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Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 12
Bending God’s Ear

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 86:8-17 | Nehemiah 3:15-5:13 | 1 Cor. 7:25-40 | Proverbs 21:5-7

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalm 86

“Bend an ear, God; answer me” (Psalm 86:1 The Message)

“Teach me, your way O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I will praise, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.” (Psalm 86:11-12 NIV)

We’ve looked for God’s eye to watch over us and his hand to bless us. Today, David is looking for God’s ear. He is looking for God to hear and answer his prayer. He finds himself in a desperate situation, and he is looking for someone to talk to, someone who can protect and save him.

David knew where to turn. He…

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 11
Constructive Praying

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 86:1-7 | Nehemiah 1:1 — 3:14 | 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 | Proverbs 21: 1-2

Today’s Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 1-3

“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” (Nehemiah 1:11 NIV)

Cupbearers tend to be men of prayer (being the guinea pig for possible poisoning will bring on that tendency). Contractors tend to be men of action. Nehemiah was both. A Burdened heart led to powerful intercession. The struggle of prayer led to an open door by the blessing of God. A praying cupbearer was given opportunity to put feet to his prayers.

The King saw Nehemiah’s distress and asked…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 10
Hope for the Hopeless

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 85:8-13 | Ezra 10:1-44 | 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 | Proverbs 21:3

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ezra 10

“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.” (Ezra 10:2 NIV)

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” “There is always hope.” How do these two expressions fit together? Somehow Ezra’s story twists and turns through those two clichés. Maybe the hybrid expression would be: “It’s tough to teach an old dog new tricks, but there is always hope.”

The “old dogs” of Judah are returning to their old ways. God had been faithful to them, yet they once again proved to be hopelessly faithless. God had warned them about the effects of marrying the Canaanite…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 9
Seeking the Blessing of God

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 85:1-7 | Ezra 8:21 – 9:15 | 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 | Proverbs 21:1-2

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ezra 8:21 – 9:15

“‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.’ So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” (Ezra 8:22-23 NIV)

Yesterday we saw that the blessing of God was upon Ezra because he studied and obeyed the word of God.  He was devoted to the word of the Lord and it brought the blessing (the hand) of God.  

Today we see that the blessing of God (his gracious hand) comes through prayer—intense prayer (such as fasting and prayer).  God was showing his blessing in many ways, but there was continued need for the blessing of…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 8
The Hand of the Lord

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 84:9-12 | Ezra 7:1 – 8:20 | 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 | Proverbs 20: 28-30

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ezra 7:1 – 8:20

This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. (Ezra 7:6 NIV)

In yesterday’s reading we saw that the “eye of God” was upon his people. He was watching over them–he knew their problems and was acting on their behalf. It is a comforting truth that we all need to hear.

This passage repeatedly mentions the “hand of the Lord.” God blessed Ezra in extraordinary ways because “the hand of the Lord” was “on…

From Open Up Your Heart by jeff Syverson

August 7
The Eye of God

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 84:5-8 | Ezra 5:1 – 6:22 | 1 Corinthians 3:5-23 | Proverbs 20: 26-27

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ezra 5:1 – 6:22

“But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped.” (Ezra 5:5 NIV)

God has been watching his people. As they’ve begun to turn to him, he’s turned toward them; he’s watching out for them.

The story of Ezra is the story of God turning his face of blessing toward his people after a time of judgment. The people had been idolatrous and rebellious under the Kings of Judah and had been taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked king of Babylon.

Prophets like Jeremiah and Habakkuk saw it coming, and lamented and wept that the people of God could fall so…

From Open Up Your Heart

August 6
Nursery Duty

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 84:1:4| Ezra 3:1 – 4:24| 1 Cor. 2:6 – 3:4|Proverbs 20:24-25

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 2:6- 3:4

“But as for right now, friends, I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealing with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then I’ll nurse you since you don’t seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything’s going your way?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3 The Message)

I love kids, but I have often been glad that my preaching and teaching schedule conflicts with the nursery schedule—because I’d be horrible in the nursery. Once they can walk…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 5
The Foolishness of Brilliance

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 83:9-16 | Ezra 1:1 – 2:70 |
1 Corinthians 1:18 – 2:5 | Proverbs 20:22-23

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 1

“I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 NLT)

I was invited to the home of two college professors to fellowship with one of their colleagues. They all had advanced degrees in science—mostly chemistry. Often the conversation moved toward advanced topics in chemistry. I’m sure the conversation was brilliant. But to me it seemed like foolishness. It was over my head. I didn’t get it.

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 4
Plastic Prayers Make Plastic Churchgoers

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 83:1-8 | 2 Chronicles 35:1 – 36:23 | 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 | Proverbs 20:20-21

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalm 83

“God, don’t shut me out; don’t give me the silent treatment, O God. Your enemies are out there whooping it up, the God-haters are living it up; They’re plotting to do your people in, conspiring to rob you of your precious ones.” (Psalm 83:1-2 The Message)

Ron Mortoia, in his book Morph! tells of a conversation on the golf course with an unchurched man. The man’s observation:

“People who go to church just aren’t real. I don’t think they’re trying to be deceptive, they just seem fake and act like their lives are better than I know they really are.”

Ron comments: “The charge against the church used to be that it…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 3
Amazing Grace!

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 82:1-8| 2 Chronicles 33:14 – 34:33| Romans 16:8-27| Proverbs 20:19

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 33:1 – 34:33

“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea. So he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.” (2 Chronicles 33:13 NIV)

Grace always amazes me—especially when I find it’s sweet sound in unexpected places. There was a day when I was surprised to find grace in the Old Testament at all, but now I see it all the time. But this story of Manasseh is more unexpected than most—I’m still amazed by it. Here…