Tag: Nehemiah

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Knowing When to Say No

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, From Broken to Restored / w3d2

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:1-9 / SOAP verse 10

The enemies were paying attention, and they were not happy with the news that the wall had been rebuilt. The wall made them feel threatened, so they asked to meet with Nehemiah. However, he was alert and on to their plan to stop the completion of the wall. For that reason, coupled with the fact that he believed they intended to do him harm,1 he replied with a resounding ‘no’ to their invitation, saying: “I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you.?” After answering this way four more times, Nehemiah received another message from Sanballat, obviously desperate and persistent, with an accusation that he and the Jews were plotting to make Nehemiah the King. Of course, it was a scare tactic attempting to stop the construction, but Nehemiah assured his accuser that the allegations were completely false.

1Nehemiah 6:2

Love God Greatly Devotion excerpt / w3d2

Reflections on Today’s Journey

It is easy for us to think that we aren’t doing anything worthwhile to anyone else, but today’s LGG devotion writer wrote: if you are working to advance God’s kingdom, to honor and glorify Him, or to serve and equip God’s people, you too have been given important work. She goes on to write, “Like Nehemiah, we must remain steadfast in the face of difficulty. No matter if attacks come, no matter how threatening they seem, we must stay faithful and committed, not distracted or deterred by what (or who) may be trying to stop us.

Borrowed in part from LGG Devotion

What kind of focus and determination was required of Nehemiah to respond this way to his enemies (see Nehemiah 6:3)? How can you have the same focus in your work for the kingdom?

Going Further

Consider this encouragement from today’s LGG Devotion Journal

God has given us all an important work: to make disciples of all nations. Whatever role He has given you in that task, stay engaged, stay faithful, and stay focused. Do not let the enemy distract you. You are engaged in important work, work worth your time, effort, and resources. Let’s keep doing this important work until it is finished.

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Staying Focused

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Welcome to week three! This week we will journey from the middle of Nehemiah, chapter 5, through the end of chapter seven – with some detours through portions of the Psalms, Job, and a couple of passages in the New Testament. God will be with us every step of the journey! -May He open our minds to understand the Scriptures, our eyes to see, and our ears to hear Him along the way. – Me [click the image for a better view]

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Seek God

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, From Broken to Restored / w2d1

“These next few chapters of Nehemiah (chapters 4-6) recount the opposition the Jews faced as they began rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The author of Nehemiah intentionally included these details, reminding his readers that opposition to God’s work is not a reason to stop.” borrowed from the LGG devotional journal, from Broken to Restored, w2d1

Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-5; Genesis 13:1-18 and 19:36-38; Numbers 22:3-6; Deuteronomy 2:19, 23:3-4 / SOAP: Psalm 54:3-5

For foreigners attack me;
ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)
4 Look, God is my deliverer.
The Lord is among those who support me.
5 May those who wait to ambush me be repaid for their evil.
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, destroy them.

Psalm 54:3-5

The details of today’s passages are helpful because they let us know who was opposing the Jews in the rebuilding of the walls. You might find it interesting to know they weren’t only enemies of God but they were also from the family of God’s people – sons of Lot, one (Moab, the Moabite) through his oldest daughter and one (Ben Ammi, the Ammonite) through his youngest. (Genesis 13:1-18, 19:36-38; Numbers 22:3-6; Deuteronomy 2:19, 23:3-4).

The rebuilding of the wall meant opposition early on, as is seen in most of our passages today. Nehemiah 4:1-5 tells about one of those situations and gives us insight on handling the opposition. Nehemiah leads/teaches by example – he PRAYS. He actually prays a very bold prayer. This is also true of the Psalmists’ words in 54:3-5, who is dealing with terrorists (foreign attackers), ruthless me, who did not respect God. The Psalmist reminds the people to remember that God is His deliverer and is among His supporters. Then, he too, prays a bold prayer of faith against his attackers.

It seems we would be wise to remember God in these ways as well, One that delivers and supports His people. When we are distressed by the evil of this world or the personal attacks/battles of life — the first thing we should do is – SEEK GOD! He is our faithful deliverer.

The LGG Team wrote it like this:

Like Nehemiah, when we face opposition, we need to remember God’s faithfulness. he will help us accomplish the work He has given us, and He will guard and defend His people until His will is done. It doesn’t matter who opposes us. God may not immediately remove the opposition we face, but He is always faithful to give us endurance as we continue in His good work.

Psalm 54:3-5
Going Further

For more insight check out today’s LGG Blog

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word

Project: Rebuild and Restore

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based on the LGG Study, From Broken to Restored /w1d4

They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate;
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.

Isaiah 61:4

Don’t you just love reading/seeing the prophecies of the Scriptures fulfilled. Each one an encouragement that God’s promises are sure and certain and each one an assurance that Jesus is truly coming again!

Today’s Love God Greatly Devotional points out that more than three-hundred years passed between the promise God spoke through Isaiah and Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Actually, “when God made this promise, Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed.” However, they had been “warned” about the consequences of their disobedience. Yet, as the writer of the LGG devotion states, “God also promised that He would restore them, rebuilding what had been ruined and devastated.”

This is exactly what happens in Nehemiah 3. Gate after gate and section after section is rebuilt. Perhaps the most beautiful thing about the rebuilding for me, is that God allowed the people to participate in the rebuilding process. Seriously, go back and read the entire report. It’s worth reading every verse to see the personal involvement of God’s people – whether family units or priests, temple servants, goldsmiths, or inexperienced people – they came – one after another after another – and worked together to rebuild the walls.

Then I said to them, “You see the problem that we have—Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned. Come on! Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that this reproach will not continue.” 18 Then I related to them how the good hand of my God was on me and what the king had said to me. Then they replied, “Let’s begin rebuilding right away!” So they readied themselves for this good project.

Nehemiah 2:17-18

If you look back to chapter two, specifically verse seventeen and eighteen, you will hear Nehemiah’s plea coupled with what I would call a cheer. After pointing out the problem they were facing was the desolation of Jerusalem he pleads for them to “come on.” He urges them, “let’s rebuild the wall;” and he cheers them on by assuring them that God’s hand was on Him. Read carefully and you will see that in large part their participation was due to the encouraging and passionate invitation of Nehemiah.

Going Further

Today’s going further is borrowed from the From Broken to Restored journal, w1d4. Read, reread, and then dwell on it for a bit. Let it soak in that no matter the season you are in – God is not only working in and on you but He invites you to join Him in the rebuilding process.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Waiting is Difficult

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Based on the Love God Greatly Study, From Broken to Restored

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Ezra 1:1-4, 7:1-10; 2 Peter 3:8-13 / SOAP: 2 Peter 3:9-10

 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:9-10

Part of the back story of our study is that God allowed Jerusalem to be taken captive by Babylon because of their idolatry and disobedience. During this time many people were killed, the temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem was laid to waist. It’s easy to consider this ancient history of God’s people not relevant to us today but it is – not just concerning the history of God’s people but concerning the promises and faithfulness of our God. Commentators for gotquestions.org describe it as something that Christians should be familiar with, saying:

The seventy-year period of the Babylonian captivity is an important part of Israel’s history, and Christians should be familiar with it. Like many other Old Testament events, this historical account demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His people, His judgment of sin, and the surety of His promises.

gotquestions.org

In their devotional on today’s passages the LGG team wrote the following:

The Babylonians captured Jerusalem and took the people into exile by transporting them to Babylon, where they remained for seventy years. -Nehemiah was living in Persia, not having returned to Jerusalem like many others. However, God used Nehemiah and his connections to the king of Persia to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and to turn the hearts of the people of Judah back to Him.

From Broken to Restored / week1day1

Are you waiting on something? Whether it is God’s promised return or a job, marriage, a house, a child or perhaps God’s healing hand on you or someone you know – waiting is difficult. Seventy years must have seemed like forever for the Israelites, and whatever your wait is may seem like forever – but we must remember, God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to His purpose Whether it is the redemption of His people or the strengthening of their faith – God is not waisting the time.

Father God, thank You that You do not waste time – instead You use it for good … Your good, Your glory, the good of Your people, and to accomplish Your good and holy purpose. Thank You for the hope that is ours while we wait on You God, for we see and know the truth of Your promises and the depth of Your faithfulness! In Him we pray

Going Further

What was the Babylonian captivity/exile?