OUR DAILY BREAD : GHOST TOWN

[cimi]

June 20
Friday


GHOST TOWN

READ:
Nehemiah 1:4-11
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What does the LORD
your God require of
you, but... to serve
the LORD your God with
all your heart and with
all your soul.
__Deuteronomy 10:12
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A gold rush that began in the 1970's made Boa Vista, Brazil, a boomtown on the edge of one of the world's richest gold fields. That changed when the gold mines were shut down. Government officials say the miners were destroying the rain forest, dumping mercury into the rivers, and bringing guns and diseases that killed thousands of local residents. Today Boa Vista is a "town of lost souls and frustrated adventurers too poor to return to their bleak beginnings."

Such was the picture of God's people exiled in Babylon. All they had were memories of the days when God's favor was on them. Jerusalem was in ruins because a blessed people had been exploiting the weak, not caring for the land entrusted to them (2 Chron. 36:19-21), and going through the motions of worshiping God. The prophet Nehemiah confessed: "We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments" (Neh. 1:7).

God loved His people too much to let them continue harming themselves and others. By letting them "do time" in Babylon, He helped them see what can happen when a blessed people get caught up in a llife that leaves God out of the picture. He'll do what it takes to help us see that as well!
__Mart De Haan
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``````````````````The dearest idol I have known,`````````````````
```````````````````````Whate'er that idol be,````````````````````
``````````````````Help me to tear it from Thy throne``````````````
``````````````````And worship only Thee. __Cowper```````````````
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God gives blessing to us so we can give glory to Him.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Nehemiah 1:4-11***********

4 So it was, when I heard
these words, that I sat down
and wept, and mourned for
many days; I was fasting and
praying before the God of
heaven. 5 And I said: "I pray,
LORD God of heaven, O great
and awesome God, You who
keep Your covenant and
mercy with those who love
You and observe Your
commandments, 6 please let
Your ear be attentive and
Your eyes open, that You
may hear the prayer of Your
servant which I pray before
You now, day and night, for
the children of Israel Your
servants, and confess the
sins of the children of Israel
which we have sinned
against You. Both my father's
house and I have sinned. 7 We
have acted very corruptly
against You, and have not
kept the commandments, the
statutes, nor the ordinances
which You commanded Your
servant Moses.

8 "Remember, I pray, the
word that You commanded
Your servant Moses, saying,
'If you are unfaithful, I will
scatter you among the
nations; 9 but if you return to
Me, and keep My
commandments and do them,
though some of you were
cast out to the farthest part of
the heavens, yet I will gather
them from there, and bring
them to the place which I
have chosen as a dwelling for
My name.'

10 "Now these are Your
servants and Your people,
whom You have redeemed by
Your great power, and by
Your strong hand. 11 O Lord,
I pray, please let Your ear be
attentive to the prayer of
Your servant."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Suffering can be used of God to lead to repentance and a deeper
relationship with Him. It is an indicator that we are children of God.
"For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son
whom He receives" (Heb. 12:6). __Dennis Fisher