Comments on August 11th readingsTypePad2006-08-11T03:01:00ZOne Year Biblehttps://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/2006/08/august_11th_rea/comments/atom.xml/John commented on 'August 11th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d834dc9ef869e22006-08-12T02:42:40Z2007-08-17T07:28:57ZJohnNehemiah 1)Why was Nehemiah so concerned about the wall? The Jews had gone back to Israel to rebuild Jerusalem and...<p>Nehemiah</p>
<p>1)Why was Nehemiah so concerned about the wall?</p>
<p>The Jews had gone back to Israel to rebuild Jerusalem and restore the nation. It had been around 90 years and the walls of Jerusalem had not been rebuilt.</p>
<p>Walls around a city were needed for protection from enemies. Symbolically "destroyed walls" inicated a city in defeat and desolation.</p>
<p>Do the "walls" in our life need to be rebuilt?????through the Word, prayer and worship??????</p>
<p>2) Prayer<br />
Nehemiah prayed at outset by: Praising God, Confession of Sin, Claims on God's promises to Israel, and Requesting God's help.</p>
<p>I pray often that I do as Nehemiah did before the king, pause and pray a quick silent prayer before speaking to someone on an important issue.</p>
<p>3)Nehemiah surveyed the problem, made a plan, obtained commitment, and implemented the plan.</p>
<p>Opposed by Samarian, Ammonite (descendant of Lot), and an Arab. Three must have had some power, but they were rebuffed as in effect being non-Jews - it was none of their business. If it was God's Will, it would be done.</p>
<p>4) Why list the rebuilders of the wall?</p>
<p>-Attests to historical nature of record<br />
-Shows it was done in an organized manner<br />
-Gives appreciation for magnitude of job<br />
-Gives recognition and appreciation to the laborers</p>
<p>Who knows perhaps someday archaelogoists will uncover ruins with some of these names inscribed?????</p>The Blunt Prophet commented on 'August 11th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d834a71e1a53ef2006-08-11T16:50:31Z2007-08-17T07:12:47ZThe Blunt Prophethttp://www.thebluntprophet.comKeep up the great work. Such a nice diea/site. God Bless !<p>Keep up the great work. Such a nice diea/site.</p>
<p>God Bless !</p>Jan commented on 'August 11th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d834dc74ad69e22006-08-11T14:46:17Z2007-08-17T07:10:26ZJanI can endorse the "Real Sex" book too - I have read it also. The world is getting more &...<p>I can endorse the "Real Sex" book too - I have read it also. </p>
<p>The world is getting more & more perverse/sick in regard to sex & those of us who are in the "world" but not of it - seek to understand why we must be pure & chaste, for such a time as this.</p>
<p>jan</p>
<p>Jano</p>Micah Girl commented on 'August 11th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d834dc694469e22006-08-11T12:49:29Z2007-08-17T07:06:20ZMicah Girlhttp://micahgirl.blogspot.comReal Sex by Lauren Winner is the best book on sex and purity out there. And Lauren Winner is a...<p>Real Sex by Lauren Winner is the best book on sex and purity out there. And Lauren Winner is a GREAT writer. Also highly recommended is her book Mudhouse Sabbath which discusses how Jewish tradition (which she grew up in) can positively impact Christianity. Good, good stuff. I am a big fan.</p>Vance Brown commented on 'August 11th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d834dc681469e22006-08-11T12:24:21Z2007-08-17T07:05:07ZVance BrownMay we NEVER forget, and may we MAKE SURE to always praise God. May we always REFLECT on His Goodness,...<p>May we NEVER forget, and may we MAKE SURE to always praise God. </p>
<p>May we always REFLECT on His Goodness, so we CAN REFLECT AND MIRROR His Goodness!</p>
<p>2 Peter 1 (NKJV)<br />
2 <br />
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, <br />
3 <br />
as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by GLORY and VIRTUE </p>
<p>NOTE:<br />
Glory, GREEK - DOXA</p>
<p>Splendor, radiance, majesty, absolute pefection</p>
<p>Virtue, GREEK - ARETE</p>
<p>Moral excellence, purity, miracle power</p>
<p>Virtue can also mean "miracle power", as in Mark 5 (KJV)<br />
30<br />
And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, who touched my clothes?</p>
<p>~~~</p>
<p>This makes me then think of these wonderful verses from Psalm 27 (NKJV):<br />
4 <br />
One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD <br />
All the days of my life, to behold the beauty [OR DELIGHTFULNESS] of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.<br />
5 <br />
For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; <br />
He shall set me high upon a rock. </p>
<p>Vance<br />
</p>Vance Brown commented on 'August 11th readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef00d834a7053353ef2006-08-11T11:18:38Z2007-08-17T07:04:25ZVance BrownNEHEMIAH (NKJV) 1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev,...<p>NEHEMIAH (NKJV)<br />
1 <br />
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan [Or Susa] the citadel</p>
<p>NOTE:<br />
According to www.hebrew4christians.com (a Messianic Jewish website), the Hebrew name for Nehemiah is “Nechemyah”. Also, according to the same source, Nechemyah means “consolation of God”.</p>
<p>I thought this was very interesting, as Nehemiah did, in fact, provide God’s consolation, encouragement, and wisdom to help the people of Israel fulfill God’s Word. They were so discouraged because of their sins. </p>
<p>Yet, at the right time, God sent His consolation, encouragement, and wisdom through Nehemiah.<br />
<br />
I am also sure that the loving Father also encouraged and strengthened any one of the Israelites personally who loved and worshipped Him as the true and living God Who He is.<br />
~~~</p>
<p>Nehemiah (NKJV)<br />
4 <br />
So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. </p>
<p>7 <br />
Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, [That is, the Euphrates River] that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, <br />
8 <br />
and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, [Literally house] for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.</p>
<p>NOTE:<br />
How did God use Nehemiah to be His instrument of consolation, encouragement, and strengthening? <br />
a. <br />
Through prayer—quality time spent alone with the Lord God and during the day while Nehemiah worked<br />
b. <br />
Through careful prayer and thinking, God gave Nehemiah a clear plan<br />
c. <br />
God turned the very trial, tragedy, and sorrow as doorway to enter the Father’s certain, guaranteed hope and goodness</p>
<p>I think of Hosea 2 (NKJV)<br />
14 <br />
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. <br />
15 <br />
I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. <br />
16 <br />
“And it shall be, in that day,” says the LORD, “ That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ [Hebrew Ishi]<br />
and no longer call Me ‘My Master,’ [Hebrew Baali]</p>
<p>** God did not want to be referenced at all by the false god "Baal". He wanted to be their unique Father.</p>
<p>He wants to be our real, genuine Father as the true and living God as well.<br />
~~~</p>
<p>I like the way the verse in Hosea fits right into Nehemiah’s life and into ours. The Valley of Achor is from Joshua chapter 7. </p>
<p>This is the account when God had Joshua stone and judge Achan for stealing items that God had cursed which belonged to the Canaanite nations who were to be judged.</p>
<p>The Valley of Achor is the very place where God judged Achan and his family.</p>
<p>Joshua 7 (NKJV)<br />
24 <br />
Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. <br />
25 <br />
And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day.” So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.</p>
<p>YET, note in Hosea, God is going to turn that very place of tragedy, sorrow, and shame into the doorway of certain, guaranteed hope realizing God’s goodness and His will!<br />
~~~</p>
<p>Our prayers for others, even when prayer “doesn’t seem to be doing anything” (as human eyes see)—our repentance, our faith, our faithfulness in seeking, knowing, and loving the Lord DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.</p>
<p>God can give us, as well, a clear plan as we wait on Him and rely on the true and real personal relationship with the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit.</p>
<p>God bless you today. God will work all things together for good…to those who are called to HIS PURPOSE and HIS GLORY.<br />
~~~</p>
<p>We need to give our desires--and all of who we are--regulary to the Lord. </p>
<p>May our desires be a vehicle through which the Lord can minister His goodness, holiness, and beauty.</p>
<p>His goodness, holiness, and beauty can minister to US... as well as to others around us.</p>
<p>May we pray regularly for the nations, out of our real, genuine personal relationship with the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit.</p>
<p>Vance<br />
</p>