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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">“<font size="3"><b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font size="3"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3">Tel:
253-517-9195 - Email: <a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3">Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">www.2rbetter.org</a></font></b></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3"><a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">July 28, 2009<br></a></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font size="3"><b>T4801R
- EZRA-NEHEMIAH - OVERVIEW</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">“<font size="3"><b>THE
BIBLE AND COVENANT RENEWED”</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><b>1.
EZRA 2:1-2a (1-2) RESTORATION AND RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL. “Now
these are the children of the province, that went up out of the
captivity of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and that returned
unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; <font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1">2</font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2">
</font>who came with Zerubbabel.” </b><span style="">Jeremiah's
prophecy; Daniel's prayer; Your response, Father! You worked them
altogether for good! </span><b><i>Hallowed be your :name.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><b>2.
6:14 (3-6) TEMPLE REBUILT. “And the elders of the Jews built and
prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and
Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according
to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree
of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.” </b><span style="">We
bless You Father, for the ministry of Your prophets. We thank You for
restoring them again to the church at the end of this age. O may we
hear Your voice through them as You would speak through them! </span><b><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Your
:kingdom come.</span></i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><b>3.
9:9 (7-10) RETURN UNDER EZRA. “For we are bondmen; yet our God
has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended lovingkindness
unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving to
set up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us
a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.” </b><span style="">Fresh
grace following revival can be so swiftly sinned away! Forgive us in
our day as You forgave Israel in the days of Daniel and Ezra! </span><b><i>Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth. </i></b></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><b>4.
NEH 2:17 (1-2) RECONSTRUCTION OF WALL PLANNED. “Then said I unto
them, You see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste,
and the gates of it are burned with fire: come, and let us build up
the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.” </b><span style="">Forgive
us Father, that the spirit of Nehemiah is not more often among us! We
need to </span><u><span style="">meditate</span></u><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
upon Your word concerning Your servant, until he rubs off on us;
until You put this same spirit and determination in us also! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.</span></i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><b><span style="text-decoration: none;">5.
6:15-16 (3-6) RECONSTRUCTION OF WALL COMPLETED. “So the wall was
finished in the twenty and fifth </span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">day</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
of </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">the month</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
Elul, in </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>fifty and
two days</u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">.
</span></span><font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">16</span></span></font><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">of
it</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
that all the nations that were about us </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>feared</u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">,
and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that
this work was worked of our God.” </span></span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Hallelujah!
Victory for the forces of Righteousness! Right triumphs over might
through our God! </span></span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.</span></i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">6.
9:3 (7-10) RECONSTRUCTION OF PEOPLE THROUGH WORD. “And they
stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law (</span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Torah
or Teaching)</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
of Jehovah their God a fourth part of the day; and </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">another</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
fourth part they confessed, and worshiped Jehovah their God.” </span></span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Three
principles walked in Father, enable You always to deliver Your people
from backsliding. We pledge to walk likewise! </span></span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">And
bring us not into temptation.</span></i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">7.
12:30 (11-13) RECONSTRUCTION OF PEOPLE COMPLETED. “And the
priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the
people, and the gates, and the wall.” </span></span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">O
the lessons and principles we learn from this, Father! All things are
Yours. All we are and all we do is </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">for
Your pleasure</span></u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">!
</span></span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">But
deliver us from the evil </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">one.</span></span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><u><b><span style="font-style: normal;">NOTE</span></b></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">:
Alan Redpath from England came to lead the Moody Memorial Church of
Chicago in the '50's. He also introduced English Keswick to
Mid-America in 1955. But perhaps most significantly, he wrote books
on Ezra and Nehemiah, and pointed out the principles of success used
by these two leaders, and how we today can profit wonderfully by
them.!</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">I
served on the Africa Inland Mission Board of Mid-America under
Redpath for two years. I learned </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">much</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
from this man of courage, integrity and humility. On one occasion he
said “I find vital morning devotions the most difficult discipline
to maintain in my life.” This encouraged me! He also said, “A
person can be </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">orthodox</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
in doctrine - but </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">heretical</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
in spirit!” This latter has resonated with me strongly through the
years!</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">The
Rebuilding of the Temple under Ezra, and the Rebuilding of the Walls
of Jerusalem under Nehemiah, are most unusual feats of history in the
Old Testament. Consider the tremendous opposition of enemies they
</span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">both</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
faced in these two projects. Count on it - any great project assigned
by God, will raise up fierce opposition from Satan and his minions!
Consider the restoration of Israel to her land in 1948 after 2000
years, and what she has faced </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">every</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
year since!</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="left"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">It
pays to reread these two books again and again - to </span></span></span><u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">meditate</span></span></u><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
upon them, and to draw on God's grace to walk in the principles they
set forth by example before us. - J.A.W.</span></span></span></font></p>
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