June 22 Thoughts

Today I got up with Brave, in my head....right as the power shuts off, what IS it with this town and its inability to keep the power on! Anyway, so no lights...no bible study.

Here is Brave:
Brave(Nichole Nordeman, Jay Joyce)For Charlie, who rearranged my fearful heart.

The gate is wide The road is paved in moderation The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in Welcome to the middle ground You’re safe and sound and Until now, it’s where I’ve been‘Cause it’s been fear that ties me down to everything But it’s been love, your love, that cuts the strings So long status quo I think I just let go You make me want to be brave The way it always was Is no longer good enough You make me want to be brave Brave, brave
I am small And I speak when I’m spoken to But I am willing to risk it all I say your name Just your name and I’m ready to jump Even ready to fall…Why did I take this vow of compromise? Why did I try to keep it all inside? I’ve never known a fire that didn’t begin with a flame Every storm will start with just a drop of rain But if you believe in me, that changes everything


But yesterday I finished Ezra....I told you I would read Ezra and get back to you...
Well, I think the only way we can be Better Than Ezra is to be Christ.

Ezra comes on the scene in Chapter 7...the first 6 chapters are God working things out...Wow..the first thing I notice is The Lord stirs the heart of the king to allow the jews to re-build the temple...its cool...the Lord says it will happen, thru Jeremiah, then the Lord causes it to happen.

They have a plan, they assemble, they delegate, they sacrifice and praise, they start working...then of course while they are busy doing Gods work, opposition happens, jealousy, the people of the land come against them, so much so that they are forced to stop rebuilding...but the foundation was laid.

See how things happen in layers...God is preparing their hearts for what is to come, and God is raising up another King who will hear His Heart.

This King not only allows them to rebuild the temple, but tells the "nay-sayers" to assist monetarily with any need the Jews may have during this time. Ezra 6:6-12

6 Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you, their fellow officials of that province, stay away from there. 7 Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.
8 Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: The expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.
11 Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it. And for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble. 12 May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.

How awesome, Look at how God works this out. Much to the dismay of the Hebrews enemies.

They finish the temple, they dedicate it with sacrifices of praise and sin sacrifices for Israel, they celebrate Passover.

Enter Ezra:

Ezra is 14 generations removed from Aaron. the scripture makes a point to say it is "this ezra who comes up from babylon."

I"ll finish this up later....kiddo needs sustanance. :)