SERMONS FROM THE BOOK OF EZRA BY REV. MIKE JONES [Revised October 12, 2020]
Ezra 07:10 INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
Ezra 07:10 INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments (Ezra 7:10).
Ezra successfully accomplished God’s will for his life and greatly blessed his nation because he found the ingredient for success. Everyone today wants to be successful and the ingredients Ezra used will work for all of us.
I. PURSUE GOD’S WORD <Have a Goal> Prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord
God told Joshua the same thing– This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (Joshua 1:8).
In order to peruse God’s Word you must first of all be able to understand it–that means you must have a:
A>Prepared Heart
1. Born Again: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).
2. Behaves by Faith: You have eyes to see so you trust faith in God’s word over feeling.
B) Practical Heart: The Blessed Man (Ps 1:1-3) delights in the law of the Lord and in his Law does he mediate day and night.
a. Word Gives Guidance- Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalms 119:105).
b. Word Guards against Temptation- Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalms 119:11).
II PRACTICE THE WORD OF GOD (Guidelines) To do it
A) Proves its truths to us- If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself (John 7:17). But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:22).
B) Proves its truths to others- For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26).
C) Produces changes in us- For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (James 1:23-25). Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
III. PROCLAIM THE .WORD OF GOO (Growth) To teach in Israel statues and judgments
He didn’t just read to learn, he read to practice and to Proclaim. If it is not worth passing to others it’s not worth building a life on!! And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).
Ezra 09:6 ASHAMED
Sadly, we now live in a world where people take “Pride” in their sinful life styles and gladly Publish their sinful actions. In truth, the Wrong we do should make us Ashamed before God and man: And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens (Ezra 9:6). And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed (2 Th 3:14).
On the other hand, Christians should NOT be Ashamed of God and His work in their life: And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me (Isa 49:23)
1. We should never be ashamed to proclaim God’s Word: Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38). For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom 1:16). [We should, however, be ashamed to neglect our study in, or misrepresentation of, the Word of God: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15).
2. We should never be ashamed of the Hope and Help we have in God: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Rom 5:5). For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (Rom 10:11).
3. We should never be ashamed to Tell Others of our Relationship with God: Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God (2 Tim 1:8).
4. We should never be ashamed to suffer for Christ: For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (2 Tim 1:12). Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1 Pet 4:16).
5. We should never be ashamed of our longing for, and looking for, our Heavenly Home: But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city (Heb 11:16).
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming (1 John 2:28).