Posted by: pastorapbell | February 13, 2013

as we retreat to advance

One of the problems that plague us is the need to belong. For many of us from the African  Diaspora, this was made doubly difficult by the systematic identitydestruction of our heritage once our ancestors arrived in the west in the 16th and 17th centuries. The issue of identity and of who we really are is one that scholars have long debated and have come to different conclusions.

Some say that we have retained a significant amount from our ancestors through a sort of osmosis, that is, some things are so ingrained in our psyche, that it is very difficult to remove. Others say that we are now a new hybrid human with a Euro-centric worldview.

Nevertheless, who do you saw you are? If you are from the Caribbean, you identify yourself from that particular island. If you are from a state or a country in the Americas, you identify yourself with that state or country. Therefore, how far back can you go? And who are you really?

The vast majority of those of us, who accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ, find a new identity in him. However, we cannot deny the fact that we have a heritage rooted in history. Our heritage in Christ gives us freedom, spiritually and emotionally, however, our cultural heritage has bound many of us. Therefore, there are still Christians who are devout, dedicated and committed to their fellowship, but still practice, Obeah, Santeria, Juju and other forms of witchcraft. There are those who burn black candles when they want to snuff out their enemies, and still others who tie ‘red cloths’ on their door handles or hang tape measures over their door frames to ward off evil spirits or departed ones who may come back to trouble or visit them.

Everyone  need to know their ancestry. Like a large section of the exiles who returned to Jerusalem during the time of Nehemiah and Ezra (see Nehemiah 7:61ff), they could not prove who they belonged to and so were excluded from the religious celebrations. Today a vast swathe of those in the Diaspora and particularly our boys, do not have a clue about their ancestry and buy into the media images that ‘white is good, black is bad’. They effectively live on the edge of society surviving by any means necessary and are excluded from the benefits that this country offers. They despise their own people and reject who they are. Others become so Afro-centric, joining movements like the Ausar Asset, that they deny the liberation that being in Christ brings. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, start the process of finding out your true spiritual and your historical identity. Read Nehemiah 7:61-73.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | January 23, 2013

as we ask, when opposition comes, how do you stand and whose side are you leaning on?

Once Nehemiah decided to build the wall of Jerusalem and repair its gates, the opposition surfaced. Now the opposition came from three sources that oppositionformed what I call the ‘diabolical trinity’. Their intention was keep the people of God in a state of perpetual disgrace. One of the three, Tobiah, was a descendant of the Moabites, from Lot’s incestuous relationship with his daughters. On the surface, he was a good man. In fact, his name means God is good. However, by aligning himself with Sanballat he was undermining the work that Nehemiah was doing. And Geshem the Arab, whose name means rain, was there to dampen the work of the Lord.

Once you decide to do something, be prepared for opposition even from people who are close to you. The opposition will mock what you are doing and ridicule you. Listen to what Sanballat said to Nehemiah and his colleagues when they started the building project. ‘What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it is a day? Will they revive the burnt stones out of the heaps of rubbish? Moreover, Tobiah quipped, ‘Even if a fox were to go on the wall it would break up’ (4:1-3).

The opposition is there to discourage us, get into our mindset and cause us to abandon our God given call. The people of God wanted to break free from the shackle of slavery, the opponents wanted to keep them fighting each other. Today the choice is yours, are you part of the building project or part of the mockers?

Read Nehemiah chapter 3.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | January 16, 2013

as we trust in the Lord with all our hearts, not leaning on our own understanding!

Nehemiah had a plan to rebuild the wall so that his beloved city, Jerusalem could be a safe place to worship and live. After seeking God for four months his Trustprayers were answered when the king sent him to do the work and gave him all the provisions and protection he needed. However, on arrival in Jerusalem he kept his plans close to his chest and only revealed them to a few of his trusted aides. He knew from experience that if God put something in your heart to do then there will always be opposition. After inspecting the wall by night and assessing what materials would be required, Nehemiah presented his plans to the inhabitants, his fellow Jews, who received the project with enthusiasm, (2:18). It was not long before the opposition heard about the plan. As soon as they heard, they started to plot to thwart it. The opposition came in the form of three men. The governor of Samaria, Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite and Gershom the Arab. Now Sanballat had previously been implicated in a plot against the king of Persia, so he was no stranger to rebellion. His name means ‘the moon god is god’. They constituted the diabolical trinity who wanted to see the city of God remain a disgrace.  As the local officials, they had authority to authorise or stop any work in the city. However, when Nehemiah showed them the letter from the king with his seal on it, they could not stop him from proceeding. This did not stop them from using other methods to stop the work.

Today, be clear that, when God puts something in your heart to do that will bring his grace to a group of people, the enemy will always raise up those he controls in opposition to it. Nevertheless, remember what the Psalmist tells us in Psalm 37:1-3, do not fret because of the wicked, do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good so will you live in the land and enjoy security. The plans and the purposes of God will prevail.  Read Nehemiah 2:11-20.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | January 11, 2013

should Christians fast and pray in the twenty-first century?

Long before Jesus told his followers that certain diseases are so ingrained and embedded in the psyche of certain individuals and in the generational Prayer and fastinglineage of others, that it is almost impossible to erase except by prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29), Nehemiah and his Jewish colleague knew the benefits of prayer and fasting and petitioning God. Therefore, after Nehemiah had fasted and prayed for 120 days, there was a difference in his appearance. When any individual changes what they do, there will be a difference in how they look and feel. Also, when anyone spends time in the presence of the king of Glory, their appearance changes, see Moses’ experience in Exodus 34:29.

Because Nehemiah looked differently, the king noticed it and decided to find out what was going on. On noticing the transformation in his appearance, King Artaxerxes really needed to know, since Nehemiah was his cupbearer and was the one responsible for tasting anything before he or the queen ate it. He could collude with an enemy to poison him! However, when the king approached Nehemiah, he saw this as his chance to put his case before him. Nevertheless, before speaking to him, he prayed under his breath and asked God for direction. He them laid out complaint and his pre-arranged plan in detail and on hearing it the king and Queen sanctioned it.

What can we take from this? Firstly, that prayer and fasting changed things.  Secondly, the king of kings sees our hearts and knows our motives. Thirdly, we must have a S.M.A.R.T plan. That is it must be Specific, Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the wall and gates around Jerusalem, v.5. Measurable, the king asked him how long it would take, v.6; Attainable, he asked for materials to do the task; Realistic, the Job was achievable within the timescale he set and finally when he completed the task he would return to serve the king (Time-bound).

Today, ask God for a plan to complete the task that he has called you to do, and read Nehemiah 2:4-10.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | January 6, 2013

let us set a course for miracles (receiving extraordinary things), as we rebuild our nation, one person at a time!

After Nehemiah heard the story of what had happened to the beloved city of Jerusalem from his brother Hanani, whose name means grace, something kicked in him. Like many of his fellow Israelites, he knew about the song of ‘praise and prayer for Jerusalem’ written by David over 550 years before him. In it David writes, ‘I was glad when they said to me, “ Let us go to the house of the Lord!” our feet are standing  within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem built as a city that is bound firmly together. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For there the thrones for Judgement were set up, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.” For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.’  (Psalm 122:1-9 NRSV).

The reality for him and his brother was that the city of God was a disgrace. Its walls were broken down and there was no longer reverence for the name Prayer_motivationalof the Lord there. Nehemiah was in Susa, the capital of Persia (Modern Iran), which is over 1000 miles away from Jerusalem. What could he do? He had no resources, no army, no builder or mason to call on. Initially all he could do was pray and fast. When he heard the news in the month of Chislev, (December in the Gregorian calendar), he began seeking a strategy for his project with fasting. Although it was his dream to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, he had no resources only a plan. And so he prayed and confessed, repented and petitioned God month after month until he got answers to his prayer in Nissan, (April). All he wanted was to get the chance to rebuild the walls of the city of God and restore the entrances so that his people could once again have a dedicated place to revere the name of the Lord.

Today, we need the rebuild the spiritual walls in our country. We need places where we are doing the will of the Lord and revering his name according to his word, the bible. As the established religious organisation in Britain grapple with issues such as the ordination of women and the acceptance of homosexuals into the ministry, spirit led Christians need to have a plan to rebuild the spiritual walls of Britain. Our desire must be that all those who believe in Jesus as Lord, will become Ephesians 5:17&18 people. And as the will of the Lord is done and the spiritual walls are rebuilt, we can put the Great back into our nation. Each one of us has a job to do, so start by rebuilding the spiritual walls in your life, one brick at a time.

Read Nehemiah 2:1-3.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | January 5, 2013

as we prepare our tools and focus our minds to build

As we desire to travel on the road towards restoration, firstly we must know who we are and whose we are. Nehemiah knew he was the man to bring oldmanconsolation to his people and the bring revelation about what God intended to do at this juncture of his life. He also knew he had a heritage, which was conditional. His people, including his father had disobeyed the commandments of God and suffered the consequences of this. Unbelievers desecrated their place of worship and the walls to the city God gave to David as a place where his name should be revered forever, lay in ruins. However, Nehemiah had a ‘cushy’ life style. He was in a good job earning a good salary, but nonetheless was concerned about the state of his beloved city, Jerusalem. To start the process of restoration then, he started where all of us should start, with repentance. He confessed his and the sins of this fore-parents and petitioned God for forgiveness (1:11). In the second clause of verse 11, as he had done in the verse 6, he asks God to incline his ears to his prayer. These were not just ordinary prayer, there were prayers seasoned with fasting and repentance. He prayed and fasted for four months, petitioning and seeking God for a way to resolve the problem.

Today, as we take the first few steps towards wholeness, let us learn to repent by asking forgiveness and forgiving anyone who has harmed us. And let us remember that unforgiveness will keep us on the treadmill of resentment; revenge will keep you under the feet of your enemies whilst forgiveness will set you free and place you above them. So prepare by sharpening your tools, for there is a great work to complete.

Read Nehemiah 1:4-11.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | January 1, 2013

as we start on the long road towards restoration, reconstitution and rebuilding

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!

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.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | November 20, 2012

as we allow our light to shine in the darkness!

In my opinion, the purpose of remembering is to allow us to progress. That is, we remember so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. This, I am afraid, is easier said than done. Although memory can be categorised and subdivided, essentially, for all humanity, there are broadly two type of memory; short-term and long-term memory.  Long-term memory retains information about certain procedures we repeat, such riding a bike, brushing your teeth, combing your hair and so on. Whereas, with short-term memory, information is retained that is specific to a task, like revising for an exam and so on. This is a very complex and intriguing subject, but it is the ability to remember, that allows us to be fully human. There are certain events in our lives that remain forever. The neuroscientists call these flash-bulb memory events. Like the death of Martin Luther King Jr., or the destruction of the twin towers in New York. These events stick in our minds and are transferred from our short-term to our long-term memory.

Although we are encouraged to forget the pain of the past, we never really jettison them. However, like Joseph in Genesis 37-52, we learn to deal with them by implementing a process of forgiving. I am convinced that this is the only process that brings healing, deliverance and restoration.  It is the ability to be able to connect with the past, which gives us a sense of continuity. For many of us, our history is misrepresented, misconstrued and sidelined; therefore, we have little connectivity with our past. And so unwittingly, we repeat and continue to repeat many of the mistakes our fore-parents made.

In sum, we thank God for the liberating act of Jesus, who died for us, and gave us [humanity] the opportunity to be free by becoming the curse for all (see Galatians 3:13). By the way when we are singing, Hosanna, Hosanna, we are in fact singing ‘freedom, freedom’, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Thank you Jesus that, we can remember what you did for all of us! We as African Caribbean were airbrushed out of contemporary history, but you remember everything about us.

Read  Genesis 50:15-21 and Galatians 3:6-14 and meditate.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | November 13, 2012

as we remember the former things!

As we celebrate remembrance Sunday (11th November 2012) and reflect on those who sacrificed their lives for us to be free to participate in a democratic society, let us also remember how the history of those taken to the Caribbean was systematically ‘air-brushed’ out of the history books. History recalls that, Wilberforce and his workers almost single-handedly dismantled the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery itself. It makes little mention of the efforts of conscientised members from the slave communities. People like, Paul Bogle, William Gordon and Sam Sharpe from Jamaica; Toussaint L’Overture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur from Haiti. If the slaves had not rebelled in the Caribbean and made the business of providing sugar for the sweet-toothed British, uneconomic, then perhaps slavery in the Caribbean would not have been abolished in 1834.

Let us also remember that the Church of England, the Catholic Church and many of the protestant churches with us today were complicit in the Trans- Atlantic slave trade. And although the Quakers were Christian pacifists, the chains used to tether slaves once captured on the shores of Africa, were made in Cadbury’s foundries in Birmingham.

So, whilst we remember those who died in the wars of 1914-18 and 1939-45 and the subsequent wars to date, history needs to actively cite those great men of colour who were instrumental in abolishing of the worst incidence of human trafficking in the history of humanity.

Let us remember those who died in the great wars, but let us also remember those who are still living with the continued effects and the emotional and spiritual scars from slavery.

Read Luke 4:18.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | November 1, 2012

as we ask the question, ‘What does it mean to be guided by God?’

When the Holy Bible states that Abraham heard the voice of the Lord and followed him, what does this actually mean? Does God, who the bible states is a spirit, still speak today, or are we operating under our own sense and sensibility, or is it that many of us in our various cultures and conurbations simply do not tune into his frequency?

Since the age of reason in the 18th century, there have been many ideas about the nature of our existence. The arguments range from; ‘whether there is an intelligent designer’ or ‘is humanity here because of the changes to a single cell organism’ due to evolution.

For all of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, and are heirs to the promises made to Abraham by the eternal God, we believe Yahweh is a God who is intimately interested in our history from conception to the grave. Since this God is interested in us, we believe that He still speaks to us today. The question that is at the forefront of our thoughts is do we hear him when he speaks?

So how does God speak to us his children? We believe there are several ways God speaks to us. The first is through his words, the Holy Bible secondly, through dreams and visions and thirdly, by his Holy Spirit. The question for you today is this, by which method is he speaking to you and are you listening? Read what Peter says in his first book in chapter 4.

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