John Wesley

A Diligent Preacher: John Wesley preached three sermons a day for 54 years, preaching more than 44,000 times. He travelled by horseback and carriage more than 200,000 miles (around 5,000 miles a year), knew 10 languages, published a four-volume commentary on the Bible, an English dictionary, five volumes on natural philosophy, four volumes on church history, histories of England and Rome, grammar books on Hebrew, Latin, Greek, French and English, three works on medicine, six volumes of church music, seven volumes of sermons and controversial papers, edited a library of fifty books, arose at 4 a.m., and worked solidly to 10 p.m. ARE YOU GETTING TIRED? He said, "I have more hours of private retirement than any man in England." At 83 he was irritated because he could no longer write more than fifteen hours a day without hurting his eyes. On his 85th birthday he wrote that he felt no weariness while travelling or preaching. But at 86 he was ashamed that he could no longer preach more than twice a day. He complained in his diary that he had an increasing tendency to sleep in till 5:30 a.m. 

Moses

STRATEGY....building a plan for success

Exodus 17

vs. 1 Israel set out for their journey at the command of the Lord.

vs. 2 They contend with Moses asking the question "why".

vs. 3 'Why have you brought us up to kill us, our children and livestock with thirst'.

Moses seeks the Lord and God gives a strategy. vs. 6 tells him to take his rod and strike the rock. He obeys and the people drink.

To me it is a bitter sweet victory because they questioned whether the Lord was among them.

Vs. 8 Faced with Amelek(means, warlike, dweller in the valley) whose intent is to fight.

Moses again gives direction and take the rod to the top of the hill. He tells Joshua to fight and he obeys. When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed and when he let down his hand, Amelek prevailed. Aaron and Hur put a stone under him and he sat and they held his hands up. Joshua defeats Amalek and his people with the sword. Moses rod represented the authority and Joshua's sword the Word. Victory is won on the mountain not in the valley.

Moses build an altar and its name is The Lord is my Banner (JEHOVAH NISSI).

Moses, the leader sought God in the face of trouble and God gave the strategy in both cases and the Lord prevailed.



Abram-Lot

 SACRIFICE..Giving up in order to gain

Genesis 13..Abram and Lot go up from Egypt. Abram and Lots herdsmen fight because there is not enough space for the animals.

Vs 4 Abram seeks the Lord. He states the land will not support both of them. Abram gives Lot first choice of land and he 'lifts his eyes' and chooses land close to Sodom. (this speaks to me of a fleshly choice as it does not ...

say he sought the Lord) BUT God speaks to Abram says, 'lift your eyes' from the place you are, northward,southward, eastward, and westward. All the land God gives to him and his descendants....He speaks and tells him to walk the land the length..its width and he will give it to him. He obeys and move his tent and dwells and build an altar. Both lifted their eyes and the end result was blessing on Abram and Lots choice led him into captivity (chap 14). Abram allowed another to choose first and in the end became the Father of God's chosen people. First choices are not always the best BUT seeking the Lord is the key to choice even if you feel you have to sacrifice the best.

Joseph

RESPECT a lesson in humility. 

GENESIS 37,39, 42-45


JOSEPH a young man whose father showed him partiality...but his brothers e
vied..hated...stripped and sold him...lied and became deceivers to his father. Joseph sold into Egypt to Potiphar..his wife tries to seduce him and sets trap..untruth...but husband believes and puts him in prison for 2 years. Finds favor with the guard and because

 of God's mercy uses him. Famine comes to brothers land and they go to Egypt where there is grain unknowingly, to their brother who elevated by God is now governor. They present themselves as honest men to him...He puts them to the test. Amazing he holds no judgment...bitterness..anger or any of the emotions that were rightly his. He saves them from themselves. He respected others no matter where he found himself and now respects the brothers who betrayed him and in humility is used of God to restore. A key is that he knew it was God that had allowed it all in his life...much more to the story and lots of lessons...it can speak volumes to our lives today.

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