Fireworks will fill the skies tonight all across America. Why? It’s “Independence Day”, America’s 249th birthday! Of course, you’ll remember July 4, 1776,was NOT filled with fireworks and festivities. Oh no, it was a terrible time as Colonists were faced with dreadful challenges and felt they had no good option other than to declare and fight for their Independence.  Come with me back to Susa, the capital of the Persian Kingdom, in about 445bc as we watch a man named Nehemiah face a very similar situation.  

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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Today is July 3, and tomorrow is a very important day in world history. I wonder if you’ve ever visited “Independence Hall” in Philadelphia? Have you put yourself into the story of the American Revolution and what great courage was required of those 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence? Have you ever put your signature on an important document which left you feeling that you’d committed yourself to something that might require EVERYTHING from you? 

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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Have you ever stood before a ‘wall of honor’? In America there are many scattered all over our country, several huge ones in Washington DC. These are usually walls of granite and etched or engraved into the granite are the names of special people. They are heroes and people gather at these places to honor what they accomplished in life or death. Ezra chapter 10 is similar, but I call it a ‘wall of shame’ rather than a ‘wall of honor’ and it concludes the difficult situation we’ve been looking at in Jerusalem in about 457bc.

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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If you’ve been with us for the last few days, we’re right in the middle of a ‘quagmire’, aren’t we? It’s an important and very relevant ‘quagmire’ because marriage problems are common in every society, every generation in the world. Come with me again back in time to the apostle Paul writing to the Christians in the big and decadent city of Corinth in the first century, and also back further in time to 458bc in Jerusalem and Ezra.  

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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Quite often I hear the cry for reliable, honorable, honest Justice, what about you? Come with me again to Jerusalem about 458bc as we are watching Ezra deal with God honoring justice when facing widespread leadership failure.  Yesterday we watched as the people agreed with Ezra’s condemnation of them. (Ezra 10:9-12) They had rejected God’s laws about marriage and many of them, leaders included, had married women from the wicked, idol worshiping nations around Israel and brought those women to live in Jerusalem. Of course they brought their idols with them. 

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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Have you ever found yourself in a difficult situation and most of the people involved in the situation are all pointing at YOU, expecting you to find resolution to the problem? That’s exactly where Ezra found himself in 458bc, as we saw yesterday. Let’s join Ezra this weekend to see what God led him to do in what appeared to be a ‘no-win’ situation. Have you ever been in one of those? 

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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I wonder if those who know you well would characterize you as a “Peacemaker” or a “Good Negotiator” or a “Compassionate Mediator”? Our world is filled with conflict and everywhere disregard for the laws of the land abound. Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a mess that needed resolving but no one seemed to have the wisdom or courage to bring resolution to a serious situation? 

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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Have you ever been moved to tears or significant action simply by listening to someone pray? Way too often prayer offered out loud in a public setting can be anything from a sermon to a political speech or even a rebuke of something or someone.  Down through history the prayers of some people have made it into the Biblical record and one of those is found in Ezra 9. It’s a powerful, repentant, humble, instructional prayer which poured out of Ezra’s broken heart. He was overwhelmed, ashamed for the failure of Jerusalem leaders. It’s also a prayer seeking God’s mercy and guidance in the middle of a crisis. 

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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Rest, after a long busy day, or a very long journey is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? It’s amazing how God has designed our bodies, minds and hearts to recover with REST each in their own way, isn’t it? In part, that’s what a weekly Sabbath is all about, and have you found yourself caught in the over-stressed life without a Sabbath rest?   Let’s rejoin Ezra and his large caravan who finally arrived safely in Jerusalem after their 4-month walking journey from Babylon. 4 months in the hot, dry middle east climate, walking with about 1500 other people and all the carts with their belongings and even animals, can you imagine? Ezra simply says this: “So we arrived in Jerusalem where we rested for three days.” (Ezra 8:32) Oh my, can you imagine how welcome and refreshing this 3-day rest was for these weary travelers? 

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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Have you ever traveled in a ‘caravan’? Lots of people, vehicles, baggage, maybe even animals? Join me again back in Babylon, about 458bc, with a religious scholar named Ezra who, as we saw yesterday, has in his hand a formal commission from King Artaxerxes, the most powerful man in the world at that time. Ezra kept a log of these remarkable events, including his journey from Babylon to Jerusalem.  

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Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

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