KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, September 17, 2018
Chapters: Ezra 1-3
Message: Willing To Help Rebuild The Church
Hello My Friend,
I am sure that you have noticed, especially in the past ten years or so, how much the church has changed, they allow sinful things to creep into the church, while not necessarily condoning it, still live with it out of fear of losing people and quite frankly, money. When I first dedicated my life to Christ I went to a soul winning church, we went out every Thursday night and Saturday morning knocking doors and witnessing to people. God bless my church today, yes, we do witness to people, but there are just not enough people willing to go out and knock doors so there is no weekly soul winning, and I believe that is part of the reason we are losing people. Let me tell you, a church that gets destroyed begins when it stops preaching the Gospel to the lost world, and before you know it faithful people are leaving and in order to keep the money coming in unfaithful are joining. It is time to rebuild the church, to return to the old paths, but sadly, things remain out of fear of losing everyone all together. “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” – Jeremiah 6:15-16.
The Book of Ezra is the fifteenth book of the Old Testament and contains ten chapters. The author of the book is Ezra, and it was written to the Jews in Babylon. The purpose of the book was to record their return from captivity after spending seventy years in Babylon and their rebuilding of the temple. The timeline for these events is approximately 536 BC to 457 BC. What we are to learn from the book is repentance and restoration are the keys to returning to God. God is in search of a few good men and women willing to get out of their comfort zone and help rebuild His church. It is going to take all of those whose spirit God has raised up to do it, but we will not be alone, the Holy Spirit will guide and direct us where to go. It is fitting that I started today’s message with passage from Jeremiah, it had been seventy years since Nebuchadnezzar seized Jerusalem and taken the Jews captive into Babylon, God is ready for His people to return to rebuild it, and the temple. King Cyrus stood before the Jews, stirred up by God, eager to send any willing to volunteers to go to Jerusalem.
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.” – Ezra 1:1-5.
“Who is there among you of all his people?” God needs and asking willing souls to step up and help rebuild His church. Even within my own church I have seen sinful things that are just ignored, and there is a great lack of participation within the church itself to change that. So many are quick to leave the church, never confronting the issues to begin, and even worse, say they volunteer, but to ask them to step up, it is like pulling teeth. Did it ever occur to them, that God already knew what was going on, that He sent them there so they can be that light to help guide them back to the old paths? I discovered this myself, I stepped up, I am turning the nursery into something that teaches them about Jesus rather than just having a place to put their kids while they sit in the service. Rebuilding the church begins with willing souls, and God will send you where He needs you to do that, remember, we are lambs among the wolves, and let me tell you, Jesus does not keep us locked up in a bubble, He sends us out there to bring them in, there are just as many wolves in the church, if not more. “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” – John 17:15-19.
Many were willing to take the journey back to Jerusalem, they stepped up, and volunteered, a census was taken of the families that came up out of captivity, forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty people, headed back to help rebuild the temple and town. Some of the Jews were not recognized by their heritage, they had no idea where they came from, therefore, were not allowed to do work in the temple, but were still used somewhere.
“Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place: They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments.” – Ezra 2:1-5,64-69.
“offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:” We have to stop and think about the conditions in which these volunteers were about to embark. Remember, Jerusalem was in ruins, the temple was destroyed, and pretty much everything that resembled God was gone. It was not going to be easy, but God would be with them if they were willing to accept the call and do it with all their heart. Many are saved, but very few serve Him. Why? They are unwilling to accept the call because they do not want to leave the comforts of their earthly life. We cannot sit back and wait for things to change or leave the church (unless it is teaching the wrong doctrine) as we see the sin creep in, we must be the change, step up to the plate, and be the willing soul to show them the err of their ways, not judge them, but guide them, because we are all sinners who need help with something. “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” – John 4:34-38.
Let me tell you, while it may be hard work sometimes, and it may take us away from some earthly things we enjoy or even sacrifice some of our time, but there is no better feeling or reward that seeing the church rebuild. However, rebuilding the church must begin with the foundation, get back to serving God through Christ. It took them seven months to get there, but as soon as they did they got right to work, first building an altar.
“From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites. And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.” – Ezra 3:6,9-13.
“because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.” We can pray to God all we want, but without a strong foundation we cannot have a strong church. That strong foundation is Christ, we must build the church upon Him, otherwise, it will crumble and fall when the storms come. The devil is not messing with all those false churches because he knows they are not built upon the foundation of Christ, he is messing with the true church, and he is succeeding. We must step up and fight this, first by offering ourselves willing to Him, then helping Christ rebuild His church. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” – Romans 12:5-8.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” – Ezra 1:1-2.
Today’s Prayer: God, What a blessing it is to be one of Your children, not because of any good that I have done, but because of my belief in what Your Son has done for me. I am saved, redeemed, and one of Yours because I am only trusting in Him for my salvation. Thank You Jesus. While I can do anything to get into Your Kingdom, except believe in You, I can do something to reach others by willingly offering myself to You in whatever it is that You call me to do. Lord, Lead me and guide me, let me be the living sacrifice that lets others see You through me. When I get discouraged remind me that You never leave me, and that my work is not of void. Let me be a witness and serve You faithfully as You use me to help You rebuild Your church. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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