This City, Fully Alive (May 6th)

Ezra 7:1, 6-10 (NIV)

After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra… ⁶ 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. ⁷ Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

⁸ Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. ⁹ He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. ¹⁰ For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

Revival is is birthed in an atmosphere of holiness.

Ezra 7:27-28 (NIV)

²⁷ Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way ²⁸and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Ezra 8:18

Because the gracious hand of our God was on us…

Ezra 8:22

The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him…

Ezra 8:31

The hand of our God was on us…