the watcher

Nehemiah 9:38 And because of all this we make a sure [covenant], and write [it]; and our princes, Levites, [and] priests, seal [unto it]. As we end this year, we would be seeking the Lord's face for so many areas of our life. Wisely so. However, what should the Lord be expecting from us in the coming year. What is our own end of the covenant? To get God's action, we go beyond the asking to begin to make covenants. Strong men of God lived by covenants: Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: Joshua 24:15b but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. What do we need to make right? What needs to be corrected? What do we need to stop doing? What do we need to start doing? For the people of the Lord become better by the day, as they increase in all things, they also i

Nehemiah 9:1&3 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God [one] fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God. While man looks at the outward show of man, the Heavenly Father looks at the inner part of man, his motives and intentions. 2 Chronicles 16:9a For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. As we round off another year, it is another opportunity for us to make our hearts clear with the Heavenly Father, for it is in the full sincerity of our hearts that He releases His revelations to us. 2Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's us

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. By the 7th month the reconstruction had come a long way the people could settle in their cities: Nehemiah 7:73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and [some] of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel [were] in their cities. They needed to do the needful, seek the way of the Lord: Nehemiah 8:1-3 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that [was] before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and wom

Nehemiah 7:2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he [was] a faithful man, and feared God above many. Note that it was not because he was his brother that he put him in charge. For he knew his character because he was his brother, thus he stated the reason for appointing him: * faithfulness and the fear of God This is what Paul instructed Timothy and Titus in selecting leaders for the church: 1 Timothy 3:2-7 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? An elder must not b

Nehemiah 6:9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, [O God], strengthen my hands. Fear is one tool the enemy uses and if we allow it, it will bring us down. 2Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. No purpose or project exist that does not have its challenges, Nehemiah did not fall for the fear gimmick the enemies employed. He stood in prayers, faith and dedication. They now came up with a new type of fear "false prophesy": Nehemiah 6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who [was] shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. Yes it is not a new thing for acclaimed "men of God" to be used for fulfil se

Nehemiah 6:1-4 Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps remained—though we had not yet set up the doors in the gates. So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me, so I replied by sending this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?” Four times they sent the same message, and each time I gave the same reply. This is not strange, for any serious achiever knows that oppositions will always arise, from within or without. Why some fail is that they give up along the way, most fail because they are not given the full picture of things on the onset. See what Jesus told His disciples: John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be o

Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! The summary of what the world celebrates today is the story of salvation. Just as it came as fresh glorious news to the shepherds as recorded by Luke, the winter blows a fresh breeze of good tidings reminding us of when joy came to the world: Luke 2:8-11 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will brin

Nehemiah 5:14-17 For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way. I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall. I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands! When did all the extortion, corruptions and theft from common wealth originate? It began from our homes, schools and small environments. People living beyond their means, claiming wealth they cannot account for. When wealth is  allowed to be spent and th

Nehemiah 5:6-9 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, “You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem. At the meeting I said to them, “We are doing all we can to redeem our Jewish relatives who have had to sell themselves to pagan foreigners, but you are selling them back into slavery again. How often must we redeem them?” And they had nothing to say in their defense. Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations? The failure of mankind is in living away from the nature of God, which is love. There is this desire and plot to take advantage of others. In the case of Nehemiah we see brethren betray their own. In previous years we see relations selling off their own to become slaves to others. This i

Nehemiah 4:7-9 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. Not everyone faces the exact type of battles, however every believer must face battles. The scriptures teaches us to be ready. We watch and pray. Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; We may not have to face physical battles as that which Nehemiah was threatened with (some have to), but of spiritual battles, definitely they will arise. However, we are assured that victory is ours. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [

Nehemiah 4:1&6 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. Once you have gotten the vision clearly and understood the will of the Lord you move ahead. This does not mean that you will not have oppositions. They would come one way or the other to discourage good works or to bring down good projects. Let us learn from Nehemiah: They mocked his project and said it would crash. Nehemiah 4:1-3 Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of sto

Nehemiah 3:3-6 The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana. Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors. The Old City Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. The power of unity and one purpose cannot be underestimated for to bring any kingdom, organisation or family DOWN the best step to take is to bring in disunity. Proverbs 6:13-14 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers. Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble. We must maintain unity: Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how

Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Nehemiah 2:18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for [this] good [work]. You should have a plan, it is not lack of faith, it is actually an act of faith. For Jesus said: Luke 14:28-30 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ What is your plan for the rest of the year? What is your plan for the coming year? It should cover every area of your life. Spiritual, Financial, Family, Health, Career, Work, Ministry

Nehemiah 2:5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. Some say the have resolutions, resolves to stop bad habits, focus on real goals and achieve them. However, many do not achieve them. Some who claim to be spiritual, do the praying, but leave out the listening and following of instruction. Some just go ahead relying on their instinct. The believer must be balanced. The life of Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith in the movie "pursuit for happiness", we hear his son telling a story. "A christian man found himself drowning in water and a man came by in a boat to save him, but he refused his help saying to the man "God will help me". Another man came in a boat and tried to help him, he refused again saying, "God will save me". He finally drowned and went to heaven. When he got to heaven

Nehemiah 1:11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer. The Lord can use any channel to bring to pass answers to our prayers and make things work for us. However most people have made a mess of opportunities and positions God have given to them. The have created a bad aura. We must remember that we are not robots, we were created to have a mind. We were made in God's image, so we have the power of decision. However it is in wisdom we submit to the One who made us. This we must do willingly (He will not force us). Thus since the Lord is Good. This should be our nature also. Nehemiah 2:1-3 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that] wine [was] before him: and I took up the wine, and gave [it] un

Nehemiah 1:3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province [are] in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also [is] broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. We live in times when the desire for pleasure, luxury, comfort and ease, rule the day. Most people are seeking the easiest way out. More are running from responsibilities and many are forsaking decency and the love of God is rare. Nehemiah heard of the state of his home country, what was his reaction? Nehemiah 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned [certain] days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, What is broken, what is in a bad stage? It may be your state, country or even your home. Do you feel like taking responsibility, or it doesn't bother you. We have our place of responsibility, we are placed in certain places to enable make certain changes. What Mordecai said to Esther com

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. When we come close to the end of the year, there are two things we should do * take stock, and * plan for the coming year. In taking stock we look at the upside and low side, however no matter the proportion we must be reminded that we made it through. For the low sides, teach us, for there is really no failure for the believer: James 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: We must always remember: Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. This is an eternal stand point. A fixed equation or an established proof. Knowing this we give glory to the one who gives us this grace. The second is the plan for the coming year.

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Psalm 150:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. What is, or where is God's sanctuary? Another word for sanctuary is "temple" it is that separate, holy place where God comes to commune with man. He is worshipped there. Is it a building or a physical edifice? No, God Himself builds His temple. So.. . Jesus said: John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. Where is man's spirit? In his body, thus Paul instructs: 1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? See it from NL

Psalm 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, [and] his praise in the congregation of saints. The summary of our existence is to give God praise. It does not mean making all the noise, disturbing the peace of others, or clubbing. No, it is praise that comes from the Spirit that provokes others to give God glory. So I do not just praise because I sing a song, yes I sing with my heart and mouth, I sing with musical instruments however it goes beyond that. My very life style should provoke someone to give God praise. My life should be an instrument of praise. See what Jesus said: Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Look at the same verse as translated in NLT: Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. So I cannot raise loud praise (noise!) in the presence of the brethren, then go

Psalm 148:13 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory [is] above the earth and heaven. This is the whole essence of creation, to give God praise. Everything God made was for His pleasure, they are to give Him praise. Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. If you stop bringing glory to your maker, you become useless and are only fit for destruction. For it is the reason why many will be destroyed. "they refuse to give God the glory" Revelation 16:9 Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory. We who have believed are not so, we give glory to the Heavenly Father consistently. All our lives are a praise to the Heavenly Father. Psalm 30:12 To the end that [my] glo

Psalm 147:9 He giveth to the beast his food, [and] to the young ravens which cry. Yes, God takes care of the animals we see, He cares for the plants that will sprawl up today and die off tomorrow: Psalm 147:8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. That is how powerful our God is, yes He caters for mere grass. Thus Jesus, the Messiah, taught us that, if the Heavenly Father cares even for such little things, don't we know that He cares more for us: Matthew 6:28-30 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? He taught us that it is the unbelievers that worry about these thin

Psalm 146:5 Happy [is he] that [hath] the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope [is] in the LORD his God: We trust in the Lord, for we cannot put our trust in man, no matter how highly placed they seem to be: Psalms 146:3-4 Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. I recall a city I once lived in. There, some were so confident, they had the governor of the state as a relation, they felt all was going well for them. They boasted about it, the started project here and there, they occupied some key positions. However in few years this governor died suddenly of a place crash. The tragedy followed with a new governor. He cleared his cabinet, replaced all in key positions with his own choice of people. Projects were suspended, many were left stranded. This is an example of the frailty of man. Psalms 146:5-9 But joyful are those who have the God of Israe

Psalms 145:3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Sometimes people could forget how great our God is, His Mighty power, the wonder of His creation, excellent glory and splendour. We who know the Lord should keep our mind on Him, remembering His greatness and power. Psalms 145:5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. We must let the world know, our children, our neighbours, our colleagues and all generations. Psalms 145:4,6 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. God is great and all His works are great. He deserves all the praise, He alone is worthy. No one can take His place, no one should receive the glory. All the Lord has created will give Him praise, nothing and no one will be left out. Psalms 145:10-12 All of your works will thank you, Lord, a

Psalms 144:15 How blessed the people who have all this! How blessed the people who have God for God! It is a great thing to have the Heavenly Father as our God. Yes, the Most High He is. The enemies wonder why the Heavenly Father bothers with man, it infuriates some of them for they have lost their position, for man is now the being that gives God pleasure. Psalms 144:3-4 O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them? For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow. Thus the enemy keeps fighting for the downfall of man. 1 Peter 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Thus the Psalmist says: Psalms 144:1-2 Praise the lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take

Romans 4:8 Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Can a man of his own stand justified in the presence of God? Our flesh makes us soiled in iniquity, no one is free. Psalm 143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. So what is the hope of man? The Heavenly Father Himself is the one to justify man. This is why He came in His Son to save all of mankind. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. What love, what grace. This is open to everyone, not just the Jews, no, to every one Jew or Gentile. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Every human was given the opportunity to be free, to let go of iniquity which brings death and to come to life. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and t

Psalms 142:5 Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. Why all the persecutions and why all the temptations? What do they come to do? They come to take away the love of God from you. Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. This was the enemy's standpoint. He believes that man loves God only for the benefit he gets from Him. That the moment those benefits are NOT there, then man can curse God. This is why it is dangerous to preach a strange gospel. Promising people what the Lord did not promise. Your love for God should be unconditional, that is why it came at first as an instruction. Can man exist without God, NO, for it is His breath in man that keeps man alive. Genesis 2:7

Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice. David shows us in this psalm, what to do when the enemy arises: Psalms 141:8-9 I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me. Keep me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those who do wrong. We commit ourself to the Lord, He is the one who owns us and will keep us. What will the enemies and powers that be, do? They would want to weigh you down, bringing various thoughts into your mind to burden you. They come in form of worries, fears and doubts. They do all these to take you away from prayer, worship and bible study. Once they occupy the mind thus, they can keep you weak and depressed, then they can have their way. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly. Even pleasures

Psalms 140:1-2 O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent, those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long. We understand that offences will always be in this world till when Christ returns and the Heavenly Father brings all things as they are now, to an end. Friends will betray friends Spouse will betray their partner Siblings will betray sibling Leaders will betray the people they lead Even parents will betray their children and vice-versa. However what Jesus taught was: Matthew 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! For He said concerning Judas: Matthew 26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. So we know we cannot remove evil from this world. There will be people that will cause others pain, temp

Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. In this Psalm, we see David express how open we are to the Heavenly Father. He knew us even before we were formally formed in our mother's womb. Psalms 139:13,15 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. This goes further to our daily living, every thought He knows and before we speak any word, He knows what we are about to say. Psalms 139:2,4 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. Remember Jesus said: Matthew 6:7-8 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered mere

Psalms 138:8 Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal - don't quit on me now. He is a faithful God, He will not abandon us half way. For from the beginning we see the Heavenly Father as the one who keeps His own end of the deal. It is man who comes out unfaithful. What a faithful Father. As Great and High the Heavenly Father is, He yet reaches out to the humble. What is it that we can give Him. Nothing! Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD [be] high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. This is LOVE! How can anyone reject such love? His hands are stretched out, how many have run into Him? It is our duty to let everybody know. All things will yet come to an end, then the grace will be over. Who is it that will stand against us when the Lord stands for us.  Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall

Psalm 137:4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land? Liberty, is what everyone in bondage seek for, the whole earth was in bondage till Christ came to set us free. Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, We were given the power to reunite to the Heavenly Father and enjoy true liberty by being sons. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Is it not a bigger reason to sing? To bring praises to the one who brought us out of captivity. Calling us to serve as sons and not as slaves. Glory to God. Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. We sing His praises with such a gr