Nehemiah chp 8:1-12

Prayer Meeting 10^th Oct 08 – Nehemiah chp 8:1-12 – Pastor Tang

Pastor started off with a call to prayer. When we pray, God answers according to his will. Sometimes, it surpasses our expectation. Quoting Uncle Patrick Ang, originally it was detected that there were two dots suspected to be cancerous portions but they turned out to be non cancerous. Pastor encouraged us that our prayers are not in vain.

He proceeded to show us photos of the Yio Chu Kang (YCK) mission chapel in construction. Thanks to Bro Yan Zhang for the slides. The slide started with Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guarders watch over in vain.” Pastor describled various aspects of the mission chapel like the unit no., sq area, etc. and ended with 1 Cor 15:58.

The hardware aspect of the ministry is the building structure of YCK mission chapel. Like the walls Nehemiah sought to build. The software aspect of it are the rebuilding of the church member’s lives, mirroring the lives of those staying within the walls of Jerusalem.

Throughout these tough times, the more we have to reply on God. God’s promises are never empty. In the wilderness, the people’s sandals, clothes were never worned out. God’s promise of them entering the promised land did not go in vain. God’s promise are not in vain.

In today’s situation, the more we have to hold on to the providence of God. At this time, can we truly live out seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness? Pastor shared on the buying of the land for Zion church at changi. It was back in the times of the gulf war then. However, a time of crisis for the world is a time of opportunity for the church.

Let our lives be revived! Revival is not something temporal, but lasting throughout our life times. Nehemiah chp 8 is a blueprint of revival.

Nehemiah 8 - Blueprint of Revival.

Nehemiah is not a priest or scribe. But he knew that people needed the Word. He brought Ezra to read the Word to the people. Nehemiah knew that:

God’s Word is the foundation of revival,
God’s Word is the aim of revival,
God’s Word is the means to revival.

The people listened attentively to God’s Word. It’s a time of crisis in the church today. Many have left the focus of the bible. God’s Word is the church’s aim. Our lives are thirsty, dull. We need the sweetness of God’s Word in our lives. Through God’s Word, we gain revival.

Hence, the pulpit has to preach the Word of God.

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.

Ezra wasted no time in bringing the Law to the people. He knew what was most important to the people ensuring that the Word is taught to them. Pastor encouraged everyone to rise up and shoulder the responsibility of preaching and teaching the word. He thanked God for the many speakers that we have today, and there is continuity, if someone falls, there will be another who can take its place. He recollected a phrase said by Rev Tong, that if parents don’t allow their children for full time ministry, you can’t expect to have good preachers. He encouraged all to respond actively.

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.

The Word was read before the water gate. It’s a big area allowing many people to hear. The only motive for a church to have a big area is to allow more people to hear the Word! At Chin Lien’s night classes previously held at xian house, attendances averaged about 600 plus. We thank God for the congregation of the people. People should not be hindered from coming to the Lord. Ezra certainly did not hinder anyone from coming to the square.

4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

Ezra stood on a platform and read. It was human to human face contact. Again re-iterating what is the path to revival? Preaching the Word of God. And this is done but not just by some specific people but also by normal believers (the rest of v.4). We have Sunday school teachers, teaching in truth, interpreting it correctly. Pastor encouraged for the rising up of more teachers. So teachers to be, do keep it in prayer and bring it to the Lord.

When man wants to hear the Word, teachers must be there to teach.

V2. who were able to understand. V3. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. V12. and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them

The people responded rationally to the Word. They were able to understand the Word. Many of the people then knew only the Persian language due to the cultural background of the years in exile. Ezra read the Law in Hebrew and there were people who translated so that all could understand. 从不明白到明白。Unlike some situations today, where from the clear obvious message becomes unintelligible.

8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear ^[a] and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

The people responded rationally. Pastor told those who preached, that we could learn from verse 8, making it clear, giving the meaning, so people could understand.

If the one preaching can’t understand it in truth, naïve people who can’t discern would be greatly deceived. Many sermons now preach of wrong messages. The situation now is that though many sermons are not based on truth, it stills get accepted by many people.

We can learn from Philip who taught in truth to the Eunuch who earnestly sought the Word of God.
Philip asked the Eunuch "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip later explained to him the words as recorded in Isaiah. (Look Acts 8)

With our rational mind, we accept the Word. With our feeling, our hearts, and our will, we live out, manifest the Word.

They received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures to see if what said was true

Can you believe this daily devotional?!?!??!?!

Take, Take And Take More!
	1 Corinthians 2:12 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

As a child of the Most High God, God wants you to know the things that have been freely given to you. He wants you to receive them freely although it cost Him His Son. He paid the price, but He wants you to receive the blessings freely. That is His love toward you. Perhaps you are asking God, “How is it that I don’t have this blessing? And why do I have so little of that?” I believe that He is saying this to you: “What do you lack, My child? Health? Take it! It has been paid for with the life of My Son. “Do you need peace of mind? My Son wore the crown of thorns on His head to give it to you. Take it! “Lack wisdom? Take My wisdom! “Need victory? Victory is not something you attain. It is a gift to be received. Take it! “Take My prosperity! Take My favor! Every time you come into My Presence, take, and take some more!” God, your heavenly Father, wants you to receive like the prodigal son, who deserved nothing, but received everything. (Luke 15:11–24) God delights in giving freely. And He delights in you receiving freely because it shows that you value and appreciate His Son’s sacrifice. You miss it when you are busy trying to earn what has been freely given to you, when you think that you must do more for God to bless you, or that you must pay the price for it. God cannot give it to you based on your works because if it is by works, it is no longer by grace. When you try to work for it, you frustrate the grace of God and make light of Jesus’ work at Calvary. My friend, the days of trying, striving and earning are over. The days of take, take and take more have come. Take and you will bring pleasure to God’s heart!

My Comments:

Take, Take And Take More!
	1 Corinthians 2:12 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

As a child of the Most High God, God wants you to know the things that have been freely given to you. He wants you to receive them freely although it cost Him His Son. He paid the price, but He wants you to receive the blessings freely. That is His love toward you. This is just too ironic, the whole emphasis on 1 Cor 2:12 was that Paul wanted the believers by the wisdom of the Spirit, and NOT THE WORLD to understand what God has freely given us and that is, JESUS AND HIS MESSAGE OF THE CROSS. Try reading the whole context please…chp 1 & 2 And yet this daily devotion throws the course off by 180 degrees and goes back to understanding what God has freely given us by the wisdom of the WORLD. Health, prosperity, favour,’ take take’ ‘the things’’ they claim, what all happened to Jesus and the message of the cross so emphasized in chapter 1??!?!?! What happened to the message of Christ crucified? Perhaps you are asking God, “How is it that I don’t have this blessing? And why do I have so little of that?” I believe that He is saying this to you: “What do you lack, My child? Health? Take it! It has been paid for with the life of My Son. Now where did it state that health has been paid for by Jesus Christ? Jesus viewed the problem of sin far more serious than problem of sickness. Like when he saw the paralytic, he didn’t first heal him but rather proclaim that his sins have been forgiven. The problem of man’s sin was what Jesus paid for with his life! Not health. “Do you need peace of mind? My Son wore the crown of thorns on His head to give it to you. Take it! Ok… “Lack wisdom? Take My wisdom! Ok…now what’s the beginning of the wisdom? Fear of the Lord. TREMBLING at his words. Carefully examining if it were true, watchful to watch his commands lest we offend God. Not haphazardly twisting, turning and greying His Word to a packaged prosperity gospel. Now wisdom better let you discern whether this devotion is right or wrong… “Need victory? Victory is not something you attain. It is a gift to be received. Take it! Proverbs 2:6-8 6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Victory a gift to be received yes, but it is for those whom have kept the walk upright, guarded the course, protected his faithful ones. Not just a gift we get just by sitting idle. Victory is gained when we strive for the goal set by Christ in front of us. “Take My prosperity! Take My favor! Matthew 6:31-33 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [When we come into God’s presence, what does he want? Us to just take?] Yes, God can make us prosper and it is indeed by His grace when we do. But in terms of priority, prosperity is not the first thing we should seek. Jesus knew that Man succumbed to greed easily and it was indeed that man had this problem that he taught us to seek FIRST God’s kingdom and righteousness and in regards to money, the bible has the following advices for us: Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Every time you come into My Presence, take, and take some more!” In God’s presence both in the Old and New Testament, it was always a heart to worship, praise and offer that God delights. Take, take and take some more?!?!? Instead of us serving God, we want a god to serve us? God, your heavenly Father, wants you to receive like the prodigal son, who deserved nothing, but received everything. (Luke 15:11–24) God delights in giving freely. And He delights in you receiving freely because it shows that you value and appreciate His Son’s sacrifice. The whole theme was that the father was a gracious one who received his son with open arms though his son had chose previously to leave him and had committed evil acts. Why are we concentrating on all the tiny gifts given to the son instead of the greatest gift of redeeming grace from the father and indeed God’s? You miss it when you are busy trying to earn what has been freely given to you, when you think that you must do more for God to bless you, or that you must pay the price for it. God cannot give it to you based on your works because if it is by works, it is no longer by grace. When you try to work for it, you frustrate the grace of God and make light of Jesus’ work at Calvary. Yes. And that applies to His salvation of our sins! Not our own personal victories, prosperity, our health. My friend, the days of trying, striving and earning are over. The days of take, take and take more have come. Take and you will bring pleasure to God’s heart! Trying, striving and earning are over for our pursues to cleanse our sins. Solely by faith in Christ are our sins cleansed. Personal victories, materials means still have to be earned as it is in God’s will that a Man labours for what he eats! Psalm 128:1-3 1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. 2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Dear all, I am not doing this for the sake of criticising others but I just hope that we defend and stand for the truth in love. Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.