Sermon – “Ezra Trusted God for Protection”

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.

What a wonderful time to you know to be able to celebrate and just lift our hearts to the lower men. This morning my message. Titled as were a trusted God. Protection. You know sometimes the most difficult part of a sermon is coming up with a title. You know if it is a quote it just called it as rough or skin you know security are so many different things I could have named it. But. Well. You know of this morning it’s OUR to ask some of you to to name or think about some of the people of the Bible that you consider to be heroes of the faith. If I were to ask you to name or think about someone that you consider hero with a faith or famous person from the Bible I’m sure that I would hear a name like Abraham mention father of many nations mandate trust to God. Maybe even his wife Sarah. THE MOTHER. Many nations. You might mention one called Moses who delivered the children of Israel. Out of Egypt by God’s mighty hand. Who went up on my own son and talk with God and seeing God’s backside and got the ten commandments. You might imagine someone called King David who what again David Do children. Slew the giant member go Iowa. But also was a man after God’s own heart. Some might mention Daniel. What did it do the Daniel. Lion’s Den. Because he refused to not pray. Famous faithful man a god. Some might mention Peter James John. Or any of the other disciples. The walk with Jesus. Some may mention couple the famous prophets like Jeremiah arise a a or Elijah or Elijah. Some of you may the mansion or think about some of the famous women of the Bible. Like Ruth. Arrestor. Esther saved her nation for right have. There are so many people in the Bible that. Would come to mind when I say think of somebody famous or hero the face. But be honest how many would have thought of a man name as ROOM. You’re still trying to figure out who is. You probably one of would not have mentioned as Were there would you. But you know what he could be considered a hero of the faith because he was a priest. He was a scribe he was a great leader. His name means help. As was whole life was dedicated to serving God and serving God’s people. He is credited for writing most the First and Second Chronicles. And the book of Ezra Nehemiah and Psalms one nineteen and Azariah was one of those it was carried off in captivity. The seventy years of exile. And because of his faithfulness. Because the King Saul. His faithfulness and Saul his knowledge in Saul how trustworthy he was. He chose as a rule to lead the second wave of his or lights back to Jerusalem. After the seventy years of exile. And that’s where we’ll pick up today with today’s scripture. Just a few verses old is all that it is as rich after eight verse twenty one through twenty three. As we’re speaking he says then I proclaimed a fast. There at the river of Haven. That we might humble ourselves. Before God. To seek from him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the King and escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road. Because we had spoken to the king saying. The hand of our God is upon all those for good. Who seek him. Now a case. That’s word of the little bit that you didn’t catch that the hand of our God is on all those who seek Him God will bless those who are faithful to him is what he’s saying and God will be with those who are faithful to him and seek him. But the power or but his power and His wrath or against all those who forsake him. So we fasted in untreated or God for this. And he answered our prayers and men may God at His blessing to the hearing and reading his holy word. Let us pray. Gracious Heavenly Father we do thank you and praise you for your word. Father I thank you that your word. Reveals to us the many men and women and people vote did you had a relationship with God It reveals that you desire. A release and ship with each of us. Bother you desire that each of us would draw near to you. God may we draw nearer to you today. With our hearts may we home or selves before you. God may your spirit lead us may your spirt speak through the servant today. To Bring You glory and honor in Jesus’ name amen. As were in the people that day. Of that day. They had a great journey ahead of them. They had to travel approximately nine hundred miles on foot. That was men women children all their possessions. Now think about this. Well what whenever we go to take anon hundred or thousand mile journey and were we get we pack our cars and we head down the road and we’re about an hour down the road new kids are in the back are we there yet. Dad. How much longer. I gotta go to the bathroom. I’m hungry. They had nine hundred miles of travel on foot. This journey would take them about four months four months long to go back to their homeland. But a trip they look forward to. But also this trip was a very dangerous trip through many dangers and a much difficult territory to travel through. So they prayed to God would protect them. The God would guide them. Lead them on the path that he wanted them to take the start of this. This message searching and. I just typed in or actually all my logos. Security and Ezra’s what came up. This passage and as for security. You know we all would like to have security in our lives wooden way. Security we want to be secure we want to be free from danger and turmoil in this and that we want security. Which is you know today we are living in a time where there is a lot of insecurity isn’t there. There’s a lot of violence there’s a lot of terrorism. Terrorism is an all time high. The number of people killed in acts of terrorism reach a record high. Last year twenty fourteen. With almost four in five of these deaths occurring in just five countries. Iraq Afghanistan Nigeria Pakistan and Syria. Terrorism kill more than thirty two thousand people last year. That is an eighty percent increase from two thousand and thirteen. This in two thousand and fifteen figures. It is gotten worse. There’s been a sharp rise in terrorism. And you know even though the most of these attacks take place thousands of miles away. Not all of them. We’ve seen that. Most of them take place thousands of miles away. But many are fearful of what’s going to happen next in our own country aren’t when they’re fearful the violence that seems to be happen in their cities and towns across America. There are many things for which people feel insecure today. But you know these desperate times is nothing new to America. I want to share a little history. And when I get to the end of you’ll see why of tied it in there. You know. Way back in one or seventeen seventy six. We think nine hundred seven one nine hundred seventy six a long time ago but back in seventeen seventy six during the American Revolution. It was a desperate time for a leader named George Washington. A famous man to many might know his ragtag Continental Army was encamped alone to Pennsylvania shores of Dello of the Delaware River. They were exhausted. They were demoralized and they were very uncertain of their future. The troubles began the previous August. When the British and his saying. Troops invaded Long Island. They routed the colonial forces forcing a dept desperate scape to they all in the Manhattan. The British followed up their victory with an attack on Manhattan. That compelled the Americans to again retreat. This time they crossed the Hudson River to New Jersey. The Brits British followed again in hot pursuit. They chased the Americans through New Jersey. And by December. Had forced the Continental Army to abandon the state and crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania. They kept pushing them back and back and back with New Jersey in their firm control and rule out Rhode Island. Successfully occupied. The British were confident that the resolution. Revolution had been crushed. They thought certainly that the con the what. Continental Army. Appeared to be a mere annoyance. Soon to be totally swatted into oblivion. To compound. George’s problems. The enlisted majority of his under his command. Were near to expire their time of the list meant at the end of the month they were return to return to their homes. So. Washington had to decide what to do and had to do something quickly. So his decision was to attack the British the target was that his saying held town of Trenton. Just across the Delaware River. So during the night of the Sembler twenty fifth. On Christmas night. Washington led his troops with which consisted of twenty four hundred men along with eighteen cannons. Across an ice wall in Delaware River. About nine miles north of Trenton. The weather was surrendered. The river was treacherous. They had raging winds snow sleet and rain. It made it almost impossible to crawl. But they were able to cross. To add to the difficulties a number of his troops were without shoes. Trekking through the snow and all this without shoes. But the next morning they attacked to the self. Taken to his saying Bear soon by surprise and overrunning the entire town. After fierce fighting. And the loss of their commander. The Saints surrendered. Why did George Washington leave disarming. Across the Delaware. In that attack. Because he sensed a godly protecting hand of God. He knew that God was with him as as ROOM. He knew that God was with thing. Prayed for protection and he felt God guiding him on that battle that day. That night I should say. They long for a fresh start for America. Israel long for a fresh start. After their seventy years of exile. They needed God’s protection they needed God’s guidance. And as I was searching for stories of God’s protection in the security that we all seek. I found so many stories numerous numerous stories. But one in particular that really touched me and just you know it’s like wow. All got our God is so awesome. I found the story of a woman. Out in the Midwest. She was had her children and or two girls two daughters in the van with her and she heard the warnings of a storm. On the radio. A tornado and. So she turned she thought she was turning to go away from the storm but her compass on her car was backwards. So in her error. She was driving directly into the storm. And then she realized did see sense. The Lord Telnor to pull off the side of the road. And there’s that tonight there’s a tornado. Since a lord telling her. Get in the back. Get your children get your girls down on the floor in you covered them. So that’s what she did she got down on the floor that van. And they could hear the vans are shaken the windows are ripped out of the van. And they could just said it was like a freight train the noise was so bad. And then all the sudden there was a quiet. Quietness they were in the middle of that tornado. And then it got loud again. When they got to the up the other side of the tornado got to them in a lifted that ban but she said the entire time. She felt a presence pressing her to the floor. Holding her and the children from getting sucked out of that van. And the van landed on a roof. That had been ripped off of a building. And as soon as the storm passed. There was a man. Help them out of that van. Got him down off of that roof. Then he was gone. God’s protection. So many stories there was too many. But that was one of the ticket or. God is or protector. He is our security is in the. There’s a couple key points in our passage and as for that reveal where our true security. Lies The only place that are true security can lie. And the first being a verse twenty one. Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Haven. That we might harm or cells before God as renew that God promised to protect his people wonder journey. But he also knew that if they were to fast in the pray that the people would draw nearer to God because it would be focused on God by fasting they would have more time to pray and see God You know last week I said. We can’t hide from God because he always knows where we are. But I’m a tell you this week God won’t hide from you. You receive that. If you humble yourself and you seek Him He will not hide from you. Do you draw near to him. He will draw near to you. Fasting. Was a good reminder to let the people know that they need to completely be completely dependent upon God. You know a fast doesn’t have to be just about food. We can fast any activity. That may take away time from God. It could be a fasting from television. To spend time with God. It could be food. It could be fasting from any numerous hobby or thing that we may do that takes away time from God. Kenneth Hedren said in the book man of integrity. Security is our near miss to God. Not our distance from danger. But that sink in a second. Security. True security is our near miss to God. Not our distance from danger. I want to read vs twenty two and twenty three again also for I was ashamed to request of the King an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road. Because we had spoken to the king saying. The hand of our God is upon those for good who seek him. But his power and His wrath. Are against all those who for sake him. So we fasten intreated and intreated or God for this. And he answered our prayer. I’ve already established that in as risk a. It could be very dangerous. You know today we know that there’s pirates out on the seas it just roam around looking for some ship that they might go and attack and rob them or do them harm. It wasn’t any different. Back in AS Hers day. I mean there’s nothing new under the sun. Folks. Nothing new under the sun. And as was day there would be travelling caravans. That would just prowl around through the desert. Looking for innocent civilians that they could rob or physically harm. So it was a dangerous time. But as are a hit already spoken to the king and said Our God is faithful. Or God watches over our God blesses those who seek him. God bless God has a longing to be with those who love him. So how could as we’re now go back to the king and say OK ing. Could you please give me a Garrus and of soldiers to help me I’m up people on my journey. The king would have said well what about your god that you’ve just been in here and said is so faithful. So faithful to be with you. He says I’m ashamed I cannot go to the king and asked. So as we’re had to live out. What he just spoke. He had to practice what he preached. You know I’ve heard the same many times there to be a Daniel dare to be a Daniel. Because Daniel was so faithful. Wobbly this morning we could say Dare to be an AS Her A. If you share with someone how faithful your god is I know that my God is going to heal that person that don’t go and say all there are so sick. So. God knows a dream of strength all on so start and we know we need to live out. What we speak. We need to practice what we preach us Karen just said there to be an Astro songs ninety one versus one through seven. I freak show in this whole chapter before but I’m going to read seven vs today. He who dwells in the secret place of the most High shall buy down to the shadow of the Almighty. Of children if you go outside and you stand there of the sun to your back. What’s going to be on the ground. Your shadow. And if you would tell. So if you were to tell your friend sailor. Get in my shadow. She’d have to stay pretty near to you wouldn’t she she couldn’t be up there and was running around and be in your shadow. Right. So if you’re going to draw near to God You’re going to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty you need to be near to him. Not far from him. That’s what this is all about being near to God. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. I will say of the Lord. He is my refuge in my fortress my God in Him I will trust. Again are we going to practice what we preach. Do you truly trust in him. Surely he shall deliver you from the snare the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with his feathers and wonder his wings you shall take refuge. His true shall be or shield him buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night nor the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that walks in darkness. Nor the destruction that lays wasted noonday a thousand may fall just side and ten thousand is your right hand. But it shall not come near you. Do you believe that today. That it shall not come near you. Shield means. Guarding by prickliness a buckler means completely to surround God is or buckler completely surround us. He is our only hope of security or only hope of security as are did more than that. Whenever the children of Israel came back to Jerusalem. They brought some of their always with them. They were still worshipping the false idols. They dinner married with the heathen nations around them. And here’s the most important part of the story of as ROOM. It broke his heart. When he seen what the children of Israel were doing it broke his heart. He tore his robe in the Homewood in self before God and he cried out to God God Father. We He didn’t say they he said we have sinned against you. We have sinned against you Father forgive us for we have sinned. That’s the greatest thing that makes as a famous. And my my Because he Homewood unself he sought the Lord God. And when the people saw all that M.. That as are humbled himself that he’s Tori’s road. Is some kinda their hearts they realize what they have done. Then they repented. They repented. Or we not sometimes guilty. When we look at our nation and think of how far we have fallen from God. Saying all what a wicked. Generation or what a wicked city that is or what a wicked bunch of people. All were not to be like as are in say Father forgive us. Forgive us for we have sinned. We have sinned against you the Lord. Here are cry Oh Lord. Here are a cry for our people. Lord he or land. Protect our land. He is the only one who can protect us. He has are only security. Our only peace. Jesus the Prince of Peace Amen amen. You know. Birds in your good get as we close you know. This think and. We’re just reminded of how violent things have become this past week. Another attack in this nation in California. How it ought to bring us to our knees and drollest nearer to God. And I’m going to do some a little different a small and will. Will sing or close in him. But instead of me to stand up here and pray and. I want to ask that we all join hands if we have to will. Will make a circle but I want to join hands join together. Be united in prayer. For those that lost loved ones in California and just for country in general. And I don’t want to just be the only one to pray if you feel God leading you or poking you to pray about something. Let’s join together. Today that as woman close or service Amen.