Date: Sunday, May 25, 2014
Today's Chapters: Nehemiah 9-10
Message Title: Having The Seal

To this day I remember when I got my first Bible (I still have it), when I first got it I would open it, read a few chapters then put it away for a while, I did this quite a bit, lost sight of it a few times, but it always showed back up. I came to the conclusion that God really wanted me to read that Bible, when I finally began to read it on a regular basis, and actually understood what I was reading, I discovered what an amazing, merciful, and loving God we have. I, like many others, have based my knowledge of God, not on the Word of God, but by what others told me about Him. It wasn't until I professed my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and began reading it for myself that I discovered, not only the truths and lies people told, but that He is the only living, faithful, just, and loving God. We can learn some amazing things about God and even some down right lies when we trust others to tell us about Him, but until we get in it ourselves and let the Holy Spirit work in us we will never truly understand the power of the Almighty God. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” - 2 Timothy 2:15,16.

The people were so excited about having the Word of God with them that they began having it read to them daily, one forth of the entire day was devoted just to reading and another forth was to worship and praise God. The the Levites stood up and began to praise God for His mercy upon their fathers, even when they would not listen to Him. “But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations; Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.” - Nehemiah 9:16-19.

It is an amazing feeling to go to God and ask Him for forgiveness, knowing that it was solely by His grace that we are forgiven. When we confess our sins to God we are just getting the weight of the sin off our shoulders, one cannot help, but cry, thank God, and praise Him for being such a merciful God. We must make it a point to read and learn all of God's Word, Old and New Testaments, so that we can know exactly how He feels about the things we do. While we are no longer subject to the Laws of Moses, the principles of them still apply, we are to be godly, and honor God by living in obedience to His Word. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” - 2 Timothy 3:16,17.

As Ezra read to the people, they were reminded of how much God had done for them over the centuries, from the start of their people with Abraham to their Exodus in Egypt, to their journey in the wilderness, God was with them through it all, even though they often rebelled. “Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations. Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God. Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly: And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.” - Nehemiah 9:26,31-33,38.

God's mercy endures, the smallest sin is massive to God, it all has the same consequence, death. It is only by His mercy and grace that we can go to Jesus Christ and be instantly sealed and covered by His blood, it is the sure covenant of our salvation. “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:56,57.

Those who chose to be sealed, wanted to know all of God's Word, and little by little they learned about the generations before them and how they came to be where they were at present. These were those who were sealed. “Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:” - Nehemiah 10:1,28-30.

Today, the same seal is needed to be one of God's people, it is the blood of Jesus Christ that God's great mercy and grace is upon all who believe in Him. God makes a covenant with all who believe that Jesus, the sinless Son of God, died on the cross, was buried, and arose from the dead to pay the price of eternal death for their sins. That covenant is eternal life with God, never to be forsaken, always merciful and gracious, no matter how many times they mess up. God never said that He would not chasten His people for living in sin, but He did say that He would never forget those who have the seal of the blood upon them. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” - 2 Timothy 2:19-21.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for the sacrifice You made by giving Your life so that I can have eternal life. You shed Your blood so that I did not have to spend eternity in hell. I am sealed by Your blood and am forever grateful for what You have done for me. I'm sorry for the times I become forgetful of what You have done for me and continue to do in my life. Help me to stay in Your Word and follow it so that I will not feel lost and separated as I once did. I love You and pray in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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