September 16
Ezra 4:7-23; 7:1-8:36
Becoming students of God's Word is not meant to be merely an academic pursuit. So many go to college and take the necessary prerequisites, then the necessary courses to fulfill their major, and leave college with a piece of paper documenting their completion without any practical tools to change their life. The same should not be said of studying God's Word. Our goal must be application and to have our lives changed. It must not end as an academic pursuit or to satisfy our intellect. God's Word should transform our lives, our relationships, and in the process help us to become more like Jesus. The Bible should serve as a mirror. When we look in the mirror and our hair is messed up, or we have dirt on our face, we don't just look and walk away, we fix ourselves. The same should be true concerning what we do in response to looking into the mirror of Scripture. The Bible should not only change us as we commit ourselves to the truth within its pages, but from there we need to move forward and do what it says, and very importantly, disseminate its truth to a world that is largely ignorant to what it says.
We read of Ezra in Ezra 7:6, "this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him." Realize there is a 57 year gap between chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Ezra. Though the temple was completed and dedicated, it was Ezra who was going to bring back true worship to the people living in Jerusalem. So, with that, we read in 7:10, " For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel." Ezra sought the Lord, then put what he learned into action. Jesus taught us in Matthew 7:24-25, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock." Jesus taught us to act on His Word.
The Bible is not meant to be a tool so that students can banter about the finer points of theology. Many believe they are saved because they go to church, study under a pastor, or read the Bible. The Bible should lead us to repentance. The Bible should lead us to recognize Jesus for Who He is and what He did on our behalf. The Bible is meant to be obeyed. The Bible is meant to change us, both inside and out. The Bible is meant to propel us into action as God's ambassadors, as His representatives in a very dark world. God left us His love letter, the Bible, so that we can use it to be His emissaries of love.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: