Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
September 24, 2023: SOAP #5043: Ezra 1; Psalm 84-85; Luke 7

SCRIPTURE:  Ezra (NIV) 1:1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfil the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing: 2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Anyone of his people among you—may his God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”
5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.

OBSERVATION:  The God who “moved the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia,” (verse 1)  to build a temple also “moved” the hearts of the people to give and to go (verse 5).  This was God’s plan and He worked out all the details.  The heart of the King could be as easily influenced by God as the hearts of the Jews. 

APPLICATION:  I must keep reminding myself that God is more than able to take care of the details.  It is for me to be obedient and do my part.  It is not my part to twist the arms of others to give or get involved. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I set myself to do what you have “moved” my heart to do.  I know I can trust you to “move the hearts” of others to “give or go.”  I know we are all your servants; we are all working for you.  Amen

Pastor Leon
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