I'm Following Jesus – Page 1311 – Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Friday, September 25, 2020
Chapters: Ezra 7-10
Message: A Prepared Heart

Hello My Friend,

I have to admit that I have been struggling for a while now trying to come to terms with some of the things God placed in my life, I do not question Him, but often question my will in doing His will. One thing is for sure, I do know that God’s hand is in everything I do, and I have seen, especially this year, how merciful, gracious, and longsuffering He is. You know, God tells us how He wants us to live and since everyone has their own opinion on what they believe that to be, we are going to clash sometimes, even as Christians, I may not always know why He puts people or things in my life, but I know Him, He may test us, but would never put any of us in a position that compromises our faith. Since we have this flesh, we may not always make the right decisions, and that is why we have God’s grace. [I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.]

Ezra is a descendant of Aaron, he was also a scribe, which is someone who wrote down the words contained in the Law. Ezra not only made sure that everything written in the Word of God was accurate, he also penned several books under the inspiration of God, including the Chronicle books. Ezra was not only a big help to God as a writer of His Word, he also became the inspirational leader of the group of Jews that returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Under the direction of King Artaxerxes (Xerxes), yes, this was when Esther was queen, Ezra was sent to Jerusalem to direct the people in the laws of God.

[Ezra 7:6-11,25 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. 7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 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. 11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. 25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.]

[For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD,] We must prepare our heart to seek God’s Word if we are going to be successful at fulfilling His will in our lives. In anything we do in life, whether it is to finish school, lose weight, get married, we will not get very far unless we prepare our heart for it. Do you know why Jesus does not come to some people until much later in life? Their waits until their heart right, just like He did when He came to me fourteen years ago. However, preparing our heart to seek His Word it is not enough, we must prepare our heart to live by them too. After Ezra received the call from the king to assemble a group of people willing to go to Jerusalem he was a little overwhelmed about the job God had given him to do. He knew God was with Him and would guide him in the right direction. Over seventeen hundred men volunteered to go to Jerusalem, before going any further the entire team fasted and prayed to God.

[Ezra 8:15-18,21,23 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. 16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. 17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.]

[and he was intreated of us.] To entreat means to intercede. When we call out to God with all our heart, in sincere prayer, focused solely on Him, He hears us. Fasting is more than giving up food for a period of time, it is giving our whole heart, mind, body, and spirit to Him, trusting that He hears and will answer our requests. Jesus tells us how we are to fast, [Matthew 6:16-18 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.]

So, we prepare our heart to seek God Word, when we find it, we prepare our heart to obey it, now, we must prepare our heart to live in His will, even when He takes us into impossible situations. Let me tell you, our faith is not always going to be in abundance, but it does not have to be, all we need is faith the size of a mustard seed. When Ezra and the people arrived in Jerusalem they expected to see at least a few of the Jews worshiping, praising, and giving them some hope that God was there. Instead, it was just the opposite, the moral and spiritual condition in Jerusalem was terrible, and many of the priests were actually married and had kids with women who were not even Jews, it grieved Ezra to the point that he fell on his knees in prayer.

[Ezra 9:4-6,8,13-14 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. 5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, 6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. 8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?]

[seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve,] I pretty much say this to God every day, as much as I fail Him, I know whatever chastening or affliction I face is less than what I deserve. We do not always make decisions according to God’s Word, which is why we get afflicted, and it does not even have to be that we committed any sin, not listening to Him to begin with is what brings the shame. That is what God’s grace is for, when we are at the end of our ropes, and have no idea what to do next, God’s grace reminds us that His mercy endures, [Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.]

As the congregation heard Ezra praying they too began to pray and repent of their sin, but now, came the hard part. Would they follow the Law as they said they would? One by one, each Levite agreed to present himself with his wife and children before the court to determine whether or not they served God or a false god, they were to get a divorce and separate from them forever if it was determined that they served false gods.

[Ezra 10:1,9-11,16 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore. 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.]

[trembling because of this matter,] Making decisions out of the will of God about who we marry can cause us to go in a direction that is far from God, they may not have even been living in sin, but they were in a mixed marriage of two different faiths, and that always brings problems. This is why Christians cannot even be married or even dating other Christians that are not likeminded in their faith, it brings too much affliction as one sees things differently as the other. We cannot break anyone, neither can God for that matter because again, it all comes down to the heart. Now, God can change a heart, but that heart must first be prepared to believe in God. We often wonder why God does not give some people a heart that loves Him, and the truth is that He does. What happens is that their heart turns dark because they let the world tell them who God is rather than God.

[Romans 1:21-22,25-28 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;]

Today’s Prayer: God, You know there have been times in my life when I sunk so low that I could not breathe anymore, but Your hand always pulled me back up. Thank You for loving me and not forsaking me, for holding me up, even when I wanted to fall. Thank You for Your endless mercy and grace, it truly endures, and thank You for always being there for me, even when I fail You. Lord, I need You to get through each day, pour Your Spirit upon me and fill me with Your love, mercy, grace, peace, strength, and wisdom. Help me to get through this day, uplifted and encouraged, knowing that You are always with me, have a purpose for everything I go through, and have something great in store for me when it comes to pass. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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