Joshua & Nehemiah

Instruction on Bumper Sticker Verses:   

As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15   

The Joy of the Lord is your Strength. Nehemiah 8:10

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As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Joshua, successor of Moses, said to all the people, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham…worshipped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants.…Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out….I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them, and you took possession of their land….Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho….So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build;…

Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:1-15

Application:  The Israelites were given a personal choice. They were aware of what other people worshipped. They had experienced God's provision and blessing. They had sinned against the Only True God, and now were being asked a question. --- Would they serve false gods, or would they individually and personally serve the One True God?

God has proven His faithfulness time and time again. His Way is the Right and True One. Our ways are always short sighted and erroneous. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, " declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

Choose this day, whom will you serve?   Will you serve yourself, or will you submit yourself to the Lord and King of the Universe, the One True Loving God of all that is seen and unseen??

God wants you to choose Him, for that is why you are reading this right now!! God sent His Son to live on this Earth for the purpose of having a relationship with you and to teach you the Way you should go. John 1:14,29; 3:5-7,16-21; Luke 15:3-10; 14:26-27; John 13:1-17; 14:6,15-18.

God sent His Son to die for you so that you could be free to have a deep and loving relationship with Him which will last forever.

God "causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matthew 5:45 God continually cares for everyone. However, obeying God's Laws make it a fruitful life (results of life), not obeying His laws make it a death-life (results of sin).  It depends upon who is reigning and ruling your heart.

Choose this day, whom will you serve? Will you serve yourself, or will you submit yourself to the Lord and King of the Universe, the One True Loving God of all that is seen and unseen??   I choose to serve The Lord! I want to tell God.  Prayer

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The Joy of the Lord is your Strength. Nehemiah 8:10

Nehemiah was a man of God who was told by one of his brothers and some other men: "The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: "O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, Who keeps His covenant of love with those Who love Him and obey His commands…I confess the sins we Israelites….have committed against You…. Remember the instruction You gave your servant Moses, saying '…if You return to Me and obey My commands, then…I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.'…Give your servant success today." …Nehemiah prayed to God and answered King Artaxerxes "If it pleases the king and if our servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild (the walls and gates of Jerusalem)."… It pleased the king to send me. Nehemiah, with God's help, had the walls and gates of Jerusalem built. It came time to read the Law of God, "and all the people lifted their hands and responded, 'Amen! Amen!' Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Then Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy… This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 1:1-2:6; 8:6,10

  1. First Nehemiah realized that the city of God's people had been violated. It had been desecrated. Nehemiah's heart was very sad. He was moved to weep and mourn for the loss of the city being without God. He felt the pain of the Israelites and of the Lord to Whom all this had been done.
  2. Then Nehemiah fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. He understood that the only one in control, the only one in charge was God Almighty.
  3. Then Nehemiah praised the great and awesome God. He also validated God's character of faithfulness and the people's responsibility of obedience in relationship by stating "Who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands".
  4. Nehemiah knew repentance was the only way to enter again into the presence of the Lord, so he said "I confess the sins we Israelites…have committed against You."
  5. And finally, Nehemiah brought his need to the Lord knowing it was in accordance with the Lord's desires as well. "Remember the instruction you gave…Give your servant success today."
  6. The Lord God honored Nehemiah's request which was proved by: "It pleased the king to send me" to build the city walls.
  7. At the end of the project, God was given the glory for the success. This is right, for without God's intervention, no progress could have been made. "…and all the people lifted their hands and responded, 'Amen! Amen!' Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground."
  8. They all could walk out in peace and joy and the strength and confidence in the Lord because they obeyed Him and gave Him His rightfully due. "This day is sacred to our Lord."

Application:  How is it with you? Is your heart a place of devastation, or is it strong and glowing with the Joy of the Lord?

Are you moved with great sadness at the loss of God in your heart? Do you long for Him to fill you with His Peace (John 14:27) and Joy (John 15:11) and Love (John 15:9,10).

If you need the Lord, know that it is within God's desire and will for you to ask for Him to be your Lord and Savior. He wants to dwell within you, but you need to invite Him to enter in. Scripture is clear that He calls us (1 Cor 1:9, Gal 5:13; Col 3:15; 2 Thess 2:14; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 John 3:1) and chooses us (John 15:16; 1 Peter 2:9). Won't you pray like Nehemiah did? Prayer

Is this day sacred to you or to the Lord? Are you seeking and seeing God's success of His agenda inside your own heart? Are you seeing His works being accomplished in Spirit and in Truth and rejoicing in awe of His Holy Presence? Is the Joy of the Lord your strength?

Is the Lord God Almighty reigning on high and dwelling richly in your heart? Or has your heart been moved to tears because the walls of His temple in your soul are broken down? Have you asked the Lord God Almighty for forgiveness of all of your sins so that there would be a clean place in which He may dwell? (My room) Have you asked Y'eshua to set Himself as Lord of your life? Have you asked Him what He would like to accomplish through you, and waited for His answer (God answers His children's prayers!)?

God, the One Who made you and loves you, wants your joy to be full (John 15:11) and for your unreserved trust (Isa 12:1-3) in Him to be your strength!! Only God can accomplish such a feat. (promises) Will you choose to let Jesus Christ reign in your heart, mind, body and soul (Laws) so that you will have His mighty strength in you through joyful submission?

I choose to build up His Temple in my heart! 1 Cor 6:19 Prayer

Joy, true internal Joy comes from God! Only after a full sense of sin, and a mourning of what we have done wrong, the offenses we have personally made, can we experience the cleansing of God's utter and complete forgiveness!! In Nehemiah 12:43, it tells us that their joy was so full and exuberant, that it was heard far away from Jerusalem!

See these for Joy from God, which produces strength within us! : Phil 3:1; Isaiah 12:3; Hebrews 6:17,18; Romans 5:11; 1 Timothy 1:12; Romans 5:3.

Additional reading:   Isa 12:1-3    1 Cor 6:19    1 Cor 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Prayer :    Lord, my heart is broken, I feel lonely and abandoned. I know I need You in my life, but I do not know how to do it.   Would you please reveal Yourself to me.  Show me Yourself so that I may know Who You are.  I want to obey You, but I am not able to do it on my own.  I need Your help.  Lord God Almighty, You had Your Son Jesus Christ die on the cross for my sins.  He took the punishment that I deserve.  I am sorry that I have thought and done all the wrong things that I have done.  I accept Jesus' atoning death for my sins.  Please forgive me. Thank you for forgiving me, for You promise that as far as the east is from the west, You removed my sins! Thank you! I choose to make Jesus Christ the Lord of my life.  Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit that You may teach me Your Ways and that I may dwell with You all the days of my life, and for eternity!!  I praise you Lord Jesus Christ.  I make You Lord of my life, I give you all that I am, and all that I will be. Thank you gracious Lord God for saving me!! Amen!

I have received Jesus!!  Please bring me to What is next!

Bring me to Create in me a pure heart.

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