Scripture Union Daily Guide 8th December 2024 (Sunday) Devotional Message
TOPIC: Enemies Oppose Rebuilding the Temple
OPENING PRAYER: Dear Lord, may the entrance of your word bring light and life to all I will do today.
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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: EZRA 4: 1-24
Question(s) for Reflection
* Q2: Is there any example for me to follow or not to follow?
* Q5: Is there any warning for me to heed?
Scripture Union Daily Guide 8th December 2024 Outline
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin (the local residents) heard about ongoing work to rebuild the temple to the Lord, they offered to help. Notice how the newly arrived Jews, not wanting to repeat their ancestors’ errors by participating in idolatry, refused to partake in anything religious with the locals (v.3).
These are foreign people resettled by the Assyrians and Babylonians in the land of Israel during Israel’s deportation to Babylon. They, who became known as Samaritans, have learned about the Jewish practices but, in fact, practise a mixture of Jewish worship and worship of foreign gods. How many of our churches today still practise religious syncretism – a blending of other religions into Christianity?
Next, these enemies engaged in all kinds of negative activities: discouraged the people; made them afraid; bribed counsellors against them and wrote a letter against them. Rehum, the Commander and Shimshai, the Scribe, were leaders of the other nations who wrote a letter against this noble and sacred project.
Note the content of their letter (vs.12-13; and vs.15-16); and their awful conclusion (see v.16). What was the response and decision of King Artaxerxes (v.21)?
These enemies got the official support they wanted and went to stop the rebuilding project “by force.” (v.23). But injustice does not reign forever.
* Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
I will shout His praise in glory
1. You ask what makes me happy,
My heart so free from care;
It is because my Savior
In mercy heard my prayer;
He brought me out of darkness,
And now the light I see;
O blessèd, loving Savior!
To Him the praise shall be.
Refrain
I will shout His praise in glory,
And we’ll all sing hallelujah
In Heaven by and by;
I will shout His praise in glory,
And we’ll all sing hallelujah
In Heaven by and by.
2. I was a friendless wanderer,
Till Jesus took me in,
My life was full of sorrow,
My heart was full of sin;
But when the blood, so precious,
Spoke pardon to my soul,
O blissful, blissful moment!
’Twas joy beyond control.
3. I wish that every sinner
Before His throne would bow;
He waits to give them welcome,
He longs to bless them now;
If they but knew the rapture
That in His love I see,
They’d come and shout salvation,
And sing His praise with me.
4. I mean to live for Jesus
While here on earth I stay,
And when His voice shall call me
To realms of endless day,
As one by one we gather,
Rejoicing on the shore,
We’ll shout His praise in glory,
And sing forevermore.
Closing Prayer
Read and pray Psalm 124:6-8.
Offer a prayer of faith in line with Jeremiah 32:27
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”
One Year Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading Plan: Day 343- Romans 8-10
NATIONAL PRAYER BULLETIN 8 DECEMBER 2024
PRAYER FOCUS
PLANNING, RESEARCH AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (PR&S)
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Psalm 90:12
THANK GOD FOR:
‣ The PRS department in SU, which has been entrusted with the issue of statistics in the Union, which has helped in planning and budgeting of our various activities and programme
‣ The lives of all our PRS officers across SU formations, for their commitment to this work
PRAY FOR:
‣ Leaders in all our formations (staff and pilgrims), to do more in providing accurate data that will help this department in doing their work more effectively, thereby getting better results
‣ Officers in this department to be more proactive in their approach to data issues
‣ The Lord will help us in SU to see how poor data performance has been affecting the work negatively, and have a change of attitude for the better on this matter.
Scripture Union is an international, interdenominational, evangelical Christian organization. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world. The organization’s stated aim is to use the Bible to inspire children, young people and adults to know God. (Scripture Union Daily Guide 8th December 2024)
