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Joining Jesus – 8th May 2019

08/05/2019/in Joining Jesus/by Alan Pattle

2. A Great Church!?
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 2:1-7
These opening verses of Revelation 2 seem, in many ways, to be the opening of a letter to a church that many of us may want to join. The people who make up the church at Ephesus are not afraid of hard work, they are not, it seems, like many churches where most of the people are happy to leave most of the work to a few of the people!
As well as being hard working, the people are not the kind who give up easily, they are known for their perseverance, for carrying on and being faithful even when it is tough. This perseverance has not been easy, they have had to deal with ‘wicked people’ and some who falsely claimed to be apostles. Through these, and many other challenges and hardships, the church at Ephesus has not given up – it has persevered – what a church!
As I think about the church at Ephesus that received this letter, I find myself reflecting upon numerous churches that I have worked with all around the world. So many of these churches are similar, in so many ways, to this church. They consist of hardworking people who, often against many challenges, never give up but ‘keep things going’.
I am not sure how this compares to the church that you are part of or how it may compare to the church that you wish you were part of.
There is though a deep question that needs to be asked about this church and the question is something like:
“In spite of all the hard work and commitment to the church, is this church joining Jesus in His Mission?”
Clearly, they were doing many things ‘right’ but is it possible that they were missing out on the most fundamental purpose of their existence as a church?
It certainly seems that this was the case because in spite of all of these admirable qualities, the message of this letter is not to affirm the church but to challenge them to the very core.
We will look at this challenge next time but I encourage you, this week, to reflect upon the church that you are part of and consider ways in which the things that you are doing may be a help or a hindrance to joining Jesus in His Mission.

Pethers’ Prayer Points – 30th April 2019

30/04/2019/in Uncategorized/by Alan Pattle

30th April 2019
Welcome to my latest Pethers Prayer Points.

I am now back in the UK and is good to have a short period of time where I will not be travelling. This provides me with a great opportunity to spend a little more time with Lynn and the family, as well as focus on preparation for some significant developments that will be taking place in the coming weeks. I would really appreciate your prayers about 3 really important things:
1. The Rooftop Africa Summit
From 10th – 14th June we will be holding the first ever ‘Continental Summit’ for the Rooftop Pioneers that are spread across Africa. Our Pioneers will be coming together in Nairobi Kenya from Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, D.C. Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Malawi and Madagascar.

As well as the Pioneers, we will be joined by Rev Stephen Gaukroger, the Chairman of The Rooftop International Council, Alan Pattle, The International Operations Manager and Marion Spencer The International Director of Ministry.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about the possibilities of gathering this group of gifted, passionate leaders together in one place and seeking the Lord as to how we can envision and equip churches across the whole of Africa to join Jesus in His Mission and make disciples of people who are beyond the walls of the church.

Please would you pray regarding following:
1. Thank God for the provision of the funds that were needed to enable the Pioneers to travel from all over Africa to Nairobi Kenya and to cover the costs of accommodation and meeting venue. Praise God!!
2. On Wednesday this week, Alan Pattle and I have an online meeting with Boniface Ojode, the National Pioneer in Kenya to continue to make arrangements for the Summit. Please pray that we will make good progress.
3. For Stephen Gaukroger, and I as we prepare for the teaching and instruction that we will deliver at the Summit. This teaching and instruction is so vital as The Rooftop Movement continues to gather pace across Africa.
4. Stephen will lead a series of bible teaching on the core aspects of what it means to be ‘Joining Jesus in His Mission’.
5. I will be leading a variety of equipping sessions that will enable the Pioneers to develop The Rooftop movement across the nations where they live and into adjacent nations.
6. For the Pioneers as they prepare to make the journey to Nairobi. Please pray that God will be at work in each of them and preparing them for what He intends to accomplish ai the Summit.
7. For God to meet with us!

I will keep you updated with prayer needs for the Summit over the coming weeks.

2. Joining Jesus Leaders Course.
I will be leading the first online coaching session for leaders from across Northern Kentucky on Monday 6th May. Please pray for me this week regarding the following:

1. Practical arrangements of setting up the online platform/distribution of materials etc.
2. That God will be preparing the hearts of the 12 pastors who will participate that they will be ready for what He wants to happen when we connect for the first-time next week.
3. For discussions I will be having this week with leaders in two other states about beginning the process in June and in September.

I will share news of the first online session in my next PPP

3. Funds
If you have been receiving my PPP for a long time you will be aware that funding is both a constant challenge and a reason to be continually grateful to God for the ways that He enables this movement to continue to grow.

With more and more doors opening across the world we have now formulated a budget for what it is likely to cost for us to be in 100 countries by 2023 and in so doing make 1,000,000 disciples.

Please would you pray regarding the following:

1. 1. That God will continue to provide in ways that constantly remind us that The Rooftop is His ministry.
  2. We have now produced a short information leaflet and Power Point presentation that clearly displays the vision and financial needs of the ministry. Please pray that God will lead us to people who have a passion for the lost to be discipled and the resources to enable us to continue to do what He has called us to.
  3. Please ask the Lord if He is calling you to become a financial partner with the ministry. If you would like to receive a copy of the information leaflet/power point presentation please email me at dennispethers@therooftop.org

Thanks so much for your prayers and support.

In Jesus,

Dennis

Joining Jesus – 30th April 2019

30/04/2019/in Uncategorized/by Alan Pattle

1. A letter from Heaven.
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 2:1-7
The new Testament contains a lot of letters written to churches and individuals. Most of these letters are separate books. However, in the book of Revelation there is a series of letters that form part of a much bigger book, each of these letters is directly from the Lord and deals with specific issues that were taking place in the churches that received them.
In Chapter 1, John writes:
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” Revelation 1: 10,11
John continues:
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars….. Revelation 1:12-16
As a result of this vision, John did as instructed and wrote letters to the seven churches. The first letter is to the church at Ephesus and this letter begins with a reminder of who the message is from:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
The letter is from the one whom John had seen in his vision and specifically, John writes, that He is the one who holds seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
A true understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus must begin with a vision of who Jesus is and, in this letter to the church at Ephesus, Jesus reveals Himself as the one who is present in the churches. He is not an ‘absent God’ but is among us ‘walking among the seven golden lampstands’. His presence among us should be at the core of all that we are and do as his followers both individually and as churches.
It is a recognition of this ‘presence of Jesus ‘with’ and ‘among’ us that is critical if we are going to Join Him in His Mission because when we are aware of Him among us then we remember that it is HIS mission and not ours, or the churches mission. The reality is that the only mission that the church has is the mission of Jesus. Sometimes we forget this and begin to ask Jesus to join us in our mission rather than seek how we can join Him in His.
Recently I was in San Manuel, Arizona and a lady shared the following:
“I have been coming to this church for 62 years and for all that time I thought this was my church. I now realize that it is not ‘my’ church it belongs to Jesus and it is not a place where we meet but is us as people and me as a person. I want be part of His church and to spend my time now not ‘just coming to church’ but taking Jesus to the people that He came to seek and to save”
This week, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on what was shared in San Manuel. Have you forgotten that Jesus is walking among us and that it is HIS church?

Pethers’ Prayer Points – 17th April 2019

18/04/2019/in Prayer Points/by Alan Pattle

Welcome to my latest Pethers Prayer Points.

I have just returned home following a 5 week visit to the United States and Mexico. Throughout this trip the power and provision of God has been immense. A few things have been the most exciting.

A theme that I was able to speak on a number of times during the trip was ‘Spiritual Awakening’. I had some talks prepared for this but, a few days into the trip I found myself awake at 4am with a strong sense that there was something different that God wanted me to be saying. As a result, I spent some time preparing a message on ‘Power’.

The message was based on Ephesians 1:19,20. The Apostle Paul prayed that Christians would know:

‘his (God’s) incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead….’

Linked with Acts 1:8:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

To be honest, it was a very simple message and I had the opportunity to preach it on a number of occasions in cities across the US. God certainly moved in power as, each time, almost the whole congregation responded by getting on their knees and crying out to God to fill them with the Holy Spirit and use them to share the gospel ‘in power’ so that their communities, beyond the walls of the church’ would be changed! Praise God!

As well as seeing God move in power there were also many occasions where God provided in remarkable ways through the generosity of people who have grasped the vision of The Rooftop and are partnering with us financially. This makes it possible for us to continue to grow the movement across the world. I am so grateful to each person who has responded in this way.

A further significant development during this trip was the assembling of a group of businessmen, pastors and an administrator who are keen to help with the expansion of The Rooftop into the Latin American world both across Central/South America and the United States. This new group will help by helping us to network more effectively in countries where we are already connected, introduce us into new countries, and seek ways to raise funds to enable these developments to take place. A key focus of this will be ‘The Rooftop Summit Espanol’. In November this year we will gather potential pioneers from across Latin America and the US to Panama to present the vision of The Rooftop and, we pray, to commission Pioneers across the continent to help churches to join Jesus in His Mission to make disciples beyond the walls of the church.

Last, but by no means least, is a potentially significant development with ‘Joining Jesus’.

You are probably aware that the ‘Mission Statement’ of The Rooftop is ‘Joining Jesus in His Mission’. The phrase ‘Joining Jesus’ has become an increasingly powerful aspect of The Rooftop and it is now the title for a range of things that I will be engaged in that will, I believe, help to accelerate the movement of The Rooftop across the world. This range is made up of:

A weekly email that is sent to people across the world. This short email is a brief reminder to continually be ‘Joining Jesus in His Mission’ every day of the week.
A Weekly video – I have been filming these at various locations around the world and will soon begin to release them on Facebook and other social media on a weekly basis.
A Podcast – I will be releasing podcasts that will incorporate conversations with people I meet around the world who are ‘Joining Jesus in His Mission’ around the world.
A leaders’ equipping process – It looks likely that I will be leading this process in up to 5 states in the US over the coming year as well as equipping our African Pioneers to lead it in countries across Africa.

I have now closed my personal website and will now use The Rooftop website which will incorporate all of the above.

Please pray for the following this week:

• For all those that responded during my recent visit to the US/Mexico – please be praying that the response they made will not be forgotten and that they will see God working through them powerfully as they seek to make Jesus known in the places where they live.
• For me, during this week and the week ahead as I work on a number of writing and practical tasks in relation to the development of the Joining Jesus initiatives.
• The development of The Rooftop into Latin America and the Spanish speaking people in the US. That God will continue to open doors and provide the resources that are required.
• For Lynn and I as we have the chance to spend some time together over the Easter break.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support.

I hope that you have a great Easter as you celebrate the remarkable truth that ‘He is Risen!’

In Jesus,

Dennis

Joining Jesus – 15th April 2019

15/04/2019/in Uncategorized/by Alan Pattle

4. Build Up
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:
“LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 1:1-11
When Nehemiah heard the words: “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” He spent time on his knees! Then, having prayed, he went and did what God wanted Him to do! Indeed, his prayer was specific, he asked God to convince the King to allow him to be given time away from his duty as cupbearer so that he could go to Jerusalem and oversee the rebuilding of the wall.
Prayer should never be a replacement for action!
The ‘action’ that Nehemiah engaged in was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem so that those who had returned from the exile could live there without trouble from their enemies and the disgrace of living in an unprotected ruin. For the trouble to be averted and for the disgrace to be replaced with dignity it was VITAL THAT THE WALL BE REBUILT.
Nehemiah’s task was by no means easy, it was a huge undertaking in the midst of an enemy occupied area and the enemies continually taunted Nehemiah and his efforts.
One example of this taunting is from Tobiah the Ammonite who said:
“What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
As Nehemiah served God, the people around him made it very difficult, they ridiculed his best efforts!
For us, Like Nehemiah, serving God is rarely the easy option, it frequently puts us into situations where people oppose us and even ridicule us. This leads many of us to become inactive, we live out our faith ‘in secret’ and stay away from people that we think will oppose us.
In spite of opposition, Nehemiah carried on building the wall! The outcome of his perseverance is recorded as follows:
So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
Nehemiah 6:15,16
I find this such an encouragement. The very people who mocked and ridiculed Nehemiah lost their arrogant swagger when the wall was completed. This was because they realized that Nehemiah had not accomplished this alone, God had helped him.
As we seek to join Jesus in His Mission and build His Kingdom there will always be those that oppose and ridicule us. Jesus told us that as he was rejected, we too would be rejected! He also promised to be with us through until the end!
I encourage you, as you reflect on the story of Nehemiah, to remember that Jesus is with you wherever you go and whoever you are among. Like Nehemiah, keep on building!

Rooftop UK Chairman attends International Council Meeting in Cincinnati.

11/04/2019/in International Council, International Pioneer, News/by Alan Pattle

On March 9th I was able to join with other members of the International Council in Cincinnati for our twice-yearly meeting to hear what God is doing around the world & consider what he might be calling us to moving forward. Even the location (a house provided for us overlooking downtown Cincinnati) provided a visual illustration of the work as we met.

The meeting opened with a reading from Isaiah 61:1-3:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.”
and we reflected that, whilst some in the church debate the extent to which this should be about Social Action or Spiritual Proclamation, it must include both for it to be a true expression of our faith.
We heard a report from London in the UK, where links are being built across the city with different groups & leaders seeking to reach their communities, particularly through prayer & worship. With various events being planned in 2020, the UK team are considering how best Rooftop can network into what God is planning.
We heard how 8 cities in the US (from Chicago to Tucson, Los Angeles to Washington D.C) are planning Rooftop Encounters in 2019, with 7 others in consideration.
Much of the time was spent considering growth opportunities in both Africa & Latin America. An African-wide ‘Summit’ will be held in Kenya in June to bring together all pioneers across Africa; Dennis Pethers will expand on the Rooftop vision & Stephen Gaukroger will bring biblical teaching. With 15 African countries involved so far & the possibility of expanding into others, this is seen as a key step in laying a foundation for sustainable growth & hopefully can be replicated elsewhere.
Following Dennis’ recent visit to 4 countries in Latin America & with Esau Canales joining us (an El Salvadorian pastor based in Los Angeles with a deep understanding of Latin American cultures) it was exciting to see God opening up opportunities in this part of the world.

Whilst in Cincinnati, I was able to attend the Spiritual Awakening Conference organised by the Northern Kentucky Baptist Association (at which Dennis was speaking) & accompany John Whaley to Union Baptist Church for the Sunday morning service.

Before returning to the UK, I got to spend 24 hours in Chicago & there met Cheryl Dorsey, a member of the US Board & the local coordinator. She shared how she felt God call her to organise an event from a high place overlooking the city… which for the last 2 years has turned out to be the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), the highest building in Chicago. God spoke powerfully to those who attended, even showing different things to people facing out to different parts of the city, and a 3rd event is planned there for this May. She was also able to show me different parts of the city & share something of how God is using The Rooftop to bring believers together with a shared vision for the city.

Pethers’ Prayer Points – 8th April 2019

08/04/2019/in Prayer Points/by Alan Pattle

Welcome to my latest Pethers Prayer Points.

There have been some real highlights over the past couple of weeks as I have had the opportunity to speak on the theme of spiritual awakening.

In Jemison Alabama I led a weekend which included a men’s breakfast as well as gatherings on Saturday night and Sunday morning. The presence of God was so apparent in each of the meetings and the response in each was deeply significant as the vast majority of those present came forward, knelt in the presence of God and cried out to Him, asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that spiritual awakening would flow through them to the world beyond the walls of the church.

As a direct result of the weekend the church is already planning a brand-new outreach in an apartment block close to the church building and many individuals shared with me that they had a new fire in their heart and wanted to make Jesus known where they are!

Yesterday, I spoke at Fusion church in Castaic California, again on the theme of spiritual awakening and our need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As in Alabama, the area at the front of the worship area was filled with people kneeling and crying out to God, asking Him to fill them with the Holy Spirit and His power so that He can build His Kingdom in and through them.

The presence of God has been so apparent in these gatherings and I praise Him for the lives that have been transformed.

God has also gone before me in a number of meetings that I have had with pastors, leaders and people who are willing to join a support group that is being formed to help the ministry expand across Latin America.

He is on the move and it is a privilege to see all that He is doing and to seek to stay in step with Him – a mixture of exhilaration and exhaustion!!

Today I am heading to Nashville.

Please pray for the following this week:

• For all those that re responded in Alabama and Castaic. Pray that what was experienced in the gatherings won’t end there but will flow out into their daily lives
• For the people that I have met with concerning the Hispanic Expansion of the ministry, that they will hear the voice of God as they consider joining the group.
• For Esau Canales, who serves on the International Council, and will be leading this group. Pray that God will guide him as he leads the group and explores ways of expanding and resourcing the ministry across Latin America and among Spanish speaking people in the US.
• For meetings that I will be engaged in during my time in Nashville, primarily with people who are thinking/praying about supporting the ministry.
• On Sunday I will be preaching at Northside Baptist Church in Murfreesboro TN. Please pray that God will speak powerfully through me.
• For Lynn as I spend the last week away from home.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support.

In Jesus,

Dennis

Joining Jesus – 8th April 2019

08/04/2019/in Joining Jesus/by Alan Pattle

3. Look Up

The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:
“LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 1:1-11
When we give up to self and realize that we cannot do what needs to be done to fulfil the mission of Jesus we are then able to look up and see God as He really is!
After Nehemiah had finished his period of mourning, fasting and praying, He was able to speak to God in remarkable way. His words reveal the fact that He had begun to see who God really is and what God wants to, and can, DO.
He begins by referring to God as the great and awesome God. As Nehemiah ‘looked up’ he saw that God is not an impotent being who is incapable of changing what seem to be ‘lost causes’. He is great and awesome, words that describe a being who is capable of achieving what we would think of as impossible. While Nehemiah focuses on the problem, he realizes that he cannot change it but when he looks up and sees God, he realizes that God is more than capable, He is GREAT and He is AWESOME. God has no equal, nothing is impossible for Him and, when we see Him for who He is we realize that ‘our God is an awesome God’ and ‘impossible’ situations can be changed.
But then, Nehemiah continues speaking with God and the next words that he uses reveal another great truth that demonstrates that God is not only able to do ‘the impossible’ He is also willing.
Nehemiah says: ‘who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments’.
The great and awesome God is also a loving God who makes Himself small enough to be concerned about people, because He loves them.
When Nehemiah looked up and saw a new vision of a God who can do, and who is passionately willing to do, his response is to ASK.
In his prayer, Nehemiah confesses his weakness and failings! It is clear from the words of his prayer that the things that have led to the tremendous suffering of the people in exile was the result of the failure of God’s people to live as He intended. Nehemiah could not seek to gain God’s help by arguing that he, or the people of God had somehow earned God’s favour. On the contrary, seeing a vision of who God is led him to being absolutely honest and transparent about all of their failings. He acknowledges that the people have been wicked and disobedient, deserving of all the bad things that had happened to them. Nehemiah cannot bargain with God, he can only appeal to Him and His mercy. The tremendous grace of God that would restore his people regardless of how far they had wandered.
As we think about the world that we live in today, we are in the same position as Nehemiah. We cannot seek to persuade God to bless it, we must, like Nehemiah, repent of our own sin and ask him to act not because we deserve it, but because of His great grace!
This week, I encourage you to spend time on your knees!