Skip to main content

Ezra 7:1-6 - a scribe skilled in the Law -Day 7

 As you can tell,  I don't always succeed in following Luther's 4 strands.  But I am putting these in as I wrote them a year ago.  Making them into what I think today after the last year really isn't the goal.

Blessings,

Jeff

Instruction - about 60 years pass before Ezra and second group return to Judah. Almost as long as the 70 year exile imposed by the Lord. Ezra has the Levitical pedigree, so why didn't his father or grandfather return in the first group which was heavily weighted toward priests and Levites?  What does his story teach me?  Physical lineage is not determinant in spiritual condition. Just as faith of parents isn't transferred to children. The point is, Ezra was a true Levitical priest. Individual response to individual call. The parable of workers called at various times of the day.   Always ask Who, not why. 

Thanksgiving - sovereign over the whole return sequence. It happened the way You ordained it yet each generation acted freely in staying in Babylon after 70 years were completed. 

Confession  - making excuses for the way I am today based on the past.   For example, I have made it this far without witnessing, why  start now?  Trying to figure out the incomprehensible in the hearts and minds of others. 

I try to think the best of others, and eventually tire of those who assume the worst. Paralyzed by the inner conflict.  to the point I really don't want to pray.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Revelation 22:3-5 Final and eternal restoration - Day 365

Dear saints in the Lord, Congratulations!  You made it.  We have been through much turmoil in the last year ('20-'21).  But God is faithful to His promises.  I trust that you have been blessed in your reading and have drawn closer to God.   Since we didn't get the blog up and running at the beginning of the challenge, I am going to go back and post entries to cover that first month or so.   Blessings, Jeff Nothing accursed in the city of God, the new Jerusalem.  The presence of sin will be gone.  I am working on memorizing Westminster Shorter Catechism and currently on question 82.  Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God? No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God but does daily break them in thought, word and deed. I think our passage today points to the truth of this question.  Do you notice how this answer is not exactly the same as the question. "Any man" bec...
Post a Comment
Read more

Malachi 2:10-12 Here we go again!! Day 363

Good afternoon friends, As we draw to the end of the Old Testament, we see that Judah has rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem, but they are following in the footsteps of faithless fathers and not in the footsteps of Abraham and ultimately God.  The exile was a low point, but now a new low is about to happen.  The prophetic voice has once again become warning and not encouraging. Faithful reading and preaching of the word is all that keeps us from losing our way.  May we be faithful in our generation. Blessings, Jeff I am sure I have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating.  The section summary, chapter and verse are not in the original language.  They are all rather modern inventions to help us.  For example, the section title here is "Judah profaned the Covenant".  That is OK as far as it goes, but which Covenant?  So let's take a look. Observations Starts with 3 questions but who is asking the questions and to whom are they addre...
Post a Comment
Read more

Romans 14:1-6 Not hindering the way of a brother Day 42

Good morning brothers and sisters, During sermon yesterday (originally written 10/12/20) I mentioned Martin Luther's approach to prayer in the letter to Master Peter.  I still have much to learn, but hope that we can learn and grow together. In the Beloved Jeff  Using Luther's "wreath of four strands" from  A Simple way to Pray  Instruction, thanksgiving, confession, petition.  Goal is a heart warmed and inclined to prayer. Instruction - textbook - what do these 4 verses teach me about what God expects of me? Not to pass judgment on one another any longer by deciding not to hinder the way of a brother.  Paul gives an example of food.  I think of "pass judgment" as a mental or verbal activity, but "not hindering" is a physical activity.  What I think or say about a brother or sister will show up in the way I treat them.  God is extremely interested in how we live with each other. Note of reminder - Faith and practice.  Paul develops theol...
Post a Comment
Read more