Ezra appears to be a silent labourer in the
record of things. He was determined to go all the way for God's truth to be
established among the heathen. A whole book was dedicated to him in the Bible,
but he did not appear until this chapter (Ezra 7).
“A whole nation was saved due to the
determination of Ezra” (one man = one nation)
Prayer:
- Lord, please break our men and remake them to the vessels that befit Your Kingdom assignment. Help them to carry the humility that accompanies the manifestations of Your power in their lives.
1.
EZRA'S
PREPARATION (Ezra 7:6-10)
The captivity paved way for
the glory of God in Ezra's life:
- His father (Seraiah) was
killed by the king of Babylon (2nd Kings 25:18-21) but he was not
hindered by the loss or by an unforgiving spirit.
- He thoroughly furnished his
life with the scriptures before directing others in it.
- He chose to follow God's
perfect WORD and WAY - he did not take after his forefathers as magicians/astrologers
(Chaldeans).
Prayer:
- Lord, release our men from any of their past experiences that are limiting them and Your work in their hands. Make them scribes that are inspired and instructed to revive the knowledge of scriptures.
- Let our men become Heart cry scribes for this generation. To profit nations with the measure of Grace upon their lives, help them not to hoard Your Word but to be willing to communicate it for the good of others.
- Make their lives fit for Your Work and help their lives to confirm their teachings at all times.
2.
EZRA'S
LABOUR (Ezra 7:13-23)
There was a spiritual
restlessness in his heart towards attaining GOD'S REST in his spirit...
- He did not appear on the
scene until there was work to do with those God raised with him, and no special
title.
- He saw the order of things “in
the hand of God” (The Beginning) and saw “the hand of God” (The Ending) as
things were unfolding.
- He was given both the DIVINE
and earthly authorities to act on behalf of God and for the good of others.
Prayer:
- Lord, help our men not to be too conscious of titles based on their privileged-contributions to Your Kingdom/Work. Let them always trace all things to You and see You in all things.
- Lord, let our men make Your WORD the blueprint for their lives. Teach them to honour and magnify Your Word so they can become divine confidantes. Position them to trust You and Your Word.
3.
EZRA'S
TESTIMONY (Ezra 7:11-12 / 24-26)
He did God's WORK according to
God's WILL and God's WAY.
-He stood on the undiluted Word
of God for things that pertained to Jesus' life and Godliness.
-He saw to God's Word becoming
the basis for appointing lawmakers and writing the constitution of the land.
-He positioned himself to
becoming the medium for fastening the Word of God into lives and situations.
Prayer:
- Lord, let our men see Your Will and Your Way in Your Work: To make everything around them conformable to the Word of God.
- To become hammers of God, through which God's true word of life will be fastened to the lives of others.
4.
EZRA'S
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GOD'S BACKING (Ezra 7: 27-28)
Through divine backing, Ezra
managed his life and preached the Word of God by ways of purity, patience and
prayers.
- He ascribed greatness to God
for His unending mercies and grace.
- He attached the beauty of
God through His Word to all things.
- He was a man of courage but
attributed all his achievements to the miracle-working power of God's Word
and God's Hand.
Prayer:
- Lord, open our men fully to the power and the beauty that is in the Word of God. To desire to run by the mercies of God and acknowledge divine opportunities in their lives.
- Let our men launch out into things that will beautify the work of God in their hands and to be committed to showing forth the beauty of God in all they do.
LORD, PLEASE DO
NOT WITHDRAW YOUR HAND FROM
THE LIVES OF OUR MEN.
