Ezra 7:1-8:20, 1 Corinthians 4, Psalms 10:1-12, Proverbs 20:28-30

What God said to me – You’ve heard the saying, “his heart was set on . . .  ‘ – it could be anything from taking a certain trip to going to a game to buying a specific pair of shoes or a myriad of other things or activities or behaviors.  The problem with this is the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.  You can’t even know your own heart.  If you want to walk in a manner worthy of your calling and please Me then you can’t let your heart set your desires, you have got to set your heart, not the other way around.  Look at the example of Ezra – he set his heart to study My word and to practice it and to teach it.  He had to be purposeful and disciplined to do it.  It is not easy to set your mind on things above and not on earthly things.  It is not easy to set your mind on spiritual things and not on fleshly things.  When My Son, Jesus, was nearing the end of His earthly ministry, He set His face toward Jerusalem determined to follow My plan.  You need this time with Me to help you remain steadfast.  When you slack off or neglect this time it is easy to relinquish control and allow your heart to lead rather than My Spirit.  Set your heart and your mind and your face toward Me.

Ezra 4:24-6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5-23, Psalms 29:1-11, Proverbs 20:26-27

What God said to me – Have you ever seen the aftermath of a massive fire that has swept through a neighborhood – for the most part everything is burned up – there is very little remaining on most of the foundations – a few may have some outer walls or fireplaces still there, but everything else is gone.  In the lives of My children, each one has the foundation of My Son, Jesus, on which to build.  The question is, “what are you building with – things that will burn up when tested by fire or things that will last?”  When the focus of your life is on temporal things it is like building with wood, hay, and straw – things that will burn up and have no eternal impact.  When the focus of your life is on eternal things, worshipping and serving Me, it is like building with gold, silver, and precious stones – things that will withstand the fire and have an eternal impact.  However, the thing that determines whether you are building with temporal or eternal materials is not what you do, but why you do it – do you do what you do out of obedience to Me and to bring Me glory or are you doing it for yourself?  You could be a great preacher or missionary or Bible teacher, but if you do it for your own glory, you are building with wood, hay, and straw.  Conversely, you could be an accountant or an actor or a trash collector, but if you are doing it unto Me to bring Me glory, and serve me, then you are building with gold, silver, and precious stones.  Whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do it for My glory.

Ezra 3:1-4:23, 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4, Psalms 28:1-9, Proverbs 20:24-25

What God said to me – I have told you over and over again that “I AM” carrying out My plan for the world and for your life for your good and for My glory.  I not only use My children and My word and godly things to do this, but I also use ungodly and rebellious people.  I used rebellious and ungodly to bring about your very salvation.  Think about this – ungodly, fleshly, rebellious people cannot understand My ways or My wisdom and even though it seems counterintuitive, this is a good thing for you – if they had understood that My Son, Jesus, became flesh and dwelt among them, they would not have crucified Him and had He not been crucified, you never could have been saved.  Unregenerated men have no capability of understanding Me or My ways because they do not have My Spirit within them, so spiritual things are foolishness to them.  Remember this as you share, as you take a stand for what is right, and as you try to navigate an ungodly society.  Bathe everything in prayer, trusting that I will work all things for your good and for My glory.