Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

The process of rebuilding anything is a long laborious one that can seem very daunting. However, once you decide to take the challenge on, the process has

the walls are broken down and the gates burned!

begun. As we start the New Year, it is imperative that we know or have an idea what we want to build and how we are going to do it. Rebuilding indicates that we are trying to recreate or restore something to its former glory. It also indicates that there was something there, which will offer a template towards what you are trying to achieve. For this year, we definitely need to restore the broken walls in the main areas of our lives and rebuild the gates that have disappeared. The three most important walls are:- family our faith and finances. By using the biblical model of Nehemiah’s efforts to rebuild the walls and gates around the city of God, Jerusalem, as our template, we will be able to accomplish great things.

So today let us start by looking at the introduction to his letter. “The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.”  Here he states that he has a heritage. He is the son of Hacaliah, which means ‘God is hidden’ and he is Nehemiah, which means ‘God is our consolation.’ God was hidden from his people who were taken away into captivity because of rebellion, but now he is sending the son to bring consolation to them. Get the picture, God sending His Son to bring consolation to His people! What does you name mean and what part are you playing in the rebuilding process that God has planned for his people? Nehemiah did something to address the shame of his people, what part will you play in 2013?

Read Nehemiah 1:1-3.