DEVOTION TO JESUS

Although the book of Ezra shows Yahweh keeping his word to return Israel from captivity, the book makes me sad. The sad part is the continued failiures of the Jews. Sad fact #1: only 43,859 Jews returned from Baylon. The rest stayed there, as we saw in the Pastor's sermons on Esther. For those who stayed in Babylon\Persia, their physical comfort, possessions and position meant more to them that God's covenant and promises.


The world is a powerful draw, isn't it? The Jews succumbed to it reapeatedly. So do we. But jesus warned us repeatedly not to. He told us we cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24) He himself was offered the whole world, but turned it down to worship God. (Matthew 4:9)


Remember that Jesus did not ask us to make him a prioirty. He demanded that we make him our master. The Greek word for Lord means the master of a slave. So Paul called himself. (Romans 1:1) Peter did also. (2 Peter 1:1) Even James did not identify himself as the brother of Jesus, but as his servant. (James 1:1) The other brother, Jude, did the same. (Jude 1) John called us all the servants of Jesus. (Revelation 1:1)


I pray I will not be conformed to this world, but transformed to be like Christ and devoted completely to him. (Romans 12:1-2)