SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared…
my only comfort
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honour to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for…
marital faithfulness
SCRIPTURE: Ezra 10 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining. Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them: “You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel’s guilt. So now confess your sin to the Lord, the God of your…
taking sin seriously
SCRIPTURE: Ezra 9 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Your servants the prophets warned us when they said, ‘The land you are entering to possess is totally defiled by the detestable practices of the people living there. From one end to the other, the land is filled with corruption. Don’t let your daughters marry their sons! Don’t take their daughters as…
intense fear and faith
SCRIPTURE: Ezra 8 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. [Ezra 8:21] Ezra had boasted to the king that God would…
the power of God’s favour
SCRIPTURE: Ezra 7 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the Lord his…
next year in the Kingdom!
There are two passages assigned for today! SCRIPTURE: Ezra 6 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: The Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and by the others in the land who had turned from their immoral customs to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. Then they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread…
if God is for us…
There are two passages assigned for today! SCRIPTURE: Ezra 5 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: But Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues soon arrived in Jerusalem and asked, “Who gave you permission to rebuild this Temple and restore this structure?” They also asked for the names of all the men working…
opposition and endurance
There are two passages assigned for today! SCRIPTURE: Ezra 4 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work. They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans. This went on during the entire reign of King Cyrus of Persia and lasted…
sorrow now, not forever
There are two passages assigned for today! SCRIPTURE: Ezra 3 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could…