Through the first six chapters of Ezra, we have covered 22 years of Bible history; and by the time we begin arrive at chapter 7.1, another 58 years have passsed ... but we have not yet met the man for whom this book is named! In chapter 7, though, Ezra finally comes on the scene, with the Bible in his hand, ready to teach the word of God to the people of God. Listen in as we think about the life and teaching of this great man of God.

"I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images," says the Lord. A vital message in Isaiah's Israel! But do we have graven images today? Are there idols in our lives that arouse the righteous jealousy of God? And if so, is it right for God to be jealous? Why? Listen in as we seek answers to these questions from Isaiah 42.

What can we learn from a pagan king doing the bidding of God ... and even footing the bill? Listen in as we consider the remarkable refreshing God brought to His people through the surprise blessing of Darius the king on their work.

Peter says that God "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1.3). In Isaiah 5, that fact of God's diligence is painted in beautiful, poetic fashion. Listen in as we consider Isaiah's parable of the vineyard, and as we behold God's diligence together!

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Do we need to go on pilgrimage to find God? Or learn some new meditation technique? Will our prayer life be helped if we have a picture we can look at, or a cross we can touch while praying? Isaiah 45 says it's not all that complicated. God is not hard to find! Listen in and see exactly how and why that is.

As sure as God's people begin serving Him with joy, opposition arises. So it is today; and so it was in the book of Ezra. Listen in as we think through 80+ years of resistance faced by the people of God as they returned from exile.As this sermon covers over 80 years of history, a timeline is provided below.

Very rarely does the Bible repeat a word or phrase three times, verbatim. But twice we find the angels calling God "Holy, Holy, Holy." What exactly does it mean that God is holy? Why did the angels say it three times? How should we respond to such a God? How does He respond to us? Think it through with us as we worship over Isaiah chapter 6!

There was a time for God's exiled people simply to return - to come back to the land, to come back to the cities, and to settle in. But soon after, there was also a time to rebuild ... to get about the Lord's work, and to begin restoring what had been ruined by sin. Listen in as we observe their rebuilding efforts, and think about our own as well.

What is it that keeps us going in the service of God? What keeps us from losing heart, or getting off track? Listen in as Matt Gass explains from 2 Corinthians 4. Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.