Title: Prayer of Ezra (2012.3.4)
Contents
Date: March 4, 2012
Word: Ezra 8:21-23
Title: Ezra's Prayer
Contents:
In the text, Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes wanted Israel to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem, the temple of God, but before returning to Jerusalem after a lot of hard work, the people gathered by the river Ahawa and prayed together for three days and received God's answer.
Ezra proclaimed a fast and prayed in times of need.
The nation, family, or any social group, even the church, face difficulties, but often overcome them well with the great leadership and faith of the leaders.
In that sense, it is a great decision and a way of blessing that Ezra in the text preached and prayed fasting.
To bow down in humility before God, and fasting, is a secret weapon that shows one's desperation to God.
Fasting is a God-taught way to obtain His mercy.
Ezra believed and understood the hand of God.
It is a hand that does good to all who seek Him. To those who seek Him, God does not return them empty-handed.
He inflicts wrath on all who betrayed God.
To betray God is the way of doing evil and the way of darkness. Darkness is the object of God's judgment.
Two things Ezra prayed to God Ezra fasted and asked God for two things.
First, I prayed for a smooth road.
Second, he prayed that he would stop the enemy and give him a helper.
In life, there are times when we don't want to.
Problems arise that cannot be solved by human methods.
They were able to return safely because God stopped the enemies that ambush them on their way back to Jerusalem. In fact, Israel cannot defeat Babylon.
They do not have the strength to rebuild the fallen Jerusalem.
If there is a way, just pray to God.
God is a God who always answers.
God is a God who always hears.
God is a God who always answers.
In particular, God heard what we prayed for.
Looking at Ezra's prayer today, the believers must believe and wait for the assurance of God's answer.