Text: Nehemiah 5

What we see in Nehemiah chapter five is that even though God’s people were endeavoring to do this massive work, life was still going on and everyday struggles amassed around them. When the farmers were rebuilding a wall, what would become of their crops? In a city that stood defenseless and sad at the beginning of this story – should we expect all the other affairs to be in order? Taxes were a mess, people were lending out their children as slaves, and their government was corrupt.

Nehemiah gets angry and he sets things right. He sets order among the people and the government, and he sets order among the people and the people. And for this, they make him governor. We see a sweet picture of him as a loving and sacrificial leader and that is a wonderful picture for us to look at and learn from. But more than that, this is a sweet little aside in a story of a people trying so hard to do something large for the Lord. They needed to take care of business and do a little self-care to keep the mission going. If you’re in the midst of a God-sized project, on mission from Him – rely on His miraculous grace, but also – ask for wisdom and help to have your orders in affair so you can keep on building, for God’s glory.

Text: Nehemiah 4:15-23, Proverbs 11:14, Hebrews 10:24-25

Nehemiah may not strike you as a story that deals with relationships, but at the core of this book is a powerful message about God’s children working together to accomplish a holy purpose. In this case, it was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, all while preparing for a possible attack on the city.

Nehemiah has a gift for asking for help and being specific in his needs. While it was his initial desire to rebuild Jerusalem, we see him gather up the Israelites to become active participants in this, to do whatever job they could do.

It might have been very easy for Nehemiah to take all of this on and then whine about lack of volunteers. Instead, he asked directly for what he needed. He didn’t worry about being a bother, he let God take care of their hearts while he went ahead with his mission.

When we ask for help and work with others for the Lord’s calling, we open doors that might have been impossible to open alone. God rarely has a solo plan for His work, and our lives intertwine with other Christians so that we all can draw from each other’s strengths.

Our Christian friendships allow us to use each other’s God-given gifts to work together for His greater plan.

As women, we often struggle with turning to another in a time of need. We’re told not to be annoying, to go with the flow, to stick it out. Being able to turn to another woman who loves the Lord changes so much in our lives. Whether it’s a commitment to pray for us as mothers, to encourage us on a job hunt, to stand by us during a hard time in our marriages, to help with something tangible; we need each other.

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)

Today, think about Godly women in your life who may be blessed if you turn to them with a need. Bind together in your friendships for Christ and see what marvels take place for His glory.

“…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) 

Today, as a body of women, let’s meditate on and memorize God’s word. Not for our own glory or honor, but for the joy of our Father and the growth of His Truth in our hearts.

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10b

Text: Nehemiah 4:1-14, 1 Chr 29:11

We’ve seen that Nehemiah faced his share of opposition from early on when he set out to rebuild the wall.

Even before he started building, there were the naysayers, the doubters and the discouragers.  Those of us who have stepped out in faith to do something a little less than popular can no doubt relate.  Sometimes it is a startling task or sometimes it’s simply walking in Truth that has others coming out of the woodwork to stand in our way.

Regardless of what the Lord is asking you to do in obedience, how are you responding to the opposition?  Knowing His power to make His will happen is not an invitation to rest.  In fact, it is in these times we need to keep on building with one hand and bracing ourselves for the attacks with the other.  Because when we step out in His name, the attacks will come.

We must guard our hearts, day and night.  (Nehemiah 4:9, NIV)

We must post our defenses in our weakest points, ready to defend, with other followers, with the strength of His word, with the power of the Holy Spirit. (Nehemiah 4:13, NIV)

We continue with our work, defending not out of fear, but out of love.  For as followers, we know we can be secure in His greatness, crying out to Him, “The power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.”  (1 Chronicles 29:11, NIV)

So how will you respond to the opposition in your walk today?  Will you drop your trowel and walk away from the task?  Or will you defend what God has put on your heart to do and brace yourself with Truth?

We’re praying for you, sisters, and we’re by your side, step-by-step and brick-by-brick.  Let’s let no one put an end to the work we are doing for His kingdom.

Text: Nehemiah 3, John 9, Acts 3, Ephesians 4:16

This, is the good part. Don’t glaze over it. If you’ve spent any length of the Old Testament, you know that sometimes there are just chunks of names and names and names and names. You can skip today, you can skim for baby names for your pregnant friend, or you can read between the lines and do a little life application.

Every great and powerful move of God, from the rebuilding of walls to the planting of churches to the leading of a children’s Bible study comes down to a section like this. The people have to get up, stop talking and vision casting, and start putting beams down. They have to walk over to their neighbor’s house. They have to move to that city where they know God is calling them. Download the adoptive parent packet. Write the email. Buy the snacks. Do the work.

And it isn’t always beautiful or glamorous or filled with spiritual fervor and fluffy feelings, but it is so very, very good and necessary to get the wall built. Ephesians four sixteen reminds us that every joint in this body of Christ is equipped for the work IT must do, and doing it properly makes the body grow.

Can I tell you a little secret about one of these builders that may shed some light for us? Did you notice Shallum? In verse 15? He’s just one of the dozens listed, but he repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah. No biggie, right? Well, it is actually a huge deal. It’s one man, sacrificing his time and effort and days to rebuild his community, because of the larger vision at stake. But there’s more to the story there.

In John 9, they’re calling this pool “Siloam”, but don’t be confused – it’s the very same one. This time, we’re there hundreds of years later with Jesus – as He heals a blind man, declaring His divinity in miracle form. Then in Acts three, in the very same place, Peter heals a man who has never walked. THIS is an important place, right?

Could it be that the section of the wall God has given you is important for your sanctification and His Glory today, but that He might have an eternal plan for the work you’re doing today as well? What if your simple job is the setting for miraculous Kingdom-size work for generations to come? I’m willing to bet, in one way or another, it absolutely is.

Text: Nehemiah 2:9-20

Knowing God’s will for our lives can be tricky.  I’ll admit, I’ve tried to circumvent the process a time or two.  (If you happen to check my browser history, please ignore the Google search, “How do I know God’s will for my life?”  And please also ignore anything having to do with rashes.)

But other times, God’s will is as clear as day.  Or in Nehemiah’s case, as we read earlier this week, it can be as clear as an obvious statement from God.  Knowing God’s will isn’t the tricky part in those instances.  You’ve discovered the path, now it’s the carrying it out that stretches us.

Walking in His ways won’t always be popular.  Others will be “very much disturbed.”  (Nehemiah 2:10, NIV)

We may not have a team standing alongside of us, just a few helpers and the shirt on our back.

There will be gates we can’t get through, obstacles and gates and upon careful examination, we’ll realize the daunting task before us.

We’ll search our motives.  Are we telling everyone, for our own glory, what God put on our hearts to do as an act of obedience? (Nehemiah 2:12, NIV)  Or is our right hand unaware of what our left hand is doing (Matthew 6:3, NIV), because we know we can’t lay claim to our obedience?

In our walk, there has to come a point where we block out the naysayers.  A point when we stop surmising what we don’t have to accomplish the task and when we stop examining how very hard it will be.

There comes a point, with a prayer and pure motives, where we just begin the good work.

In spite of the seemingly insurmountable, the mockery and ridicule, He will give us success.

Just begin the good work.

Text: Nehemiah 1:11b-2:8, Matthew 7:9-11, Ephesians 3:20-21

“All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.”
– Oswald Chambers

Just one chapter in, we can already see that Nehemiah is a man of prayer and compassion, a man whose heart follows after God. Today we will see Nehemiah’s courage and, most importantly, his radical trust in the Lord.

Nehemiah’s reliance on God is first displayed in this chapter by his willingness to wait. Nearly four months pass after he learns of the devastation in Jerusalem before he encounters the king in Chapter 2. As cupbearer, it was imperative that Nehemiah not show his feelings, that he put on a good face before the king. But the king sees the sorrow in Nehemiah’s eyes and asks, “Why are you sad?”

This is the moment Nehemiah has waited and prayed for, and this is where we see radical trust in his willingness to act. He knew he was entering unchartered waters, a mere courtier being boldly honest with the king. Scripture tells us he was terrified, but he dives in anyway because he knows he is not alone. And when the king further prompts Nehemiah to state his specific request, Nehemiah pauses, prays and makes the ask. And it is a big, big ask.

In an unprecedented manner, the king grants Nehemiah’s requests. Why? Because the good hand of Nehemiah’s God – our God – was upon him. Because Nehemiah was asking to do a good work that God had prepared in advance for him to do (Eph. 2:10). Because it pleased God to give Nehemiah more than he could ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20).

Sisters, there is so much work to do. We see need, pain and injustice all around us and our knees quickly buckle under the weight. We long to make our lists and check them twice and fix it all right this second. But we dare not make a move without God. As Ian Hamilton said it, “Beloved, our great and pressing need today is to give ourselves to waiting upon God, because waiting time is never wasted time.”

Nehemiah was an ordinary servant who would do extraordinary things, but he did them by moving with God. Not running ahead but walking beside.

God can use us today. He can use even us. He can do it because it is not about our resources, our resumé or our strength, but it is all about His power, His goodness, His grace.

It is all about Him.

[You can find the new Nehemiah plan on YouVersion by clicking here!]

Intro

I know. Another Old Testament prophet. But, if you felt like the text in Hosea was challenging, you’ll be pleased to know that things move a little more smoothly in Nehemiah. Still, thirteen chapters about rebuilding a wall might feel potentially tedious to some.

The good news is that Nehemiah is about so much more than bricks and mortar. It’s actually a remarkable story about God using regular, God-fearing folks – not just the big, important leaders – to accomplish His redemptive purposes.

Nehemiah will teach us about compassion, community, repentance, covenant, and conviction. And it doesn’t end like you might expect. Join us?

Trouble and Shame

Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11a

Think back to when you first moved out of your parents’ house. (And if you can, try to remember a time when you didn’t have access to news and status updates in the palm of your hand.) Your family comes to visit for a long weekend and as you sit down for lunch together, you ask how things are going back home.

Only rather than “same old, same old” or “so-and-so’s having a baby and the Jones’s just put in a new swimming pool”, you hear, “Honestly? Things are really bad. Everyone you knew growing up is either dead or wishes they were dead. Your hometown is falling apart. Our police force has been destroyed and the whole city is absolute lawlessness.”

It absolutely breaks your heart, right?

This is where we meet our man Nehemiah today. He has just received word that the wall of Jerusalem (his hometown) was broken down and the gates destroyed by fire. The people he loves – his fellow Israelites with whom he and his family go way back – are in “great trouble and shame”. Things are low. Really low.

Look at how Nehemiah responds with compassion for his people. Even though he is 800 miles away, safely and comfortably out of harm’s way, testing wine and food for the king’s table; just knowing that his people are hurting lays him low. Really low.

The Bible tells us that when Nehemiah hears this news he weeps and mourns for days. His people and his home may as well be on the other side of the planet, yet knowing that they are without protection has him fasting and praying and confessing on their behalf.

We have a lot to learn in our study of the book of Nehemiah. But even in this first day, even in setting the stage for what is going to need to be accomplished in the hearts and lives of the people of Israel, the sovereign God is showing us something awesome about biblical compassion.

Lord, rend our hearts for the hurting today. Let us not allow our own comforts or safe distance from pain prevent us from seeing and loving others as you see and love them. Move us. Break us. And build us back up for your glory.

Click here to join the discussion with the SheReadsTruth Community: http://bit.ly/NehemiahDay1

I was frustrated. Frustrated at my lack of discipline with going to bed on time. Frustrated with not getting in quality time with God each day; it either wasn’t happening or I was giving Him time at the end of the day in complete exhaustion. Frustrated with not getting up on time…and therefore not getting to work on time. I’d been rolling in to work late consistently for several weeks. Overall I felt like I was failing in a lot of areas of life and had been for quite some time.

On a Monday night in late July, I made a resolve to change. It was one of those nights that I hadn’t gotten in time with God yet that day and it was 9:45 pm. I was exhausted after working all day and then spending the evening with a good friend. As I was driving home from my friend’s house I knew I needed to make a change and it needed to be pretty drastic.

Instead of going home and trying to get in some Bible reading that night, I went to bed but set my alarm for extra early. I was going to leave the house early and go to the coffee shop. If I couldn’t be disciplined to make time for what I was communicating was the most important thing in my life – my relationship with God – in my normal “waking” hours I was going to have to start making some changes.

That was nearly 6 months ago and I have only missed a handful of early workday mornings at the coffee shop. In fact, my original goal was that I would go to the coffee shop 3-4 mornings a week. But, when then the first Friday came around (which was going to be my “grace” day), I really wanted to get up because I wanted to make this a habit. And then the second Friday came, and I just wanted to get up because I was enjoying my study of the Word and connecting with God so much. And so it has continued. Some days have been harder to get up than others, but I’ve forced myself out on those days knowing that I would regret it if I didn’t.

It’s hard for me to describe how great this new morning routine has been for me. It’s revived my soul in some incredible ways. It’s allowed me to be more focused each day because I’ve focused myself on Him and His Truth. I’ve been to work on time every day that I’ve gone to the coffee shop. And, because I’m up so early, I’m forced to go to bed at a decent time. I have set a bed time for myself; I don’t always hit it, but I won’t let it be an excuse for not getting up the next morning. At this point it’s a non-negotiable.

The greatest thing though is my attitude and the words that are on my heart and mind! It’s focused on the truth and I can meditate on the scripture I’ve read in the morning all throughout the day.

As I’ve been in the Word, it’s been so much easier to recall scripture that I know and have memorized – and trust me, I’m not good at memorizing!

A few months back, doing the SheReadsTruth study through Proverbs was incredible for me. I felt like there was so much truth that jumped off the pages at me about gaining wisdom. It all culminated in Proverbs 31. I’d read it a million times before, but having just read through the whole book and taking time to study the verses, it was amazing to see how verses 25-26 came alive for me. “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” I remember my first thoughts being “May I be that woman. May the Word so penetrate my heart and life that this is true of me.”

It can be hard to see the changes that are taking place within us when we’re in the midst of them. But, I was struck a few weeks ago when I wasn’t able to make it to the coffee shop for several days due to not feeling well. Near the end of that week I recognized that I was having a really “off” day. Everything was wrong and yet nothing was really wrong at the same time. I just knew something wasn’t right.

As I was getting ready for bed that night I was struck with the thought that I used to have a lot of days like this prior to starting my morning routine. And, that since really making it a habit to get in the Word so consistently, I was having far less of them. Even if the morning started off with some defeated thoughts, I could usually be doing well as I got my heart and mind centered on Him and in the Word. It was one of those “Ahha!” moments.

God has been working in me. He has been changing me. And hopefully allowing me to become a woman like in Proverbs 31:25-26 — for His Glory.

“My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves.” (Galatians 6:1-3)

Sometimes in Church when we listen to testimonies, we sit on the edge of our seats waiting for all the juicy details. I believe a lot of times we miss opportunities God gives us to help our brothers and sisters receive liberty from the many chains that bound us by focusing on the sin. Instead we should focus on the One who frees us from sin; testimonies are meant to bring glory and honor to God.

I have purposely not mentioned any ministries, name, or places; truly only a few know these details of my life. While writing I attempted to focus on God’s faithfulness and redemptive work in my life. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God!

I am 52 years old and my relationship with Christ has existed for over 30 years. So what I am about to say may shock some and even cause others to bring into question my Salvation. I am a minister of the Gospel and also I have traveled the world as a missionary. So when I tell you I love God and His Word; it is not just something I say, they are not empty words. 
 
I can truly understand the disbelief and questions some may have.

Two years ago I was right where some of you are today. Shaken and some of the same questions running through my mind; I questioned everything I believed. I thought I was on the right track; I was in full-time ministry, but Jesus was only Savior and not Lord of my life. There was also hurt in my life which I had not dealt with properly. Although the type of sin does not matter, to God sin is sin. I will reveal that it was sexual in nature and when I fell, I fell hard.

I can only remember continuing to hear God would get the glory out of this turmoil. My prayer has been through individual and group counseling, support groups, and not being able to active do ministry in my Church, “God you take this mess I have made and miraculously re-create something for righteousness-sake.
 
I thank God for His grace and mercy and His redemptive power.”

I thank Him for placing loving people in my life and professionals, who were willing to take the time to sit with me, listen (without judgment and/or condemnation). They prayed with me as well as for me while standing by me and holding my hand to the other side.

God’s grace has saved me, His mercy has been patient until I realized I needed to also allow Jesus to be Lord of my life, and His redemptive love has shown me incomparable forgiveness.