This week I want to start a series on the same topic I am preaching about at my church, the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah’s public life was the outflow of his personal life. That should be our goal as well. His devotion to God, his dependence on Him for everything, and his desire for the glory of God found equal expression. He knew that only ventures that are begun in prayer and bathed in prayer are likely to be blessed.
In our Bibles in Nehemiah 1:1-4 we find Nehemiah was CONCERNED about the problem. Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king. His job was to taste the king’s wine before the king drank it to make sure it was not poisoned. As cupbearer, Nehemiah had a great job. He had intimate access to royalty, political standing, and a place to live in the palace. It was a cushy job that provided everything he needed. And yet, when one of his brothers returned from a road trip to Jerusalem, verse 2 says that Nehemiah “questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. Nehemiah was greatly concerned about what was happening in Jerusalem. He could have insulated himself if he chose to, but he didn’t.
This is an important starting point. It’s so easy for us to stay uninvolved and unaware. Some of us don’t want to even think about stuff that’s going on in our own lives, much less take the time to investigate what is happening in the lives of others. Even though Nehemiah had never been to Jerusalem, he had heard stories about it, and knew that his ancestors had been led away in chains when Babylon destroyed it. He was doing what Jeremiah 51:50 instructed the exiles to do: “…Remember the Lord in a distant land, and think on Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah was broken over the complacency of the people of Jerusalem. They were living in ruins and they accepted it. They were willing to walk around the devastation instead of being concerned enough to do something about their situation. Friends, nothing is ever going to change in your life, in the life of this church, or for that matter, our nation, until we become concerned about the problem. Some of you have become complacent about the way your life is going. You’re living with rubble and it doesn’t even bother you anymore. Are you ready to allow God to do some rebuilding? If so, you need to become concerned about the problem by listening to the facts even if you don’t want to hear them.
When Nehemiah heard the report his concern lead him to pray and fast for four months and seek the Lord about what he was to do.
Action Step for today: What is on God’s heart and mind that needs to be on your heart and mind? God needs a vessel (a person) He can work through. Are you available today?
In our Bibles in Nehemiah 1:1-4 we find Nehemiah was CONCERNED about the problem. Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king. His job was to taste the king’s wine before the king drank it to make sure it was not poisoned. As cupbearer, Nehemiah had a great job. He had intimate access to royalty, political standing, and a place to live in the palace. It was a cushy job that provided everything he needed. And yet, when one of his brothers returned from a road trip to Jerusalem, verse 2 says that Nehemiah “questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. Nehemiah was greatly concerned about what was happening in Jerusalem. He could have insulated himself if he chose to, but he didn’t.
This is an important starting point. It’s so easy for us to stay uninvolved and unaware. Some of us don’t want to even think about stuff that’s going on in our own lives, much less take the time to investigate what is happening in the lives of others. Even though Nehemiah had never been to Jerusalem, he had heard stories about it, and knew that his ancestors had been led away in chains when Babylon destroyed it. He was doing what Jeremiah 51:50 instructed the exiles to do: “…Remember the Lord in a distant land, and think on Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah was broken over the complacency of the people of Jerusalem. They were living in ruins and they accepted it. They were willing to walk around the devastation instead of being concerned enough to do something about their situation. Friends, nothing is ever going to change in your life, in the life of this church, or for that matter, our nation, until we become concerned about the problem. Some of you have become complacent about the way your life is going. You’re living with rubble and it doesn’t even bother you anymore. Are you ready to allow God to do some rebuilding? If so, you need to become concerned about the problem by listening to the facts even if you don’t want to hear them.
When Nehemiah heard the report his concern lead him to pray and fast for four months and seek the Lord about what he was to do.
Action Step for today: What is on God’s heart and mind that needs to be on your heart and mind? God needs a vessel (a person) He can work through. Are you available today?
RSS Feed