Living out God's Calling on our Lives

Ezra 7
Background:Once the decree from Darius was received, ".. the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia."(Ezra 6:14). The Bible describes the priest Ezra under who's guidance everything happened. If we want to learn how God works through lives of His people, there are lessons we can learn from Ezra's life. What can we learn from a priest's life? Well the Word of God calles us a royal priesthood and we are encouraged to build our Lord's temple His body.

Lessons

1. Dedicated to the Word of God-"this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given." Also verse 9 and 10 say "the gracious hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel."How well versed with the Word of God are we as the royal priesthood?
2. As we continue in obedience to God, God's hand provides-"The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him." I have heard earlier from many preachers, when God gives us an assignment, He gives us all the necessary equipment to complete it too. So God did with Ezra and all of us, who walk in obedience to God's will.
3. Knowing where our help comes from-"27 Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me." Ezra knew exactly where he had come from and how he had reached there. He was grounded on the fact that he had been able to accomplish all that he had, ONLY through God's hand that worked in his life. Many times ministries fail after a good long run, because the leader starts to think he did everything, he suffered for building the church and so on.

Conclusion: As Ezra lived in obedience through the Word of God, he saw God's hand working through him, he saw God's favour upon him, so also as we walk in obedience to our calling, we will see God's hand working in our lives and His divine favour resting on us. Let us therefore remember that the key to a fruitful life is not the extent of our ability but the extent of our dependence on God for the very existence of life.

John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

God is ready to fight your battle

Background:Hezekiah has been recently threatened by the Assyrian king, to either give in to him and surrender or fight and die. Hezekiah has decided to fight, rather than to give in. Isaiah, God's prophet sent a reply to Hezekiah's request "6 Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7 Listen! I am going to put such a spirit in him that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.' "
Soon after this word had come from God, through Isaiah, the Assyrian commander had to withdraw from Jerusalem(Judah) because the Assyrian king had gone away for another battle to Lachish. Instead of going on to fight his enemy, Assyrian king Sennacherib sends a letter to Hezekiah threatening him and discouraging him from believing God for his victory.(2 Kings 19:10-13)
Hezekiah didn't budge from him faith but goes with that letter straight to God and says a beautiful prayer "14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
17 "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men's hands. 19 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."

Lessons I learnt

1. In despair turn to God-Hezekiah turned to God when the Assyrian commander came to threaten him with words. More often than not, the enemy works in our lives with negative words and negative suggestions, or luring temptations. The way to turn away from them is to turn to God.


2. God always has an answer for any situation, in His Word-The moment Hezekiah sent his men to ask Isaiah for the Lord's Word, they got their answer. God has our answers ready, if only we turn and go to His Word. There is one special request I have made to God and He sure did answer my situation through His Word. It made me glad.


3. Enemy will not let go easily-In our walk with God, sometimes when we've heard the Word of God and found an answer for our situation, things don't seem like they're changing the way God said it would, oreading about the way the Assyrian king did not immediately go away, but in fact sent him a letter, discouraging him to believe in God, trying to cause doubt in Hezekiah, thats the 1st attack our enemy the satan tries to put in our heart, when we have and we know God has directly given in our heart His Word.


4. Take it to the Lord in prayer-Thats what Hezekiah did with the threat letter he received from Assyrian king Sennacherib. He took it to God and prayed a simple prayer, surrendering all to God. Thats what we must do when the enemy sends waves of doubt and fear, and tries to say, God's Word won't work. This is the time we have to wait in order to see God's word at work in our lives. It's the only time the enemy can make his last attempt to defeat us. Hezekiah trusted God's Word over the enemy's word and he saw glorious victory in a battle he didnt even have to fight. "35 That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. "

Conclusion: The essence of it all, I realise, is to stand. Ephesians 6:10-15 "10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.". God didn't want us to fight alone, He just requires of us, to wear His armor, His protection from the enemy, and "stand". God didn't say to wear all that armor and fight, but to "stand". So while we're standing who's fighting? God is.

The Essence of Giving Thanks

26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
Matthew 26:25-27

Jesus our Lord never asked us to ever do something He didn't show us to do, while He was on earth.

Jesus had been talking to His disciples, sort of giving His final words to them,"1When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2"As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." . Jesus knew what was to happen to Him later. (Mt 26:1,2)
He knew He was going to be betrayed-20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me." (Mt 26:20-21)
Jesus knew, this upcoming event of His life was going to be the most painful, so much so He even asked Heavenly Father if this cup could be passed(Mt 26:39). It meant being refused by the Father in Heaven even to the point that, Jesus cried out to His Father "Why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46

I asked myself, how could Jesus give thanks for His body which was to be broken and His blood which was to be shed, in the most gruesome event in history. This revelation from the life of our Lord Jesus, opened my eyes to see my folly, my narrow mindedness and helped me to see how much Jesus went through with thanksgiving, knowing that was God's will for His life.

I encourage you this day, my readers, this thanksgiving and always to "18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" Like our Lord Jesus did, knowing it was God's will for His life.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-19

God's Will and God's Word

Sometimes we're so quick in trying to grab the Promises in the Word of God, without actually checking our lives and seeing if we're even fit for it. The Promises in the Word of God are for us, but that doesn't mean, we twist God's arm and say "God You promised in the Word, so You'll have to do it" But we should remember who God is Ecclesiastes 5:2 "Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few." God is not at our beck and call, oh yes He does answer our prayers and our call, when we pray according to His Word and His Will.
In 2 Samuel 7 we read of some awesome promises God gave to David, a set of promises, anyone one of us might want to "covet". However I wanted to know one thing, David had not asked God to make him king, neither to give him a palace, neither to give him faithful servants. Atleast I did not come across any verse so far, that David prayed hard,pleaded even, to gain the kingdom. The words from David's prayer, after he heard of God's Promises to him, that caught my attention were "21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. "

1. David was conformed to God's Will for his life-Romans 12:2"Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. " This verse, as I read it, does not say conform God to our will, but as we have to be conformed to God's will.
2. David honoured God's Word-22For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.(2 Samuel 22:22) David was keeping God's will, not the other way round!!!
3. God's will through God's Word for us, is a proof of God's love for us-It is to prove to us, not to God, that God is faithful. What were we thinking? 1 John 2:29 "If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is [absolutely] righteous [conforming to the Father's will in purpose, thought, and action], you may also know (be sure) that everyone who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [ God]. David proved it to himself and for us, that God's Word is to be trusted and God's will is perfect. "31As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried. He is a Shield to all those who trust and take refuge in Him."
4. David's secret to his victorious life-Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." The Bible says, "The LORD gave David victory wherever he went."(2 Samuel 8:6, 2 Samuel 8:14, 1 Chronicles 18:6, 1 Chronicles 18:13). You might come into God's kingdom as a loser, but you never remain a loser. When David started his journey, post his anointing as king, he didn't have much, he was running away from a king trying to kill him, staying in caves, even acted like a mad man for fear of being captured, though he started of with all that...today we know him as king. Moreover, God has promised to establish his kingdom forever.

Conclusion:Let's go back to the way God intended His Kingdom to be in the first place. Jesus taught us to pray "Our Father in heaven hallowed by Your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven...." We've got to get back to God's Will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Thats what David recognised and followed. God's will, and the blessings just came chasing him and ran him over. Isn't that the kind of life all believers in the Living God should be living. We shouldn't be chasing the blessings, we should be making room for God's Will and God's Word to be done in our lives and on this earth, like David did, and the rest will all fall in place. The Word of God says "Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.". David tried and saw that God's Will definitely is good, pleasing and perfect. Now you try it!!!

The Word of God has Power to Set You Free

So many things to take care of, so many people against him, thats what David's life has become after being anointed. It looks so much like a believers' life, suddenly problems crop up, people tink you're crazy or dangerous to them. We lose good friends sometimes, for some even the family turns against them for following Jesus.
In 1 Samuel 26 Saul again goes after David. In the night when all were sleeping David even gets a chance to kill Saul again, only this time "12So David took the spear and the bottle of water from Saul's head, and they got away. And no man saw or knew or wakened, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them." (1 Samuel 26:12) David did not kill Saul again, even though his friend with him told him it was an opportunity from God." 8Then said Abishai to David, God has given your enemy into your hands this day. Now therefore let me smite him to the earth at once with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.
9David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?"(1 Samuel 26:8-9)

Lessons:
Though the offer that Abishai gave David at this time seemed so correct. God did tell David for other things, go conquer the enemy for I have given them over to you and then when David went and fought against the enemy he would win.
Why was this case different from the others? How come David couldn't kill Saul, when all of Saul's body guards were sleeping so deeply. Well we all know its because David feared God and God had forbidden to harm His anointed, and Saul was infact anointed by God at one point.

How then did David make the right choice?- Well clearly we know that he knew God's commands and statutes. This knowledge of God's commands from before, helped David in this situation to be holy and obedient to God's command. He waited on God to fight on his behalf, for God to do whatever was right to be done to Saul.

What is it to you and me?

1. The Word of God is imperishable and enduring-1 Peter 1:23 (Whole Chapter) For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Nothing can stand against and remain, ONLY the Word of God stands forever.
2. If you want to win life's battles and show yourself a winner you need the SWORD of the Spirit, that is our weapon, THE WORD OF GOD-Ephesians 6:17 (Whole Chapter) says "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." How can one stand in a battle without their weapon, that's silly, so why go on being silly

So what are we doing, keeping the most powerful Word in the UNIVERSE, under our pillows, on the bookshelf, top of the refrigerator???

God's people it is time we changed our lives by the Powerful Word of God and see what God would do for His people who believe. The Bible says "1 John 2:5 (Whole Chapter) But if anyone obeys his word, God's love [ Or word, love for God] is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. " People who obey the Word of God have love in their life, they truly know what love is and it will shine out through their lives. Not only will our own lives be transformed, but also the lives of people who come in contact with us, the Love of God will rub off on them. Oh they will be able to differentiate from the common selfish love to the agape Love. Oh boy if we really get serious, with such amounts of love( assuming that every believer in the world does this) , the world truly would be like "Days of heaven on earth"