Ezra 7:28 KJV
And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
Ripple Effect
The little Bible college in northern Ghana didn’t look impressive—just a tin-roofed cinder-block building and a handful of students. Yet Bob Hayes poured his life into those students. He gave them leadership roles and encouraged them to preach and teach, despite their occasional reluctance. Bob passed away years ago, but dozens of thriving churches, schools, and two additional Bible institutes have sprung up across Ghana—all started by graduates of that humble school.
During the reign of King Artaxerxes (465–424 bc), Ezra the scribe assembled a band of Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. But Ezra found no Levites among them (Ezra 8:15). He needed Levites to serve as priests. So he commissioned leaders to “bring attendants to us for the house of our God” (v. 17). They did so (vv. 18–20), and Ezra led them all in fasting and prayer (v. 21).
Ezra’s name means “helper,” a characteristic that resides at the heart of good leadership. Under Ezra’s prayerful guidance, he and his protégés would lead a spiritual awakening in Jerusalem (see chapters 9–10). All they had needed was a little encouragement and wise direction.
That’s how God’s church works too. As good mentors encourage and build us up, we learn to do the same for others. Such an influence will reach far beyond our lifetime. Work done faithfully for God stretches into eternity.
Reflect & Pray
Who is your primary spiritual mentor? (If you don’t have one, who might you ask to mentor you?) Why is mentoring in Christ something vital for you to receive and extend to others?
Father, show me someone I can mentor.
Insight
King Artaxerxes decreed that any exiled Israelites who wanted to return to their homeland could do so. Included in the king’s proclamation were priests and Levites (Ezra 7:13). So Ezra began leading a group back to Jerusalem. While traveling, however, he discovered that no Levites were part of the group (8:15). Why did Ezra need Levites? Because Artaxerxes had given Ezra permission to “appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God” (7:25). And Ezra was to teach those who didn’t know the laws. This required that Levites be part of the group that returned. They served as officers and judges (1 Chronicles 26:29) and were the ones who taught the law (2 Chronicles 35:3). After Ezra sent for Levites to join them, God’s “gracious hand” brought them home to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:18, 31–32).
Matthew 21:9 KJV
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
The Problem Within
A few years ago, a woodpecker began tapping on the siding of our home. We thought the problem was only external. Then one day, my son and I climbed up a ladder into the attic only to have a bird fly past our startled faces. The problem was worse than we’d suspected: it was inside our house.
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, the crowd was hoping He would be the one to fix their external problem—their oppression by the Romans. They went wild, shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9). This was the moment they’d been waiting for; God’s appointed King had come. If God’s chosen Deliverer was going to begin reforming things, wouldn’t He start with all the wrong out there? But in most gospel accounts, the “triumphal entry” is followed by Jesus driving out exploitative moneychangers . . . from the temple (vv. 12–13). He was cleaning house, and from the inside out.
That’s what happens when we welcome Jesus as King; He comes to set things right—and He starts with us. He makes us confront the evil inside. Jesus on the donkey is like the warriors in the Trojan horse. The horse was welcomed as a symbol of peace, but its ultimate aim was unconditional surrender. Jesus our King requires the same from us.
Reflect & Pray
What does it mean for Jesus to be your King? Why is it vital for you to surrender your all to Him?
Dear Jesus, You’re the true King. Forgive me for wanting You to only fix the problems in the world around me and not to confront the sin in my heart. Show me where I’m prone to wander and expose the ways I want to run my own life.
Insight
It’s not surprising that the Jewish people were expecting a political savior. The Old Testament prophets repeatedly foretold of a military deliverance from oppressive enemies. Importantly, Matthew 21:5 quotes the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and informs us this is a reference to Jesus. Zechariah spoke of a “righteous and victorious” King who would come “lowly and riding on a donkey” (v. 9), just as Jesus did. But where was the victory the people were expecting? The context of the entire chapter of Zechariah 9 is one of military conquest and deliverance.
As with many messianic prophecies, this one has only been fulfilled in part, and even that fulfillment wasn’t what the people were expecting. They never thought the Messiah would go to the cross as part of God’s plan. Jesus will fulfill the rest of the messianic prophecies when He returns for us, as He has promised to do.
John 8:36 KJV
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Free at Last
Twenty long years passed before British journalist John McCarthy—a five-year hostage during Lebanon’s grueling civil war—met the man who negotiated his release. When McCarthy finally met U.N. envoy Giandomenico Picco, McCarthy simply said, “Thank you for my freedom!” His heartfelt words carried great weight because Picco had risked his own life during dangerous negotiations to secure freedom for McCarthy and others.
We as believers can relate to such hard-won freedom. Jesus gave up His life—enduring death on a Roman cross—to secure spiritual freedom for all people, including each of us. Now as His children, we know “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free,” the apostle Paul boldly declared (Galatians 5:1).
The gospel of John also teaches of freedom in Christ, noting, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
But free in what ways? In Jesus, we experience freedom not only from sin and its hold on us but also from guilt, shame, worry, Satan’s lies, superstitions, false teaching, and eternal death. No longer hostages, we have freedom to show love to enemies, walk in kindness, live with hope, and love our neighbors. As we follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, we can forgive as we’ve been forgiven.
For all of this, let’s thank God today. Then let’s love so others will know the power of His freedom too.
Reflect & Pray
What spiritual chains still hold you hostage? As you release those chains to God, what words can you use to thank Him for setting you free?
Dear liberating God, thank You for my freedom—for setting me free from spiritual death and releasing me to love.
Insight
The Jews presumptuously believed that their spiritual heritage as Abraham’s descendants had given them a special standing with God—a misguided sense of privilege, immunity, and false spirituality (John 8:33, 39). But they had failed in their responsibility and duty as God’s chosen people (Deuteronomy 10:12–13). Jesus warned the teachers of the law and the Pharisees that they had “neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23) and “the love of God” (Luke 11:42; see Micah 6:8). Their privileged status as Abraham’s descendants blinded them, causing them to dishonestly say that they had “never been slaves of anyone” (John 8:33), when throughout their history they had been enslaved by Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Syria, and Rome. They also refused to see that they were slaves to sin (v. 34). They wouldn’t acknowledge that Jesus is who He claims to be—their promised Messiah (7:26–27, 40–43; 8:25).
Amos 5:24 KJV
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
A Mighty Stream
Among the many exhibits and artifacts exploring the harsh reality of slavery and its aftermath in the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC, I was grateful to discover the Contemplative Court. This tranquil room features translucent walls of bronze glass, and water appears to rain down from the ceiling into a pool.
As I sat in that peaceful space, a quote on the wall from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. caught my eye: “We are determined . . . to work and fight until justice rains down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” These powerful words are drawn from the Old Testament book of Amos.
Amos was a prophet living among a people who were involved in religious activities, such as celebrating festivals and offering sacrifices, but whose hearts were far from God (Amos 5:21–23). God rejected their activities because they’d turned away from His commands, including those regarding justice toward the needy and oppressed.
Instead of religious ceremonies devoid of love for God and others, Amos wrote that God longed for His people to demonstrate genuine concern for the welfare of all people—a generous way of living that would be a mighty river bringing life wherever it flowed.
Jesus taught the same truth that loving God is connected with loving our neighbors (Matthew 22:37–39). As we seek to love God, may it come from hearts that also treasure justice.
Reflect & Pray
How might you love God through pursuing justice for others? What are examples of generous living toward the needy or oppressed that encourage you?
Heavenly Father, thank You that Your love is like a mighty stream that brings justice to all. Help me to join You in Your healing work.
Insight
The pairing of the words justice and righteousness as seen in Amos 5:24 is common in Amos (see 5:7; 6:12) as well as other books of the Old Testament. As those who were in a covenant relationship with the One whose rule is based on righteousness and justice (Psalm 89:14; Isaiah 9:7) and who loves these virtues (Psalm 33:5), the people of God were to reflect the same in their relationships with each other. When they didn’t, God challenged and corrected them. The appearance of these two words together strongly suggests that justice and righteousness are parallel terms and thereby related. One way of viewing the terms is to see justice (acting fairly and judicially) as the fruit of being rooted in righteousness (what is right as it relates to God and man).
13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
Out of Breath
There’s a home-improvement store near me that has a big green button in one of its departments. If no assistant is present, you push the button, which starts a timer. If you’re not served within a minute, you get a discount on your purchase.
We like being the customer in this scenario who enjoys the speedy service. But the demand for fast service often takes a toll when we’re the one expected to deliver it. So many of us today feel rushed doing our jobs, working long hours, checking email multiple times a day, and feeling pressured to meet tighter and tighter deadlines. The customer service tactics of the home-improvement store have seeped into all our lives, creating a culture of rush.
When God told the Israelites to keep a Sabbath, He added an important reason: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt” (Deuteronomy 5:15). There they’d been forced to work ceaselessly under Pharaoh’s excessive time constraints (Exodus 5:6–9). Now freed, they were to give themselves a whole day each week to ensure they and those who served them could rest (Deuteronomy 5:14). Under God’s rule, there were to be no flush-faced, out-of-breath people.
How often do you work to the point of exhaustion or get impatient with people who keep you waiting? Let’s give ourselves and each other a break. A culture of rush is Pharaoh’s doing, not God’s.
Reflect & Pray
How can you resist the urge to overwork? How will you be patient this week with people who keep you waiting?
God of the Sabbath, thank You for commanding me to rest so I can be whole.
Insight
When Moses taught God’s commandments in Deuteronomy 5, it was a “reissue” of the Ten Commandments first delivered in Exodus 20. In fact, Deuteronomy means “second law” because it was the second time Moses taught the law to the people. But when we compare the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, we notice some subtle differences. For instance, the commandment to keep the Sabbath in Deuteronomy 5:12–15 is grounded on God’s act of redemption when He rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (v. 15). But the commandment in Exodus 20:8–11 is grounded on God’s rest on the seventh day from His work of creation (v. 11). Putting both passages together, we see that God’s intention in creation and redemption is our blessed rest. This culminates in Jesus’ words, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
2 Kings 1:10 KJV
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
Wearing Our Courage
Andrew lives in a country that’s closed to the gospel. When I asked how he keeps his faith a secret, he said he doesn’t. He wears a button that advertises his church, and whenever he’s arrested he tells the police that “they need Jesus too.” Andrew has courage because he knows who’s on his side.
Elijah refused to be intimidated, even when the king of Israel sent fifty soldiers to arrest him (2 Kings 1:9). The prophet knew God was with him, and he called down fire that consumed the platoon. The king sent more soldiers, and Elijah did it again (v. 12). The king sent more, but the third platoon had heard about the others. The captain begged Elijah to spare his soldiers’ lives. They were more afraid of him than he’d ever been of them, so the angel of the Lord told Elijah it was safe to go with them (vv. 13–15).
Jesus doesn’t want us to call down fire on our enemies. When the disciples asked if they could call down fire on a Samaritan village, Jesus rebuked them (Luke 9:51–55). We’re living in a different time. But Jesus does want us to have Elijah’s boldness—to be ready to tell everyone about the Savior who died for them. It may seem like one person taking on fifty, but it’s actually One on fifty. Jesus provides what we need to courageously love and reach out to others.
Reflect & Pray
How does Jesus provide what you need to be courageous? What does God want you to know and do?
Holy Spirit, thank You for living in me. Fill me with courage as I tell others about Jesus.
Insight
The prophet Elijah, whose name means “my God is Yahweh,” served during wicked King Ahab’s reign (around 875–850 bc) over the Northern Kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 16:29–33). Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon, influenced her husband to adopt a vile form of Baal worship, which included ritual prostitution. Baal was the Canaanite god of rain and fertility. During Elijah’s first three and a half years as a prophet, he served as God’s spokesman in an effort to bring the Israelites back to the one true God. His struggle culminated in a contest between him and 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (18:16–40).
Romans 12:21 KJV
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
A Future with Forgiveness
In 1994, when South Africa made the transition from government by apartheid (imposed racial segregation) to a democracy, it faced the difficult question of how to address the crimes committed under apartheid. The country’s leaders couldn’t ignore the past, but merely imposing harsh punishments on the guilty risked deepening the country’s wounds. As Desmond Tutu, the first black Anglican Archbishop of South Africa, explained in his book No Future Without Forgiveness, “We could very well have had justice, retributive justice, and had a South Africa lying in ashes.”
Through establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, the new democracy chose the difficult path of pursuing truth, justice, and mercy. Those guilty of crimes were offered a path to restoration—if they were willing to confess their crimes and seek to make restitution. Only by courageously facing the truth could the country begin to find healing.
In a way, South Africa’s dilemma mirrors the struggle we all face. We’re called to pursue both justice and mercy (Micah 6:8), but mercy is often misunderstood to be a lack of accountability, while pursuing justice can become distorted into pursuing revenge.
Our only path forward is a love that not only “hates what is evil” (Romans 12:9) but also longs for the transformation and good of our “neighbor” (13:10). Through the power of Christ’s Spirit, we can learn what it means to have a future of overcoming evil with good (12:21).
Reflect & Pray
When have you witnessed times when the goal of mercy and grace seemed distorted to enable injustice? When have you seen both justice and mercy working in harmony?
Loving God, when the pain and injustice around me breaks my heart, help me to still believe in Your love and power to transform and heal. Help me to point with my life to Your justice, mercy, and love.
Insight
A distinctive of Paul’s letters is that they contain both biblical doctrine (teaching beliefs) and instruction on practical living. Having explained what the gospel is in Romans 1–11, in chapters 12–16, Paul applies it to the everyday relationships of the believer in Jesus, including our relationship with God (12:1–2), other believers (vv. 3–21), governing authorities (13:1–7), the community (vv. 8–14), the spiritually weak (14:1–15:3), and co-workers (ch. 16). Paul’s overarching emphasis in these five chapters is the importance of Christlike love in the life of the believer (12:9–10; 13:8–10; 14:15), for “love is the fulfillment of the law” (13:10). Today’s passage, Romans 12:9–21, may seem like a collection of unrelated sayings, but Paul is still talking about this love that reflects Jesus. Love for enemies (vv. 14–21) is the litmus test and demonstration of such a radical love (Matthew 5:43–48).
Matthew 7:24 KJV
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
A House on a Rock
As many as 34,000 homes in one US state are at risk of collapsing due to faulty foundations. Without realizing it, a concrete company pulled stone from a quarry laced with a mineral that, over time, causes concrete to crack and disintegrate. The foundations of nearly six hundred homes have already crumbled, and that number will likely skyrocket over time.
Jesus used the image of building a home atop a faulty foundation to explain the far riskier danger of building our lives on unsteady ground. He explained how some of us construct our life on sturdy rock, ensuring that we hold solid when we face fierce storms. Others of us, however, erect our lives on sand; and when the tempests rage, our lives tumble “with a great crash” (Matthew 7:27). The one distinction between building on an unshakable foundation and a crumbling one is whether or not we put Christ’s words “into practice” (v. 26). The question isn’t whether or not we hear His words, but whether we practice them as He enables us.
There’s much wisdom offered to us in this world—plus lots of advice and help—and much of it is good and beneficial. If we base our life on any foundation other than humble obedience to God’s truth, however, we invite trouble. In His strength, doing what God says is the only way to have a house, a life, built on rock.
Reflect & Pray
Whose wisdom, insights, or opinions do you listen to the most? How can you better build your life’s foundation by putting Jesus’ words into practice?
God, so much of what I experience feels unsteady and temporary, a life built on sand. I want to live a solid life. Help me to obey You.
Insight
In Matthew 7:24–29 we find the closing words of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount—the first of five major public addresses recorded in Matthew’s gospel. This sermon launched Christ’s public ministry, and from the very beginning it would have had profound echoes for His Jewish listeners. The sermon opens with a series of “beatitudes” that all begin with the phrase “blessed are” (5:1–11). His Jewish listeners would have easily connected that idea with the opening stanza of Psalm 1:1, which begins with the words, “Blessed is the one.” What does it mean to be “blessed”? Scholars Raymond Brown and Kenneth Bailey explain that blessed (Greek makarios; Hebrew `asIr) doesn’t mean to be “part of a wish” or to “invoke a blessing.” Rather, these words “recognize an existing state of happiness or good fortune. . . . [They] affirm a present reality or point out a state of spirituality that is already present.”
John 15:2 KJV
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Pruned to Thrive
As I watched a bumblebee land lightly on the Russian sage, I marveled at the bush’s lush branches exploding with color. Its brilliant blue blossoms attracted eyes and bees alike. Yet only last fall, I’d wondered if it would ever blossom again. When my wife’s parents trimmed the periwinkle plant down to a stub, I’d assumed they’d decided to get rid of it. But now I was witnessing the radiant result of pruning that had seemed brutal to me.
The surprising beauty that results from harsh cuts may be one of the reasons Jesus chose pruning imagery to describe God’s work among believers. In John 15, He says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. . . . Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (vv. 1–2).
Jesus’ words remind us that in the good times and bad, God is always working in us toward spiritual renewal and fruitfulness (v. 5). During “pruning” seasons of suffering or emotional barrenness, we may wonder if we’ll ever thrive again. But Christ encourages us to continue to stick close to Him: “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (v. 4).
As we continually draw spiritual nourishment from Jesus, the resulting beauty and fruitfulness in our lives (v. 8) will show the world God’s goodness.
Reflect & Pray
How have you seen God use struggle in your life to produce growth and fruitfulness? How do you think time gives us the perspective to see God’s hand at work in our lives?
Father, help me to trust You during difficult seasons in my life, knowing that You’re at work to bring beauty and change.
Insight
Jesus delivered the teaching found in John 15 not long before His trial and crucifixion—His last opportunity to warn the disciples not to be like Judas but to be steadfast in their faith and to bear fruit. The fertility of the vine (a common plant in Israel at that time) naturally suggested spiritual fruit-bearing. This illustration was not new to those familiar with the Old Testament (Psalm 80:8; 128:3; Isaiah 5:1–7). The main emphasis of John 15:1–17—as evidenced by the word’s repetition eleven times—is the message to “remain” in Him: “If you remain in me . . . you will bear much fruit” (v. 5).
Habakkuk 2:3 KJV
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Waiting for a Blessing
A popular restaurant in Bangkok serves soup from a broth that has been cooking for forty-five years and is replenished a bit each day. The practice, called “perpetual stew,” dates back to medieval times. Just as some “leftovers” taste better a few days later, the extended cooking time blends and creates unique flavors. The restaurant has won multiple awards for the most delicious broth in Thailand.
Good things often take time, but our human nature struggles with patience. The question “How long?” occurs throughout the Bible. One poignant example is from the prophet Habakkuk, who begins his book by asking, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2). Habakkuk (whose name means “grappler”) prophesied God’s judgment on his country (Judah) through the invasion of the ruthless Babylonian Empire, and he wrestled with how God could allow corrupt people to prosper as they exploited others. But God promised hope and restoration in His own time: “For the revelation [of God’s help] awaits an appointed time . . . . Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (2:3).
The Babylonian captivity lasted seventy years. By human reckoning that’s a long time, but God is always faithful and true to His Word.
Some of God’s best blessings may be long in coming. Though they linger, keep looking to Him! He prepares every blessing with perfect wisdom and care—and He’s always worth waiting for.
Reflect & Pray
What blessings are you waiting for from God? How do you plan to worship Him regardless of when blessings come?
Abba, Father, thank You for Your kindness and faithfulness in every season and blessing of life. Help me to look forward to You most of all.
Insight
The prophecy of Habakkuk is more than 2,600 years old, yet the prophet spoke for us all when he asked God, “Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?” (1:3). Habakkuk realized the people of Judah must be judged for rejecting God, but the Babylonians, who inflicted the judgment, were even worse. How could God use them? God sees all evil and will judge it. He called Babylon “guilty people, whose own strength is their god” (v. 11). God reminded His people that “the righteous person will live by his faithfulness” (2:4). To turn away from this life-affirming choice will lead to despair.
