2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1 (NASB)
How often do we get so caught up in the here and now? We believe that if only? Then we would be happy. If only God would do this or if we could have that. Maybe a better house or better friends. If only He would act now, then I could be happy. I could find Joy if only things were different.
Is that not the same thing the Sadducees and Pharisees wanted? The crowds cheered when they thought Jesus had come to provide all they needed here, now. Even the apostles fell prey to this ideology until they found the truth after Jesus appeared to them after the resurrection. Then they were willing to suffer here while remaining joyful, knowing He had saved them. All of this is but a moment in time, a blink of an eye compared to eternity. They discovered how to find joy in the ultimate promises of God for tomorrow, regardless of how bad the here and now became.
John 16-Find Joy Despite the Coming Trials
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you.8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me.10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more. 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Find Joy in the Holy Spirit–the Spirit of Truth
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. And he will shew you things to come.14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
16 A little while, and ye shall not see me. And again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us? A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me. And, Because I go to the Father?18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? John 16 (NASB)
Though Sorrow Will Come in the World
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you. Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again. Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs. But the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs. I shall shew you plainly of the Father.26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you.
Find Joy-Jesus Overcame the World
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee. By this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Why is this Important to remember, particularly today as we watch so many things unfold on this earth. There is anger, hatred, and wars.
Romans 1–Find Joy Regardless of the World
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, The just shall live by faith.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. Neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves. 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Because of Their Sin-God Gave them what they asked For
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
So, how are we to live? The just shall live by faith.
HEBREWS 12–Find Joy in Jesus
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Consider and ponder ways of keeping your eyes on Jesus during the sad times of this world. Nothing in this world will bring you joy apart from Him. Nothing can satisfy the longing of your soul, except Him
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7 KJV)
God spoke everything into being, except man and woman. Instead, he formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils. He then formed woman from the man. Every human being has one soul that will spend eternity either with God (in heaven) or in eternal separation from God (hell).
26 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it Genesis 1: (NASB).
So, what made man different from all the other creatures? He was made in the image of God as a triune being of body, soul, and spirit. As such, he had consciousness, complex emotional and thought processes. Furthermore, he was given the choice to obey His Glorious Creator as an act of worship and gratitude for all he was given or to disobey, seeking his own glory. We know what happened, He chose to disobey and thrust all humanity into a broken world. The spirit of humans which connected them to God died. Therefore, without a new birth of the spirit from God to man; there was no hope of salvation. The soul would remain in a continuous dying state; unless God provided a means of salvation by grace while still holding tight to His own Word, His Justice, and His Righteousness. He cannot be untrue to Himself.
How Much Does God Consider the Worth of One Soul
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. 2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 And so He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. Luke 15 (NASB)
Jesus Also Said
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every person according to his deeds. Matthew 16 (NASB)
So, what is the Value of One Soul?
Jesus Christ was willing to take upon Himself the full wrath of God the Father, the Spirit and even Himself against sin. Sin is an absolute abhorrent to God. Why? It is sin that destroys all that is good, right, and beautiful. Sin is that which separates us from God because we choose separation from Him, believing that we the creature know better what we need than He who created us. Currently there is some common grace covering our world just enough that we might see the difference from evil to good and desire good which can only be truly found in God. He is the only true source of hope and joy for us.
While here on earth, Jesus went into areas where no one else wanted to go in search of sinners. He reached out to the Samaritan woman at the well in a time when no respectable Jew would be found in Samaria. His ministry reached out to the tax collectors, prostitutes, outcasts, undesirables, unclean, the lame, the sick, and the blind. One could say, He reached out to the deplorables of this world. His was a mission of love, compassion, and gentleness as no one had ever seen before. At the same time, He never compromised on the truth of God. He told each one to “Go and Sin No More”
Today I want to highlight one such case. Jesus had just finished teaching the crowds and the disciples. It was now time to show them the power of who He was, so they might understand. The mission they were being called to would have hardships, storms, and impossible challenges. Therefore, they needed to lean hard into His power. But before they could do that, they needed to understand His power.
Understanding the Power and Compassion Needed to Reach One Soul
Jesus had healed the sick, feed the hungry crowds, and done many miracles before the disciples. That had not fully prepared them for what was about to happen. Jesus had been teaching the crowds at the seashore all day in parables. Meanwhile the crowd pressed forward, and He stood in the boat while teaching. Then evening came.
18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. Matthew 8 (NASB)
Therefore, the apostles must have thought Jesus is tired and needs some rest. As was He custom, He just needed some time alone and then to explain the parable to them They did exactly as they were told. Little did they realize there was another purpose in all of this.
Facing A Storm to Save One Soul
a fierce gale of wind *developed, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling with water. 38 And yet Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Mark 4 (NASB)
He has the power to stop the storm. He did so with a simple command, “Hush, be still.” Jonathan Pokluda, a pastor in Waco pointed out something else crucial here. This was not an ordinary storm. We realize that when Jesus reaches His mission on the other side. This was a demonic storm that desired to destroy Jesus and His apostles before Jesus could fulfill His mission on the other side and later at Calvary.
One Soul in Desperate Need
They came to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains and cutting himself with stones. 6 Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him. Mark 5 (NASB).
Now, imagine this scene.
This nude (as we are told in Luke) demon possessed monstrous man, so strong that no chain could hold him came running toward Jesus. Sometimes the sin in our own life grows until it is enormously in control of all we do or say. Our addictions, angers, or desires cannot be chained as well. But back to the story. Remember they had crossed the sea and landed at a Gentile port. Hence the pig farmers.
But the man did not harm Jesus, instead, he bowed at His feet. What? The Pharisees criticized Him. His disciples feared Him at times and were awed by Him. Sometimes they understood Him and at other times not. The apostles believed He was the Messiah and would usher in His Kingdom. The crowds wanted miracles from Him. Yet, this man filled with demons bowed before Him. The demons within him knew who Jesus was and why He came.
Bowing before Him, they cried out, saying, “What business do You have with us, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29 NASB.
MARK 5 NASB
6 Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8 For He had already been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged Him earnestly not to send them out of the region. 11 Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding nearby on the mountain. 12 And the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us into the pigs so that we may enter them.” 13 Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousandof them; and they were drowned in the sea.
Notice that Matthew’s account included “before the time.” They know their time is coming; but hope they can still thwart God’s plan. Or bring as many with them into the abyss as they can. Misery does love company.
But Some Cared More About Profit than One Soul
4 Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And then they *came to Jesus and *saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had previously had the “legion”; and they became frightened. 16 Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Him to leave their region. Mark 5 NASB
The town was more worried about the money just lost than the one soul that was saved. Furthermore, they wanted nothing to do with Jesus. What else might He ask them to sacrifice to follow Him.
One Soul Saved Becomes the First Gentile Missionary
Jesus had crossed the sea, faced the storm to save one soul. Then he got in His boat to sail back across the sea. Mission accomplished. Did the apostles realize that? Do we realize the storms and hardships we must face for the salvation of one soul? I understand it some because of my life with Pete and all that God allowed for the salvation of one soul. If I had known, maybe I would have traveled that road with less grumbling, less sorrow, and fewer tears. But God knew exactly how to unfold the story of my life so my heart would learn of His Magnificent Grace in all of it.
18 And as He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was begging Him that he might accompany Him. 19 And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. Mark 5 (NASB)
I wonder if even the apostles understood what had just happened. Jesus had launched His ministry to the Gentiles. It would be years later when Paul would be called to be the Missionary to the Gentiles. But this demon possessed man, tormented for years before being saved led the way and paved the path for the missionaries to come.
So, my final question. What are you willing to face or endure for the salvation of one soul?
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
7 But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then],
these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come
to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and
the purpose which He has given my life]. 8 But more than that, I
count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and
supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of
growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy
unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all
garbage, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him
[believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my
own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but
[possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through
faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis
of faith. 10 And this, so that I may know Him. Philippians 3 (AMP)
John wanted to present Jesus so that you might desire Him first in your heart. He presents his gospel very specifically that you might understand Heis God who stepped out of Glory for us. Then, there is Matthew who groups his narrative around 5 great discourses of Jesus. Mark presents Jesus as the suffering servant. Luke is a meticulous historian pointing us to the fact that He is the Messiah who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. So, as we look at Jesus, not only is He the Word. He is God. But Jesus came to earth where He is fully man. As unimaginable as that is, He faced temptation as a human being. He faced hunger, fatigue, work, rejection, and trials of this world willingly. So, the question is do you know King Jesus as Savior, Lord and do you desire Him first?
This week I want to present a piece of His humanity, found in Matthew.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and [b] He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3 (NASB)
To Know King Jesus in His Humanity
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. Matthew 4: (NASB) Yes, do not miss this. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. God is never the tempter, but He may lead us as well into the valley. It was particularly important at the beginning of Jesus ministry; He square off against the devil in His human form. To be the Savior of the world, this was essential. He could not be our Savior or take our place on the cross if he were not fully human and faced temptation as such like we do. Only He did not sin.
Do not for a moment think that because He did not have a sin nature means He did not feel the temptation. But neither did Adam or Eve have a sin nature before they had fallen to temptation, disobeyed God, and thrust the world into our current sinful state.
Furthermore, our temptation is filtered by God, protecting us from the ultimate of temptation. Jesus does not have that. Instead, as Satan tempts Jesus, there is real temptation to lay aside the cross, to gain everything without the suffering. Let us see if we can see that. Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry.
Hungry is an understatement. During a fast, there is a point where hunger dissipates. But when it returns, one is famished due to nearing a state of starvation.
To Know King Jesus—God is my Provider
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” Matthew 4
So, Satan questions God’s Provision of Jesus as the Son. Christ could anytime have turned and said, “remember Genesis, I will crush your head.” But He did not. Why? Could it be that would have been a sin in itself? Truth is: “It was not the time for that. Instead, Jesus quotes scripture from Deuteronomy. Furthermore, Satan knew Jesus was the Son of God, so the question was not for himself; but rather a crafty way of questioning Jesus to consider why would His Father allow Him to be hungry? If indeed He is the Son of God, why in a place where manna had been given to the Jews was Jesus left to hunger?
Have you ever felt a hunger deep within your soul which seems to not be fulfilled? Are you hungry for love? for peace? for contentment? Where is God? He is on His throne the same place He was while Jesus was hungry. The Holy Spirit was there with Jesus but did allow Him to be hungry.
To Know King Jesus—on the Mountain Overlooking the World
5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory, for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I want. 7 Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” Three times Christ refers to Satan as the prince of this world, the deceiver, and the ruler of this world. Paul even wrote it as this: in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 Let me see if I can help to explain this. Currently, Satan is the prince of this world for a time; however, Jesus’ death on the Cross has given Him the right to the deed of the earth.
REVELATION 5
1 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to be able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they *sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation. 10 You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” So, Satan was saying, “You do not have to go through all the pain, suffering and die to own all this. I can give it to you now. Just bow before me just once. I not so unreasonable” 8 Jesus replied to him, “It is written: ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” Luke 4
To Know King Jesus—Humble Servant of God
Matthew 4 5 Then the devil *took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and he *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: ‘HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS ORDERS CONCERNING YOU’; and‘ON THEIR HANDS THEY WILL LIFT YOU UP,
So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’” What Satan was suggesting is that Jesus launch His ministry quickly. Everyone would follow and believe you if you do this. All would know who you are. But Jesus, was not going to run ahead of His Father’s timing. He came to be the suffering servant and the Savior by paying the price for all who would believe. It was not time to be King until all who would come to Him. Had He jumped ahead where would we be?
7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’”
This is true of us as well. I cannot go out and live a life of debauchery and pray for God to give me health.
Then, 10 Then Jesus *said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” 11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him.
Matthew 4: Or Luke 4: 13 And so when the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. It was not the only time that Satan tempted Christ, but never did Jesus sin.
Why is this important for us to Know King Jesus.
We are prone to think He does not understand how hard it is to live this life? How often do we wish to throw up our hands declaring defeat or surrender in the battles of this world? Furthermore, beyond what others see we know that God also sees our heart. Therefore, we are not without guilt on our own. It is this very Word of God that sees deep within our heart. 12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two- edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. And because of that:
16 Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need. Hebrews 4: (NASB).
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was fully God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and The Life was the light of mankind. John 1 (NET)
John begins his gospel a little different than all the others. He wants us the reader to recognize from the very first verse, who Christ really is. John does not want us to stumble around the way even he as an apostle did while learning of Christ. Jesus Is God’s Message to us. He was with God and is fully God, willingly taking on human flesh for you and for me. He is life eternal. Present since before the earth began. In the beginning He existed beside the Father and is fully God, Himself. He is the full revelation of God to humanity. Truth, life all begins in Him and exist in Him, the Word of God.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6 (NASB)
Jesus is the truth, the message of God to the World and the Revelation of God’s Glorious Character in a form we might see, behold, and understand. The Father really is perfectly reflected like a mirrored image of Himself in His son, whom we could see because Jesus took on human flesh becoming fully human while remaining fully God.
14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John 1 (NET)
In the Beginning the Word
Just as Genesis 1 (the beginning story of creation), so does John take us back to that here. In the Beginning was the Word. God spoke all the heavens into being by the power of His Word. Imagine this! Jesus is that very word, speaking everything into being. Every galaxy, star, planet, and creature began by the power of the Word. And is held together by the power of the Word. The power of His Word–” logos.” In the beginning Elohim is the Supreme Deity-plural-designating that from eternity past—the One and Only true God has existed as three in one. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all existed eternally.
The absolute depth of this truth is mind boggling as to its implications. God has always existed in relationship with perfect love. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existing in perfect harmony of thought, purpose, devotion, love, and righteousness. Jesus spoke of this in His prayer as recorded in John 17.
22 The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17 (NASB)
The Word is the Light of the World
How miraculous is that? He came to shine the light of truth, the Word into this darkened world.
9 This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God. John 1 (NASB)
HELD TOGETHER BY THE WORD
So, the question again is. Do you know Him? Can you honestly say who Jesus Christ is?
for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things. And we exist for Him. One Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. I Corinthians 8:6 (NASB)
Did you get that? There is one God and we exist for Him and through Him. Furthermore,
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Colossians 1 (NASB)
The word consist is a verb meaning be composed or made up of. Everything exists and is made up of His Word. Without Him, nothing would exist. As Paul spoke in Athens after walking around looking at all the gods they worshipped and had built statues to.
ACTS 17 (NKJV)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the [i]Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one [j]blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being
In Him, The Word We Have Our Being
In Him, we live and move and have our being. Being-existence is only because of Him. He is the true difference between being and nothingness. Unless we find our being in Him, everything is vanity and vexation of spirit. Furthermore,
18 He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Colossians 1
He came to earth to pay the penalty of our rebellious hearts. He took upon Himself the wrath of God the Father and Holy Spirit against sin, so that He might declare us who believe in Him righteous. Not by any merit of our own, but because of Him. He was separated for a moment in time from the Father and the Holy Spirit, crying out, “My God, my God why hath you forsaken me?” A punishment unimaginable for the Son but bore by Him willingly. He died and rose again from the grave to conquer sin and death once for all who would believe and trust in Him. Because of that we may be reconciled in Christ.
Reconciled in Christ-The Word
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1 NKJV)
So, why did John begin His Gospel This Way?
That we might know and knowing believe.
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20 (NKJV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1 (NKJV)
Yes, indeed to the praise of the glory of His grace-the Word was made flesh
The Word was made Flesh, so that
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1 (NKJV)
Therefore, to the praise of His Glory, we are saved by His Grace-that is all who know Him as Lord and Savior are. And we know that in the dispensation—in the fulness of time, all things will be gathered in Christ.
at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2 (NASB)
And What is Your Assurance?
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1, NKJV).
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8 NASB)
And how does He do that? Through that soft nagging voice reminding you that the fruit of the Spirit is:
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5 (NASB).
So, whenever these are not what I am truly feeling and being, I know I need to bow before Him. I need to Seek Him more fully. Ask for forgiveness of sin that may be standing in the way of my fully trusting Him. Then, I wait upon Him, knowing He will fully restore me to Himself.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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“Please, Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments: 6 let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have committed against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant, Moses. 8 Remember, please, the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I have chosen to have My name dwell.’ 10 They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11 Please, Lord, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and please make Your servant successful today and grant him mercy before this man.” Nehemiah 1: 5-11
As we look at the book of Nehemiah, let us consider the power of prayer that led to his victory in spiritual warfare. 7 powerful prayer features are found within Nehemiah’s recorded prayer which may help us. These are: compassion, vision, conviction leading to repentance, humility, submission, commitment, and faith.
As the book of Nehemiah opens, he discovers that the people who had returned to Jerusalem were in great despair. Part of that despair came because no wall of protection stood around Jerusalem. The wall that once stood majestically around Jerusalem lay in rumbles. Destroyed and burned by the Babylonians, years before when they ravaged their city. After hearing of this news, Nehemiah wept bitterly. Then he records this prayer. From that time until he was commissioned to rebuild the wall, four months passed. He did not know how or when God would respond. Yet, once commissioned he stood as one of the most outstanding leaders staring down opposition, criticism, and death threats. How did he unlock victory in this spiritual warfare?
Nehemiah’s 7 Power Prayer Features
As we look at these 7 power prayer features, we must also remember Nehemiah prayed throughout his journeys and adventures. However, there is no indication he had been a man bent upon prayer prior to that fate-filled day when God gave him a glimpse into the tragedy of his people and thereby broke his heart. Nor did he prior to that day demonstrate any urgency in returning to Jerusalem. After all, he had been born in exile. He had never seen Jerusalem. And he had a very prestigious appointment as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, son of the late King Xerxes (Ahasuerus). Stepson to Queen Esther.
Interesting thought. Had Queen Esther not been placed in the position she was where she thwarted the evil plot of Haman, Nehemiah would have been killed. also, one might consider if that also affected the heart of King Artaxerxes, but perhaps not. Because we know he had sent an edict to stop the building in Jerusalem shortly before these events.
Samaritans Sent A Letter to the King
“To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men of the region beyond the Euphrates River; and now 12 let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom tax, or toll, and it will be detrimental to the revenue of the kings. 14 Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s shame, for this reason we have sent word and informed the king, Ezra 4
The King Replies and Work Stops
17 Then the king sent a response ….21 Now issue a decree to make those men stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me. 22 And beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should there be great damage, to the detriment of the kings?”…23 Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ decree was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in a hurry to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by military force. 24 Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem was discontinued. Ezra 4.
Leading Up to the Powerful Prayer
Therefore, I believe, God had blinded the heart and eyes of Nehemiah until it was the perfect time for his appeal. Meanwhile God had placed everything together so that Nehemiah would have a position that could influence the King. Does that negate the responsibility of Nehemiah for his own coldness and lack of desire to return to Jerusalem prior to this? No, but it does so the marvelous grace and sovereignty of how God transforms the heart of those for whom He chooses to share His Glory with. Much like Queen Esther, Nehemiah seemed little interested in the affairs of the Jews or returning. Then God touched His heart. He initially was in great despair.
Remember the History
Due to their rebellion and chasing after idols, the Jewish Nation was sent into exile. The temple and the city destroyed. Then after 70 years of exile, as foretold by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11-12), Cyrus of Persia gave the first order allowing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem. This also fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 45:1-7) who named Cyrus years before he was born. When Cyrus issued his decree that the Jews return to Jerusalem, Zarrubbel lead a group back. He was a political leader and Governor.
Influenced by Haggai and Zechariah, he began the reconstruction of the temple. Ezra the priest then led the second group and began to establish worship. But the people were discouraged and frightened because they had no wall. Furthermore, without a wall they did not feel any identity as God’s people. Every day they were reminded God had turned His wrath on them for their sin as a nation.
Then God Called Nehemiah
Nehemiah a simple laborer was called by God to go to Jerusalem, build the wall, restore hope, and encourage the people to follow God with all their heart and soul. Ezra had accomplished the spiritual establishment of the new community, whereas Nehemiah succeeded in giving it physical stability…The project (building the wall) was completed in the remarkably fleeting time of 52 days (about 1 month 3 weeks).
“During this endeavor, Nehemiah faced determined opposition: mockery (Neh 2:19, 4:1-3), armed raids (4:7-12), a ruse to draw him outside the city, without doubt to murder him (6:1-4), blackmail (6:5-9); and finally, a prophet hired to foretell his death. In every case he met the challenge with courage, wisdom, and an invincible determination to complete the task for which God had called him.” (Falwell 1988)[1]
What happened to transform Nehemiah’s heart; propelling him to hear God’s call, heed the call and have the fortitude to complete the task against so much opposition?
So, let us look at these 7 features of Powerful Prayer
Powerful Prayer Feature #1
The book of Nehemiah begins with his asking Hanani about the Jews who had escaped captivity and returned to their home. They responded by telling him that the people “are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burned with fire” (Nehemiah 1:2). Hearing those words broke his heart.
He tells us in verse four that he wept and mourned for many days. Broken hearted by the news, he wept; and then, turned to God for an answer. What could he, a cupbearer, do? He wasn’t a priest or a king. Instead, he was a laborer. How could God use him?
In an exposition concerning Nehemiah, Alexander MacLaren aptly declared:
God prepares His servants for their work by laying on their souls a sorrowful realisation of the miseries which other men regard, and they themselves have often regarded, very lightly. The men who have been raised up to do great work for God and men, have always to begin by greatly and sadly feeling the weight of the sins and sorrows which they are destined to remove. No man will do worthy work at rebuilding the walls who has not wept over the ruins. (MacLaren 2013)[2]
Until one’s heart becomes broken for that which breaks God’s heart, there is no hope for commitment to complete any task God calls one to. Christians must first weep for the lost before they can passionately go out “to seek and save those who are lost” (paraphrase of Luke 19:10). True compassion will drive one to their knees in earnest prayer to the only one who can “supply all our needs” (paraphrase from Philippians 4:19).
Powerful Prayer Feature #2: Vision
Compassion alone cannot propel one to action without also having a clear vision of God, his plan for humanity, and His ultimate purpose. Nehemiah begins his prayer with,
“O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments” (Nehemiah 1:5).
In this opening, Nehemiah declares both who God is and His plan for mankind. So, the vision is two-fold: a vision of who God is and a vision of His plan for mankind.
Of Who God IS:
God is the Almighty, Sovereign, Lord. He is the creator of Heaven and Earth. The great I AM for which nothing exists without Him. The essence of everything begins with God who IS the creator, controller, majestic ruler of the Universe. Outside of His Being, there is nothingness. With that truth, I realize I am nothing until I am found in Him who breathes into me, life. He who created me, formed me in my mother’s womb: knew me before He created the earth. Think about that. My very existence is because of His Being the Great I AM. This is what Paul meant when he stood on Mars Hill and spoke to the men of Athens,
“For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
Until the Christian fully recognizes his or her nothingness before the great I AM; they labor in vain.
“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).
Of God’s Plan for Mankind:
Beyond having a vision for who God IS, one must also have a vision of God’s Plan for Mankind. Nehemiah recognized God’s covenantal love and mercy for those who seek Him. We two must remember God’s plan of redemption has been always stood foremost.
For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,Who acts in behalf of one who waits for Him.5 You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,Who remembers You in Your ways. Isaiah 64
The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand. – Isaiah 14:24
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. – Psalm 138:8
And All For His Glory
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, 10 regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. 11In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1
Powerful Prayer Feature 3: Conviction, Leading to Repentance
The clearer one’s vision of God becomes, the greater one’s own sin appears.
As Leslie Allen wrote: “Repentance is the keynote of the prayer. Although their God was great and awesome, they had disobeyed his commands. That divine greatness made human guilt more reprehensible.” (Allen 1995) Recognizing God’s just and righteous nature, Nehemiah turns to repentance.
I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. (Nehemiah 1:6-7)
A truly repentant heart is necessary to come before a Holy God with our petition. Only then can one understand the depth of grace with which God deals with his children. Deserving nothing, God gives to his children, everything.
Powerful Prayer Feature #4: Humility
Once a heart is broken by compassion, gains a true vision of God in all his glory, realizes the depth of his grace, and falls before him in genuine repentance for one’s sin; that heart can be nothing less than a humbled heart. Humility opens a man or woman’s heart to give grace to others. Realizing that without grace, no one can stand before a righteous God; Nehemiah had prayed for his people and his family. He did not feel superior or prideful; because, he had a clear vision of his own sinful nature.
“He humbled himself before the “God of Heaven” and confessed openly and frankly all sins of the nation, his own sins included.” (Swift 1917)[3] Humbled, broken hearted before an Almighty God; Nehemiah asks for grace for himself and his people.
He acknowledged his own and the nations spiritual poverty before God, deserving nothing; yet, he pleads God’s own words of grace. “But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there” (Nehemiah 1:9).
Powerful Prayer Feature #5: Submission
The only thing left to do is to submit to God’s will; no matter what that might be. No longer could Nehemiah be content in his former life as a cupbearer. “Nehemiah is willing and wants to be used of God. But he is not running ahead of God; he prays about it. He says, ‘If you want to use me, I am making myself available.’” (McGee 1982)[4] Prayer changes. “The petition, then, is not merely that I may patiently suffer God’s will but also that I may vigorously do it….’Thy will be done-by me-now’” (Lewis 1964)[5]
Powerful Prayer Feature #6: Commitment
What had begun as a broken heart for the suffering of God’s people; has through prayer reached the place of full surrender and submission to God’s will. Now, Nehemiah would need the commitment and fortitude to complete the task; whatever it might be. Commitment often means a life of self-sacrifice, as it certainly did for Nehemiah. He would have to leave everything familiar and go out into the unknown, trusting God. As McLaren wrote:
such sympathy should be the parent of a noble, self-sacrificing life. Look at the man in our text (Nehemiah). He had the ball at his feet. He had the entrée of a court, and the ear of a king. Brilliant prospects were opening before him, but his brethren’s sufferings drew him, and with a noble resolution of self-sacrifice, he shut himself out from the former and went into the wilderness. He is one of the Scripture characters that never have had due honour–a hero, a saint, a martyr, a reformer. He did, though in a smaller sphere, the very same thing that the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews magnified with his splendid eloquence, in reference to the great Lawgiver (Moses), ‘and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,” and to turn his back upon the dazzlements of a court, than to ‘enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,’ whilst his brethren were suffering. [6]
MacLaren 2013
The kind of commitment required to carry the wearied Christian through the trials that come their way requires a willingness to lay it all down for the sake of God’s plan; knowing, He is the greater treasure.
Powerful Prayer Feature #7 FAITH
“Faith is knowing, beyond a shadow of doubt; that God IS the great I AM and he rewards those who diligently seek him” (my paraphrase of Hebrews 11:6). Nehemiah now understood the power, magnitude and grace of God. He would trust God for the grace which saved him, the grace to sustain him and the future grace which would present every moment of every day that lay before him along this treacherous journey.
As John Piper so aptly points out “Faith in future grace is the spring of radical righteousness. It’s the root of love and all Christ-exalting living.” (Piper 1995)[7] Knowing that God holds every future millisecond in his hands of grace; means, trusting him and believing Romans 8:28, no matter how dark the day may seem. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
DUST MITES OF THE HEART
In this fallen world, dust and cobwebs can be found in the cleanest of homes. One moment of inattention to cleaning, they increase with a rapidity that seems unbelievable. The same is true of our hearts. When, we lay aside our Bibles, become too contented to pray, or allow other things to take God’s rightful time in our hearts; dust mites and cobwebs grow within our hearts.
Then, when God places us in the waiting room, the light of His truth shines in revealing all the dust mites and cobwebs needing to be cleansed. During that time of waiting for His answer, He bids us to lay every sin of thought and deed at the foot of the cross, in full surrender to His will. He will cleanse our heart, sweeping away every dust mite of pride, anger, selfishness, and the cobwebs of our doubt.
So, Nehemiah waited; while God fully cleansed and prepared his heart for the task ahead. We know that to be the case; because, when the fateful day that God revealed His plan, Nehemiah’s countenance was very sad. Once one knows for certain God’s precise plan, there is no place for sadness. The depth of his sorrow lets us know, Nehemiah did not yet know with certainty God’s plan. So, we arrive at the day of its revealing.
ONE SAD SERVENT, A KING, AND GOD’S PLAN REVEALED
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king.
Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, “Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” Then I was very sore afraid,
And said unto the king, “Let the king live forever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?”
Then the king said unto me, “For what dost thou make request?” So, I prayed to the God of heaven.
And I said unto the king, “If it please the king, and if thy servant has found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.” Moreover, I said unto the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into.” And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Nehemiah 2:1-7
Note that Nehemiah was afraid when the king noticed his sorrow. Another clue that Nehemiah was not certain of God’s plan yet. However, as he began to tell the king the reason of his sorrow, light bulbs began to go off in his heart and mind. Wasn’t this what he had asked God for months ago, to find mercy before the king? Ah, but all the cleansing of his heart that God accomplished during that four months causes Nehemiah to pray; before, he tells King Artaxerxes: “send me to build the wall.” Yet, look at the difference; now, suddenly Nehemiah boldly asks for everything he will need, and he is granted all that he asks for. Nehemiah knows this is an act of grace by God Himself.
GOD’S PLAN: BUILD THAT WALL
Over the course of the four months, God had prepared the heart of Nehemiah to be the one to accomplish His plan. Most likely, Nehemiah was shocked that God was sending him to build the wall. However, whom better to send? He had seen the beautiful structure of the walls surrounding the palace. Furthermore, as cupbearer to the king; he had a position of prestige. Beyond that, most importantly; God had prepared his heart while in the waiting room of God. There, God had dusted away the dust mites and swept away all the cobwebs, so Nehemiah was prepared to face the opposition and trials that lay ahead of him.
[1] Jerry Falwell, ed., The Liberty Annnotated Study Bible, (Nashvile, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988), 776
[2] Alexander MacLaren, MacLaren Expositions of Holy Scripture: A Reformer’s Schooling, (Dallas, TX: Graceworks Multimedia, March 9,2013
[3] Charles Henry Swift, Prayer a Vitalizing Force: The Lesson in Today’s Life, The Chritian Century, no 44, November 1, 1917,16
[4] Vernon McGee, Through the Bible Volume II, 506
[5] C.S.Lewis, Letters to Malcolm Chriefly on Prayer Reflections on the Intimate Dialoogue Between Man and God (Orlandoo, FL: Harcourt, 1964, 26
[7] John Piper, Future Grace (New York: Multmomah Books, 1995, 322
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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