Tag: Judah

A Brief Background and History

Ezra was a priest and scribe at the time the captivity of Israel and Judah was coming to an end. He was also a descendant of Aaron. Because of Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness to God, they were conquered and taken into captivity for 70 years as prophesied by Jeremiah. After the 70 years, King Artaxerxes of Persia released a large company of Israelites, allowing them to return to Jerusalem. However, after they returned, they would have many lessons from Ezra that would shape their future to look very different from their past.

Who is Ezra?

Ezra was skilled in the Law of Moses. This is typically the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Because of Ezra, Israel experienced reform after returning from exile. Throughout the exile, he preserved and taught the law in Jewish history, and most likely he was the author of the book of Ezra, as well as the books of the Chronicles. He is thought to be the final editor of the Old Testament. From him, we gain the most information about the first return from exile of the Jewish nation. And we can learn four important lessons to apply to our own lives as we learn about his character.

Lessons from Ezra: #1. Preparing Our Hearts

Before he did anything else, Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord. Seeking God often begins with preparing our heart. However, it is also an ongoing process. Every year, here in Florida, we prepare for the Hurricane season, meaning we set everything in order. We pack our hurricane supply kits, make sure generators have gas, ensure we have plenty of water to drink, that medications are packed for an evacuation, windows are boarded up, sandbags are laid down to help prevent water from entering our home, etc. Once we are prepared, we do just sit back and wait out the hurricane season. We keep ourselves prepared.

When we prepare our heart for God, we set things in order and make ourselves ready for God to work in our lives. It is preparing our heart to agree with whatever God says – not trying to get God to agree with what we have already decided to do. If we are willing to abandon our plans and prepare our heart to accept God’s plan, amazing things can happen.

Another part of preparing our heart, is to make sure we have emptied our hearts of things such as envy, bitterness, anger, resentment, and stubbornness. When we clean these things out there is more room for Jesus.

Lastly, a heart that is prepared for God, is a heart that is ready to repent of any sin that might be revealed as we go through the process of preparing our hearts.

Ezra would lead Israel to prepare their hearts for seeking God.

Lessons from Ezra: #2. Seek God’s Word

Second, Ezra sought the Law of the Lord. Many of us, when we find ourselves in a mess, begin to seek the Lord. The Israelites were in captivity – that’s a pretty big mess! As soon as God grants some relief, we quickly go back to our old stinkin’ habits, forgetting God or maybe just returning to a “Sunday Only Christian” lifestyle. The Israelites had a pattern of doing just this. They’d get into trouble and cry out to God and God would grant them a victory. Then the next king would come along and they’d all go back to idol worship again, forgetting everything God had done for them in the past. We do the same thing.

Why Seeking God’s Word is Important

Seeking God’s Word is one of the most important things we can do to grow our faith and to mature as a Christian. We learn the truth about God and seek Him through reading His Word. We come to understand how God expects us to live. Through His Word, we come face to face with our sin and need to be forgiven. God’s Word shows us God’s love for us through Jesus redeeming us by giving His life for ours. As we seek God’s Word, we learn about hell and heaven. We’re given glimpses into what both places are like. And we learn about what the future holds when Christ returns to the earth. God also gives us comfort, encouragement, strength, and instruction. Psalm 119:105 tells us: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

If we are going to model God’s Word in how we live and teach God’s Word to others, than we need to be sure we are seeking His Word and know what it says. God will hold each one of us accountable for what we did or did not teach and if we taught it accurately. The only way to know what His Word says, is to be a student of His Word.

Ezra would lead Israel to seek God’s Word.

Lessons from Ezra: #3. Do God’s Word

Ezra, however, didn’t just seek the Law of the Lord, he also set out to do it. We learn so much more by example than by word. Ezra studied the Law of Moses and then he lived it as an example to the people. Perhaps, as he studied the law and looked back over the history of the nation forsaking God, he understood that it wasn’t just enough to know the law. God expected the people to obey it. And He expects us to obey it also.

Knowing About Jesus isn’t enough. Even Satan knows Him.

Similarly, it isn’t enough just to know about Christ. We also have to accept His gift of salvation. After all, even Satan knows Jesus. In fact, Satan probably knows Him better than we do since he was once an angel in heaven. But Satan chose rebellion and now his eternity is hell instead of heaven.

It isn’t baptism that saves us either. We can be baptized so many times that every tadpole knows your name, phone number, and social security number, but you can still die lost and without Jesus as your Savior.

We can’t take what God offers and modify it to fit what we want. God’s way is the only way. Ezra sought to do things God’s way. He sought to follow the commandments God had given. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” God fully expects us to not just read the Bible, but to do what it says. He doesn’t just expect us to hear the preacher on Sunday, but to do what the Holy Spirit convicts us of as He speaks to us through the pastor’s sermon.

Ezra did what the Word said and modeled it for the people to follow.

Lessons from Ezra: #4. Teach God’s Word

Seeking and doing wasn’t enough of Ezra. He also taught the people what God expected of them and how to follow God’s commandments. Through prayer, intercession, and preaching, he achieved some measure of success. In Nehemiah 8, we find that Ezra read the law before all of the people when he re-instituted the Feat of Tabernacles. He had a desire to teach the people what God’s laws were and to help them connect the judgment of their captivity to the past sins they had committed so that they could know how to live as God expected when He brought them back home. After 70 years in captivity, they had to have assimilated some of the culture that surrounded them. If they were going to live God’s way, they had to be taught God’s way. And Ezra was the man for the job.

Ezra: A Model for Us Today

Ezra stands as a model for us today. These four lessons from Ezra show us how to prepare, seek, do, and teach God’s Word to the people God places in our lives. If we want to see a revival in our world today, then we must prepare our hearts, seek the presence of God, do what He tells us in His Word, and then teach it to others. Our world desperately needs some “Ezras” today. Are you an Ezra that God is calling to prepare, seek, do, and teach God’s Word?

#SeektheWord #DotheWord #TeachtheWord

Will you pray and fast with us and lead your
church to pray for God to send a revival to America?

#revival #America #leadershipresponsibility #prayandfast

Do you have a daily Bible Reading plan?

If not, come join us as we read the Bible through in one year. Each day we post the scripture reading along with links to read it online.

Have you learned this week’s memory verse?

2 Chronicles 20;12

“For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Do you serve in ministry? Great! The self-care blogs are here for you.

In this series of blogs, we breakdown why people in ministry need to practice self care. We explain the differences between stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue. Drawing from both psychology and Biblical principles, we teach self-care to keep ministry servants living out God’s call as a missionary, small group leader, worship pastor, nursery worker, facility/maintenance staff, religious non-profit staff, or any other ministry staff, volunteer, or lay-leader. Regardless of the ministry service God called you to, self-care is crucial to continuing God’s work.

If you can relate to this, then take some time to read our self care blogs.

Test your Bible smarts and see if you can answer our trivia questions. We post a trivia question every other day and the correct answer on the next day. Stop by the trivia page and grab a question or two and see if your friends and family can answer it.

You can check out our Christian t-shirts for men, women, kids and infants in our Teespring and Spreadshop stores. Also available on mugs, bags, aprons, hats, and more. We also have some Christian themed canvas art available at Teespring. Browse the stores with the links below:

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage. As you work through the various activities, you will strengthen your relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on
• Conversation Starters
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
• Romance Builders
• Relationship Builders
• Personal reflections
• Date ideas
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are intentionally growing their marriage. Discover together how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

Need a speaker for your next church or ministry event? We’re booking!

(Due to COVID-19, we are only tentatively booking speaking engagements for events after September 2020 based on the recommendations as issued by the CDC and our government officials.)

We are eager to be a part of your next church or ministry event – regardless of size. We can bring one of our ministry programs to your church, or we can tailor a message to your event theme. To request more information or schedule a booking, fill out the online form at the link below. Or call us at 904.239.8937.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on:

Why is it so difficult to share our faith? We often hear of pastors or people in a ministry related profession say they were “called” to the ministry. But it doesn’t matter if God has called you to the ministry or not – we are all called to share the good news of salvation with those that we come in contact with. As the disciples huddled together in a room with a locked door, Jesus appeared in the midst of them. He says, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Just as Jesus sent the disciples, you’ve been sent too. Whether He calls you to another country as a missionary, a pastor of a church, a small group leader, or a secular field. Everywhere you go in life, you’ve been sent to tell the gospel message.

It doesn’t matter if God has called you to the ministry or not – we are all called to share the god news of salvation with those that we come in contact with.

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Peace be with you

On the first day that Jesus rose from the dead, around evening time, Jesus appears to the disciples – only thing is the room they were in was shut up nice and tight because they were afraid the Jews would come after them next. In an instant, Jesus stood in the midst of them and said, “Peace be with you.” Take a moment and imagine the disciples reaction to Jesus – who was quite dead the last time they saw him – just showing up without a door even opening. It’s no wonder Jesus’ first words to them were “Peace be with you.” Then to prove that he was real and not just a figment of their imagination or a ghost, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples were overjoyed at seeing Him again. Then Jesus commissions them.

Commissioned

To be commissioned is to authorize someone for a mission. Jesus was committing and entrusting His gospel message to his disciples…and to every Christian. He gave His authoritative order and charged them with this specific duty. He gave them His power and authority to be His messengers to the world. In Matthew 28:18-20 we find verses commonly called, “The Great Commission.” Here Jesus has directed the disciples to a specific mountain and issues His commission orders:

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

When Jesus comes to them in the upper room in John 20, He tells them that just as His Father had sent Him, now He was sending them. They were to be His messengers and representatives. He then breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” We are never commissioned by God without being equipped by God. A short while after this, they would receive the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). But until then, Jesus would empower them with the gift of the Holy Spirit to carry out the work that He was commissioning them to do.

We are never commissioned by God without being equipped by God.

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Called to be disciple-makers

We are all called to be disciple-makers. How we do that might look differently. Some are pastors. Others are evangelist. Some teach children in Sunday school. Others mentor. Some parent. Some sing about Him. Others write books. Some witness at work and others go to another country. Some are foster parents and some are teachers. There are some who tell people about Christ to certain people as the Holy Spirit leads them to them. Others witness to every person they meet. It takes all of us, using the gifts and talents God has given us, to be disciple-makes to the entire world. But no matter how you are a disciple-maker, you’ve been sent. We have all been commissioned to go and make disciples, just as the disciples were. Who will you witness to today?

#you’vebeensent #commissioned #goandtell

Will you pray and fast with us and lead your
church to pray for God to send a revival to America?

#revival #America #leadershipresponsibility #prayandfast

Do you have a daily Bible Reading plan?

If not, come join us as we read the Bible through in one year. Each day we post the scripture reading along with links to read it online.

Have you learned this week’s memory verse?

2 Chronicles 20;12

“For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Do you serve in ministry? Great! The self-care blogs are here for you.

In this series of blogs, we breakdown why people in ministry need to practice self care. We explain the differences between stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue. Drawing from both psychology and Biblical principles, we teach self-care to keep ministry servants living out God’s call as a missionary, small group leader, worship pastor, nursery worker, facility/maintenance staff, religious non-profit staff, or any other ministry staff, volunteer, or lay-leader. Regardless of the ministry service God called you to, self-care is crucial to continuing God’s work.

If you can relate to this, then take some time to read our self care blogs.

Test your Bible smarts and see if you can answer our trivia questions. We post a trivia question every other day and the correct answer on the next day. Stop by the trivia page and grab a question or two and see if your friends and family can answer it.

You can check out our Christian t-shirts for men, women, kids and infants in our Teespring and Spreadshop stores. Also available on mugs, bags, aprons, hats, and more. We also have some Christian themed canvas art available at Teespring. Browse the stores with the links below:

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage. As you work through the various activities, you will strengthen your relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on
• Conversation Starters
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
• Romance Builders
• Relationship Builders
• Personal reflections
• Date ideas
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

 Join the community of couples on Facebook who are intentionally growing their marriage. Discover together how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

Need a speaker for your next church or ministry event? We’re booking!

(Due to COVID-19, we are only tentatively booking speaking engagements for events after September 2020 based on the recommendations as issued by the CDC and our government officials.)

We are eager to be a part of your next church or ministry event – regardless of size. We can bring one of our ministry programs to your church, or we can tailor a message to your event theme. To request more information or schedule a booking, fill out the online form at the link below. Or call us at 904.239.8937.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on: