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Help Needed

Nehemiah 2:17-18 AMP Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in—how Jerusalem is desolate and lies in ruins and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, and let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”  Then I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they thoroughly supported the good work.

Nehemiah is the personification of the Holy Spirit. Nehemiah means Jehovah Comforts. John 14:16 AMP, Jesus tells us, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever.“

The Holy Spirit was sent by God to be your helper. Here we see the Holy Spirit as a person, because He is a person. He is not a thing. He has a purpose. He restores, heals and builds life back into our bodies and souls. He will also point you to Christ. In this verse we see the need for our community. We are not called to do the “good work” alone. We need support.

Ephesians 2:10 AMP For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

Nehemiah is the one who had the original burden for the rebuild of the walls of Jerusalem. He was the one who let his king know the need of his people. Nehemiah was living as a captive and serving as a cup bearer to a distant kingdom (Nehemiah 2:2-5). He was not even a first generation captive. He was living the good life, but still had a heart for those who were left behind. Nehemiah 2:3 AMP it was reported to him when he inquired, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its [fortified] gates have been burned (destroyed) by fire.”

You may be living the good life. You may be living the blessed life! You may even be one who identifies with the remnant that you feel like your life is in complete ruin. Here are two things I ask someone when they tell me they want to know God more: 1) Do you have a Bible that you can read (understand), and 2) have you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? I am going to add a third: are you a member of a life giving church? The church is your support, they build you up, and they disciple you (that means yes there are areas of correction…not control).

The Holy Spirit will never tell you to be on your own. That is some other spirit. If you are looking for a perfect church, let me know when you find it this side of Heaven. Church is not meant to be perfect, it is meant to be a place where we can grow in this relationship with Jesus together. Nehemiah (a personification of the Holy Spirit) could not rebuild that wall on his own. You should not do this life alone either. If you do not have one, I encourage you to become a member of a good church. Membership is not just attendance, a member is involved. They allow their pastor to know them. They get out of their comfort zone and attend small groups. They will support their church. Members are not spectators, they are active participants. Get involved!!

If you want to know more about the baptism of the Holy Spirit message me at amanda@desiringformore.org

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He calls my name

Isaiah 45:4 (AMP) For the sake of Jacob My servant, and of Israel My chosen, I have also called you by your name; I have given you an honorable name though you have not known Me.

When we named our first born we had two choices picked out for the day of deliver. We went the old fashioned way and did not find out the gender of both of our children until they were born. We had the name ‘Lillian Michelle’ if a girl and ‘Ari Daniel’ if a boy. Lillian was the name of my great aunt that made an impact on me when I was a little girl. She was strong, independent and feisty. Ari was the name of my husband’s best friend. My husband grew up in Belize, Central America, and being the only white kid, friendships meant the world to him.

We have two sons. Ari Daniel and Eli Robert (Robert after my grandfather and my husband’s father). There is deep meaning in their names. Ari in Hebrew means lion. Eli in Hebrew means high, elevated or my God. I named him after the prophets Elijah and Elisha, I wanted him to have double the anointing.

Isaiah was the prophet during the reign of King Hezekiah. King Hezekiah was a good king and did right in the eyes of God (2 Kings 18:3). He was also the king that showed the Babylonians all the treasures of the storehouse (2 Kings 20:13), there was nothing that he did not show them. This was a big no-no, because they were suppose to remain a secret to the surrounding nation.

Isaiah prophesied, 2 Kings 20:16-18, “Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord. ‘Behold, the time is coming when everything that is in your house, and that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And some of your sons (descendants) who will be born to you will be taken away [as captives]; and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 

Why is this significant? In Isaiah 45:3, “I will give you the treasures of darkness [the hoarded treasures] and the hidden riches of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you (Cyrus the Great) by your name.” Who is Cyrus the Great? Why did God call Him by name?

Ezra 1:2-4 (AMP) “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”

King Cyrus was not even born yet when Isaiah prophesied this. King Cyrus, of Persia, was the reason that Nehemiah was able to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. He made sure that everything that Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon was returned to the temple. He made sure that temple was going to be rebuilt.

This gave me great courage during a time that I do not see enough people to do the work that God has called my husband and I to do. Those people have not even been born yet, and He has called them by name. I am not talking about a physical birth, I am talking about the new birth when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior (John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17). I do not want some other church’s people, I want the ones that He is calling by name now. We are calling them out! We are inviting ALL!!

He has called you by name, even before you were conceived in your mother’s womb. If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior message me at amanda@desiringformore.org. If you do and you want to know how you can share your faith, message me too!

I pray you have an amazing week!