Daily Devotin: Ezra 4:23-24

Ezra 4:23-24 "Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. (24) Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."

When the people refused the request of the Samaritans to help, they went back to the new king with accusations. They accused the people of being rebellious and not trustworthy. They spoke of the wall being built and the foundations laid as if the people of Jerusalem were doing something in secret.

But when they really wanted the work to stop, they went the route of money. They said, If you allow this work to continue, tax revenue will be greatly reduced. They will make the king look as if he is not effective in leading the nation. This resulted in the new king sending the letter commanding the work to cease.

As I read these words in Ezra, I'm reminded of another time when the world order tried to cause the work of Christ to come to a stop. The council commanded the disciples to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29) The sad part of today's text is found in these words, "Then ceased the work of the house of God." They stopped working.

May we never allow the influence of the world to cause the work of Jesus Christ to cease.

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top! It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions. Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...

Daily Devotion: The Peace Of Christ - John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. – John 14:27 As I sit and enjoy the Lord's creation and I feel the cool breeze blow across my skin, I am reminded of the peace that we find when we stop to appreciate the works of God. While we cannot necessarily count on another tomorrow in this world, all of God’s children have the assurance of something purer, something brighter, in the world to come. This brings peace when everything seems chaotic and difficult here and now. Jesus Christ was and remains a complex Person. Not only do we have to wrestle with His dual nature, we must face the depth of His teachings. Many of the Lord’s teachings are easy to grasp even if they are hard to apply. (Have you tried loving your enemies lately?) However, some of the Messiah’s sayings make us think very hard indeed. Isaiah 9:6 famously reveals that the virgin born Son of God would be the Prin...

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