Today's reading: Nehemiah 8, 9, 10; Psalm 23, 53, 83, 113, 143; Proverbs 23
Nehemiah 9:20, "Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst."
To this day I am reminded of one of my least shining moments in life. I remember well how I was preaching at the Church we were attending at the time. I wanted to relate to the people how God had spoken to me and given me that message that I had prepared for that evening. I said, "Picture this. I was standing in the shower with shampoo running out of my hair." All of a sudden the entire Church erupted into laughter. I had no idea what I had just said. I had just told the entire Church to picture me naked, in the shower with shampoo running out of my hair. Oops! My wife asked me at dinner after the service if I realized what I said. I had no idea.
Now, I know that was not from the Holy Spirit. I am thankful for the times that I have stood to preach or teach God's word and He was manifested through it. It is such an awesome experience to be used by God and to know that He is in control. It is times like this that you see things happen that please God.
I remember one time early on in my ministry when someone trusted Christ as an indirect result of the message that God had given me. One of the teens from the Church was under conviction and another teenager talked with him after the service and he trust Christ as his Saviour. Praise God!
The Scripture today reminded me how that I do not do things on my own. I need to do them in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the book of Acts we are told that we will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes on us (Acts 1:8). The word power in that verse is the Greek word from which we get our English word dynamite. We can be empowered by someone that is all powerful.
If we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit we can live a life that God will bless. Look at Nehemiah 10:28-29, "And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;" God will work through us if we will yield ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Who is leading you?
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
May 22, 2010
Today's reading: Nehemiah 5, 6, 7; Psalm 22, 52, 82, 112, 132; Proverbs 22
Nehemiah 6:2-3, "That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?"
I was thinking about some of the men who I have called my Pastor over the years. I have had the privilege of having some of the greatest men in the Christian realm as my Pastor over the years. I still to this day have great respect for these men. There are some men that I don't not have any respect for at all. God knows. One thing I know is that all of these men have done their best to give me what they believed to be godly counsel from God's word. For this I am truly grateful.
There have been those in my life who have done their best to stop me or even slow me down. Sometimes it has worked and sometimes it has not. God forgive me for not being fervent in my service to You!
I remember hearing a sermon several years back titled something like, "What Will it Take to Stop You?" I don't want to think on this line. However; I need to build a defense against those things that the enemy of our soul throws out there to stop me and you.
Look at Nehemiah 6:10-12, "Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him." This is the second time recorded in chapter six (6) alone that someone has tried to get Nehemiah off track or to stop the work.
So, friend, what will it take to stop you? Are you sure about that?
Nehemiah 6:2-3, "That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?"
I was thinking about some of the men who I have called my Pastor over the years. I have had the privilege of having some of the greatest men in the Christian realm as my Pastor over the years. I still to this day have great respect for these men. There are some men that I don't not have any respect for at all. God knows. One thing I know is that all of these men have done their best to give me what they believed to be godly counsel from God's word. For this I am truly grateful.
There have been those in my life who have done their best to stop me or even slow me down. Sometimes it has worked and sometimes it has not. God forgive me for not being fervent in my service to You!
I remember hearing a sermon several years back titled something like, "What Will it Take to Stop You?" I don't want to think on this line. However; I need to build a defense against those things that the enemy of our soul throws out there to stop me and you.
Look at Nehemiah 6:10-12, "Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him." This is the second time recorded in chapter six (6) alone that someone has tried to get Nehemiah off track or to stop the work.
So, friend, what will it take to stop you? Are you sure about that?
Friday, May 21, 2010
May 21, 2010
Today's reading: Nehemiah 2, 3, 4; Psalm 21, 51, 81, 111, 141; Proverbs 21
Psalm 51:18, "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem."
Today's verse jumped out at me while I was reading through the book of Nehemiah. I know, how did that happen? Well the Holy Spirit brought it to me feeble mind. I would like to concentrate today on the last part of the verse, 'build thou the walls of Jerusalem." I think we can learn some thing from Nehemiah. Let's take a look.
If we are going to rebuild we are going to have to make intercession. Look at Nehemiah 2:4, "Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven." There are far too many people out there in the realm of Christianity that is trying to do their own thing their own way. We need to be people of prayer. We must seek God's will so that it can be done God's way. Prayer is one of the most important tools in the Christian's tool box.
If we are going to rebuild were have to make an inspection. Nehemiah 2:13, "And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire." Nehemiah was going around the city and getting a true vision of the work to be done. I don't mean we need to look and see if we can complete it or not. Leave that to God if He has called you to the work. Take a look around and see if you will need the help of others and seek it. By surveying the city we see that Nehemiah got a deeper burden for the work as he surveyed the city setting in ruins.
If we are going to rebuild we will have to make interest in rebuilding. People must see the need to rebuild. Nehemiah 2:17-18, "Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work." I remember reading a book on leadership and the author said if you are in a position of leadership and you see this as a journey with others following you and you take a look back and nobody is following you then you are just out for a walk. (This was not even close to an exact quote.)
If we are going to rebuild we must have inspiration. Nehemiah 2:20, "Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem." Sometimes it is hard to motivate people. Notice the motivation here. If you don't help then you do not belong. Wow! That was real motivation. This will come as they see the burden for the work and let God speak to them about the work.
When all of this comes in line then you see what happens in Nehemiah 4:17, "They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon." May God enable each one of us to do His work His way.
So how are you doing?
Psalm 51:18, "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem."
Today's verse jumped out at me while I was reading through the book of Nehemiah. I know, how did that happen? Well the Holy Spirit brought it to me feeble mind. I would like to concentrate today on the last part of the verse, 'build thou the walls of Jerusalem." I think we can learn some thing from Nehemiah. Let's take a look.
If we are going to rebuild we are going to have to make intercession. Look at Nehemiah 2:4, "Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven." There are far too many people out there in the realm of Christianity that is trying to do their own thing their own way. We need to be people of prayer. We must seek God's will so that it can be done God's way. Prayer is one of the most important tools in the Christian's tool box.
If we are going to rebuild were have to make an inspection. Nehemiah 2:13, "And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire." Nehemiah was going around the city and getting a true vision of the work to be done. I don't mean we need to look and see if we can complete it or not. Leave that to God if He has called you to the work. Take a look around and see if you will need the help of others and seek it. By surveying the city we see that Nehemiah got a deeper burden for the work as he surveyed the city setting in ruins.
If we are going to rebuild we will have to make interest in rebuilding. People must see the need to rebuild. Nehemiah 2:17-18, "Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work." I remember reading a book on leadership and the author said if you are in a position of leadership and you see this as a journey with others following you and you take a look back and nobody is following you then you are just out for a walk. (This was not even close to an exact quote.)
If we are going to rebuild we must have inspiration. Nehemiah 2:20, "Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem." Sometimes it is hard to motivate people. Notice the motivation here. If you don't help then you do not belong. Wow! That was real motivation. This will come as they see the burden for the work and let God speak to them about the work.
When all of this comes in line then you see what happens in Nehemiah 4:17, "They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon." May God enable each one of us to do His work His way.
So how are you doing?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
May 20, 2010
Today's reading: Ezra 9, 10; Nehemiah 1; Psalm 20, 50, 80, 110, 140; Proverbs 20
Ezra 9:13, "And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;"
Many years ago I received a new BB gun for my birthday. It was a Crossman 760. You had to pump it up to get it to shoot as there was no CO2 cartridge to propel the projectile.
I remember the day that I took my BB gun out into the backyard and set it on the fence of our side yard and put a neighbor boy in my sights. I had pumped and pumped that thing up. I pulled the trigger and heard the rush of air that sent the BB flying. I remember hearing Neal yell in pain. Most of all I remember hearing the knock at the front door when Mrs. Robinson came over. Still today my stomach sinks thinking about it.
My punishment was pretty severe. I lost my BB gun for an entire year and I had to apologize to Neal. Oh yes, there was the spanking also. Even though I felt the punishment fit the crime, I am sure that it did not really. Oh, Neal lived and has grown up to be an adult. If that had happened today I would probably be writing this from a prison cell at the very least. God is merciful!
The reason for the trip down not so pleasant memory lane is because I was caught by the phrase, "God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve,". If we got what we deserve it would be hell; but, because of the love and mercy of God we can be spared that reality. The thing is that you must know Him personally. It is my wish that you do. If you do not please get to know Him very soon. We are running out of time.
Ezra 9:13, "And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;"
Many years ago I received a new BB gun for my birthday. It was a Crossman 760. You had to pump it up to get it to shoot as there was no CO2 cartridge to propel the projectile.
I remember the day that I took my BB gun out into the backyard and set it on the fence of our side yard and put a neighbor boy in my sights. I had pumped and pumped that thing up. I pulled the trigger and heard the rush of air that sent the BB flying. I remember hearing Neal yell in pain. Most of all I remember hearing the knock at the front door when Mrs. Robinson came over. Still today my stomach sinks thinking about it.
My punishment was pretty severe. I lost my BB gun for an entire year and I had to apologize to Neal. Oh yes, there was the spanking also. Even though I felt the punishment fit the crime, I am sure that it did not really. Oh, Neal lived and has grown up to be an adult. If that had happened today I would probably be writing this from a prison cell at the very least. God is merciful!
The reason for the trip down not so pleasant memory lane is because I was caught by the phrase, "God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve,". If we got what we deserve it would be hell; but, because of the love and mercy of God we can be spared that reality. The thing is that you must know Him personally. It is my wish that you do. If you do not please get to know Him very soon. We are running out of time.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
May 19, 2010
Today's reading: Ezra 6, 7, 8; Psalm 19, 49, 79, 109, 139; Proverbs 9
Ezra 6:1-3, "Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;"
I went and visited a friend a couple weeks ago. I had not stopped in and visited him for a while. When I arrived at his house he was getting ready to go fishing the next day. We had a good visit. I enjoy talking about fishing. I don't know nearly as much about it as I would like to know. As we talked he would explain to me what he was doing and why he was doing it. He even explained why he did it in the way he did it. I learned a lot. All I need now is a boat. Ha!
I remember how he poured over every detail and made sure that he had tools in case the boat broke down in the middle of the lake. He put certain lures in certain boxes and then put them in certain compartments in the boat. There was a method to everything he did. It was a great amount of preparation.
However, it was all for naught. As my friend began to navigate the idle zone wanting to get to the end so he could open up the motor and let his boat skim across the water and tremendous speeds it sputtered and died. Yes, it died. All the work he had done the day before was for naught!
I am glad it is not this way with the Lord. If we prepare to meet Him and do it His way then we are assured that He will be there right on time. Every time!
Look at Ezra 7:10, "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." Here is where we need to live. We need to constantly be preparing our heart to seek the Lord. Amen!
So, how is your preparation coming along?
Ezra 6:1-3, "Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;"
I went and visited a friend a couple weeks ago. I had not stopped in and visited him for a while. When I arrived at his house he was getting ready to go fishing the next day. We had a good visit. I enjoy talking about fishing. I don't know nearly as much about it as I would like to know. As we talked he would explain to me what he was doing and why he was doing it. He even explained why he did it in the way he did it. I learned a lot. All I need now is a boat. Ha!
I remember how he poured over every detail and made sure that he had tools in case the boat broke down in the middle of the lake. He put certain lures in certain boxes and then put them in certain compartments in the boat. There was a method to everything he did. It was a great amount of preparation.
However, it was all for naught. As my friend began to navigate the idle zone wanting to get to the end so he could open up the motor and let his boat skim across the water and tremendous speeds it sputtered and died. Yes, it died. All the work he had done the day before was for naught!
I am glad it is not this way with the Lord. If we prepare to meet Him and do it His way then we are assured that He will be there right on time. Every time!
Look at Ezra 7:10, "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." Here is where we need to live. We need to constantly be preparing our heart to seek the Lord. Amen!
So, how is your preparation coming along?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
May 18, 2010
Today's reading: Ezra 3, 4, 5; Psalm 18, 48, 78, 108, 138; Proverbs 18
Psalm 138:2, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
Today there is attack after attack on the Word of God. Man tries so hard to discredit the Scriptures by many different means. They have a wrong view of God's Word. This is so sad because It has all the answers to all of life's trials and tribulations.
God has put such a high price tag on the Scriptures that our text says, "for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." That is putting the Scriptures in a very high place. They are to be highly esteemed. What is your attitude toward the Scriptures? Is it just another book to you? I hope not. God intends you and I to hold His Word in high regard and to treat It for what It is; The Word of God.
The other day I was spending some time in prayer and God spoke to me and gave me two (2) new sermons. This always thrills my soul when this happens. I think He did that because I had filled my heart with His Word the night before in a revival meeting at another Church. Yes, we went to Church on Monday night too. Radical, I know. The words just flowed on to the paper I had in front of me. It came from the Holy Spirit ministering the Word of God to my heart and then on the paper. What an awesome thing to be used of God this way.
What is your attitude toward the Scriptures today?
Psalm 138:2, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
Today there is attack after attack on the Word of God. Man tries so hard to discredit the Scriptures by many different means. They have a wrong view of God's Word. This is so sad because It has all the answers to all of life's trials and tribulations.
God has put such a high price tag on the Scriptures that our text says, "for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." That is putting the Scriptures in a very high place. They are to be highly esteemed. What is your attitude toward the Scriptures? Is it just another book to you? I hope not. God intends you and I to hold His Word in high regard and to treat It for what It is; The Word of God.
The other day I was spending some time in prayer and God spoke to me and gave me two (2) new sermons. This always thrills my soul when this happens. I think He did that because I had filled my heart with His Word the night before in a revival meeting at another Church. Yes, we went to Church on Monday night too. Radical, I know. The words just flowed on to the paper I had in front of me. It came from the Holy Spirit ministering the Word of God to my heart and then on the paper. What an awesome thing to be used of God this way.
What is your attitude toward the Scriptures today?
Monday, May 17, 2010
May 17, 2010
Today's reading: II Chronicles 36; Ezra 1, 2; Psalm 17, 47, 77, 107, 137; Proverbs 17
Psalm 17:15, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."
I remember growing up and my parents divorced. I remember attending the wedding of my father and his second wife. As I stood in a line (the receiving line I think) a man came by and shook my hand. When he did he told me he was glad to meet David's brother. I told him to keep trying that he still had not met his brother because I was his son. I get a big laugh out of this every time I think about it. When I grow a beard my dad and I look very much alike.
I remember over the years; especially as I am getting older, that I sometimes say or do things that others have said or done over the years. When you work side by side with someone for a long time you begin to pick up their little things. One time I worked at a job where I answered the phone. I was told that I sounded so much like the other guy that worked with me that people would say both of our first names so they would get it right. It was funny.
The most important Person in life that we need to emulate is Jesus Christ. We need to read our Bible and spend so much time in prayer that we begin to think like Jesus and we begin to act like Jesus. We should not be satisfied; as our Scripture says, until we "awake, with thy likeness".
So who do you look like?
Psalm 17:15, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."
I remember growing up and my parents divorced. I remember attending the wedding of my father and his second wife. As I stood in a line (the receiving line I think) a man came by and shook my hand. When he did he told me he was glad to meet David's brother. I told him to keep trying that he still had not met his brother because I was his son. I get a big laugh out of this every time I think about it. When I grow a beard my dad and I look very much alike.
I remember over the years; especially as I am getting older, that I sometimes say or do things that others have said or done over the years. When you work side by side with someone for a long time you begin to pick up their little things. One time I worked at a job where I answered the phone. I was told that I sounded so much like the other guy that worked with me that people would say both of our first names so they would get it right. It was funny.
The most important Person in life that we need to emulate is Jesus Christ. We need to read our Bible and spend so much time in prayer that we begin to think like Jesus and we begin to act like Jesus. We should not be satisfied; as our Scripture says, until we "awake, with thy likeness".
So who do you look like?
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