Text: Nehemiah 9:30-10:39, Ephesians 2:8-10
Yesterday we looked at the many ways the Israelites violated their covenant with God and the many ways He remained faithful in return. Today we see the people of Israel, having repented of their sins, renew their specific obligations under the Mosaic Covenant. In other words, they vow to get it right this time around.
Their repentance leads to a renewed obedience. Isn’t that the way it should be? Is repentance without renewed obedience really repentance at all?
I would like to say no. I would like to pause for a drumroll and unveil some easy-to-remember formula that enables us to obey every. single. time. But the truth is, the gospel is not about formulas; it is simply about putting our trust in Jesus. It is about turning to Him again and again. And again.
The people of Israel are renewing their covenant with the Lord. They are doing so publicly and as a community. They are putting it in writing, they are signing on the dotted line. They are making specific, practical promises to God and his Church. Even though their history is full of disobedience and disappointment, they dare to name their offenses aloud before the Lord and pledge a new obedience to Him.
I want to be so daring. I want to receive the freedom of Christ so freshly with each prayer that I declare aloud and anew my allegiance to Him. Even though I will never get it exactly right, I want the guts to try.
God’s law asks more than our human brokenness can give. It did then and it does now. And so there is Christ.
There is the One who fulfills the law on our behalf.
Let us renew our covenant with Him today and believe that He will meet us. As a community, let us pray earnestly and with new fervor with the Psalmist:
Create in us a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within us.
Cast us not away from your presence
and take not your Holy Spirit from us.
Restore to us the joy of your salvation,
and uphold us with a willing spirit. Amen.
(adapted from Psalm 51:10-12, ESV)
Oh Amanda!!! yes, yes, yes! Renewing my heart (Ps. 51: one of my very favorites) and stepping up in my daily obedience, a very conscious effort and discipline I need. Not that I'm outright disobedient, but … well, you all know… as Paul reminds us (Romans 7:19) "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing."
Yes, Lucy and sisters in Christ here at SRT… don't we all struggle like Lucy at same point in our journey. Beautiful commUNITY here and I ditto all the well thought out and heartfelt responses. Great songs and WOW Carolynmimi
a God sent message so wonderfully shared without knowing that this would be here. That's divine inspiration! Beautifully worded! All of you have really reached out here and ministered from your hearts!
This Nehemiah study is a step above! Great team writing and comments are just a wonderful continuation of the process! I am so loving this and how God is speaking and moving.
Lord, Let me renew my covenant today and please create in me a clean heart, pure before You! That is what this SRT commUNITY does and offers so well, a place to come clean and participate encouraging one another and lifting each other to You in our desperate need to get it right this time! (sigh) Earnestly praying to You, Heavenly Father to cover each of my dear sisters with Your precious arms of love outstretched for us! Thank You so much! Thank You for this study, this SRT team, this commUNITY and this fresh heart birthed in us by Your Spirit. You are Our Refuge! This is a safe haven and in You, we run for Your forgiveness, mercy and grace! In this appointed time, we draw near to You and one another in Christ Jesus, knowing that only by true repentance, will we be changed and more like You, made in Jesus' precious image. Praise You, Lord! may our eyes be focused and fixed on You each day first, seeking You and Your will. No formulas Lord, just increase our trust, our confidence, our discernment, our self acceptance of who we are in You and because of You, there is so much in us that we lay at Your feet and surrender and ask You to change us … You hold the keys, and we open the door(s). Come Holy Spirit, fill us and change us! I love You so much and each sister here does and wants more of You and less of us. Have Your way, O Lord!
Praying over each one as I read your comment and for the unspoken petitions or the ones in the FB, Twitter, etc. unknown to me, I ask Our Beloved Lord to hear you and answer (Jer. 33:3) as we call upon Him together, cahnged by the power of love and His Holy Spirit! Love you all! Have a blessed week – remembering all who stand in defense of our nation and those who gave their lives for freedom as Jesus Christ has done for them and us!
Many blessings and peace,
Peggy
Bless u peggy
Thanks rocknitat55! God bless U 2!!!
Oh lucy how I understand your heart felt cries. Sometimes its good to be different than those around you. I believe the Lord has a special purpose. That he wants to bring out of you. Sometimes others may look like they have it all together but in reality they are just as hurt. Lucy my prayer for you today is that you fix your eyes upon jesus because he loves you so much. As the song goes “though none go with me I will still follow,no turning back,no turning back.”sometimes in this walk we have to endure it alone for but a moment but we know we are never alone because Jesus is right here with us. Be encouraged my sister and know that Jesus Loves You and so do I:) God Bless.
So true, so true!
Amen! Could not have said it better. :)
Amen, Monique!
Wow. Just wow. I am very new to all of this but as I was just reading all those posts, I was completely filled with love. Constantly flicking through my bible and letting what everyone has been saying sink in. Thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement. Was exactly what I needed. I love how even from a distance, our almighty daddy can bring us sisters together. Praise God for She Reads Truth! I'll be praying for each one of you to be constantly filled with his spirit and to live out your life for him.
I'm so glad this community can help! I'm at a place (after a couple semesters) where I'm still learning what I want to do: with University, with my relationships, with my life, really. You don't figure this stuff out the moment you graduate – although, wouldn't that be lovely? Instead it's a gradual process of getting to know yourself and honestly? Learning to LOVE yourself. Not just tolerate! God is MADLY in love with you. Ask Him why that is. He's been my biggest help in overcoming self-doubt, comparisons, you name it. Praying to Him about my purpose, how he created me, what he made me for, that's helped me in learning what things I need to pursue. Thanks for the prayers, Lucy! I'll be sending them right back 'atcha!
"Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us."
I love Psalm 51. It was written by David some time after he committed adultery. He felt pretty heavy from the weight of it and now he discovered that Nathan, the prophet, knew about this sin too. David had no where to hide from God and he didn't bother trying to. Instead of denying his sin or covering it up, David got really, REALLY honest with God. In fact, so many of the psalms that he wrote are spilling over with gut-wrenching HONESTY.
God can do something useful with us when we get really, really honest. We have to get really, really honest with ourselves, then with God. Sometimes, (with discernment) we need to get really, really honest with others too. When we do, we are in the perfect posture for God to rebuild us from the ground up. It's so humbling, it hurts and it feels unsafe at first to be THAT vulnerable, but the rewards are worth the risk. We soon find out that there is a soft place to land, that we are secure to just rest in our total imperfectness. God can do something lasting in us ONLY when we are honest.
Posts like Lucy wrote this morning bless me. I am so struck at the honesty of her confession and subsequent request for prayer. If I am completely honest, I might admit to feeling those very same feelings and thinking those very same thoughts many times in my life. It takes a lot of courage to share your heart and be vulnerable with a group of people. I must confess that at times, it felt easier to hide and isolate. I withheld speaking the truth about my brokenness. The long list of insecurities. The fear of rejection and the endless comparisons with my peers. All for fear of what others might think of me. That they might feel I was unequal to them. That I might feel unequal to them.
Real commUNITY might be a little bit about taking risks (praying for discernment) and look…today we can all revel in the fruit. The reward is so great when you are part of the Body of Christ! Praying for you today Lucy. You have an army of women behind you!
"But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice." Psalm 51:6-8
Another Great Word from the Lord. I loved seeing all the love poured out for a sister in Christ. Yay for the sisterhood of believers!
My, my, my what a wonderful commUNITY you are!! I am overwhelmed myself with the love of Christ reading all of your posts to Lucy! I wasn't really "down" this morning but I sure am "UP"! after your encouragement to her! And I just want to add to it a little bit, not that everything wonderful hasn't been said but I want to add my love as well.
Lucy everyone is so right when they say YOU are just as loved by God as ANYONE else in this world. The Bible says "For God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:11 And they were also correct when they said the devil is feeding you LIES!! If he is telling you that you are no good, that you are inferior, you are unloved, that others are better, all of these are lies and the opposite is true! The enemy has NO FUTURE and he wants you to join him! He wants you to be as miserable as he is so he puts thoughts into your mind. And your mind is your biggest enemy…but you don't have to let it have control over you.
The sisters were right…fight it with the WORD!! Claim those promises! Read the Word and then READ IT OUT LOUD! And speak to that old enemy and tell him to "GET BEHIND ME SATAN!" The Bible says to "Submit yourselves, then, to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7. He has to obey when you use the Word.
Be consistent. And use the authority of the NAME! All power in heaven and in earth belong to the NAME of JESUS and if you have had that NAME applied to your heart and life then USE IT! The devil is afraid of YOU if you take that authority!
I also agree with surrounding yourself with Godly music! Worship throughout the day! Let your praises go UP! Remember, GARBAGE IN….GARBAGE OUT! What you feed on is what you are going to feel like…so feed on Godly things!
And above all, pray and worship!! Start your day with the Word and Worship! Throw your hands up in the air in surrender and tell the Lord you can't do it without HIM and praise Him for who He is! Love Him with all of your heart, soul and mind. Then thank Him for what He is going to do in your life. Give Him praise for the health and strength you have and the blessings in your life. Then ask for help, peace and patience. He will give it to you!
We are praying for you. Here is a great Israel Houghton song that I play alot in prayer time, He Holds My World in His Hands and on the end it also has How He Loves on it that Hayley mentioned….Two in One!! :) Be blessed, we all love you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6_T29ZaxyE&li…
You captured the heartfelt surrounding of Lucy in prayer this morning, Candacejo, Nannette. I picture her in the center of the Circle as we all respond to her need and lift her up to the One who can meet all her needs. Praising and Worshipping together. Having Church together. PRAISE GOD!
Lucy, I also want to say that God is not a respecter of persons. He love you just as much as he loves your friends. You are his creation his very precious daughter. Stay focused on the Lord and not others.
“We have been evil, but He has been faithful!” I know this is the case with me. How I hate to suffer the consequences! I want everything to be honky dory! Yet honestly, when it comes down to it, it is no less than I deserve, and honestly, God is so faithful He doesn’t truly give me what I deserve! Thank You, Jesus for paying the price and never leaving me!