Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

Nehemiah and Ezra worked together to accomplish spiritual and practical reformation. When both infrastructures were completed they gathered all the people together and had a whole day of reading, praying and worshipping God (ch.8&9). The restoration process had begun. This process started with God and whilst they called on him they had great success. One of the spiritual weapons we have and must use often is that of corporate prayer. When the people of God gather together in one place and they are in one accord, God shows up, see Acts 2:1ff. This is because God honours his word, viz; “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven heal their lands and forgive their sins” (2Chron 7:14). This is one of those if….then statements. And Ezra called the people to repentance in humility and prayer in sincerity and they all said amen or so let it be together. They would have remembered that the Psalmist had also reminded them that “when brothers lived together in unity, it is then that the Lord is bound by his words to command his blessings” (Psalm 133). Today if we remember to gather together in regular corporate prayer and praise, remember to honour the Lord with our substance, remember to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly before our God (Micah 6:8), then the Joy of the Lord will be our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and we too will have great success in all that we do. Read Nehemiah 8 and meditate!