Posted by: pastorapbell | April 4, 2011

as we develop traits of the Prophetic anointing

Moses grew up in the Royal Court in Egypt and was versed in all the poetry, science and building expertise of that country. However he was selected by God to be a deliverer before he was born. As a precocious young man he had the world at his feet. When he found out his real identity his whole world changed and his passion to help his people increased. He was destined to be a prophet in spite of his perceived shortcoming. To be used by God he had to be delivered first from the Egyptian culture and learn the language of humility. He was called by God as the meekest man on the earth (Numbers 12:3) after he spent 40 years as a shepherd looking after someone else’s sheep.

Here are some traits of a true prophet:

  1. Whatever predictions a true prophet makes come to pass. They do not speak about themselves but speak as the Lord reveals things to them in dreams and visions. If a prophet declares a thing and it does not come to pass then there are false prophets (Deut. 18:15-22)
  2. A true prophet receives dreams and visions from the Lord. The Lord makes himself known to his prophet and he knows who are his and therefore can speak on his behalf (Numbers 12:6). However with Moses the deliverer as it will be with Jesus, God spoke to them face to face.
  3. A prophet is someone who hears and understands what God is saying now and can relay it to the people of God. They can be male of female. God is not gender specific but speaks to people who are available.

Prophets are human beings and as such can have personality traits which are not desirable.  Moses was an intelligent man who was taught in the best university in Egypt. However when God commissioned him to go to command Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, he angered God by saying that he was slow of speech and gets tongue tied (Exodus 4:10). The Lord showed his power to Moses and used him as a great deliverer and the person who wrote the Torah which is the rule by which God’s people still live. Prophets have faults but they are available to be used by God. Today are you available to allow your prophetic anointing to develop? Read Exodus 4.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | April 2, 2011

as Moses shows us things that must come to pass

The Old Testament figure of Moses stands large in biblical history. Moses was a fore-shadow of the Messiah, one who would deliver all those who put their faith and trust in him. Like Jesus, he was regarded as a future king; he was brought up and educated by the royal family of Egypt; he was a prophet in that God spoke directly to him and was also a priest; he presented the needs of the people to God. Moses was the first and the last until Jesus, to occupy these three offices. The similarities between the life of Moses and that of Jesus the Messiah are striking: The ruling monarch at their time of birth tried to wipe them out (Exodus 1:22, Matthew 2:16). As infants they found refuge in Egypt to escape death. Moses grew up in the palace of Pharaoh and for 40 years was considered as a prince of Egypt. They both had a personal relationship with God. He spoke audibly and visibly to Moses in the wilderness in the burning bush experience (Exodus 3:2ff) and led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil who quoted extensively from the books of Moses (Matthew 4). It was through this wilderness experience that Moses’ life was transformed by being a shepherd to dumb animals which would be a precursor to his leading the Israelites for 40 years towards the Promise Land of God. Today whatever God has called us to be let us develop our prophetic gifting so that he can speak directly to us to be effective in our circle of influence. Remember Jesus the Messiah had given us the gifts, so let us develop and use them for his glory.

Read Exodus 3 and Mathew 4.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | April 1, 2011

as we investigate the prophet and his role and function

Having followed Nehemiah in the quest to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem so that the people of God could worship and live in peace and safety, this month we will turn to look at the prophets of Yahweh to see if what they said came to pass or will come to pass in our day.

I am aware that this topic is huge and that there are many takes on it. Therefore I will only be looking at some of the pertinent themes to see if they have any relevance to us today in the light of the various occurrences happening around the globe.

Throughout the history of Israel the position of the prophet was crucial. This person was someone that God spoke directly to, either to warn the people of impending danger or to alert them to as to what they needed to do to get back on track. Invariably they went their own way and ended up being alienated from God and eventually being dispersed all around the world. The position of prophet was still an important part of God’s plan and we can see that when Jesus the Messiah came, about 2000 years after Abraham, the three posts; prophet, priest and king, implemented by God to lead his people were all occupied by him. When the New Testament church was instituted, one of the five ministry gifts that Jesus gave to set up and run the church was that of prophet (Ephesians 4:11ff). So although the setting has changed, i.e. the people of God have moved away from a specific nation to encompass the whole world [the kingdom] the role of someone who God spoke directly to was still relevant. So when Jesus taught his followers to pray ‘your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is on heaven’ he was implementing the universal kingdom that would last forever.  Over the next month we will be looking at the role of the prophet then and now and finding out how it impacts our world today. Read Ezekiel 36.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 31, 2011

as we examine the faith of the faithful

As we come to the end of the month let us reflect on the things we have learned from Nehemiah and his fellow workers. Firstly we understand that everyone involved in the project has a role to play. The people who were travelling to and from Jerusalem must also have been concerned about the state of the city. Concern however does not solve the problems nor do they give strategies. We can be concerned about a particular situation but never be able to do anything about it until we exercise our faith. Nehemiah believed that he could do something about it and that God had placed him in the job he was doing so that He [God] could fulfil his purposes. Although Nehemiah worked as a humble servant of the king, he did not think of less of himself, he just thought of himself less. Therefore he was able to attract favour to fulfil God’s purposes. One of Nehemiah’s key traits was his faithfulness. He was an exile in a foreign land working as a servant to the king, but he applied himself and did the best job he could. So much so that when his countenance changed the king acted. Faith works for those who will exercise it. We are reminded that without faith it is impossible to please God and that all things will work for the good to those who love God and are called according to his purposes. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Today believe that you will see what God has promised you and you will.

Skim read the whole of Nehemiah in one sitting.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 30, 2011

as we understand that God uses fools to confound the wise

One of the major themes of the book of Nehemiah for me is this: God uses ordinary men and women to fulfil his purposes in the earth. Nehemiah was an ordinary civil servant whose spirit was stirred up when he heard the news about his beloved city, Jerusalem. Once we recognise that there is a greater power than ourselves and that this power is outside of our control we can yield to it. We know that this power is not an ‘it’ but is the almighty God, Yahweh. We also know that he appeared to us in human form as Jesus the anointed one, the Messiah. We have also learned from Nehemiah and Ezra that when we confess our faults, seek him in prayer, fasting and obeisance he make ways that were not seemingly possible before. We also get to understand that favour is not fair but ‘sure is good’. Another important lesson that we learned is this, whenever God has put something in our hearts to do as soon as we take the first step of faith, we are faced with opposition. For Nehemiah he had the diabolical trinity of Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem the Arab opposing him. Tobiah even rented a room in the temple while Nehemiah was away to find out what was going on and to stop the prayer, praise and worship to God going up.

Today, we are also faced with a trinity of opposition. They are; the ‘world’, the ‘flesh’ and the ‘devil’. And like our ancestors of faith, we must fight them with the spiritual tools we have been given. If you don’t know what the spiritual weapons we have are, then here is a starter: The Name of Jesus, The blood of Jesus, the armour of God (Eph.6:10ff), corporate prayer and praise and worship. As we use our spiritual weapons we will rebuild all the broken walls and re-institute God’s divine order. Read the prayer in Nehemiah 1:5-11; and 9:5b-37.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 29, 2011

as we remember that our gift opens doors and brings us into the presence of movers and shakers.

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.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 28, 2011

as we follow the leading of the Lord

From the day the Nehemiah heard about the dilapidation of the walls surrounding the city of God, it was in his heart to do something about it. He was moved by the news that things were not right, his people were in captivity and the dwelling place of God was a laughing stock. Like us today, Nehemiah knew that the God he had served from his youth was “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 145:8). And this knowledge of Yahweh, the God of Israel, compelled him to do something about his situation and bring transformation to a nation. Once an individual understands that God is almighty he can say like the psalmist; “I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything” (Psalm 138:2). Today, God will bring you into the presence of people who will have the resources and ability to allow you to fulfil the plans that he placed in your heart. And like our friend Nehemiah we will develop the passion, resolve and drive to complete the task he has set before us. And although it might be an uphill struggle, let us never forget that our God is more than able.  Read Psalm 138.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 26, 2011

as we allow the joy of the Lord to be our strength

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!

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 25, 2011

as we become the righteousness of God!

Nehemiah re-instituted the Laws of Moses as much as he could. Righteousness was being restored and the people of God had signed up to a new mandate. Everything we do starts with a thought and all of our actions are determined by our thought processes. So having the right thought process will result in the right actions. This was problem God faced when he delivered his people from bondage in Egypt. After 400 years of oppression, the oppressed loses hope and a sense of identity. They literally forget who they are, who they belong to or who they were meant to be. By getting them to take time out to be with the Lord, forming wholesome relationships and celebrating the festivals of the Lord, it was hoped that they would start the remembrance process. Nehemiah was indeed rebuilding a spiritual wall again, but this process of restoration would take a lot longer than the 52 days it took to build the physical wall. Today for us to rebuild the spiritual walls in our lives we need to understand and observe the festivals of the Lord and learn of their significance for all the people of God at our time in history. Since the first three feasts have already been fulfilled by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, and with the wars, rumours of wars, earthquakes, diseases, tsunamis and nuclear contaminations occurring in so many different places, are we preparing for the feast of trumpets? God’s timing is always spot on, so like the Israelites who were preparing to leave Egypt, let us be ready with the right clothes on, the right attitude towards others and be in right relationships with our peers so that we are not left behind when he (Jesus) returns.  Read Nehemiah 1:4-11 and pray like him.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 24, 2011

as we check them out before we let them in

Another major problem Nehemiah faced was that of inter-marriage with unbelievers. Now let me state from the offset that marrying people from other ethnic groups is not a problem, there is but one human race. The problem comes when the marriage occurs and there is no acceptance of Yahweh and one party continues to worship ‘other gods’. For Nehemiah the problem was so acute that it affected the community’s relationship with God. The person charged with taking the concerns of the people to God had allowed his grandson to marry the daughter of one of those people who vehemently opposed the building of the wall, Sanballat of Samaria. This was subsequent to the same priest Eliashib allowing another antagonist, Tobaih to rent a room in the temple and thus bring his idols right into the heart of where God’s presence was. The problem with inter-marrying was this, ‘which God took precedence at worship time’? We are faced with the same problems today. Boy meets girl, they fall in love get married and live happily ever after. However, if neither partner does their due diligence to determine who or what their perspective parents worship, we can have a recipe for disaster. This is why scripture tells us that we should not be unevenly yoked with unbelievers (1Cor 6:14). It does not matter how much you are in love, if you are not serving the same God the relationship will not last. Solomon and Samson tried it and it ended in tears for both of them. In fact Samson was blinded physically because of his love for a woman from the enemies of God.

So today, before you get hooked up, look up and ask for parental and divine guidance. Read Nehemiah 13:23-31.

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