He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. (Ezra 7:9-10 NLT)
Notice the order of things in this passage. It says that the gracious hand of God was on Ezra. Then it tells us why. Read the italicized sentence above again. Ezra studied the Law of the LORD. Ezra obeyed the Law of the LORD. Ezra taught others to follow the Law of the LORD.
Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and look, there's a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:3-5 HCSB)
When we worship, we don’t try to fix people, outdo people, or show them up. When we worship, we draw near to God. We walk with God. Then, when we see what a beautiful walk it is, we help others do the same. This is what leadership looks like in God’s Church. This is worship.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV)
How about you? Do you walk with God? Is the gracious hand of the LORD upon you as a result? Do you experience the benefits and blessings that come from walking together with God? Do you help others do the same? Do you worship?
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