Scripture Union Daily Guide 14th December 2024: Ezra Deals With Unlawful Mixed Marriages

Scripture Union Daily Guide 14th December 2024: Ezra Deals With Unlawful Mixed Marriages

Daily Guide Devotional For Today 14 December 2024 (Saturday)

TOPIC: EZRA DEALS WITH UNLAWFUL MIXED MARRIAGES
OPENING PRAYER: I open my heart to meditate on your word, teach me your ways oh Lord.
SCRIPTURE: EZRA 10:1-44

Question(s) for Reflection
* Q2: Is there any example for me to follow or not to follow?

Scripture Union Daily Guide 14th December 2024 Outline:

When Ezra took the lead in national confessions and prayers, it sparked spiritual revival because “a very large crowd of people from Israel, men, women and children gathered and wept bitterly with him” (v.1). Note the public confession of Shecaniah (v.3). Then, came the challenge to spiritual leadership to rise and take action (v.4). A most essential action that Ezra took was extended waiting on God, in mourning, prayer and fasting (v.6). Is your heart that sufficiently & deeply broken, with the things that break the heart of God, to lead you in earnest personal and corporate prayer and fasting to seek solutions?

Note the steps taken to demonstrate repentance:
* Commitment under oath to send away the foreign wives (vs.5-6). Do you think this was an easy decision?
* Compliance demanded (vs.7-8). The cost was so high; it would lead to being dis-membered from society by losing every property and becoming an outcast.
* Subjection to great distress where the transgression was read out (vs.9-11). They sat in the open square in the rain.
* They set the timeline within which to effect total compliance (vs.12-17).

Practice/Word Application
And so? It is not enough to admit our faults or to repent; we must, as much as practicable, make restitution, cast away anything that is keeping us far from our Lord’s love.

* Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?

Closing Prayer
Lord, keep me true and faithful in practising your word.

Prayer for the week
* Thank God for His mercy, love and faithfulness you and your family have enjoyed from the beginning of this year • Pray to God that He will not withhold all that He still has in plan for you this year. • Pray for grace not to miss His visitation

Offer a prayer of faith in line with Psalms 34:17 ‐ 18
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading Plan: Day 349- Colossians, Philemon

NATIONAL PRAYER BULLETIN 14 DECEMBER 2024

PRAYER FOCUS
PLACEMENT OF READING NOTES IN CAMPS AND CHRISTIAN GUEST HOUSES
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turns it wherever he desires. Prov. 21:1

THANK GOD FOR:
‣ Our camps and Christian guest houses which play host to different kinds of people at different times
‣ The opportunity to have access to SU Reading notes by such people

PRAY FOR:
‣ God will move on the heart of guests to make use of these reading notes to read the Bible.
‣ They will encounter God as they do so.

Our Daily Bread for 9th December 2024 — Encouraged by God’s Promises