Testimony Concerning the Son of God

1 John 5:6-12 (NLT)

6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7 So we have these three witnesses— 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree.9 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.
11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

We have been talking about our testimony, our faith story. These verses contain God's testimony about His Son, Jesus. Jesus was baptized in water. He shed His blood on the cross and the Holy Spirit confirms these are true. God has given us eternal life through His Son, but without Jesus we face eternal separation from God.
I pray, friend, that if you do not know Jesus, you will seek out someone to share His story with you today. If you do know Jesus, I pray you will seek out someone with whom to share His story.
Write out your heart's prayer.

Overcoming the World

1 John 5:1-5 (NLT)

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

In verse 4, John talks about our victory and how we overcome the world. Revelation 12:11 says that when the time comes for Satan to be thrown down, it will be said of the followers of Jesus Christ that we overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
The word testimony, as used in scripture, refers to our own personal story about our relationship with Jesus. it is truth and no one can challenge it because it is our own personal experience with our Savior. It might be the story of  how we came to know Him or how He has taken care of us. it also could be a story of how we have trusted Him or suffered for Him. Our testimony is the story of our faith journey.
Write a prayer asking God to give you opportunities to share your testimony.

God is Love

1 John 4:7-21 (NLT)

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.

What are some of the things you learned about love in this passage?
Write a prayer asking the Lord to help you love like He does. Be specific about times when it is hard for you to show love.  Thank Him for the people who love you and the people you love.

Test the Spirits

Remember to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you as you read this passage.

1 John 4:1-6 (NLT)

4 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet[a] acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

After you read through the passage, write down some of the things you learned. Then, write a prayer to the Lord expressing your thoughts about the passage.

Love One Another

1 John 3:11-24

New Living Translation (NLT)

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.14 If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. 16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.23 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

In verse 23, what does John say we are commanded by God to do?

John wants us to understand that if we see our brother or sister in need and we have the ability to meet their need, we should take care of them.

Who do you know who is in need?

Write a prayer asking God to meet this person's need and ask Him to show you how to be a part of helping them.

Children of God

1 John 2:28-3:10 (NLT)

28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.

3 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.
7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

According to this passage, how has God shown unconditional love for you?

How do you feel about being a child of God?

Sometimes, it is hard for us to relate to God as our Heavenly Father, because we may not have had a good relationship with our earthly father. We need to remember that our earthly fathers are not perfect, but our Heavenly Father is perfect. Our Heavenly Father loved us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins. Our Heavenly Father wants to spend eternity with us.

Write a prayer of praise to God for being your Heavenly Father.

Warning Against Antichrists

Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart today as you delve into the Word of God.

1 John 2:18-27 (NLT)

18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.20 But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. 22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. 23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. 25 And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

John was concerned that the followers of Jesus were going to be deceived by people teaching lies. What does John call these people who are spreading lies?

We need to understand there are people in the world today who are still telling lies about Jesus. We need to pray and ask the Lord to help us stay very close to Him through His Word and prayer. We can trust that because we have the Holy Spirit, He will help us to know when we hear false teaching. We do not need to learn another way. We already know that salvation only comes through Jesus Christ.

Write out the prayer of your heart.

Do Not Love the World

1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

John wants us to understand that this world and all of its pleasures and treasures are going to pass away.

What 3 things does he specifically say are in the world?

Who does he say will abide forever?

Write a prayer asking God to help you to love living according to His will and not make false gods out of worldly things.

A New Commandment

Before you read, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through God's Word today.

1 John 2:7-14 (NLT)

7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

12 I am writing to you who are God’s children
    because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.[c]
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith[d]
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
    because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children
    because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
    because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
    because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
    and you have won your battle with the evil one.

What is the commandment John is referring to?

What is the evidence of someone walking in the light?

What is the evidence of someone walking in the darkness?

Write a prayer confessing to the Lord the people you have a hard time loving. Ask God to fill your heart with love for those people ad then trust Him to shine His light through you.

Christ Our Advocate

1 John 2:1-6 (NLT)

2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

An advocate is one who pleads the cause of another. How does it make you feel when you think of Jesus pleading your case before God the Father? Jesus Christ is the sacrifice that atones for the sins of all the people in the whole world. It is important for us to remember that Jesus came for all people. It is hard sometimes to want our enemies to be saved., but truly God longs for all people to have a relationship with Him. No sin is too big for God to forgive.

What do you think it means to walk like Jesus walked?

Where do you think we get our instructions for walking like Jesus walked?

Write a prayer telling God how this passage makes you feel.

Walking in the Light

Remember to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you read God’s Word.

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

What important lesson did you learn from this passage?

Did you notice how John used the words light and darkness to compare knowing Jesus to being eternally separated from Jesus? Read the passage one more time and look for the comparisons. What does verse 7 say will happen if we walk in the light?

Are you walking in the light? Write a prayer thanking God for the forgiveness of your sins.

Developing Disciples

1 John 1:1-4 (NLT)

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

Dear Reader, For the next 13 days, we are going to embark on a journey of discipleship together specifically through the book of 1 John. At the end of each day's blog, I will give us a prompt for writing out a prayer. Will you commit to joining me in this journey? Will you ask a friend to join you? Time in God's Word alone and with friends is never wasted. ~Christy

We know John who wrote the book of 1 John was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus called Apostles. He followed Jesus and knew Jesus personally. He saw Jesus crucified and even cared for Jesus' mother after His death on the cross. He also saw Jesus after the resurrection. Therefore, John was an eyewitness of Jesus. John wanted others to know about Jesus so they could know Him, too.
As disciples or followers of Jesus, there are two things we should keep as priorities: our own discipleship and the discipleship of others. We want to continue to grow in Christ and get to know Him better and better. We will not know Christ fully until we get to heaven, but the more we study His Word and spend time in prayer, the more of Himself and His ways He will reveal to us.
Write out a prayer devoting the next 13 days to growing in Christ through the book of 1 John. These exercises in the Word are sure to prove beneficial in our own lives. Ask the Lord if there is someone you could ask to come along on the journey with you. Ask God to give you the courage to invite them to grow with you.

Nehemiah's Return

Nehemiah 13:6-12 (NLT)

6 I was not in Jerusalem at that time, for I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign, though I later asked his permission to return. 7 When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib’s evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God. 8 I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah’s belongings out of the room. 9 Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense.
10 I also discovered that the Levites had not been given their prescribed portions of food, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields. 11 I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, “Why has the Temple of God been neglected?” Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties.12 And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms.

Once Nehemiah returned to Persia, things began going down hill. The people in Jerusalem fell into sin. It took Nehemiah'r return to get them started again on the right track with their LORD. It makes me think of revival meetings, summer camps, or periods of in-depth Bible Study. When we get away from the accountability or the spiritual high, it is easy for us to fall back into our old ways. As we finish up with the book of Nehemiah, will you be so bold as to ask the Lord what old patterns of behavior you have fallen back into? The Holy Spirit is fully capable of exposing current sins that you had previously confessed and for a time left behind. Expect to be sickened when you realize where you have slipped up. Expect to feel God's love and forgiveness when you repent and turn away from them. Be careful not to fall into a pattern of defending your sins; just go ahead and own up to the weaknesses. Defensiveness and denial will only delay the process. Remember it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance!

Nehemiah's Fulfillment

Nehemiah 12:27-30, 43 (NLT)

27 For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites. 29 They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem. 30 The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

43 Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.

Isn't it fulfilling when you see something you have been called to do come to completion and function as it was intended to function? Nehemiah's call to go to Jerusalem and build the wall had faced days of victory and days of opposition, but all along he remained faithful...he stayed the course...he endured...he finished, but not in his own strength. He finished because God, the One who called him, equipped him and provided for the project.
This blog is dedicated to the 19 members of the Honduras mission team who will set out Wednesday morning from Tullahoma, TN, and travel to a small village just outside San Pedro Sula. You will assuredly see victories and perhaps some opposition. Through it all, you will know the certainty of God's call, provision, equipping, and anointing. Your Lord will use you to do something much bigger than you are! I am so excited to hear all about it. And to the one special girl in my life who had to make the big decision to follow God and stay home at the last minute, I know you, too, will be blessed for your obedience and faithfulness. I admire how your ears are tuned to hear His still small voice. I am inspired by your ability to conform your own will to your Lord and Master's will. I cannot wait to hear how He is going to use you right here. You will understand it better by and by! Safe travels and God speed to all of you...much love to you and to those to whom you will minister!
Dear Reader, In whatever task you find yourself called to accomplish, trust God's call, trust God's equipping, trust God's provision, trust God's anointing, and don't forget to dedicate the finished product.

Nehemiah's Vow

Nehemiah 10:28-29 (NLT)

28 Then the rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the Law of God, together with their wives, sons, daughters, and all who were old enough to understand— 29 joined their leaders and bound themselves with an oath. They swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law of God as issued by his servant Moses. They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the Lord our Lord:

I think we have witnessed revival among the Jews who returned from exile. Did you notice their fresh zeal for living holy lives? They confessed their sins, worshiped, praised, and prayed, but before all that they separated themselves. Here are somethings for us to think about:
~The light of the world lives inside us. It is our calling to let our lights shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Matt. 5:16
~We can't shine our light in the world if we are not out living for Jesus in the world. If we isolate ourselves, people won't see the light of Jesus. As a matter of fact, we can isolate ourselves so much that people get the idea that Jesus is not interested in a personal relationship with them.
~God dealt with the Jews as a nation. God deals with us as individuals. Our world, our nation, our friends, and our family may not separate themselves in order to obey the Law of God, but we are still called to put aside worldliness and pursue Christ-likeness.
Jesus prayed in John 17 for us not that we would be taken out of the world, but that we would be protected from the evil one. Let's be careful that we don't shelter ourselves to the point of shunning the lost, but rather, be separate that the light of Jesus in us may shine brightly. Remember: all have sinned. "All" includes "Us"...aren't you glad someone came into the darkness of your life and let you see the light of Jesus? If you are struggling with being separate, just do what the Jews in our passage did. Confess your sins, worship your Lord, and make a fresh commitment to honor Him in all you do.

Nehemiah and the People's Confession

Nehemiah 9:1-5 (NLT)

9 On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3 They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the stairway of the Levites and cried out to the Lord their God with loud voices.

5 Then the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—called out to the people: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!” Then they prayed:

“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!

Galatians 3:29 tells us, if we belong to Christ, we are the true children of Abraham. We are his heirs and God's promise to Abraham belongs to us. That makes the Israelites, God's choses people, our spiritual ancestors. In this passage from Nehemiah 9, we find our spiritual ancestors confessing their sins. They had already stood for 3 hours listening to the Law being read before 3 hours of confessing and worship began. Then, they stood to praise the Lord and began to pray on behalf of themselves and their ancestors. This is powerful! When was the last time you stood for the reading of the Word or to actually read the Word? This may seem unusual, but I want to ask us to stand (privately of course) and read aloud to yourself and to your Lord the prayer these people prayed. Some things will strike a chord in you for you will relate to their struggles, their disobedience, and their blessings. You will recognize in God's nature toward them His nature toward you. You will see Jesus more clearly as you realize their Messiah had not yet come. You will be blessed! I pray you will press pass the awkwardness, take God's Word in your hands, and stand to your feet to honor and praise the Lord by reading aloud to Him Nehemiah 9:6-37. May His presence be very real to you!

Nehemiah's Examination and Explanation of the Word

Nehemiah 8:1-8 (NLT)

8 1 all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.

2 So on October 8[a] Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. 3 He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.
6 Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.

Sometimes what we need most is for someone who understands more about the scriptures than us to explain them to us. Chapter 8 is very rich, but most of all this stands out to me that the Levites read from the Book of the Law and explained the passages to the people. Then the next day, the family leaders, priests and Levites met with Ezra to study the Law in greater detail. It is my conviction that we never out grow the need to be discipled and likewise, that we are never too young or old spiritually to be involved in discipling someone else. As babes, our testimony is fresh and delightful because of our new found love, forgiveness, and fellowship with Jesus.  Elders of the faith are rich in wisdom and experience which we can glean and apply to our own journey. Believer, do not make the mistake of no longer putting yourself in the position to be taught or thinking you no longer need to be a student. With that, do not opt out of opportunities to pour into those who are younger than you in the faith. Don't fall for the enemy's lie that you do not have anything worth sharing. You are only left with nothing to share if you have been forgoing your own time alone with the Lord in His Word. Make time for the Lord! Make time for the Word! Make time for others!

Nehemiah's Census

Nehemiah 7:4-5 (NLT)

4 At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt. 5 So my God gave me the idea to call together all the nobles and leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. 

I find it interesting that Nehemiah gave God credit for the idea of registering the people. This man was obviously gifted in the area of organization. He documented all of the different families and groups who returned from exile and noted how many people there were...a total of 42,360 returned to Judah in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers. Why does it matter? I do not know except that I believe the Lord God our Creator has proven time and time again that He is in the details and He prefers order. Nehemiah knew the idea was from God so he followed through in obedience.
What idea has God given you? Do you question the purpose? Are you afraid of what others will say about it? Don't be afraid to follow your heart and proceed with your God given idea. He may reveal its purpose to you later, but maybe not. All you have to be concerned with is following through in obedience.
Recently, I have had the opportunity to work on a project that is an idea God gave a friend and me. There is no research to prove that our idea will be successful. We will never have statistics that rate its effectiveness. Nevertheless, we know God gave us the idea. So we have poured our hearts into it. Today, I spoke with another friend who put our design together. I said to her, "You have invested as much as I did." To which she said, "We want to give our best!" For notoriety? No. For applause? No. We were only the tools God used to create and transport His idea to the people He wanted to reach. What a joy to be a part!

Nehemiah's Resolve

Nehemiah 6:1-4 (NLT)

6 Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps remained—though we had not yet set up the doors in the gates. 2 So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages[a] in the plain of Ono.But I realized they were plotting to harm me, 3 so I replied by sending this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?”4 Four times they sent the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.

I hope you are taking time to read the entire chapter each day and not just the passage I post, because I know there are many more things to be gleaned than what simply stands out to me. I don't want you to miss exactly what the Lord has for you in His Word.
The thing that stands out most to me is Nehemiah's resolve. In fact, I almost titled this blog "Nehemiah's Opposition," but I realized that was to focus on the negative and I want to focus on the positive. Nehemiah was resolved not to be threatened or intimidated by the opposition. He did not stop to listen to the opposition.  He did not slow down or make time for the opposition. He did not give credit to the opposition. Nehemiah stayed the course. He focused and worked even harder on the task of completing the wall. The Voice he heard was stronger than the voice of his enemies. God gave Nehemiah discernment to recognize the attacks and schemes of the enemy.
Application? Well, what is intimidating you today? It might me time for you and me, too, to call it what it is..."the voice of the enemy." Is it time we stop listening, stop making time, and stop giving credit to our opposition? We can ask God to forgive us for letting our enemy interrupt our pursuit of accomplishing His will and we can ask for a fresh resolve. It's okay to pray something like, "Father, I know you gave me the plan long ago and I've gotten side tracked. Would you reaffirm your plan and help me get back to work?" He is eager for us to be in His will. He will answer your prayer!
Friend, the more I type, the more I sense this is personal for some. Let me say this...the Lord does have plans for you. Maybe that seems foreign to you right now, but do not be discouraged. Ask Him with all your heart to show you. Ask Him even today to direct your steps and make you aware of His plan for you this day. You are not cast off. He will use you for something bigger than yourself. Be careful of looking for it to be big in the eyes of others for God's perspective is different than our human perspective. What we think is glorious and what God considers glorious are very different things. I love being on this journey with you!

Nehemiah's Example

Nehemiah 5:6-7, 14-19 (NLT)

6 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. 7 After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, “You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.

14 For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. 15 The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.

16 I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall. 17 I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands! 18 The provisions I paid for each day included one ox, six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of poultry. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. Yet I refused to claim the governor’s food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden.

19 Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.

Again in Chapter 5, Nehemiah stands out as a strong leader. When he heard some of the nobles and officials were charging their relatives high interest and making it hard for them to get by financially, Nehemiah met with the lenders instructing them to repay what they had charged in interest. The lenders were quick to agree and make restoration. Nehemiah also modeled being a servant leader in the way he handled his own affairs. He chose not to draw from his food allowance and refused to acquire any land while he was serving in Judah.
Sometimes it's hard to think right off of how this kind of situation applies to our lives. Let's ask the Lord, "Is there some person or group of people for whom I should speak up? How can I better model being a good steward of my resources?" God is eager to use us as examples in our world. He will answer us and lead us in paths of righteousness.

Nehemiah's defense

Nehemiah 4:1-5 (NLT)

4 Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”
4 Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! 5 Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.”

Arm yourselves and prepare for battle, but keep on working until the job is complete. There will be scoffers and mockers...you can count on it. And the workers are bound to go through a time of grumbling and complaining. We, too, can remember Nehemiah's words of encouragement for they are just as true today. First, in verse 14, "Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." Second, in verse 18, "When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!"
When we become discouraged because of scoffers and because our workers are grumbling, we loose time on the project. It is important for us to remember the project belongs to the Lord whether we are cleaning our house, shopping for groceries, rebuilding relationships, or decorating for Vacation Bible School. Anything we do has potential to glorify our Lord. Attitude and determination are key. Nehemiah went straight to the Lord in prayer when he realized what he was up against, we should too. Hang in there and see that the Lord is fighting for you! 

Nehemiah's team

Nehemiah 3:5 (NLT)

5 Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.

Thirty-two verses make up chapter 3 and I could only find one negative statement in the whole chapter. The verses form a listing of the different people who participated in the rebuilding of the wall and what part of the wall they rebuilt. What a great team! What a huge accomplishment! I sure would hate to be one of the people from Tekoa with a special note beside their name because their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors. They got to participate in the project, but their negative attitudes will be read about until the end of time as we know it. Let us learn from their mistake...
This is the time of year for team work! Summer affords us many opportunities for service...Vacation Bible School, Camps, Mission Projects, weddings, outdoor parties and group activities... Let's decide together that we are not going to be like the Tekoans. We do not want to be labeled as "doesn't work well with others." We want our names to be remembered for our contribution to the project and for our team spirit. I don't know about you, but I am loving all of this practical application from Nehemiah. Just one word of caution: Expect to be challenged in this area. Make your plan now to act like Jesus when the challenge comes. Praise Him for opportunities to represent Him in your world!

Nehemiah's Evaluation and Presentation

We will come right back to Saturday in the Psalms after we finish Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 2:11-20 (NLT)

11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later, 12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding. 13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. 14 Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble. 15 So, though it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.16 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. 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 set out with the king's permission, letters requesting safe passage, and instructions allowing him to cut all the timber he needed for the project. Three days later, he arrived in Jerusalem escorted by army officers and horsemen. At first, Nehemiah treated his mission as a low key operation slipping out alone in the night to assess the situation. We pick up with him, when he finally was ready to approach the Jews and tell them why he came. Notice how carefully he addressed them..."what trouble WE are in"..."let US rebuild." He also explained how the Lord's hand had been with him thus far. The people were eager to begin the project of rebuilding the wall.
This guy is so impressive. He did not show up and tell them what he thought THEY ought to do. He stepped into the situation and met them right where they were. It wasn't as though the Jews did not already know the wall was destroyed. They just needed someone to take the lead, provide some resources and get them going. Let me apologize right off if what I am about to say offends... Friends, we need to be careful when it comes to deciding what the Lord wants others to do. We don't need to play the prophet if we aren't willing to get involved in the project and get our own hands dirty. Now, let's turn this around and make it positive. What has God been showing you that needs to be done? How has God equipped you to do it? If you have the vision and the resources...well, you are probably the one to get-r-done! And you know what? You are the one who will receive the blessing!

Nehemiah's Answer

Nehemiah 2:2-5 (NLT)

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.”

In chapter 1, Nehemiah ended his prayer by requesting of the Lord, "Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me." It was 4-5 months later when that petition was answered and the king inquired about Nehemiah's sad countenance. Still, he was thoughtful of the Jews in Jerusalem. Still, he was waiting for the Lord to answer. He had not dismissed the situation. It was still fresh to him. He owned it.
I will be very truthful with you...at this moment it is hard to decide which path to take for application. I can give our hands a spiritual swat for dismissing things and not sticking with them until they are prayed through. Or I can say (and I believe this is what our Lord has for us today) that God still sees the matter of your heart. He sees the concern on your face even when you are able to hide it from others. He is right there with you when you are alone and you let the tears flow freely. Continue to ask Him for favor. Ask Him to make a Nehemiah out of you. There is hope!

Nehemiah's Prayer

Nehemiah 1:4-11 (ESV)

Nehemiah's Prayer

4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants,confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
Now I was cupbearer to the king.

I hope you will take the time to read Nehemiah's prayer carefully. I wonder if you will be as amazed as I was to see how this man so quickly got involved by inquiring, by praying, by confessing, and by volunteering to help. In the few verses prior to his prayer, Nehemiah asked a visitor how the Jews were faring who had escaped and survived the exile. As soon as he found out they were not doing well and the city wall had been destroyed, Nehemiah immediately wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed. Seriously? I'd have called a couple friends to say, "Have you heard how bad it is over in Jerusalem?" It might have been days before the Holy Spirit got my attention enough to remind me I should be praying for them. Hopefully, not days, but you understand what I mean...right? Or am I the only one? I don't know if my mourning, fasting, and praying matches up to my inquiring. And I'm sure my volunteering to get involved and help doesn't match up. Wow! I need to be much more like Nehemiah and not so much like....well...like me!
We are going to spend the next couple weeks going through Nehemiah's story together. Hang on with me and let's see how much we can learn from this enthusiastic man of God!