfaction-to-woo-back-buyers-114111600186_1.html this article explains how they are going out of their way to make sure the give there customers the best service they possibly can. The article states that Tata motor has previously had problems with their customer service. They have taken this feedback and actually work on making it better by improving the quality of manufacture and repairs. How the business deal with social factors A common social factor that affects business is equal rights for both man and female workers and peoples religion. This could impact Tesco’s as if anyone feels as though they are being judged or unable to do something because of these reasons then they could cause problems for Tesco’s by making complaints either to their managers or their union. To make sure this doesn’t happen Tesco’s has to make sure that their staff know that everyone treated the same and if there are people applying for a job they cannot turn them away because of these reason, the only way they can do this is if someone is disabled in some way and their disability would stop them from doing the job required, however if this is the care they have to inform this person that is the reason but in a kind way as not to offend them. Tesco’s deal with these possible problem by getting new applicants to have a cv which is what they are judged upon or the job, they then have interview/trial which is so that they are then judged upon their abilities to do the job not on the gender or religious view. Tesco’s has coped well with this issues as if you are to go into their stores you are clearly able to see a balanced level of both male and female staff, Tesco’s also considers the religious view and has there store open later and close early on a Sunday as most religions see this a day of rest.

Abolishing the Death Penalty in Louisiana :: essays research papers

Capital Punishment Capital punishment should be abolished in Louisiana in order to optimize rehabilitation methods and increase spending in more important areas of the state budget. One alternative to the death penalty is rehabilitation. Prisons in Louisiana should not be viewed solely as confinement for inmates, but as a last resort for those looking to make serious life changes, even if they are condemned to life in prison. Since prisons are rapidly reaching maximum capacity, the government should really be looking to reform its current statutes to provide a rehabilitation center for criminals and provide a safer environment for all involved in the prison system. Prisons that have implemented rehabilitation programs such as The Second Chance Program have documented a 10% decrease in criminal recidivism. In turn, fewer prisoners are coming through the judicial system. Prisoners that desire to once again become contributing members of society should be urged to do so, and should be given the necessary materials in order to achieve this. Rehabilitation can also include things like job training and education. Statistics show that well educated criminals are less likely to relapse into a life of crime and are more likely to continue using their learned skills, even if they have been granted life without parole. Although some claim that â€Å"getting rid† of Louisiana’s worst criminals gives the public peace of mind, this peace of mind comes at a tremendous cost. The extra money spent on the death penalty could be spent on other means of achieving justice and making the community safer: compensation for victims, better lighting in crime areas, more police on the streets, even longer periods of incarceration for certain offenders, or projects to reduce unemployment. Quite a few jurisdictions with the death penalty have recently had to cut back on other vital services. In some states, people are being released from prison early as a cost saving measure. Other states are closing libraries and government funded offices. A second reason why the costs of the death penalty are so central is that they play a key role in how the death penalty is implemented. Supporters and opponents of the death penalty agree that the capital punishment system should not take unnecessary risks with inn ocent lives and should be applied with a strict fairness. As with many things, the death penalty really isn’t a bargain. There is no abstract dollar figure for the cost of the death penalty and it depends on the quality of the system one demands.

The Visions of Ezekiel

God choses whomever He wants to give His messages to His people. In the Old Testament, God chose very specific people to give His message to Israel. Ezekiel, was a great man of God and very faithful to Him. The messages he received from God were intense and different than other prophets of Israel. The Lord allowed Ezekiel to have visions of which he traveled through, and heard the voice of the Lord. Ezekiel was obedient to the visions and listened to God’s voice and what He instructed him to do, no matter what the consequence was or how strange, terrifying, weird the message may have been for Israel.These visions can even be applied today in the modern day church and show how much God loves His people despite repetitive sin. The book of Ezekiel opens up with a vision that is quite startling in itself. The first major vision can be found in Ezekiel 1:4-28. A long passage with much detail, Ezekiel describes his first word from the Lord. After the vision, the Lord speaks directly to Ezekiel and gives him instruction. â€Å"And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that speak unto me. (2:1-2) We find that the prophet was so penetrated with awe at the sight of the glory of God in the mystical chariot, that â€Å"he fell upon his face;† and, while he was in this posture of adoration, he heard the voice mentioned here†¦. he who is sent by the God of all grace to the convert sinners must be influenced by the Holy Ghost; otherwise he can neither be saved himself, nor become the instrument of salvation to others. â€Å"and set me on my feet†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat he might stand as a servant before his master, to receive orders. [1] This was Ezekiel’s reaction of the vision God imparted to him. Read Essay In Westminster Abbey AnalysisHe was a humble servant, he stood before his Master ready to do whatever He had for him. When he heard from the Lord that he was going to be going to a rebellious nation, the Lord instructed him to speak that the nation was going to fall if they did not change their ways. They had become such a defiled nation, the Lord was determined to show them just how awful they had become. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, he writes of the symbolic actions the Lord asks of him. Some of these consist of Ezekiel eating the scroll that God gave him to eat (3:1-3), sleeping on his side symbolizing the sin of the ouse of Israel (4:4) , shaving, burning and scattering his hair (5:1-17) packing his belongings and leaving for exile as a sign to the prince of Jerusalem (12:1-16). Ezekiel was a faithful servant that loved his Master. It did not matter if the request was too ludicrous, he trusted that whatever the Lord asked of him, it was for a reason. Not only did th ese actions give signs to Israel, but they also revealed to Ezekiel the heart of the Lord. His desires for a holy nation. Important Vision #2: Ezekiel 8-11. In chapter 8 Ezekiel’s vision starts out and talks about false values.What is amiss with the nation is that it is corrupt at this center, that as repudiated the God who made it a people and has replaced him by the gods of the surrounding countries. A false religion perverts its life and threatens catastrophe. [2] This issue of idolatry is not just a new problem for Israel. This has been a consistent problem throughout history. God made these people His and they are turning from Him. God always displays His glory to Israel, yet they fail to obey Him. Ezekiel goes through many different types of idolatry and images that the Israelites use to take the place of Father God.In this passage, Ezekiel also finds evidence of the worship of the Babylonian deity Tammus (8:14) and of the sun god (8:16). Because of these and other impu re practices, Ezekiel declares that Yahweh will destroy the city. His words are so power that one of the Judean idolaters, a man named Pelatiah, falls down dead (11:13)[3] Ezekiel must not have been too pleased with that event, but he knew he needed to listen to the voice of the Lord speaking unto him. Important Vision #3 Ezekiel 37:1-14. This is perhaps the most well known passage in Ezekiel. â€Å"The Dry Bones. In this vision the Lord is as a teacher and instructs Ezekiel. Ezekiel is brought to a valley of dry bones and the Lord asks him to prophesy of the dry bones. When he did that, the flesh reappear on these bodies. The Lord explains the meaning of he vision in verses 11-14. The bones symbolize the â€Å"whole house of Israel,† which had given up any hope of being revived as a nation. They had been buried, as it were, in the foreign lands to which they had been exiled. But the Lord would open their graves and bring them back to the land. His Spirit would infuse the na tion, and it would once again life. 4] â€Å"I will put my ruach within you. : What does the word mean this time? What can it mean, but Holy Spirit? Israel’s restoration lies beyond human power, but not beyond the power of God. Notice the sequence of promised event. First, â€Å"you shall live. † Before the physical restoration can take place, there must be a renewal of faith. Second, â€Å"I will place you in your own land. † The physical restoration will take place. And third, â€Å"you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it. † In 36:31 Ezekiel shows the turned exiles in bitter repentance as they think upon the past.Here he shows them lost in reverence as they acknowledge the power and unshakable moral purpose of God. [5] Now, in the book of Ezekiel, there is not much, if any, information on how Israel responded or how Ezekiel shared these prophecies. However, as mentioned above, he was a faithful servant. Everything that he said came directly from the Lord. How interesting it must have been to be a friend of Ezekiel during that time; God speaking so clearly and so specifically about Israel, His plans for the sinners, the righteous, the enemies, anyone, and how to return to the Lord God of Israel.With Ezekiel, God did not force Israel to listen, He gave the option and they had to choose. This is a reminder that God does pursue those whom He loves, but He also wants His people to come to Him out of freedom. The Last Major Vision of Ezekiel: 40-48. This last section has extreme detail of the temple and how it should be built. Furthermore, the Lord gives instructions to Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that it is time to rebuild God’s house. This is a reminder to the Israelites. It would be extremely humbling to them for them to have to rebuild their worship place to God.But, God did not do this for embarrassment, He did this to remind the people of Israel that He was still going to be their God and that H e still desperately wanted to be loved and served by them. He chose them for a reason, and He wanted them to know His love like no other. This portion is as a reestablishment of the law and how to live according to the law. In Ezekiel 43:10-12 it says, â€Å"Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins.Let them consider the plan, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple-its arrangement, its exit and entrances–its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations. This is the law of the temple: all the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy, such is the law of the temple. † This passage gives an answer of how the Lord expects the Israelites to respond to His message of repentance.The idea of building the temple will draw them to repentance and reveal the ir sin to them regardless. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, one sees the closeness that he has with the Lord. He takes Ezekiel by the hand and carefully explains what He says to Israel, and He reveals His very personal feelings and plans with Ezekiel. How wonderfully scary it must have been for Ezekiel to experience His strong glory and presence for so many years. â€Å"It was nineteen years since Ezekiel had seen the vision of the glory of the Lord leaving His temple (10:18-22; 11: 22-24).Now he sees His return, to occupy and to consecrate this new building to be His holy sanctuary. His appearance was the same as it had been before by the river Chebar (yet another link which this closing vision has with Ezekiel’s earlier work) and it prompted the same response of awe and adoration. The angelic guide is still with Ezekiel and will continue to explain and instruct him in the law of the temple, but at this point there is a special word from the Lord out of the temple, which is virtually a statement of consecration. [6]†In a couple passages above, the writer talks about the word ruach being used. This word is parallel to the Greek word in the New Testament, Pneuma, which is typically used for describing the Holy Spirit. This is an extremely fascinating word that the Lord uses. As many people assume that the Holy Spirit is not active in the Old Testament, the Lord proves every one of those people wrong. In the example of â€Å"The Dry Bones† Ezekiel prophesy’s to the bones, then prophesy’s to the actual Holy Spirit to breathe life into those dry bones.He willed it to happen out of obedience to the Lord and what He told him to prophesy over and to these dry bones. Not only does the Holy Spirit speak to him, but He actually transports him to different spots. [7] This particular study of Ezekiel has taught me of God’s heart for His nation. Although they have all sinned greatly against Him, it is His heart to have them serving Him again. Not as slaves, but having a real relationship with Him. That is why He created human beings to begin with, God is a relational God.As much as I knew this before, I think it is far too easy to assume that because you may not visually see God doing and working things out in your life, that He does not care or exist. In Ezekiel, you see that God uses every part of Himself to draw His people back to Him, almost in an underlying message to say, â€Å"Please come back to Me, I just love you so much and I miss you. I miss you Israel, I just want to be with you again, I want you to want Me again. I want you to see what you have done against Me, not so that I can punish you, but so that there will not be anything between us again and we can freely commune.Look! I’ll even give you instructions of how to build the temple and the laws that I have for you to follow. Just please come back, not because I need you, but because I want you. † As God gives this message to His people, through Ezekiel, I think that Ezekiel also senses this great love for a disobedient people. Because Ezekiel can feel the Lord’s heart towards Israel, being so fully devoted to God, it allows the Father to take control of Ezekiel’s heart and reveal incredible love to him. The OT in general and the prophets in particular presuppose and teach God’s sovereignty over all creation, over people and nations and the course of history. And nowhere in the Bible are God’s initiative and control expressed more clearly and pervasively than in the book of Ezekiel. From the first chapter, which graphically describes the overwhelming invasion of the divine presence into Ezekiel’s world, to the last phrase of Ezekiel’s vision (â€Å"the Lord is there†) the book sounds and echoes God’s sovereignty.This sovereign God resolved that he would be known and acknowledged. Approximately 65 occurrences of the clause (or variations) â€Å"Then the y will know that I am the Lord† testify to that divine desire and intention (see note on 6:7). Overall, chs. 1–24 teach that God will be revealed in the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple; chs. 25–32 teach that the nations likewise will know God through his judgments; and chs. 33–48 promise that God will be known through the restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel.God’s total sovereignty is also evident in his mobility. He is not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. He can respond to his people’s sin by leaving his sanctuary in Israel, and he can graciously condescend to visit his exiled children in Babylon. God is free to judge, and he is equally free to be gracious. His stern judgments on Israel ultimately reflect his grace. He allows the total dismemberment of Israel’s political and religious life so that her renewed life and his presence with her will be clearly seen as a gift from the Lord of the universe.Furth ermore, as God’s spokesman, Ezekiel’s â€Å"son of man† status (see note on 2:1) testifies to the sovereign God he was commissioned to serve. [8] This last statement is incredible. God consistently refers to Ezekiel as the Son of man, it shows that God trusts him and that He had a specific plan for him to serve Him. In application to my life, I think that the biggest lesson one can learn is how to submit to the Lord and listen to His voice no matter what it is saying.Sometimes He may make no sense and it can be very scary, but just as Jesus says in John 10:27, â€Å"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;† When one’s heart is devoted to God, he can be sure that the Lord will direct his steps. Another important lesson, God really, really, REALLY loves His kids. It does not matter how awful we are, how many times we walk away thinking that we can do a better job at running our life than He can, how many times we break His heart, it is His desire to be with us, even if that means us leaving Him a hundred times, His love will draw us back a hundred and one times. ———————- [1] Adam Clarke, Clarkes Commentary: Job Malachi (Nashville: Abingdon Pr, 1977), 428 [2] Buttrick, George Arthur. The Interpreter's Bible: The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Versions with General Articles and Introduction, Exegesis, Exposition for Each Book of the Bible. (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951), 105 [3] James D. Newsome and Jr, The Hebrew Prophets (Atlanta, GA: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 126 [4] Robert B.Chisholm and Jr, Handbook On the Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Academic, 2002), 270 [5] Andrew W. Blackwood Jr. and Ezekiel-Prophecy of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Book House,1965), 224-225 [6] John B. Taylor, Ezekiel (tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), 1ST ed. ( Downers Grove, Ill,; Intervarsity Pr, 1969), 264 [7] Leon J. Wood, Prophets of Israel, The (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 358 [8] http://www. biblica. com/niv/study-bible/ezekiel/ accessed March 8th, 2013. The Visions of Ezekiel God choses whomever He wants to give His messages to His people. In the Old Testament, God chose very specific people to give His message to Israel. Ezekiel, was a great man of God and very faithful to Him. The messages he received from God were intense and different than other prophets of Israel. The Lord allowed Ezekiel to have visions of which he traveled through, and heard the voice of the Lord. Ezekiel was obedient to the visions and listened to God’s voice and what He instructed him to do, no matter what the consequence was or how strange, terrifying, weird the message may have been for Israel.These visions can even be applied today in the modern day church and show how much God loves His people despite repetitive sin. The book of Ezekiel opens up with a vision that is quite startling in itself. The first major vision can be found in Ezekiel 1:4-28. A long passage with much detail, Ezekiel describes his first word from the Lord. After the vision, the Lord speaks directly to Ezekiel and gives him instruction. â€Å"And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that speak unto me. (2:1-2) We find that the prophet was so penetrated with awe at the sight of the glory of God in the mystical chariot, that â€Å"he fell upon his face;† and, while he was in this posture of adoration, he heard the voice mentioned here†¦. he who is sent by the God of all grace to the convert sinners must be influenced by the Holy Ghost; otherwise he can neither be saved himself, nor become the instrument of salvation to others. â€Å"and set me on my feet†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat he might stand as a servant before his master, to receive orders. [1] This was Ezekiel’s reaction of the vision God imparted to him. Read Essay In Westminster Abbey AnalysisHe was a humble servant, he stood before his Master ready to do whatever He had for him. When he heard from the Lord that he was going to be going to a rebellious nation, the Lord instructed him to speak that the nation was going to fall if they did not change their ways. They had become such a defiled nation, the Lord was determined to show them just how awful they had become. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, he writes of the symbolic actions the Lord asks of him. Some of these consist of Ezekiel eating the scroll that God gave him to eat (3:1-3), sleeping on his side symbolizing the sin of the ouse of Israel (4:4) , shaving, burning and scattering his hair (5:1-17) packing his belongings and leaving for exile as a sign to the prince of Jerusalem (12:1-16). Ezekiel was a faithful servant that loved his Master. It did not matter if the request was too ludicrous, he trusted that whatever the Lord asked of him, it was for a reason. Not only did th ese actions give signs to Israel, but they also revealed to Ezekiel the heart of the Lord. His desires for a holy nation. Important Vision #2: Ezekiel 8-11. In chapter 8 Ezekiel’s vision starts out and talks about false values.What is amiss with the nation is that it is corrupt at this center, that as repudiated the God who made it a people and has replaced him by the gods of the surrounding countries. A false religion perverts its life and threatens catastrophe. [2] This issue of idolatry is not just a new problem for Israel. This has been a consistent problem throughout history. God made these people His and they are turning from Him. God always displays His glory to Israel, yet they fail to obey Him. Ezekiel goes through many different types of idolatry and images that the Israelites use to take the place of Father God.In this passage, Ezekiel also finds evidence of the worship of the Babylonian deity Tammus (8:14) and of the sun god (8:16). Because of these and other impu re practices, Ezekiel declares that Yahweh will destroy the city. His words are so power that one of the Judean idolaters, a man named Pelatiah, falls down dead (11:13)[3] Ezekiel must not have been too pleased with that event, but he knew he needed to listen to the voice of the Lord speaking unto him. Important Vision #3 Ezekiel 37:1-14. This is perhaps the most well known passage in Ezekiel. â€Å"The Dry Bones. In this vision the Lord is as a teacher and instructs Ezekiel. Ezekiel is brought to a valley of dry bones and the Lord asks him to prophesy of the dry bones. When he did that, the flesh reappear on these bodies. The Lord explains the meaning of he vision in verses 11-14. The bones symbolize the â€Å"whole house of Israel,† which had given up any hope of being revived as a nation. They had been buried, as it were, in the foreign lands to which they had been exiled. But the Lord would open their graves and bring them back to the land. His Spirit would infuse the na tion, and it would once again life. 4] â€Å"I will put my ruach within you. : What does the word mean this time? What can it mean, but Holy Spirit? Israel’s restoration lies beyond human power, but not beyond the power of God. Notice the sequence of promised event. First, â€Å"you shall live. † Before the physical restoration can take place, there must be a renewal of faith. Second, â€Å"I will place you in your own land. † The physical restoration will take place. And third, â€Å"you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it. † In 36:31 Ezekiel shows the turned exiles in bitter repentance as they think upon the past.Here he shows them lost in reverence as they acknowledge the power and unshakable moral purpose of God. [5] Now, in the book of Ezekiel, there is not much, if any, information on how Israel responded or how Ezekiel shared these prophecies. However, as mentioned above, he was a faithful servant. Everything that he said came directly from the Lord. How interesting it must have been to be a friend of Ezekiel during that time; God speaking so clearly and so specifically about Israel, His plans for the sinners, the righteous, the enemies, anyone, and how to return to the Lord God of Israel.With Ezekiel, God did not force Israel to listen, He gave the option and they had to choose. This is a reminder that God does pursue those whom He loves, but He also wants His people to come to Him out of freedom. The Last Major Vision of Ezekiel: 40-48. This last section has extreme detail of the temple and how it should be built. Furthermore, the Lord gives instructions to Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that it is time to rebuild God’s house. This is a reminder to the Israelites. It would be extremely humbling to them for them to have to rebuild their worship place to God.But, God did not do this for embarrassment, He did this to remind the people of Israel that He was still going to be their God and that H e still desperately wanted to be loved and served by them. He chose them for a reason, and He wanted them to know His love like no other. This portion is as a reestablishment of the law and how to live according to the law. In Ezekiel 43:10-12 it says, â€Å"Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins.Let them consider the plan, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple-its arrangement, its exit and entrances–its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations. This is the law of the temple: all the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy, such is the law of the temple. † This passage gives an answer of how the Lord expects the Israelites to respond to His message of repentance.The idea of building the temple will draw them to repentance and reveal the ir sin to them regardless. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, one sees the closeness that he has with the Lord. He takes Ezekiel by the hand and carefully explains what He says to Israel, and He reveals His very personal feelings and plans with Ezekiel. How wonderfully scary it must have been for Ezekiel to experience His strong glory and presence for so many years. â€Å"It was nineteen years since Ezekiel had seen the vision of the glory of the Lord leaving His temple (10:18-22; 11: 22-24).Now he sees His return, to occupy and to consecrate this new building to be His holy sanctuary. His appearance was the same as it had been before by the river Chebar (yet another link which this closing vision has with Ezekiel’s earlier work) and it prompted the same response of awe and adoration. The angelic guide is still with Ezekiel and will continue to explain and instruct him in the law of the temple, but at this point there is a special word from the Lord out of the temple, which is virtually a statement of consecration. [6]†In a couple passages above, the writer talks about the word ruach being used. This word is parallel to the Greek word in the New Testament, Pneuma, which is typically used for describing the Holy Spirit. This is an extremely fascinating word that the Lord uses. As many people assume that the Holy Spirit is not active in the Old Testament, the Lord proves every one of those people wrong. In the example of â€Å"The Dry Bones† Ezekiel prophesy’s to the bones, then prophesy’s to the actual Holy Spirit to breathe life into those dry bones.He willed it to happen out of obedience to the Lord and what He told him to prophesy over and to these dry bones. Not only does the Holy Spirit speak to him, but He actually transports him to different spots. [7] This particular study of Ezekiel has taught me of God’s heart for His nation. Although they have all sinned greatly against Him, it is His heart to have them serving Him again. Not as slaves, but having a real relationship with Him. That is why He created human beings to begin with, God is a relational God.As much as I knew this before, I think it is far too easy to assume that because you may not visually see God doing and working things out in your life, that He does not care or exist. In Ezekiel, you see that God uses every part of Himself to draw His people back to Him, almost in an underlying message to say, â€Å"Please come back to Me, I just love you so much and I miss you. I miss you Israel, I just want to be with you again, I want you to want Me again. I want you to see what you have done against Me, not so that I can punish you, but so that there will not be anything between us again and we can freely commune.Look! I’ll even give you instructions of how to build the temple and the laws that I have for you to follow. Just please come back, not because I need you, but because I want you. † As God gives this message to His people, through Ezekiel, I think that Ezekiel also senses this great love for a disobedient people. Because Ezekiel can feel the Lord’s heart towards Israel, being so fully devoted to God, it allows the Father to take control of Ezekiel’s heart and reveal incredible love to him. The OT in general and the prophets in particular presuppose and teach God’s sovereignty over all creation, over people and nations and the course of history. And nowhere in the Bible are God’s initiative and control expressed more clearly and pervasively than in the book of Ezekiel. From the first chapter, which graphically describes the overwhelming invasion of the divine presence into Ezekiel’s world, to the last phrase of Ezekiel’s vision (â€Å"the Lord is there†) the book sounds and echoes God’s sovereignty.This sovereign God resolved that he would be known and acknowledged. Approximately 65 occurrences of the clause (or variations) â€Å"Then the y will know that I am the Lord† testify to that divine desire and intention (see note on 6:7). Overall, chs. 1–24 teach that God will be revealed in the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple; chs. 25–32 teach that the nations likewise will know God through his judgments; and chs. 33–48 promise that God will be known through the restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel.God’s total sovereignty is also evident in his mobility. He is not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. He can respond to his people’s sin by leaving his sanctuary in Israel, and he can graciously condescend to visit his exiled children in Babylon. God is free to judge, and he is equally free to be gracious. His stern judgments on Israel ultimately reflect his grace. He allows the total dismemberment of Israel’s political and religious life so that her renewed life and his presence with her will be clearly seen as a gift from the Lord of the universe.Furth ermore, as God’s spokesman, Ezekiel’s â€Å"son of man† status (see note on 2:1) testifies to the sovereign God he was commissioned to serve. [8] This last statement is incredible. God consistently refers to Ezekiel as the Son of man, it shows that God trusts him and that He had a specific plan for him to serve Him. In application to my life, I think that the biggest lesson one can learn is how to submit to the Lord and listen to His voice no matter what it is saying.Sometimes He may make no sense and it can be very scary, but just as Jesus says in John 10:27, â€Å"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;† When one’s heart is devoted to God, he can be sure that the Lord will direct his steps. Another important lesson, God really, really, REALLY loves His kids. It does not matter how awful we are, how many times we walk away thinking that we can do a better job at running our life than He can, how many times we break His heart, it is His desire to be with us, even if that means us leaving Him a hundred times, His love will draw us back a hundred and one times. ———————- [1] Adam Clarke, Clarkes Commentary: Job Malachi (Nashville: Abingdon Pr, 1977), 428 [2] Buttrick, George Arthur. The Interpreter's Bible: The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Versions with General Articles and Introduction, Exegesis, Exposition for Each Book of the Bible. (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951), 105 [3] James D. Newsome and Jr, The Hebrew Prophets (Atlanta, GA: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 126 [4] Robert B.Chisholm and Jr, Handbook On the Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Academic, 2002), 270 [5] Andrew W. Blackwood Jr. and Ezekiel-Prophecy of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Book House,1965), 224-225 [6] John B. Taylor, Ezekiel (tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), 1ST ed. ( Downers Grove, Ill,; Intervarsity Pr, 1969), 264 [7] Leon J. Wood, Prophets of Israel, The (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 358 [8] http://www. biblica. com/niv/study-bible/ezekiel/ accessed March 8th, 2013.

Understanding Of The Discipline Before The Course Started

Introduction Being in relationship with someone requires you to spend time with them. Growing a relationship does not always require talking to the other person or doing things with them but just being in their presence. Practicing the presence of God allows you to think constantly of God and to spend time with him in any situation. As we draw on God with our thoughts and make time for Him, He will make himself known more to us. James 4:8(NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Calhoun defines the desire of practicing the presence as to develop a continual openness and awareness of Christ s presence living in me. This makes practicing the presence an important and rewarding discipline for those who follow Christ. Summarise your original understanding of the discipline before the course started Practicing feeling God s presence so you can get into His presence easier as well as go deeper in your relationship with God. For me practicing the presence was linked a lot to worship as this is where I usually felt the presence of God. A Significant Christian figure in history who has contributed to this discipline Brother Lawrence was born in 1614 and lived in Paris. After serving in the army he served in a Carmelite monastery. He is well known for his book Practicing the presence of God and for his personal relationship with God, always being in a constant connection with God no matter what he was doing. Brother Lawrence served at the monastery inShow MoreRelatedThe Spiritual Discipline Of Worship1186 Words   |  5 Pagesspiritual discipline that I have chosen is worship. When I think of the term ‘worship’ my initial response is singing to God but throughout this course I have learnt that although singing is one important aspect of worship, that it is so much more than just that. Worship is to â€Å"honour and adore the Trinity as the supreme treasure of life.† Worship is offering your whole self to God. 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Summarise your original understanding of the discipline before the course started Having been a Christian for many years I thought that I had a fair knowledge of what it meant to pray. I was amazed and humbled by the idea that through Jesus’ restorativeRead MoreOctober 10, 2013 I Lost A Family Member Due To Violence1276 Words   |  6 Pagesbecoming an early childhood educator opened a world of courses that I would take to grow as a teacher but more importantly as a parent. I realized the terminology and techniques of early childhood education could help me become the parent I want to be, the authoritative parent. Through the course, Child Growth and Development, I adopted a new outlook of parenting that considered the influence of society and learned to consciously discipline my child. 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I truly enjoyed my conversation with his. And I learned a lot about how to be a successful Ph.D. student, and how to effectively manage the time through this interview. Summary of the interview When I asked him why he chooses