devotions – Page 20 – Pot of Manna

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 6, Day 2

Tuesday:

Text: 3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3, NIV)

Teach: Can you distinguish between what is important and what is urgent? Often the urgent things of life present as important to get us off track. Nehemiah was able to identify the ploy of Sandballat and his cronies as deception and he reaffirmed his commitment to getting the work done.

Take: Jesus encouraged his followers to keep their priorities straight. He told them to seek the Kingdom of God (the things of and about God) first, make those things their priority, then everything needed for life and living will follow (see Matthew 6:33)

Task: In your quiet moments with God, consider what your top five priorities are. What are the things in the list that you, like Nehemiah, wouldn’t leave or couldn’t be drawn away from? Seal your commitment in prayer.

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 6, Day 1

Monday

Text: 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages[a] on the plain of Ono.”
But they were scheming to harm me; (Nehemiah 6:2, NIV)

Teach: On the surface this could be seen as an opportunity to mend the relationship between disagreeing factions. It could be a pleasant offer from one leader to another of a brief and refreshing break from exhausting physical labor and the stresses of leading people. But it wasn’t.

Take: Jesus warned his followers that they needed to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (see Matthew 10:16). We are to be discerning so we will not be deceived. Nehemiah stayed on top of the schemes that would come his way by keep the communication lines open between himself and God.

Task: Satan doesn’t come to us in his ugliness. He knows our weakest points, our triggers, the ways he can wiggle into our thoughts. Our job is to be ready. Let’s make extra effort this week to be mindful of the times and ways of Satan’s attacks. Consider and commit to ways to God’s means of protection. God will keep you from all harm.

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 5, Day 6

Saturday: Nehemiah, The Sharing Leader

Text: Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. (Nehemiah 5:17-18, NIV)

Teach: The world is looking for leaders with the integrity to live what they believe. It would have been easy for Nehemiah to tell others what to do, after all, he was the governor. He came with the endorsement of the king. All too often we see that power results in corruption. Nehemiah was different. He was the kind of leader who set the example. He asks no more of his people than he was willing to give.

Take: Timothy was a young pastor of an influential church. It would have been easy to be intimidated. Paul encouraged his young friend by reminding him: Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. (1 Timothy 4:12) In essence, don’t be swayed, be the example.

Task: Paul was aware of the pressure to conform to the world. He told the Romans that they weren’t to let the world squeeze them into its mold, but instead be transformed by the renewing of their minds (see Romans 12:1). Seek God’s guidance to be the kind of believer who sets the example of godliness.

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 5, Day 5

Friday: Keeping Our Promise

Text: At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. (Nehemiah 5:13b, NIV)

Teach: It is one thing to promise, but it means nothing without follow through. Nehemiah chastised the people for their behavior. It could have easily become a divisive matter. Instead this confrontation turned into a worship service. They agreed and broke into praise.

Take: Jesus reminded his followers of the former teaching that required the keeping of one’s vows. He was referring to Numbers 30:2, “When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.” Whether we keep our vows or not speaks to our integrity and our relationship with God.

Task: Jesus, and later his brother James, remind us that we need to let our yes be yes, and our no be no. Vows and promises are powerful things. Do not be hasty to make a vow or promise that you will not be able to keep. Consider some of the promises you have made and how God helps you keep them. Give thanks for his strengthening power that makes you able.

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 5, Day 4

Thursday: Accepting Responsibility

Text: 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
12 “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” (Nehemiah 5:11-12, NIV)

Teach: Nehemiah was a man of action. He required that the lenders stop charging interest and return a portion of what was taken. This was major. Nehemiah didn’t just shame them for their actions, he called them to make things right. It wouldn’t solve all their problems, but it was a huge step in the right direction.

Take: We live in a time when very few people accept responsibility for their actions. We blame everyone else. The reaction of the people to comply with Nehemiah’s instruction was commendable and an excellent example for us today.

Task: Accepting responsibility when we’re wrong can cost us—just as it did the lenders in Nehemiah’s day. Ask God to help you bring what you do in line with what you believe even when the cost is great.

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 5, Day 3

Wednesday: Walking Without Fear or Reproach

Text: So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? (Nehemiah 5:9, NIV)

Teach: What were they doing? While it was not illegal or wrong to loan money, charging excessive usury or interest is. It is wrong to gain financially of someone’s need.

Take: Nehemiah was concerned not only with the negative effects of the unfair loan practices were having on the people, but also with the impact their actions was having on those outside watching.

Task: Jesus told his followers they were salt and light and how they lived would either draw people to God or drive them away. As you reflect on the text today, ask God to reveal whether your witness is a light that leads others to him.

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 5, Day 2

Tuesday: What To Do With Anger

Text: When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them. (Nehemiah 5: 6-7, NIV)

Teach: It isn’t wrong to get angry. Jesus saw what was going on in the Temple and in the gospels we find him overturning the money changers tables and kicking everybody out. Paul warns the Ephesians that they are to be angry but not give into sin (Eph. 5:26). Anger at injustice that moves us to action demonstrates our love for God.

Take: Some translations say that Nehemiah “consulted himself.” As he pondered what was going on and how that made him feel and what he needed to do about it, Nehemiah put his head and heart together and sought God’s solutions to the situation.

Task: Have you been moved by injustice around you? Have you pondered what God would have you do? The building of the wall didn’t create the problems as much as it revealed them. What has God been revealing to you?

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 5, Day 1

Monday: Selfish Attacks from Within
Text: Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews.2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” (Nehemiah 5:1-2, NIV)

Teach: Chapter 4 ended so positively. But now the work has stopped because there is strife and disunity among the people. The building project had been funded by King Artaxerxes, but there were definite money problems for the people. They had been working so hard on the wall that they were unable to do their normal work to be able to provide for their families.

Take: Statistically, over half of marriages end in divorce and most of those are due to issues related to money. I read several articles about credit card debt and the numbers are staggering. In general, it seems we are out of control, driven to accumulate more, and our marriages and families are suffering because of it.

Task: In Luke 12 we find Jesus’ teaching about the Rich Fool who lost his life while trying to build bigger barns. He goes on to speak to his followers about how to find contentment, wrapping it up by telling them, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (see Luke 12:34)

In your quiet time, ask God to show you where your treasure is, what your treasure is, and how you are caring for it. Check your balance and your control.

Rebuilding with Nehemiah, Chapter 4, Day 7

Sunday: Lines of Communication

Text: 18 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.
19 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, “The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!” (Nehemiah 4:18-20, NLT)

Nehemiah knew the importance of prayer, of remembering, and of being ready. But all those things can be done by individuals.

Today’s word reminds us that we are in this together.

We understand Nehemiah’s concern that we, like the workers on the wall, are widely separated from each other. We live in a time when the opportunities for connection abound, but we have never been more alone.

Just as the people needed to listen for the blast of the trumpet, we need to listen and come together.

We were created for relationship, with God and others. From one end of the Bible to the other we read that we are to be devoted to one another, and care for one another. The writer of Hebrews even admonishes the believers to not give up meeting together as some were in the habit of doing (see Hebrews 10:25).

We need to take advantage of the opportunities to worship and play, fellowship and study together, so that we will also be ready to do battle for and with one another.

Book Review: Hymns of the Heart

As close to perfect as I’ve read in a long time.

There is really nothing I didn’t like about this book. I only wish there was more. The author addresses thirty five psalms in this volume. There is a good representation of familiar and less familiar selections included. The author gives the more familiar psalms a look that is refreshing, while taking the time to lift up less familiar hymn an intention and well-deserved nod.

In the epilogue the author notes mentions the varied emotions expressed in the psalms and how this was encouragement to the growth of his awe and wonder for God. His intention to draw the reader into similar patterns of growth can be considered “mission completed.”

The heart of this pastor is poured out on each page. I can imagine the material being preached and the people being blessed. Rev. Faughn has done his homework, but it neither comes across as “preachy” in a negative way or condescending manner. I found myself learning and going deeper.

Each chapter is written in an easy to follow style. I love the author’s use of alliteration. The way it is presented could clearly enhance a person’s individual study time or be well-suited to a class or small group study.
I highly recommend this book. I received a copy from the publisher in return for an honest review.