Wednesday, January 25, 2017

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY


During devotions I was reading in Ezra about when he was
taking some of the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.

They stopped and stayed by the river for three days probably to 
number who was in the group and to tell them 
about what they were to do on the trip.

I noticed an interesting several interesting things in these verses.

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; 
and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, 
and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. 
 Ezra 8:15 

When he checked who was in the group, he did not find any of the 
Levites that were the helpers in the temple.

So he sent some of the chief men so 
"that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God."

When they arrived back with the men, before they started their journey,
he proclaimed a fast to seek guidance from God 
and for His protection for the journey.

  Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, 
that we might afflict ourselves before our God, 
to seek of him a right way for us, 
and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 
Ezra 8:21

What then jumped out at me was that possibly the people asked him 
to request military protection for the journey, but this is what he said:

  For I was ashamed to require of the king 
a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us 
against the enemy in the way: 
because we had spoken unto the king, saying, 
The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; 
but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. 
 So we fasted and besought our God for this: 
and he was intreated of us. 
Ezra 8:22-23

Ezra had told the king that God would protect them.
Now he was ashamed to go back to the king 
and ask for his men to protect him.

And I thought, how often do we pray 
for God's protection or guidance and 
then not trust Him?

Do we really believe that prayer works?
If so, do we act like it?


The verse for Word Art Wednesday fits in with this thought.
Here is my card for that verse.



Have a great week and as you pray, 
remember God is listening and He answers prayer!


5 comments:

  1. Oh wow what a revelation from the Word! You are so right....do I have to answer that question?.... Thank you for sharing this! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a study! What a thought!
    You are so right Marilyn, we say we believe in prayer but are we acting like we do?
    In my earlier years as a believer I would many times pray over something then take it right back, but as I get older I have learned to trust God with what I am praying for and leave it with Him. What a peace there is in trusting the God of our prayers and believing He hears and answers.
    Thank you for these reminders.

    God bless you♡

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a study! What a thought!
    You are so right Marilyn, we say we believe in prayer but are we acting like we do?
    In my earlier years as a believer I would many times pray over something then take it right back, but as I get older I have learned to trust God with what I am praying for and leave it with Him. What a peace there is in trusting the God of our prayers and believing He hears and answers.
    Thank you for these reminders.

    God bless you♡

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for sharing this study Marilyn- how often we do not really trust God for the answers to our prayers. This has really challenged me.
    Blessings
    Maxine

    ReplyDelete
  5. ah treasures indeed in these stories sis of the saints who have trodden the path with God before us... may we heed Ezra's example of faith and rest simply in our LORD God.
    Thanks so much for the inspiration.
    Shaz in Oz.x

    {Shaz in Oz – Calligraphy Cards}

    ReplyDelete