First Fruits of the Day

I have been doing something our pastor has asked us to do everyday. First-fruits, the first minute of every hour of the day. Just 24 little minutes given wholly to prayer and scripture reading. Doesn't sound like much does it. But, it is just enough time to make you hunger and thirst for more!

I began by reading Nehemiah. Great book for me to start with. During the rebuilding of the wall Ezra led the reading of the word which had been forgotten. As they gathered to hear the reading of the law they began to repent and restore not only the walls of Jerusalem but themselves before God. As they heard the words of the law they did them! Imagine that! They not only repaired the breaches in the walls of Jerusalem but they repaired the breaches in their own lives. They laid the beams, set up the doors, the locks and the bars! They removed the Tobias' and Sandballet's that had moved into their lives and truly obeyed the Word of the Lord!

Hear is a list of what Nehemiah and those who returned to Jerusalem did:

• Rebuilt the wall
• Set up the gates
• Set the Levites in their offices'
• Read the Word to Jerusalem (cleansing of the Water by the Word)
• Set Jerusalem in order
• Cleansed themselves of the heathen's influence
• Cleansed the offices of the Priests and High Priest
• Restored the Keeping of the Sabbath
• Restored the Tithe
• Restored Thanksgiving and Praise
• Brought back people to Jerusalem to live (1 of 10 to dwell in Jerusalem from the countryside)
• Renewed and ratified their Covenant with their God!
• Celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles

It is time for those of us who are going to return, to return. To live as though we have but a few small hours. We must Redeem the time... Eph. 5:16. Lay aside the weight, and the sin that so easily besets us... Hebrews 12:1 awake out of sleep... We must know the time that it is high time to rise from the dead Rom 13:11

As they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles they remembered that this life we live is but a vapor, a temporary home. Christ tabernacled with us. He did not come to dwell permanently with us. He did not come to build an earthly kingdom. But he came that we might have a everlasting abode with him.

May we get our minds and hearts off of this world's substance and onto The Work that needs to be done, our heavenly home, and soon coming saviour.

This World is NOT My Home

I'm Just A Passing Through.