The Hand of the Lord His God was Upon Him.

“this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD the God of Israel had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” (Ezra 7:6, 10 ESV)

The phrase, "The hand of the Lord his God was on him." means that God worked in his life in such a way that Ezra was successful in what he set out to do. It means that what he tried to do, was in the will of God, and therefore it was successful. But notice several things about him:

He was very knowledgeable of the Word of God, "skilled in the law of Moses"
He had set his heart to study the law of God.
He had made up his mind that he was going to do the law of God and teach it.

I believe that if those goals are our goals, that the Lord will put his hand upon our lives, and make whatever we do to prosper as well.

"Lord give us a heart not only to seek your word, but to do it, and teach others to do it as well. Help us to be disciples, of yours, and make disciples of yours."

Having the Support of the Prophets

“Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.” (Ezra 5:1-2 ESV)

A prophet is one who speaks for God to men. He utters God's words to the people. Prophets aren't perfect. Not everything they say is correct. Not all of the ways of thinking are correct. They are not infallible. However, they are the means that God uses to get His message to His people.

It is interesting to me that when Jerrubbabel, and Jeshua began to rebuild the Temple, The Bible says that the "prophets of God were with them, supporting them." They were not just taking on this project on their own. This was not just a whim of theirs. This was the will of God, and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.

How we need the prophets of God to be with us in our lives and supporting us! Those who truly speak the words of God to men, are the ones whose presence and support we need in our lives.

This means that anything that we undertake to do, needs to be something that Scripture would support. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2Pet 1:20-21 KJVS)

But this also means that we need the support of those men, through whom God speaks today, as they proclaim the Scriptures, and as the Holy Spirit speaks through them to particular situations in our lives.

As we build our homes, our marriages, our businesses, we need the support of God's Word, and God's men in our lives.

I thank God for the elders in my church who speak into my life, and support me and help me. I am especially appreciative of my pastor, and friend Russell Taylor, who loves me enough to meet with me and speak into my life, and hear my confessions of sin, and pray for me.

I am thankful for Terry Spears who loves me and speaks into my life almost daily. I have watched this man go through very difficult trials, and stay steadfast in the Lord.


I am thankful for the Scriptures, those written words of the prophets of old who spoke the message of God. I have not been as faithful to them as I ought for several days. These men have been faithful to gently remind me to get back into the Word. I am thankful for them.

Dear reader, you need the support of the prophets in whatever endeavors you are engaged, especially when you are inundated with the cares of this life, and struggling. Opposition is going to come just like it did for these two men. But blessed is the man, who, when facing opposition in his endeavors, has the support of the prophets of God.

"Father, thank you for giving us those through whom you speak to us. Grant us the wisdom to seek the support and presence of the prophets in our lives."

Thank God We are Under a New Covenant

““And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.” (1Chr 28:9 ESV)

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezek 36:26-27 ESV)

I am thankful this afternoon, that I am no longer under the Old Covenant, but under the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant men were required to obey the commandments in order to have the blessing and presence of God in their lives. Under the New Covenant is is the blessing and presence of God that causes men to walk in the commandments of God.

It is the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit that enables men to delight in, and walk in the commandments of God. We don't obey the commandments in order to get the Holy Spirit, but the Father has given us the Holy Spirit in order that we can obey the commandments of God.

I can live a life of obedience, because the Holy Spirit lives in me. God will bless my obedience, but the truth is my obedience is evidence that He has already blessed me !

"Father, thank you for the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, that was shed to cleanse me from my sin, and cause me to be pure, so that the Holy Spirit now indwells me and empowers me for obedience. Thank you that you bless obedience, and the obedience is a sign that your blessing has already been poured out on me."

A Tribute to my Gift from God

“House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” (Prov 19:14 ESV)

In my Bible reading this morning, there are many things that I could have written on, as there were many thoughts that the Lord gave me.

In my particular schedule, the last thing that I read is in Proverbs. When I came to this verse, I knew that the thing that I wanted to write about was my wife (and your mother). She is a "thing" “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” (Prov 18:22 ) :)

Your father can give you an inheritance, but he can't give you a wife. If he did, she would be your sister, and who wants to be married to their sister? :)

My wife is truly described in this verse. It is very hard for me to believe that we will soon be married for 28 years! I am sure that I know here better than anyone else in the world. And I know that this verse really describes her! She is from the Lord to me, and she is prudent.

Consider some of the different shades of meaning to this word "prudent"

• Circumspect hence intelligent
• Expert
• skillful
• worthy to teach
• understanding
• a wise guide

I am indebted to her for being all of these things to our family.

I love you Holly!

No God, No Sun, No Stars, No Hope

Acts 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

One of the passages in my Bible reading for today is Acts 27:1-20. It is interesting that in this particular passage, nothing is said bout God, or the Lord Jesus Christ, or even the gospel. There is much about weather conditions, geographical locations, and sailing plans. There is also a warning from Paul, that was not heeded.

The passage ends in a most solemn way. No sun, no stars, and much wind, but no hope. Stuck in the middle of the sea, with a ship that is threatening to break up, and no where to go, nothing that can be done. And the situation just drags on and on, day after day.

Sometimes that is the way our lives are. We go through seasons of great fear, insecurity, and no Sun, and it seems like there isn't even a God. He is silent and just lets us go day after day in what appears to be a hopeless situation. But I am glad that this isn't the end of the story.

Finally after many days, God appeared to Paul and spoke to him:

“and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”” (Acts 27:24-26 ESV)

They had to follow the instructions that God gave them through Paul, but in the end, when they did they were saved.

We need to remember this, so that when we are in one of those times, we will wait with hope to hear from God, and trust what He says and do it.

"Lord, help me to wait on you, and trust you in the hard, difficult, and dark times, knowing that your purpose for my life will be fulfilled. Help me to be willing to do what you say, when at last you do speak"

You have More Going for you than You Know!

“When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2Kings 6:15-17 ESV)

What a scary site it must have been for the servant of Elisha! They were surrounded by an enemy army whose purpose was the destruction of Elisha! Every where he looked he saw them. As a matter of fact the only thing he could see at that point was the Syrian army. He asked the question of Elisha, "What shall we do?"

There are times in our lives, when what we can see seems like we are facing overwhelming odds, and they are stacked against us. And we ask ourselves or those who are with us, "What are we going to do?" This servant could not see what Elisha saw, and therefore was afraid. But when his master prayed for him, the Lord was pleased to open his eyes, and show him that he actually had more going for him than he realized: "the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

When we walk by sight, it is a very fearful thing. But when we walk by faith, trusting in the provisions of God that we cannot necessarily see, we can have peace. Truly those that are with us are more than those that are against us. We can have peace and joy knowing that we have much more going for us than we can see.

"Dear Lord, open the eyes of our faith, and help us to trust in the One that we cannot see, especially when what we do see makes us afraid."

Is the Journey getting to Great for you?

“And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.”” (1Kings 19:5-7 ESV)

There is no doubt about it, Elijah is in a bad way emotionally. First, Let's take a look and see what he is displaying in his life in this passage:

• Fear “Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” (1Kings 19:3 ESV)
• Illogical thinking “And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”” (1Kings 19:4 ESV) In verse three He is running for his life, and in verse 4, he is asking the Lord to take his life! That doesn't make sense. If he wanted to die, why didn't he just let Jezabel do her thing?
• Depression “And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”” (1Kings 19:4 ESV)
• Exhaustion-“And he lay down and slept under a broom tree” (1Kings 19:5 ESV)
• Lonliness-“and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”” (1Kings 19:10 ESV)

Secondly, let's take a look into his life and see what has been happening to bring him to this place.

• A great exciting, emotionally draining spiritual victory in the slaying of the Prophets of Baal. (See 1 Kings 18:18ff)
• The threat of Jezebel, (2 Kings 19:1-2)
• He has been frantically running (v.3)
• He has forsaken his servant (v.3)

Thirdly, Let's see what he needed in this condition:

• Solitude-“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree.” (1Kings 19:4 ESV)
• Rest-“And he lay down and slept under a broom tree” (1Kings 19:5 ESV)
• Food and Water-“And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.” (1Kings 19:5-6 ESV)
• Communion with God- “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.”
  

There is much more than can be said here, but I don't have time. But to summarize, we need to realize that many times when we are experiencing what Ellijah was experiencing, if we will take inventory of our lives, we will see what brought us to that place. But most importantly, we need to see what He needed, and realize that many times that is just what we need, rest, food, solitude, and communion with God..