Monday, September 20, 2010

Nehemiah

I had some time at school last week and the book 'Nehemiah' was where my marker lay, so as I began to read, I decided to read the whole book, and then I decided to see what main idea I could extract from each chapter as advice to leaders since Nehemiah was a leader. Any similarities to any given situations are not intentional.

Chapter:

1-Confess personal and corporate sins.

2-Seek the well-being of the children of God.

3-Put your shoulder to the work of the Lord. Repair the gates and the walls.

4-Pray to God and set up a watch against the enemy day and night.

5.-Walk in the fear of God and do not enslave each other by selling each other out. Treat each other well because of the fear of God.

6.-When falsely accused, say what is true and ask God to strengthen your hands. Do not be afraid of false prophets nor respond to their manipulative words. If God has moved you to do a work, others will perceive that it is God's work and not yours. Some will like it; some won't.

7.-Put faithful men in charge. Let everyone be counted as important.

8.-Read the Word of God among the people of God. Help those listening understand the meaning. Worship and bless God for His word.

9.-Practice personal and corporate fasting; balance the time in a gathering between confession of sins, reading the word, and worship. Remind people of God's deliverance and faithfulness in the past.

10.-Covenant with God to keep His laws.

11.-Recognize that every individual is important in the work of God.

12.-Give corporate thanks to God for the accomplishment of any work He has done through your hands.

13.-Keep checking to make sure the house of God remains pure. Reassess your "Gates and Walls" and see if they need to be changed or fixed and if more help is needed to keep things in order. (Although Nehemiah demonstrated violence to the miserable offenders-cursing, striking, pulling out their hair!-I would not recommend this sort of discipline for the day and age we live in.)

Some observations:

It takes much energy to rebuild ruins and to keep the walls maintained and free from danger. It takes much watching and praying and every once in awhile, there will be great conflict to deal with. So deal with the conflict humbly and keep doing what you know is right and give God glory and don't wear yourself out by running around putting out little fires here and there, but keep the fire in the sanctuary well lit by honoring His Word and by worshipping Him.

While you are busy going about the business of the King, things may get out of hand when you are not looking. This happens easily. We may be happily doing God's work and all of a sudden realize that we should have been spending more time with our own families. But it is God's faithfulness that brings these things to light and He watches out for our blind sides and sends someone to bring attention to a wall or two that needs mending and places in our lives that need more help.

When you don't know what to do, do what you know to do, and God will show you the rest.

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