Violation

O. T. #1077  "Violation"
Oct. 10, 2017
Nehemiah 13
Remember me, O my God, ...  Nehemiah 13:16a

LET IT GLOW

Nehemiah was governor in Jerusalem for 12 years, then he returned to Persia. He stayed around 3 years. When he secured permission to return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah discovered the people were violating God's Law in 5 ways:

1. Through evil associations-no foreigner (unbeliever) was allowed in their worship, according to
     Deuteronomy 23:3-6.

• Ammonite and Moabite had opposed Israel's march to the Promised Land. (Numbers 22:1-25:18) They were descendants of Lot and his 2 daughters.
• The 2 nations had hired Balaam to curse God's people.

The correction: Israel separated from all the mixed multitude. (verse 3)

Are we spiritually separated from the wicked of this world?
Have we separated our self from those leading a wicked life?
Are we allowing the sinful behavior of others to influence us?

2. Desecrating the house of God-a need to purify, cleanse the church.

• The High Priest Eliashib converted a large storage room in the Temple, making it available for Tobiah to use.
• The 2 men were desecrating, defiling the Temple.

The correction: Nehemiah threw out all of Tobiah's belongings he ordered the rooms cleansed, purified; all the Temple items were replaced.

Is our church building set apart for praising and worshiping God and studying His Word?
Is business conducted there? Are drugs, alcohol, smoking, or dancing allowed there?
Is gossip, rumors, bitterness, or cursing allowed?
Does immodest, suggestive dress and behavior exist there?


LET IT GROW

3. Neglecting to tithe-a need to support God's House.

• The people had stopped tithing.
• The Levites had to return to secular work.

The correction: Nehemiah rebuked the officials; restored the Levites to their duties; challenged the people to renew tithing and offerings; replaced the custodians of the storeroom and appointed trustworthy men; prayed for God's help.

Are we providing for the needs of  others?
Are we giving to the mission work of our church?
Are we a faithful tither?

[Resource: The Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible]


LET IT GO

Be faithful in tithing to my church and the Lord Jesus.
Support the right activities of the church.

Walking on the Wall

O. T. #1076  "Walking on the Wall"
Oct. 9, 2017
Nehemiah 12-Part 2
God is the strength of my heart. My portion forever.  Psalm 73:26b

LET IT GLOW

We read today about the Jews walking on the wall they rebuilt around Jerusalem as part of its dedication. Are we walking on the wall, spiritually speaking? On one side is the world pulling us down and on the other side is our faith, holding us up. Which way will we lean? Will our wall of faith remain strong until the end?

Jerusalem was  growing city with new people, commerce, homes sprouting everywhere within its walls. After the population and housing crisis was resolved, the dedication of the wall around Jerusalem took place. The Jews survived the setbacks, criticisms, and challenges they faced during the reconstruction of the wall. What a change for them. The Jews responded with joy.

What took place at the dedication?

• Nehemiah sent out a special invitation to the religious leaders from the surrounding villages, the Levites, to come to Jerusalem for the preparation of the dedication celebration. They gathered and prepared. (verse 27) There would have been 284 men contacted, not by texting or phone. These men were descendants of Levi and specialists in Temple and Tabernacle activities.
• The Levite singers were to keep the dedication with gladness, with thanksgiving, with singing, and musical instruments. (verse 27)
• The priests and Levites purified themselves, the people, and he gates and the wall. (verse 30) Probably sin offerings were made.

As a worshiper and servant of Jesus Christ, do we make sacrifices?
Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 to present our bodies as a living sacrifice and our minds for renewal and transformation so we can prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Paul tells us in Hebrews 13:15 to offer Him the sacrifice of praise to God continually with thanksgiving; to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

LET IT GROW

What happened next?

• The leaders and musicians were divided into two processional groups walking on top of the wall.
• One group was led by Ezra, who walked in one direction, with music played and singing. Ty saw the results of their hard labor, the gates and the steps leading up to the city.
• The second group, led by Nehemiah, walked in the opposite direction, seeing the towers and gates built.
• The two groups met at the Temple to worship.

Walking on the top of the wall caused them to realize what a massive accomplishment they made in just 52 days. In addition, their enemy nations would have sent spies to observe the occasion. They might have thought twice before attacking as they observed the strength of the wall around Jerusalem.

Verse 40 says, So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me.

Do we give thanks to God in the House of God? How is our attitude? Is it joyful?

LET IT GO

Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good. His mercy endures forever.
Offer my sacrifice of praise unto the Lord Jesus.

Loaded with Benefits

O. T. #1075  "Loaded with Benefits"
Oct. 6, 2017
Nehemiah 12
Bless be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Psalm 68:19

LET IT GLOW

Anyone have something to rejoice about that they want to share? Has God loaded you with benefits?Feel free to share your load here with us.
We have been loaded with benefits from God.
God has brought us through a rough 12 days with my husband's knee replacement. He had sleepless nights with pain. There were days of his not being able to walk far, even with a walker. I fixed him meals and brought them to him in his chair. Not to mention the trips and hours I spent going to and from the hospital. I am thankful for the church ladies who brought us meals. I didn't realize how exhausted I was. Thank God he is getting better. The doctor said his bones were grinding down as he walked before the replacement. It was necessary.
The Israelites were loaded with benefits. That is why they could rejoice.

The first 26 verses list 6 generations of high priests in Jerusalem, from Jeshua to Jonathan. Originally, there were 24 courses of priests, with each course serving in the Temple 2 weeks per year or 1 month biannually. (MacArthur) Those were returnees with  Zerubbabel.
Also, the Levite family leaders listed here were recorded during the reign of the Persian king, Darius. Musicians were organized as prescribed by David. Verse 24 says they praised and gave thanks (to God).
Can we praise and give thanks outside the church walls?


LET IT GROW

Skip down to verse 43 and we read that on the day of the wall dedication, the worshippers offered great sacrifices and rejoiced. What else does I say?

• God had made them rejoice with great joy. (Many of those people had known slavery, or at least heard about it, in Babylon. They rebuilt the Temple, the  city of David, and their homes.)
• Women and children rejoiced, also.
• The joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

Does God amaze us with His mighty works? How merciful He is to us! He alone is worthy of our Praises!



LET IT GO

Trust in Jesus, my strong Deliverer.
Sing His praises.
Give thanks for all He has done.
Share my load of benefits.

Who Are You?

O. T. #1074  "Who Are You?"
Oct. 5, 2017
Nehemiah 11-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

Willing unknowns, behind-the-scenes servants, low-profile people, unsung heroes, a bunch of people nobody ever heard of, these are phrases Swindoll used to describe the folks in chapter 11. Why study them, since we won't remember their names? Did they make a difference at all? Did they doubt their self-worth? Did they question the value of their gifts and talents? Can we relate?

Swindoll gives us 3 helpful principles hat can encourage us during these times of self-doubt:

1. Your gift makes you valuable, if not necessarily popular. Being a leader can be a lonely, often thankless job. sometimes there is little room for failure or mistakes. and others may not notice or understand the extra time and energy you devote to your role. but God sees, and He knows your heart. The same is true of those who are gifted in an area that never reaches the spotlight.
2. Every labor done in love is remembered by God, never forgotten. Even if your public duties and private actions nobody notices, God does, so be faithful.
3. Our final reward in heaven will be determined on the basis of personal faithfulness, not public applause. God will reward you in heaven based on the pure-hearted service of your of your life, rather than according to the number of plaques, trophies, or thank-you notes you've received.

Hebrews 6:10 says, For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

I don't know about you, but I needed that. Let us keep serving and loving in Jesus' name.


LET IT GROW

What if we offer our small gifts to be used by the Lord Jesus? What if we looked around our world and saw unknowns faithfully working hard, day after day. Can we encourage them with our gratitude? Appreciate them with thank-you notes, an email or text message.

But whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark 10:43b-44.

Are we giving our life serving others?

LET IT GO
                          ...and let God.

Unnumbered, Unnamed, and Unknowns

O. T. #1073  "Unnumbered, Unnamed, and Unknown"
Oct. 4, 2017
Nehemiah 11-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Can we be counted as the unnumbered, unnamed, and unknowns with our life? Are we behind the scenes going good? Are we prayer warriors and singers that serve Jesus as the Jews did?

This chapter is filled with five groups of "willing unknowns," as Swindoll calls them in his study guide, Hand Me Another Brick, Timeless Lessons on Leadership:

1. The people who volunteered to move.
2. The people who worked within the Temple. (verses 10-12) The ministry staff was 822 in number, and unnamed. They served anonymous so God's people would be blessed as they came to worship. 
3. Those who worked outside the place of worship. (verses 15-16) This type of work involved the task of maintaining the exterior of the Temple and its grounds, as well as serving people in areas as judges and counselors
4. Those who supported the ministry through prayer. (verse 17) Unnoticed by men, but on their knees and noticed by God, their prayers kept the Temple ministry alive.
5. Those who supported the Lord with singing. (verses 22-23) They developed their gifts on the behalf of the people and praise of God. It was an unnumbered and unnamed choir.

The Jews had no song during their years of exile, but now they had the joy of the Lord as their strength.
We see God's grace and favor upon His children as they accepted the difficult challenge of moving within the city walls. This milestone unfolded the fulfillment of God's promised blessings.

LET IT GROW

Many may not have wanted to live within Jerusalem for various reasons:

• Non-Jews attached a sigma to Jerusalem residents, often excluding them from trade due to religious beliefs.
• Moving into the city meant rebuilding their homes and business, which involved time and money.
• Living in Jerusalem meant living by stricter obedience to God's Word since the Temple vicinity and social pressure.

That makes it easier to understand why only one tenth of the people moved into Jerusalem, by the casting of lots.
Are we willing to serve God outside the walls of the church? In our jobs and community we can find opportunities to share the love of Jesus. So many are hurting, brokenhearted, and abused.
Will we be the light that shines for God?

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  (Matthew 5:16)

LET IT GO

                                 ... and let the joy of the Lord Jesus be my strength.
                                  ... and let His light shine through me.

Settling In

O. T. #1072  "Settling In"
Oct. 3, 2017
Nehemiah 11


LET IT GLOW

Sometimes we get settled in  a house, community, church, way of life and do not want to move when the Lord directs us to move. I have even cried when the ministry resulted in us leaving those we learned to love as family. However, as we got settled into  new place, we formed those strong relationships there, also. Evidently, the Jews did not have any problem in settling in another place, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem had a Temple for worship and a wall around the city. What was it lacking? It needed more settlers, increasing in population and housing. For 140 years this city had lain in utter ruin after the Babylonians destruction. Most of the returnees had settled outside of Jerusalem, on their family owned land. The leaders already lived in the holy city.

What was Nehemiah's solution?

• They cast lots, noting 1 out of 10 citizens would choose to live in Jerusalem, while the rest remained in the villages and other cities. (verse 1) Lots were stones marked, so the outcome would be considered the will of God.
• Volunteers to move to Jerusalem were sought. They willingly offered themselves in verse 2.

(This meant that 90% of the people lived outside of Jerusalem.) So the descendants of various family leaders who settled in Jerusalem are recorded in verses 3-9. The names of the family leaders of Judah are listed in verses 3-6. Their descendants totaled 468. It was a great sacrifice for them to move to Jerusalem. Also, their new life involved a massive cleanup project and rebuilding the city. This included rebuilding from the ground up, homes, shops, civic buildings, and other structures.
Within the list are the sons of Perez. That name rang a bell, so I looked at Matthew 1, where the descendants of David and Jesus are listed. Sure enough, Perez was one of them listed there. Don't you love it when God's plan comes together? How important was this family of Judah, that God kept them together.

All of this clean up and redoing in Jerusalem reminds me of  the many cities effected by hurricanes, floods, and fires in our own country down through the years. Our  people banded together and did what they had to do to rebuild. Love and support has been seen  and sent to those in need. Christians rise up to the needs of their brethren. Lives are changed.  Are we a part of this?


LET IT GROW

The tribe of Benjamin family leaders are listed in verse 7-9. These descendants totaled 928 men who were led by a chief officer named Joel and his assistant Judah.
Then we read of the priestly families who settled in Jerusalem (verses 10-14). Evidently, the priests were divided into 3 groups with various tasks in the Temple. The total number was 1,192. Priestly families were committed as the priest  was devoted to the Lord and His house. The family of pastors serving in each of our communities are need of prayer and encouragement. Are we praying for them daily? They meet the same challenges of life as others do.

Did you gather that the Jews were willing and determined to serve the Lord as He led? Through relocation they served. Did they leave it up to others? No, they took the risks of enemies attacking there. Will we be the 1 out of 10 willing to go where He leads? Are we walking by faith?

Luke quotes Jesus in 14:33, So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot  be My disciple.

LET IT GO

Be careful not to get too settled in that I am not open to moving as the Lord leads in relocation.
Pray for our leaders.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

O. T. #1071 "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered"
Oct. 2, 2017
Nehemiah 10

LET IT GLOW

How is our commitment thermometer? We should check it every so often, don't you think? The community of Jews signed, sealed, and delivered theirs, renewing a covenant.

Many Israelites signed and sealed written commitment to follow God and obey His Word totally. Listed in the first 28 verses are:

• the 2 civil leaders, Nehemiah and Zedekiah;
• 21 priestly leaders (Ezra belonged to the family of Seraiah);
• 17 Levite leaders;
• and 44 political leaders;
• the res of the people who did not sign the document agreed verbally to follow it.

The returnees wanted a sworn oath from every citizen in their community to obey God's Law and Commandments. Also, if hey disobeyed, then God's curse would fall upon them.
God's Word instructs us how to live. This is how a society has peace and prosperity, being built upon God and His Word. As believers, we should desire such a society.

Paul told us in Romans13:4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

If we need hope, endurance, and comfort, we can find it within the Word of God.

LET IT GROW

This binding agreement or covenant had 6 provisions. They agreed:

1. not to marry non-Jewish neighbors (verse 30),
2. to observe the Sabbath each day (verse 31), 
3. to observe every seventh year as a Sabbath year (verse 31),
4. to pay a Temple tax (verse 32-33),
5. to supply wood for the burnt offerings in the Temple (verse 34), and
6. to give dues to the Temple (verses 35-38).

How is our faith, obedience, holiness, and devotion to God and His Word?

LET IT GO

Advise the younger generation to on marry believers.
Observe Sunday as the Lord's Day and set it aside to worship Him.
Give my tithe to the church.
Aide in supplying the needs of the church.
Stay devoted to God's Word, studying and applying.