Though Nehemiah is long gone from this earth, it is my contention, and that of the Word Itself, that the Lord desires to continue to use him to speak through the centuries, the heart and mind of God. More than simply an interesting story or a history lesson is the account of the rebuilding of the wall as recorded in the book of Nehemiah. So many have such a difficult time connecting some of the Old Testament stories to their everyday walk with the Lord, even though they know that they are there as examples to us living in these New Testament times. This story is not only relevant but full of...

We are living in the greatest of church ages, though the most perilous. Keep in mind that the man who wrote that Biblical text lost his life for the gospel. He was in constant danger of torture, imprisonment, ridicule and anything else that we might acquaint with the radical Christians of Paul's day. Like the proverbial lobster, never suspecting that it would be his last swim is gently lowered into the pot of water, we fail to notice the rise in temperature (or, more appropriately, in our case, the drop in temperature; that is, from hot to lukewarm).

One volume of a set of teaching books for the serious Christian. There is still only one dwelling place for the child of God that is safe, meaningful, and productive. There is one thing however, when we are in the shadow not many will likely notice us, but rather the One Who casts the shadow. That is how it is meant to be for it is only then that we bring glory to His Name.

Revival in the church can only begin and continue when the people of God experience a renewal within their hearts and a transfomation of their minds. This can never happen unless the Word of God comes alive in us and the practicing of it becomes first nature through us. In and of itself Revival is but a beginning and 'new life' through Christ a starting point to greater things in His Name. As we begin to experience more of the 'beginning of sorrows' God waits to use a people unafraid and unashamed to walk in His Word. It will never be easier than it is today, for the Word itself tells us that...

There is something about a 'stay of execution' that lulls us to an unholy lethargy, and a stupor of passive indifference. We live in an age of immediate gratification, where anything that does not command split-second results is deemed little worth consideration. We have been set up, if you will; duped by our own progressive frills. We are ever looking for a faster microwave, a computer that boots up at record speed, plants that grow overnight, babies that grow in bottles, and, in the church, immediate ministry and results that defy God's laws of cultivation.

Fear is the enemy of faith. It works diligently, tirelessly, like an erosive force, wearing away and decreasing the depth of our soil that our roots threaten to surface and dry out, and the necessary nutrients for true growth be lacking. God's Word clearly depicts it as a spirit, that is, a personage, living and breathing, ever seeking to destroy; a spirit that must be reckoned with. For the Christian only the fear of God is encouraged, for to fear another is to put that one above the Lord. Everything else is the 'old man' rising up, that is, the flesh, or an enemy force as evil and...

How can we be expected to forgive such things as sexual abuse? Yet the LORD has said, "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. This is the most difficult work I have ever written. It is very personal and hits real close to home, but the LORD has both challenged and encouraged me to share with others that which has changed my life, that which, as a Christian, is not my right to withhold.

Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, But for to steal, to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Lest the price should have been paid in vain, let us proceed to the reading of the Last Will and Testament of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I cannot abide the thought of one day standing before Him only to have Him ask me why I did not receive those things that He bought and left behind for me. It indeed is not even my right to leave them on the shelf when they cost Him so dearly, as He purposed to buy them for me.

Is there one more thing that we can do perhaps, that will bring a positive response; something maybe that we're not seeing? What would it take to remove the scales from the eyes of the people to the wonder of God; His love and provision? Is the church missing something; a vital ingredient to empower her service to better testify of the nature of Christ within us. Is there something that would repair the breach and restore man to right relationship with God? "Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer, thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am." Isaiah 58: 9

It would be interesting to know how many of us have heard cliches like, "You're just like your father (or mother) " And then there is, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I see " Or, "What else can I expect, look at your gene pool Yup, you're going to be just like your brother " Phrases such as, 'he's useless too', 'a loser', 'never accomplished anything in his whole life', 'everything she touched turned to garbage', 'you wait and see; just like your grandmother', and 'she never amounted to anything either', play over and over in our minds and like dark prophecies, haunt us throughout...