Dear Northside
Ever wondered why Pastor Vere and I preach through whole books of the Bible – even books like Judges?
In the book of Nehemiah, we see a revival happen. The book of the Law, the Bible, was read and clearly explained to the people. The revival came from the reading and the clear understanding of the Bible. It was perhaps the first time that many of the people had heard the word preached in such a way that its true meaning was made clear and obvious to them.
Nehemiah 8:7-8 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
The reading of the Word and the giving of the sense of the word (teaching and preaching) are the keys to a revolution in the hearts of God’s people. So often we may fail to appreciate the literal power that the preached word has for us who sit under it and hear it with ears to hear. The preached Word of God has the power to bring sinners to repentance and salvation. And it has the power to sanctify to the uttermost those believers who faithfully attend its place of preaching. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
It is able to pierce down into the deepest part of a person and make a basic, fundamental and systemic change in the heart. It has the power to orient a heart away from evil, selfish sinfulness, and toward godly attitudes, thoughts and behaviours.
Nehemiah 8:9 The first response to hearing and understanding the words of the law was mourning, sadness, conviction of sin.
Nehemiah 8:10-12 The final result of understanding the Word of God was joy. The people rejoiced greatly. Their joy followed repentance. Their joy followed the reading of the Word. Their joy followed the teaching of the right meaning of the Word. Joy comes from getting right with God. And this joy works as a strength for us, sustaining us through hard times, through griefs, through struggles with health, struggles with other people, struggles with the normal, common woes of this fallen world. The joy of the Lord is your strength because it carries you through the storms of this life.
It is your joy in Him which provides the ability, the spiritual strength, to be like a Joseph who flees from youthful lust. It is the pure joy of the Lord which gives the martyr the power to face death with a resolute certainty that will not compromise just for some temporary relief. It is your joy in the Lord which enables you to pass over all the illegitimate, earthly, soulish sources of joy, to get to the real and pure source of joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength!
God bless, Pastor Gary