Fighting Through

The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. Nehemiah 4:17 (NLT)

What do you do when you are up against a difficult time? When you work so hard and you’re exhausted and it feels like not matter what you do you are taking two steps backwards. How do you handle the load and not get discouraged and give up?

Today’s Bible verse talks about that. The people were working hard. They were taking shifts, not sleeping, not bathing. They were exhausted but kept working. They worked with one hand while their other hand handled a weapon so they could defend themselves against their enemies.

I know some days it feels like you should just give up and throw in the towel. Goodness knows I’ve been there. I’ve told God I am tired and I want to give up. I imagine him saying “Oh my child, you are trying to carry the load by yourself. Use what I’ve given you and just keep walking.”

When I think of what God has given me, I realize I have weapons at my disposal I think of the Holy Spirit, the Bible and Prayer. The Holy Spirit because it is he that lives in me that gives me the strength and courage to keep going. He talks to me, guides me and reminds me of who God is. He puts the right people in place to encourage me and pray for me. The Bible is also how God speaks. When I read it, I am instructed, I am challenged and emboldened and my heart finds peace. During my prayer, I pour out my heart to God. The praises for who he is and all the way he shares his love, the petitions because I am always asking him for something - for help, for courage, for people’s healing and the prayers of surrender.

Nehemiah had these tools too. He relied on the Holy Spirit for direction and protection. All throughout his journey he prayed and prayed and prayed. He knew who God was and God’s promises. He had memorized the journey of his people and he recalled God’s power during those times. Nehemiah was given a really hard task. But he wasn’t given it to carry alone. God was working with him and through him the entire time.

Nehemiah’s story encourages me to never give up. Keep trusting in the God I know and use the weapons he’s given me to keep fighting.

In My Little Space

Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house. Nehemiah 3:28 (NLT)

Our world is a messy place. All you have to do is read or listen to the news and you can see that sin is rampant. There are so many hurting people. There is so much that is broken. Paying attention to all that is wrong can be extremely overwhelming.

I am tempted sometimes to give up. There is too much to do. Too much pain and there is no way I can make a difference. How could I possibly help?

But this is Satan’s lie. As with Nehemiah, if we each would rebuild in our area, we’d make a huge impact on the war against evil. My neighborhood looks different than your neighborhood. The people I see every day are not the people you see. That’s the wonderful thing about sharing the Gospel and growing God’s kingdom.

If each of us would make an effort where we are in our little space, more and more people would be reached. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will encounter people who need the gifts we have to offer. Not our spouse’s gifts, not our coworker’s gifts, not a fellow Christian’s gifts but our gifts. The perfect gift in the perfect place at the perfect time.

That’s what God does. He asks us to work right where we are and then he sends the people that need to be loved.

A Minute In It - Hanging In There

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

17 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.

They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.

19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.

20 I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 2:17-20 (NLT)

As Nehemiah began to talk to the Israelites, what was the first story he shared?
How did the people respond?
Was everyone happy about the task Nehemiah was given?
What did the naysayers do?
Who did Nehemiah trust to complete the job?

Even when God calls us to a task, it doesn’t mean the task will be easy. Nehemiah was called, God miraculously answered his prayer and still he ran into problems during the rebuilding. When God calls us, we will face adversity but we should always recount the way God has moved so far and trust that he will finish the task.

A Minute In It - Believing

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

1 Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.”

Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”

With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”

6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.

7 I also said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah. 8 And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.

9 When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me. Nehemiah 2:1-9 (NLT)

How long had it been since Nehemiah started asking God for help?
When the king asked him what he could do to help him, what was the first thing Nehemiah did?
The king asked Nehemiah for his plan. Did Nehemiah have one?

For the four months that he was praying, he was also planning. Nehemiah was waiting on God’s timing but also preparing for what would happen when God moved. When we pray for a seemingly impossible prayer, do we move forward to get ready for God’s answer or do we do nothing, not really believing that God will deliver?

A Minute In It - Prayer

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I said,

“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.

8 “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

10 “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. 11 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.”

In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer. Nehemiah 1:4-11 (NLT)

Nehemiah received bad news from his homeland. What was the first thing he did?
After mourning, then what?
As you read this prayer of Nehemiah, what are the components to his prayers?

First he praised God and worshiped who he was.
Then he confessed his sin and the sin of the people.
Next he remembered God’s promises.
Then he asked God for what he wanted and he was pretty specific.

There isn’t a right way to pray but I love that Nehemiah’s prayer focused on God. It was about who God was, what he said he wanted in his people, what he promised he would do and then Nehemiah asked him for something seemingly impossible believing he could do it.

When we come to God, are our prayers more about him or us?

Beneficial Scarring

And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. Philippians 1:12-14 (NLT)

There is a song that I’ve been thinking about lately called Scars by I Am They. The chorus goes like this:

So I'm thankful for the scars
'Cause without them I wouldn't know your heart
And I know they'll always tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

Later in the song, the chorus changes to:

I'm thankful for your scars
'Cause without them I wouldn't know your heart
And with my life, I'll tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful

Notice the subtle shift? Paul understood this so well. Whenever he suffered, he knew his suffering would produce two things. One, he would see more of who God was through his suffering. He would learn of his character and of his grace. Two, he would be pointed back to the cross. Through Jesus suffering we also learn of his character and love for us.

There are many days I wish that I didn’t have to walk through some of the things I walk through but when I look back, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have grown closer to Jesus through it. I know I’ve learned who my God is and to trust him.

So, I too, am thankful for the scars. I am thankful for them because without them I would know Jesus a little less. I wouldn’t trade my scars for anything because that would mean less of him in my life.

I Know You!

But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Matthew 7:23 (NLT)

There are a few places in the New Testament that Jesus says things like today’s text. Sometimes like in the parable of the 10 virgins, they weren’t ready and he said it. There are other places where people say “But, we did this for you and that for you.” Almost like they deserve to go to heaven for their actions.

When I read these texts and hear Jesus say “Go away, I never knew you.” I shudder. It makes me determined to “know him.” And in my humanness, I then try to do more because that is how I am wired. I’m thinking I am not alone in this line of thinking.

Don’t get me wrong. The Bible is full of things we are supposed to do. We are supposed to go, serve and love. There are a lot more. Being a Christian is not an idle task. It’s a way of life that is full of activity. What gets us hung up is the motive behind the activity. We cannot earn our way to heaven. That is a done deal sealed with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What God wants is a relationship with us.

What does that look like? It looks like communicating with him in prayer. It looks like spending time in the Bible and listening for his voice. It looks like lingering in his presence. It also looks like doing (obedience). Obedience to what he is telling you to do. And, it looks like surrender. Letting go of our stuff to have more of his stuff.

This weekend, I started looking at this text in a slightly different way. I imagined coming up to Jesus and having him point at me and say in a really loud voice “I KNOW YOU!” I imagined running to him and jumping into his arms and sobbing with joy at the sound of those three words.

Can you imagine it? There would be nothing better. Ever.

The Church Alive And Well

And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. Acts 2:44-47 (NLT)

• People filled the room as the family mourned the loss of their loved one. Each person did what they could to share love and ease the burden.

• The group met together to sort through the details of the new church plant. Every person contributed according to their gifts and together they hashed out the details, working together to sort through the different opinions to come to decisions.

• Everyone banded together and met at the widow’s house. She had recently lost her husband and her house was in desperate need of yard work, painting and repair.

• The woman noticed the family standing on the corner in the frigid weather without the proper winter gear. They didn’t have coats, hats or gloves or proper shoes for that matter. She went to the local Wal-Mart and bought them things to help keep them warm.

• The man walked by the homeless man sitting on the street. As he passed he paused, turned around and offered to buy him food.

• Her best friend’s marriage fell apart. She sat with her and listened. She offered no advice. Just a shoulder to cry on.

Each of these scenarios represents the church - alive and well. We may not be acting like the early church in the exact same way but we are still acting like a church. God’s Body sharing God’s grace and love in any way possible. How are you acting like the body of Christ today?