Have you given up on someone? Maybe it’s a friend, a family member, your boss, or co-worker that are so set in their ways. Some  have given up on the church while others have given up on government and the political process. Today so many people are feeling disenchanted & frustrated. Good News, this is not new. There is a proven solution.

The solution is found in God’s Word. Think about this. God’s people were defeated and carried to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar because of their rebellion against God. “Under Nebuchadnezzar, Jews were treated harshly, with Jerusalem destroyed and many exiled to Babylon.” (Google) Four more kings followed Nebuchadnezzar with their evil ways. This legacy changed suddenly one night. “That very night, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.” The Jews, still in exile are under the rule of the Mede/Persians who do not worship God. This is a hopeless situation.

So, here’s the situation. God has promised His people, the Jews will be in exile for 70 years. Time is about up. How would you get God’s people back to the Promise Land? Remember Babylonians & Mede/Persians are powerful pagan empires. Humanly this is not going to happen. “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” (Matthew 19:26) Buried like treasure in Ezra 1:1 “…the Lord stirred the heart of Cyrus king of Persia…” we discover only God has the power to orchestrate & move people, events & conditions. Even a pagan king.

I challenge you to read Ezra 1. You will find not only did this pagan king allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, but he ordered the return of the gold & silver taken from the Temple under Nebuchadnezzar. He even encouraged people to give offerings for the work. To prove that God has this Power listen to what the king wrote in his proclamation. “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.” (Ezra 1:1)

BAM! God moved the heart of a king! He is the same God that dealt with Pharaoh’s heart that led another redemption of God’s People. Maybe you are thinking that was back in the Old Testament, which does not apply to today. Question, where in the Bible does God say that? First it is against God’s nature to change. “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.” Hebrews 6:17

Then maybe you are thinking “I need to be more engaged in the political process.” Yes, but read your Bible. How did Daniel & his buddies…how did Jesus, Paul and the disciples deal with the persecutions of their time? They drew closer to the Lord through prayer & study of His Word. They trusted God. We are called to follow their examples not the world’s way.

I believe God gave Isaiah this verse for such a time. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My (God) ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Let these words that God gave to Paul sink deep into your heart, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12