Tuesday 21 March 2006

The Lord strengthened my heart

“And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.” - Ezra 7v28

Ezra found great strength and encouragement in a letter of support he received from King Artaxerxes. The letter gave Ezra full government freedom to all he wanted to do in Jerusalem. He knew that this was by God’s mercy alone. The Lord had shaped the heart of the king to support His work.

Note what Ezra did when he was encouraged. He gathered the men together and went out and got to work. Encouragement should always spur us to action. God gives us encouragement for a reason, and the reason is to motivate us to act.

How often do we get encouragement from the Word and get and warm fuzzy feeling, but then do nothing about it? God’s word and His work should motivate us to act.

Lets not be lazy recipients of God’s encouragement, but let us act on it!

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