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Ezra 2:1-2 Another beginning Day 2

Good afternoon friends,

This is one of the things I like about the M'Cheyne plan.  Start in 4 different sections of the Bible, but they are all about a beginning.  You will see 4 more or less parallel streams in Moses, Judges, Samuel, Kings Chronicles, Post exile with the Wisdom books, Gospels and Acts through Revelation.

Another note on format.  On top of the 'four strands" that I mentioned yesterday, Luther in Simple way to pray promotes praying the Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer or Apostle's  Creed.  So this is an example of using the structure of the Lord's Prayer to pray through thoughts about this passage.  When I wrote this a year ago, we had been using John McArthur's study of Daniel.

Blessings,

Jeff

Mordecai originally got my attention. The cross reference was to Esther.   So I thought this was the same man. But events of Esther happen after the first return.  The first return is within a year Persian conquest of Babylon. Xerxes is king in Esther. 

All that got me thinking about who these leaders were. Daniel was still alive. So these leaders were either aware of the events or had actually lived through them.  We have been talking about Judah in exile. How Daniel was the poster child for "flourish in the place of exile". But they were really in preparation for return to Judah. Exile was not permanent.  Just going back and not being changed by 70 years was not the goal. 

Are we missing the point?  They were supposed to seek the welfare of where they lived, but not to adopt the society. The church in the West has lost its saltiness just as it seems that Judah did.  Conformance to the world does not make us appealing.  Quite the contrary. Seeking to be relevant is admission that the Cross is irrelevant. 

Instruction - just showing up is not discipleship. Are we really being transformed by renewing of our minds?  

Thanksgiving

 - You were faithful to the promise of end of captivity even though the Jewish culture did not deeply repent.  They were really going back for a second conquest. Only this time it was spiritual not physical.  The 40 years in wilderness focused on preparation for military conquest. The 70 years in exile were focused on God is able to sustain us. Decentralized with each person depending on the Lord instead of centralized royalty. 

Confession - political power can't make America great. Political power is from the world, not from the Father.  As individuals and corporately as the Body of Christ, only the gospel of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is our message. 

Prayer

Our Father - unveiled face beholding Your glory transcending all earthly power and might.  

Hallowed - exercise right to vote, but not political or social power. You O God are out sovereign omnipotent Lord. Convert politicians on both sides. 

You Kingdom come - the total submission of Your bondservants to You in thought word and deed. Husbands and fathers would repent of physical, emotional and spiritual abuse of wives and children. 

Your Will be done- convert leaders of BLM movement, violent extremists who promote lawlessness and impurity.  Convert leaders of police unions who cover for lawless policeman. All so that we can live quiet peaceful lives and many are saved. 

Daily Bread - let us feast on the bread of heaven. What is food indeed and not deceptive delicacies of the desires of the flesh, eyes and pride of life. 

Forgive us our debts - specks and logs. The wicked expectations of others and cruel criticism for failure to meet legalistic standards. Expecting little of myself and excusing failure to live up to the lowest standards of common decency. 

Deliver us from evil - whoever does the will of God will abide forever. Let us see the deceptive hook of immediate desires and focus eyes on knowing and doing Your will as revealed in the Word.

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