DCLM Daily Manna, Monday June 29, 2015 by Pastor Kumuyi – Sincere Concern

Topic: Sincere Concern [Monday June 29, 2015]

Text: Ezra 10:1-5

Key Verse: “Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore” (Ezra 10:1).

Walter J. Chantry, editor of “Banner of Truth” Magazine, noted: “Our Good Shepherd has become the model for other shepherds. His great concern is the good of the sheep. A good shepherd gives himself to the sheep. Jesus our Lord made every personal claim subservient to the blessing of his flock; even to giving His life that they might live.”

Our text reveals Ezra’s power of prayer. He soaked himself in prayer, confessing, weeping and casting himself down before God. Many people gathered around him. They did not just come to see what had come over him, but they also wept aloud because they too were sad about the sins of the people. Many of them had forsaken the covenant which God made with them. They went ahead to marry strange women, contrary to the counsel of God.

Shechaniah, one of the men, was equally sad because of the sins of the people. Though he was not married to a strange wife, he was sorrowful because some of his relatives did. He, however, knew there was still hope for Israel, especially because God still loved His people. But the people needed to turn away from their sins if they wanted God to forgive them.

Therefore, Shechaniah suggested to Ezra that the Jewish men who had already married strange wives and had children should send them away. Shecaniah pledged that the people would support Ezra in his task. Ezra agreed with the proposal and made all the people to promise to send their foreign wives away, which they did.

In our present dispensation, once marriage has been contracted, there is no divorce till death. It behoves all believers to live within the frontiers of God’s word. Unequal yoke in marriage or business is going against God’s commandment. And anything that is contrary to God’s commandment is sin.

Bible in One Year: Lamentations 4-5

Thought for the Day: God has promised forgiveness to penitent seekers.

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.