S. O. A. P.

Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!

S-cripture:

Ezra 3:3

Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.

O-bservation:

In 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, destroyed Solomon’s Temple and took the captive people of Israel to Babylon. This season of living in exile lasted for 70 years, until Cyrus the King of Persia allowed men like Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, and Ezra to lead people back to Jerusalem. Upon their return, before anything happened, the returning exiles first built an altar of prayer and sacrifice to the Lord.

A-pplication:

Whenever you’re in the process of launching or relaunching anything, always “Establish Your Headquarters first!” For Israel, their headquarters was always an altar of prayer and sacrifice unto the Lord. Make no mistake, you will need plans, strategies, money, workers, and a finish date. However, you need PRAYER first and foremost! Prayer is the generator for all things GOOD in the lives of “Jesus Followers.” The people of Israel had been exiled away from their land for 70 years. They learned a big lesson. Before we do anything else, we must first “Establish Our Headquarters!” Prayer always makes a way where there is no way.

P-rayer:

Dear Jesus,

I know it’s just one day, but for this day I once again want to establish my headquarters of prayer before You. I will return often during the course of this day. I wanted the enemy of my soul to be warned that I’m not on this mission alone! Amen