Ezra
4: 12-16
Vs.
12a - Let it be known to the king that the Jews
who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem,
Every man seeks relevance and desire
to be fruitful. He strives to be the best and be outstanding. God’s
prescription of upward movement only begins when a man: (1) Becomes a Jew (a
follower of Christ) and (2) Comes into Jerusalem (grows; is grounded; rooted
and established inside Christ).
Who our men should come into is CHRIST - not fame; knowledge, wisdom, power or mediocrity.
Psalm 36:9 – For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
Psalm 36:9 – For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
- Lord, establish our men inside Christ. Make them stand on the full and complete Gospel.
Vs.
12b – and are building the rebellious and evil
city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations.
Every natural man is intrinsically rebellious
and evil due to his fallen state. Men that God will release to restore
rebellious and evil city (lives) must themselves be conquered by Christ. These
men must be those who have seen Jesus dying for them on Calvary’s cross and
have submitted their necks to the yoke of discipleship.
- Lord, grant our men the miracle of a divine life exchange and help them submit their neck to the yoke of discipleship.
- Send them forth having been conquered by Christ to continue the work of their elder brother, Jesus, in preparing men for the second coming of Christ.
Vs.
13 – Furthermore, the king should know that if
this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty
will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.
We see the devotion, initiative,
passion, due diligence, attention to detail and consequences on the part of the
men working for an earthly king.
We see the contention for the souls of men. If this city (i.e. lives) is built and its walls are restored (i.e. hearts are restored) – no more taxes, tribute… (loss of revenue signifies loss of souls).
We see the contention for the souls of men. If this city (i.e. lives) is built and its walls are restored (i.e. hearts are restored) – no more taxes, tribute… (loss of revenue signifies loss of souls).
- Lord, let the heart of Jesus pump out the very virtues in Christ in our men. The heart of Jesus that is burdened for lost souls; the heart of Jesus that is love; the heart of Jesus that desires all men to come to repentance; the heart of Jesus that seeks diligently to bring joy to the heart of God.
- Baptise our men with the zeal, passion, commitment, diligence and grace to prepare men for the second coming of Christ.
Vs.
14 – Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for
us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,
- Lord, release a burden into our men to further the Gospel of Christ throughout the globe.
Vs.
15 – so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In
these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to
kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this
city was destroyed.
The end of every natural man (city) is
destruction, eternal damnation and separation from Christ. The only agenda of
the enemy is to kill, steal and destroy lives.
- Lord, may this never be the conclusion of the lives of our men. Please bring them inside Christ so that eternal damnation is not their end.
Vs.
16 – We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored,
you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.
As a woman, one of our charges is to
bruise the head of the serpent.
- Lord, we cry out and plead that our men (city) would be built inside Christ, with their hearts (walls) set on Jesus.
