Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-08-18

Religious Teachers a "eeN "''1 ''''
porIunity'
III. Leader-Ezra CELLO.
Who he was (vv. 1-6. ~ A
.,lost wv 1.5). The leader of the first
paIo was Zerubbabel, a sort OF
altar, . governor. The great need now
~ns far a religious leader, for the
nsonIe had gone far from God, as we
COO from the noble reforms when
T erected. (2) A ready scribe
~ q, He was a teacher of the law
Of God.
HIS high ambition w. 7-10).
m ole set his heart to seek the law
of the Lord" ". 100. He definitely set
ont with the noble purpose to know
Gods Word. To be successful in any
thing one must set out with a purpose.
Danial was a success because he ''pur-
nosed in his heart Ministers and
Snpday-scbool teachers should have
This set purpose. (2) He set his heart
to obey the Lord ". 10). He was not
only concerned with knowing Gods
Word. but to obey it, Gods Word cam
not fully be known by the intellect;
II must be experienced. The essential
modification for a teacher Of the Bible,
a preacher or Sunday-schOOl teacher,
is obedience to Gods Word. go He
set his heart to teach Israel Gods
statutes and judgments ". 10). He not
only had love for Gods Word, but a
desire to implant it in the hearts of
others. When one has an experiential
knowledge Of Gods Word he longs to
teach it to others.
3. His commission (7:11-26). The
king ArtaXerXcs gave him copy of
the decree authorizing him to lead a
company back to Jerusalem. He was
empowered ~ to collect funds wv.
u, 16); (2) to levy tribute wv. 81,
22) 81 to appoint magistrates and
judges ". 20; (4) to execute pen
alties ". 26), SO great was the kings
confidence in Ezra that he gave all
%ihese powers into his hand. For this
n great honor Ezra lifted his heart to
God in thanksgiving. He was mainly
concerned with the fact that he was
TO beautify the Lords house and
acknowledge that God had put this
purpose into the kings heart.
II. The Company (S:1-20).
The company was small-only 1854
males, but including women, children
and servants, there were perhaps 5000
to 1900 people in this caravan.
Ill. Ezra's Prayer and Fasting
t8:21-23).
The first thing he did was to seek
Gods guidance. Not only Gods lead
ers, but all Christians should seek
divine guidance and help in every un-
dertaking-eyery new journey, every
piece Of new work, every business "A
venture, every relationship Tat
which we cannot invoke Gods bl.7.
ing upon should not be undertaken.
FURTHER, success can only be realized
when Gods blessing is upon us He
uia not minimize the dangers attend.
ing such a Journey but he had told
'ne KING that the hand of the Lord
would be upon all for good who sought
num- and now he was ashamed 70 osk
the King for a military escort 70 nro.
tect them from the marauding Arabs.
". The succeesfp, ,.. ~ >' 49,
32). ''"'"ey 'o;ZA-
God heard their prayer. The treas.
ure entrusted TO them was great per-
maps the entire value of all the money
e.C' was 100000 For a weak cara.
n van TO go on a journey requiring four
l mon'llS through a country infested nv
neSe fobher bands, carving sucb on
am amount OF money was most perjIous
Out Ezra knew that God was ahla and
"oulu protect them. Note,
rs l., Inc care and honesty wv. 24.3m
t me money was weighed unto Them Of u
tn e start and was to be weighed when
J 10, usu over to the authorities a,
a and "s ssI,l. The Incentive to honesty
anu Slfict accounting of the trnst wos
. .."' lney We're holy men and woro o ~
Ca 9S,eG with that which was HOLY ba.
i fol'e 1t belonged to God. Most avo vt
dgnn care should be exercised in hun,
o arn, the Lords money. We sbn~ ",i
guard sacredly our trust " 'nouio
some four and oDe.ba1f n Wv, o. %
proved T b, 10 make the journey. God
!. protected ''" tS to be faithful, having
4 safely to ., them and brought them
~ " uelr destination.
"a AN Ovars...