Holding a Trowel and a Sword...

When Nehemiah and the the Israelites were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, after they had returned from exile in Babylon, they worked hard and non-stop to finish the repairs. They had people living there oppose them, to the point of violence. We read how Nehemiah instructed his fellow Jews to arm themselves, and keep working. If you could’ve been there you would’ve seen each worker with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. While one man worked, his partner guarded that portion of the wall. Does this sound familiar? Aren’t we, as believers, to put on the armor of God? Aren’t we under constant attack of the Devil? Just like Nehemiah, we are to continue to work, spreading the Good News of the Gospel, while putting on the armor of God. God will see to it that we honor Him and bring Him glory. And He will fight for us, when the enemy attacks. His armor is for our protection. As long as we wear it, and have it in our hand, He will fight for us to further His Kingdom. Such a comforting thought, isn’t it?

Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap–and charred ones at that?”3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”4 Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! 5 Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked You to anger here in front of the builders.”6 At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. 8 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. 9 But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.10 Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.”11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.”12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” 13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 16 But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 18 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.19 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, “The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!”21 We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard. 22 I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at night and work during the day. 23 During this time, none of us–not I, nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with me–ever took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for water. Nehemiah 4

Giving and Loving Go Together...

The only way people can truly view the role of money is through a Biblical perspective. Having riches only breeds the desire for more giving us a sense of false security. Having stuff leads the focus of your life onto self. Jesus said, “you can’t serve both God and money”. That’s pretty clear on this topic, as is this proverb. Giving from the heart brings more joy and satisfaction than possessing a great amount of riches. Think about that for a minute. Selfishness is the opposite of love, right? “Having” shifts the focus on self. “Giving” gets the focus off self, and on to others for their benefit. “Giving” and “loving” go together, as does “taking” and “selfishness”.

26 Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! Proverbs 21:26

Just Imagine If....

Just imagine what our day would look like if we made a commitment to the Lord and prayed like Nehemiah prayed in chapter one of the book titled after him? Just imagine what could be accomplished? Just imagine the significance and confidence in God we would experience? Just imagine the closeness we would have with God? It would be life-altering, knowing that your day is God-ordained, that His will is being carried out, that His glory is being rightfully placed because of your faithfulness in putting it into action. It all begins with God, and is escorted in with prayer.

O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring You. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” Nehemiah 1:11a

Maintaining a Clear Conscience....

I wonder how many people live their lives like Paul did? Trying to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people? I’ll admit, I strive for this with God, but not all people. Do you?

14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these men have, that He will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people. Acts 24:14-16

Watch Your Tongue....

When you’re not sure what to say, the best option is to stay quiet or acknowledge you don’t have an answer. In all situations, speak truth. If you’re still unsure, remain quiet. God will give you the words to say if it’s His will to communicate truth to others. It just might not be at that moment; another might be just around the corner. In the mean time, go to Him with it, and He will give you the words to say. God should be the regulator of our tongues, when we follow Him, the right words come. When we don’t, trouble usually follows.

23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. Proverbs 21:23

Making the Most of Your Time.....

We are put on this earth for a reason. Some to honor God with their lives. Some to oppose God with their lives. And some to carry out God’s will by living a “sit on the fence” mentality. No matter how you look at it, God will get the glory. But we, only as we are alive, can praise or curse Him. When we die that opportunity runs out. For those who were faithful by believing in Jesus will live on to praise God. For those rebellious, unfaithful ones, they will never have the opportunity again. What we do in this life matters. If we praise God for all He has done in this life, we will reap the rewards now and in the life to come. If we refuse, we lose the opportunities and blessings now, and guarantee ourselves never to have the privilege of doing it in the future for all eternity. Make the most of what you are given, it will make a difference. You have the privilege of telling the world about God. Do you do it?

10 Are Your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise You? 11 Can those in the grave declare Your unfailing love? Can they proclaim Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? 12 Can the darkness speak of Your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about Your righteousness? Psalms 88:10-12

Brief Moments of Grace....

Opportunities come along every so often in life. It’s easy to recognize some, and sometimes difficult with others. The key is to act on those opportunities when they come. Sometimes they only come once in a lifetime. The same is true with God’s grace. He blesses all people with life, but He goes far beyond just the basics. The most important response we can have, when He extends more grace to us, is to seize the opportunity and respond with the appropriate action: repentance or gratitude. We are not in control of when these “brief moments of grace” come, but we are in control how we react to them when they do come. Repentance is simply siding with God on the issue. It’s agreeing with Him, and doing whatever it takes to make it right. Gratitude is the same thing, it just comes from a different perspective. Repentance involves shame, regret, and guilt. Gratitude incorporates joy, contentment, security, and the feeling of significance seasoned with the salt of unworthiness (undeserved mercy). Both can have positive outcomes. It all depends on how we respond to these “brief moments of grace”. Have you had any of these lately? How did you respond?

8 “But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery. Ezra 9:8