Podcasts about when nehemiah

Episode 120 – Perfectly Quiet – The Intertestamental Period 6 Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The goal of Anchored by Truth is to encourage everyone to grow in the Christian faith by anchoring themselves to the secure truth found in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God. Script: How can a grown man be born again?” Nicodemus asked. “He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!” “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again.” The Gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 4 through 7, Good News Translation ******** VK: Hello. I’m Victoria K. Welcome to another episode of Anchored by Truth. Today we are continuing our look at “The Intertestamental Period.” The intertestamental period is the 400 to 450 year period that elapsed between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. It’s a very important period in overall Biblical history but we suspect it’s one of the least studied. I’m in the studio today with RD Fierro, author and Founder Crystal Sea Books. RD, why do you think the intertestamental period receives so little attention even from people who are faithful students of the Bible? RD: Greeting to all the Anchored by Truth listeners. If you are joining us here today for the first time we’d like thank you and invite you to keep checking us out. If you’ve heard Anchored by Truth before, thank you for coming back. We know that your continuing interest in our show marks you as someone who is serious in knowing the Bible. Much of the material that we discuss on Anchored by Truth requires thought and concentration and we know that in today’s hectic world that’s not always easy to come by. VK: Amen. RD: Anyway, I think you’re right that the intertestamental period may be the period of Biblical history that receives the least attention today. The biggest reason it doesn’t is because no books were being added to the canon of scripture during that time – between the testaments. And even for those who accept the Apocrypha as canonical there was still a gap during which no new material was being added to scripture. Because we normally focus our time on scripture itself we tend not to think very much about what happened outside of scripture, especially since we’re talking about events that all occurred over 2,000 years ago. VK: But you believe that those events that happened over 2,000 years ago are still important in our lives today. Why is that? RD: Well, let me answer that question with a question. What is God’s will for every one of his children? VK: That’s an easy one. God wants us all to be holy. 1 Peter 1:16 says “the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” I know a lot of people spend a lot of time wondering what God’s will is for their lives. Usually, they’re thinking about what to study in school, what job to take, or whether to get married. And those are important questions. But, when it comes down to it, the only goal that scripture states for all of our lives is for us to be holy. RD: Very good answer. VK: Thank you. RD: And the next question is how do we go about becoming holy? VK: Well, I suppose two verses spring to mind. The Gospel of Mark, chapter 12 verses 30 and 31 where Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” RD: Again, that’s a very good answer. And I might add John 4:24. “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” In Mark Jesus is talking to someone who is referred to as a “scribe” or “a teacher of the law” – in other words a religious expert at the time. In Mark 12:28, the scribe has asked Jesus which of the commandments is the most important and, after reminding the scribe that there is only one God, Jesus replies with the commandment to love that God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. A lot of people today forget about the “mind” part. Then in John 4:24 Jesus in talking with the Samaritan woman at the well Jesus says that we must worship God in “spirit and in truth.” It would be hard to know the truth if we don’t use our minds. The point of all this is that for us to be holy (which is God’s will for all of our lives) we have to use not only our hearts and strength, but also our minds. Well, one of the things we need to be doing with our minds is not only reading scripture but doing our best to understand what we are reading. VK: So, your point is that there are many events that happened over 2,000 years ago that affected, or directly applied to, the content of our current Bibles. Some of those events occurred during the intertestamental period. So, if we don’t have some understanding of those periods historically we are automatically placing limits on our understanding of some parts of scripture. RD: Right. I’m not saying we have to turn everyone into a Bible historian. I’m certainly not. But I am saying that as we progress through our Christian lives, in order to be obedient to Christ’s command to the scribe and the Samaritan woman, we need to grow in our understanding of not only the Bible, but also the times in which the Bible was set. VK: And we need to do that because our times and cultures are quite different from the times and cultures that in which the Bible was written. The Bible tells us not be “unequally yoked” but very, very few modern Bible readers have ever had to put a yoke on themselves or an animal, for that matter. But we at least need to have a basic understanding of how yokes were used in Biblical times for us to see how that commandment should apply in our own lives. RD: Once again, that’s a great illustration. VK: And again, thank you. So, one of the biggest reasons we have undertaken this series on the intertestamental period is to make it a little easier for our listeners, who truly do want to improve their understanding of the Bible, achieve their goal. We’re doing the research and putting the research into a package that they can consume easily and share easily. RD: Exactly right. Back to the verse from 1 Peter where Peter starts off the encouragement part of his letter by reminding his readers of Leviticus 11:44 and Leviticus 19:2. Peter is writing his letter to a widely separated group of believers – believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Those are regions in modern day Turkey and they cover a lot of territory. Peter intends for his letter to be widely circulated. So, after some introductory comments Peter starts off by reminding his readers that God’s will for their lives, for all our lives, is for them to be holy. This is particularly important to remind them because Peter’s readers are being subjected to a great deal of persecution. VK: Like many believers are today. RD: Like many believers are today - and Peter doesn’t want them to give up their faith. Peter wants them, and us, to persevere. So, he starts off his encouragement by reminding them that God wants them to persistent in their efforts to be holy and he reminds them that the basis for this admonition is because God Himself is holy. VK: But, in reminding his readers of God’s holiness, Peter is actually reminding them that God is on their side. He’s not trying to act as some sort of “conduct policeman.” What Peter is actually reminding his readers, is that God is on their side. God is so much on their side that God wants them to be clearly identified with Him through their lives and behavior. Right? RD: Right. Peter is reminding his readers, and all of us, that God is very well aware of all the temptations and persecutions that come into their lives. But God doesn’t abandon them in those temptations and persecutions. God remains with His people and because God is with His people He knows how tempting it can be for us to give up “fighting the good fight.” VK: There is no more foundational comfort for a Christian than Deuteronomy 4:31 where God tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. RD: I agree. So, the foundation for God telling His people to “be holy” and to love Him will their hearts, souls, strength, and minds is that His people belong to Him and not to the world or the forces of the world. This, not coincidentally, is a lesson that we can see clearly from God’s supernatural preservation of His people during the 450 years of the intertestamental period. VK: I like how you brought our discussion back to the intertestamental period we’ve been talking about. RD: Thank you. I try. VK: What you’re saying is that the Jews in Palestine during the intertestamental period would have had every reason to be discouraged. They had just endured decades of exile from their homeland. Even after the exile ended and some returned home, they returned home to an impoverished and desolate set of cities, towns, and fields. Even back in their homeland they were surrounded by hostile actors who would happily have destroyed them if they could. When Nehemiah arrived to lead an effort to restore the walls of Jerusalem, the workers were constantly harassed. They were threatened so much they had to keep their weapons with them at all times. And even after they rebuilt the walls and the temple, neither had the grandeur they had known formally. The truth was it would have been very easy for the Jews of that time to give up and leave or at least give up what made them distinctive – their faith. But they didn’t give up their faith. And neither should we during times of trial. RD: Exactly. But while the Jews had not given up their faith during the intertestamental period, as Jesus exchange with Nicodemus in our opening scripture illustrates errors had crept into the Jews understanding and practice of their faith. This was also illustrated by the exchange Jesus had with the Sadducees that we talked about in our last episode of Anchored by Truth. VK: Last time we discussed the incident where the Sadducees tried to trick Jesus with the woman-married-to-seven-brothers question that is related in Matthew, chapter 22, verses 25 through 28 and in Mark, chapter 12 and Luke, chapter 20. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection so they had developed this trick question about a woman who was married to 7 different brothers in accordance with the Jewish requirement that a younger brother marry the widow of an older brother. The Sadducees tried to illustrate that believing in the resurrection created questions that were impossible to answer - like whose wife the widow would be after the resurrection. RD: Right. But, of course, the Sadducees couldn’t trick Jesus. Instead Jesus pointed out that their own scriptures proved that the resurrection was real by quoting the scripture that described Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush. So, both the exchange with the Sadducees and Jesus’ exchange with Nicodemus showed that, even though the Jews had preserved their faith during the intertestamental period, errors had crept into their understanding of the content of their faith. In the case of the Sadducees they had begun to deny a fundamental doctrine of their faith – that there was life after death and that the life after death would be physical not merely spiritual. VK: And we don’t really know why the Sadducees had come to reject the doctrine of the resurrection do we? RD: Not precisely, no. But I think we can make some informed speculation. Let’s remember that the Sadducees and the Pharisees were kind of like political parties that had arisen during the intertestamental period. For over 200 years during the intertestamental period Palestine had been ruled by one group of Greeks or another. The Greeks actively promoted their language, culture, and ideas in the territories they controlled. This process was called “Hellenization.” Well, one of the ideas that pervaded Greek philosophy was the idea that the immaterial part of human beings, the spirit or soul, was far superior to the fleshly part. The Greeks largely thought of the spirit as good and the body as evil. So, to the Greeks the spirit needed to be liberated from the body and for some they thought of death as accomplishing this liberation. VK: The notion that the spirit is good but the body is evil is completely foreign to the Christian faith, isn’t it. When God had finished His creative activity on the 6th day he pronounced everything He had created “very good.” So, this pronouncement included both man’s body and spirit. Christianity and Judaism regard human beings as body-spirit unities with both parts having been originally created good. Right? RD: Right. And the Christian hope of resurrection is a physical resurrection just as Jesus was physically resurrected after he had been in the tomb. Jesus walked around, interacted with His disciples, ate and cooked food, and invited Thomas to touch His body to cure his doubts. The Christian faith believes in a physical resurrection though not in bodies that have been corrupted by sin, but in glorified, physical bodies like the one Jesus obviously possessed after He walked out of the tomb. Well, during the intertestamental period the Sadducees may have been heavily influenced by the Greeks ideas that were circulating in Palestine as a result of the Hellenization. The Sadducees as a party seemed to have been much more willing to embrace the process of Hellenization than the Pharisees like Nicodemus. VK: The Pharisees seem to have been the party within Israel that resisted Hellenization. The Pharisees seemed to have been far more interested in preserving their original culture and religion. As such, the Pharisees embraced the entire body of what we call the Old Testament as scripture whereas the Sadducees only believed that the first five books of the Old Testament were authoritative. So, after the intertestamental period when Jesus was conducting His earthly ministry the Pharisees did believe in the resurrection. But based on the exchange between Nicodemus and Jesus apparently some errors had crept into their understanding also. It’s just that their errors were different from the errors of the Sadducees. RD: Yes. The Sadducees were wrong about the existence of life after death, especially physical life. Since they didn’t believe in the resurrection at all they had no interest or questions in how such a resurrection could be accomplished. The Pharisees, such as Nicodemus, did believe in the resurrection but apparently even a Pharisee as knowledgeable as Nicodemus had questions. In particular, Nicodemus seems to have wondered about the means by which the resurrection would be achieved. Nicodemus seemed to have a good understanding of the ends but not the means. So, wisely, he brought his questions to Jesus because as Nicodemus acknowledged at the beginning of their interview Nicodemus knew Jesus had come from God. VK: So, we get some great lessons from this exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus. First, we learn that even people who are respected leaders and mature in their faith can still have questions and that’s ok. It’s okay to have questions and when we do it makes sense to go find people we think can help us find answers. We also learn that God is willing to provide us with teachers if we are sincere in wanting to grow in our understanding. Throughout church history there have been skilled teachers and preachers who have thought carefully about matters that are of concern to all of us. Thankfully, they have left behind an abundance of resources that are available to us today. So, even though we can’t go physically to Jesus we can go to a source of revelation more complete than Nicodemus had. Nicodemus had ready access to the Old Testament but we have ready access to both the Old and the New Testaments. RD: Those are both valuable observations. But we get learn even more when we contrast Jesus’ exchange with Nicodemus and His exchange with the Sadducees. VK: Like what? RD: Nicodemus was an honest questioner. He had some sincere questions about certain things that were part of his faith. But when Nicodemus approached Jesus he made no attempt to trick Jesus. The Sadducees did attempt to trick Jesus. The Sadducees had just as much information about Jesus as Nicodemus did, but rather than availing themselves of the opportunity to learn from him they attempted to defend their flawed understanding. They tried to trick Jesus with their supposedly-impossible-question. They probably used that question regularly in their debates with the Pharisees about whether the resurrection was real. It probably worked with the Pharisees but it didn’t work with Jesus. So, a lesson we learn when we compare the two encounters is that we need to recognize opportunities to learn from skilled and knowledgeable believers when they arrive. And we need to be honest about our questions and open to their teaching. VK: But we do need to be discerning about who we accept as teachers. We need to be sure that people we look to for help in growing in our faith are people who are solidly grounded in the understanding of the Bible. We need to be sure their desire is to elevate the Bible rather than their own ideas. RD: Yes. That’s a good caveat to keep in mind. Another lesson we pick up when we compare Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus as opposed to his encounter with the tricky Sadducees is to see how Jesus responded. With the Sadducees Jesus first corrected their misunderstanding but then he added what I would characterize as a mild rebuke. But he didn’t go any further. But with Nicodemus, who was both open and teachable, Jesus went beyond just trying to answer a question or explain a basic point regarding the content of his faith. VK: Well in John’s account of the encounter John doesn’t really record Nicodemus asking Jesus a question before Jesus told him that he had to be born again. RD: That’s true. So, we’re not sure whether there was a preliminary discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus before Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again. As a reporter John tends to focus on the material which is most relevant to John’s basic purpose of demonstrating that Jesus is the son of God. So, it’s possible that Nicodemus asked a question which John didn’t bother reporting or it’s possible that Jesus already knew what Nicodemus wanted to ask. VK: Jesus was a prophet, after all. In fact, Jesus was the greatest prophet of all time. He constantly displayed the ability to know things about the people he was talking to without having been told. The encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well comes to mind. RD: Exactly. Nicodemus may have asked a question or the two may have had an initial discussion which John doesn’t bother to report or Jesus may have just known what was bothering Nicodemus. It’s quite possible that Nicodemus, a Pharisee who believed in the resurrection – and who had had lots of debates through the years with the Sadducees on the resurrection – just wanted to be sure he understood the subject of life after death clearly. A lot of people today have similar questions. At any rate, Jesus did not just go about addressing the basic question he went on to provide Nicodemus with additional information – likely information Nicodemus didn’t even know he needed but which has been a cornerstone of the Christian faith. VK: You’re thinking of John 3:16 – possibly the most well-known verse out of the entire Bible. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” (King James Version with slight edits) RD: Right. In response to Nicodemus’ honest question or question Jesus proceeds to give us one of the most famous expositions in the Bible. Jesus assures Nicodemus that not only is the resurrection real but that he was face-to-face with the instrument by which God would accomplish resurrection for everyone who believed. Jesus goes on in his discussion to a verse (18) which is less well-known but just as important. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” (New Living Translation) Jesus ratifies that there will be a resurrection but notes that the resurrection will include a separation between the believers and unbelievers. I’m sure that must have been both comforting and distressing to Nicodemus. VK: Comforting because it reassured Nicodemus of the security of his individual destination. After years, or perhaps decades, of being told by the Sadducees that there was no such thing as the resurrection Nicodemus would have been comforted to know that he had been right all along. But he would have been distressed to know that many of his colleagues and perhaps friends were in eternal danger because he knew they did not believe that Jesus had been sent from God the way he did. I think that’s a sentiment many of us today would share. RD: Exactly. And so this goes back to the reason it’s a good idea for us to have some understanding of what life was like in Israel while Jesus was performing His earthly ministry. Debates had raged for decades on questions that are basic and essential to our faith. It can help us immensely to not see Nicodemus and the others Jesus encountered, pro or con, as real people with lives and histories just like ours. They had concerns just like we do and we share many of those concerns 2,000 years later – like how to help our friends avoid eternal judgment. Improving our understanding of scripture and how Jesus ministered during his life is invaluable to helping our friends. VK: Amen. This sounds like a great time for a prayer. Jesus’ ministry while He was on this earth was all about saving those who are lost spiritually. The need for doing that continues today. So, today let’s listen to a prayer for our nation – knowing that God continues to want to provide His light to any and all who are genuinely open to receiving answers to sincere questions: ---- PRAYER FOR THE NATION (MARCUS). We hope you’ll be with us next time and we hope you’ll take some time to encourage some friends to tune in too, or listen to the podcast version of this show. If you’d like to hear more, try out crystalseabooks.com where “We’re not famous but our Boss is!” (Bible Quote from the New International Version) Daniel, chapter 8, verses 5 through 8 and 20 and 21, New International Version

We Are Building Day By Day Reader: Miriam Montgomery Date: 30th June 2021 Time: Passage: Nehemiah 2:17 ------------------- On my desk there is a magazine, and on the front page is a picture of a large castle. The castle is surrounded by a deep moat and there are high walls and towers all round it. It must have been a safe place to take refuge from invading enemies. The city of Jerusalem once had high walls surrounding it but these walls were not good enough to stand up to the mighty armies that attacked the city more than 2500 years ago. The walls were all broken down. When Nehemiah was appointed governor of the city he set about repairing much of the city that had been in ruins for a long time, especially the walls. "Come," he said, "Let's build the wall of Jerusalem." And that is what happened, and it gave the people a great sense of joy and security to see the city with good walls again. The New Testament is full of references to building and builders, all of them telling us about either the church of Jesus Christ as a 'building' or else as each of us as builders, building our lives day by day. If we are wise builders we will have Jesus Christ as the very foundation of our lives. Then day by day we can build up our life of faith and trust in him by learning more of the Bible and applying it to the way we speak to people and act towards them. Our lives will become stronger as Christians so that we can stand up to the attacks of the devil. ## Prayer Lord Jesus, give me the courage of Nehemiah to build a strong Christian life. Amen.

When Nehemiah received a report on the disgraceful condition of Jerusalem, he knew desperate measures needed to be taken. So he prayed. In the ninth message from the series “Rebuilding: Life Tools from Ezra-Nehemiah,” Dr. David Rhoades explores the principles of Nehemiah's prayer in his sermon titled “How to Pray for Success.

Pastor Josh wraps up the series looking at God's “Perfect Timing” in the lives of famous Old Testament characters, including Nehemiah. Nehemiah's deep burden to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem motivated him to approach the Persian king for help. This troubled him for 4 months and when the king asked, “what is it you want?”, he knew exactly what to ask for. In the same manner, we should always be ready to answer when God asks us what we are burdened for! The passions God has placed in us are crucial in identifying our calling and purpose. When Nehemiah identifies what it is he would like to see accomplished, he begins to ask the King for a “wishlist” to get the job done. We must take the time to prepare in the same way so that we can be ready to tackle the things in front of us that God wants to accomplish through us. Nehemiah also did the work and established a team to help him by casting vision, and God blessed the work to finish the wall in supernatural timing. We are to put our hands to the grindstone and work to build a community to help us see the things that produce a righteous anger in us to completion, and allow for God to bless it! Scripture References: Nehemiah 2:1-10 Nehemiah 2:16-20

When Nehemiah approaches the king he's given leave of absence to rebuild walls that the king had put a half in. What is it that brought about this change? Nehemiahs winsome personality? His great prayer life? It was it something else?

Make a Financial Contribution To Beyond Church here: http://flr.ms/2EDSubscribe to our youtube channel here - http://tiny.cc/BeyondYouTubeSubscribe to our Leadership Podcast here - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/beyond-church-raising-leaders/id1470582090 Follow us on facebook here:Cessnock - https://www.facebook.com/Beyond.Church.CessnockScone - https://www.facebook.com/beyond.church.sconeToronto - https://www.facebook.com/Beyond.Church.TorontoOnline - https://www.facebook.com/beyond.church.onlineFind out more about Beyond Church here: Connect with us today: http://flr.ms/UmMESSAGE NOTES:Fast First —> Build LaterNehemiah 1:1-4 NLTIn late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem. They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.What is the FIRST thing that we do when things in our lives break? How do we put those things back together, those things that need to be rebuilt…..?When Nehemiah discovered that his city was broken, his home demolished, his first action was to fast and pray! HE FASTED FIRSTNehemiah Fasted and Prayed FIRST!Then some months later…Nehemiah 2:1-5 NLTEarly the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. 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, 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.” The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven, 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.”It was his fasting and praying, and his faithfulness to serve wherever God had placed him, and to serve the Persian king, that opened a door to the miraculous. Fasting and prayer shifted the natural order of things and would be the catalyst that eventually allows Nehemiah to start to build later. Fasting first, changes everything, and like Nehemiah, this season of fasting for us has the potential to be our very own game changer ,as we begin to rebuild our lives, as Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of the city of Jerusalem. When we Fast First IN preparation to build again...we can expect some powerful things to take place in our lives... fainting again =Focuses Our Affection Nehemiah 2:6-7 NLTThe king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request. I also said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah.Nehemiah had already made a plan to rebuild the walls of his city, before he even had an opportunity to do so…What matter most you…what really matters?Are you prepared to be a participant in the rebuild, or just a by stander, … bickering about the broken.Fasting sorts our preferences from our passions Blows Up The Bank AccountNehemiah 2:8 NLTAnd please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king's forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.Fasting will fill your life with provision for His purpose on your lifeFasting and Prayer triggered the miraculous supply of materials to see the city rebuilt.God is always growing your supply right where you are…..in the forests and the quarries of your CAPTIVITY, God is preparing a harvest and a gold RUSH for your future! Takes The Broken and Turns Them Into Builders Nehemiah 2:17-18 NLTBut 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!” 18Then 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.We are all broken, lost, in captivity to an enemy who wants to keep us trapped in a land where we don't belong…where do you find your broken self? In a land of shame, guilt, hopelessness, discouragement, disappointment, faithlessness…are you a broken prisoner of addiction, or ungodly thinking…..Like Nehemiah who called on people to begin to build again....this morning Jesus is calling your name...will you build your life on me?? Your answer this morning...is YES - let's rebuild the wall!!!

When Nehemiah was faced with opposition from Sanballat, he prayed first, then took the necessary precautions, and continued doing what God called him to do. When we’re faced with opposition, […]

When Nehemiah heard about the sad state of the Jews who had survived captivity, he developed a burden for them and knew he had to do something to help. He […]

Many people are bothered by the problem of evil. They say, “If God is loving and good God, why does He allow evil? David did not ignore this problem, nor did he give in to it. Instead, he made a decision and take his stand with God. Only our God can permit evil and be able to overrule it to accomplish his purposes. As David confronted the problem of evil in the world, he did so in stages. Stage one: He evaluated (v.2). David looked at the wicked, violent, blasphemous, deceitful and rebellious crowd. He showed courage and honesty in thinking his stand against them. When we start asking ourselves, is it safe? Or, is it popular? We have moved away from biblical ethics and integrity. Stage two: He grieved (v.21). We also ought to grieve over sin. When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were destroyed, he sat and wept(Neh.1:4) (see Gen.6:6; Mk.3:5; Eph.4:30). Today, we need people who will sit down long enough to weep over sin. Stage three: He hated (vv.21,22). We could use a little more holy anger today. Edmund Burke it said, “All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Love and hate are not contradictory when dealing with Sin. Jesus showed both compassion towards sinners and hatred of sin. Stage four: He decided (v.19). David decided to separate himself from evil. We need to stand among sinners as the salt of the earth and the light of the world, but we need to have contact without contamination. Stage five, He trusted (v.19). We must leave vengeance with God; He will punish the wicked (Rom.12:19). Our job is to give ourselves to Him and do the work He wants us to do. *******^******* If you fail to make a decision, the world will make it for you. Take your stand with God and use David’s experiences as a guide for confronting the problem of evil. Determined to leave a holy life that honors the Lord.

All of us will face a time when we need God’s help to rebuild something that’s in ruin, whether it’s our community, family, finances, business, or even faith. When Nehemiah discovered that the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed, he knew something had to be done. But he also knew that it would take divine strength and intervention to rebuild the city. Before he did anything else, he prayed. In this message we will study Nehemiah’s powerful prayer; a prayer that has the power to help rebuild our lives and the world around us.

When Nehemiah and the Israelites completed the massive task of building the wall, they took time to celebrate. We will learn a few lessons from this portion of scripture .

We Are Building Day By Day Reader: Miriam Montgomery Date: 30th June 2020 Time: ------------------- On my desk there is a magazine, and on the front page is a picture of a large castle. The castle is surrounded by a deep moat and there are high walls and towers all round it. It must have been a safe place to take refuge from invading enemies. The city of Jerusalem once had high walls surrounding it but these walls were not good enough to stand up to the mighty armies that attacked the city more than 2500 years ago. The walls were all broken down. When Nehemiah was appointed governor of the city he set about repairing much of the city that had been in ruins for a long time, especially the walls. "Come," he said, "Let's build the wall of Jerusalem." And that is what happened, and it gave the people a great sense of joy and security to see the city with good walls again. The New Testament is full of references to building and builders, all of them telling us about either the church of Jesus Christ as a 'building' or else as each of us as builders, building our lives day by day. If we are wise builders we will have Jesus Christ as the very foundation of our lives. Then day by day we can build up our life of faith and trust in him by learning more of the Bible and applying it to the way we speak to people and act towards them. Our lives will become stronger as Christians so that we can stand up to the attacks of the devil. ## Prayer Lord Jesus, give me the courage of Nehemiah to build a strong Christian life. Amen.

When Nehemiah got some devastating news, he fasted and prayed. Pastor James urges us to respond to Covid-19 in the same way.

When Nehemiah got some devastating news, he fasted and prayed. Pastor James urges us to respond to Covid-19 in the same way.

When Nehemiah got some devastating news, he fasted and prayed. Pastor James urges us to respond to Covid-19 in the same way.

When Nehemiah got some devastating news, he fasted and prayed. Pastor James urges us to respond to Covid-19 in the same way.

Author:      The author of the book is the prophet Malachi (Heb. מַלְאָכִי Malaki), whose name means my messenger (Mal 1:1). Audience:      Malachi’s message was to Israel (Mal 1:1); specifically, a Judean audience familiar with temple activity (Mal 2:11). Date of Ministry:      Malachi uses a Persian word for governor (פֶּחָה pechah – Mal 1:8), which implies Persian rule (538-333 B.C.). Furthermore, the temple was operational (Mal 1:6-11; 2:1-3; 3:1, 10), placing the writing after 516 B.C., as a post-exilic book. The religious and social problems addressed by Malachi seem to coincide with issues addressed by Ezra (Ezra chapters 9 & 10) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah chapters 10 & 13). It’s possible Malachi prophesied during the time when Nehemiah, Judah’s governor, was out of town for a few years (Neh 13:6, ca. 432 B.C.). If correct, Malachi’s ministry occurred nearly a hundred years after Haggai and Zechariah. Malachi is the last of the OT writing prophets. Historical Background:      Malachi addressed some of the issues surrounding Israel’s neglect of the covenant; specifically, the promises the people had previously made under Nehemiah’s leadership to keep the Sabbath, fund the temple, offer proper sacrifices, and give tithes of food (Neh 10:28-39). When Nehemiah was present, the people obeyed. However, Nehemiah left for a period of time, maybe a few years, visiting Artaxerxes, king of Babylon (Neh 13:6); and during his absence the people fell back into sin, bringing unbelieving foreigners into the temple, not supporting the priests, failing to keep the Sabbath and marrying unbelieving foreign women (Neh 13:1-31). Malachi addresses similar issues. "The conditions described in the Book of Nehemiah are the very things Malachi deals with in his book: poor crops and a faltering economy (Mal. 3:11), intermarriage with the heathen (2:11), defilement of the priesthood (1:6ff), oppression of the poor (3:5), lack of support for the temple (vv. 8–10), and a general disdain of religion (v. 13ff). It was a low time spiritually for Judah, and they needed to hear the Word of God."[1] "Life was not easy for the returnees during the ministry of the fifth-century restoration prophets. The people continued to live under Gentile (Persian) sovereignty even though they were back in their own land. Harvests were poor, and locust plagues were a problem (3:11). Even after Ezra’s reforms and Nehemiah’s amazing success in motivating the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, most of the people remained cold-hearted toward Yahweh. Priests and people were still not observing the Mosaic Law as commanded, as is clear from references in the book to sacrifices, tithes, and offerings (e.g., 1:6; 3:5). Foreign cultures had made deep inroads into the values and practices of God’s people. The Israelites still intermarried with Gentiles (2:11), and divorces were quite common (2:16). The spiritual, ethical, and moral tone of the nation was low."[2] Malachi’s Message:      Malachi structures his message to address seven sins within the nation. In each of the sins mentioned, Malachi’s readers responded by asking, “How have we done that?” (Mal 1:2, 6, 2:13-14, 17; 3:7, 8, 13). The questions reveal their spiritual insensitivity to his charges. The priests were the major focus of Malachi’s message, as they had failed to teach and lead the nation in spiritual matters pertaining to temple sacrifices. “It is possible to attend the place of worship, to go through the motions of worship, and even to make sacrifices of worship, and still not worship God.”[3] Throughout, the Mosaic Law was the standard by which Israel’s behavior was measured, calling them back to obedience. Overall, Malachi’s message was that covenant faithfulness would restore the nation’s blessings. Outline: God loves His people, Israel, and subdues her enemies (1:1-5). God rejects the corrupt worship that defiles His sanctuary (1:6-14). The priests failed to teach the Law to God’s people (2:1-9). Many Israelites had married unbelieving foreign wives and divorced the wives of their youth (2:10-16). God will send His messengers who will prepare the way for redemption and judgment (2:17-3:5). God’s people failed to support the priesthood with their tithes (3:6-12). A contrast between the wicked and the righteous, and a promise of a future leader who will restore the nation to God (3:13-18; 4:1-6).   [1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Amazed, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 137. [2] Tom Constable, Introduction to Malachi, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), NP. [3] Ibid., NP.

When Nehemiah returns from Persia, he finds Jerusalem in disarray and must clean house and put things in order.Read More →

When Nehemiah receives the report that God's people and God's city are in trouble, he mourns the news, prays to God, and engages the situation. This pattern of mourning, prayer, and action culminates in the Lord Jesus and is the pattern we must be resolved to emulate in our daily lives!

What would you undertake if you knew you couldn’t fail? When Nehemiah’s enemies threatened, he said: “God…will give us success; therefore, we…will arise and build” (Neh. 2:20). God’s promises inspire us to “arise and build.”

When Nehemiah left Jerusalem to go back to Persia, everything was perfect! The walls had been rebuilt, and the people had promised to serve the Lord and maintain His worship. But when Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem, what a mess he finds things in! How prone we are to wander from the Lord’s paths!Nehemiah sets to work immediately, reforming the four main issues that had risen to prominence here. Even though the work of reformation had been going on since chapter 1, things were constantly getting out of order. And consequently, they were constantly needing to be set straight. The Reformers of bygone centuries had a Latin motto that meant, “Always reforming!” Are there specific areas of our own lives that need some reformation? Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit would cause us to be continually reforming and conforming to the image of Christ! Holy living is certainly not a result of perfection in ourselves; rather, it is because we have a perfect Savior!

Lesson 3 of a 7 week study on Nehemiah by Bible teacher and Titus Women founder Beth Coppedge.  Study is taken from Nehemiah chapter 3 and 4. When Nehemiah faces opposition, he goes to God in prayer and continues the work rebuilding the walls.

Have you ever felt a holy discontent? That sense that things could and should be different? This divine displeasure will either move us to action or cause us to grow callous and blind to the needs around us. When Nehemiah was confronted with the living conditions of the people living in Jerusalem, he was moved to act and rushed toward the city. Join us for part three of For the City where we will learn how moving toward the needs of our community will bring us nearer to the heart of God.

When Nehemiah hears about the lousy conditions of Jerusalem his heart is heavy but hopeful because of God. His heavy hopeful heart drives him to his knees. Nehemiah’s prayer shows us four elements of prayer that flows from heavy and hopeful hearts.

When Nehemiah hears about the lousy conditions of Jerusalem his heart is heavy but hopeful because of God. His heavy hopeful heart drives him to his knees. Nehemiah’s prayer shows us four elements of prayer that flows from heavy and hopeful hearts.

When Nehemiah carried a burden of fasting and prayer in his heart for his fellow Israelites in Jerusalem, God and the king promoted him to authority to go home and bring the solution to their distressed situation. If you have a burden of love to minister to a group of people, to the point of weeping and fasting for their salvation and freedom, God will promote you to authority to bring the solution that's in your heart.

When Nehemiah steps out to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the enemy is quick to come out and challenge him. Resistance isn’t always a sign that we are on the wrong path, sometimes resistance is evidence that we are going in the right direction!

It’s not a matter of “if” there will be opposition, it’s a matter of “when.” When you set out to do God’s work, there will be detractors. When Nehemiah started to rebuild Jerusalem in order to fulfill the vision God placed in his heart, his detractors show up to discourage him. As we build up our cities, we can learn from Nehemiah and how he was able to handle opposition.

Things break. Things in the house can break. Things in the city can break. Traffic lights stop working, or buses break down. This is just a fact of city life. However, *communities* can also break. Nehemiah was normally a person with a positive demeanour. He had a good rapport with the king of Babylon, and was a success in his job as a sort of personal assistant to the powerful monarch. But he hears news from people who had returned to Jerusalem from exile, only to report that the city was in ruins. This affected him greatly. He was deeply troubled by this news. Not only were the walls of the city broken; the people themselves were broken. They had no vision. The *community* back in Jerusalem was broken. Nehemiah couldn't hide his concern, and the king spotted his distress. He asks him, “What do you want? How can I help you?” Nehemiah knows that hearts soften when there is prayer. He had been wrestling in prayer with the problem of how to restore people's lives in Jerusalem. He needed to go there, in person. Nehemiah realises that he needs something special from the king: he needed paperwork! Yes, bureaucracy was around even thousands of years ago! He needed a document giving him safe passage to the city of Jerusalem, and permission to chop down lumber from the king's forests. When Nehemiah finally arrives at Jerusalem, he does a number of things that we can learn from. First, he takes time to gather information about the situation there. He spends three days taking in what is going on. You can't begin restoration if you don't understand the problem! The second thing he does is to be *discreet* about his work. God is also often quiet in His work to bring about change. The third thing he does is to be *thorough*. He is dependable. This is a valuable trait. He determines how long the project will need to take, and how many resources will be needed. God in Heaven also has attention to detail - after all, He knows every hair on our heads. The fourth thing to note is that Nehemiah is “Mr Motivator”. Nehemiah motivated the people in Jerusalem to embrace the project of restoration. Jesus is our great motivator: He gave the Great Commission to His disciples, encouraging them to go out into the world and make disciples of the people. When Nehemiah gets under way with the project, there is opposition from the neighbours. They mock him. How does Nehemiah react? He doesn't give up in the face of this criticism. He continues, confident, and with God's conviction. That faith helps him to overcome the obstacles. There is a lot that we can learn from Nehemiah!

We can face many obstacles when attempting to climb the mountains in our lives. We can fight weariness. We can face self-doubt and insecurity. We can experience set-backs. We can even be ready for threats from enemies. But the maybe the greatest back-breaker is when a friend tells you to “turn back.” How do we deal with discouragement? How do we push through? Maybe we should just remember the goal and mentally visualize the glory of reaching the summit. Maybe we dig down deep inside of ourselves. We remember what we’re made of and channel our own inner strength. When Nehemiah faced opposition, he did none of those things. And when we adopt Nehemiah’s strategy for beating discouragement we can tap into strength we didn’t know we had access to.

What’s Your Burden? Nehemiah 1 Nehemiah's brother returned from Jerusalem to see him – Nehemiah may have been among those who had gone with Ezra 12 years earlier to restore Jerusalem. Nehemiah eagerly enquired about Jerusalem and the people. The city of Jerusalem was meant to represent the strength and splendor of God and His people. However, the people had lost sight of who God was and His expectations of them. They had become complacent and lost their vision for restoring Jerusalem. With the walls left broken, God's reputation was tarnished and in disgrace. When Nehemiah heard this he wept, mourned, fasted and prayed for several days. He implored God to hear, he confessed the sins of his people, he reminded God of His promises and covenants to His people. His prayer showed a deep burden and passion for God’s reputation, His city and people. Finally, after days of prayerful dialog with God, he presented just one request to God; a request which if answered would leave him in no doubt that God had truly given him the burden that lay on his heart. Link to Study Here

When Nehemiah prayed and wept before the Lord for months on end, God began to reveal to Nehemiah how he would be specifically used as an essential part of the answer.  From Nehemiah's prayer, we learn how we collaborate with God in what He is doing. Prayer is how we stay in step with God in our families, in our churches, and in our communities. Prayer is spending time in God's presence, waiting on Him, until we know what to do.

In Nehemiah 5, something nearly derailed the rebuilding of Jerusalem-infighting and conflict within the Jewish community. During times of economic hardship, Jews started taking advantage of their fellow Jews by leveraging land and even selling their sons and daughters to each other in slavery. When Nehemiah realized the problem, he confronted it head-on and rebuked the nobles and officials for such actions. In the end, land and children were returned to their rightful families and the building of Jerusalem continued. It's a lesson to us about how we need to serve one another, love one another, and care for one another in the Body of Christ. It's about how we need to "look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:4).

In Nehemiah 5, something nearly derailed the rebuilding of Jerusalem-infighting and conflict within the Jewish community. During times of economic hardship, Jews started taking advantage of their fellow Jews by leveraging land and even selling their sons and daughters to each other in slavery. When Nehemiah realized the problem, he confronted it head-on and rebuked the nobles and officials for such actions. In the end, land and children were returned to their rightful families and the building of Jerusalem continued. It's a lesson to us about how we need to serve one another, love one another, and care for one another in the Body of Christ. It's about how we need to "look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:4).

Today, Richard Hamlet digs deep into the book of Nehemiah. Chapter six talks about the time when Nehemiah re-built the wall of Jerusalem in just fifty-two days. When Nehemiah’s enemies had heard this, they realized that he didn’t do it alone and were immediately terrified. Let me ask you this, is the power of God […] The post Only With God’s Help appeared first on Ministry in the Marketplace.

It's amazing what can be achieved by a group of enthusiastic people, even if they don't have the skills for the job. When Nehemiah motivated the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem to start rebuilding the walls of the city, there were none who were skilled in masonry. Instead, there were farmers, perfumers, goldsmiths,civil servants, rulers, priests, and others, both male and female. But together they rebuilt the walls of the city. Everyone (apart from some nobles who would not get involved) got stuck in and did what they could - it was far more than they might have thought possible. Together, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. As a team, divisions of class, culture, tribe, etc. were put to one side, as they all worked together on rebuilding the city walls. We too can work for God, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. Instead of working primarily for praise or reward from others, we can work for the Lord. We are told to: “...obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Ephesians 6:5–7, NLT) Also, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23, NLT) Whether as individual Christians, or as God's people working together, if we have the right attitude we can do great things for God, to his glory.

It's amazing what can be achieved by a group of enthusiastic people, even if they don't have the skills for the job. When Nehemiah motivated the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem to start rebuilding the walls of the city, there were none who were skilled in masonry. Instead, there were farmers, perfumers, goldsmiths,civil servants, rulers, priests, and others, both male and female. But together they rebuilt the walls of the city. Everyone (apart from some nobles who would not get involved) got stuck in and did what they could - it was far more than they might have thought possible. Together, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. As a team, divisions of class, culture, tribe, etc. were put to one side, as they all worked together on rebuilding the city walls. We too can work for God, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. Instead of working primarily for praise or reward from others, we can work for the Lord. We are told to: “...obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Ephesians 6:5–7, NLT) Also, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23, NLT) Whether as individual Christians, or as God's people working together, if we have the right attitude we can do great things for God, to his glory.

It's amazing what can be achieved by a group of enthusiastic people, even if they don't have the skills for the job. When Nehemiah motivated the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem to start rebuilding the walls of the city, there were none who were skilled in masonry. Instead, there were farmers, perfumers, goldsmiths,civil servants, rulers, priests, and others, both male and female. But together they rebuilt the walls of the city. Everyone (apart from some nobles who would not get involved) got stuck in and did what they could - it was far more than they might have thought possible. Together, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. As a team, divisions of class, culture, tribe, etc. were put to one side, as they all worked together on rebuilding the city walls. We too can work for God, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. Instead of working primarily for praise or reward from others, we can work for the Lord. We are told to: “...obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Ephesians 6:5–7, NLT) Also, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23, NLT) Whether as individual Christians, or as God's people working together, if we have the right attitude we can do great things for God, to his glory.

The Strain of Battle – Nehemiah 4 – [Against the Odds] – Brent Phillips – Encounter Houston There’s a tiredness that sleeping cannot fix, it doesn’t matter how much rest you get, you always wake up feeling more exhausted and fatigue than the night before. It is because the tiredness is in your soul. You have been in the battle for so long and you have yet to see the breakthrough. You can probably think of a time when you wanted to give up? When you threw up your hands and said “I can’t do this anymore!” Everybody has had a moment like this and some of us are in that moment right now and others are bound to experience it in the future. Up to this point in our series we have seen the multiple obstacles that Nehemiah has had to face with people trying to set him off course. This week we will see the strain that Nehemiah is going through to keep everyone in the battle. Nehemiah 4:10-11 "Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work." Not only does Nehemiah and these people have an impossible task of rebuilding the walls, now they have people that want to kill them, you now have difficulties coming up again impossibilities. Nehemiah 4:12-13 "The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows." The devil likes to make you think that everyone is talking bad about you when in reality it is only one person that is saying all of that and the enemy has amplified their voice in order to try and get you to quit. We will lose some battles but we must remember that the war has already been won. When Nehemiah facing some of the most difficult obstacles he never let that stop him from planting the seeds that God has called him to plant. We too must continue planting the seeds that we have been called too. The video to this Podcast @ http://www.neverjustexist.org/the-strain-of-battle-nehemiah-4-never-give-up/

When Nehemiah receives a repot that God's city and God's people are in trouble, he laments the news, prays to God for help and springs to action. This pattern of lament, prayer, and action for God's people is a common biblical pattern culminating in the Lord Jesus Christ who laments the state of sinners, prays for His elect, and goes to the cross to rescue them from judgment.

We can learn much from Nehemiah as we look to the coming year. When Nehemiah heard that the remnant in the Jerusalem area was in great trouble and shame, that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire; he turned to God in prayer. We see in him an example to follow: First, we see in him a compassion for those in need (4). As soon as he received news of the bad conditions, he sat down and wept and mourned for days. He continued fasting and praying before the God. Second, we see a confidence in God’s character (5). He addresses God as: “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..." Third, we see contrition or repentance as well as confession of sins (6b-7): Nehemiah confessed the sins of the nation of Israel. In his confession, he included himself and his family. Fourth, we see a commitment to God’s Word (8). He reminds God of his commitment to His people in His Word: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments ...I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ Finally, we see his call for specific prayer (9-11). His prayer over time led Nehemiah to ask God for success when he would seek the assistance of the King Artaxerxes as he moved from prayer to action to be used by God..... As we begin the new year, I want us as a congregation to turn to God in prayer as we face the unknown of the year of 2012. We don't know what we face, but God does. Just as Nehemiah turned to God in prayer and fasting, we, too, need to Him, confident in His character and committed to His Word.

We can learn much from Nehemiah as we look to the coming year. When Nehemiah heard that the remnant in the Jerusalem area was in great trouble and shame, that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire; he turned to God in prayer. We see in him an example to follow: First, we see in him a compassion for those in need (4). As soon as he received news of the bad conditions, he sat down and wept and mourned for days. He continued fasting and praying before the God. Second, we see a confidence in God’s character (5). He addresses God as: “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..." Third, we see contrition or repentance as well as confession of sins (6b-7): Nehemiah confessed the sins of the nation of Israel. In his confession, he included himself and his family. Fourth, we see a commitment to God’s Word (8). He reminds God of his commitment to His people in His Word: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments ...I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ Finally, we see his call for specific prayer (9-11). His prayer over time led Nehemiah to ask God for success when he would seek the assistance of the King Artaxerxes as he moved from prayer to action to be used by God..... As we begin the new year, I want us as a congregation to turn to God in prayer as we face the unknown of the year of 2012. We don't know what we face, but God does. Just as Nehemiah turned to God in prayer and fasting, we, too, need to Him, confident in His character and committed to His Word.

When Nehemiah heard of what was happening in Jerusalem he wept. What does a church in the 21st century that finds itself in exile to do?