Expatriate Extraordinaire - Continued

Esther 2:5-7

Having looked at the example of Mordecai (see previous lesson), what parallels or applications might we draw related to our service as Christians; Christians as expatriates extraordinaire...? Do you consider yourself to be an expatriate? We are called to be expatriates because like the Jews in exile, we are ‘pilgrims of the Dispersion’ - 1 Pe 1:1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,” We are ‘sojourners and pilgrims’ in this world - 1 Pe 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” Our citizenship is in heaven - Ph 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” -- During our earthly sojourn, we are truly expatriates, residing in a world not our own.

We are called to be extraordinaire with honorable conduct among the Gentiles - 1 Pe 2:12 “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” We are to be children of God without fault, shining as lights in the world - Ph 2:14-15 “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” We are to be practicing pure religion, as did Mordecai raising Esther - Ja 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” We are to encourage one another to do what’s right, as Mordecai exhorted Esther - He 3:12-14 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” As Christians we are to be fulfilling our duties to the governments in which we live obeying the laws, paying taxes, showing respect - Ro 13:1-7 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”; 1 Pe 2:13-17 “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” We are to be praying for those in authority - 1 Ti 2:1-2 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” We are to obey God rather than man, should there be a conflict - Ac 5:29 “But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.” We are to be devoted to the people of God, the church, as Mordecai was to the Jews - 1 Th 4:9-10 “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,” -- Such conduct would certainly be extraordinary; beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional; remarkable.

Do you know anyone like that...? How about the apostle Paul? Any other faithful Christians in the New Testament? How about faithful Christians today? -- If so, mark them well and follow their example - Ph 3:17 “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” Add to your role models other Old Testament examples.... Men like Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Women like Ruth, and of course Esther; -- Whose histories were written for our learning - Ro 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” These were “expatriates extraordinaires” like Mordecai. So we can be, if we follow in their footsteps of faith fighting against our enemy (Satan, not Haman). Are you willing to accept the challenge...?

“...Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” - Est 4:14b

Expatriate Extraordinaire

Esther 2:5-7
A much loved story in the Bible is that of Esther (Hadassa), a young beautiful Jewish girl who becomes Queen of Persia - Est 2:16-17 “And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” Who at great risk to her life intercedes for and saves her people - Est 4:15-16 “Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."’ -- Which led to the establishment of the days of Purim for the Jews - Est 9:26-32. Integral to the story of Esther is the involvement of Mordecai the Jew, the first cousin of Esther, who also lived in Shushan of Persia - Est 2:5-7, whose greatness is described in the last verse - Est 10:3 “For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.” -- In fact, the Feast of Purim is called “the day of Mordecai” in 2 Mac 15:36, Mordecai was truly an “Expatriate Extraordinaire”. As such, he provides an example in many respects for Christians today.

Expatriate - One who has taken up residence in a foreign country. His great-grandfather Kish had been taken away into Babylonian captivity - Est 2:5-6 “Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away.” The Jews had begun to return to Jerusalem nearly fifty years earlier - cf. Ezr 1:1-5 “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel--he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem." Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem.” -- Mordecai, like many other Jews, remained in the country of exile.

Extraordinaire - Extraordinary; beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional; remarkable. He raised his orphan cousin Esther - Est 2:7 “He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.” He served as her mentor and protector - Est 2:10-11 “Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.”, 20 “Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him.” He displayed patriotic loyalty by saving the king from assassination - Est 2:21-23 “In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai.” He refused to give Haman homage due only to God - Est 3:1-4 “After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you transgress the king's command?" And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew.” The Jews all think that Mordecai refused this prostration because it implied idolatrous adoration. - Clarke. Hence, in the Apocryphal additions to this book, Mordecai is represented praying thus: “Thou knowest that if I have not adored Haman, it was not through pride, nor contempt, nor secret desire of glory; for I felt disposed to kiss the footsteps of his feet (gladly) for the salvation of Israel: but I feared to give to a man that honor which I know belongs only to my God.” - ibid.

He did what he could to save his people, the Jews. Tearing his clothes, mourning in sackcloth and ashes before the king’s gate - Est 4:1-2. Sending word to Esther that she must be willing to risk her own life - Est 4:13-14. Heeding her plea for him and all the Jews to fast and pray for her - Est 4:15-17 Together with Esther he wrote a decree that countered the one by Haman - Est 8:7-12. He wrote the letters establishing the Feast of Purim for the Jews - Est 9:20-28. -- Mordecai was truly an extraordinary person, his greatness extolled in the book of Esther - Est 9:4 “For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.”; 10:2-3 “And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.”

With the example of Mordecai, what parallels or applications might we draw related to our service as Christians; Christians as expatriates extraordinaire...? When we continue our lesson we will look at how we can also be expatriates extraordinaire.

The Hand of the Lord My God was Upon Me - Continued

Ezra 7:28

Having noted the blessings of God's provisions in Ezra's life in our lesson last week, we turn to ask, why did Ezra enjoy the blessing of God’s provision in his life? Is there anything we can glean from Ezra’s story that might ensure the hand of God in our own lives? I believe there is! Let me suggest some reasons why the hand of the Lord was upon Ezra. The first reason is that Ezra prepared himself. In a summary passage, we learn why God was with him - Ezra 7:9-10 “For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” God was with him “For (because) Ezra had prepared his heart...” “to seek the Law of the Lord” (to learn what God wanted him to do). “to do it” (to apply it to himself first). “to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (and then teach others). -- Ezra had first made himself “useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” – see 2 Ti 2:21.

Ezra had sought the Lord. He believed that God would be with those who seek Him - Ezra 8:22 “For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, "The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him."’ Thus he entreated God’s protection through fasting and prayer - Ezra 8:21-23 “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, "The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.” -- Ezra believed that God rewarded those who diligently seek Him; such faith undoubtedly pleased God - He 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Ezra was willing to step out in faith. Trusting the Lord would protect them, they began their perilous journey - Ezra 8:31 “Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way.” It was not easy, for there were enemies and potential for ambush along the way! -- But Ezra illustrated that he had a living, working faith! - Ja 2:17 “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”, 26 “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”; Ga 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love."

Ezra was willing to face difficult situations. Upon his arrival, Ezra was faced with a difficult situation - Ezra 9:1-2 “After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost."’ Many of the Israelites had intermarried with Gentile women. The rulers and leaders of Israel were the worst violators. He was moved to fasting and prayer - Ezra 9:3-15. Others joined him (“everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel”). He offered prayer confessing the sins of Israel. He accepted the responsibility that was his - Ezra 10:1-8. Encouraged by those willing to repent he went on to leading the people to a great restoration! -- It would have been so easy to rationalize away any need for the people to change; but Ezra did not let the emotionally charged issue deter him from doing God’s will!

The hand of the Lord was upon Ezra because he; had prepared himself; sought the Lord; was willing to step out in faith and was willing to face difficult situations. Ezra was not the only person who experienced the hand of the Lord upon him.... The Lord was also with a contemporary, Nehemiah - Neh 2:18 “And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good work.” Sometimes the hand of the Lord was for the purpose of judgment - 1 Sam 5:6 “The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.”

But here we have considered the working of God for good in the life of his servant. How will the hand of the Lord be for us? For our good, if we emulate Ezra by preparing ourselves to be useful to the Master! Seeking the Lord with diligence and faith! Stepping out in faith against the odds. Facing difficult issues and situations head on. Let the example of Ezra encourage us to so live in Christ, that one day we can look back at the events in our lives and say:
“The Hand Of The Lord My God Was Upon Me”!

The Hand of the Lord My God was Upon Me

Ezra 7:28

The Bible is filled with stories of people who lived their lives under the influence of God.... Through deep faith and a willingness to serve, God used them to fulfill His purposes. Ezra is one such example of what can happen when a person determines to seek God and allows the Lord to use him. In 457 B.C., Ezra led a group of Jews from Babylonian captivity back to Jerusalem about eighty years after a group led by Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple. The mission of Ezra’s group was to restore the people of God. In the book of Ezra the first six chapters describe the work of Zerubbabel. The final four chapters relate Ezra’s arrival and the great restoration he brought about. The theme of Ezra’s life and work could be stated as “The Hand Of The Lord My God Was Upon Me,” for six times in two chapters he thus attributes his success.

In our lesson, let’s first notice how the hand of the Lord was upon Ezra. We find this in the receiving his request from the King. Notice Ezra 7:6 “this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD the God of Israel had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.” Because the hand of the Lord was upon Ezra, Artaxerxes allowed him:
1) To go to Jerusalem - Ezra 7:12-13 ‘"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.”
2) To take silver and gold to buy animals for sacrifice - Ezra 7:14-17 “For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, and also to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem. With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem.”
3) To buy what is needed for the service of the house of God - Ezra 7:18-23 “Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which it falls to you to provide, you may provide it out of the king's treasury. "And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons.”
4) To be free from taxation - Ezra 7:24 “We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.”
5) To set up magistrates and judges - Ezra 7:25-26 ‘"And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment."’ -- Ezra recognized the hand of God was at work in his behalf! - Ezra 7:27-28 “Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.”

The hand of the Lord was upon Ezra in finding servants for the temple. Prepared to leave, Ezra noted none of sons of Levi - Ezra 8:15 “I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi.” He sends men to find some who will go with them - Ezra 8:16-17 “Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight, and sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers and the temple servants at the place Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God.” -- By the good hand of God upon them, they find 38 Levites and 220 Nethinim to assist them! - Ezra 8:18-20 “And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18; also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20; besides 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.”

The hand of the Lord was upon Ezra in providing a safe journey to Jerusalem. Ezra proclaimed a fast to seek from God the right way to travel - Ezra 8:21-23 “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, "The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.” Having told the king that God’s hand would be them, he was ashamed to ask for a military escort - Ezra 8:22 -- God’s hand was upon them, and they safely arrived in Jerusalem! - Ezra 8:31-32 “Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way. We came to Jerusalem, and there we remained three days.” From beginning to end the hand of the Lord was upon Ezra.

We will continue this lesson next week looking into why Ezra enjoyed the blessings of God's provisions in his life. Is there anything we can glean from Ezra’s story that might ensure the hand of God in our own lives? I believe there is!

David's Charge to Solomon - Continued

1 Chronicles 28:9

Are we committed to serving God completely and willingly? To know God and serve Him with sincerity and zeal, such is our duty! From “David’s Charge To Solomon” we can also learn what can serve as our motivation as God searches our hearts. David tells Solomon “...for the Lord searches all hearts”. Solomon later confesses “...You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men” - 1 Kin 8:39. Today it is still the same. Jesus knew the hearts of men during His earthly ministry - Jn 2:24-25 “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” Jesus continues to search the minds and hearts of all - Re 2:23 “And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.” There is no way we can hide our hearts from God. David understood this - Psa 139:1-12 “A Psalm of David. O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.”; He 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” -- Since we cannot hide, why not obey and serve Him willingly?

God understands and knows the intents of the human mind. The Lord “understand all the intents of the thoughts”. He understands “every motive behind the thoughts” (NIV). “not only the thoughts of the heart, when regularly formed and ranged in order, but even the very beginning of them, the first motions of the mind, and before they are well formed”
- Gill. – Even though we may succeed in our motivations and intents from others there is no way that we can hide our motives from God!

Reinforcing our motivation to know God and serve Him with a loyal heart and willing mind, is the two-sided promise found in “David’s Charge To Solomon”. If we seek Him He will be found by us - 2 Chr 15:1-2 “The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” For the Lord is seeking those whose heart is loyal to Him - 2 Chr 16:9a “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” The key is to seek Him with all our heart - Jer 29:13-14a “You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the LORD”; Mt 7:7-8 ‘"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”; Ja 4:8-10 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” -- Are we making a diligent effort to find God, to learn and do His will?

If we forsake him He will cast us off forever – see 2 Chr 15:2b above; Isa 1:28 “But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.” Even as the Lord promised to do to Israel - 1 Kin 9:6-9 “But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?' Then they will say, 'Because they abandoned the LORD their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the LORD has brought all this disaster on them.'" Even as Jesus warned His disciples if they did not bear fruit - Jn 15:1-2,6 ‘"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” – “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” -- How sad and terrible to go through life and death without God at our side!

How much better to go through life and face death with God! - Isa 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Just as David later encouraged Solomon - 1 Chr 28:20 “Then David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.” If we want the encouraging promise spoken of by David, accept the duty spoken of by David...!