Ezra 6 The opening words of chapter 6, pick up where chapter 5 left off. Tattenai and his fellow governors had requested King Darius to order a search of the royal archives and issue a ruling on the legitimacy of…
Category: Prayer
Summer Tuesdays with Ezra (Chapter 5)
Ezra 5 The opening verse of chapter 5 introduces us to two prophets who God uses to jump start the rebuilding project after it had languished for years—from the early years of Cyrus’ reign (a twenty-year period: 550 – 530…
Summer Tuesdays with Ezra (Chapter 4)
Ezra 4 The beginning of the reconstruction of the Temple, signaled by loud shouts “heard far away” (3:13), garners the attention of “the peoples of the lands” (3:3). Some of these neighbouring peoples, who are “adversaries of Judah and Benjamin”…
Summer Tuesdays with Ezra (Chapter 3)
Ezra 3 In the seventh month, shortly after the exiles arrived back in the land, they gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. Mosaic Law commanded all men to come to Jerusalem for this feast (Exodus 23:14-17; Deut…
Summer Tuesdays with Ezra (Chapter 2)
Ezra 2 The closing verse of Ezra 1 speaks of “exiles” who were “brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem” (1:11). Chapter 2 provides a record of which Jewish families and towns were represented among the exiles who returned to repopulate…
Summer Tuesdays with Ezra (Chapter 1)
This year I spent time digging into the Old Testament book of Ezra. While the book contains a fascinating historical account of the return of the Jewish exiles after the Babylonian captivity, it's more than a history book. It's a…
Praise and Prayer Update (May 23, 2025)
A few weeks back, I asked you to pray with us about some upcoming ministry opportunities Linda and I were anticipating. I (Rick) was scheduled to speak at a men’s conference and also invited to train a group of pastors…
Praise and Prayer Update (May 3, 2025)
As we move into May and June, we are preparing for a number of ministry opportunities. I'd value your prayers for God's power and protection as we present His Word.
How to Navigate Through Life’s Rough Waters (Part 1)
I don’t have to tell you life is not exactly smooth sailing right now. Internationally, the waters are choppy and chaotic. Closer to home, we feel storm tossed by rising prices and falling stock markets. It’s hard to stay steady…
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Tips for Teachers: Learning from Billy Graham
As I type these words, I’m listening to Billy Graham preach. It’s a rebroadcast of one of the messages he preached decades ago. You can tell that from the hairstyles and clothes worn by those in the arena. But while…