Tag: Nehemiah

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Great work

These Fridays are just rolling around with what seems to be ridiculous speed.  Three weekends are past and this ends the 4 week.  7 segments of seven remain for the year. Including today 49 Friday’s are left in this container we call a year.

This week I was listening to Andy Stanley’s new year new you 2014 message.  This was his message to encourage people to continue their transformations in 2014.  during that talk he mention the story on Nehemiah, who if you don’t recall traveled to a destroyed Jerusalem to restore his people.  When he arrived he began to fervently rebuild the city’s wall.  This was his focus.  His task.  His mission.  He didn’t waver, he didn’t allow others to sidetrack him.  In a humorous response, when asked to meet with some local dignitaries he responded multiple times with these words

“I’m doing a great work; I can’t come down.” Nehemiah 6:3

As we end this week and take out another marble, remember those words.  You are doing a great work.  Stay focused on your tasks.  Keep going.  Don’t get sidetracked, and don’t allow things that are not moving your along to become your focus.  And maybe, just maybe we should learn this second lesson from Nehemiah.  He leaned on the Creator.

I prayed, “Give me strength.” Nehemiah 6:9

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Jump-Start

Man, it must be car problem week!  On this chilly morning, I went out to start-up the ol’ truck and no go.  Fortunately, there was still someone around to jump me off.  But for some reason I bet I will be stuck in the parking garage late this afternoon. (Any one want to go ahead and schedule a jump-start?)

But, it makes for easy material!  Like this:

Do you even feel like battery is low and you need a jump-start?  Check this out:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,    the Maker of heaven and earth. Ps 121:1-2 NIV

OR

How many times do you wake up in the morning and can’t get your battery cranking?  Well Remember this:

This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

Yeah, I know.  So… cheesy!   But the message there is not – not at all.  So,  keep it going today, remember He was not broken for nothing.  Get out their and “light someone’s candle” (or should I say – give someone a jump-start !! 🙂 )!

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Strengthen My Hands

Over the last few weeks, the preacher at my church has been doing his stuff from the lesser known book of Nehemiah.  A book about a guy who gets compelled to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and becomes very very focused on his mission.

Well, in this story, there are of course, enemies, and detractors.  Those detractors constantly beat on him with words, taunts, threats, and other mischief.  Just think about them like the Occupy movement. But instead of killing the grass at your local courthouse, consider if those guys where camped, well, on you.  And the fact is, we all have detractors that are camped on us. It may not be a person, it may be an idea, or a habit, or thought pattern, or behavior.  But there is it is day after day, wearing you down.

And so, during his spiel last Sunday my eyes wandered over to this one verse in Nehemiah, as he responds to an advance from his detractors.

 9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”

   But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” Nehemiah 6:9 New International Version (NIV)

Do you ever feel like that?  Do you ever feel like those detractors our hoping that you will get too weak and not complete your task?  Well maybe today it’s time to borrow Nehemiah’s prayer.

“Now strengthen my hands.”

 

 

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Peanuts or Cashews Anyone?

Alright! Today is Grab Some Nuts Day.  If you have some cashews or peanuts or pecans handy – reach out and grab some and read the rest of this always surprising post.  And speaking of surprises and nuts, did you know that almonds and pistachios are the only nuts mentioned in the Bible?

I am a little bummed that I missed Ice Cream Sandwiches Day yesterday, so here is a link to a post earlier this year about those delicious deserts.  Evidently yesterday was also Wi-Fi day (8.02.11 b/g/n/n+), and so the geek inside of me is double sad about that.

And all of that reminds me of this fascinating verse in Nehemiah

10Nehemiah told the people, ” Enjoy your good food and wine and share some with those who didn’t have anything to bring. Don’t be sad! This is a special day for the LORD, and he will make you happy and strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

or maybe the ending in some other versions is better:

Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” NIV

So, on this nutty day, eats some nuts, and maybe an ice cream sandwich. In fact – share them! And as always remember that the joy that comes from the Lord provides you incredible, but probably not edible, strength.

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On your feet! Bless God, your God, for ever and ever!

Sometimes kids say the funniest things.  While on a field trip with the 4th Grade this week, one of the boys said he was feeling sick.  I ask him if he was sick of the games, or sick sick.  His reply was classic:

The last time I felt this way it was bad. Pants were full, stomach empty, undigested food everywhere.

With that I counted my blessings  and moved along.

So anyway, as you move closer to Thanksgiving, lets be thankful for empty pants, full stomachs and that wonderful blessing that food is everywhere!!!  And praise like these man of faith from our history:

4-5 A group of Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the platform and cried out to God, their God, in a loud voice. The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, “On your feet! Bless God, your God, for ever and ever!”

5-6 Blessed be your glorious name,
exalted above all blessing and praise! You’re the one,
God, you alone; You made the heavens,
the heavens of heavens, and all angels; The earth and everything on it,
the seas and everything in them; You keep them all alive;
heaven’s angels worship you! (Nehemiah 9:5-6, The Message)

Check out the whole of Nehemiah 9.