pramsay posted on December 22, 2005 05:12 1475 views

Often we look at how things unfolded and are amazed to see how God worked in the circumstances of others. Why is it not quite the same way with me, I ask? I read today that famous verse: “Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you…” Matthew 7:7. My immediate reaction was – “Lord, it doesn’t always happen that way. Why does it not work for me?

One of my other readings today shed some light on the matter. Ezra 7 is quite an amazing account of a king’s heart being in the hand of the Lord. (Proverbs 21:1) The King of ancient Persia, Artaxerxes became a big-time promoter of Ezra’s God. He allowed whoever wanted to return to Jerusalem to freely go. He even donated money from his Persian Empire to be used in Jerusalem. He gave sweeping powers to Ezra to set in order whatever needed to be done to promote the interests of Ezra’s God.

How did all this come about? I think the secret is found in Ezra 7:10: “For Ezra had prepared (or established) his heart to seek the law of the Lord AND TO DO IT, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” The power failure in our lives and the deadness of the Bible to our hearts is caused by the way we read our Bibles. Ezra read his Bible with this purpose of heart: “Lord, whatever I read in your Word, no matter what, I will bow to it and do it. I am fully prepared and anchored in my heart to do whatever I discover in your Word. When I roll open the scroll of the Law, I will be actively seeking for words that will affect my life and I will adjust my life accordingly; then I will tell and teach others about it.”

Why is the Bible’s living power stymied and stale when I read it? Probably because there are little pieces of my life that I am protecting for myself and I am not willing to submit 100% to whatever the Word of God says to me. Ezra’s success started inside, in his heart, on his knees. Power in my life starts inside – there is a job inside that must be done first before I start to see things happening on the outside. When I read it, am I willing to DO IT? (James 1:21-25)

The Lord Jesus said: “I do always those things that please Him.” John 8:29. As I read my Bible today my prayer is: “Lord I want to always do the things that please Thee.” If that was my daily prayer as I read and pray, my life would be transformed into one of amazing spiritual reality and power.

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# Anonymous
Wednesday, February 22, 2006 6:08 PM

As beiievers we know that complete surrnder to our Heavenly Father is required for salvation . We should alize that prayerful surrender to God,s will,both in terms of what he reveals to us and what direction he may have for us should precede any Bible reading.Your Bible Bite illustrates this very clearly.Good stuff Peter. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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