By Andrew Williams
I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing! ” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah 5:13 HCSB
Good morning fellow disciples.
Do you praise God when He chastises you? Do you praise God when He rebukes you? Do you praise God when He removes your loved ones from His assembly?
Are you willing to praise God when you know that it’s possible that He will remove you from His Holy people if you don’t obey Him?
God expects us to keep His commandments. He expects us to keep the vows, the pledges, and the promises that we make to Him. He expects us to fulfill our commitments to others.
God is a just God. He will punish us when we are deserving of it. But He is also a merciful God who will forgive us when we repent of the wrongs that we are guilty of.
In this passage we see the people standing in agreement with Nehemiah as he proclaims: May God remove you or purge you from His Kingdom if you don’t keep your promises. The people go on to praise God, and then they went, and kept their promises.
Do you want to remain in the Kingdom of God, or do you want Him to purge you from His Kingdom?
Prayer: Father God, I do not want to be purged from Your kingdom. I do not want to be shaken out and have nothing. I will obey You! I will obey Your commands and live according to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. I will keep my promises to You.
Thank You, Lord, for showing me the right way to live.
Hallelujah! Praise God! I can be a part of Your Kingdom by simply living in obedience to You. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Amen.