God's blessing matters.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
Ezra 7:27-28 (ESV)
 
God's blessing matters. When His hand is on you, no other hand matters. The "powers that be" may seem difficult to work with and may try to hinder God's work. Yet, as we have seen repeatedly, God sharpens our vision when the enemy tries to blur our focus.
 
Hard times have never really hindered the work of God or His people, for His ways are more clearly defined in them. Faith is not evidenced in sight. Courage can never be seen in comfort. Character cannot be demonstrated during the easy times, and God is often forgotten when times are good.



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