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.
Have you ever considered what it means to prepare your heart? My thought would be that you may spend some hours or perhaps some days in fasting. Now when I was younger, I thought that fasting was nothing but water for a period of time. Well if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time then you know that my husband, Tim and I did the Daniel fast for three weeks....now when we did this I was asking God to give me clarity and restoration. The clarity was for myself as well as for members of my family to have clarity of thought and direction in their relationship with God. And the restoration was for those in my family to have their powerful relationship's with God restored.
When Ezra returned to Jerusalem he had with him a letter from King Artaxerxes, and the letter said many things as to who was going to be traveling with Ezra and what all they would be taking with them, more gold and silver that needed to be returned to Gods Temple, these were some things that had been overlooked on the first journey.
Any way Ezra returned with his letter with the primary goal of spending time with God, studying God's laws, teaching God's laws. Ezra felt, I believe, a great gratitude towards King Artaxerxes, for this king to have these thoughts played upon his heart and to then act upon them was and is a wonderful thing....The king didn't just send Ezra, he also sent some of the leading men of Israel who hadn't gone on the first journey. The letter contained many instructions that were to be applied to the people of Jerusalem. And in regards to taxes and who was and who wasn't to be taxed.
Can you even imagine this? We are so used to the instant availability we have for communication. Just as an example...these blogs that people write. Years back we would have had to have written a book and had it published to reach as many people as we do now....only reading a blog is free and to publish a book and get it into the hands of readers costs. This letter that was written by the king had to be written out by a scribe and then carried by Ezra to the city if Jerusalem and then eventually read to the people there. This was certainly not instant.
Please take the time to read this chapter the letter is quite lengthy and has a lot in it....but for now go and have a blessed day and remember to bless someone or two or three someones today!
Have you ever considered what it means to prepare your heart? My thought would be that you may spend some hours or perhaps some days in fasting. Now when I was younger, I thought that fasting was nothing but water for a period of time. Well if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time then you know that my husband, Tim and I did the Daniel fast for three weeks....now when we did this I was asking God to give me clarity and restoration. The clarity was for myself as well as for members of my family to have clarity of thought and direction in their relationship with God. And the restoration was for those in my family to have their powerful relationship's with God restored.
When Ezra returned to Jerusalem he had with him a letter from King Artaxerxes, and the letter said many things as to who was going to be traveling with Ezra and what all they would be taking with them, more gold and silver that needed to be returned to Gods Temple, these were some things that had been overlooked on the first journey.
Any way Ezra returned with his letter with the primary goal of spending time with God, studying God's laws, teaching God's laws. Ezra felt, I believe, a great gratitude towards King Artaxerxes, for this king to have these thoughts played upon his heart and to then act upon them was and is a wonderful thing....The king didn't just send Ezra, he also sent some of the leading men of Israel who hadn't gone on the first journey. The letter contained many instructions that were to be applied to the people of Jerusalem. And in regards to taxes and who was and who wasn't to be taxed.
Can you even imagine this? We are so used to the instant availability we have for communication. Just as an example...these blogs that people write. Years back we would have had to have written a book and had it published to reach as many people as we do now....only reading a blog is free and to publish a book and get it into the hands of readers costs. This letter that was written by the king had to be written out by a scribe and then carried by Ezra to the city if Jerusalem and then eventually read to the people there. This was certainly not instant.
Please take the time to read this chapter the letter is quite lengthy and has a lot in it....but for now go and have a blessed day and remember to bless someone or two or three someones today!
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