Trinity Baptist Church (Bradford, Arkansas)

We are still looking at some truths from Nehemiah Chapter 8.  We are dealing with the subject of understanding.  We talked yesterday about the need for a responsible proclaimer.  Today, we find that there must also be a reliable proclamation.  We must be proclaiming the right things.  Verse 8 says, “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Notice that he read “in the book in the law of God.” This was not some self-help book, or New York Times bestseller. This was the Word of God. Just hearing something from a pastor or preacher does not make it truth. We must pay very close attention to what they are saying and confirm that truth in the Bible.  The Word of God is our ultimate authority.  I really believe that the reason many people are confused about spiritual things is because they hear so much that is not true.  Then it become hard to decipher the truth from the lies.

To have a better understanding of what I am talking about, please take the time to read Nehemiah Chapter 8.

Do you ever wonder why some people just don’t seem to understand the gospel message? It is so simple, yet it eludes so many people. When I read the Bible, it explains to me everything that is going on in the world. Sure, there are a few things that I may struggle understanding, but for the most part, the Bible answers far more questions for me than it creates.  It just makes sense to me. How can so many people miss it? This passage in Nehemiah chapter 8 tells us a lot about understanding. The word, “understand” or a similar word is used 6 times in this chapter. This chapter explains much about understanding. There are some things that must precede spiritual understanding.

In recent days we have seen the weakness of man once again. With the current situation, we must again face the fact that the answer to the problems of humanity is not possessed by man. There is only One that possesses the power to correct man’s problems. The Bible says in Psalm 62:11 ”that power belongeth unto God.”

There is no power that does not come from God. There is no power, whether past, present, physical, or spiritual, that does not come from God. He is the only autonomous One. He is the only self-existent One. He is the only self-sufficient One. All power belongs to Him.  He is omnipotent, all-powerful.

So the question has been asked many times over, if God has the power to stop the problems of our day, why are they still so prevalent in our time? God gives us the solution in His Word. II Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.  I Corinthians 12:1-2

Yesterday, we mentioned the importance of spending time with God so that we can “grow” spiritually and “know” more about God.  The Apostle Paul had a desire to know God.  He said in Philippians 3:8, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:”  In verse 10 he says, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death:”

Time with God is crucial for a Christian. A.W. Tozer said, “Some things may be neglected with but little loss to the spiritual life, but to neglect communion with God is to hurt ourselves where we cannot afford it.”

As we, hopefully, get towards the end of this Coronavirus pandemic, many people will go back to their busy lives that they were living before.  However, let’s make sure that we do not get “too” busy.  Be sure to spend some with God. We desperately need to grow as children of God. There is no other way to do this than to spend an adequate amount of time with God.

In Psalm 56, we see a prayer of David.  When I read it, I see a prayer to God from a true believer in God.  Many people today find themselves in some tough situations, as David did, and will try to get in touch with God through prayer.  However, they will not pray out of belief, but out of desperation.  While God will hear us in our despair, we must approach Him with a heart of belief.  As I read through this Psalm, I find some truths about a true believer’s prayer.  I will be sharing these over the next few days. 

First, I see the problems of the believer.  “Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.” (Psalm 56:2, 5)  Christians are not immune to problems.  Therefore, our prayers should include the difficult circumstances that we face.  This is not to complain about our problems, but to get God involved in our problems.