Noah

PERSEVERANCE finish what you start....

Genesis 6-7


God sees the wickedness of Noah's generation....God decides to destroy all mankind and animals. He speaks to Noah to build an ark...giving specific instructions...saving his family and male and female of all he animals...Noah walked with God ....obeys and enters the ark. GOD SHUTS THE DOOR. The Lord does what He said he would do. He knew the man to choose ...one that would do as He said and persevere through all the challenges set before him. Noah did his job and God did his and victory was wrought.

Nehemiah

 TEAMWORK: The foundation of success

Nehemiah 1-6
Chapter 1
Nehemiah has a burden and is in great distress...
       vs. 4 seeks the Lord for answers. 
       vs. 7 repents for himself and the people...
       vs 8-11 reminds God of his promise.


Chapter 2 Comes before the King and is very sad and fearful.
               He requests to rebuild and is granted it.
       vs. 6 Time is set to go and rebuild the wall.
       vs. 7...resources required and set to attain.


NOTE THE PLAN OF THE ENEMY- Tobiah...Sanballet and others.
        Chapter 1: vs. 10  The enemy hears the plan and it is interesting to me they are deeply disturbed. (Enemy is always there when the plan of God is given to us)
       Chapter 2:19 Enemy HEARS AND LAUGHS


Chap. 4:1 Enemy was furious and very indignant and mocked the Jews.
        vs. 2 He taunts them
        vs. 3 makes fun and says whatever they built it will break down.
        vs.5 Enemy provoked God
        vs. 7-8  Enemy very angry and conspires to create confusion.
        vs. 11 Enemy thinks God's people are blind and will come into midst and kill and cause work to cease.


Chap 6 Enemy wants to infiltrate them with a purpose to do harm. They were determined and persistence
        vs. 6 sends a letter.....5th time after asking them to meet    
        vs. 9 Trying to raise fear and weaken their hands.
        vs. 10 Send what I call the big gun's...a persuader wanted to meet in the house of the Lord secretly
                  trying to put fear and trepidation in them.
        vs. 13 they were hired by Tobiah and Sanballet.


NOTE; GODS PEOPLE:
Cahpter 2:18 'Let us rise up and build.' Then they set their hands to this good work.
Chapter 2:20 Confident in their God - they knew enemy had no right.
Chapter 3      List of workers and specific jobs
Chapter 4:4 Nehemiah seeks God
         vs. 9  set a watch against the enemy
         vs. 13 they positioned men .....according to their families (it took 
                   everyone to complete the rebuilding)
         vs. 16 Some built...some had weapons
Chapter 6;  The wall was FINISHED in 52 days!


The point of this story is that God will give a burden to do something and give the resources and the enemy is always there trying everything he can to stop us. But we need to be persistent and continue the burden of the Lord and finish His work.


Many more truths in these passages.  

Our thoughts

Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19.

Our minds can be the playground of the enemy unless we choose and sometimes we have to contend that 'I will not allow those thoughts'. Make a list and put into remembrance all that HE has done.

Prov. 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart so is he. We live in a world that is being shaken on every level. Our thinking is key to our spiritual health. People sometimes start their day with the news and find fear gripping them or the unknown playing in their minds or the 'what if'. We need to choose as the scripture says, 'think on the things noble, pure, lovely, good report...if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy-meditate on these things. Phil 4:8.

David said, 'I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me. Psn, 40:17a

A portion of scripture that I always stand amazed at Psm. 139:17-18 where it says, 'How precious are Your thoughts to me....how great the sum of them! If I could count them they would be more in number than the sand.' My mind is boggled at that thought...oh how much He loves us and thinks about us. Let our minds be on Him always. Today is the first day of your life. Think on Him and forget yesterday and know He has something new today.l

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11

I remember the day in Jan 1996 when I heard a popular preach, Chuck Swindoll quote this on the radio and it went into my spirit and has never left me. 

It is taken from the Old Testament but was spoken not just as a written Word but as Rhema to me. A living Word that I could stand on through the years.

 Psalm 139: 17-18

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

As we live life and walk our journey toward heaven, and for some our days are numbered. He leads us and brings us into His plan each day. Our only responsibility is to listen and obey Him. Amazing His thoughts toward us. It is hard to comprehend that a God in heaven would love us so much that we would be on His mind. Oh how rich is His love and mercy to us.

...In Him we live and move and have our being .....'For we are also His offspring.' Acts 17:28

HE IS

This is a sermon which I recently heard. It is so powerful that I wanted to post it...

By Dr. S.M. Lockridge

The Bible says my King is a seven-way king....He's the King of the Jews; that's a racial king....He's the King of Israel; that's a national King....He's the King of Righteousness....He's the King of the Ages.....He's the King of Heaven....He's the King of Glory....He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King. Well....I wonder, do you know Him?.... David said, "The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He's enduringly strong....He's entirely sincere....He's eternally steadfast....He's immortally graceful....He's imperially powerful....He's impartially merciful....... Do you know Him?

He's the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son....He's a sinner's Saviour....He's the centerpiece of civilization....He stands in the solitude of Himself....He's august....He's unique....He's unparalleled....He's unprecedented....He's the loftiest idea in literature....He's the highest personality in philosophy....He's the supreme problem in higher criticism....He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology....He's the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion....He's the miracle of the age.... He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him....He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour...... I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak....He's available for the tempted and the tried....He sympathizes and He saves....He strengthens and sustains....He guards and He guides....He heals the sick....He cleanses lepers....He forgives sinners....He discharges debtors....He delivers captives....He defends the feeble....He blesses the young....He serves the unfortunate....He regards the aged....He rewards the diligent....and He beautifies the meek....... I wonder if you know Him?

Well, my King....is the King....He's the key to knowledge....He's the wellspring to wisdom....He's the doorway of deliverance....He's the pathway of peace....He's the roadway of righteousness ....He's the highway of holiness....He's the gateway of glory....... Do you know Him?

Well....His office is manifold....His promise is sure....His light is matchless....His goodness is limitless....His mercy is everlasting....His love never changes....His word is enough....His grace is sufficient....His reign is righteous....and His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable....He's incomprehensible....He's invincible....He's irresistible.

Well, you can't get Him out of your mind....You can't get Him off of your hand....You can't out live Him, and you can't live without Him....The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him....Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him....The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree....Herod couldn't kill Him....Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him. Yea!!!, that's my King, that's my King.

Father..."Thine is the Kingdom....and the Power....and the Glory....Forever"....and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever...and ever...and when you get through with all the forevers, then.... AMEN!....AMEN!

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Do you not know?

Do you not know? 

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary 

and His understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lore 

will renew their strength"

They will soar on wings like eagles.

they will run and not grown weary,

they will walk and not be faint

Isaiah 40: 28-31

Diamond in the rough

" A diamond is a piece of coal that stayed on the job'

Isa. 43:2-3a

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you,

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the Lord you God.

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;............

When we walk through the fire, that is a promise that at times it will uncomfortable, it says to me that 'He will never leave me or forsake me'...and that I will experience a fire in my life. A quote from Joyce many years ago, 'He will burn out that which is not of Him and put on fire that which remains'. what a powerful truth.

My prayer: Lord let me allow you to put me through whatever it takes to make me more in your image each day. Build your character in me so that my life shines forth in this dark world that others will see your imprint on me and will turn to You and glorify You. Let me stay on the job you have put before me knowing that 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'.