Ezra and other stuff

Sorry this is the first time I've posted. I'm going to use it to keep me accountable from now on. Thanks for doing this JB.

I’ve read through Ezra 1-3, but for the first time, I listened to the spoken Bible on mp3. Here is the link in case you want to try: http://www.audiotreasure.com/indexKJV.htm. I could only find KJV for free, but other versions may be available. Here are some random thoughts and how the passages helped me out.

Chapter 1:
The most important thing for me was from verse 1. My version reads: “in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia”. In this text, King Cyrus did not make his decree because of his own goodness. His spirit was stirred by God. This action took place to fulfill the prophecies of Jeremiah. I’m always asking God to stir my heart, but I forget to invoke His promises when I do it. My prayers are always focused, but mostly on my selfish needs and desires. Tonight my prayer is going to be focused on 2Tim 1:7. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” I think by meditating on verses like this, we can have a better prayer life. I think Chase said the other day, we should expect things from God. I should pray for God to stir my heart to be free from fear, and ask him to reveal his love to me. His word PROMISES us those things if we ask him for it.

Chapter 2:
I listened to this thing like 10 times while I mowed the yard on Saturday. I am still not getting much from it. Does it mean that 42,360 people left there homes to rebuild the temple? If so, that’s amazing. If not, I’ve got nothing.

Chapter 3:
I still have a hard time finding application in the Old Testament. I hope to get better. It’s just neat how Chirst has become the ultimate sacrifice. With all the rules and customs, I would be an awful Jew.

Other Stuff:
I led/facilitated our youth for the first time on Wednesday night. We had about 10-15 teens show up, and it was a real blessing for me. It was a challenge, but a lot of the kids said some profound stuff. At the end of the day, I think the Lord was pleased with the time we spent together. I hope I can do it again sometime.

I’m midway through chapter one of the Beth Moore book, and I hate it. I’m going to read it and hope the Lord will reveal something to me. I haven’t begun The Shack, but I am going to start reading it at work every day during my lunch break. I’ve gotten to the point where I have no idea how to bring up Jesus with my coworkers, so hopefully this book will start some good conversations. If not, I’ll just start throwing Bibles at everyone next Friday.

Love you guys.

Eric