REMEMBER
Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 13
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
This olive tree is just outside the ancient city walls of the City of David in Jerusalem. Science has determined that olive trees can live and produce olives well over 2,000 years. Perhaps Jesus picked an olive from this tree’s branches.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Nehemiah 13:2b, 13:31b
Our God turned the curse into a blessing….Remember me, O my God, for good!
God takes any bad situation and turns it into good as we pray fervently about it, trust Him, and then make a full commitment to His will being done! He turns a curse into a blessing!
God does remember, but He does not remember our sins which we have confessed and for which we have been forgiven (Hebrews 8:10-13). A few days ago we were reminded that “a book of remembrance” is kept by God. Malachi was there in Nehemiah’s time and he wrote about that book. We can be sure God heard and answered Nehemiah’s prayer (Malachi 3:16-18).
Things were very different under the first covenant. Under the New Covenant (read Jeremiah 31:31-34) there are big changes. We start tomorrow, God willing, in the book of Colossians. We’ll learn that this church was coming under bondage to the rules and regulations of the Old Covenant, over-emphasis on the observance of sacred days, and religious forms and regulations. Let us not miss the next three days, and then we expect to begin our consideration of the book of Esther.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Thank You, Lord, that You have not shut the gates to any person any where at any time in these days of the New Covenant. You have invited me to come “boldly to Your throne of grace.” There I receive mercy and help in my time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). I pray for grace to do this without fail every day. Lord Jesus, You are the Door by which we enter, and I pray these things in Your name, Amen! (John 10:7-10).
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I’m aware from the records that this blog has new readers. Therefore, I want to tell again about the most important thing that ever happened to me. I found that God did not shut the gates on me as Nehemiah did on the non-Jews during the Sabbath. I was 16 when I went forward at the invitation of an evangelist who was preaching in the Glebe Collegiate Auditorium in Ottawa. There, an elderly man gave me the sentence spoken by Jesus which turned my life around. He opened his Bible to John 6:37 and asked me to read it out loud to him. I read, “The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” He said, “Now David (he had asked my name already), you have come to Jesus, right?” “Yes” I said. Then he asked me, “What does Jesus do?” I answered, “He receives me.” Immediately, the light in my spirit turned on. I knew that I was not rejected by God but accepted by Him. I believed this fact. The next day, in order to confirm what had happened to me, I walked down to the stream behind my sister’s house, where I was staying, and repeated that promise of Jesus over and over. I’ve never doubted since that time that this most unworthy sinner had been accepted by God into His eternal family.
Yours for assurance that in the New Covenant God does not shut the gates on anyone who comes to Him,
David
Amen, David! I love hearing the story when you first came to Jesus
and were received by Him! Yes, the covenant between us and God is new because of His grace and the covenant God has with Israel is ever present as stated in Hebrews 8:10-13. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you 1 Pet 5:10 (ESV). The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psa 27:1 (KJV). Let today be a day of rejoicing for our Lord is alive in us, amen! Praying for you, sisters Ger and Catherine, and holding you up to the light of Christ for protection and healing. Blessings today, dearest fellow saints!
Our God Is Alive sung by Kingdom Quartet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ObSf8v1FrI
This is a great on-going link.
That site is beautiful. Thanks Beverlee.
AMEN, DAVID!
Bless you David, Norma Jean, Beverlee and all fellow saints and thank you for your prayers Beverlee. Love hearing your life’s stories also. Had an experience already today about being obedient in prayer and then finding what I was looking for. We can also trust Him for the bigger things in life as well like the salvation of souls. The kingdom of God grows as we are obedient in all the places God has placed us. It’s still Campmeeting time here.
It blesses me to hear your story of how God showed you he accepts you when you came to Him. “He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. I am so grateful for His great mercy and love for me, without Him I would never have survived.
Amen! Right there with you, MH!
I pray your prayer Pastor Mainse.
Praise God for his mercies endures forever.
JOHN 3: 16 says it all.
FOR GOD LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH THAT
HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON SO THAT ANYONE WHO BELIEVES
IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
May God bless everyone, Amen.
Thank you Reynold for that picture of the Olive Tree!!!
Thank you Rev. David for sharing your salvation story. How Gracious is Our God!!! without Him we would not have True Life.
Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a Rock , and established my goings.
40:3 And He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto Our God:”
I pray many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord…In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
Thank you for your prayer and comments including the many links of affirmation.
I would ask prayer for my friend Stella whose 62 year old son, Craig, passed away suddenly. For comfort for her and her family. Their faith is in the Lord.
Heavenly Father, we bring Stella before You, and ask for Your loving comfort for her and her family. We don’t understand when loved ones are suddenly taken from us, Lord. But we do know that when You have called them home to be with You, that it is for Your glory. And we find a piece of solace in knowing that our loved ones are safe in Your loving arms and are alit in Your glorious light. Amen!
AMEN!!!
Praying for your friend Stella’s son Craig Irene , May the Lord Givve her
peace… at this time of grieving …… thank you Beverly for that
wonderful song. Lifts me up Amen…R…
Amen, Rosemarie; God bless you, dear sister-in-Christ!
So happy we get to live under the New Covenant.
Mentioned earlier how nervous I am about flying to Italy. This video helps a little just knowing others aren’t frightened of flying. Enjoy:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/TxNrizGdhtY?vq=hd720&rel=0&showinfo=0&start=0&end=
God bless each and every one of us this beautiful summer day in North America.
When are you leaving for Italy, Lynda?
Really blessed me ! I needed a reminder about GOD’S covenants again Specially for my grand children and great grandbabies ! Thank you David for your faithfulness GOD BLESS, Elisabeth
Thank you Beverlee and Rosemarie for your prayers for my friend, Stella
enjoyed the music link Beverlee, thank you!