Daily Devotional
By Pastor Jerry Teboe
A Closer Walk with Christ in 2026
Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
As we have studied so far in the book of Ezra, we’ve seen the decree to return to Israel and rebuild the temple. Over 42,000 returned, but once they arrived, they encountered opposition. In chapters five and six, we find that those opposed to the construction of the new temple sent letters to Cyrus, the king of Persia, to stop the Jews. However, when the conflict was settled and it was verified that the Jews were indeed following the king’s command, construction was allowed to continue until the temple was rebuilt. All of that took over 15 years.
Once the temple was finished, Ezra was sent to Jerusalem to lead the worship because he was of the line of the high priests of Israel from the family of Aaron.
The thing that stands out about Ezra is that he had a genuine desire to know the Lord and serve Him. We see this clearly in today’s verse. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. The challenge for us is to set Ezra as an example for our own lives. He prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD. This should be the desire of every Christian. In order to understand our relationship with God, we need to know Him. We can only know Him through His Word.
A good friend and Bible teacher of ours was Mr. Don Kelso. When he was first saved, the man who led him to the Lord encouraged him to completely read through the New Testament. The following week he returned to his friend who had led him to the Lord and told him that he had read through the entire New Testament. His friend told him to read it again. When Mr. Kelso was reading it the second time, he stopped at Matthew 4:4 that says, …It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. As he thought on that verse, he said to himself, “If I am to live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God, then I need to know what the Bible says.” From that time on, he became a dedicated student of the Word of God. As a result of learning the Word, he then became an excellent teacher of the Word. This was the same in the life of Ezra, for it says of Ezra that he sought to learn the Word, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
Here is a great example of a man of God to take for our own lives. Ezra was a man used of God in a great way because he chose to put his life into the hands of God and to know the Word. We can become like Ezra by studying God’s Word daily, applying it, and then teaching others as we have been taught.
Bible Reading for the Year
July 24th, Psalms 47-49; Acts 26
Prayer Needs
Please continue to pray for Shirley Deans. Her white blood cell count is low, and she will have to take shots to increase it. Her next chemo is Thursday, the 30th. The following Monday she will have a shot to boost her white blood cell count.
Please continue to pray for Kenny Deans. He had an appointment on Tuesday, July 14th, with his kidney doctor. He had a scan of his kidneys; the scan shows some kidney stones, but treatment isn’t recommended as of yet.
Linda Franks’ surgery had to be rescheduled because she has a sinus infection and is on medication for it.
Continue to pray for Jennifer Teboe Buchamer. Please keep praying for complete healing. She will begin chemo treatment with an inhibiter pill next Thursday.
Please continue to pray for Dr. Joe Jordan. He is doing physical therapy but still has a long way to go. Pray for him to get stronger! He had an appointment with his hematologist on the 14th, and he began with the first of 5 shots to improve his red blood cell count on Tuesday the 21st.
Please pray for Lance and Erin Pippin. They left last Saturday morning for a mission’s trip to Mexico with YUGO ministries and arrived safely. They will be giving away clothes, food, and helping build houses. They return this coming Saturday. Pray for their safety and God’s blessing on their ministry.
Please continue to pray for Peggy Warren. She is facing some difficult challenges.
Please continue to pray for Robbie Harvey who has MAC lung disease. He seems some better, and the pain has decreased some.
Please pray for Carolyn Tyson’s sister, Shirley Deal. She now has an infection and is under hospital care.
Please continue to pray for Marvin Silverthorne for his eyesight to improve.
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Pray for our Missionaries!
Sue Singleton and the mission in Cambodia
Dr. Joe Jordan and the CBM (Cross and Bible Ministries)
Travis and Caroline Fennessy – IBM missionaries to Southeast Asia