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Month: December 2024

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Recognizing God’s Work

Recognizing God’s Work

December 28, 2024 by NCC-Admin-1 in

“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies  heard of it,  and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” 

Nehemiah 6: 15-16 NASB 1995 Edition

The Living God had burdened Nehemiah with the task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem which had laid in ruins for over 70 years.   Under the leadership of God, Nehemiah led the people of Israel to undertake this monumental task.

There was much skepticism at the beginning.  Many within Israel viewed the task before them as being impossible, especially considering their limited resources.  Then as the work began, their enemies surrounding them began to oppose them.  But Nehemiah would not be deterred.  He refused to quit even in the face of serious opposition.  He continued faithful to the task and trusted in the Lord.  He knew that it was God who had called him to the task.  As a result, God blessed the work.   God enabled the work to prosper.    And the wall was finished in only 52 days!  That was remarkable; in fact, it was unbelievable.

The result was that everyone, including their enemies, knew that this feat was accomplished only by the power of God.   They were in awe, amazement, and wonder of the God of Israel. That is when you know that God is in the work!   

God works through ordinary people, who do ordinary and necessary things in obedience to Him. In their weakness and feelings of inadequacy, the Lord empowers them to do what they could never do in and of themselves.  As a result, they recognize the Hand of God at work!  And God alone gets the glory!  For there is no other explanation for what has been accomplished.

When the unbelieving see it, even they have to acknowledge God in the work!   

Rev. James W. Black

The Revelation of the Lamb of God

The Revelation of the Lamb of God

December 21, 2024 by NCC-Admin-1 in

 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29 NKJV

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, in that instant, the Holy Spirit revealed to him for the first time just who Jesus really was.  Jesus was the promised Messiah!  Jesus would indeed be the One who would take away the sin of the world!  The Gentiles (non-Jews) who heard those words probably did not understand what John meant.  The Jews did, at least in part. They knew that a lamb was the sacrifice for sin in the Temple.  A sacrifice was made both morning and evening in the Temple each day.   However, it is very unlikely that the Jews understood just how that statement applied to Jesus. After all, what did a lamb have to do with the Messiah?   For the Jews, the Messiah would be the Conquering King!  Certainly not a lamb!   

It is also doubtful that neither John nor those who heard those words fully grasped the significance of that revelation. They did not understand just how Jesus would take away sin.  That understanding would only come later; after the crucifixion and the resurrection.  By that time, John the Baptist himself would no longer be alive on the earth.  John would be alive in heaven, but he would not be alive on the earth.  But even though he would not be here physically to see the fulfillment of the revelation, he would see it from his position in heaven!   (Heb. 12:1-2).

Sometimes the Lord will give a word that will minister to us, excite us, encourage us, and fill us with hope. But the full revelation and realization of that word may not come until later; sometimes much later!   

But when we experience the full revelation of that word,  we discover that it is far bigger, fuller, and far more powerful than anything we could have imagined at the beginning. So keep believing the Word that the Holy One has given to you!  When the fullness of that revelation comes you will be able to see the Lamb of God more clearly than ever before! You will magnify and glorify Him with overflowing joy! And at that moment, the wait will have been worth it! 

Rev. James Black

Experiencing God In The Ordinary

Experiencing God In The Ordinary

December 14, 2024 by NCC-Admin-1 in

“And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, “Fear not, Zaharias; for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

Luke 1:11-13 KJV


Zacharias was a priest and a godly man who was chosen to minister in the Temple before the altar of incense. The altar of incense represented the prayers of God’s people. He and his wife had no child and were beyond the normal childbearing age. For a long time they had prayed for a child, but the answer had not come.  Then in the midst of engaging in his ordinary duties as a priest,  Zacharias was confronted by an angel from the Lord.  He was surprised.  He was startled.  He was afraid.   After all, it isn’t every day that one sees an angel!

The message of the angel was nothing short of miraculous.   The prayer of Zacharias had been heard.  He and his barren wife would have a son.  And they were to name him John!  He was shocked.  He was amazed, for he was well aware of the natural impossibility of his circumstances.   Although he could not deny what he had seen and heard, he struggled to accept and believe the message!  Zacharias had experienced God in the midst of the ordinary and he was overwhelmed. 

Whenever the Lord reveals Himself to us, He always does so in the midst of the ordinary.   He steps into the ordinary circumstances of our lives and suddenly we are conscious that He is there!  And like Zacharias, we are normally surprised and amazed. Knowing that the Lord can reveal Himself at any time, should encourage us to live our lives with a sense of expectancy! 

The Lord’s revelation of Himself to us may not be as dramatic as that of Zacharias, but if we live with expectancy our eyes and ears will be trained to see Him and hear Him however He reveals Himself.   After all,  He has promised that if we are looking for Him, we will find Him!   (Jer. 29:13).

Rev. James W. Black 

When God Is Silent

When God Is Silent

December 7, 2024 by James Black in

“And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cried unto him saying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil! But he answered her not a word…”

Matthew 15:22-23 KJV

Have you ever cried out to the Lord in desperation about a situation and in spite of the urgency of the matter, He was silent? When we are young in the Lord, He often answers quickly. The purpose is to assure us of His presence and His abiding love as we learn to walk in our new life in Christ. But as we mature in Christ, we will notice from time to time that although the need is urgent and the situation is desperate, at least from our perspective, the Lord is silent when we call out to Him!

When that first happens to us, we are often confused. Then, on top of that, we are then assaulted by the lies of the evil one! He immediately begins to condemn us and accuse us and then proceed to tell us lies about God. He tells us things like: “God does not love you!” Or “God has abandoned you.” Or that, “You have done so poorly and failed so badly that God has given up on you!” All of these are lies of course, but they can cause us great distress if we listen to them.

The thing we must remember is that when the Lord is silent, He still hears us! In this passage Jesus heard the cries of this desperate mother, but He did not answer her immediately. He waited. He said nothing. He did nothing. It appeared as if He was ignoring her altogether. She naturally interpreted His silence as rejection! But she knew that Jesus was the only One who could help her daughter! So, she continued to ask. And she continued to believe that He would answer! (Luke 18:7-8).

We know that because when Jesus did answer (Matthew 15:28), He commended her for her “great faith”. Sometimes God is silent because He wants us to learn to be confident that He always hears us; even where there seems to be a delay. He also uses such times to deepen and strengthen our faith.

So, whenever you experience the silence of God, remember that He does hear you! Just keep trusting Him! Just continue to keep your heart and mind focused upon Him! Just continue believing Him! Just continue asking Him. (Luke 11:9). The Lord is growing you. He is maturing you in your walk with Him. He wants you to learn to trust Him; not just for what He does, but simply because of Who He is!

Rev. James W. Black