A Heart to Work

The last half of Nehemiah 4:7 records, "the people worked with all their heart." Taken out of context this could be a confusing statement. But when you consider it in the story of Nehemiah it becomes a powerful reminder of what God's people are capable of doing when they make the choice to work side by side in service to God and each other.
The wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed several decades earlier. Under the leadership of Nehemiah the people had undertaken the monumental task of rebuilding the wall, both as a means of protection and, possibly more importantly, as a psychological reminder that their Capitol City was once again a vibrant, important place. We can't begin to imagine the hardship these folks endured in order to accomplish the task. What we can understand though is that they had a desire to see this project finished...they had a personal stake in successfully rebuiling this wall.
The statement at the end of chapter 4:7 tells us how important it was to them. They poured themselves into it. They sacrificed to make certain it was completed. They set aside things that were important in their lives in order to accomplish this unified mission.
As their leader, Nehemiah understood the importance of relying on the power of God to get the job done. He knew they would get discouraged and that there would be opposition. But he also knew that God had brought him to this particular place to accomplish this construction project so he showed the people the power of God by leading them through the process.
There are many lessons that can be gained from a close study of the book of Nehemiah. There is none more important though than to see the power of a unified body of believers allowing the strength of God to push them far beyond what they ever imagined they could do. It's time for Christians in the 21st century to learn that lesson and put it into practice.

Answered Prayer

It never ceases to amaze me, even though I really shouldn't be surprised, when the blessings continue to roll. We continually read of how faithful God is in fulfilling His promises, taking care of His people and answering prayers, but the truth is, we find ourselves somewhat taken aback when those blessings, care and answers are aimed squarely at us.
Over the past several months I've been on my knees on a constant basis asking the Lord to lead me where I can be used the most effectively. We've agonized over doors that opened and then shut, doors that never opened we wished would and even doors that we had no idea were there. We've listened as He has allowed us to peek through windows of opportunity and then watched as He pulled the blinds on them.
Just over a week ago the final door opened and we were allowed to step through it. Our continued prayer has resulted in a difinitive answer. The funny thing is...I was surprised when that answer came. I was relieved, overjoyed and yes, surprised. I guess it's really not funny at all...odd is a better description. After all, I claim to believe in the power of prayer so why should I be surprised when He answers? Some would say that's the "human" response and I suppose they are right. But prayer is a faithbased understanding of God's amazing work in our lives. It allows us to open ourselves to His voice, His leading, His plans and be grateful when He blesses us with obvious answers.
Now, as we follow His lead we will work at being honestly open to further answers and blessings as He sends them our way.

Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In

There are many churches that have adopted a variant of the Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In motto. It's easy to remember and can spur interest in the programs the church has determined to employ. I certainly like the concept and firmly believe that it captures the essence of the Christian life. I wonder sometimes though how much energy our churches have put into making this concept the overarching principle of their various ministries.

We typically look at Reaching Up as pertaining to our corporate worship on Sunday morning. But when the Lord was asked about the greatest or most important command He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, reminding those who heard Him that Reaching Up is supposed to be a constant part of life (Mk 12:30). By giving ourselves entirely to God we surrender self and focus on His amazing love and grace. I can't help but think of Paul's instruction to the Roman Christians when he told them, "...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship" (Ro 12:1).

The idea of Reaching Out is a reminder of the second half of the greatest command, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mk 12:31). While we seldom look at this passage as a call to evangelism the truth is, there is no greater way to prove our love for our neighbor than to introduce them to the Great Physician. Far too often we emphasize acts of benevolence and fellowship as our programs that fulfill our desire to Reach Out and offer all kinds of excuses for not providing the Bread of Life instead of the Loaves and Fish. Yes, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and meeting the emotional needs of those around us is part of reaching out. But when those areas of work become the focus of Reaching Out I'm afraid we've missed the real mission of the church.

We have become very good at Reaching In...at least reaching in to the people that are most like us. We are social animals that truly need Chrstian fellowship. We certainly need to spend recreational time with our spiritual family and build lifelong relationships. But we can't allow ball games and visits to the local buffet become the focus of our congregational activities. Our Christian associations must be aimed at all Christians, regardless of their backgrounds, current social standing or marital status. We need to seek ways to, "...consider how to spur one another on to good deeds...(and) encourage one another...) (Heb 10:24-25). We all understand that the world won't help us walk more righteously. We need sweet fellowship with the saints that emphasizes our mutual spiritual growth, that turns ballgames and buffets into opportunities to give a helping hand in reaching our common goal of living life showing our appreciation for the grace God has poured out on us.

Next time you look at the motto "Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In" I pray that it will bring to your mind the awesome life God has granted us. I hope it will push you to review the things in your life and determine to make each one match up with something in that motto. I pray that the churches that have adopted it will find themselves weighing their activities to see if they are truly accomplishing what they say they are.

In Control

In my Wednesday night Bible class we are doing an overview of the Bible. Quite often an overview turns into a multi-year project that focuses on every verse but this is truly an overview. I've dug out a theme for each book, selected specific chapters that I believe are key to understanding the theme and even tried to narrow a verse or two as central to revealing the purpose of the book. By following these outlines we're generally able to get through four or five books each week.
One of the books we looked at last night was the book of Job. As I was doing my own review of Job it dawned on me that this is a book that teaches one very simple yet difficult to accept truth: No matter what is happening in life, our God is not only in control, He is always worthy of our praise and honor.
For some of you that may be a "DUH!" But I believe that for most of us it's a fact that we have verbally acknowledged but haven't completely bought into. We tend to believe that, because we know ourselves and our circumstances, we are best equipped to handle things ourselves. Job seemed to have that idea. He was so confident in himself that He was willing to verbally challenge the Lord.
What I find amazing though, is that when I rely on my own ability to control situations and circumstances, they almost always get messed up. When I humble myself to the point of truly allowing God to lead, those difficult times and decisions become much easier to deal with. Perhaps that's why James said, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (Jas 4:10).

Be Strong and Courageous

I've always been intrigued by the leader Joshua. He was hand picked to be Moses' personal assistant. He witnessed first hand the power of God as Moses and the Lord interacted. He stood strong in the face of overwhelming opposition as one of the 12 spies.
What intrigues me isn't the mentoring or "upbringing" that Joshua had. Instead, it is his need for solid reassurance from the Lord that he could successfully accomplish what God had ordained him to do. The first chapter of the book of Joshua brings out all the evidence we need. Three times in the space of four verses God has to remind Joshua to, "Be strong and courageous."
Frankly I don't know if God gave that admonishment as a result of Joshua's character or if it was instead simply an affirmation of the promise He gave in verse 5. That promise was simply that God would, "never leave or forsake" him. Either way, this repeated reminder of the need to remain strong seems oddly out of place for a man who is about to embark on the amazing task of leading God's people to the place that had been promised them many generations earlier.
Of course we see in the balance of the book that Joshua repeatedly leaned on God for the strength that he needed. The one time he didn't consult God about a decision became a disaster for the entire nation (see chapter 9). Regardless of that one failure, it seems to me that Joshua got the message the Lord delivered to him early in his leadership days.
I've come to believe that God's admonition to Joshua is the same one He wants us to hear. Whether we are taking on a leadership role in the church, changing jobs, moving to a new home or simply approaching a new day, He wants us to be strong and courageous. He wants us to know that because He is walking with us, every moment of every day, we can stand tall in the face of whatever challenges we face.
I'd like to be able to say that I've learned that lesson. However, every once in a while I have to go back and read those few verses in the first chapter of the book of Joshua to be reminded. Every once in a while I need to feel the hand of God as He ushers me through difficult times and events...just so I can remember that He's always there.

A Great Reminder

My wife and I had a great time in Silver Spring, MD this past weekend. We were reminded again of the amazing nature of God's great family. We were accepted with open arms by people who had never met us. We were treated to amazing hopitality, kind expressions of appreciation and reminders of how the Lord works through others to bless His people.
As we've reflected on our visit with that congregation I've can't help but be reminded of the Psalmists statement, "Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations" (Ps 90:1, NIV). I trust that no matter where I live my true dwelling place is in God. He is my refuge, my strength and my fortress. I will trust in His undying promises and will follow His lead as we search for the place He has prepared for us to serve.

Back to the Posts

I was reminded (as I too often have to be) recently that I hadn't posted anything new in a long time. I didn't realize how long it had been until I looked for my self. I could give lots of lame excuses like, being busy with my wife after her double knee replacement, trying to get all my school work done or trying to figure out what God has in store for us but those are just excuses. So, instead of excuses I figured it would be easier to just post something.

I've watched with not so enthusiastic interest as our elected officials have fought, argued, complained, demanded and caved in on the debt debate for our nation. As I've watched I've been reminded of one of Jesus' most difficult teachings: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). I fully realize that our politicians couched their arguments and stubbornness in doing what was "right" for the American people. I wonder though, how long the debate would have raged if our government officials had put their trust where it really belongs, not in the U.S. dollar and economy, but in the God of heaven.
While most of us are incensed at the way our national leaders conducted themselves during this "crisis," the truth is far too many of us saw ourselves in their behavior. We draw our lines in the sand too. We place our trust in things, jobs, relationships and even monetary instruments instead of where it ought to be...the God of heaven.
Jesus was absolutely right..."You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship both God and  (something else)!" (Mt 6:24, The Message)