RPG Teenz
ARE YOU EASILY DISCOURAGED?
AUG 10
Ezra 4-5:2
Memorise Haggai 1:5 "Consider your ways"
ARE YOU EASILY DISCOURAGED?
When the first group of returnees arrived at Jerusalem, they came in high spirits, excited to commence the construction of the temple. They all gathered together to worship the Lord, and laid the foundation with great celebration and praise to the Lord (Ezra 3). It was indeed a great beginning, for God was glorified in all that they did. However, soon after they started, they began to face opposition. Their adversaries were displeased with their presence, and began to seek various ways and means to discourage them from the work.
The wiles of the Devil are such that as long as you are serving, being effective for the Lord, you become a prime target for his attacks. This is what the people were facing in Ezra 4. There were two main attacks that were launched against them. The first, from Ezra 4:1-3, can be described as the ‘soft approach’, whereby the Samaritans tried to claim allegiance with Israel, and sought to infiltrate their ranks through deception, and spoil the work from within. Against this first attack, Zerubbabel and Jeshua remained strong and resisted their offer, choosing to rely only on the Lord. However, the second attack that came was the more ‘hard approach’, through the means of persecution and oppression. "The people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose" (Ezra 4:3-4). They wrote letters of complaint to the king, filled with lies and false accusations about the people of Judah, such that the king gave them the authority to force them to cease from the work.
Against such relentless opposition, they capitulated. Although they had every right from the decree of King Cyrus to return to build (Ezra 1:2), they decided that it was too much of a hassle to fight for the Lord, and just meekly threw up the white flag and surrendered to their enemies. As a result, the work ceased for 16 years. They just left the half-complete foundations, ignored the work they so excitedly started just months ago, and returned to their lives. It was only when the Lord sent prophets Haggai and Zechariah to goad them back into action that the work resumed and was finally completed 4 years later (Ezra 6:15).
Thought: Am I an easy target to the attacks of Satan?
Prayer: O Lord, I pray that Thou would help me to stand strong against the temptations, deceptions and attacks of the evil one.
Posted in Teens RPG
Ezra 4-5:2
Memorise Haggai 1:5 "Consider your ways"
ARE YOU EASILY DISCOURAGED?
When the first group of returnees arrived at Jerusalem, they came in high spirits, excited to commence the construction of the temple. They all gathered together to worship the Lord, and laid the foundation with great celebration and praise to the Lord (Ezra 3). It was indeed a great beginning, for God was glorified in all that they did. However, soon after they started, they began to face opposition. Their adversaries were displeased with their presence, and began to seek various ways and means to discourage them from the work.
The wiles of the Devil are such that as long as you are serving, being effective for the Lord, you become a prime target for his attacks. This is what the people were facing in Ezra 4. There were two main attacks that were launched against them. The first, from Ezra 4:1-3, can be described as the ‘soft approach’, whereby the Samaritans tried to claim allegiance with Israel, and sought to infiltrate their ranks through deception, and spoil the work from within. Against this first attack, Zerubbabel and Jeshua remained strong and resisted their offer, choosing to rely only on the Lord. However, the second attack that came was the more ‘hard approach’, through the means of persecution and oppression. "The people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose" (Ezra 4:3-4). They wrote letters of complaint to the king, filled with lies and false accusations about the people of Judah, such that the king gave them the authority to force them to cease from the work.
Against such relentless opposition, they capitulated. Although they had every right from the decree of King Cyrus to return to build (Ezra 1:2), they decided that it was too much of a hassle to fight for the Lord, and just meekly threw up the white flag and surrendered to their enemies. As a result, the work ceased for 16 years. They just left the half-complete foundations, ignored the work they so excitedly started just months ago, and returned to their lives. It was only when the Lord sent prophets Haggai and Zechariah to goad them back into action that the work resumed and was finally completed 4 years later (Ezra 6:15).
Thought: Am I an easy target to the attacks of Satan?
Prayer: O Lord, I pray that Thou would help me to stand strong against the temptations, deceptions and attacks of the evil one.
Posted in Teens RPG