Month: July 2016

Worship God

And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law

Nehemiah 8:3
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground

1 Timothy 2:8
I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling

2 Chronicles 20:18
Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord

Exodus 4:31
And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped

Genesis 24:25
The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master

I wonder if we have lost sight of the reverence we should have to God.  Most of us were taught to bow our heads to pray but the reason behind it was not reinforced or explained.  God, the creator of all there is, is a Holy God far above our understanding. Yet He has reached out to His creation in steadfast love and we mediocarlly approach His holiness and this love.  Are we in a state of thankfulness, humbleness, reverence, hopefulness, willingness, faithfulness, seeking to continually worship Him or do we see Him as the great ATM machine where we stick in our wanting prayer expecting answered prayer to come out.  Our God is deserving of so much more from each one of us.  Our days should be filled with desire to worship Him with our whole mind, heart and soul for the purpose of honoring and glorifying Him.  Lift up your hands, bow your knee and head – give Praise to the Great I Am – God.

Bring the Book

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
He will render to each one according to his works

Nehemiah 8:1
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard.

Ezra 7:6
this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him

Deuteronomy 28:61
Every sickness also and every affliction that is not recorded in the book of this law, the Lord will bring upon you, until you are destroyed. Whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God. And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you

Chronicles 34:19
And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.

After the walls were build and the gates repaired the people asked Ezra to read the Law of Moses.  All men and women who were able to understand were present and WANTED to hear these words.  There are many scriptures that speak of what happened to God’s chosen when they did not obey Him.  This should not be lost on anyone of us.  God established a new covenant through Christ – and as Paul put it “a new and better way”.  We live in a time of grace and mercy but scripture is clear that there is a time of judgement and reward coming.  I wonder if we spend much time on thinking about this.  What will be be held accountable for – when we are asked to love God with our whole heart, mind and soul, or love your neighbor as yourself, or take care of widows and orphans, or train up your self to be a workman not ashamed, or go make disciples, or fear not for I am with  you, or praise God continuously, or pray without stoping, or trusting in, relying on, clinging to God…..  The list can go on and on where by we fall short.  We must start by desiring God and then through His word grow in our understanding of what His purpose is for our life that brings honor and glory to Him.  There is so much more to being a child of His than going to church every Sunday.  It is living every day with thought of His purpose.

Trouble Makers

O God, strengthen my hands

Nehemiah 6:1
Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it ( although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah. ’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

There are always those around us that do not want to see success God has given to us.  When God has placed within your heart a plan, Nehemiah is a good example of a person of God who knew God’s plan and that His hand was in it no matter what obstacles or hinderances came his way.  It is easy to fear the unknown and stop.  Standing firm and trusting that God is in control requires FAITH.  Faith that no matter what the circumstance, no matter what the uncertainty, no matter how impossible it seems, holds firm to God.  How many times does scripture say He is our Rock, our Fortress, our Strength, our Hope, our Deliverer, our Joy, our Rest…… In times of uncertainty trust in Him alone.

Imitate Me?

“being examples to the flock”

Nehemiah 5:14
Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty- second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

2 Thessalonians 3:7
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate

Philippians 3:17
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us

Titus 2:7
Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works

Nehemiah had a heart for the people and did not claim rights to what he easily could have.  He chose to have the burden fall on him rather than others.  He is an example of a true servant.  Our best example is Christ who gave His life for us.  Yet scripture is full of those who either were examples to follow or not to follow.  Searching our heart for what we are keeping for ourselves and what we generously give is a good place to start each day.  Asking God to speak to our heart and then having our ears open to where He is leading, topped off with a desire to obey Him is the beginning of bringing honor and glory to Him.  I must confess I do not ask myself often enough for His leading in this area but I think it is something  to be more diligent in doing.  When I read these scriptures I wonder if I am willing to say “imitate me”.  A very good question to ask God as you look in the mirror each morning is “what am I doing that people should imitate that brings You honor and glory”.  And as well “what am I doing that does not and needs to stop”.  Above all else, we all need to have a heart’s desire  to “Obey, Honor and Glorify Him”

Shake the Dust

“Your blood be on your own heads!”

Nehemiah 5:13
I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

Matthew 10:14
And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Acts 18:6
And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.

Ezekiel 33:6
“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

We are given multiple examples of warning – shaking out the dust from your garment showing you wash your hands of it.  You have done all you can and now it is left upon that person or group.  I wonder if we do not take living in a time of God’s grace and mercy serious.  Do we so caught up in busyness of life that we lose sight of what is expected of us in our daily walk with Him.  Do we set our expectations well below what it means to be living for and following Him?  Stop and ask yourself what would you expect to see from a life that was committed to living for and following Him.  Would you see more humbleness, joy, giving, serving, hope, love, praise, study, worship, peace…….. It does not take long to come up with a list of what we would expect in a very short time.  Choosing to serve and follow Him requires a desire to know Him and seeking what His purpose is for your day and life.  Come to Him with a desire to serve and be used by Him.