EZRA & NEHEMIAH

Today is Friday, and I enjoyed reading in Ezra and Nehemiah today.  I hope that you are reading through your Bible as well.  I just have a little time to write today, so it might not be as long as normal.  I enjoy writing and could do it for hours if I didn't have things to do at the Church this morning.  Here are a few jewels I dug up with the LORD helping me: 1) HAVE WE LOST OUR TREMBLE?  In Ezra 9:4, it says:  "Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel,"  In chapter nine, Ezra is told that many of the people have been involved with mixed marriages (marrying outside of their faith, and marrying idolaters.)  So he calls everyone who trembles at the Word of God.  In verse 6, Nehemiah prays and says:  "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God:"  In chapter 10, he told the people in verse 3: "to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law."  Again he took counsel of those who "tremble" at God's commandments.  I ask the question:  Have we lost our tremble?  Do we respect God's Word and heed it as we ought?  Or have we been so overwhelmed by a miss understanding of Grace, that we just figure whatever we do, God still loves us and all is good.  Well, yes, He still loves us, but He will also deal with our sin.  "Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound? God forbid!" Romans 6 tells us.  We need to get our tremble back.  Lord, help us!! 2) ONE ORDINARY-EXTRA ORDINARY MAN- That is who Nehemiah was.  In Nehemiah 1:11 we see:  "For I was the king's cupbearer." Just an ordinary servant, but God used him in an extra ordinary man.  Now certainly he was an elevated servant because he worked directly with the King, Artaxerxes in Shushan the palace, but... still a servant.  Now, this ordinary man yields himself to God and God uses him in such a marvelous way.  Nehemiah is my favorite book of the Old Testament, and my favorite leader.  He is so blessed of God and that should be our desire as well. 3) DISCERNMENT- Nehemiah had discernment.  A gift from God to know what is going on "behind the scenes".  To figure things out.  In Nehemiah 6, the enemies of Israel invited Nehemiah to meet with him, but in verse 2 it says: "But they thought to do me mischief."  In 6:12, it says:  "I perceived that God had not sent him;"  In chapter 7:5 it says:  "And my God put into mine heart..."  God gave Nehemiah discernment.  Something that we should be praying for ourselves.  Wisdom to do the right thing at the right time.  This comes from God, but we can ask for it. Well, my time has gone.  Hope you have a blessed day!  May God richly bless you and yours today.  Pastor Mike Mutchler