{"id":6229,"date":"2019-11-15T20:00:54","date_gmt":"2019-11-16T03:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/?p=6229"},"modified":"2019-11-10T20:22:51","modified_gmt":"2019-11-11T03:22:51","slug":"ezra7_11-28","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/ezra7_11-28\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Questions to Ask Before You Give (or Accept) A Big Assignment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ezra 7:11-28 Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ezra 7:11-28.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/span><\/p>\n

On verses 11-26:\u00a0\u00a0One underrated reason for Ezra\u2019s success in ministry is the help he got from King Artaxerxes.\u00a0\u00a0In his letter to Ezra, King Artaxerxes sends Ezra on a royal assignment to see how Jerusalem and Judah are progressing in relation to following the law of the Lord (v14).\u00a0\u00a0In sending Ezra on this mission, King Artaxerxes does so many things to set up Ezra for success on his venture:<\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes lets Ezra choose a team of Levites, priests and other Israelites to go with him to Jerusalem (v13).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes gives Ezra generous amounts of silver and gold from his own treasury as well as from his advisors (v15), \u201ctogether with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon\u201d (v16) as well as the freewill offerings given by people and priests for the temple in Jerusalem (v16).\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes entrusts Ezra with these financial resources and tells him to use them to buy livestock to make sacrifices at the temple (v17).\u00a0\u00a0He tells Ezra to do whatever Ezra thinks best with the rest of the money (v18).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes equips Ezra with articles and tools to be used to worship the Lord at the temple (v19).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes invites Ezra to purchase anything else he needs using funds from the royal treasury (v20-21) up to the generous limits set in verse 22.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes gives Ezra freedom to do whatever else God has prescribed (v23), provided that Ezra is not allowed to impose taxes, tribute or duty on those working at the temple (v24).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes instructs Ezra to appoint judges, to teach the law of the Lord and to punish those who disobey the law (v25-26).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0Have you ever been sent on an assignment but lacked clear directions, a clear job description, training, resources (whether it\u2019s people, money or equipment), or freedom to make decisions?\u00a0\u00a0I learn from Artaxerxes\u2019 letter to Ezra that\u00a0when sending someone out on a long and important mission, you need to make sure you have done what you can to help them be successful.<\/strong>\u00a0 For example, consider the following:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0have I given the person I am sending clear directions and a clear assignment?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– does the person I am sending have adequate training for this assignment?\u00a0 If not, what arrangements should I make in this regard?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– does the person I am sending have sufficient people resources for this assignment?\u00a0 What arrangements should I make in this regard?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– does the person I am sending have sufficient financial resources for this assignment?\u00a0 What arrangements should I make in this regard?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

– have I given the person I am sending freedom to make decisions within healthy boundaries?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The same goes for you when you accept an assignment.\u00a0\u00a0Before accepting an assignment, ask yourself the following 5 questions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0how clear are the directions I have been given (and do I need to go back to the person who gave me the assignment to clarify anything)?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0what kind of training and preparation will I need to do for this assignment?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0who can I expect to help me with this assignment if I need?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0what financial and other resources should I have in place before I go on this assignment?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0what is my scope of authority and decision-making power?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Also, I like what King Artaxerxes writes in verse 23: \u201cWhatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0In other words,\u00a0whenever you are given an assignment, do it with diligence for God\u2019s glory and for God\u2019s kingdom.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Ezra\u00a07:27\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span>
\n27\u00a0<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Praise be to the\u00a0LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0in Jerusalem in this way<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 27:\u00a0\u00a0Ezra recognizes that the favour he received was not just from King Artaxerxes, but it ultimately came as a result of God moving Artaxerxes\u2019 heart.\u00a0\u00a0Once again,\u00a0God is the mover of kings\u2019 hearts<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Ezra\u00a07:28\u00a0(NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span>
\n28\u00a0<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials.\u00a0Because the hand of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0my God was on me, I took courage<\/strong>\u00a0and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 28:\u00a0\u00a0When you know that God is with you and that His hand is on you, you can courageously step out and do bold things that less courageous people will not do.\u00a0\u00a0May you\u00a0live with courage today, knowing that the hand of the Lord is on your life and that God is for you, not against you<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us what to consider before giving or accepting an assignment.\u00a0\u00a0Just as You moved in Artaxerxes\u2019 heart, move in my heart to accomplish Your will.\u00a0\u00a0Thank You that because You are with me and for me, I can live courageously today. In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ezra 7:11-28.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

On verses 11-26:\u00a0\u00a0One underrated reason for Ezra\u2019s success in ministry is the help he got from King Artaxerxes.\u00a0\u00a0In his letter to Ezra, King Artaxerxes sends Ezra on a royal assignment to see how Jerusalem and Judah are progressing in relation to following the law of the Lord (v14).\u00a0\u00a0In sending Ezra on this mission, King Artaxerxes does so many things to set up Ezra for success on his venture:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes lets Ezra choose a team of Levites, priests and other Israelites to go with him to Jerusalem (v13).<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes gives Ezra generous amounts of silver and gold from his own treasury as well as from his advisors (v15), \u201ctogether with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon\u201d (v16) as well as the freewill offerings given by people and priests for the temple in Jerusalem (v16).\u00a0\u00a0Artaxerxes entrusts Ezra with these financial resources and tells him to use them to buy livestock to make sacrifices at the temple (v17).\u00a0\u00a0He tells Ezra to do whatever Ezra thinks best with the rest of the money (v18).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6230,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6229"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6232,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6229\/revisions\/6232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}