Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

For any task to be completed successfully there must be passion in those who are undertaking the task. This passion is only aroused when the individual understand the condition to which they are called are prepared to do something about it. Throughout scripture those who managed to change anything were the ones who responded to the call. The call and response matrix is still relevant today. Nehemiah heard about the situation [the vision] from his people who had visited the holy city [the call].  And although his life was pretty comfortable, he responded to the call, put his career on hold and went to God in prayer and fasting to be directed in the right way to go (1:4) [the response]. With the call from God playing on his mind, he mused about what he could do.  However, he still went about his daily task of tasting the wine before the officials drank, to avoid the possibility of the nobles being poisoned. Passion always shines through and the king saw the sadness in Nehemiah’s eyes and asked what was wrong (2:2) [the provision]. God had given Nehemiah the green light and gave him the rubber stamp from the highest authority in the land, the king. The king gave him leave to go and do what God had put in his heart and told him that when he returned his job was safe. He did not take unpaid holidays, nor did he resign from his position without consultation, the Lord provided the opportunity for him to tell his story and gave him the favour of the king.  Wisdom says this; ‘the heart of the king is like a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wills’ (Proverbs 21:1).  And our sage continues: ‘Your gift will make rooms for you and will bring you in the presence of the great’ (Proverbs 18:16). Nehemiah faced opposition but within a month of being in Jerusalem he had rebuilt half the wall and sealed up all the holes. He achieved this because the people he went to had a mind to work, and to work together (Ch 4:6b). Today, let us seek God for the passion to change ‘things’ in our society. God could have you in Parliament so that you can change unjust laws, like Wilberforce, or lead freedom marches against injustice and racism like Martin Luther King Jr. Whatever God has placed on your heart to do, the first thing that is required is his mind on the matter. So seek him in fasting and prayer and he will give you the strategy. A God idea will always succeed. Read Proverbs 18:1-24.