Scripture:

Matthew 2:11

11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

They Worshiped Him

While I think the Christmas story is beautiful, its telling may miss the details the Bible reveals.  You have heard the saying "There is more to the story."   Well, when you dig into the word of God, you will see there is always more to the story.   Today, in our portion, you might miss the connection to this mysterious group of wise men from the east and their connection to Daniel, Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and their potential influence on the wise men of the east. We know from their response to King Herod that they are quoting a prophecy from Micah 2, which means they had been taught the Scriptures.  But today let's focus on the gifts and what they mean; why these gifts? Why Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh?

• 
  Gold: Traditional gift presented to kings and monarchs. Offering gold recognized Jesus as the King of the Kings, ruler over all creation.
• 
  Frankincense: This fragrant gum resin was burned by priests in the holy temple as an offering to God. It symbolized divinity, prayer, and Jesus' role as our high priest who bridges the gap between God and humanity.
• 
  Myrrh: This bitter spice was commonly used for medicinal purposes and, most notably, for embalming bodies before burial. It foreshadowed the suffering and death that Jesus would endure to pay for human sin.

The Connection:

• Portrait of Jesus: Together, the three gifts present a complete picture of the Gospel. They declare that the baby in the manger: 
• King of Kings 
• God with Us
• Suffering Savior

Today our God-Shot is more of an act of surrender.   Let me explain: Just as the wise men brought their most valuable treasures to lay at the feet of Jesus, we too should WORSHIP HIM all our days, offering the best of our hearts, resources, and lives to Him.  

Our Greatest Gifts:

• Our Pursuit
• Our Life
• Our Hearts

His gift is priceless (gold)

His ministry is mighty (frankincense)

His sacrifice paid it all (myrrh) 

Wise men still seek Him...

Q: Will you worship Him with all that is within you? Will you bring your gifts before Him, your heart, your resources, your life?

Father, I pray we never drift from our pursuit of you, that all of our days we seek to know you, to understand your word, to apply it to our lives, to be transformed by it.  I pray that, like the wise men of that day, we would not stop until we find you, and that our goal would always be to lay our best before you, the best of our hearts, our resources, our lives.

Scripture:

Malachi 3:8-11

Do Not Rob God
8 “Will a man rob God?  Yet you have robbed Me!  But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”  Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;

It's a Test

One of the most controversial topics Is Tithing; the world would love to convince us that it is an Old Testament thing and that we are not obligated to do it or honor God with it.  But the fact is the New Testament has plenty of references ( 2 Corinthians 9:7,1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 8:3, Matthew 23:23 / Luke 11:42, Hebrews 7:1–10).   But really today  I want you to see that this is a test; God is saying that you and I should give OUR HEARTS.  See, God knows where you are invested, where your treasure is; your heart is (Matt 6:21).   Ask yourself, where is my treasure? Am I invested in things that perish and ultimately have no value; they neither add or give me life.   That really is the test; let that simmer.    He doesn't stop there; He says, "Try  Me now in this."   Test Me!   Maybe you missed this: when you give your whole life to Him, when you really begin to trust Him, yup, even with your finances, everything changes; that's the fact.  He says He will:

• Open the windows of heaven for you
• Pour out blessings you cannot contain.
• Rebuke the devourer for your sake.
• Your sowing will be fruitful.
• Your vines will not fail to bear fruit.   

So, today's God-Shot is more of a question:  "What/Who do you trust?"   Are you robbing God of parts of your life? What do you need to surrender?  What have you been holding back that you have not trusted Him with/for?   

God has changed my life through giving, tithing, and offerings, giving.  Even when my math didn't add up, God's math did if you get what I mean.   My life has been transformed through promotions, through gifts, through changes that only God could have done.    You want to stormproof your finances? I challenge you to be a giver, not just of your finances, but of your time, your treasure, and your talents, and see that God will use them, multiply them, be glorified in them, and as a result, your life will be TRANSFORMED.

Father, I pray that today, whatever it is that we are holding back, you would reveal that to us; if we have been storing rather than being a vessel through which you pour, show us that blessing is an exchange program, that as we are blessed, we become a blessing which makes room for more blessings in our lives. Make us a channel through which you pour.   More importantly, let us give all that we have (are) to you; if tithing is lacking, let that change; if serving is lacking, let that change; if we are not using our talents to honor and glorify You, let that change, in Jesus' name, amen!

Scripture:

Nehemiah 12:43

43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.

Psalm 126:5

Those who sow in tears 

Shall reap in joy.

"Lasting Joy"

Today, as we read this portion, we must remember the condition of Israel when Nehemiah came to rebuild the wall; the city and the walls, the gates and the temple were in bad shape. In fact, it was said, "the strength of the laborers is failing, too much rubble" (Neh 4:10).   This reminds us that the work of the Lord is serious; it takes effort and strength. Serving the Lord with all that you have requires commitment; it does not exclude us from difficulties, and we see that in the rebuilding of the wall.  Notice the Psalmist's words: "Those who sow in tears."  He uses this language because planting seeds takes effort and pain, just like working through hard times, but notice the result of this is "reaping JOY."   

I believe this story is prophetic, that today God is telling you that the hard work that you have done, the labor, the difficulties you have faced, the "Great Work" that you have stood on for Him, you will "REAP", get this "LASTING JOY."  

Today our God-Shot is to not give up, the good work that God begin in us, purposed for us, we should not let the difficulties of today or even tomorrow shake us from the good plan, because JOY is coming, and it will be LASTING.   You and I will have to SOW, do the work, dig the soil, displace the rocks, DO the WORK, but the RESULTS will bring and LASTING JOY.   Your day is coming, they will HEAR YOUR JOY from a FAR OFF (vv. 43).

Father today I believe this will hit different for those who read it, I pray for those who have been in the struggle, who have been doing the work laboring for you, seeking after you, who have become tired in their journey, that you will strengthen them today, that you will cause them to shout for joy in the streets, that those near and far will hear their joy, you bring lasting  joy, we thank you Lord for your great work, your strength, your presence in our lives, in Jesus' name, Amen.

-Scripture:

Nehemiah 9:24-26

24 Their children went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. 25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.

26 “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.

A little background: when they completed the wall, this was the time of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), one of the feasts that they had forgotten to keep for 1000 years. They would hear the word for six hours, and the priest would help them understand the Torah; then they would pray on their knees for six hours. This was a day fully committed to the Lord; we are in that time right now: the Feast of Tabernacles; it was September/October.  

So, this prayer is a culmination of that teaching, where Ezra is recounting what the Lord had done, how He had redeemed them from the iron furnace, how He provided for them, how He was covering by day and a light by night, how He rained down manna from heaven, how their possessions didn't wear out, how He prepared a place of promise for them.   Listen to the verb sentences from this prayer: 

Creation (v. 6)

• You made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things on it, the seas and all that is in them.
• You preserve them all.

Abraham (vv. 7–8)

• You chose Abram.
• You brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees.
• You gave him the name Abraham.
• You found his heart faithful before you.
• You made a covenant with him to give the land to his offspring.
• You have performed your words.

Egypt and the Exodus (vv. 9–11)

• You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt.
• You heard their cry by the Red Sea.
• You showed signs and wonders on Pharaoh, his servants, and all the people of his land.
• You knew that they dealt proudly against them.
• You made a name for yourself.
• You divided the sea before them.
• You cast their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters.

Wilderness and Sinai (vv. 12–15)

• You led them by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light.
• You came down on Mount Sinai.
• You spoke with them from heaven.
• You gave them right ordinances, true laws, good statutes and commandments.
• You made known to them your holy Sabbath.
• You commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law by Moses your servant.
• You gave them bread from the sky for their hunger.
• You brought water out of the rock for their thirst.
• You commanded them to go in and possess the land you had sworn to give them.

Mercy after rebellion (vv. 17–21)

• You did not forsake them (v. 17).
• In your manifold mercies you did not forsake them in the wilderness (v. 19).
• You gave your good Spirit to instruct them.
• You did not withhold your manna from their mouth.
• You gave them water for their thirst.
• You sustained them forty years in the wilderness.

The land (vv. 22–25)

• You gave them kingdoms and peoples.
• You allotted them according to their portions.
• You multiplied their children as the stars of the sky.
• You brought them into the land you promised their fathers.
• You subdued the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, before them.
• You gave them into their hands.

The cycle of the judges and kings (vv. 27–31)

• You delivered them into the hand of their adversaries.
• You heard from heaven when they cried to you.
• You gave them saviors who saved them from their adversaries.
• You left them in the hand of their enemies.
• You heard from heaven again.
• You delivered them many times according to your mercies.
• You testified against them to bring them back to your law.
• You bore with them many years.
• You testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets.
• You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
• In your great mercies you did not make a full end of them.
• You did not forsake them.

Present confession (vv. 32–37)

• You keep covenant and loving kindness (v. 32).
• You have dealt truly (v. 33).
• You gave them your great goodness and a large, fertile land (v. 35).
• You gave the land to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good (v. 36).
• You have set kings over us because of our sins (v. 37).

Today our God-Shot is that we would see the God who does, that He keeps His promise of loving kindness; He deals with us righteously; that He gives us goodness; you never forsake us, you are a covering by day and a light by night; that we should never get far from you, you still speak to us.   You are the God who IS, and who DOES.  This is an important distinction: because you keep your word, we can stand on it.  

The challenge:   Get in the Word (Make this your time of Sukkot, Feast of Tabernacles), Get on your Knees, pray, seek the Lord.

Lord, you have never failed us. Even when we have failed you, you keep your word; we can stand on your faithfulness. You are just as strong today as you always were, and always will be. We can build our life on you and your words; may our hearts always be near you, always turn toward you, may we guard our ways, and seek to always seek you, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Nehemiah 6:3,9,15

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”

9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.”
Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days

  We see the finished work of the Lord here in verse 15: in 52 days they accomplished what no one had been able to do in seventy years. This is a reminder that nothing can stop the plans of God in your life, the things God has purposed to do through you. Today we learn that it's not that the enemy won't try; he will. These men, Sanballat and Tobiah, did everything they could: they spread lies and rumors, threatened the workers, and tried to pull them away from the work.  But they could not, because God had purposed Nehemiah to do this great work, and he fully trusted God in it; notice his words: "Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."   Remember that it is God who gives strength to our hands; He brings success to our work; He can accomplish what we could never do alone.

Today our God-Shot is that the enemy will always try to derail the plans of God in our lives, the things that God has purposed us to do, but we must lean on Him for wisdom; when we become weak, we must seek Him for strength (vv. 9), and we must not let the lies and the deceptions of the enemy distract us from the great work of the Lord in our lives (vv. 3). 

• God has purposed you for a great work.
• There will be pressure and opposition to try and stop you, but nothing can stop your God.
• Seek Him for wisdom and understanding, for the strength of your hands.

Do this, and you will finish the great work God has purposed in your life.

Thank you, Lord, that You do all things well, that Your mighty hand has never been short, that Your works are wondrous and great, and that Your plan for us is mighty. The enemy will try to stop us. He will lie, cheat, and spread rumors; he will do whatever he can to stop it. But we know Your plan never fails, and Your strength never wanes. We know that with You, we can do all things in Jesus' name, amen!