CONFIDENCE and AWE! (Nehemiah 1:5)

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,

THE STUDY:

          What we are starting to look at today is considered, by some scholars as, the “prayer of Repentance” (5-11). This prayer is the first of twelve instances of prayer recorded in this book. (See 2:4; 4:4, 9; 5:19; 6:9, 14; 9:5ff; 13:14, 22, 29, 31.) The Book of Nehemiah opens and closes with prayer. It is obvious that Nehemiah was a man of faith who depended wholly on the Lord to help him accomplish the work He had called him to do.^[1]

The first part of this prayer is Nehemiah’s acknowledgement of God. Nehemiah faced a situation he knew he could not solve by himself. But he also knew that with God all things are possible (Jer. 32:17). Nehemiah began his prayer by acknowledging that fact: O Lord God of heaven (Neh. 1:4), the great and awesome God.^[2]

          This is Nehemiah’s humble and reverent address to God, in which he prostrates himself before him, and gives unto him the glory due unto his name. It teaches us to draw near to God,

1.   With a holy awe of his majesty and glory, remembering that he is the

God of heaven, infinitely above us, and sovereign Lord over all.

2.   With a holy confidence in his grace and truth, for he keepeth covenant and mercy for those that love him, not only the mercy that is promised, but even more than he promised: nothing shall be thought too much to be done for those that love him and keep his commandments.^[3]

             

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that it is one thing to pray but to tap into the power of prayer one needs to start by addressing the one who doesn’t just hear the prayer but can do something about it. Prayer should always be done with a sense of CONFIDENCE and AWE.  

APPLICATION:

           The Scottish novelist George MacDonald said, “In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably, or succeed more miserably.” Speaking about the church’s ministry today, the late Alan Redpath said, “There is too much working before men and too little waiting before God.” Nehemiah succeeded because he depended on God.^[4]

          My encouragement today would be to Go to prayer not as submitting a list but in AWE of who you are addressing and in CONFIDENCE He will answer those prayers. Nehemiah had this AWE and CONFIDENCE and so can we today. Blessings

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (16–17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Ne 1:5). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[3] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ne 1:5–11). Peabody: Hendrickson.

^[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Tapping into the Source (Nehemiah 1:4 Part 2)

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.

THE STUDY:

          Today we are looking at the second half of verse 4. Yesterday we talked about how Nehemiah wept and mourned. Today we are going to look at the aspect of fasting and praying. We know that, in scripture, these two spiritual acts go hand and hand. Nehemiah knew this as well.

          Nehemiah fasted and prayed; not in public (he had no opportunity of doing that), but before the God of heaven, who sees in secret, and will reward openly. By his fasting and praying three things happened:

(1.) He consecrated his sorrows, and directed his tears toward God.

(2.) He eased his sorrows, and unburdened his spirit, by pouring out his

     complaint before God and leaving it with him.

(3.) He took the right method of determining the relief for his people and

     direction for himself in what way to serve them.

Let those who are in the public eye (in politics) take God along with them and utter all their projects before him; this is the way to prosper in them.^[1] This is made evident in the life and leadership of Nehemiah.

             

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning knowing not just the power but significance of praying and fasting. It brings direction, relief, and a higher success rate for the future.

APPLICATION:

          One of the things we will come to understand in this devotional study from the book of Nehemiah is how God’s people had forgotten Him (the Word of God) and how Ezra, along with Nehemiah, was bringing His word back to the forefront.

This passage reveals the fact; Nehemiah knew where his source was, GOD! He tapped into that source through prayer and fasting. Today, remember where your source comes from and tap into it by praying and fasting. Don’t do this because you want some worldly thing but pray and fast because you want a more intimate encounter with Christ. You want to be so close that when pain and sorrow come you can’t feel it because of the power, glory, and love of Christ all around you.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ne 1:1–4). Peabody: Hendrickson.

Weeping and Mourning Produces Action (Nehemiah 1:4)

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.

THE STUDY:

          Today we are still looking at the first section of Nehemiah which is found in Chapters 1-3. We have moved on to verse 4 and we see how emotional Nehemiah is in regard to the news of his countrymen and city. He states he sat down which, in the Hebrew is defined as (to dwell). This gives the imagery of a length of time which is clearly stated later in this verse “for days.”  

He defines what he did for this period of time, wept and mourned. The Hebrew word for wept is defined as: to well-up tears in the eyes and have mild convulsions or spasms of the diaphragm, and often make vocal sounds of soft groaning or loud wailing, as a sign of sorrow and mourning.^[1] The Hebrew word for mourning is defined as: lament or grieve. This gives us the picture of a man of God who is reacting to news concerning something so special and dear to him. Not for a minute, an hour, or a day but for multiple days Nehemiah is found emotionally distraught to the point of almost vomiting with such sorrow originating at the pit of his heart. This causes him to not be able to express himself with words.

             

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we can walk away with is the understanding of this deep emotional sorrow Nehemiah experienced and how he reacted to it. This reaction was caused due to something so dear and precious to Nehemiah. Through this verse we see how Nehemiah is a great example that contradicts the old adage, “Real men don’t cry!” Nehemiah was a godly man whose heart was pierced and his emotions disturbed and he was not afraid to let that be known. How else was the King going to see the reasoning for releasing Nehemiah to go rebuild the wall?

APPLICATION:

Many of us, in this difficult world we live in, have experienced the point of deep sorrow. Even to the degree of not being able to use words just an undefinable moaning. This is exactly what Romans 8:26 is talking about: For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Nehemiah was emotionally affected by the news. We will be emotionally affected by news one day. Nehemiah wept and mourned, we should do the same thing. But after that, we need not stay in this emotional state. Let that heart felt experience be the fuel for the vehicle but let the Hole Spirit be the pilot that drives the vehicle.

Today, we may experience such sorrow in our hearts. Allow the appropriate time of grieving to take its course. In the midst of it allow the tears to flow and the touch of Christ to start the process of healing. He will turn this sorrow into the driving force that will be able to accomplish His will through you.   

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Tragedy May be the Result? (Nehemiah 1:1-2 Part 3)

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”

THE STUDY:

             Today we are still looking at the first section of Nehemiah which is found in Chapters 1-3, specifically, the first category found in 1:1-11.

We find that in Nehemiah 1:1-3 the report of the situation. We read how Nehemiah is requesting information concerning Jerusalem and his countrymen. Why? Because he has a caring heart! Today, we will look at what Nehemiah learned in regard to Jerusalem and the Jews! Three words summarize the bad news: remnant, ruin, and reproach. Instead of a land inhabited by a great nation, only a remnant of people lived there; and they were in great affliction and struggling to survive. Instead of a magnificent city, Jerusalem was in ruins; and where there had once been great glory, there was now nothing but great reproach.

When we truly care about people, we want the facts, no matter how painful they may be. American historian Henry Adams said, “Practical politics consists in ignoring facts.” Aldous Huxley adds to the point by saying, “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” Closing our eyes and ears to the truth could be the first step toward tragedy for ourselves as well as for others.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that no matter how disheartening the news may be, a person with a caring heart desires to know the facts.

APPLICATION:

I am reminded of a story John Maxwell shared about a friend who was in the hospital and just found out he had cancer. His heart was heavy and his eyes filled with fear but John said a prayer that could have been considered inappropriate at the time. He prayed, “Lord, thank you for revealing this cancer to my friend so that now we know the illness and we can plan a course of action to defeat it. Amen.” This man may not have liked the news he just received but he would have wanted to know it now than later. Nehemiah was the same way. He wanted to know, as soon as possible, the information concerning his country and countrymen.

Are we like Nehemiah, anxious to know the truth about, even, the worst situations? Is our interest regarding the situation born out of concern or idle curiosity? When we read missionary prayer letters, the news in religious periodicals, or even our church’s ministry reports, do we want the facts, and do the facts burden us? Are we the kind of people who care enough to ask?^[2]

Today, I believe God wants to reveal truth; either to us or through us. Let’s not close our eyes or resist God’s leading. Tragedy may be the result. 

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (14–15). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (15). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

To Know or Not to Know? (Nehemiah 1:1-3 Part 2)

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”

THE STUDY:

             Today we are going to look at the first section of Nehemiah which is found in Chapters 1-3. We will break it down into 4 categories: The Report, The Request, The Review, and The Repairs. The first category is found in 1:1-11.

What we see in Nehemiah 1:1-3 is the report of the situation. Nehemiah is requesting information concerning Jerusalem and his countrymen. Hanani was either a real brother, a kinsman, or a fellow Jew. All are possible ways of understanding the text; however, the fact that he called him “my brother” in 7:2 when he appointed him to a high office supports the first meaning.

Why would Nehemiah inquire about a struggling remnant of people who lived hundreds of miles away? After all, he was the king’s cupbearer and he was successfuly secure in his own life. Certainly it wasn’t his fault that his ancestors had sinned against the Lord and brought judgment to the city of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. A century and a half before, the Prophet Jeremiah had given this word from the Lord: “Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, or who will grieve for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?” (Jer. 15:5, ESV) Nehemiah was the man God had chosen to do those very things!^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with the understanding that Nehemiah along with many other biblical characters had one thing in common: They were moved by their heart! Nehemiah’s heart was moved for his people, Moses’ heart was moved for the Israelites, and God’s heart has always been moved for His children. Jesus is the example of God’s heart for us.

APPLICATION:

I have found over the years that some people prefer not to know what’s going on, because information might bring obligation. “What you don’t know can’t hurt you,” says the old adage; but is it true? In a letter to a Mrs. Foote, Mark Twain wrote, “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.” But what we don’t know could hurt us a great deal! There are people in the cemetery who chose not to know the truth. The slogan for the 1987 AIDS publicity campaign was “Don’t die of ignorance”; and that slogan can be applied to many areas of life besides health.^[2]    

          How long is too long before we ask about our brothers and sisters who our lost and hurting? How long do we wait before we share the love of Christ with them? When was the last time you, sincerely, asked your neighbor, co-worker, or a person you see in Wal-Mart with tears in their eyes “How are you doing?” Today, Try it and see how the Lord uses you to make a difference in that person’s life.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (14). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (14). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.