God Moves Hearts Ezra 1:1-3 Ezra 1:5 Jeremiah 29:10-13 Proverbs 21:1 Isaiah 45:1-7 Isaiah 46:8-11 11.06.20

GOD MOVES HEARTS

BREAD

¹ In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing: ² “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. ³ Anyone of his people among you--may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.’”  Ezra 1:1-3 (NIV)

 

⁵ Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites--everyone whose heart God had moved--prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.   Ezra 1:5 (NIV)

 

¹⁰ This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:10-13 (NIV)

 

¹ The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.  Proverbs 21:1 (NIV)

 

¹ “This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: ² I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.  ³ I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.  ⁴ For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.  ⁵ I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, ⁶ so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me.  I am the LORD, and there is no other. ⁷ I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.”  Isaiah 45:1-7 (NIV)

 

⁸ “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.  ⁹ Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.  ¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.  ¹¹ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.  What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.”  Isaiah 46:8-11 (NIV)

 

BUTTER

“Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt upon their most haughty foes.  We know that our enemies are attempting impossibilities…When the Lord arises, they shall fly as chaff before the wind, and be consumed as crackling thorns.  Their utter powerlessness to do damage to the cause of God and His truth may make the weakest soldiers in Zion’s ranks laugh them to scorn.  Above all, we know that the Most High is with us, and when He dresses Himself in arms, where are His enemies?  The kingdom is safe in the King’s hands.”  Charles H. Spurgeon

“God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.   Deep in unfathomable mines of never failing skill He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will.  Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break in blessing on your head.  Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan His work in vain; God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.”   William Cowper  

 

“God is indeed the Sovereign of all things, the One to whom all creatures are accountable and whom all should glorify. He is under no obligation to repay anyone, for no one has ever given Him anything. Paul concluded, For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. God is the first Cause, the effective Cause, and the final Cause of everything. His deep ways are beyond man's discovering; beyond man's knowing, beyond man's counseling, and beyond man's giving. “All things” come from Him and by means of Him and are for Him and His glory. Therefore, To Him be the glory forever! Amen. God is the only proper One to magnify. The all-sovereign God deserves the praise of all His creatures.”    Bible Knowledge Commentary

 

“From where we stand, we can’t see whether it’s something’s good or bad. All we can see is that God’s sovereign and He is always good, working all things for good.”   Ann Voskamp

 

“Who is on the Lord’s side?  Who will serve the King?  Who will be His helpers, Other lives to bring?   Who will leave the world’s side?  Who will face the foe?  Who is on the Lord’s side?  Who for Him will go?  By Thy call of mercy, By Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord’s side – Savior, we are Thine.  Not for weight of glory, Not for crown and palm, Enter we the army, Raise the warrior psalm; But for love that claimeth Lives for whom He died; He whom Jesus nameth Must be on His side.  By Thy love constraining, By Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord’s side – Savior we are Thine.  Fierce may be the conflict, Strong may be the foe, But the King’s own army None can overthrow.  Round His standard ranging, Victory to secure, For His truth unchanging Makes the triumph sure.  Joyfully enlisting By Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord’s side – Savior, we are Thine.”   Frances R. Havergal

 

“Fewer doctrines of the Christian faith are more comforting than the sovereignty of God. It humbles you in good seasons, provides hope in hard seasons, and gives joy in all seasons. The doctrine of God's sovereignty is a constant nourishment for the soul. The sovereignty of God is a sweet pillow that you can lay your head on at night. It is a beautiful truth not only that God is in control over all, but is also working everything out- the good and the bad--for your good and for His glory. This sweet doctrine is medicine for the soul that you can take in any season of life.”  David Qaoud 

“Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed, finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.”   Frances Havergal

“What you think you can’t handle — might actually be God handing you a gift. And I think of everything I have chaffed against and railed about and howled to the heavens and who am I to know what is best or not — but when you bow and surrender to the sovereignty of God then you are in the posture to receive all as a gift.”  Ann Voskamp

“The lion does not have the last say. God does.  The night Jesus was arrested, satanic power was in full force (Luke 22:3, 31). And Jesus spoke into that situation one of his most sovereign words. He said to those who came to arrest him in the dark, ‘Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness’ (Luke 22:52-53). The jaws of the lion close on me tonight no sooner and no later than my Father planned. ‘No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord’ (John 10:18). Boast not yourself over the hand that made you, Satan. You have one hour. What you do, do quickly. God is sovereign over Satan’s hand in persecution.”  John Piper

“We must declare the love of God in Christ Jesus. Always keep His abounding mercy connected to His unerring justice. Never exalt one attribute at the expense of another. Let boundless mercy be seen in calm consistency with stern justice and unlimited sovereignty.”   C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair Begg

HEART SAVOR

·         God is in control of all things – no plan of His can be thwarted.

·         God moves the king’s heart like a watercourse any way He desires.

·         Remember this and fix it in your mind – God is God and there is no other.  His purposes will stand and He will do all that He pleases.