Tag Archives: Nehemiah

A Quick Hello, Giving Thanks, Nehemiah

The Fourth Thursday

Leave a comment

It’s been a fast November. I have a regret. I didn’t do my usual November thirty days of thanks and now The Thursday is almost here. 
So from our home to yours. 

happy-thanksgiving-peace-love-joy-autumn-leaves-800x533-1083234904

I celebrated today with my Office Family. I cannot thank Father GOD enough for His provision and favor upon us when He set me in place at Holt & Associates. We are grateful. 

When you gather in your respective places on Thursday, I hope your coming together will not be about just food and feasting; please sprinkle the day with generous helpings of thanks. 
I long for us, The Body of Christ, to experience celebrations with family and friends that are more than just eating holiday foods, laughter, family shenanigans, and afternoon naps.
I’m not frowning on those things — not at all! Let’s do all that but can we go deeper? 
Can we have prayer and worship too?
Can we sing songs together?
Can we encourage one another with the Joy of The LORD – recounting what He has done all year for us?
In other words, can we just flat-out GIVE THANKS? Lots of thanks for HE surely deserves it! 

img_3894 
Until next time, holy hugs, Kathie

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living

But wait!

Gallery 1 Comment

I am here this morning because I think I need to be, but my well of words has little cool refreshment to offer it seems. Janet’s words have come to mind: “Life’s hard but GOD is good.” For sure He is. And yet the frailty of human flesh betrays that truth from time to time and infects our soul with heaviness.

Sadness comes naturally. And here in this hostile world, there is MUCH to feed our sadness. Traffic. Rude people. Selfish people. Negative people. Mean people. Intoxicated people. Sickness. Disease. Injustices. Corruption. Disappointment. Death. It’s too much! The bravest of saints are subject to crumble under this weight.

But wait!

John 16:33 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

via John 16:33 NASB;CJB – These things I have spoken to you, so – Bible Gateway.

All of it, JESUS? Traffic? Rude people? Selfish people? Negative people? Mean people? Intoxicated people? Sickness? Disease? Cancer? Injustices? Corruption? Disappointment? EVEN Death? Yes! Even death!

So:

Nehemiah 8:10 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

10 . . . Don’t be sad, because the joy of Adonai is your strength.”

via Neh 8:10 CJB;NASB – Then he said to them, “Go, eat rich – Bible Gateway.

Don’t be sad. Do not sorrow as those who have no hope (see I Thessalonians 4:12-14). Not over adversity; not over sickness and disease; not even over death.

10 . . . Don’t be sad, because the joy of Adonai is your strength.”

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

via John 15 NASB;CJB – Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are – Bible Gateway.

For more reading about these things which He has spoken click HERE.

Father, thank You for the strength and even the WILL to choose to be not sad but to abide in Your Joy instead. And so we choose to abide in Your joy as we wait for good news about Jamie. We choose as an act of obedience to be not sad. We choose to be not sad or mad in traffic, or with people, especially adverse people. Father, we choose to respond with mercy because if we do not we will grieve You and those who love us; forgive us Father and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness, and thank You that You have in the BLOOD of Your Son. We continue to pray for Terri. Dori. Kerri. Alyssa and Others named in our hearts; asking for miracles of healing – bodies, souls, hearts, minds, and families. Thank You, HOLY SPIRIT, for taking our prayers and making them answerable in the Name of JESUS.

Christian Living, Guests

Extra

Gallery 2 Comments

Something extra for today from You Version Devotionals. When I read this one this morning I became eager to share it with you.

Galatians 4:4-5

Devotional

ROMAN ROADS AND A GREEK BIBLE

Nehemiah appears to have outlived Malachi. Thus, when Nehemiah died at nearly seventy years of age, the last chapter closed on the Old Testament. Four hundred years of silence followed, to be broken by the preaching of John the Baptist. Between the last chapter of Malachi and Matthew 1, dramatic world events occurred. The seat of government passed from Asia to Europe. During this time, Palestine experienced six different systems of rule. When Jesus was born, the Roman-appointed Herods were coldly and cruelly terrorizing Israel.

After Nehemiah’s death, Persia fell to Alexander the Great, and then came the Egyptian Ptolemies. Later, the Syrian kings crushed the Jews, bringing about the bloody revolt of the Maccabees. Finally, the iron hand of Rome gripped the throat of war-weary Palestine. Never at the mercy of world powers, God used each government to prepare the world for Christ’s birth. In the fullness of time, Christ was born. Greek influence had brought about the first translation of the Old Testament which was used by Jesus in the synagogue. Then Rome, with her penchant for building roads, made the spreading of the Gospel possible for the early church. The most famous of these highways is still used–the Appian Way. Over its 350 miles, Paul traveled to spread the Gospel.

Into a waiting world, Christ came–and changed the course of human history. Prophets had preached that the Messiah would come, and He was not a day late. To fulfill prophecy, Christ could have appeared at no other time in history. From all this, we learn that believers are never at the mercy of the world. God is still in control, and His answer to our prayers is not a day late.

via Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with God | YouVersion.com.

Read that last paragraph again and even again; enough that it makes your eyes twinkle with expectation and a glowing confidence that GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL!

A surpassing Thursday, my Friends!