The Joy
Of
The Lord Renews
Our Strength
Nehemiah 8: 10 Nehemiah
said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to
those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not
grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Israel had just returned from captivity in Babylon and had rebuilt the
walls of Jerusalem and were setting their goal of rebuilding the Temple
and restoring the nation.
Nehemiah 8: 1 all
the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate.
They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,
which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
I
would like for all of you to realize that the gathering was not a small
crowd as many scholars believe this gathering was a crowd of some
50,000 people. A football stadium sized crowd.
Ezra spoke to this crowd and spoke of the laws as were told to Moses.
Nehemiah 8: 2 So
on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law
before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were
able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon
as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the
men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened
attentively to the Book of the Law
Rather
than being impatient as you have witnessed congregations to be with
long sermons, this gathering were hungry for God’s Word and willingly
listened and hung on to every word.
Nehemiah 8: 5 Ezra
opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing
above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6
Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their
hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped
the LORD with their faces to the ground.
This
had to be one of the most fulfilling revivals of faith ever witnessed
by man. There were no loudspeakers, music making entertainers or many of
the modern methods used by what we now know as, ‘mega-churches,’ only a
gathering eagerly listening to the Words of God.
Even more surprisingly this preaching and teaching continued for days.
How
many of you have witnessed such a revival of faith that went on for 7 –
8 days, 6 hours each day and no one departed the gathering?
Contrary
to the preaching and teachings we see today there was no dramatic
testimony, no music, no wild eyed preaching from a pulpit. There was
only a rapt attentiveness and rejoicing at the wonders of being taught
God’s Word.
Why?
The people were hungry to hear God’s Word taught to them in a manner that was easily understood.
Nehemiah 8: 8 They
read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the
meaning so that the people could understand what was being read. 9
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites
who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred
to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been
weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
As you hear, or read,
the sermons I send, if you really understand the Word I preach you may
realize that I repeat the word, ‘repent,’ often. When the
gathering of that crowd of 50,000 of God’s true believers occurred they
all wept and thew themselves to the ground openly stating their
repentance. So much did they weep that Nehemiah had to tell them to
cease weeping and dry their tears. As he said, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
I say to you, as True
Christians, believing in the salvation offered to any that truly repent,
confess to God as they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
You must realize that the gathering before Nehemiah and Ezra were not
privy to the Words of Jesus Christ as have been revealed to you. At that
time there was no New Testament as Jesus had yet to be brought to earth
by God the Father. Theirs was a showing of faith in what was to be.
The purpose of the gathering
that called for by Nehemiah was not for the sake of those that truly
believed but was for those that had backslidden! That gathering of both
true believers and your prophets the backslidden resulted in the renewal
of faith of both groups!
Nehemiah 9: 30 For
many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished
them through. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the
neighboring peoples. 31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.
God had sent prophets to His
people who ignored those prophets. He had allowed them to be enslaved by
Babylonians. In His Divine Mercy He relented, set them free and sent
new prophets to revive their faith by having His Word taught to them in
clear and understandable terms.
God had led Israel from Egypt
, guided them by day and night and led them to the land He had promised
them. He had provided food, water, protection and all that was needed
to see them trough any hardships only to have them rebel against His
almighty power. Time and again He showed His mercy and when asked, His
forgiveness.
Today…this very day He
promises to do the same for anyone, Jew or Gentile, and ease their
suffering. He has promised to pour out mercy upon those that accept Him
as their only God, Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and the Holy
Spirit as their Comforter.
It is sad to see that there are all too many that choose to live in the wilderness as they deny God and all of His Divinity. Not
only do they deny Him but are disobedient to His Commands and openly
rebel against His Word. They choose to persecute His people, speak
against Christianity and believe in their own imaginations of greatness.
Nehemiah 9: 29 "You
warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and
disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a
man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on
you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.”
Woe to them that refuse His Word. Woe to them that refuse to see Him as the One True God.
We, God’s children must
maintain our love for Him, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, praise and
worship Him, honor Him through obedience as we hunger for His Word.
We true Christians must
realize that God has chosen to seek us out and offer us His salvation.
He has promised to forgive those who ask for forgiveness, repent, and
accept the salvation firm in the belief that Jesus Christ was crucified
so that we might be saved.
I ask each of you to rest
assured that your trials here on earth are temporary and will end in the
peace God has so mercifully promised His children. It is His strength
that will see us through.
(Closing prayer)
Heavenly Father, You who
created us all, we come to You with praise on our lips and worship in
our hearts. We ask that You accept our faith as being fresh, strong and
renewed as we bow our heads to You. Just as Your children of long ago
confessed their belief in You, we do likewise. You are our God, there is
no other.
We wish to thank You for
sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to act as our Lord and Savior. The gifts
bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit are indeed wondrous and are our
source of.Christian strength.
Father we wish to have You
know that our faith in You is real and shall endure until the end.
Whether that end be our earthly demise or of the End Times is Your
decision to make and we will abide with Your will secure in the
knowledge of Your love for us.
Father, renew our hearts,
accept our love and strengthen us for the rigors that lie in our journey
through this life. Be with our military, those charged with our
national security and awaken those that stand against us so that they
too may see You as the reason for their lives.
We pray these things in the
name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and Our Lord and Savior, who is One with
You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,
Amen, amen and amen.
--
Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr
God's Word Christian Ministry
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