Tag: Nehemiah

Nehemiah 13:31 (KJV)
And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

I imagine by the time Nehemiah had finished, there was almost no one happy with him.

• He had offended Sanballat and Tobiah
• He had fought off those who tried to stop the work
• He had confronted those who had married outside the faith
• He had opposed those who had charged usury
• He had rejected those who had no clear heritage as Levites
• He had forced out the Moabites and Ammonites
• He had locked the doors and driven off those who wished to buy and sell on the Sabbath

The book ends with the words, “Remember me, O my God, for good.”

A person who wishes to follow the Lord must be content to be remembered for good by God. It might be no one else will.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

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Nehemiah 13:31 When Only God is Happy

Nehemiah 13:1 (KJV)
On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

There are sometimes gems buried in the Word of God that are precious beyond our imagination and so close to the surface it is a wonder we haven’t discovered them already. Thank the Lord for that day when the years of faithfulness wear away the soil to uncover those treasures finally. 

In Nehemiah 13:1, the Jews read how the Ammonites and Moabites were never to be permitted into the congregation of God. This was a problem because the Jews had already intermarried, and children of a mixed multitude had been delivered. Judah could not be pure without addressing this breach in the Word of God. 

But then we consider that a Moabite named Ruth is in the blood family of Jesus. Those who were forever cast out of the family of God are now welcomed into the family of God through Christ. 

I’ve known people whose sin was so grievous we could hardly expect they could be welcomed into heaven. But the same Christ who identifies with the Jews identifies with the chiefest of sinners. No one is hopelessly lost. Anyone can come to Jesus and be eternally justified. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Nehemiah 13:1 Hopelessly Lost?

Nehemiah 9:20 (KJV)
Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

Here is ground to tread cautiously. 

The context has to do with the evil character of Israel’s fathers. 
Nehemiah 9:16 (KJV)
But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

Despite all of that, because God is, vs. 17, “ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness,” they had not been forsaken. 

God gave them: 

• • His good Spirit
• • Food for their mouths and 
• • Water for their thirst

Oh, people of God – do not take such grace for granted. God is all that the Bible says He is. That includes that He is a consuming fire. Carefully heed His Word, cautiously interpret its truths. Constantly check that you continue on a good path with Him. 

No Christian can lose the salvation Christ gives us, but all Christians are called upon to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Nehemiah 9:20 Careful

Nehemiah 8:1 (KJV)
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

What a solemn and holy thing. 

• The people were in their promised place 
• They had the word of God and
• They had a man prepared by God to teach it. 

The people assembled with anticipation. It was not the preacher calling them, but they the preacher. What a difference would happen if we all came to the house of God, not out of habit, not because it is expected but with expectation. We have the Word of God! Let us hear what it says. 

The Word had some hard things, but they were not to weep. God has given us a solution. The Word also revealed things they had not known. They were quick to correct these errors. 

Let us assemble as one man in God’s house, anxious to listen to the words of God. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
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Nehemiah 8:1 Solemn and Holy

Nehemiah 5:19 (KJV)
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah later called this building of the walls around Jerusalem “a great work.” He understood the importance of it. He knew well that such a great work of God would have enemies and detractors. He chose not to meet with them. Instead, he prayed as he worked. 

Think upon me for good
He had done the right thing for the people of God and in response to those who had done wrong. He asked God for favor in this case. 

Now Strengthen my hands
Nehemiah 6:9
The enemies had attempted to weaken the people of God. They had spread lies, or at least threatened to, about Nehemiah. In response, he prayed for strength. I think this would be personal strength as well as a strength before the people. 

Think upon Tobiah 
Nehemiah 6:14
Nehemiah turned his prayers toward his enemies. He had asked God to think upon him for good. One can hardly assume God would think upon Tobiah and his cohorts in the same manner. Nehemiah did not act against them. He simply turned them over to the attention of the Lord. 

That would prove to be enough. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Nehemiah 5:19 That Would Prove to be Enough

Nehemiah 12:43 (KJV)
Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

Let the joy of God’s people be heard afar off. 

• Not the bickering of God’s people
• Not the murmuring of God’s people
• Not the laziness of God’s people
• Not the rebellion of God’s people
• Not the gossip of God’s people
• Not the anger of God’s people
• Not the cynicism of God’s people
• Not the fear of God’s people

Let the people of God walk in faith and rejoice in the Lord so that the joy of God’s people is heard even afar off and spoken of by all. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 4800 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

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Nehemiah 12:43 The Joy of God’s People

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Nehemiah 9:6 (KJV)
Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

The repentance demonstrated in verses 1-3 result in a prayer of confession in verses 4-37 and conclude with a covenant. 

I propose, for myself, to spend some personal time in the study and meditation of this prayer of confession. Revival may not be the result of a covenant. Certainly, a covenant may not bring revival. But it is likely that revival will bring God’s people into a covenant. 

The prayer of confession begins with a brief prayer of worship. 

Thou art LORD alone. 

God help us to remember that!

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 4800 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
My author spotlight at Lulu.com:
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My author Page for Kindle/Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/author/marvinmckenzie

Nehemiah 9:6 Thou art LORD alone

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Nehemiah 5:9 (KJV)
Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

John Gill writes of this,
“ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God; in reverence of him and his law, and according to that: because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies? whose mouths will be open to reproach the true religion, and the good ways of God; and say, these are the men that pretend to fear God, and serve him, and yet break his law, and use their brethren ill”

When a Believer refuses to walk, to live, to behave in any way other than the fear of the Lord, we give occasion for the unsaved to criticize unfairly our God and our faith. 

Christians ought to walk in the fear of God. 

No excuses. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 4800 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
My author spotlight at Lulu.com:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/marvinmckenzie

My author Page for Kindle/Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/author/marvinmckenzie

Nehemiah 5:9 No Excuses

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Nehemiah 2:10 (KJV)
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

It isn’t difficult to see the sort of character Sanballat and Tobiah had is it? They were exceedingly grieved that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people. 

And it should not surprise us that such men exist. The world is interested, not in the welfare of the souls of men and women, but in the expansion of their influence and power. We should be careful of those who use people. Even sound churches can succumb to the idea that building, growing and expanding the work of God necessitates and therefore justifies pushing people, using them for the sake of the work. 

Greatness focuses not on what is accomplished but in the glory of God and the welfare of His people. 

Greatness seeks to serve and not to lead. 

Let’s focus on that sort of greatness. 

To my readers:
First of all, thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. Secondly, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and more than 4800 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
My author spotlight at Lulu.com:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/marvinmckenzie

My author Page for Kindle/Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/author/marvinmckenzie

Nehemiah 2:10 That Sort of Greatness

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