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Suggested Reading: Nehemiah 7-8
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
A night view from inside Jerusalem's Old City walls looking towards David's Citadel near the Jaffa Gate entrance. Built to strengthen a strategically weak point in the Old City's defenses, the Citadel that stands today was constructed during the 2nd century BC and subsequently destroyed and rebuilt by, in succession, the Christian, Muslim, Mamluk, and Ottoman conquerors of Jerusalem. It contains important archaeological finds dating back 2,700 years.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Nehemiah 8:12
And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
Imagine the scene. A choir of 245 singers and Ezra, the priest, stepping forward to lead the worship, the prayers, and the reading of Scripture. When Ezra blessed the Lord, the people said, “Amen, Amen,” lifted up their hands, and bowed their heads. This was not only reading, it was expository preaching, giving the sense and helping the people understand the reading. We would be blessed to have such a meeting in our places of worship! “Amen, Amen.”
Malachi, the Prophet author of the last book in the Hebrew Scriptures, was there. He was probably participating as a Levite. Over and over “the children” are mentioned in the list of families present. Malachi proclaimed that God would “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6a). These are the final words of the last book in the Bible from which Jesus and the Apostles would have read. This bonding of families was happening as the people in the temple square wept, rejoiced, and “understood the words that were declared unto them.”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, please grant me the grace to share Your Word with others every day. May I understand the meaning of Scripture so that those to whom I’m hoping to communicate will understand and respond, as the people did in today’s reading. I pray for all who read this blog. May it be a strong Word from You! “Amen, Amen!”
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Dr. Rich Melheim has written a “must-read book” in my judgement. He gives five simple steps to help bring your family closer to God and each other. It is the most powerful family changer I’ve come across. This powerful volume is a huge blessing for every family that reads it. It’s called, “Holding Your Family Together.” Be sure to get a copy as a “thank you” from Crossroads/100 Huntley Street in return for your support of the ministry (click here for information). Also, the Crossroads team has compiled video teachings and interviews on marriage and the family into a section of Crossroads360.com. Click here to find it.
I’ve spent time in Jerusalem when thousands of families have built booths out of tree branches. The families actually eat, sleep, and visit with each other as described in today’s reading (Nehemiah 8:14-18). This lasted for eight days. Norma-Jean, our children and I have some of our favourite and most cherished memories from a time in the early 70’s when we got away from the pressures of daily life in our 1958 ex-bread truck, which was converted into a camper. We did this in the month of July for several years. No telephones, no appointments, no commitments other than to each other. Our hearts, as in the words of Malachi, were truly turned to each other. I highly recommend such quality time to families everywhere.
Yours to help us all to “understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8b),
David
P.S. Here is a link to a teaching on families by Dr. Rich Melheim.
Psalm 92:1 (NASB)
It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, Oh Most High.
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Blessings to all readers and bloggers this day.
God’s protection and strength for your tomorrow’s!
It was a cross but posted differently. The intention is still there. Have a great day to all!
Hello David;
I am glad you took your family on camping trips in the early
70’s. We did in the years from 89- 97. We had 5 kids and
my husband bought a ‘crummy’ and had the roof taken off and
made higher to make bunks (upper). This took our family on
3 to 5 week trips across the U.S. We learned so much about the
simplicity of life and how good it is to depend on cooperation
and entertaining ourselves away from T.V.
Thankyou for all you do. God Bless You.
One of our daughters’ has married an American, in CA and he
is a spiritual and loving father to their 3 children. I hope your
grandchildren hear about your ‘camping’ stories. They are
the best.
In Christ, Aleta Waitt.
Family time is always special and I praise God for mine and for all of you, my fellow bloggers.
Blessings to all of you and strength for today,
You are right Pastor David, what a sight that would be to see such an assembly praising God in our churches…..I am thankful for the church we attend, hearing the Word, singing Praises to Our Most High God.
Thank you David Mainse for your blog and yes you do interpret to an understandable level. That is my prayer also every morning before I post scripture and write a thought about it, that it will be easily understood by those reading. You have been a good servant of The Lord touching many lives with His word.
Your sister in Christ
Linda L. Price
Today is Frank’s and my 40th anniversary. The Lord truly answered my prayer for the right one. Tomorrow we go to our Senior Sunday school classes and then to hear a great sermon. God is good. I would really miss these blogs David, Thank you and your two great sons for all the time you spend writing them and taking the great pictures for us. Love to your whole family. Elaine
Happy Anniversary Elaine & Frank
Xxx Carole sister in Christ
God bless you, Elaine and Frank and may the love God has given you continue to grow and bless others.
Today many families are gathering for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, christenings or reunions. And there are many who are spending the day alone because of family disputes and abuses done to them. And many Christians will gather for prayer and worship, a part of church family. Heavenly Father we ask you to bless them all wherever they might be;protect them in their journeys and guide them with your Grace. Thank you for being a relational God, who designed us to relate and be connected to one another. Remind those who feel lonely whether alone in a crowd that they are part of something far bigger and grander than our eyes can perceive. And thank you for your Son Jesus, who made us in Him apart of your Family of the Trinity, now and forever. Amen
Thank you Donna for your prayer for those who are lonely, I struggle with loneliness and God Bless!!!
Wishing you and your hubby a Happy Anniversary Elaine. We just celebrated an important anniversary as well.
Our testimony was that over the years, we had never once walked alone because of God’ faithfulness.
Blessings to one and all!
Amen!!!!
Amen to your prayer David M. I too, pray for deeper understanding of His Word every time I read it, that He would speak to me through each reading, and help me to be able to share in a manner so that others would understand too, and would become hungry to learn more.
WOW! Vivienne and I are in our 46th year of marriage and we are daily growing together in our faith and relationship with Jesus.
The link to the Crossroads360 teachings on marriage is a wonderful resource which I am sure will assist the 100 Huntley Prayer Partners in their ministry since I understand that family concerns account for approximately 20 percent of the 1,000 daily calls.
Shalom,
Graham.
2012 Holy Land Yellow Bus.
To all those with birthdays and annversary’s Isay God bless you and keep you
keep strong in the Lord and be blessed AMEN aMEN , aMEN ….r…..
Praise the Lord, I just finished getting caught up with my Bible reading and your blogging. Will write more tomorrow. Have a good evening.
Congratulations, Ger! God Bless you!!! Good to have you back!
Tums up to you Ger ! and David M I just received two copies of Holding you’re family that I will share with my son’s future father-in-law.I am also giving my son Richard the book Things I wish I’d known before we got married.
May the manna that I eagerly read in you’re daily blog prepare me for whatever our Lords will is in The Name above every name JESUS Amen!…