|
aspiritual
Never Give Up - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is Sunday May 31, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of II Chronicles. Please read chapters 28-31 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/2%20Chronicles/28,1-31,999/28.html Today's Message: Never Give Up The devil will stop at nothing to get us to give up on ever seeking victory over our struggles, but we have the one and only powerful God in our corner and He will lead indeed lead all who seek Him to victory. After the death of wicked King Ahaz, his godly son Hezekiah became king and assumed leadership of a nation where idol worship was both popular and prevalent. "Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done." (II Chronicles 29:1-2). Hezekiah indeed inherited a mess to clean up from his father. He had placed the kingdom of Judah in subjection to Assyria, which was fast becoming the world's most powerful kingdom. Its seemingly invincible armies had seized control of both Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. In addition, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had jurisdiction over 46 walled cities inside the kingdom of Judah. Hezekiah could have given up all hope of getting his kingdom back in order, but instead of being bitter or angry he chose to do something about it. Hezekiah knew that if he just sat there nothing would change so he put his faith in God and did what he knew was right, in the midst of a nation full of sin, he began cleaning up the city, starting with the house of the Lord. "He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place." (29:3-5). I am sure Hezekiah felt a little overwhelmed at times and maybe was a little frightened too, but he knew that God was with him and regardless of the circumstances he never gave up hope that his kingdom would turn away from sin and back on God. God is with us too, in fact we have something even better than what Hezekiah had, we have Jesus. We no longer have to kill a bunch of animals to be cleansed from sin. Jesus took the place of all of them when He shed His own blood to cleanse us from our sins. Hezekiah was successful, he observed the Passover, reopened the Temple, and restored worship of the true God. "Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD." (II Chronicles 31:1-2). As with Hezekiah, who inherited serious problems because his father was evil, we too may be the victim of other people's sins, but Christians need not fear the future or the unfortunate circumstances of the past. The Apostle Paul said "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14). We do not need to be concerned about any sins that we inherited or other situations we can not control. Dwelling in the past does nothing for us except make us bitter, angry, depressed, and hateful not only toward others, but ourselves as well. We need to press forward with our faith in God knowing that He will bring all things to pass and help us reach our goals. Today's Psalm: 86:13 "For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell." Today's Prayer: Dear God, Thank You for sending Your son, Jesus to cleanse me from all my sins. Thank You, Jesus for dying on the cross for me. You willingly became the sacrificial Lamb whose death freed me from the heavy shackles of sin, degradation, and eternal damnation. My response to Your act of mercy and grace toward me is that I place my faith in You and recognize that Your love, so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Lord, give me the strength that I know only comes from You to overcome each and everyone of my struggles. I will press onward and forward knowing that You will bring all things to pass and lead me to victory. In Your great name, Jesus.........Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed Lords day/night. God bless you, Christina Visit A Spiritual Guide www.aspiritualguide.net |
|
aspiritual
Long Suffering Jun 2nd, 2009 5:10:26 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is June 1, 2009 and we are completing our studies on the book of II Chronicles. Please read chapters 32-36 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/2%20Chronicles/32,1-36,last/32.html Today's Message: Long Suffering We can rejoice that God is long suffering and patient with us, but it is a sin to assume we can take advantage of His graciousness by continued disobedience. Josiah began to reign at the age of eight. He reigned on David's throne for thirty-one years. Josiah's religious leadership ranked him with David, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah as an outstanding godly ruler, for he took a firm stand against idol worship and other evils that had saturated his kingdom. "Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images." (II Chronicles 34:1-3). Josiah was the last king to restore Temple worship to the One True God before the destruction of the southern kingdom and Jerusalem. Josiah's leadership abruptly ended when he attempted to stop Pharaoh Necho's plans to attack the Assyrians. He was fatally wounded at Megiddo, but he fulfilled the will of God who spared him from the tragedies that were to soon come upon Jerusalem and the Temple. The last four kings of Judah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, were all evil, and led the nation in a descending course to its disastrous end morally, politically, and spiritually. During his reign of 11 years, Zedekiah, the youngest son of Josiah, rebelled against Babylon's domination because he thought he had the support of Egypt. "And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel." (II Chronicles 36:10-13). There are going to be numerous times in our lives when we try to reach the lost, only to get the door slammed in our faces, or even worse, but no matter what happens we can not stop. It's nothing personal, it's them, they are lost and do not know what they are doing, many are even living in sin and afraid to seek God for forgiveness. All we can do is pray, press forward, and move on just as Jermiah did. Nebuchadnezzar's soldiers eventually broke through the north wall and mercilessly butchered both young and old. This time there was no room for repentance, the Lord left the Israelites to their ruin, some escaped, but most were carried off as slaves to become exiles in a foreign land. "And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years." (36:19-21). Long suffering means to have patience when enduring pain or sorrow. What this means to us is that God instills patience on those who are enduring pain or sorrow. "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left," (II Corinthians 6:4-7). God also is long suffering toward us as he waits patiently for us to seek Him for forgiveness and repentance of our sins. The long-suffering of God can be seen here in that He sent the Israelites messengers, prophets, and priests to teach and warn them to repent and turn from their wicked ways. God has compassion on all His people, but He will not be mocked. He will not allow a person to continue to live in sin knowing perfectly well that all he has to do is call on Him for forgiveness. It's as if a person says I am going to murder this person because God will forgive me for it. We can not say that we want to live for God and not do anything to change the way we live our lives. God will not stand for it. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7). Long suffering also teaches us that God will not allow the devil to tempt us beyond what we can not handle or get out of. Many temptations face every one of us, but the Word of God provides guidance so that we might find a way out of it. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (I Corinthians 10:13). Today's Psalm: 86:15 "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Today's Prayer: Dear God, We’re so thankful that when our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from You, an eternal house in heaven. May we be consoled in knowing the greater the suffering here on earth the greater the glory awaits us in heaven. We make it our life long goal to remain strangers in this world as we maintain friendship with You. We press forward that goal to win the prize for which You have called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. In Your appointed hour our bodies will be transformed so that they will be like Your glorious body. We eagerly await that transformation day when anticipation becomes reality for all of Your children. In Jesus' Name.......Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed night/day and week. God Bless, Christina Visit A Spiritual Guide www.aspiritualguide.net |
|
aspiritual
Waiting on God's Promises Jun 3rd, 2009 6:51:52 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today us Tuesday June 2, 2009 and we are beginning our studies on the book of Ezra. Please read chapters 1-2 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Ezra/1,1-2,last/1.html Today's Message: Waiting on God's Promises God's promises always come to pass exactly as He says. He knows when and how to meet our needs, our task is to wait on the Lord. The book of Ezra is the fifteenth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains ten chapters. The author of the book is Ezra the prophet and it was originally written to the Israelites. The purpose of the book was to record the Israelites return from exile, after Jerusalem had been destroyed, to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. What we are to learn from the book is the basic principles of repentance, returning to God and restoring our relationship with Him. Following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, the Israelites were forced to live in captivity in Babylon for seventy years, due to their sins. "And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations." (Jeremiah 25:11-12). About 200 years before the time of Ezra, Isaiah prophesied that Babylon would be overthrown by a man named Cyrus and that he would rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. "That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.................I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts." (Issiah 44:28,45:13). These prophecies reassured the Israelites that, following the judgment foretold by Jeremiah, God would restore them once again to the promised land. King Cyrus, of Persia made a proclamation throughout all of Persia to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. " (Ezra 1:1-3). There are times when God will call us to do things that may be a little bit uncomfortable to us, but He is always with us guiding us to do exactly what He needs us to do, when the time is right. Most of the new generation of Judah had never been in Jerusalem so the only reason they would even leave Babylon would be to rebuild the Temple in the old, ruined city of Jerusalem, which was about 900 miles away. There were only a few willing to endure the long four month journey on foot, but they knew that they were going back to the place where they could restore true worship of God. "Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered. Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;" (Ezra 1:5-7). Unlike their ancestors, who traveled from Egypt to the promised land, there was no pillar of fire by night or a cloud by day to guide them and no manna fell from the heaven, but there is not one complaint recorded about their journey. God promises to give us everything that we need and even the things that we desire, but He never said that we could receive them instantly. Some times we do get an answer quickly, but more often He is preparing us and growing us to fulfill a purpose and when all things come to pass we will receive what we sensibly desire. When we recognize that God controls everything that affects our lives, we can truly enjoy His peace, while fulfilling His purpose, regardless of the circumstances, for God works all things together for good to all who love Him. "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." (Romans 8:2 .Today's Prayer: Dear God, Though I am called to go through many hardships, there isn’t one that I face alone. For in my weakness You are made strong, in my folly You are the God of infinite wisdom, and in my fear I take hold of the hope You offer to me which is firm and secure. You will not abandon the work of Your hands but fulfill Your purpose for me as You strengthen, sustain, and instruct me during times of testing. I do not want to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. In Jesus' Name..........Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed day/night. God Bless, Christina Visit A Spiritual Guide www.aspiritualguide.net |
|
aspiritual
Willing to Sacrifice Jun 4th, 2009 8:19:05 pm - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is Wednesday June 3, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Ezra, please read chapters 3-5 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Ezra/3,1-5,999/3.html Today's Message: Willing to Sacrifice Too often we put our wants and desires ahead of God's will for our lives, but those who are willing to sacrifice their time for God will always receive His blessings. Zerubbabel and the returning Jews left the luxuries of Persia for the hardships of Jerusalem. What once had been the glorious promised land was now a heap of rubble. However, they pressed on and began rebuilding the Temple. Many needs for existence such as food and shelter for their families and animals claimed their attention, but personal necessities were set aside until they had first rebuilt the altar of God and reestablished worship to the One True God. "And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening." (Ezra 3:1-3). The decision to serve God does not guarantee that one will live a life with out any problems. Satan will use everything in his power to convince us that we cannot finish the task we have set out to accomplish. However, we have the Power of the Almighty God with us and He will always give us the strength to endure every obstacle we face. As the builders completed the foundation of the Temple the priests and the Levites began rejoicing and all the people around them began praising and giving thanks to God as well. Some of the elders were weeping after the foundation was laid. "And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off." (3:10-13). It is unsure why the elders were weeping, perhaps they were weeping with joy over seeing the altar complete or they realized their past sins and how they contributed to the destruction of the Temple. It is a good thing for us to sorrow over our past sins, which have brought the judgment of God upon us, but after repenting and forsaking them we are to forget about them. We should not continue to grieve over past losses that blur opportunities for the present and the future, but thank Him for His mercy and grace. We need to daily move on with our lives and join the Israelites as they praised and gave thanks to God. When our hearts desire to be obedient to God and His Word, the Holy Spirit will teach us to abandon our dependence on ourselves and material things and rely on God to provide for us. Now, this does not mean that all we are to do is sit there and pray and read and everything will be handed to us. Yes, is a great thing to do, but we must be willing to do whatever God calls us to do. If we just sit there we will never fulfill His purpose for our lives. Sacrificial giving, devoted work, and faithful attendance in church are outward manifestations of a restored relationship with God. Every single thing we do for God brings us closer to Him, we may be called to do some pretty boring things, but they are not boring to God. He is actually testing us to see if we are worthy of handling more important things. If we are unwilling to do the small stuff what would keep us from walking away from the big stuff? "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:31-33)Today's Psalm: 23:3 "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Today's Prayer: Dear God, Your grace is beyond measure and more than sufficient for our daily needs. When we are weary and discouraged You restore our soul and renew our hope, in this life, and most especially through the eternal perspective of life's circumstances. Thank You for Your anointing and outpouring of blessings that overflow in our lives. Thank You for the work that You call us to do, it's comforting to know that we are so important to You that You call us to do even the smallest of tasks. In Jesus' name........Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed day/night. God Bless, Christina Visit A Spiritual Guide www.aspiritualguide.net P.S. I apologize for getting this out a day late, I was doing other work for God. |
|
aspiritual
Source of Strength Jun 7th, 2009 5:45:07 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is Thursday June 4, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Ezra. Please read chapters 6-8 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Ezra/6,1-8,last/6.html Today's Message: Source of Strength God's Word is the source of strength by which His children cannot be defeated. His work can only be sustained and strengthened through obedience to His Word, which is the foundation of our Christian lives. After the foundation was complete the Israelites began building their own houses, it did not take long before their focus became more on the houses rather than the Temple, which caused them to cease from completing it. Prophets Haggai and Zechariah reminded the Israelites that the real reason the Lord's work went unfinished was because their first interest was in building their own homes. These anointed men boldly preached the Word of God and inspired the people to continue rebuilding the Temple. "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter." (Ezra 5:1-5). The building of the Temple had been left unfinished for many years, but once God's Word and authority were recognized they Ezra was born during the Babylonian captivity. He was a descendant of Aaron, Israel's first high priest. The key to Ezra's great effectiveness in accomplishing the will of God is clear, he prepared his heart to seek God. "This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him............For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." (Ezra 7:6,9-10). The key to Ezra's success was threefold, first, he prepared his heart to seek God's Word, second he committed himself to obey His Word, and third, he planned to teach it to others. He also depended upon God in prayer, fasting, and recognized the sovereignty of God and gave Him all the glory. "And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me." (Ezra 7:25-2 . Ezra was committed to seeking, doing, and teaching God's Word. This should be a reminder that, if we want God to bless our lives, we too must set our hearts upon the whole counsel of God.God's Word is One power that Satan can never overcome, it is the most powerful weapon anyone can use to defeat the enemy. "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:12-13). The Word of God becomes our inner strength as the Holy Spirit enlightens and guides us as we read it. And, as we accept it by faith, He then enables us to teach it to others. Today's Psalm: 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." Today's Prayer: Dear God, As we live in the Light of Your Word the devil’s venomous plots are exposed. We are not caught by surprise, but prepared to be on the offense rather than the defense. As we wear the full armor of Your Word we are protected and can fight against all the devil’s evil tricks. We walk in truth and confidence as we stand strong against the powers of this world’s darkness and the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. We pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, continuously asking for Your discernment strength, and guidance as we face any obstacles in our way that try and stop us from following Your Will. In Jesus' Name.........Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed night/day. God Bless, Christina Visit A Spiritual Guide www.aspiritualguide.net |
|
aspiritual
Path of Resistance Jun 8th, 2009 7:24:33 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is Saturday June 6, 2009 and we are beginning our studies on the book of Nehemiah. Please read chapters 1-3 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Nehemiah/1,1-3,last/1.html Today's Message: Path of Resistance God's path is rarely the path of least resistance, but God gives us the wisdom and strength to keep going forward to victory as long as we seek Him in every area of our lives. The book of Nehemiah is the sixteenth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains thirteen chapters. The author of the book is Nehemiah and it was originally written to the Israelites. The purpose of the book was to continue showing the history of Israel and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. What we are to learn from the book is that there is not opportunity without opposition and that faith without works is dead. When Nehemiah's relative Hanani arrived in Persia from Jerusalem, he told Nehemiah of the pitiful conditions that existed there. "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire." (Nehemiah 1:1-3). Over a period of about four months, Nehemiah fasted and prayed, "And it came to pass, when I heard These words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which 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." (1:4-6). King Artaxerxes saw Nehemiah's grief and asked why he was so sad. Nehemiah then explained to the king that he grieved over the ruins of Jerusalem. The king graciously responded by appointing him governor over Judah and commissioning him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The king even provided some of the materials. " And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. 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 2:6- . God answers every prayer request that we send up to Him, but He rarely answers it in a way that we expect, often we get more that we ever hoped for.Soon after the king sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem he faced opposition from Sanballat and his crowd of followers. "But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem." (2:19-20). Of course, the closer we draw near to God the more opposition we face from the devil. He will send many people and objects in our path to try and stop us from being so faithful to God. There are three basic characteristics that contributed to Nehemiah's success. First, he has a desire to do the will of God. God's will led him to leave a life of luxury in the kings palace to endure the hardships of Jerusalem in order to restore the City of God. It is very important that our first desire be to do the will of God, no matter where that might take us. Enduring the hardships allows us to not only draw even closer to God it also blesses us even more that er expect. Second, he not only prayed, he fasted and confessed their sins as well. He recognized that obedience to the Word of God is essential to answered prayer. Never under estimate the power of fasting and prayer. Jesus himself said that some requests can only be answered by fasting and prayer. "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:20-21). Third, he never gave up and was determined to get the people to join him in rebuilding the walls. He refused to become discouraged and give up on accomplishing God's will, regardless of any opposition he faced. Accomplishing the will of God is dependent upon remembering that He is Sovereign over all the affairs of our lives. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:5-6) Today's Prayer: Dear God, May we desire to do Your will, to hide Your Word deep in our hearts so that we will not walk in the ways of sin but instead the paths of righteousness. Help us to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness above all so that we will do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with You, our Lord and God. In Jesus' Name...........Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed day/night . God Bless, Christina Visit: Following Jesus www.readytofollow.com |
|
aspiritual
A Dedicated Christian Jun 9th, 2009 7:39:23 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is Sunday June 7, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Nehemiah. Please read chapters 4-6 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Nehemiah/4,1-6,last/4.html For those of you who are regular readers of these messages, I want to note a bit of a change in how I write them. The Holy Spirit is leading me to be a little more interactive with the verses so please bare with me for a few days as I adjust to this new format myself. Today's Message: A Dedicated Christian Do not expect a lot of people to be happy that you are a dedicated Christian, but the opposition and testing will make your faith more precious than gold. You can be sure once you set out to do something for God the devil will try numerous times to discourage, distract, or disqualify you from fulfilling His will. There are examples all through the Bible proving this fact, even Jesus Himself was constantly subject to the devil's opposition. We'll discuss that a little later in the message, but right now let's take a look at the opposition Nehemiah faced as he was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was determined to rebuild the walls, yet there were many determined to get him to stop. "But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall." (Nehemiah 4:1-3). Do you see how Sanballat's anger caused him to gossip and speak badly about the Israelites? And to make matters worse he got others involved. The devil was trying to get Nehemiah and the Israelites to feel inadequate, as if they were not qualified enough to do God's work. You will rarely see a bitter person stay to themselves, they will always get other bitter people to join in with them. That's why it is very important that we stay faithful to God and His Word, this often happens to Christians as well. He will teach us to recognize gossip and give us the strength to ignore it and keep moving forward. Nehemiah counteracted Sanballat's attempt to stop them, "And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work." (4:14-15). Nehemiah encouraged the Israelites to keep going by reassuring them that God was with them and would protect them and their families as well. From that day forward they continued on with faith knowing that God was with them. "And God had brought their counsel to nought", means that God showed the Israelite's that the enemies mockery and opinions were meaningless to them. We will always be subject to unwanted, sometimes critical advice, even from other Christians, but always remember that their mockery and opinions are meaningless as well. What is important is completing God's Work, of course, we are going to make mistakes along the way, but that's how we learn and grow. God knows our hearts and He will guide us and show us exactly how He wants things done regardless of how many enemies we face. Do you think that the opposition stopped there? Of course not. Sanballat again attempted to stop their work, this time by trying to convince Nehemiah to meet with him. After Sanballat made five attempts to meet with Nehemiah, he then accused him of rebelling against the king of Persia. When this failed, he hired a prophet to foretell Nehemiah's death. However, none of his attempts were successful and the wall was completed in fifty two days. "So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God." (Nehemiah 6:15-16). Do you see how the enemy knew perfectly well that God was the one who made the rebuilding of the wall complete? All they could do was hang their heads in shame knowing that they were defeated by the Almighty God who was in complete control the whole time. As I said earlier, Jesus Himself faced opposition from the devil. He tried to tempt Jesus several times, but failed because Jesus held true to His faith in God's Word. "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:1-4). We will constantly face temptation, which is a form of opposition, if the devil can distract us and get us to focus on the things we desire from our flesh then he has defeated us. However, if we keep our focus on God and His Word than nothing can stop us from being defeated. Incedently, we are not the ones at battle, God is, and when we realize that He is the One who allows the opposition, we need not panic. It's not us that the enemy opposes, it's God and we just happen to be the fuel that adds to their hatred. However, God gives us the strength to overcome the enemy and that strength comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. His spirit indwells in us and allows us to continue and conquer the battle until victory is won. Today's Prayer: Dear God, We give thanks to You that we can walk in victory because of Your Son Jesus Christ. Once we were held captive by sin and its enslavement, but we have been set free through the redemptive work of Jesus and His glorious resurrection. Each day brings new battles, but we overcome them through the blood of the Lamb. Help us to stand firm in our faith and Your truths, as we daily serve You. We are encouraged to know that nothing we do for You is in vain though we may not see immediate results. Keep us obedient and trusting. In Jesus' Name.......Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed week. God Bless, Christina Visit My New Website: Following Jesus www.readytofollow.com |
|
aspiritual
Cover to Cover 06.09.09 Jun 10th, 2009 10:21:41 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is Tuesday June 9, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Nehemiah. Please read chapters 7-8 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Nehemiah/7,1-8,last/7.html Today's Message: Cover to Cover From cover to cover the Bible has everything we need to live a long, prosperous, joyful life, but we must be willing to learn all of it to enjoy all of these blessings. God's Word is given to us in order to give us instructions on how we can live the best life possible, it teaches us about love, honor, discipline, and even how to obtain our desires. The key is to read and learn all of God's Word, not part of it. After the walls of Jerusalem were complete all of the Israelites gathered together to hear Ezra read the Book of Law. Thousands of Jews assembled in Jerusalem day after day from sunrise until noon to hear Ezra and the Levites read and explain the Book of the Law. This resulted in a renewal of the Covenant relationship of the Israelites with God and the restoration of scriptural worship. "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. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law." (Nehemiah 8:1-3). Do you see how the people were eager to hear God's Word? It's not enough to read His Word, we must want to hear it. Otherwise we will never understand the true meaning of what He wants us to know. God speaks to us through His Word and, as we read it, our various acts of disobedience, whether by ignorance, omission or commission, are brought to mind. This will lead to our conviction, confession, and cleansing. We will then become not only hearers of the Word, but doers as well. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:" (James 1:22-23). After Ezra and the other Levites explained the Scriptures, a marvelous revival took place. The people, overwhelmed by what they were taught, wept as they realized that they had forsaken God's commands. "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (8:8-10). Ezra told the people that they no longer needed to mourn or cry over their sins because God had forgiven them. They were to rejoice as God had forgiven them and given them the strength to live for Him. We too need to be reminded that once we confess our sins we are forgiven and no longer need to mourn or cry over them. Rejoice! You are forgiven and are cleansed from all of your sins! A growing number of Christian's are relying on others to tell them about God's Word or even worse, reading books that claim to be the Bible, yet have taken out or even added to God's Word, which God's warns deeply against. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Revelation 22:18-19). You say you do not understand the Bible and that is why you do not read it? Well, there are one of two reasons why you can not understand it. 1. You are not saved. In order to understand God's Word you must have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (I Corinthians 2:12). The only way to receive the Holy Spirit is by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:3 .2. You are not reading with your heart. It's not enough to read the Bible, you have to want to read it. I can understand that there might be some gruesome events recorded in the Bible, but unless you read all of it you will never know how those things came to play. Think about life today, we face all types of issues, including war, famine, poverty, and even homosexuality. The Bible is no different than what we deal with on a daily bases, except it takes place centuries ago. Take the time to read the Bible daily, read it cover to cover and do not stop after that. God designed the book so that you are about to learn something new every time you re-read a verse. Take you time, you do not have to rush, God is with you and will help you understand. Of course, it's perfectly fine to meet with others for Bible study or read messages like these to help you understand as well, but never underestimate the power of reading God's Word for yourself. Have a wonderful and blessed day/night. God Bless you, Christina Visit: Following Jesus www.readytofollow.com |
|
aspiritual
Brand New Heart Jun 13th, 2009 6:26:04 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend/Guest, Today is Wednesday June 10, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Nehemiah. Please read chapters 9-10 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Nehemiah/9,1-10,last/9.html Today's Prayer: Brand New Heart God can bring a miraculous change about when one gets sick and tired of living in sin and repents. God is willing and able to give us a brand new heart as long as we allow the Holy Spirit to be our guide. The Holy Spirit is essential to have in our lives if we ever want to know the true meaning of God's Word and how to live according to them. Later in the message I will explain how we receive the Holy Spirit for those who may not know. The Feast of Tabernacles lasted from the 15th day through the 21st day of Tishri (the seventh month of the Jewish religious year, September/October). On the 24th day of Tishri the Israelites gathered, while fasting, to read the Book of Law (God's Word). "Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God." (Nehemiah 9:1-3). Do you see how the Israelites separated themselves from strangers? It is very important that All Christians separate themselves from the world, and that includes worldly Christians. If we are to hear God's Word and apply it to our lives then we must be willing to give up a friendship with someone whom the devil, unknowingly, uses to get us away from living a godly life. If they are a true friend they will not reject God. Upon reading the book of Law, the Israelites confessed their sins and worshiped God. Then the Levites told them to stand up for God and praise Him above all things they are blessed with. "Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. 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." (9:5-6). As you read this passage you will see that the Levites acknowledged that God is the creator of all things. We are to always thank and praise God of the fact that He is the creator of all things and that He uses everything to instruct and guide us in the way that we should be. The Levites, while reminding the Israelites of the blessings that were given to their ancestors as they wandered in the wilderness, revealed to them how God provided a way for them to be instructed and guided. "Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst." (Nehemiah 9:20). This good spirit was of course the Holy Spirit and we too are guided by Him. How do we know that we are guided by Him? All who accept Jesus as their Savior receive the Holy Spirit inside of them and are guided by Him. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:3 . Everything that we encounter, whether it be to serve God, to be corrected by Him, or to be instructed by Him comes from the Holy Spirit. The Israelites then made an oath to restore all tithes and sacrifices that the Law had earlier ordained. Though they were living in poverty they agreed do whatever God asked them to do for to serve in the Temple. The whole assembly, in unison with their governor, repeated with one mind, one heart, and one mouth. "And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;..........For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God." (Nehemiah 10:28-29, 39). "Entered into a curse", means that the people vowed to be connected to the Temple as one, meaning that together they were one body of God and if they were to separate from the Temple they would be cursed (live in affliction). We as Christians are One Body in Christ, therefore we too are to be one body of the Church. The second we separate from the body we are cursed, think about times when you have been away from God for a time, life seemed to be emptier and more oppressed, well imagine that if you did not have God at all. It's time for all who have been slipping and have fallen from God to repent and return to Him. It does not matter what happened in the past, He loves you and accepts you. You are still saved by the blood of Christ and are a child of God. Seek the Holy Spirit, He is right there inside of you, all you have to do is awaken Him by asking Him to stir a new spirit within you, He will give you a new heart and a new purpose. Today's Psalm: 9:1 "I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works." Today's Prayer: Dear God, When we gave you our heart, we made the willful choice to no longer conform to the trends and philosophies of this world. Instead we ask You to daily renew our minds so that we see this world and its philosophies through the eyes of Christ. We are put to the test daily in deciding what is truth and what is error. May Your Holy Word be our reference point and Your Spirit be our Guide as we are exposed to countless philosophies based on human understanding and the basic principles of this world rather than Your eternal foundational truths. Sharpen our discernment and grant us courage so that we readily know truth from error and are fearless in saying so. In Jesus' Name............Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed day/night. God Bless, Christina Visit: Following Jesus www.readytofollow.com |
|
aspiritual
Ignorant To God's Word Jun 13th, 2009 6:42:20 am - Subscribe
|
|
Hello My Friend./Guest, Today is Thursday June 11, 2009 and we are completing our studies on the book of Nehemiah. Please read chapters 11-13 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. http://www.allonlinebible.com/Nehemiah/11,1-13,last/11.html Today’s Message: Ignorant to God’s Word To resist worldly influence calls for tough decisions to be made in order to remain faithful to God's Word. We must not make the mistake of being ignorant to His Word in order to compromise with the world or obtain the things that we desire. After the walls of Jerusalem were completed, Nehemiah went back home to Babylon, only a few people lived inside the city. Most of the Jews lived in nearby suburbs so they could grow crops, pasture their animals, and make a living more easily. Because of this, there were not enough people living in the city to help maintain security and to protect it. “And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities. And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.” - Nehemiah 11:1-2. Do you see how this can be disastrous? The people were more focused on providing for themselves that they were on keeping God’s city growing. It’s very important that we set aside our own needs in order to help God’s community grow. God will always provide us with the things we are in need of and even many of the things we really do not need, but we must be willing to put God first. Upon arriving back in Jerusalem, Nehemiah finds the people once again ignoring the Word of God and returning to sinful practices. He discovered the Levites working in the fields instead of serving in the Temple. The tithes that were designated to support the Levites remained in the people's hands, the House of God was forsaken, and the Sabbath day was desecrated by the majority. Eliashib, the high priest, who had been a co-worker with Nehemiah in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, even went so far as to prepare Tobiah a place to live the courts of the House of God. Eliashib associated with Tobiah, the Ammonite, probably because of a marriage relationship even though Tobiah had been one of the enemies who had tried to stop Nehemiah from completing the walls years earlier. “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; Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.” - Nehemiah 13:1-5. Do you see where the people erred? They erred because they did not stay in God’s Word, had they read it daily he would have known the stay away from the Ammonite’s and Moabite’s, this would have saved them a lot of grief from marrying the wrong people. Nehemiah again took a firm stand for the Word of God and would not consent to their compromising attitude toward sin. He would not tolerate dishonoring the Sabbath day or intermarriage of idol worshipers with Israelites. His reforms were resisted by an influential group of Israelites whose children had intermarried with Moabites or Ammonites, but he did not back down. “Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.” - Nehemiah 13:29-31. Like Nehemiah we too can make a difference in our world, but in order to do that we must not forget our Creator. All of His instructions or commands are given for a reason and that reason is not to deny us things, but to keep us from living a long, suffering life by making a huge mistake. Too often Christians compromise with the world because they lack knowledge of the Scriptures, they excuse disloyalty to God by saying they don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But where there is obvious opposition to what is clearly stated in God's Word, we must take a positive stand for Christ. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” - Galatians 5:1 Today’s Psalm:119:161 “Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” Today’s Prayer: Dear God, We give thanks to You that we can walk in victory because of Your Son Jesus Christ. Once we were held captive by sin and its enslavement, but we have been set free through the redemptive work of Jesus and His glorious resurrection. Each day brings new challenges, but we overcome them through the blood of the Lamb. Help us to stand firm in our faith and immovable in Your truths, as we daily serve You. We are encouraged to know that nothing we do for You is in vain though we may not see immediate results. Keep us obedient and trusting. In Jesus’ Name………Amen. Have a wonderful and blessed day/night. God Bless, Christina Visit Following Jesus www.readytofollow.com |