THE GLORY OF GOD ON CAPE COD

Heaven's History Books

By Mamdouh Riad |  June 18, 2019


 

Heaven’s History Books
 By Mamdouh Riad

History is not just recorded on earth, but far more importantly, it is recorded in heaven. Throughout the Scriptures, we see the Lord who sees and hears, noting and recording the history of individuals, regions, churches and nations.

He notes and records David’s heart: “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will. (Acts 13:22), and contrasts it with Saul’s heart:”You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.?” (1 Sam 13:13)

He also notes and records David’s zeal for God, that he : "served the purpose of God in his own generation…” (Acts 13:36), and contrasts it with Absalom’s heart, whose personal ambition drove him to cause division and cunningly incite Israel against David: “Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel ..”  
(2 Sam 15:6-6)

He notes and records His people’s zeal for God’s glory in Nehemiah’s time:“So they said, ‘Let us rise up and build’.Then they set their hands to this good work.” (Nehemiah 2:18), and contrasts it with His people’s lack of response in Haggai’s time, and their self-interest and self-preservation: “‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.”’”3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!” (Haggai 1: 3-5)

He notes and records the lives of righteous people who walked with Him in obedience, such as Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David, and Paul, and contrasts it with those who did not, such as Achan, Balaam, Absalom, Judas, and Dimas.

He notes and records the righteousness of His people’s hearts in Malachi’s time: “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.” (Malachi 3:16), and contrasts it with His people pursuing their own gain in Ezekiel’s time:“As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. 32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.” (Ezekiel 33:30-32)

He notes and records that the sons of Issachar: Understood their times, and knew what Israel ought to do…” (1 Chron 12: 32), and contrasts it with Israel in Jesus’ time when His people “Missed the time of their visitation…”(Luke 19:44)

Heaven is surely recording our Cape Cod history.

Fourteen years ago the Lord stirred us and started a fresh work of unity among pastors and churches on the Cape, perhaps because of the faithful remnant that has been praying here for decades, long before many of us even moved to the Cape. He breathed on us and our dry bones began to rattle and come closer together. Churches began to pray together in unity and grow in learning how to walk with one another in our differences. We began to learn to grow in receiving and loving one another as one body.

What is heaven recording about you and me? What is heaven recording about Cape Cod at our time of history?  How does the Lord see our response to His invitation?

May it be written that we were like David, that we responded to God's stirring and purposed to do all the Lord’s will. “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” (Acts 13:22)

That we were like the sons of Issachar, “Who understood their times, and knew what Israel (Cape Cod) ought to do..” (1 Chron 12:32), and that we, Did not miss the time of our visitation..” (Luke 19:44)

That as the Lord stirred us to pursue unity, consecration, and united multi-church prayer, we responded like God’s people in Nehemiah’s time, saying, “Let us rise up and build, and set our hands to this good work.(Nehemiah 2:18)

That we spurred on one another to do so, as God’s people did in the First Great Awakening: “The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,“Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, And seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also. (Zechariah 8:21)

That we were “Not ignorant of the enemy’s schemes..” (2 Cor 2:11), and did not make room for the enemy to hinder God’s work by division, but we diligently thwarted the enemy’s schemes for division and continually pursued unity. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1 Cor 1:10)

That we continued to walk together in unity, until the Lord made a great and mighty army out of our dry bones, and used it to win multitudes to Christ : "Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, andbreath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army." (Ezekiel 37:9-10)

That we continued steadfastly in united prayer, like the persistent widow of Luke 18, asking, seeking and knocking: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”(Matthew 7:7)

That we did not grow weary and did not lose heart :”Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart..” (Luke 18:1)

Knowing that our persistent prayers will surely not go in vain:Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5,6)

May we all rise up and continue to respond to the Lord’s stirring, continue to labor in united prayer, and see the harvest that we are looking for, with multitudes coming to Christ on Cape Cod.