Union Baptist Church

“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12)

HERE is a great testimony regarding the Word of God. The speaker is Job, and he is answering one of his critics who has just charged Job unjustly with evil. In the midst of Job’s speech comes this declaration about the Word of God. In it is the esteem for the Word, the essentials of the Word and the endurance of the Word.

Esteem for the Word. “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job so values the Word of God that it is more important to him than physical food. Many despise the Word of God, and others simply ignore it. But Job saw its real value, and he gave it the honor we all should give it. This sort of attitude in people will make them really faithful to church attendance at a church where the Scriptures are faithfully proclaimed. They will not be off doing other things if they so esteem the Word of God.
Essentials of the Word. “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job shows the essentials of the Word in that he says it is greater than “necessary food.” Job did not say he thought the Word more important than just some other non-essential thing, but he went farther and said it was more important than even the most essential things of life. Food is indeed very essential. It is “necessary” or our physical body will die. But the Word is even more important. For it feeds the spiritual being, and the spiritual is more important than the physical!
Endurance of the Word. “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips.” In spite of his great troubles, Job had not junked the Word of God. In spite of his great troubles, Job still obeyed the Word and still esteemed the Word above even the essential things of life. Obviously then, the Word of God had not failed Job in trial. Many other things fail us in our darkest hours, but the Word of God will not fail. The Word of God will endure all our troubles and trials. It will never let us down. It will always be of help.

Rev. Dr. Kary E. Harris, PhD.

“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof; for the people had a mind to work.”
(Nehemiah 4:6)

THE rebuilding of the walls in Jerusalem during Nehemiah’s time ran into some stiff opposition. Daniel had prophesied that the walls would be built again “even in troubled times” (Daniel 9:25), and they surely were. In our verse we have a record of the building during troubled times. This building succeeded because there was persistence in the work, progress in the work, and passion for the work.

Persistence in the work. “So built we the wall.” Too often when opposition comes, the resulting “so” is more like “so we quit.” But Nehemiah and his fellow Jews did not quit working on the walls in Jerusalem when opposition raised its ugly head. They persisted in their work. One scholar translated this statement, “We still built the wall” which expresses the persistent well. One of the most effective ways to defeat the enemy is to keep doing God’s work. Don’t quit when ridicule or other opposition attacks. Keep going.

Progress in the work. “All the wall was joined together unto the half thereof.” During this time of opposition, the people succeeded in getting the wall completely joined together and halfway finished in its height. They made great progress in spite of the opposition. We can make progress even though difficulties abound. God is not weak but can help us in times of trouble as well as good times (Psalm 46:1).

Passion for the work. “The people had a mind to work.” Having a mind to work was another of the important keys to the success of the people in building the wall. Having a mind to work will keep one working regardless of how difficult the task is or how great the opposition is. One of the great needs of our society is people who have a mind to work. Much of the poverty in our land that politicians make so much over is because people do not have a mind to work. The welfare bunch are often lazy, immoral sluggards who spend much of their time lounging before TV, eating junk food, and drinking booze. A mind to work would stop all this nonsense.

Rev. Dr. Kary E. Harris, PhD.

“And prayed unto him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.” (2 Chronicles 33:13)

Manasseh, was one of the most wicked kings to reign over Judah. And he reigned fifty-five years which was the longest any king reigned over Judah. Because of his great wickedness, God sent judgment upon him in the form of captivity. He was bound in chains and taken to Babylon as a prisoner. But that is not the end of the story. In an amazing turn of events, Manasseh was eventually restored to his throne in Judah. Our verse tells how it happened. It is a great picture of the work of the Gospel.

In our verse is the supplication, salvation, and sanctification of Manasseh.

Supplication. “Prayed unto him.” Affliction did its work on Manasseh, and it humbled him before the Lord until he prayed and sought God’s help. This prayer should encourage any sinner to seek God’s help. It makes no difference how great your sin is, you can still pray to God and seek His deliverance.

Salvation. “Heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.” Two features of Manasseh’s salvation immediately arrest our attention. First the greatness of his salvation. It was a most astounding change for a king hauled off in chains to Babylon to be set free to be king again in Judah. But it happened. God is able to do great wonders. And the greatest of wonders is soul salvation. Second, the grace of his salvation. If ever a man did not deserve to be restored to his throne, it was Manasseh. But God’s grace abounded. It works this way in salvation, too. The worst of sinners can be marvelously saved by God.

Sanctification. “Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.” Salvation increased Manasseh’s spiritual knowledge. It always does. When you experience soul salvation, your knowledge will become sanctified with spiritual truths. You will grow in the knowledge of the Lord. The Bible will no longer be a closed book.
Dr. K. E. Harris