Good message at Church today which focused on Nehemiah. I thought I would come home and read through the whole book, and here are some insights.
Neh 1:4-5: 'When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said...'
Having been told that Jerusalem is in ruins, we might have forgiven Nehemiah for rising up in (righteous) anger and declaring his intentions for restoration right away. However, this is not what happens; first he seeks God 'for some days'. This is a great example to us of how we must not react out of the flesh, and indeed not take an opportunity just because it 'seems right'. In all major decisions we need to seek God's counsel.
Neh 2:2 '...I was very much afraid, but I said to the king'
I love this! Nehemiah is about to ask the King to release him for the restoration work. Not only that, he is actually going to ask him to supply the wood needed. He is afraid, but he does it anyway. This is just like one of Joyce Meyer's messages entitled 'do it afraid'. So often we avoid doing something we know is right because we are afraid. Whilst we mustn't rush in without God's blessing (see first scripture) we must also have the courage to do what we know is right - even if we do it afraid.
Neh 2:8 "And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel".
An interesting verse. God had clearly placed Nehemiah in the right place (working for the king) to do the work he has planned for him (restoration). I mean, who else would Nehemiah know who had a forest full of wood perfect for the gate beams? Does God have you in your work environment for his purposes?
Neh 4:13: 'Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places'.
Here we see Nehemiah getting his defenses ready for an attack from the enemy. We too have an enemy (the devil) who seeks to attack us. The key point here revolves around the term 'exposed places'. In the wall, these were the lowest points, where attack was most likely and where they were most vulnerable, with their enemies being able to simply hop over the wall and enter the city. In our lives, we too have 'exposed places' - areas of weakness where our enemy the devil is most likely to attack us. Like Nehemiah we need to pre-empt these attacks and get defending. If you have a weakness in a certain area, be ready for satan's attack in that place and pre-empt it by burying scriptures in your heart. Use the sword of the spirit which is the word of God to battle the devil (just like Jesus did in the desert). For example, if you know that worry is your weakness, memorise scriptures such as Matthew 6:25 and John 14:22. Then, when you next begin to worry about something, refuse to and quote these scriptures.
Neh 6:8 'I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up in your head".
This is what Nehemia said to his enemy who was threatening him and trying to worry him. What I like about it is how we see (in hindsight) that a lot of the devil's attacks at us never happen - he is, as the Bible tells us, a liar. Rather than fret over everything the devil whispers to us, perhaps we should reply with Nehemiah's words: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up in your head".
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Monday, 6 September 2010
Matthew 2
In Matthew 2 we see King Herod asking the teachers and priests where the Christ was to be born:"When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'(Matt 2:4-6)
What is so clear here is the importance of knowing the scriptures - the teachers of the law knew their Old Testament, and were able to quote Michah 5:2 which answered Herod's question. All of our answers are in the Bible, and we must not let our own ignorance stop us from knowing them. Get in the word, learn it, eat it, breathe it and know the answers to life's questions!
An interesting point in verse 9 when the magi come to the 'house' where the 'child' was. This shows that this takes place some time later, as they are no longer in the inn, and Jesus is now a child, not a baby. It is suggested that it took a year or two for the magi to get to Jesus - whatever the case, it clearly wasn't on the night he was born like the nativity suggests.
In verse 13, 'an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream'. This is an intersting thought, but it seems to me to point to different stages of faith in God. When the angel told Joseph that Mary was pregnant with God's son, he appeared to him in person. After this, no doubt, Joseph's faith was sky high, and so God was able to communicate through a dream the next time, and Joseph would trust God's message.
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'(Matt 2:4-6)
What is so clear here is the importance of knowing the scriptures - the teachers of the law knew their Old Testament, and were able to quote Michah 5:2 which answered Herod's question. All of our answers are in the Bible, and we must not let our own ignorance stop us from knowing them. Get in the word, learn it, eat it, breathe it and know the answers to life's questions!
An interesting point in verse 9 when the magi come to the 'house' where the 'child' was. This shows that this takes place some time later, as they are no longer in the inn, and Jesus is now a child, not a baby. It is suggested that it took a year or two for the magi to get to Jesus - whatever the case, it clearly wasn't on the night he was born like the nativity suggests.
In verse 13, 'an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream'. This is an intersting thought, but it seems to me to point to different stages of faith in God. When the angel told Joseph that Mary was pregnant with God's son, he appeared to him in person. After this, no doubt, Joseph's faith was sky high, and so God was able to communicate through a dream the next time, and Joseph would trust God's message.
Saturday, 4 September 2010
God is doing a new thing: Matthew 1
OK, I'm a bit tired of the Old Testament, so am moving onto the new, and using Chuck Smith's C2000 Bible Study series to help me along the way too. Same as before, one chapter a day :)
Matthew 1:
The Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy to prove the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus came from the line of both Abraham and David (Is 11:1-5). I've never really thought there was much to glean from genealogies, but this one has proven me wrong:
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron (Matt 1:3)
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, (Matt 1:5)
What is interesting in these two verses is the mention of Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. All three of these were less than virtuous women: Tamar was the woman who disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah into bed, Rahab was the prostitute, and Ruth was a Moabitess, a race under a curse from God which denied them entry to the temple).
It seems, on one level, remarkable that these sort of people should be in Jesus's family line, but of course it is not: right away, even in his genealogy, Jesus is showing to us God's grace. None of us are excluded from God because of what we have done, and God can use our sins n his plan. Look where the son of God came from, and we can see that there is nothing we have done that cannot be forgiven.
Matthew 1:
The Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy to prove the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus came from the line of both Abraham and David (Is 11:1-5). I've never really thought there was much to glean from genealogies, but this one has proven me wrong:
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron (Matt 1:3)
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, (Matt 1:5)
What is interesting in these two verses is the mention of Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. All three of these were less than virtuous women: Tamar was the woman who disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah into bed, Rahab was the prostitute, and Ruth was a Moabitess, a race under a curse from God which denied them entry to the temple).
It seems, on one level, remarkable that these sort of people should be in Jesus's family line, but of course it is not: right away, even in his genealogy, Jesus is showing to us God's grace. None of us are excluded from God because of what we have done, and God can use our sins n his plan. Look where the son of God came from, and we can see that there is nothing we have done that cannot be forgiven.
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Exodus 18: Testify
In Exodus 18 we read of Jethro, Moses's father in law, coming to visit his son in law. Moses has the opportunity to tell him all the good things God has been doing through him, and Jethro was 'deligthed to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and Pharso...Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly". Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God' (Ex 18:9-12).
Here we see how the testimony of God's goodness in our lives can bring people to God. When God does something amazing for us, we shouldn't be afraid to share it.
Here we see how the testimony of God's goodness in our lives can bring people to God. When God does something amazing for us, we shouldn't be afraid to share it.
Monday, 2 August 2010
Exodus 16: Day by Day
Carrying on from where they left off in chapter 15, 'The whole community grumbled' (Ex 16:2). Now, Joyce Meyer does a lovely bit about how this journey into the Promised Land was only a ten or eleven day hike away but took 40 years to get there: why? Because the people had a negative attitude to their situation. It's food for thought that our attitude affects our outcomes.
In verse 12 God tells Moses "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God'. Basically the people are moaning about not having food, and God turns around and responds to their moaning; what grace! God could have fireballed them all to death for moaning, yet actually treated their groaning like a prayer request and sorted it for them.
God then provides food for everyone, with one stipulation: "No-one is to keep any of it until morning" (Ex 16:19). What stands out here is the importance of a day by day relationship with God - he will give you everything you need for today, so stop worrying about tomorrow, stop regretting yesterday, and focus on today.
Just a small point, but the Manna God gave the people was a honey tasting pancake. I think there's something in that: God wants us to enjoy life, and the fact that he gave them something sweet rather than savoury suggests he is a God of joy.
Finally, Moses tells the people to "Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come" (Ex 16:32). In this verse we see yet another example of the altar building principle; when God does something big for you, buy or make a physical symbol of it to remind you of his goodness.
In verse 12 God tells Moses "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God'. Basically the people are moaning about not having food, and God turns around and responds to their moaning; what grace! God could have fireballed them all to death for moaning, yet actually treated their groaning like a prayer request and sorted it for them.
God then provides food for everyone, with one stipulation: "No-one is to keep any of it until morning" (Ex 16:19). What stands out here is the importance of a day by day relationship with God - he will give you everything you need for today, so stop worrying about tomorrow, stop regretting yesterday, and focus on today.
Just a small point, but the Manna God gave the people was a honey tasting pancake. I think there's something in that: God wants us to enjoy life, and the fact that he gave them something sweet rather than savoury suggests he is a God of joy.
Finally, Moses tells the people to "Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come" (Ex 16:32). In this verse we see yet another example of the altar building principle; when God does something big for you, buy or make a physical symbol of it to remind you of his goodness.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Exodus 15: Let God take the lead
Well I’m back! A two month hiatus from the blog, but rest assured I’ve been reading my daily chapter throughout that whole time (just one day missed I think), and simply got a bit bogged down at work and didn’t put the time in on the net. However, it’s the summer holidays now, so there’s no excuse not to kick start the blog again.
Exodus 15 gives us a very simple message in the song of Moses and Miriam:
“In your unfailing love you will lead
The people you have redeemed,
In your strength you will guide them
To your holy dwelling” (Ex 15:13-14)
God will lead us! We don’t need to stress about which way to go, just follow his leading! How wonderful to know that God has a plan, a road laid out for us.
The next verse is not so positive, yet a very accurate portrayal of human nature. Fresh from being set free from the Egyptians, Moses is leading the Israelites through the desert and they are struggling to find water. We then read in Ex 15:24 ‘So the people grumbled’. What a joke! God has just miraculously freed his people and now their attitude has turned negative and they’re moaning. Sadly, I can relate all too well to that, and it brings me back to the message of building an altar – we need to remember our past victories with God, to encourage us for our current situation.
Exodus 15 gives us a very simple message in the song of Moses and Miriam:
“In your unfailing love you will lead
The people you have redeemed,
In your strength you will guide them
To your holy dwelling” (Ex 15:13-14)
God will lead us! We don’t need to stress about which way to go, just follow his leading! How wonderful to know that God has a plan, a road laid out for us.
The next verse is not so positive, yet a very accurate portrayal of human nature. Fresh from being set free from the Egyptians, Moses is leading the Israelites through the desert and they are struggling to find water. We then read in Ex 15:24 ‘So the people grumbled’. What a joke! God has just miraculously freed his people and now their attitude has turned negative and they’re moaning. Sadly, I can relate all too well to that, and it brings me back to the message of building an altar – we need to remember our past victories with God, to encourage us for our current situation.
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Exodus 14: God proves himself in the hard times
In Exodus 14 we see God tell Moses that everything he and his people are going through is all so that the "Egyptians will know that I am God" (Ex 14:4). In the hard times we must trust that God will bring us through and, when he does, it will glorify him.
A bit later, in verse 7, Pharaoh "took siz hundred of the best chariots" (Ex 14:7) to attack the Israelites. In the natural, this would have looked dead scary, but in the spiritual it was nothing to fear as God was going to protect his people. We need to take our eyes off the natural and lift them to the spiritual reality of the situation: we serve a mighty God.
However, the Israelites did see it in the natural and "were terrified and cried out to God" (Ex 14:10). Why didn't they remember God's saving them from the plagues before? We need to learn from their mistake and remember God's acts of the past and not worry about what's going on right now. By focusing on God's faithfulness in the past, we can face crises with confidence rather than fear and complaining.
A bit later, in verse 7, Pharaoh "took siz hundred of the best chariots" (Ex 14:7) to attack the Israelites. In the natural, this would have looked dead scary, but in the spiritual it was nothing to fear as God was going to protect his people. We need to take our eyes off the natural and lift them to the spiritual reality of the situation: we serve a mighty God.
However, the Israelites did see it in the natural and "were terrified and cried out to God" (Ex 14:10). Why didn't they remember God's saving them from the plagues before? We need to learn from their mistake and remember God's acts of the past and not worry about what's going on right now. By focusing on God's faithfulness in the past, we can face crises with confidence rather than fear and complaining.
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