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Ten Days of Awe or Fear of the Lord, a time of repentance and realignment with the Will of God. Will we give Him ALL OF OUR HEARTS?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct/make straight your paths. Do you not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. Prov 3:5,6,7

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent His rebuke (don’t sulk under his loving correction MSG), because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in. Prov 3:11,12

In Proverbs 3 we are told to ‘trust in the Lord with ALL OUR HEARTS and to acknowledge Him in ALL OUR WAYS’, then He will direct our paths. The next verse begins, ‘Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil’. The alternative to trusting the Lord is to think we can do it alone, live life on our own terms. The outbreak of Covid has thrown men into fear and as some have prophesied a second wave seems to be upon us. Governments and people are in confusion, no one knows for sure what’s best. Suddenly we’re no longer so certain that we have all the answers but the Lord is still in control. When circumstances are good we can drift along without acknowledging the Lord, but life has suddenly changed. The sound of the trumpet for Rosh Hashanah is surely a ‘wake up call’ for the God’s people today.

The following verses, 3:11,12 tell us ‘not to despise the Lord’s Discipline because He disciplines those He loves’, His own children. The thought of discipline brings bad memories for some people, but I like the wording in the MESSAGE, ‘don’t sulk under God’s loving rebuke’. God is trying to get us to shift back towards Him and with reluctant or maybe rebellious children that can result in a battle of wills. Our flesh doesn’t like to die quickly or quietly.

Rev 3:20 is a well known scripture, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them and they with me”.

However the verse before, V19 is significant, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent”.

The resurrected Lord Himself is speaking to the Church at Laodicea and they were the lukewarm Church. His word to them and us, is ‘to be earnest and turn around towards Him’.

The Days of Awe, a time to reflect and turn towards God in our lives. What’s the Lord asking of us today? Will we open ALL OUR HEARTS TO HIM or do some places remain ‘no go areas’?

God bless and keep you today.

The Days of Awe, days of reflection and repentance on our personal walk with the Lord. These ten days begin with a ‘Feast’, New Year and ends with a ‘Fast’, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement(like book ends holding the pages of our book).

I was reading in Revelation 2 this morning when Jesus was speaking to John about the Churches of that day. To the Church in Thyatira, He said,  “I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance and THAT YOU ARE NOW DOING MORE THAN YOU DID AT FIRST”. Rev 2:19 We’re not told how the Lord measured the work of this Church but in some way they had ‘upped their game’. We may think we are doing enough or that we couldn’t do more but often we’re capable of doing much more than we think. Does the Lord have more for us in this new season? Why not ask Him to show us what He’s got for us in this New Year of 5781 and be willing to be stretched!

Alongside this I’ve heard that the Lord spoke to a saint and said that there was a lot of ‘uncommanded work’ going on in the body. WE think of things to do in our churches or ministries and then expect the Lord to bless our agendas. The Church in Thyatira must have been doing the Lord’s work and not their own, because He praised them for their increase. They’d heard correctly and were working harder to get things done.

Derek Prince said it’s not enough to read our Bible(a remarkable statement from a man who taught the Word as few others have) though that is essential. We need to hear the ‘Voice of God’ speaking to us and telling us what He has for us to do next. May I say that if God has given us life here on earth, then He  still has more for us to do(Selah, pause and consider). Maybe we only need to do one thing that could have an impact for the King and His Kingdom; Nehemiah built the wall!

May the Lord open all our eyes and increase our expectations to do more for Him than before.

Truly, With God all things are possible.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

The Ten Day’s of Awe, a chance for a fresh beginning.

Take time to Realign!

Today on Spreaker we read through the long Chapter of Nehemiah 9, 38 verses. The exiles spent a quarter of the day listening to the Word of God being read and a quarter of the day confessing their sins and worshipping. They acknowledged ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE FOR THEM (a good first step and they remembered His Love and Faithfulness). We could say they spent a good chunk of time coming into ALIGNMENT with the Lord once again. It’s so easy for us to get out of Alignment with God, to go off doing our own thing, to forget what He has for us. Most machines e.g. cars, have to be serviced and be reset, so they continue to run well and safely. God built a period of time into the Jewish Calendar when His people could come before Him and reflect on their lives!

Nehemiah 9, tells the history of the Jews from God’s perspective, how He continually spoke to them but they didn’t listen. In Acts 7, Stephen, the first Christian martyr also recounted the history of God’s people, before returning to Heaven. These were two very significant times,  in Nehemiah, return of the exiles and a fresh start for Israel. In Acts, the start of the Church on earth and a call to repent and realign with God’s new purpose on earth. This is a prophetic time in God’s Calendar to His people. Why not take some time during these days, before Yom Kippur on the 28th September and tell the Lord you want to realign with His purposes and plans for our lives. The Jewish exiles gave God time to speak to them, so should we.

God bless and keep you in these DAYS OF AWE(reverence for the Lord).

Rosh Hashanah, literally ‘head of the year’, Jewish New Year

Jewish holidays begin in the evening, so many Jews celebrate at home(tonight), often with family and friends, sharing dinner together. Much of Judaism is based in the home, for example the Shabbat meal. Special foods are eaten to celebrate New Year, such as apples dipped in honey, looking forward to ‘a sweet year’. A special round ‘Challah’ bread is also eaten, bread can signify brokenness and repentance. The ‘round’ bread can represent the ‘passing of the seasons’, a full cycle, or it can also mean ‘a crown’ which is meaningful for believers.

The sounding of the Shofar or ram’s horn is important for New Year, it can be sounded 100 times over the course of the day. Lev. 23:24 calls for a memorial blowing of horns, a loud noise. The sounding of the horn can be a WAKE UP CALL to people to consider their ways and turn to the Lord. It can also commemorate the creation of Man by God. Abraham also prepared to sacrifice Isaac, but used the ram caught in the thicket instead.

On the Spreaker broadcasts we have been going through the book of Nehemiah and with no manipulation on my part we have arrived at Nehemiah 8 for today’s reading. This chapter of Nehemiah is read in Synagogue on Rosh HaShanah to commemorate the reading of Torah to the people in Ezra and Nehemiah’s time. After the Jewish exiles had stood from daylight to midday listening and being taught, they were told to ‘go to their homes and enjoy sweet food and choice drinks’! Neh 8:9,10 There was to be no crying or grieving, they’d come back to their land for a new beginning and God told them to celebrate.

For us as believers we can use this time to ask the Lord if there’s anything He wants us to change or get rid of from our own lives. We too can use this Kairos time to make a fresh start for our own lives. Repentance and turning back to the Lord brings joy.

This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the lord is your strength. Neh 8:10

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May the Lord bless you as we enter New Year.

 

 

Another ‘Character Snapshot’.

Last Tuesday 15, we saw that the man called Baruch son of Zabbai ‘zealously’ repaired a section of Jerusalem’s Wall. Neh 3:20 We are told nothing else about him, but his work alone of all the builders is described as ‘zealous’(fervent, dedicated, devoted, enthusiastic). Something about this man’s work stood out from all the many people labouring on the wall.

Hananiah means, ‘Yahweh is Gracious’ or ‘Yahweh has Favoured’.

I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hananiah, the commander of the citadel, because(here’s the Snapshot) he was a Man of Integrity and Feared God more than most men do. Neh 7:2

I was in a Church Meeting many years ago when a couple were being placed into office as elders of the Church and this verse was read out. Hananiah was being placed into office as the one responsible for Jerusalem and his character was highlighted, ‘because he was a man of integrity(that was ‘his word’) and feared God more…’ Character is often the reason for true promotion in Kingdom affairs.

We first meet Hanani, or Hananiah, at the very beginning of Nehemiah’s story. Neh 1:2 He and some other men had travelled from Jerusalem to their brothers in Babylon, a 4 month journey Ezra 7:8,9 Nehemiah questioned them about the Jewish remnant and Jerusalem. He was very saddened about the state of the Jewish homeland.

Hananiah knew the state of things, but it was only after he made the long journey and relayed them to Nehemiah that something was done. His part was to tell Nehemiah and the leaders in Babylon. Nehemiah then went to king Artaxerces for permission and help to rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem. The Lord can reveal something to us and we may well have a part to play in it BUT we need to seek Him for His plan and not just jump in! Hananiah played his part, he was faithful and God used him. We need the Lord to show us the roles He has for us and allow Him to raise us up when the time comes.

May God give us Integrity and a greater Fear of the Lord in our own life and character. Make this your own prayer.

May God bless and keep us today.

 

 

FINISH the work God has given ‘you’ to do!

So the wall was completed on the 25th of Elul, in 52 days. Neh 6:15

The remnant had returned to Jerusalem, basically to a ruin. Nehemiah had the call of God on his life to rebuild the wall and set the gates in place. This involved much hard work and a lot of intimidation aimed at Nehemiah himself. Yet they persevered and completed the building of the wall, the gates not yet set in place.

Today, 16th September is 27 Elul on the Jewish Calendar, the month the work on the wall was finished! Has God spoken to you in the past to do something? This is the last month of the Jewish Year, a time to make amends and maybe for some to finish outstanding work? New year begins soon, on the night of 18 to 20 September. Don’t let this time pass without heeding what’s been spoken to you.

God bless and keep you.

Our ZEAL for the LORD; Wholehearted or Halfhearted?

On the Spreaker broadcasts we have been going through the Book of Nehemiah, the man who had the vision to rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem. Seriously hard work and fierce opposition to that calling.

Baruch son of Zabbai ZEALOUSLY repaired another section of the wall…Neh 3:20. We know nothing about Baruch, EXCEPT HE WAS ‘ZEALOUS’. There are people in the Word of God that we know only one thing about, one brief mention and yet they are there in His Word. If God was going to include us in His Word, WHAT WOULD OUR WORD BE? Often in a family each child may be known by a nickname, something that those who know us very well use to identify us. What word or phrase would our LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER use to describe/characterise us or our service? The work of rebuilding was tough but something about this man Baruch stood out, he alone out of many was noted as ZEALOUS. His service had a noteworthy quality about it, many were working hard but the quality of his work was especially praised.

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, FOR THE PEOPLE WORKED WITH ALL THEIR HEART. Neh 4:6 (We could say they worked zealously).

I know a Christian business man who built a business, actually several businesses from the ground up (like the wall), again lots of hard work and many problems. In their first factory at the front entrance to the building, they had a plaque on the wall with this text. Everyone who entered walked past it, including the staff and many non believers who called on business. This was the workplace and the people had to work together, in this case for the business to grow and develop. We as believers need to see God’s Kingdom coming to those around us and often that requires time and effort.

…WE ALL returned to the wall, EACH TO THEIR OWN WORK. Neh 4:15

All were needed to do the work, all had their part to play. The workers on the wall included Priests 3:1,2, Goldsmiths 3:8,31,32, Perfume Makers 3:8, Daughters of Shallum 3:12, Levites 3:17 and Merchants 3:32. Many of these people would never have chosen this hard physical labour, but their help was needed to do the work. During World War 2, many people, especially ladies, had to do work they’d never expected for the greater good.The Lord needs us all to work for Him in these days, to help with the work of the Kingdom and above all to be ZEALOUS FOR HIM.

May we all find our place, on the wall, to serve Him. May we hear the WORD He has for us, to encourage us.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

 

The God of Heaven will give us(insert your name and make it personal) success. Neh. 2:20

We saw yesterday that Nehemiah undertook a ‘nighttime exercise’ on his own horse and with just a few men. ‘He hadn’t told anyone what God had put in his heart to do for Jerusalem’. Neh 2:12

He went out in the darkness(a more difficult time), so the enemy couldn’t see what he was doing and oppose the work of God.

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and we will no longer be in disgrace. …They replied, “Let us start rebuilding”.” So they began this good work. Neh 2:17, 18

I listened to a story recently by a believer who had been in a Special Forces unit of the army. He told how the men were all standing outside in the darkness and it was raining. They too were going on a ‘nighttime exercise’, in the mountains and all of them were subdued because of the cold and rain. The commander of the base came out to them and said he was personally going to lead them in this exercise. He told the men it was a ‘perfect night’ for their venture because no enemy would be about on a night like this. He set off and the men followed him, now in much better heart because their commander had encouraged them and was leading the way. Even these highly trained soldiers responded to someone they could believe in and who led the way himself, in the darkness, cold and rain. They completed the mission, because their commander gave them hope that the very conditions that made it tough for them, would keep an enemy inside and off guard.

Marios Ellinas, the former special forces’ soldier who went on that nighttime exercise in the mountains, said it stood out  in his memory. It’s often the challenging times that are the clearest in our memories(victory in/over adversity).

Marios believes that the TOUGHEST TIMES WILL BRING OUT THE BEST IN THE BELIEVERS! There are many examples of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in situations of extreme difficulty and danger.

Jesus, our leader, who has gone ahead of us said, “I will build My Church and the Gates of Hell WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT”. Matt 16:18

IT’S IN THE DARKEST DAYS THAT THE LIGHT OF CHRIST WILL SHINE BRIGHTEST!

The greatest days for believers still lie ahead!

May God bless and keep us in challenging times and may His Name be glorified in us.

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Thank you for your support of the work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was cupbearer to the king(Artaxerxes, Persia). Neh 1:11

There are only two cupbearers that I can recall in Scripture (Nehemiah and while Joseph was in prison in Egypt), both had significant roles to play for God’s people.

The Book of Nehemiah begins with the words; In the month of Kislev (9th month, root word means hope/inheritance), so it seems God’s Timing was involved. In Joseph’s life in prison the cupbearer forgot Joseph UNTIL Pharaoh had his dreams. Gen 41 God had His Time for Joseph, hidden in jail, to be released and made ruler of all Egypt under Pharaoh. We too may have God’s Calling on our lives, but only God knows His Timing to bring us into the things He has for us.

Nehemiah was allowed to hear and know of the conditions of the Jews and Jerusalem through his own brother, Hanani and others from the Land. He was deeply moved by what he heard! Sometimes things that stir us deeply can be the Lord challenging us as to what we’re willing to do about a situation.

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven. Neh 1:4

Nehemiah was deeply touched by the situation of God’s and his own people, but he took it before the Lord ‘FOR SOME DAYS’. It’s so important to seek God’s perspective on things that are moving our emotions! He prayed an anointed prayer and asked for favour BEFORE he decided to go to the king.

Nehemiah PRAYED and PREPARED before he went before the king, but he’s honest, ‘I was VERY MUCH AFRAID, but I said to the king…’. Neh 2:3 God was calling Nehemiah to help the Jews in Jerusalem, but he still felt the fear of going in front of a pagan ruler and asking permission to help his distant people.

He’d asked for favour and the king agreed to allow him to go and help his own people. ‘If it please the king, may I have letters to the governors and to Asaph, keeper of the king’ forest, so he will give me timber to make gates…’. Nehemiah had THE BOLDNESS to ask the king(a man of means) to provide help for his work. If God has opened a door for us then we too need to be BOLD IN OUR ASKING. We may not get exactly what we want but if we have the Favour of God He’ll see we get help. Be BOLD and EXPECT FAVOUR, it’s part of the confirmation. I’ve said before, there were no Prophetic Words to the exiles, they had to go forward in Faith in the rebuilding and thank God they did (Messiah could come).

The Steps of Nehemiah to go and help his people;

The TIMING WAS RIGHT(Kislev, hope/inheritance)

PRAYER AND PREPARATION, FOR ‘SOME DAYS’.

‘Very much afraid’, but ASKED IN HUMILITY the king/ruler for permission to  leave and go to Jerusalem.

Asked with BOLDNESS FOR HELP to do the work.

May God give us all favour and blessing in what we’re being called to do for Him today.

May the Lord bless and keep us in His will.

 

Wisdom is calling us to eat meat and drink wine(drinking alcohol NOT for all of us!), adult fare, not at all suitable for children. Prov 9:2,5

The ‘two invitations of Wisdom and Folly’ are outlined for us in Proverbs 9 and include some similarities but also huge differences and outcomes.

Both Wisdom and Folly have their own houses, both appeal from the highest point of the city(where the people can see). They speak to the same audience;

“Let all you are simple come in here!” she(both) says to those who lack judgement. Prov 9:4,16

What they’ll give you to eat is vastly different, Wisdom gives us ‘Meat and Wine’ mentioned twice for emphasis! Folly’s invitation, “ Stolen water(water keeps us alive, but it’s stolen, wine is for celebration, weddings) is sweet; food eaten in secret(has to be hidden, perhaps it too is stolen) is delicious!”

Wisdom’s invitation brings Life, while Folly’s leads to Death. Tragically many who refuse the Lord’s invitation to Life end up in death, often premature death.

The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. V13 Folly is often Loud, the louder the more people, maybe young people, who are attracted to join in but it can be a ‘slippery slope’ to misfortune. The invitation of Folly is really a Trap to ensnare poor unsuspecting people into a ‘house of death’, it’s only the Lord’s mercy that rescues many of us.

The last part of Wisdom’s invitation is a command;

Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding. Prov 9:6

We can’t follow two paths, we must walk in one or the other and Wisdom is the path to Life. I believe there is more to this invitation than the choice of Life or Death. Paul speaks of the Corinthian Church only being ready to drink milk(spiritual babes, still on first principles), not ready for meat of the Word and the things of God. Where there is Life we expect things to grow and for the Christian that should mean meat, not just going over the same ground again and again. We shoul pray that we may be able to, ‘eat the meat and drink the wine’ in the things of God, that we might go on to maturity in the Lord.

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Heb 5:14

God bless and keep you this day.