~ January 4, 2015 ~
Ezra's Example for a New Year
(A New Year’s Message)
Ezra 7:9-10
9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 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.
INTRO:
God Wants Us To Be . . .
1. A Saved Person
(Salvation comes through a Birth and a Belief)
2. A Spiritual Person
(Spiritual People loves the Savior, the Scripture, the Saints, the Sanctuary, and the Sinners!)
3. A Sensitive Person
(Be sensitive to the Savior, the Spirit, the Sermon, and the Saints.)
4. A Stable Person
(Be Grounded and Growing!)
5. A Serving Person
(Serve the Christ and the Church!)
**Ezra gives us an example on how we can be that Saved, Spiritual, Sensitive, and Serving Person!
**Notice Ezra started this journey “upon the first day of the first month” going from Babylon to Jerusalem.
**Also notice that “the good hand of his God was upon him.”
**This is a great example for how we should start the New Year! Start it with the good hand of God upon us!
BODY – EZRA’S EXAMPLE
I. NOTICE EZRA’S PREPARTIONS
“For Ezra had prepared his heart”
**The best way to start this New Year is to prepare your heart!
A. Prepare Your Heart Concerning God’s Salvation!
II Corinthians 6:2 behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
1. Salvation Gives You Confidence
a. Confidence in Christ
b. Confidence in Church
2. Salvation Gives You Courage
a. Courage concerning the Devil
b. Courage concerning the Duties
c. Courage concerning the Destination
3. Salvation Gives You Convictions
a. Convictions will help you to live Right
b. Convictions will help you to live Righteous
**Some people’s only problem is that they need to get Saved! **Ezra prepared his heart. Have you prepared your heart by getting Salvation?
B. Prepare Your Heart Concerning God’s Spirit!
Psalms 51:10-11 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
We must ask God for the Holy Spirit . . .
1. Before the Sunday School begins.
2. Before the Service begins.
3. Before the Singing begins.
4. Before the Sermon begins.
**Ezra prepared his heart before he saw God move!
II. NOTICE EZRA’S PURSUIT
“to seek the law of the LORD”
**Once your heart is prepared through God’s Salvation and God’s Spirit, you can have a New Year by seeking the law of the LORD!
A. Seek to Study
1. Study to be Commended
II Timothy 2:15 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
a. Study for God’s Approval – not Man’s.
b. Study for God’s Acceptance – not Man’s.
2. Study to be Calm
II Timothy 2:16 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
I Thessalonians 4:11 study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
a. More people need to stop their Dialect
(No profane and vain babblings on the computer and in the community!)
b. More people need to stop their Drama
(Study to be quiet and stop being Whiny, Wicked, and Weird!)
B. Seek to Search
John 5:39 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
1. Search to get Information – Get Educated
2. Search to get Inspiration – Get Enthused
3. Search to get Incentive – Get Encouragement
**Like Ezra, Studying and Searching God’s law!
III. NOTICE EZRA’S PRACTICE
“and to do it,”
**Ezra put into practice what he prepared his heart to do and what he pursued.
**Preparing and Pursuing will not benefit without Practice, so here are some things to Practice this New Year!
A. Practice Supplication in this New Year!
Philippians 4:6-7 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1. Prayer is Calling
Call for Help, Call for Hope, Call for Heaven!
2. Prayer is Communication
Communicate with the Sovereign, the Savior, and the Spirit
3. Prayer is Confessing
Confess Faults, Fetters, Failures, and Faith!
4. Prayer is Commitment
Committed to be dedicated and determined for God!
**Are you a practicing prayer warrior for God? It’llmake a difference in your year!
B. Practice Steadfastness in this New Year!
I Corinthians 15:58 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1. Be Steady in Christ!
2. Be Steady in Church!
(Concerning Time, Tithes, and Testimony!)
**Ezra made his 5 month journey by being Steadfast!
IV. NOTICE EZRA’S PROCLAMATION
“and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”
**Ezra took a long journey just to get to where God wanted him to be, and once he got there, he did not quit on God!
**Too many people get overwhelmed by the steps or overjoyed by the success of the journey, but then they do not finish what God wanted them to do once they’re there!
**Like Ezra, we must finish what God wants us to do for Him!
A. Ezra Proclaimed the Commands
**He taught “statutes” in Israel.
1. People need to hear about the Rules.
a. The Lord’s Rules
b. The Living Rules
2. People need to hear about the Righteousness.
a. Righteousness obtained through God.
b. Righteousness obtained through Grace.
3. People need to hear about the Redeemer.
a. Tell them about they’re Lost!
b. Tell them about they’re Loved!
c. Tell them about the Lord!
B. Ezra Proclaimed the Consequences
**He taught “judgments” in Israel.
**No one will keep the Commandments if they do not know the Consequences!
1. Live in the Statutes, and the Judgment will be Heaven!
a. Living Right allows you to Live in Heaven.
b. Living Redeemed allows you to Live in Heaven.
2. Live in the Sins, and the Judgment will be Hell!
a. Sinful Living leads to be Tormented in Hell!
b. Satanic Living leads to be Trapped in Hell!
**We must tell the Commands and the Consequences to the Sinner, the Saints, and to Self throughout the year!
CLOSE
Ezra 7:10 10 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.
1. Ezra gave us a great example as to how to start a new year!
A. Are you determine to Prepare?
Prepare your heart through God’s Salvation and God’s Spirit!
B. Are you determine to Pursue?
Seek to Study and Search out the things concerning the Scripture, the Silence, and the Savior!
C. Are you determined to Practice?
Practice Supplication and Steadfastness!
D. Are you determined to Proclaim?
Proclaim the Commandments and the Consequences to others and to yourself so others and you can stay in the faith!
2. How is it with your soul?
3. What will you do and how will you live in this coming new year?
4. Come now and let God do a work in your life!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LEARNING TO LEAN IN 2015
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
I. LEAN ON GOD’S POWER
Matthew 28:18 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
A. Give Him Your Faith (January)
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
B. Give Him Your Family (February)
Ephesians 3:14-17 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
C. Give Him Your Future (March)
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
II. LEAN ON GOD’S PROMISES
II Peter 1:4 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
A. Concerning God’s Will (April)
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
B. Concerning God’s Work (May)
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
C. Concerning God’s Word (June)
Titus 1:2-3 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching . . .
III. LEAN ON GOD’S PRAISES
Hebrews 13:15 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
A. Be Desirous To Praise Him (July)
Psalms 27:4 4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
B. Be Delighted To Praise Him (August)
Psalms 37:4 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
C. Be Devoted To Praise Him (September)
Psalms 31:23 23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
IV. LEAN ON GOD’S PEACE
Psalms 37:11 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
A. God’s Undeniable Peace (October)
Numbers 6:24-26 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
**His Peace is Tender and Touching!
B. God’s Unlimited Peace (November)
Ezekiel 37:26 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
**His Peace is Full and Forever!
C. God’s Unspeakable Peace (December)
Psalms 4:8 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
**His Peace gives Holy Joy and Heart Joy!
Ezra 7:9-10
9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 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.
INTRO:
God Wants Us To Be . . .
1. A Saved Person
(Salvation comes through a Birth and a Belief)
2. A Spiritual Person
(Spiritual People loves the Savior, the Scripture, the Saints, the Sanctuary, and the Sinners!)
3. A Sensitive Person
(Be sensitive to the Savior, the Spirit, the Sermon, and the Saints.)
4. A Stable Person
(Be Grounded and Growing!)
5. A Serving Person
(Serve the Christ and the Church!)
**Ezra gives us an example on how we can be that Saved, Spiritual, Sensitive, and Serving Person!
**Notice Ezra started this journey “upon the first day of the first month” going from Babylon to Jerusalem.
**Also notice that “the good hand of his God was upon him.”
**This is a great example for how we should start the New Year! Start it with the good hand of God upon us!
BODY – EZRA’S EXAMPLE
I. NOTICE EZRA’S PREPARTIONS
“For Ezra had prepared his heart”
**The best way to start this New Year is to prepare your heart!
A. Prepare Your Heart Concerning God’s Salvation!
II Corinthians 6:2 behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
1. Salvation Gives You Confidence
a. Confidence in Christ
b. Confidence in Church
2. Salvation Gives You Courage
a. Courage concerning the Devil
b. Courage concerning the Duties
c. Courage concerning the Destination
3. Salvation Gives You Convictions
a. Convictions will help you to live Right
b. Convictions will help you to live Righteous
**Some people’s only problem is that they need to get Saved! **Ezra prepared his heart. Have you prepared your heart by getting Salvation?
B. Prepare Your Heart Concerning God’s Spirit!
Psalms 51:10-11 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
We must ask God for the Holy Spirit . . .
1. Before the Sunday School begins.
2. Before the Service begins.
3. Before the Singing begins.
4. Before the Sermon begins.
**Ezra prepared his heart before he saw God move!
II. NOTICE EZRA’S PURSUIT
“to seek the law of the LORD”
**Once your heart is prepared through God’s Salvation and God’s Spirit, you can have a New Year by seeking the law of the LORD!
A. Seek to Study
1. Study to be Commended
II Timothy 2:15 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
a. Study for God’s Approval – not Man’s.
b. Study for God’s Acceptance – not Man’s.
2. Study to be Calm
II Timothy 2:16 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
I Thessalonians 4:11 study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
a. More people need to stop their Dialect
(No profane and vain babblings on the computer and in the community!)
b. More people need to stop their Drama
(Study to be quiet and stop being Whiny, Wicked, and Weird!)
B. Seek to Search
John 5:39 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
1. Search to get Information – Get Educated
2. Search to get Inspiration – Get Enthused
3. Search to get Incentive – Get Encouragement
**Like Ezra, Studying and Searching God’s law!
III. NOTICE EZRA’S PRACTICE
“and to do it,”
**Ezra put into practice what he prepared his heart to do and what he pursued.
**Preparing and Pursuing will not benefit without Practice, so here are some things to Practice this New Year!
A. Practice Supplication in this New Year!
Philippians 4:6-7 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1. Prayer is Calling
Call for Help, Call for Hope, Call for Heaven!
2. Prayer is Communication
Communicate with the Sovereign, the Savior, and the Spirit
3. Prayer is Confessing
Confess Faults, Fetters, Failures, and Faith!
4. Prayer is Commitment
Committed to be dedicated and determined for God!
**Are you a practicing prayer warrior for God? It’llmake a difference in your year!
B. Practice Steadfastness in this New Year!
I Corinthians 15:58 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1. Be Steady in Christ!
2. Be Steady in Church!
(Concerning Time, Tithes, and Testimony!)
**Ezra made his 5 month journey by being Steadfast!
IV. NOTICE EZRA’S PROCLAMATION
“and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”
**Ezra took a long journey just to get to where God wanted him to be, and once he got there, he did not quit on God!
**Too many people get overwhelmed by the steps or overjoyed by the success of the journey, but then they do not finish what God wanted them to do once they’re there!
**Like Ezra, we must finish what God wants us to do for Him!
A. Ezra Proclaimed the Commands
**He taught “statutes” in Israel.
1. People need to hear about the Rules.
a. The Lord’s Rules
b. The Living Rules
2. People need to hear about the Righteousness.
a. Righteousness obtained through God.
b. Righteousness obtained through Grace.
3. People need to hear about the Redeemer.
a. Tell them about they’re Lost!
b. Tell them about they’re Loved!
c. Tell them about the Lord!
B. Ezra Proclaimed the Consequences
**He taught “judgments” in Israel.
**No one will keep the Commandments if they do not know the Consequences!
1. Live in the Statutes, and the Judgment will be Heaven!
a. Living Right allows you to Live in Heaven.
b. Living Redeemed allows you to Live in Heaven.
2. Live in the Sins, and the Judgment will be Hell!
a. Sinful Living leads to be Tormented in Hell!
b. Satanic Living leads to be Trapped in Hell!
**We must tell the Commands and the Consequences to the Sinner, the Saints, and to Self throughout the year!
CLOSE
Ezra 7:10 10 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.
1. Ezra gave us a great example as to how to start a new year!
A. Are you determine to Prepare?
Prepare your heart through God’s Salvation and God’s Spirit!
B. Are you determine to Pursue?
Seek to Study and Search out the things concerning the Scripture, the Silence, and the Savior!
C. Are you determined to Practice?
Practice Supplication and Steadfastness!
D. Are you determined to Proclaim?
Proclaim the Commandments and the Consequences to others and to yourself so others and you can stay in the faith!
2. How is it with your soul?
3. What will you do and how will you live in this coming new year?
4. Come now and let God do a work in your life!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LEARNING TO LEAN IN 2015
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
I. LEAN ON GOD’S POWER
Matthew 28:18 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
A. Give Him Your Faith (January)
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
B. Give Him Your Family (February)
Ephesians 3:14-17 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
C. Give Him Your Future (March)
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
II. LEAN ON GOD’S PROMISES
II Peter 1:4 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
A. Concerning God’s Will (April)
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
B. Concerning God’s Work (May)
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
C. Concerning God’s Word (June)
Titus 1:2-3 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching . . .
III. LEAN ON GOD’S PRAISES
Hebrews 13:15 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
A. Be Desirous To Praise Him (July)
Psalms 27:4 4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
B. Be Delighted To Praise Him (August)
Psalms 37:4 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
C. Be Devoted To Praise Him (September)
Psalms 31:23 23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
IV. LEAN ON GOD’S PEACE
Psalms 37:11 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
A. God’s Undeniable Peace (October)
Numbers 6:24-26 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
**His Peace is Tender and Touching!
B. God’s Unlimited Peace (November)
Ezekiel 37:26 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
**His Peace is Full and Forever!
C. God’s Unspeakable Peace (December)
Psalms 4:8 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
**His Peace gives Holy Joy and Heart Joy!
