What grieves your heart so much that you weep, fast and pray for God’s intercession? Zerubbabel and Ezra led the first two groups of exiles back to Jerusalem. Thirteen years after Ezra returned to Jerusalem, leading a remnant to offer sacrifices to God, Nehemiah, a cup bearer to king Artaxerxes of Persia, hears word from Jerusalem that grieves his heart. The news from Jerusalem that the walls and gates are in ruin after over ninety years of exiles having returned to Jerusalem breaks the heart of Nehemiah. Why is Nehemiah so concerned about the state of the walls of Jerusalem? He is living in comfort as the cupbearer of the king of Persia. Wouldn’t life be easier if he just pushed aside the feelings and remorse? Have you ever quenched the Holy Spirit’s prompting in your life because you were afraid to step out in faith? Continue Reading…
Out of brokenness rebuilding can begin: Nehemiah 1 and 2
The covenant remains unbroken: Ezra Summary
Is God someone who we can depend upon and trust to fulfill His promises? How often do you keep your promises? Does trust come naturally to people or do naturally lack the faith in people? How is trust and faith developed? The people of Israel fell into depravity over the years as men followed their own hearts instead of setting it towards God to find courage to act as He would want. God stripped away everything that the people in Israel held dear. The people of Israel may have thought that the story ended there alone and helpless but God was true to his promise. Continue Reading…
Where will you set your heart in moments of uncertainty: Ezra 7 and 8
What plans does God have for your future? How should you go about life when you do not know what God would have you do? The temple in Jerusalem has been rebuilt and king Artaxerxes reigns Persia. Ezra a descendant of Aaron the high priest set his heart toward the Lord as he sought to study the law of the Lord, practice it and teach it to the people of Israel. Have you ever thought that you would start doing great things once you get to a certain age or geographic location? Ezra sought God wholeheartedly while he was still held in captivity in Persia. God’s hand was upon Ezra was evident in all he did because the requests made to the king were always granted. Did Ezra recognize God’s hand upon his life in these moments? As Ezra lived from day to day did he have moments where his faith wavered? Continue Reading…
When opposition looms find hope in God: Ezra 5 and 6
Where do you find strength and confidence? When was the last time that you stepped out to complete a task with people actively working to stop you? Did you have hope to complete the task? In Ezra 5 and 6 the people of Israel who have returned from exile are facing the same moment of crisis. Will they continue to follow God and rebuild the temple despite the enemies and rulers who had forbidden the work? Where did the Israelites find their hope and strength? What reassurance would you want before you would step out in faith to follow God? When we are surround by people of the world that are claiming that are work we intend is useless and fruitless, what will we do? Continue Reading…
More than a homecoming to Jerusalem: Ezra 1 and 2
All you know is life in a foreign land and your homeland of Israel is only a memory. You were under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon and recently Persia gained control of you under King Cyrus. How would you view your future? Would you believe in hope? In the midst of these emotions God moved to prove His faithfulness in fulfillment of the words spoken by Jeremiah.
Can you imagine awaking to your daily routine to hear the king of Persia say, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:2-4 Continue Reading…
Faithfulness to God or harlotry to idols: 2 Chronicles 21 and 22
Can a leader be effective if there is jealousy, desire for renown, or blind ambition in a their life? In 2 Chronicles 21 and 22 the choice Jehoshaphat made to align with Ahab by marriage has an adverse effect on his sons. Did these wives taken from Israel by Jehoshaphat’s sons draw them away from God? Idolatry became the status quo for Judah just as it was for Israel. In the midst of Judah’s unfaithfulness God was not willing to destroy them because of His promise to David. Do you find encouragement inthe great faithfulness God proves continually? Continue Reading…
Our inherent need for a leader: 2 Chronicles 17 and 18
When Jehoshaphat became king over Judah what impact did his faith and dependance upon God have in the lives of the people and the kingdom of Judah? How did the people of Judah view Jehoshaphat faith in God? Did they truly believe in God’s power and faithfulness at the onset of his reign? How do people today view a leaders strong faith in God? It may seem to people today that a leader who claims his strength in God alone is a little of his rocker but the life of the leader will the greatest witness to the glory and power of God. Continue Reading…
Courage to live a life of faithfulness: 2 Chronicles 15 and 16
What effect does the passage of time have upon a legacy? Can you live life based upon how your faith and dependance upon God was at one time in your past? In 2 Chronicles 15 and 16 Asa is king over Judah and God has delivered Judah from the armies of Israel and Ethiopia in the first years of his reign. As the people of Judah placed their hope in God alone, put away their idols, and turned wholeheartedly to God they were blessed. Did they know how blessed they were in these moments?
“Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law. But in their distress they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and they sought Him and He let them find Him. Continue Reading…
The amazing and unwavering faithfulness of God: 2 Chronicles 5 and 6
How do people experience God in real and tangible ways yet still wander from Him like a twirling weathervane in a chaotic storm? In 2 Chronicles 5:14 the glory of the Lord filled the newly built temple so that the priests could not enter. From 2 Kings we know that the people of Israel strayed away from God after Solomon’s reign. What hope is there for mankind for overcoming this inherent failure? Are our expectations focused correctly on what truly matters? Do we have a proper perspective on failure?
In 2 Chronicles 6:12-42 Solomon offers a prayer of dedication to God for the Temple. As you read through this prayer of Solomon remember that he has been blessed with a wisdom from God that no man can rival. Solomon pleads with God to remember the promises He has made with the people of Israel. Solomon knew that the most important key to survival was God alone. Continue Reading…
God’s promise to David and humanity: 1 Chronicles 17 and 18
I love how the idea of dwelling is used consistently in 1 Chronicles 17 when God tells David that he would not build Him a permeant place to dwell. What does it mean for God to dwell? God is everywhere so when He dwells among us what is that saying? “Thus says the Lord, “You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another.” 1 Chronicles 17:4,5 The idea of God dwelling in one particular place confuses me since He is omnipresent. Is dwelling similar to the idea of abiding? God chose to dwell among the people of Israel. Do you sense the amazing reality of the fact that God chose to dwell among the Israelites. God didn’t need the Israelites because He needs nothing but He still desired them. Continue Reading…
