Category: The Word

The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

Nehemiah 8:10                      The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength

“Nehemiah said, ‘Go enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  This day is holy to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”  (NIV)

 

The Israelites had been held captive in Babylon, and now many had returned to Israel, but the walls of Jerusalem were in a shambles.  They provided no protection for the inhabitants.  The King of Persia sent Nehemiah back to Jerusalem to become the governor and to rebuild the walls.  There was much opposition in the area around Jerusalem to the rebuilding of the walls, but the people of Israel persevered, and the walls and gates were finally rebuilt.

The people, all the people of Jerusalem, gathered and asked the priest, Ezra, to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses and read it to them.  When He opened the book, all the people stood up.  Ezra read aloud from daybreak until noon while they stood.  When Ezra was finished, others took over and instructed the people.  The people were weeping as the Word of the Lord was being read, so hungry were they for God’s Word.

The governor, Nehemiah, and Ezra told the people not to weep, for it was a holy day to the Lord.  Instead of weeping they told them to enjoy themselves, and they also told them to make sure that everyone had food and sweet drink to enjoy.  They had an enormous “block party” because they had heard the Word of God read to them.  They rejoiced greatly.  I doubt that there are many churches who would stand and listen to someone reading from the Bible from daybreak to noon.  What respect they had for the Word of God.  We could learn from them.

They were told that “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”  I’ve always thought that there were two ways to understand that Scripture.  First, I believe that the meaning is that we get strength from having the joy of the Lord.  But second, I also believe that it could be understood to mean that we get joy from having the strength of the Lord.  I don’t believe it makes much difference which way we read it.  The important thing is that we have both joy and strength from our God through the reading of His Word.  Lord, help me to realize the joy and strength I get from the reading of your Word.

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Having Done All

Ephesians 6:13                                                   Having Done All

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (NKJV).

 

This verse comes before the listing of armor that we are to wear—belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.   We are also told to pray “with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”  I’ve always taken this section of Scripture to mean that all our weapons were of a defensive nature because we were to stand.  But, by thinking this, I neglected the three words just before, “to stand.’  Those words are, “having done all.”  I’ve come to realize that “having done all” means that we were to have been on the attack, taking territory from satan and pushing him back in every way we can.  Sometimes when a soldier has “done all,” he is tired and needs rest and resupply.  That’s the time we are to stand—not to give any quarter, not to give up an inch of the territory we have gained while we are being resupplied.  The weapons we have been given will certainly help as we stand, withstanding the attacks of satan.  All the weapons provide protection, but we need to remember that these same weapons also provide protection as we charge forward.  The principle offensive weapon would seem to be the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”  Sooo, I need to memorize passages of Scripture so that I have my sword always at the ready.  Jesus showed us when He was tempted by satan, that the Word of God drives satan back and may even cause him to go away—quit the battleground for the time being.   Of all the weapons given to us by God, we control the sword of the Spirit by the effort we put into memorizing Scripture.

God has given us His Word, the Bible, but when we let it lie on the coffee table or sit on the bookshelf unopened, we nullify it as a weapon.  Even reading it doesn’t make it very effective as a weapon, but when we know Scripture and can quote it—fire our guns—at satan, it becomes a powerful weapon that sets him back on his heels.  And when satan is finally defeated, we will quote and sing Scripture not as a weapon, but as an expression of our understanding and acceptance of every Word written by God, the very Words He uses to tell us of His great love for us.

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength

Nehemiah 8:10                         The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

“Nehemiah said, ‘Go enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  This day is holy to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”  (NIV)

 

The Israelites had been held captive in Babylon, and now many had returned to Israel, but the walls of Jerusalem were in a shambles.  They provided no protection for the inhabitants.  The King of Persia sent Nehemiah back to Jerusalem to become the governor and to rebuild the walls.  There was much opposition in the area around Jerusalem to the rebuilding of the walls, but the people of Israel persevered, and the walls and gates were finally rebuilt.

The people, all the people of Jerusalem, gathered and asked the priest, Ezra, to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses and read it to them.  When He opened the book, all the people stood up.  Ezra read aloud from daybreak until noon while they stood.  When Ezra was finished, others took over and instructed the people.  The people were weeping as the Word of the Lord was being read, so hungry were they for God’s Word.

The governor, Nehemiah, and Ezra told the people not to weep, for it was a holy day to the Lord.  Instead of weeping they told them to enjoy themselves, and they also told them to make sure that everyone had food and sweet drink to enjoy.  They had an enormous “block party” because they had heard the Word of God read to them.  They rejoiced greatly.  I doubt that there are many churches who would stand and listen to someone reading from the Bible from daybreak to noon.  What respect they had for the Word of God.  We could learn from them.

They were told that “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”  I’ve always thought that there were two ways to understand that Scripture.  First, I believe that the meaning is that we get strength from having the joy of the Lord.  But second, I also believe that it could be understood to mean that we get joy from having the strength of the Lord.  I don’t believe it makes much difference which way we read it.  The important thing is that we have both joy and strength from our God through the reading of His Word.  Lord, help me to realize the joy and strength I get from the reading of your Word.

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Gems

Luke, Chapter 6                                                          Gems

Last week I mentioned how much I had gleaned from reading the sixth chapter of Luke.  I wrote several posts using specific verses, and now this posting consists of a summary of the other gems I learned from the words of Jesus.  I did the reading in the Message translation.  I’ll let you find the particular verse for each gem.

 

“Love your enemies.”  That brings out the best in you.

 

Do unto others as you want them to do to you, but do it first.

 

Help and give without expecting a return.  You’ll never regret it.

 

Don’t pick on people unless you want the same treatment.

 

Giving, not getting, is the way.  Generosity begets generosity.

 

Don’t use an “I know-better-than-you” mentality, a “holier-than-thou” attitude.

 

“My words are foundation words, words to build a life on.”

 

Don’t use my words in Bible studies—use them in your life.

 

If you are going to take advice from anyone, I suggest that you take the advice of Jesus.

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