Look What Sin Does | Ezra 10

 

We are wrapping up the last Wednesday in June as we wrap up the book of Ezra. Next month I have something fun in mind to do for the Bible studies. I hope you will enjoy it and even try to participate with me.

If you have not finished reading the last chapter of this book, please take the time to do so now. There are a lot of names listed but please do not skip over them. It is listed for a reason and we can see the big impact those names have on what has happened. As a reminder, I do not do a line by line study in this series. I am sectioning off the chapter in two parts. Let's begin.

Verses 1-11 Israel Repents

Ezra prayed. He confessed. He wept. He threw himself down at the house of God in humility. Something happens. Ezra is no longer the only one aware of the great sin and the consequences. Ezra is not alone. Men, women, and children came out in great numbers, weeping and wailing. Shechaniah confessed, "We have sinned against God." He admits taking the pagan wives was wrong but he announces that hope is not gone. There is still hope for the people of Israel. Shechaniah knew the nature of God and he comes up with a plan to get into a covenant with God and divorce all the wives they took that were not of their own nativity.

Let's sit with that for a moment. It seems cruel to rip families apart just because they were not Israeli women. In our society, we shake our heads and wag our fingers. Yet, remember God had the rule for them to only marry within the community He gave them. His rule was for the protection of His people. His rule was for the protection of His covenant with them. His rule was for the sanctity of their relationship. He is God and we are to serve Him. These women worshipped other gods and did not serve God. It cannot be both.

In today's "if it feels good, do it" society we think we can do whatever we want and live however we want with no consequences. That is simply not true. We are not to mingle with the world, and date just for fun, then get entangled in problems and drama that we could have simply avoided if we would hearken to the voice of God. Learn from the Israeli people in the book of Ezra. God has these mandates in place for a reason. It is not to exclude the world, it is to protect His children.

Divorce is common in our American culture today. In the Old Testament times it was not so. This suggestion for a massive dissolution of marriages was unheard of! This drastic measure gives us a glimpse of what desperation the people must have felt. Not only were the wives sent away, but their children were sent away as well. Sin never impacts one person. What one person does, good or bad, will always impact others. We must think before we act. There is too much at stake. 

For more clarification and education, I am going to quote some notes straight from my study Bible. "The Christian is not to leave an unbelieving spouse but rather to live in a manner that may win that spouse to the faith (1 Cor. 7:12-16; 1 Pet. 3:1-7). At the same time, the Bible warns the believer not to enter marriage with an unbeliever for one of the reasons that the Jews were not to do so--because it can weaken the faith of the believer. What is valuable and essential to a believer cannot be shared with an unbelieving spouse (see Neh. 10, Interfaith Marriage; 2 Cor. 6, Husbands). 

Sin is not pretty. I wish more churches would preach and teach on what sin is, how ugly things get when we choose to sin, and the real consequences of what we jeopardize when we disobey God's law. Jesus did not do away with the law. He came to fulfill the law and so we must not believe that God's law is no longer effective. Christian brothers and sisters, it is time to take sin seriously. Let's find the roots in our own lives and ask God to help us get rid of it. We cannot continue in sin just because God's grace is bountiful. Rather, let's turn away from doing those things that are wrong and sinful. 

Verses 12-44 Putting Away Wives

In verse 12, the congregation is unified in their decision to divorce their wives and send them away with their children. They must have all felt sad and great regret. All of the damage to these women and children would never have happened if they would have obeyed God in the first place. 

As usual with most sinful situations, it is complicated and multi-faceted. Now, the people have another issue to deal with. It's the rainy season and there are so many people that this cannot be done in just a couple of days. They see now how big this sin problem really is. The solution? They appointed officials to represent the people. Anyone who married a foreign wife would come at a set time with the elders and judges of their city and the process would continue until the unholy unions were dissolved and God was no longer angry with the people.

From verse 20-43 we read names of families and see the plural word: sons. Verse 44 says, "All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children." The book ends there.

Let that sink in. Marriages were destroyed. Families were destroyed. Sin caused the destruction. Who do you think enticed them that the grass was greener on the other side? The devil! He is a thief that only comes to steal, kill, and destroy according to John 10:10. We must be careful. The devil is clever, but God did not leave us to fend for ourselves. His Word, the Holy Bible is here for us to learn from. He tells us everything we need to know. Friends, life is an open BOOK test! We are without excuse. Let's be careful moving forward to not let pride, envy, greed, lust, or the love of money to rule our hearts. Instead let's operate in the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians teaches us that when we do so, there is no law to prevent us from being loving, kind, patient, gentle, faithful.... Let's walk with God and be aware of what we are allowing in our lives.

You may say, "Bridgett, I'm not living in sin. I am not married outside of God's will." That's great! But, there may be hidden sins we must ask God to reveal to us. Sin comes in many forms. It can be that we want what others have. FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out has been a driving force for people to go into debt to obtain things they do not need to impress people they do not like. Let's be real! We have enough stuff! What are we watching? If we are watching movies, tv programs, news, infomercials, or follow accounts of people who are always buying more stuff, we will soon want more stuff. Whatever we keep before our eyes, sooner or later will materialize. Trust and believe that!

What kind of music do we listen to? Songs about cheating and people leaving their husbands or wives, destroying other people's property, killing, and worse... those messages get into the minds of those who listen and before you know it, you begin to act out in ways that reflect what you listen to. Where do you go? Are you watching movies that have profanity and sex scenes? How is that honoring God? I am not saying stop up your ears, close your eyes, be a hermit, and never live in the real world. The Bible says in the words of Jesus, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:18,19) We are not of the world when we have been blood bought by Jesus. If you accepted Him as your Savior then you do not belong to the world. You won't ever fit in like the rest. You were made to stand out so you can be a light and a witness to the world about how good and wonderful God is.

Jesus loves us so much He died for us. He hated sin so much because He knew what it would do to us. Look what it did to Him when He took our sins upon Himself? The good news is there is not a sin that is too big or too bad for Jesus's blood to cover. He paid it all. He paid a debt that was not His and He does not ask us to pay Him back. He just wants us to love Him and serve Him and be obedient. When we do what He says we are not being restricted; we are being protected! 

David says in Psalms 139: 23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." We can pray the same thing. He will do it!

We can learn so much from the men and women in the Old Testament. I did not even do an in-depth study of this book this time and yet there was so much to glean from it. In Romans 15:4 it reads, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." The things we read in the Bible are for us to learn from. When we practice the ways of righteousness, we develop patience and find comfort in the Scriptures. That comfort gives us hope that we, too, can overcome. I know the men that were estranged from their wives were never the same. They may have thought about fun times they had with their ex-wives, favorite meals they cooked, or memories they made with their children. We, like Moses, can choose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:25). It may seem fun for a while to embrace the world and follow their example, but the end is destruction and we will suffer the consequences.

I hope you have enjoyed this study. It has been a sobering study and honestly I never expected to get this much from one book. It is incredible the encouragement and lessons packed into ten short chapters. I pray that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Thankful For Reminders | Thankful Thursday

I was just thinking about how different it is to live in Indiana now than it was 2 years ago. So many things has changed and not just because of the virus. It is strange sometimes to be somewhere I have been a hundred times before but instead of feeling familiar, it feels weird and different. Of course, some things haven't changed and sometimes that is good and other times maybe it isn't. What has changed about your life since March 2020?

I am thankful that my husband, my children, and I survived the pandemic. I am thankful that we are all together, even without a home of our own yet. I am thankful for the way things are slowly starting to re-open. I am thankful that masks are not always required in every place we go now. I am thankful that I have a nice job that I truly enjoy. I am thankful for reconnecting with friends I have not seen in years! It is always so good to pick up where we left off as if no time has passed at all.

I am thankful for past professional relationships that have now come full circle. It's so nice to have known people and worked with them in the past and now get the opportunity to work side by side again. It is so important to always be the best you can be. You never know when those people will be in your life again. In my case, she remembered me in a positive light because we had a good working relationship before. Now she takes me under her wing and gives me the guidance I need and is quick to jump in and help me. It's not just good to be your best self because of what you may gain from it in the future. It is good to be your best self because it is what builds character and shows who you really are and that is important.

I am thankful for God's gentle reminders to wait and continue to trust in His promises. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Teach me LORD, teach me LORD, to wait. We used to sing this at church and it was such a great encouragement. People would sing and worship God as they waited for the promises to be given.

I have been waiting, but not waiting well. I do good for a while and then I start to get impatient and wonder how much longer it is going to take. But all good things take time and I am thankful for the Bible to remind us that we will get renewed strength as we wait on God. We will fly like eagles and soar high above the problem staring us in the face so we can see the big picture. It says we can run and not get tired and walk and not faint. This passage is not just flattering poetry or metaphors. We honestly will get stronger as we endure hard times as a good soldier. I am making a better effort to wait well.

The truth is that we are not alone in trying to find a home to rent or buy. We are not alone in finding outrageous, unrealistic prices for homes that need a LOT of work. God is going before us and He is making our paths straight, so we know that we can trust Him. He sees the end from the beginning. 

ISAIAH 46:9-11 (9)Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, (10)Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure: (11)Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth My counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

There it is in black and white! God is in charge. There is no one or nothing like our God. He knows the end from the beginning. He declares from the ancient times what will happen in the future. His counsel is never going to be overturned. He does what He wants! He can call a starving bird from the east. He will choose someone from a country far away to execute His plans. He can use anyone or anything He chooses. He speaks it and it is! It comes to pass because the life breather and life giver speaks and what was not, now is. He speaks a thing and makes it happen. Whatever He has purposed and planned to do, He is going to do. So, if God tells you He has something special for you, get ready to receive it because it is coming! It is on the way!

Thank you for joining me today as I count my blessings. I hope you are counting yours, too. May God remind you of all that He has done for you and all He is going to make happen for you. I hope something I shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Ezra Chapter Nine | Bible Study Wednesday

Welcome back to another Wednesday Bible study session here on the blog. We are in the book of Ezra, chapter nine. We are nearly through this study and I have learned so much from this book! If you have not taken the time to read through the chapter, please do so. This is a very short chapter, only 15 verses. As you may recall, I am not doing a line by line study. If you have already read through this small chapter but it has been a while, you may want to glance over it again to refresh your memory. I am going to break the chapter into two parts. Let's begin.

Verses 1-4 Israel's Sin

The first four verses of chapter nine is gripping. The princes came to Ezra and told him what the people of Israel had done. They had sinned and it was not a small slip-up. God had told them to stay to themselves, and not intermarry with other cultures. God knew that when they began to mingle with the people of other cultures, they would easily become influenced by their ways of doing things and how they served idols and false gods. The only way to prevent this was to stick to marrying within their own selected people. The princes reported to Ezra how the Israelites, the priests, and the Levites were mingling with the pagan people: Canaanites, Hittites, Perizites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and the Amorites. This news was so shocking to Ezra he tore his clothes and holy mantle as he pulled out his hair and ripped his beard from his face. He sat down completely overwhelmed by the graveness of this great transgression.

It was not just that they disobeyed God; they dishonored Him by marrying pagans and accepting their immoral, unethical practices, and no longer prioritized a relationship with God. Friends, we see this today. The culture we live in is so loud and in our faces all of the time, that we have to find time to spend with God. We have to literally carve out part of our day to be with Him. The ways of the world have crept into churches all across this country and it is sometimes very hard to tell who is in the world and who belongs to God. We must wake up. This is a dangerous time to be in. Jesus said, in 2 Timothy 3:1, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." We are living in those perilous times today. If we study the world, listen to the world, do as the world does, before long we will forget what God has told us and we will give in to fear, doubt, and disbelief. Our hearts belong to God but when we look around us and see the bad, the scary, the dangers we will pull away from the only source of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace we have.

Verses 5-15 Ezra Confesses Israel's Sin

Please note that these last verses of the chapter is how Ezra reacted to the news about the sins of God's people. Next week we will take a look at what Israel does, but I want to emphasize something here. We all have to give a personal account for any sin we encounter. What does sin do to us? What does it make us feel like? What actions do we take? We can see very clearly that Ezra took it seriously. He is not playing when he tears his clothes and pulls his hair from his head and his beard. He is mourning. He is grieving. He knows how serious this is and what it means to God to have His chosen people lusting after pagan nations that refuse to know or serve the one true God.

Ezra starts out in humility. He is so embarrassed to even face God with this issue. He starts recounting the history of God's people. He admits they have been a sinful nation from the beginning. Everyone, other nations, heathen people, royalty, you name them, they have witnessed the shameful way the children of Israel behaved year after year through the ages. Now, Ezra says, God gives grace so that they are not all destroyed, a remnant escaped, and a place was given to them in His holy place so that their eyes would be enlightened. Ezra says that God granted them a little reviving in the midst of slavery. With gratitude he rehearses to God how they were in bondage but even as slaves, God never left them. Instead God extended mercy to them and opened doors of opportunity through the king of Persia to rebuild the holy house of God, the resources and provisions necessary to fix the broken places, and to give them a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. 

Ezra just gets real honest here. He says, "What can we say to You, our God? We have forsaken Your commandments. You told us how unclean and impure these people were. You told us to keep our children from marrying their children. You told us to never desire their peace or wealth so that we would be strong, eat the good of the land, and leave an inheritance to our children forever. You didn't even give us the punishment that we deserved, and now after delivering us from slavery, we did this to You again? You should be so angry with us that You consume us until we are utterly destroyed and none survive!"

And then he brags on God who is worthy of all praise. He addresses the LORD God of Israel. He calls Him righteous because He is. Ezra's last sentence to God in this chapter is, "We are before You in our sin: for we cannot stand in front of You because of this."

Such humility. Do you hear the sorrow in his voice as you read through this chapter? Ezra runs back through all the grace and the provision and protection they have had all along this journey. He thinks of every single time God had His hand on them and they won the favor or kings and others in authority. They were freed from slavery and they were a small community of men, women, and children: no longer the great nation they once were. Yet they were still being blessed and encouraged by God and now all of this was thrown back in God's face with the abominations of the children of Israel.

What areas are you facing in your life right now that you need to repent of? Has God shown a light into your heart to help you see hidden sins you forgot? I am allowing Him to show me where I need to repent. God has been so good to me. He has opened up doors of opportunity I never dreamed of and I know it's only the beginning of what He is going to do. I don't want to end up like the children of Israel, lost in my own sick selfish desires, forsaking the laws of God in an effort to indulge my flesh. I want to be humbled, upset, distraught, and disgusted by my sins. I want to repent and say I am sorry and turn from the wicked ways. I want to draw close to Jesus.

Friends, this is such a sad passage to read, but it is so much like what we experience today in this cancel culture we live in. We do not have to follow the crowd. Remember strait is the gate and narrow the way that leads to heaven. Wide is the gate and there is a broad way to hell and many find that path. We must choose what is going to help us get closer to Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Follow the path to Jesus.

MATTHEW 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 

I hope you walk away from today's study with a deeper understanding of the heart and character of God. He is a loving Father, only wanting His children to recognize Him, honor and love Him. Let's be careful to not slip into the ways of the world. It's okay to be different. It is okay to not do what everyone else is doing. Only try to please God and leave the rest. It doesn't matter in the end. I hope something I have shared encourages you. I hope that I have given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you.

~Bridgett Owens

Impressive Faith | Fuel For The Weekend

 

I am looking forward to a wonderful weekend. I have some plans in mind, but that could change. I am staying flexible and open minded. I want to enjoy a relaxing weekend with my family. How will you spend yours?

As we kick off the weekend, this week I wanted to talk about faith. What is faith? Whose faith impressed Jesus the most? Why must we have faith? Let's find out!

HEBREWS 11:1-3 (1)Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2)For by it the elders obtained a good report. (3)Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 

Faith is made up of what we are hoping for. It is proof for things we cannot even see yet. It is believing that you will receive what you ask God for because He is the giver of all good gifts. Our forefathers in the faith have believed and were given a good report. Their faith has increased our faith. The exploits they have done just gives us more reason to trust God will help us through our fiery trials. We use faith to believe the Creation story where God made something out of nothing. God spoke things into existence. Nothing that we see with our eyes was created by using a tool or an element that we know of because God is the only One who can make something out of nothing!

So who in the Bible impressed Jesus with their faith? If you do not know, the answer may surprise you. I will give you a hint. It was not the disciples! Let's find out.

LUKE 7:1-10 (1)Now when He had ended all His sayings in the audience of the people, He entered into Capernaum. (2)And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. (3)And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto Him the elders of the Jews, beseeching Him that He would come and heal his servant. (4)And when they came to Jesus, they besought Him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom He should do this: (5)For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. (6)Then Jesus went with them. And when He was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying unto Him, Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof: (7)Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. (8)For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. (9)When Jesus heard these things, He marvelled at him, and turned Him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto you, I have not found so great, no, not in Israel. (10)And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

Why was Jesus so impressed with this man's faith? He told the crowd following Him that He had not witnessed such great faith in all of Israel! The man was in charge of other people. If he gave an order for one person to go do something, the person did what he was instructed to do. If he told another to come to him, the person came to the man to see what he needed. The man could speak an instruction to a person and watch it be carried out just like he said to do. We know the man was humble. He did not approach Jesus. He sent friends. He did not feel worthy to come to Jesus and ask for anything. He did not feel worthy for Jesus to darken the door of his house. He was humble and then said to Jesus, "I am also a man of authority." So that tells us right there this man acknowledged Jesus had authority. He was not just a religious leader. He had power. And the centurion continued, "I can tell someone to go or come and they do it. So if you will just speak the healing for my servant, my friend, then I know he will recover." Jesus did not need to hear another word. He found a commanding soldier who had more faith than Jesus had found in Israel!

We can have faith like that too. Do we not see the same thing in our daily lives? If we order something online, we get what we order. If I tell my son to come to me, he comes to where I am and find out what I need. If I ask my daughter to pick up something for me on her way home from work, she does it. So if we can wrap our minds around the fact that Jesus has authority. He has all power. He has dominion. He can speak something into existence into our situation and it must be done! He speaks and it is!

This man was not the only one with faith that impressed Jesus. Who else do you think made Jesus stop in his tracks because of their faith? Do you remember the mother from Canaan whose daughter was demon-possessed? Let's go back to that story.

MATTHEW 15:22-28 (22)And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. (23)But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. (24)But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (25)Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me. (26)But He answered her and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs. (27)And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the masters' table. (28)Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

This woman did not move Jesus with her tears. She did not get his attention with her problems. He ignored her. The disciples begged Him to send her away because she was getting on their nerves. He speaks directly to the woman and says, "I was sent to the lost people in Israel." She picked up what He was laying down! She was a woman from Canaan. She was not one of the people He was sent to save. Her persistence did not move Jesus either. She worshiped at His feet and begged Him to help her. He speaks to her again, "It is not appropriate to take bread from my children to feed the dogs." That had to hurt! This was a clear picture that she could easily have taken offence to, but she didn't. She agreed with Him and said, but even dogs get the crumbs that fall from the master's table. You see she knew that she was not who Jesus came to seek out, but she was desperate. She had crazy faith. She kept on asking but He wanted to know how much she believed He could do what she was asking for. She said while you are feeding the children bread, can't I just take a crumb that falls to the ground? That was it! He said, "You have great faith woman! I will answer your prayer just like you want Me to." 

When we pray and ask for something, how often do we stop asking because we thought we weren't heard? How many times do we really need something from God that only He can do -- a really big need -- and if we feel that the answer is anything but "yes" we stop asking? How often do we keep pressing and show Him how much we believe Him? This woman said she knew the bread was not for her. She wasn't asking for the bakery. She wasn't even asking for a loaf. She just wanted a taste of the miraculous that only He could do.

So if our Heavenly Father knows our needs before we ask Him, according to Matthew 6:8, then why do we need faith? Why can't He just give us what we need? He knows we need it and want it, right? Let's go back to the faith chapter, Hebrews 11.

HEBREWS 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

If we do not have faith it is impossible to please God. First we must believe that God is who He says He is. We have to trust that He will do what He says He will do. And then we must believe that He will reward those who seek Him steady, earnestly, and with energetic effort. Are we seeking Him like that? Are we steady, consistent, earnestly looking for Him? Are we looking for God to be our gift giver, our wish granter? Or are we building a relationship with our Heavenly Father and asking for things that line up with His perfect will for our lives? 

Faith is a very important fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is also one of the nine Spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:9). Faith is something God has given a measure of to everyone (Romans 12:3). What will you do with your fruit? Allow God to prune you and watch that fruit grow. I am growing in faith every single day. And the closer I walk with Jesus the more faith I have. How has your faith grown? Who can you share your faith with this weekend?

I pray that you all have a safe, wonderful weekend. Happy Father's Day to those who are daddies. My father is present with the Lord, but I have a terrific father-in-law and my husband is a wonderful father to our children. And no matter if your dad is alive, absent, gone, or whatever, all of us Christians have a wonderful Heavenly Father to be thankful for and love on this Father's Day and every day! He is so worthy of glory, honor, praise, and worship!

I hope you have enjoyed today's blog post. I pray that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!!

~Bridgett Owens

Praying Family & Friends | Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that I have so many wonderful friends and family members I can call on to ask for prayer! I know that God has blessed me abundantly! And God heard and answered prayers from Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and Indiana.

So often in life we have times where we pray and ask God to meet a specific need we have and it's exciting to see God move. It's nice to see how our prayers make a difference. Other times we just feel like we need some help. It isn't that our prayers are not good enough. It's just that we really want the help of others interceding on our behalf. And when we join our faith together God moves mountains!

MATTHEW 18:19-20 (19)Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. (20)For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

It's Biblical to touch and agree. Jesus spoke those very words in the book of Matthew. When you have someone praying with you, God is going to answer your prayer according to His Will. If you and a friend are gathered to pray, to spend time studying the Bible, or whatever you do in His name, Jesus promises to be in the middle of it. He is showing up for us! And He showed up for me today!!

Remember the man sick of the palsy? His friends had faith but there is never any mention that the sick man had any. These four friends carried him on his bed of affliction, tore up the roof where Jesus was preaching after not being able to press through the crowds to get to the Healer. They lowered their friend down and Jesus answered their prayers. These four friends were desiring something of the Master. Sometimes we have to join our friends in praying for the wayward ones. God will do something about it! Watch this:

MATTHEW 9:2 And, behold, they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Never discount the power of praying friends. I am so thankful that many of you were just a text away. I am grateful for the praying men and women in my life who took the time to set aside what they were doing to pray for me today. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I am so thankful for all that the LORD has done!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens 

 

 

Ezra Chapter Eight | Bible Study Wednesday

 

Welcome back to this week's Bible study. We continue in the book of Ezra, picking up in chapter eight. If you have not read these 36 verses, I encourage you to take a few moments and do so. If it has been a little while since you reviewed the text, you may want to refresh your memory on the passage. Keep your Bible open and if you choose to take notes, have a pen or pencil and notepaper handy. I am not doing a line by line study of this book. I will be dividing each chapter into sections and hitting some of the highlights. I am so thankful for those of you who take the time to participate in these weekly Bible studies. Let's begin.

Verses 1-14 Those Who Went With Ezra

You may be tempted to gloss over these verses as it lists the names of those who joined Ezra on this journey, I encourage you to compare these names with the list in Ezra 2:3-15. Do you see repeated names? Now 80 years after the first roll was called, we see the descendants: family lineage, continue on just as they had before.

The trip these brave men, women, and children took with Ezra was not for the faint of heart. It was dangerous. This 1,000 mile trip through the desert made them an easy target for robbers. It appears as though 5,000 said yes to this journey and just the fact that they all made it safely to Jerusalem was another testimony of God's hand on them.

We may be going through tough, dry, desert times, too, but remember the God who had His hand on Ezra and the 5,000 men, women, and children has His hand on us, too!

Verses 15-20 No Levites

They reached the point where the river runs to Ahava and they camped out for three days. A long journey like that would require rest stops. The humans and animals would need to rest and eat and regain their strength before going on. Ezra started looking around and he noticed there were people and priests but no Levites with them. Ezra called for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, Meshullam, Joiarib and Elnathan who were men of understanding and had good insight. He sent those men to a city called Casiphia to speak with Iddo and his brothers and the temple servants. They were to request ministers for the house of God. 

So God's hand was upon them again and they sent Ezra a son of Mahli, Sherebiah. Sherebiah came to serve in the temple with his sons and brothers, 18 men! What a great answer to a big need they had! But that was not all! Hashabiah and Jeshaiah with his kinsmen and their sons added another 20 men! That was not including the 220 temple servants king David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. The Bible says they were all named. It was not just any group of men. They were sent with a purpose. You and I may feel like we are lost in a sea of other Christians who are working for God, but He knows our names. We matter to God.

Verses 21-23 Fasting and Prayer

The best thing Ezra could do was start out with prayer and fasting. He did not want to ask the king for supplies and provision. He knew the king would honor his requests, but Ezra had already bragged on God. Ezra decided God would provide everything they needed, so he called a fast where they were camped out. This denial of their flesh gave them an opportunity to hear from God clearly about what they should do. They fasted and God heard and answered their prayer.

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that we just don't know what to do. We realize we are in over our heads and since God is the one who is telling us to do the thing, we must pray and fast and wait for Him to answer us. He will do it. The answer will come. The clarity will come. The provision will come.

Verses 24-30 Priests and Treasures

Ezra selected 12 leading priests and weighed out the silver, gold, vessels, and offerings for The Temple of our God that had been given by the king, advisors, and Israelites. There were:

25 tons of silver

100 vessels of silver valued at 3.75 tons of gold

20 gold bowls weighing 18.5 pounds

2 vessels of bright red copper, as valuable as gold

Ezra instructed the men to guard them until they could be properly weighed in their tradition. Ezra told the leading priests that they were holy and the vessels were holy. Sometimes we need to remember we are holy and our work for God is holy. We are to guard and watch the things God trusts us with until we can properly do with it as He has called us to do.

Verses 31-36 Journey To Jerusalem

Verse 31 tells us that God's hand of protection kept them as they went on this incredible journey. The robbers and criminals hiding out, watching the large caravan, wanted to attack, but God was with them. He kept them safe, all the way to Jerusalem.

They made it to Jerusalem and they stayed there three days. Meremoth and Eleazar were with Jozabad and Noadiah as they numbered, weighed, and recorded the treasures in the house of God. Upon their return, the exiles offered burnt offerings to God: 

12 bulls representing all Israel

96 rams

77 lambs

12 he-goats

And finally they delivered the king's orders to the king's provincial administration, whom gave support to the people and the house of God. God can do anything and will do anything for His mission to be a success. If we put our hope and trust in Him, we will all succeed. He is the God that cannot fail. When we throw our plans out the window and fully embrace the journey we are on as we yield to His leadership we will do everything He wants us to do. 

My goodness! I never realized what an encouraging book Ezra was. I know I keep saying that but it is so good for the season that I am in right now. We will spend two more weeks in this book as we wrap up this study. I have a really fun idea for July's Bible Study Wednesday blog posts. I hope you'll join me. It's a little different than I have done on here before but I really hope we can have fun with it. Until next time, friends. I hope that something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

It's Definitely Going To Rain | Fuel For The Weekend

Happy Friday friends! We have successfully made it through another week! God is so faithful. He has blessed me all week long. He is a wonderful Savior. I wish the world could truly know who Jesus is and I am convinced there would never be another lost soul on earth. 

I have a confession. I am not proud of it, but I am not waiting well. Sometimes I am, sometimes it is okay and I am not longing for what I had in Alabama. Sometimes I am at peace to be back in Indiana. I have moments where I feel happy to be back and things are good. Then other times I am tired of waiting. I am growing weary. To be honest I stop trusting and I begin to look at my circumstances instead of remembering the promise. And it's easy to beat myself up over this. It's easy for me to criticize my doubts, but I am human. It does not make it okay, but it is a natural reaction after waiting so long on what God had said and not seeing it materialize, and even seeing one door slam in our faces after another.

Sometimes I say to God, "Lord Your Word says that the way of a transgressor is hard. (Proverbs 13:15) So Lord if I am having a tough time and things seem so hard, please show me where I am sinning." And you know what He does? He shows me! He shows me where I am allowing disbelief and discontentment to overtake my faith. He told me to trust Him even when it doesn't look like it will happen. I didn't do that. And he used my friend Doris Cush to show me a beautiful message on Instagram by straightenyourcrown.1 and then Doris dmcushite posted a beautiful message on Instagram also that uplifted me and opened my eyes to some things. And the Lord Himself showed me again in the word of God this morning in my Bible reading time. I want to share what He showed me today.

The verse of the day in my Bible app from YouVersion is John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. That got my attention first. I have read this verse many, many times and today it really stood out to me. It was like I heard Jesus telling me to not get discouraged. I believe in God, so I should also believe what Jesus said. His Word says that He will give us the desires of our heart in Psalm 37:4. We must first delight in Him by staying in His Word according to Psalm 1:2. He promised to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory when we read Philippians 4:19. And when we pray, if we believe, we can ask what we will and it shall be done because the Bible tells us so in Mark 11:24. But God went on to show me myself as I read about Elijah and He taught me out of the book of First Kings. 

In 1 Kings chapter 17, God told Elijah to go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. He said that He had told a widow who lives in Zarephath to give Elijah something to eat. So Elijah got up and went to that city and just like God said, there was a woman gathering up sticks. He called to her to bring him something to drink. She went to get it and he called to her to also bring him some bread. She told him she did not have what he asked her for. Then she told him what she had: a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little cruse of oil that she was going to make a fire with the sticks she had collected, make her and her son their last meal, and die.

God told Elijah to go and this woman would sustain him. He could have looked at the situation in the natural, like I am doing in my situation and started to complain. He could have picked up on the woman's depression and start asking God, "Where is my blessing? She can't even feed herself and her son. How can I ask to take her last meal?" But he didn't do that. He knew what God said and so he looked past the situation. Why can't I? Elijah tells her to not be afraid. There is the key! Behind every person in doubt is fear! Elijah knows what God can do! God is not a God of subtraction and deficits. He is a God of addition and multiplication! So Elijah says, "Feed me first, and then make something for you and your son." He knew God said he would be fed and he knew that God would make sure the widow and her son would have food, too. Then he prophesies to her and says that her barrel of meal and her cruse of oil will not run out until God brought rain on the earth! Elijah is looking for rain and he prophesied a miracle to this widow that was coming for her! The Bible says in 1 Kings 17:15, 16 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which He spake by Elijah."

That's an incredible story of God pulling the woman and her son through a time of starvation and approaching death, as well as keeping His promise to Elijah. He was sustained from the abundance as well because we read that they were able to eat many days. Now that is not the end of their story. After God performed such a great miracle, the widow's son got sick and died. I am much like the widow in this story, not only the first time she had a conversation with him about the meal and the oil but even now. She looks to Elijah and asks him what he has done! She wants to know what she did to him so bad that he wants to bring up her past wrongs and even kill her son! It's not a proud moment for me to admit that I did this, too. I looked at God and said, "Your Word says the way of a transgressor is hard. Am I being punished for something I have done? Did we come to Indiana at Your Word and then not even get what I thought You would give me?" I wanted things to look a certain way. I wanted things to happen a certain way. I look at the last six months and I see nothing I was expecting. I became disappointed. But I did get the things God told me I would have. Things happened exactly the way God said they would. I was just sidelined by my expectation of how things should be.

Elijah took the child and laid across him three times and asked God to give the widow back her son. God revived the child and Elijah took him to his mother and said, "See, thy son liveth." (verse 23) 1 Kings 17:24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the Word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. So it wasn't enough that the miracle of having food to eat in a famine could prove Elijah was a man of God and that God's Word is true. She believed after she got her son back from the dead. I need to believe God's Word is true because God is God and He cannot lie. I need to hold on the promise of not just having our own home, but also of the other things He promised me and not wait for a big miracle or some sign to reassure me. I am doing better but it has been so hard. Life is not always easy and fun and good. We must not lose heart when the days turn cold and bleak and no hope is in sight. God is still in control.

In 1 Kings chapter 18, there was a famine in the land. That is kind of how I feel in my life right now: like there is a famine. It feels like lack and dry barrenness. God gives Elijah another promise and another mission. He told Elijah to show himself to Ahab and God said He would send rain upon the earth. Now if I were Elijah, I would think that meant once I presented myself to the king that the clouds would fill the sky, I would hear the cracks of thunder as lightning zig-zagged across the sky, and then the rain would fall. 

So Ahab and Elijah meet up. Elijah calls for a throw-down to prove God is the only God. He challenges Ahab and his 450 false prophets of Baal and 400 false prophets of Asherah to meet him on Mount Caramel to see if their false gods could bring fire down from heaven, or if it would be the true and only God who would bring down fire. So all the people gathered like spectators at a sporting event. They wanted to see what would happen. Elijah was the only prophet of God on one side, and the 850 prophets of evil were on the other side. Elijah asked the people, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him." But the people didn't say a word.

Elijah said that he was the only prophet of the LORD, but Baal has 450 prophets. He wagered that each would take a bullock, cut it in pieces, lay it on wood, but not put any fire beneath it. Then the prophets of Baal were to summon their gods, and Elijah said he would call on the name of his God, and "the God who answers by fire, let Him be God." So the people liked the idea and the challenge was on.

Elijah let them go first. The 450 men set up the sacrifice, but did not put fire beneath it, and from the morning until noon they cried out, "O Baal, hear us." No answer came. The fire did not fall. They jumped on the altar. Then Elijah started making fun of them. He said, "Call louder. Surely he is a god! Maybe he is talking, busy, traveling, or maybe he's asleep and you need to wake him up!" This is not true of Jehovah God. We know He is always listening to our heart's cry. He is not too busy for us. He is in all places at all times and He never slumbers nor sleeps. Elijah must have really enjoyed seeing these 450 men jumping up and down like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

The 450 prophets of Baal screamed and cut themselves until blood gushed from their veins. They began to prophesy until it was time for the evening sacrifice, but no voice sounded from the gods. There was no one to answer them or pay attention to them. These men were so deceived by Satan. 

Elijah had the people gather around him. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. Elijah took 12 stones according to the 12 tribes of Israel, and built an altar in the name of the LORD. He made a wide trench around the altar, put the wood in order, cut the bullock in pieces, and laid them on the wood. He instructed the people to fill four barrels with water and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. They did that three times, and the water ran around the altar filling the trench.

The time had come to do the evening sacrifice. Elijah said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy Word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the LORD God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again." Then the fire of God fell on the altar. It consumed the burnt sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and licked up the water in the trench. Immediately the people fell on their face to the earth! They said, "The LORD, He is the God; the LORD, He is the God."

Elijah took the prophets of Baal to the brook Kishon and killed them there. He told Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the abundance of rain." God showed up in a much bigger way than what I imagined He would do if He had told me to meet up with Ahab. He displayed His power and glory. All that looked upon this great Mount Caramel challenge knew who was God and who was not. The bigger picture was to turn the hearts of the people back to God. Sometimes I just want to get to the promise and I miss the bigger picture of all that God is doing in the middle. Like the way we were able to see my father-in-law before he passed, and the way we were able to reconnect with our families, and the way someone we love stopped drinking after becoming an alcoholic. We see the way we are prospering and God is moving and providing and doing so many things that occur in the journey and I'm upset that we have not seen the "rain" yet. 

Elijah told Ahab that the rain was coming. He said he heard the sound of not just rain, but the ABUNDANCE of rain. He wasn't predicting a sprinkle. He was expecting a rain storm to water the earth like it had not done in three years! He was expecting something BIG! God had promised it.

And many of you may remember how Elijah squats down in a birthing position, head between his knees, as he sent out his servant seven times to "Go up now, look toward the sea." Time and time and time again the servant came back and said, "There is nothing." Each time the man of God could have started to doubt he heard God correctly. Each time he could have started to give in to fear and doubt that the rain would come. But Elijah was not in fear and doubt. He did not question what God had said. He knew he heard correctly. Elijah positioned himself to give birth in the supernatural to the promise God made. He prepared for it. He was waiting for it. Each time he urged the servant to go look, and each time the answer was "There is nothing."

Each time we look at what God promised us, do not give up! Do not let the enemy in your head! Remember what God told you and do not give up! Listen!!! Do you hear that? It is the abundance of rain. Get yourself ready. It is time for the rain to fall from heaven. It is time to get everything God promised us. It is time to feel the rain on our skin! The dry, barren places are getting hydrated and nourished. New life is coming! New hope is welling up because God is about to give us everything He said we could have!

This is not a prosperity gospel message. This is an encouragement that if God said He was going to give you something specifically, hold on to it and don't let go. Hold your head up high and pop open that umbrella because blessings are coming down!

1 Kings 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. and he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

That was all Elijah needed. A cloud the size of man's hand was in the sky. That was what he was waiting for. He told his servant to tell the king to get his chariot ready and head back home before the rain came and prevented him from leaving. Meanwhile, the sky was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain and Ahab rode back to Jezreel in his chariot. God's hand was on Elijah, like it was on Ezra (remember this week's Bible study), and Elijah literally outran the chariot Ahab was in. You can trust and believe Ahab had a fast chariot. It just proves again that with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

I have repented of doubting and not trusting when the waiting is longer than I thought it should be. I have asked God to search my heart and show me where I am messing up, and He did. He lovingly showed me four different ways and none of it made me feel condemned. I only felt convicted and had a heart to repent. I want to please my Jesus and I want to honor Abba Father with my life. It is not easy to wait so long but God did not tell me it would be. He only promised that He would see me through.

I can honestly say that this has helped me. I hope it helps you, too. I always pray that something I share on this blog post will give you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Tooth Extraction | Thankful Thursday

 

A week ago tomorrow I had a tooth pulled. I did not want to go to the dentist to have this taken care of because I am terrified of anything to do with a dentist. They gave me laughing gas just to clean my teeth last time. I hate the whole process of anything to do with dentistry. 

So, backstory: I had a cavity in one of my baby teeth. Tooth #19. My dentist drilled it and filled it even though he said it was only a small sign of decay. I was eating candy and I bit on a Sugar Daddy, which for those that don't know, it's a big gob of caramel on a stick. But when I pulled the stick out of my mouth, that sugary treat took my filling with it! So my mom took me back to the dentist, and I was scared out of my wits to have that done again! My dentist drilled it and filled it again. Two weeks later that tooth fell out! My mom was not happy. Then the adult tooth came in and it decided to show a sign of decay too, so again drilled and filled.

To this day I cannot stand to hear a drill running. It hurts my teeth like nothing else! So the filling stayed for many, many years until I was eating a sucker in the library in Mitchell. I literally chipped the tooth and knocked out a piece of the filling. I refused to do anything about it for a while, but finally I went to the dentist. She referred me to an oral surgeon, but I didn't go. Time went on, it started to bother me again, so I went back to the dentist, and same suggestion, she referred me to an oral surgeon. I finally went. I was treated very well by all the dental professionals, but something happened in one of the fillings and it scarred me for life!

So I finally went to the oral surgeon to have a root canal. He didn't think he could save it but I insisted he try because I desperately wanted to save my tooth. So he did the best he could. He said it was a success and I just needed to get a crown. So I tried, but my dentist could never get me in. We moved to Alabama and I had to wait until I had a job with insurance and then wait for the insurance to be active and finally I went to see if I could get a crown. Meanwhile my tooth broke more and so the answer was no, the tooth has to come out. I scheduled for surgery but then we moved back to Indiana before I could have the procedure.

So finally we have jobs, we have insurance, and it's time for me to take care of this tooth which is even more broken now. They drilled and pulled and yanked. I was numb through my ear which somehow was still painful, and I felt a lot of pain and pressure in my front teeth during the procedure. I was a nervous wreck and all alone, well except for all the people in the room. It takes a village to pull a tooth!! And so then after seeing the debris spraying all over the place, and feeling the pressure as the roots were yanked out of my mouth, I was finally free of the tooth. Two sutures and a mouthful of gauze I was sent out to my waiting family.

So what am I thankful for? I am thankful for kind, caring staff who took care of my problem. I am thankful for no infection or dry socket. I am thankful for pain medication. I am thankful that Jesus was with me every second and I could feel Him with me because I was freaking out on the inside. I am thankful for my mother-in-law and son who wanted to take me. I am thankful for the car ride home that I do not really remember. I am thankful for the way my mother-in-law took care of me to insist I rest, gave me food and delicious jello she made for me! I am thankful for the kindness in her voice as she asked if there was anything I needed. I am thankful that she left the bathroom light on for me. I am thankful that we live here, even though I truly do want my own home. I am still so grateful that we have a nice place to live.

I am thankful God has brought me through these days of working this week even though I have not felt the best. I am thankful the stitches fell out without pain or problems. I am thankful I can drink from a straw again!! I am thankful that the whole thing is over with. Even though I wish I didn't have to lose a tooth, I'm glad I lost the trouble maker of them all! 

I am thankful that the Bible says in Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." I did not have to cowardly approach the Lord. I did not have to cower in fear that He may demand I leave His presence. Instead I found mercy and grace to help me in my time of need. I was so scared and He was there to help me.

Maybe you are not afraid of the dentist. You may enjoy getting your teeth cleaned or not mind having a tooth pulled. But sometimes in life we go through things we don't want to, but God is always there. In 2 Samuel 22:33 we read that "God is my strength and power: and He maketh my way perfect." We are not perfect people, but God will give us His strength and His power to face the tough challenges in life we are not expecting. He makes the hard paths, the winding roads, the hills and valleys to become perfect paths. He straightens the crooked ways and helps us to navigate this life. 

Waiting to get a home of our own has been difficult to say the least. We have looked at different places to rent or buy and it's so frustrating. At times I am so weary and this week I thought my heart may truly fail me. I was so distressed with everything. My health was not good, and you already know about the whole dental thing, and my husband had to see a surgeon (please be praying about that), and then Kadesia wound up in a brace on her arm because it keeps going numb to the fingers but they can't find the issue (please be praying about that). She had to go three places and still no real answers. So it's just a lot and so I take comfort in reading Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

Friends, I am counting my blessings for the Word of God. He never fails me and He never lets me down. If I am discouraged when I start reading the Word of God, it's not long before I become strengthened and encouraged. I get my hope back. I get my joy back. Let's close with this verse in Habakkuk.

HABAKKUK 3:19 The Lord God is my strength; and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

I am scared of heights...honestly this is not supposed to be a blog post about the things I am afraid of. But I am truly scared of being up high. Yet if the Lord God gives me the ability to climb up high mountains then I will do so without fear. I know He gives me the strength to do hard things. He alone is my source of strength.

I hope that you have been counting your blessings with me this Thankful Thursday. I always enjoy sharing what God has done for me. It's not fun to reveal the weaknesses of my flesh with the whole world, but if it can even help one other person with the verses I share or the things I thank God for doing in my life, then it is worth it. I am so thankful for you all. I pray that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Ezra Chapter Seven | Bible Study Wednesday

Welcome back to Bible Study Wednesday. I apologize for not doing this study last week but I was not feeling well and unfortunately I am not feeling the best right now either, but I am better than I was. Praise the Lord! So, let's dive into chapter seven in the book of Ezra. It is located in the Old Testament between 2 Chronicles and Nehemiah. I have thoroughly enjoyed this Bible study so far and I hope you have been getting some good study time in as well. I always encourage you to read the chapter if you have not already done so. I will be breaking this chapter down into four sections, but I do not do a line by line study so it will be helpful if you have read through it. You may want to have a notebook handy for notes, and you can also keep your Bible open nearby. Let's begin.

Verses 1-10 Ezra Sent To Jerusalem

Ezra's lineage goes all the way back to Moses' brother Aaron the priest. Ezra was gifted as a scribe and he not only read the law of the Lord to study it and know it, but also to practice it and teach others how to obey it. During the time of the Exile while they were in Babylon, the two jobs of priest and scribe were combined to become one position. Ezra was both priest and scribe. It is possible he worked in the courts on behalf of the Jews. He was copyist, preserver, and interpreter of the Law. After the Exile the Jews were still trying to grasp their identity. Many were not doing the things God wanted them to do. Many stopped hallowing the Sabbath day, discontinued paying their tithes, began divorcing their spouses, and marrying pagans. They were so influenced by the society in which they lived, but were without strong religious leaders. They needed help getting back on track. Ezra and Nehemiah were instrumental in guiding the people back to their religious roots and served the people administratively.

Ezra left Babylon to go to Jerusalem. Some of the children of Israel went along, including priests, Levites, singers, porters, and the Nethinims. In verse six it says the king gave him everything he asked for according to "the hand of the LORD his God upon him." God gave Ezra supernatural favor to get everything he requested. In verse nine it references the hand of God upon him as he came to Jerusalem from Babylon as well. The key is in verse 10. "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." Have we prepared our hearts for that? If so, then we can trust and believe God has His mighty hand upon us just like He did Ezra.

Verses 11-20 Artaxerxes' Letter To Ezra: A Mission

King Artaxerxes was a foreign leader. He did not serve God like Ezra but God was with him and the king gave Ezra a mission. He granted Ezra permission to ask about the things pertaining to God's law in Judah and Jerusalem; to carry silver and gold freely offered by the king and his counselors, and all silver and gold they could find in Babylon from freewill offerings of the people and the priests there who chose to give for the building. He instructed him to quickly purchase meat for the offerings and drink offerings  that were to be given as a sacrifice to God on His holy altar in Jerusalem. Anything they had in excess of what was needed, they were given permission to use it however God saw fit. He continued the letter with offering the vessels for the service of the house of God and anything they lacked was permitted to be taken from the king's treasury! What a wonderful way God worked all of that out. They had fought hard to keep the temple going and they finally did it and now Ezra was granted a special mission by the king. We should feel hope starting to bubble up in our spirits. We know that if we prepare our hearts to seek God's law in order to obey it and teach others to obey it, then He will keep His hand on us and we will have missions and assignments given to us, even at the hands of those in government authority. Do not think anything is too hard for our God!

Verses 21-26 Do Whatever Ezra Commands

Now the king gets serious!! The letter continues that any treasurer beyond the river was to give Ezra anything he needed and to do it quickly! They were told to give up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of oil, and salt without limit! He demanded diligence with this matter. He feared the wrath of the great God Jehovah. Further, the king declared no musician, guard, temple servant, or any other temple worker will have to pay any kind of taxes. He told Ezra to make some of the people judges beyond the river to judge those who knew the laws of God, and for those who did not know the laws, Ezra was to teach them! And if anyone decided they weren't going to do that, the king threatened them with confiscating their possessions, banishing them, imprisoning them, or killing them. The king had the authority to decree the matter and God made sure it was settled!

Verses 27-28 Ezra Praises God

How would you feel if you were Ezra? He prepared his heart for this. He wanted to know God's law so he would please Jehovah God. Ezra was elated! He immediately blessed God and gave Him all the glory, honor, and praise. He said this was God's plan. God made this happen. God gave me mercy and allowed the king to order all these things be done to beautify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. I love that as he is praising God for the mercy He had shown to Ezra, he says this: "And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me." Isn't that awesome? He said God strengthened me as His hand was always on me. God had his back! He has ours, too. If He wants us to do something for Him, big or small, He will provide like He did for Ezra. What a mighty God we serve and He gives us strength as He helps us and paves the way for us to be successful.

I never knew Ezra was such an encouraging book! Did you? I am enjoying this study so much. It is a beautiful reminder that we need to keep going. We need to press on and prepare our hearts to learn God's law and obey every word! If we will keep our eyes on Him, we will feel His hand on our shoulders and we will feel the strength that only comes from God. What a wonderful way to end this chapter.

Lord willing, I will be back next Wednesday to share more insight from Ezra chapter eight. Go ahead and read through the next chapter before next week. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Some are not comfortable sharing online, in the comments below, but you can always email me or text me any comments you have. I love the things you all share with me because it encourages me and gives me a different perspective. We can all learn together as we help each other Home!

Well, I pray something I have shared today has lifted you up. It has been a journey for me this year to just trust and obey. I was encouraged from today's reading and study. I hope that something I have said today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you. Please continue to pray for me and I will do the same for you friends.

~Bridgett Owens