Nehemiah 4: 4 Nehemiah prayed, "Oh listen to us, dear God. We're so despised: Boomerang their ridicule on their heads...Don't be afraid of them. Put your minds on the Master, great and awesome, and then fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." Nehemiah 4:20 "Our God will fight for us." And they kept working with a tool in one hand and a sword in the other "from first light until the stars came out." They even slept in their clothes. Committed to the vision. What is stronger in me? A desire to please God and the vision He has given or a desire for my life, my marriage, my ministry to go well? I must ask again today, what deeply stirs me? Eternity or this life here?
Nehemiah 5:9 When the people protested for lack of food and money, Nehemiah responded: "Is there no fear of God left in you?...May God empty the pockets and house of everyone who doesn't keep their promise to finish their calling—turned inside out and emptied." Nehemiah knew he was doing a great work, Nehemiah 6:3.
Neh 6:16 - When all our enemies heard the news of the finished work and all the surrounding nations saw it, our enemies totally lost their nerve. They knew that God was behind this work. Do my enemies lose their nerve when they hear of God completing His perfect work in me?? When they hear that God is so behind the work of my heart? IDK. This I do know--- I want my enemies to be drawn closer to my God, their God.
There is a relationship that I am wrestling through where I want someone to change for their good. I'm so adamant that they are wrong and I believe I am right. But that's not the issue anymore. What stirs me from this book is that I must reveal to them the character of our Good God and not try to move them to change by my words, my prayers, my actions. Of course, I should hope and pray for their good, their transformation, with all my heart. But I'm so stuck on them changing that I've become unbecomingly arrogant and quietly demanding.
Back in the close of the Book of Ezra, Crabb wrote: "There's always a way back from sin. Tears of hope will flow every time you experience My Loving Mercy when you fail...Ezra's burden for holiness led to tears of repentance." What deeply disturbs me? What are these tears that flow? Tears of Hope? Tears of Repentance? I think they might be tears of pain.
What is it that intimidates me to give up? Do I think that intimidator is strong than my Lord? Where is my focus? God will fight for me. God will give me strength.
ReplyDeleteTwo verses. Simple words. So powerful. Keys to the Kingdom, I'd say:
ReplyDelete"We kept at it, repairing and rebuilding the wall." PERSEVERE!
"I prayed, “Give me strength.” PRAY!
These past two Books have stirred inside me a resolve, a renewed strength.
I love 66 Love Letters as a companion with this, and I would SO be in Austin this summer with you, Bev, to do Bible study! Honestly, I generally don't like the Message translation, but sometimes, no version says it better than the plain words that strike my heart like a hot iron that melts the hard places.
Still praying this week over at annie's eyes if you want a prayer partner for something on your heart.
I have been having issues with my family. There has been such pain and heartache. God has been dealing with me to forgive. I have been reading the book:
ReplyDeleteForgive and Love Again (Healing Wounded Relationships) by John Nieder and Thomas M. Thompson. Two things clicked for me yesterday:
1. If Jesus, who was absolutely without sin can forgive, who am I not to?
2. When I ask God to forgive me, with a heartfelt sincere request, He forgives instantly, without hesitation. And if I sin again and ask sincerely for forgiveness, he forgives instantly again. And the best part is, He forgives and forgets by casting it farther than the east is from the west.
Using this example of forgiveness, I have come to realize forgiveness is an act of will. I decided to forgive, and when I get bad thoughts, I tell myself,"Ok, you're over that now, you forgave and it's time to move on." It may sound silly, but it is my act of worship, and my sacrifice of my feelings to God. I am now committed to forgive.
I think we are so much harder on our loved ones than God is with us. I am trying to live more each day by his example, than by how I feel.
"If our enemies cannot frighten us from duty, or deceive us into sin, they cannot hurt us."
ReplyDeleteFrom the Commentary on
Nehemiah 4-6.
This is a very powerful reading about the attacks waged against God's laborers. I really got a lot out of reading the commentary from Read the Bible Through.
I hadn't read this reading until tonight...but these words have been on my tongue all day today. I have had to listen to "scorners" but I have also listened to "encouragers." I am so glad to have people in my life right now lifting me up in prayer but also speaking encouragement to me.
Impossible tasks - we need to encourage each other that God still moves mountains! I hope you'll take time to read through the commentary for this text on biblegateway.
Working through some of the ADVICE I received today...my mind settled on one thing...I'm walking on water, eyes on Jesus. Fighting for my family.
Annette, thank you so much for your beautiful prayer for me today! It made me cry after all I've been through this week.
And Bev, thank you for every word you've spoken to encourage me as I stand for my marriage.
I loved the fact that Nehemiah would not run to the Temple to hide from the enemies. We belong to GOD. He fights for US!! Intimidation shakes us, but it has no power over us.
I just loved these readings today. So full of encouragement to me to keep building the wall, filling in the cracks, depending on God, and doing it as a community of believers. We definitely need Him but we need each other, too.
Some friends "missed" me today but it wasn't about me feeling all bent out of shape over their lack of courtesy and lack of connection...it was more important to me how I revealed Jesus to them and it surprised me how God led me to do that --- HE led me to stand and fight for my friends. They may have not noticed but I did. It was truly God giving peace that passes understanding in midst of insult.
ReplyDeleteYour words give me so much courage and stir my faith so much! Thank you all!