DCLM Higher Everyday 7 January 2023 — Passion for God’s law
DCLM Higher Everyday 7 January 2023 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Passion for God’s law
TOPIC: PASSION FOR GOD’S LAW
BIBLE TEXT: Ezra 7:1-10
2The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
7And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9For 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.
10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
MEMORY VERSE: : “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes
and judgements” (Ezra7:10).
MESSAGE:
It was Job who said, “…| have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). Ezra in like manner was passionate for God’s law as shown in our memory verse. Though he had God’s word and enviable position in Babylon, his passion for God and His word was not drowned in the ocean of pleasure and forgetfulness. Unlike many youths today whose scriptural convictions become diluted as soon as they get into an institution of higher learning, Ezra held fast to God’s word which he learnt in Israel before he was taken as a captive to Babylon.
The Bible says, “…hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Revelation 3:11). Whoever you allow to water down your conviction, same can hinder you from entry to heaven. In-depth love for the word of God and compassion for the lost souls should drive every true believer into gospel proclamation. Sinners and backsliders must repent of their sins to develop passionfor the word, as no one can give what he or she does not have.
CHALLENGE: Desire the true gospel.
QUOTE: Ezra held fast to God’s word
PRAYER: Ignite in me the passion for Your word, dear Lord.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
