Worship For Today: February 2018

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

All Have A Part To Play - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 8:15-17,

"When I [Ezra] checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia."

As Ezra prepared to lead a second group of returnees back to Jerusalem in 458 BC, he found he had no Levites among the group of possibly 5,000 or so people (per the Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary). It would be important to have Levites among them as Ezra's focus is going to be on worship at the temple. This would require Levites. Ezra sends leaders to Iddo in Kasiphia to secure the needed Levites and got what he needed.

Levites were set apart for work at the tabernacle, and then at the temple when built. A part of the Levite clan, the priests, descendants of Aaron had unique responsibilities relative to the temple worship. All had their part to perform.

I am reminded that in the church today, the Lord has set apart certain ones for himself for specific jobs as he builds his kingdom in this age. "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." Romans 12:4-8.

We all have a part to play in God's agenda today, just as the Levites did in Ezra's day. What part do you play?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Authorities Are God's Servants - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 7:27-28,

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me [Ezra] before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me."

The priest Ezra prepared to go to Jerusalem following the rebuilding of the temple. He would play an important part in teaching his fellow countrymen the Scriptures and insure the nation was off to a good re-start. King Artaxerxes of Persia wrote a letter to insure all Ezra would need in his endeavors would be provided him.

I note in a number of places (8) in his letter, Artaxerxes refers to God as Ezra's God, "your God". The king also refers to God as "the God of Jerusalem" in verse 19. From this it is difficult to tell whether Artaxerxes recognized the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as his own God, but it doesn't seem so to me. However, Artaxerxes does refer to God as "the God of Heaven", verses 12, 21 and 23.

In any event, King Artaxerxes was fully driven by God to insure all was in place for Ezra's mission. Clearly the Lord had control over this monarch. Not surprising since we are told that all authority on earth belongs to God. I am reminded of Paul's observation, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:1-2. We are also told the authorities are God's servants, verse 4.

This certainly could not be clearer in the case of the Persian King, Artaxerxes.

Monday, February 26, 2018

No Resistance Is Successful Against God's Agenda - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 6:8-9,

"Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail..."

In a turn of events, and consistent with how God does things from time to time, those who resisted what God wanted done in rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple found themselves actually having to provide for the very thing they were resisting!

When God is on the move, it is simply fascinating to observe how he does things. The local officials attempted to stop the rebuilding of the temple, but only found themselves opposing what God was doing. Not a recipe for success. I am reminded of what the wise rabbi, Gamaliel, had to say to his fellow members of the Sanhedrin when they arrested Jesus' apostles, "Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." Acts 5:38-39.

We read in Psalm 115:3, "Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him." When he does whatever it is that pleases him we find, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." Proverbs 21:30.

Friday, February 23, 2018

The Lord's Use of Government Red Tape - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 5:5,

"The eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received."

Not all red tape is bad. Here is a divine utilization of "government red tape" that kept the construction project of rebuilding the temple moving forward. This observation was made concerning the occasion when the Trans-Euphrates governor, Tattenai, questioned the civil authority by which these Jews began the temple restoration project.

Apparently there must have been some kind of zoning commission at the time that required projects be pre-approved by the local authorities. Maybe they failed to post a building permit? Humor aside, it points to the opposition the Jews had in rebuilding the temple.

When the Lord has determined to move on something he has ordained, nothing can stop it. I am reminded of Proverbs 21:30, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." I suspect we might be surprised of the many and varied ways the Lord has used to move his agenda ahead.

As a massive fully-loaded freight train traveling at 100 miles an hour is unstoppable, how much more so the Lord as he tends to the agenda he is pursuing!

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Shrewd As Snakes, Innocent As Doves - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 4:13,

"Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer."

The surrounding peoples resisted the Jews who returned to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. It is clear the Lord had intentions to bring the remnant of Jews back to their homeland to reestablish the city, the temple and the temple worship, As they set themselves to the task, they encountered resistance from the Trans-Euphrates officials who had been controlling the area. The above verse is a part of a letter sent to King Artaxerxes in an effort to stop the Jews.

These officials did not want their authority, their control, and the revenue they themselves received threatened by the returning Jews. However, it is apparent the spiritual forces of darkness did not want to see the Lord in pursuit of preparing the stage for the arrival of his Son, Jesus Christ, at the appointed time. The rebuilding of Jerusalem, the temple and the restoration of the temple worship were all steps to setting the stage for what would take place following the birth of the Son of Joseph and Mary.

The misdirection provided by these officials is pretty transparent. They attempted to persuade the King by appealing to the expected loss of revenue to the royal coffers. The true interests of the officials held little, if any, concern for the King's revenue. Deception and deceit are the hallmarks of "Team Cain" as it resisted the intentions of the Lord. I am quite certain it is this reality that prompted Jesus Christ this admonition to his followers: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard..." Matthew 10:16-17.

The direction of our Savior is as important today as has ever been! Just look at the deception and deceit all about us today...

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

The Preeminence of Worship - Ruminating in the Word of God

he Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 3:3,6,

"Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices... On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord's temple had not yet been laid."

When the Jews returned to their homeland following a seventy year captivity in Babylon, the first thing they did was to built an altar and began worshiping the Lord. I note that was how they started their renewed establishment as a nation - worship. The temple had not yet been built, or even a foundation for it laid before they began their worship of the Lord.

I wonder if we might take a clue from the Israelites here. Worship appears to hold the preeminent order of events for building a nation for God. We might say the critical path for reestablishing Israel began with worship.

How about us today? If we plant a new church somewhere, where to begin? Worship! If we begin a new marriage, a new family, where to begin? Worship! If we begin a new life with the Lord, where to begin? Worship!

Worship forces us to acknowledge our dependence upon the Lord. Worship "centers" us on the bigger things we need to keep our eyes on. Worship keep us from distraction, from being pulled away from our focus on the Lord.

Worship acknowledges the wonderful character, nature and deeds of our transcendent God. Worship requires the confession of those very things and keeps us clear, centered, and motivated!

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Our Documentation Never Lost! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 2:62,

"These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean."

As the returning Jews came back to their homeland from a seventy year captivity in Babylon, they were documented by their family lineage. In part of this chapter we read of three men among the priests who could not provide their family records and so were excluded from their participation in the temple worship, "The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim." Verse 63.

I am reminded that, unlike these priests, today those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith have an unquestioned place at the Lord's table in the resurrection. We have been "sealed" into God's family and recorded as such in God's "Book of Life". We have permanent documentation that will never be lost.

"... do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30. Also, Revelation 3:5, "I [Jesus] will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

How wonderful is that?! We will never have to be concerned about our credentials for entering into God's family in the resurrection! God has taken care of that and we acknowledge it as something that is "signed, sealed and delivered!" - a done deal!

We will never be asked for our license and proof of insurance as we enter heaven. The record book has permanent documentation contained within.

Friday, February 16, 2018

The Importance of Prophecy - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 1:1,

"In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah..."

Here begins the book of Ezra. I note it is a reference to the fulfillment of prophecy. Jeremiah had prophesied Judah would be destroyed with a remnant of Jews enduring a seventy year captivity and a return to the homeland following. Ezra refers to that prophecy and says the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, to allow Jews to return to their homeland now that the seventy year captivity had come to completion.

How important is predictive prophecy? The Lord has employed prophecy for millennia to both inform and authenticate. There are things the Lord wants people to know and he provides the assurance that what he has to say will take place with precise certainty.

All prophecy in Scripture is important as our Creator has determined that what he has to say is obviously something he wants us to know. When our Creator speaks, nothing approaches the importance of what that is he has to say.

The prophesies that address the following issues appear to me to be of such importance, any one who has lived should be aware of them.

-- Since we have all sinned, the Lord has prophesied we all face his judgment, following this age, in a fiery lake of burning sulfur.

-- Since the Lord loves mankind, he prophesied he would provide a sacrifice of atonement for our sins in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, providing us salvation from that judgment.

-- The Lord has prophesied that all who will embrace his Son in faith will be forgiven their sins and be given a place in his kingdom for all eternity.

-- The Lord has prophesied that our existence in his eternal kingdom will be one of "eternal pleasures" at his right hand.

I will leave to you the joy of finding the many places in Scripture he has provided prophecy for these things. It really is a fascinating and wonderful way to learn what is in our Bibles.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Remember Me, God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 13:14,22,

"Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services... Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love."

Following a return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah found abuses the people were engaging in (yet again!) and took steps to correct them. A priest had provided a Gentile ruler a room in the temple, offerings that were to have been given to the Levites had not been provided them, the Levites and musicians responsible for the temple worship had abandoned their duties and returned to their fields, the people were breaking the Sabbath, and some had gone back to inter-marrying Gentiles.

In all of these abuses, Nehemiah brought correction to the people and in this chapter he asked God four times to remember him with favor for what he had done, verses 14, 22, 29 and 31. I'm not certain that Nehemiah was nearly as concerned he get special or unique favors from the Lord for the good he had done for God's agenda, but simply that he wanted to be remembered by the Lord for what he had done.

Considering what Nehemiah had done for the Lord's agenda, it prompts me to think of what I might wish the Lord to remember me for. Not that the Lord would forget me - that won't happen - but what it is he remembers about me, what does he think about how I am using the life he gave me? What is it I would like the Lord to keep in mind about me in this life? How about in the next age - for all eternity - for what I have done in this age? Nehemiah brings to mind that the Lord does think of us and that we may want to consider what it is he remembers us for.

We learn in Ephesians 1 that the Lord has chosen us to be "holy and blameless in his sight", verse 4. However, that does not preclude the opportunity we have to have the Lord think of us, to remember us, for those things we might do to further his agenda in this age. What is it I may do in this life that impacts the Lord's remembrance of me?

What an opportunity here!

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Orderliness, a Godly Trait - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 12:40-41,

"The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests..."

It is not difficult to see the organization and order that attended the worship of the Jews of their God under Nehemiah. This chapter details who went where and what they did. Two choirs headed in opposite directions on top of the wall. Following their thanksgiving, they "took their places in the house of God..." Verse 40.

As I say, very orderly. I note this because it brings to mind the orderly nature of their God they worshiped. When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about good order in worship he mentions, "God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord's people." 1 Corinthians 14:33. There he counsels the church to worship God in an orderly way because God is orderly. This is a character trait of his.

Whenever I read Scripture, I always ask myself what the passage tells me about the Lord. What can I learn from the Bible about my God as he reveals himself in its pages? All of the things I learn about the Lord add up in my understanding of him. I feel it is one of the many purposes he has revealed himself to us in his Word, and certainly adds to my motivation to spend time in Scripture.

And, what we learn here is that because God is orderly, our worship of him should reflect just that. Orderliness is apparently a godly trait and something we should pursue - certainly in our worship of him, just as Nehemiah did in his day.

Just a tidbit here about God that he has provided us.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

What Am I Willing To Give Up? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 11:1-2,

"Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem."

When the Jews returned to their homeland and the temple, the city walls and gates had been rebuilt, it fulfilled one of the many steps the Lord was taking to prepare for the arrival of his Son, Jesus Christ, five centuries later. In addition to a reestablished Jerusalem with its temple, Roman roads would be built, Alexander the Great would establish Greek as the "lingua franca" of the day as well as other preparations were taken to set the stage for Israel's Messiah to bring God's kingdom to all mankind.

Reestablishing Jerusalem would take more than simply building a temple, re-instituting the temple worship, building up the city walls and repairing the gates. The city required a population. We read here that a tenth of all the people who had returned to the homeland and lived on their ancestral grounds were selected to repopulate Jerusalem. So they moved into the city, and all who volunteered to do so were "commended."

Sometimes the plans of God require us to give up something. For these returning Jews, it was to give up living on their own property in the various towns of Israel. The agenda of God disrupted their lives and there were those who volunteered for it.

Today God is building his kingdom in this age for the next. God has his agenda for the redemption of all mankind and he welcomes all who will embrace him in faith. The effort may require our own lives to be impacted to facilitate the building of God's kingdom. We might have to give up something if we wish to participate with the Lord in what he is doing in this age, just as the Jews did in Nehemiah's day.

What might that be for you and me? Are we willing to give our lives, are we willing to disrupt our lives, are we willing to let go of some of the things we have pursued in our lives in order to participate with God as he builds his kingdom?

I think it is a fair question to ask ourselves. After all, look at what God's Son gave up, look at how he was willing to be impacted so that you and I could join his kingdom and have a place at his table in the next age. "… have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:5-8.

Monday, February 12, 2018

We All Have Our Part To Play - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 10:39,

"The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.'We will not neglect the house of our God.'"

The Jews that returned to their homeland following the seventy-year captivity made an agreement and put it in writing. As a part of that agreement, they committed themselves to provide for the sanctuary, the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians. They agreed to provide, through their own giving, for the "house of our God."

God has another house in this age. He has offered to all who will embrace him in faith to become a part of his kingdom, his family, his "spiritual house", see 1 Peter 2:5. We learn from the Scriptures that the purpose of this age, following the coming of his Son, his sacrifice on that cross for all sins of all mankind, is to provide the opportunity for all to join his family, to become a part of God's spiritual house.

As with the temple in Nehemiah's day, with its servants and the activities associated with the temple worship needing provision, so, likewise does God's spiritual house today. We are asked to financially support God's family in this age, the Church. We are asked to utilize special abilities God, in his grace, has blessed each of us with to invest in his spiritual house. We are also asked to invest our time in the building of God's house today.

The purpose of this age is to provide for the building of God's family, his kingdom. All who have embraced the Lord in faith have our part to play.

How important it is for each of us to identify where we fit into God's spiritual house and find what it is the Lord is expecting from each of us to help him build his family. Here we find our purpose and our opportunity to find the fulfillment and satisfaction to make our lives meaningful today.

Friday, February 9, 2018

A National Confession Of Who God Is - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 9:5-6,

"Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you."

This doxology by the Levites begins the prayer of confession of sins and agreement of the nation to serve the Lord. They entered into an agreement by binding themselves to serve the Lord. This transpired in a day when the Israelites gathered together to read the Scriptures for a quarter of the day, and then for another quarter "in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God." Verse 3.

This doxology contains all we need to know of God: Our God is the only Lord. He is the Creator of all there is in the heavens, on the earth and in the seas. We are told it is God who gives life to everything.

Here is where we came from, here is where we derive and find our worth. Here is where we receive our many blessings! This Levitical confession should be ours today, our prayer, the prayer of our nation! To recognize the Lord in this manner is not an establishment of a religion. It is simply a very appropriate and needful expression of reality - an expression that might possibly restore sanity back to the public square in our day!

Thursday, February 8, 2018

An Inexpressible Joy - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 8:10b,

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

These words were spoken to the people by Nehemiah as he observed their response to the reading of the Scriptures, "the Law". Upon hearing what the Lord had to say through Moses and considering the response of the nation to the Lord over the generations, the people wept. "For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law." verse 9b.

While national sorrow might have been very appropriate (it certainly would be for our nation today!), Nehemiah pointed out this day of the reading of the Law was "holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." Instead, Nehemiah instructed them to, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared." Verse 10a.

The response of the people was wonderful. "Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them." Verse 12.

This morning I think of that phrase, "the joy of the Lord is your strength." It appears to me that if we are not experiencing a joy from our becoming a child of God, if we are not experiencing a joy from knowing we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ, if we are not experiencing a joy from the anticipation of what will be ours in the resurrection, maybe we need the Scriptures read to us. We are missing out on our strength the joy of the Lord provides!

Possibly in a quest to make sure we get all things theologically correct, we at times overlook the most amazing and wonderful realities of our new life in Jesus Christ. These are the things that should bring us a profound joy -- a joy Nehemiah wanted the folks to experience as they now understood what the Lord had to say to the nation.

In the words of Peter, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:8-9.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

God Laid It On My Heart: How Do I Know For Sure? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 7:4-5a,

"Now the city [Jerusalem] was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families."

Nehemiah tells us that God had put in his heart to register the people in Jerusalem. He doesn't provide us any detail on just how the Lord did put it in his heart, but just that he did. His impulse then, to register the people did not originate with him but was direction he received from the Lord.

I focus on this a bit because over the years I have heard all manner of stories people have given me over how the Lord had put in their hearts to do one thing or another. It has caused me from time to time to wonder how a person knows for sure which impulse was from the Lord or not.

The question arises for me because some of the accounts of "the Lord laid it on my heart", or "the Lord told me", or "the Lord is leading me to..." could not possibly have come from the Lord as the thing being promoted was clearly antithetical to what we are taught in the Scriptures. Such things as, "The Lord told me to leave my spouse..." or "the Lord told me to quit my job..." (when the person saying it has a history of being shiftless), those kinds of things. I'm sure you have heard stories where you were told the Lord was leading someone to do this or that and it left you scratching your head with the uneasy feeling of, "Really?..."

Clearly many have used the ploy of invoking "the Lord's direction" in a personal matter that relieves the teller of any need to defend a poor decision. However, here in Nehemiah's account, the Lord did lay something on his heart. He doesn't say the Lord spoke to him (as he might to a prophet), but simply that God "put it in my heart".

There are a number of accounts in the Scriptures where the Lord intervened and non-verbally moved someone in a certain direction and I can not see any reason to believe the Lord does not continue to do so today.

However, to insure we are not fooling ourselves, it seems to me the burden of proof the Lord is laying something on someone's heart rests with the Scriptures. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 1 Timothy 3:16-17. If the thing comports with the Scriptures, that is one thing. If it appears to violate what is taught in Scripture, that is something else.

While this thought clearly falls short of knowing beyond a doubt the Lord is leading us in a certain direction, it can be very helpful in weeding out some of those impulses that we might otherwise be fooled by.

This sure makes a case for those of us who wish to be directed by God to become intimately acquainted with the Scriptures, doesn't it?

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Why Does God Allow the Resistance? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 6:17-19,

"Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me."

Nehemiah was a godly man and placed himself squarely in the plans and purposes of God when he set himself to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. The city had been destroyed earlier when the Lord took steps to eradicate the persistent idolatry Israel engaged in. Those steps included destroying most of the people of Israel, razing the city and sending a remnant into Babylonian captivity.

Now that the seventy year captivity had come to an end, the Lord arranged for the Jews to be returned to the homeland where walls and gates for the city needed to be rebuilt for the security of it. Nehemiah set himself to the task and thereby placed himself in the midst of the plans of God.

What Nehemiah discovered there was a lot of opposition. In our passage here we see that some of that opposition came from within the ranks of the returnees themselves due to convoluted relationships. Letters were going out from Jerusalem to the chief "#Resistance" figure of the day, Tobiah. And, he in turn contacted various Jews within Jerusalem. We read of letters Tobiah sent designed to intimidate Nehemiah.

Since it was the Lord's desire that the Jews return to their homeland, rebuild the temple and reestablish the city by rebuilding its walls and gates, why all the opposition that came Nehemiah's way? Why didn't the Lord just take care of it and squash the opposition?

Those who read their Bibles already know the answer to this question. God rarely does it all himself when he makes his moves. He most often employs those who are given to his agenda, provides the necessary help that may be beyond what his people can deliver, and allows those who do his bidding to work out the many issues and challenges that may be faced. The book of Psalms is replete with such accounts.

In fact, it is my view that often during the pursuit of accomplishing the core of what the Lord wants done, these attending challenges provide opportunity for the Lord to accomplish all kinds of things we may struggle to understand.

Here is a very simple example: which version of Nehemiah inspires God's people the most? A man who went through the motions of achieving things for God as God made every provision for him to do so? Or a man who through great difficulty achieved things for God, a man driven through many struggles by his love and desire to do things for God in the midst of what appears to be the impossible? That is just one thought. I'm sure the Lord was doing dozens of things when he allowed the #Resistance movement to challenge his own people at every turn.

Monday, February 5, 2018

Subordinating Ourselves to God's Agenda - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 5:9,

"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?"

This is an accusation Nehemiah made against nobles and officials among the returnees in Jerusalem that were loaning money to their own countrymen during a famine. It resulted in their countrymen losing their homes, fields, vineyards, and having their daughters sold into slavery.

Nehemiah brought these nobles and officials together and demanded they return the homes and fields back to their countrymen and to free any enslaved Jews. The nobles and officials agreed to do so and did as they promised.

It is my perspective that Nehemiah's actions were in line with what the Lord was pursuing in preparing for the nation for the coming of her Messiah, Jesus Christ. Following the Lord's effecting the Jews release from bondage in Babylon, he was not interested in seeing them enslaved to one another.

In the Scriptures we find that the practice of things in life, how people conduct their financial affairs, how they treat one another, both in the marketplace, as well as anyplace, are all to be subordinated to what it is the Lord is busy pursuing.

Since the Lord is building his kingdom today, how might he have me conduct myself and my affairs to aid him in that endeavor?

Friday, February 2, 2018

Juxtaposition of Faith and Concealed Carry - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 4:14-16,

"'Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.' When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor."

The surrounding peoples became angry when they saw the Jewish returnees rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem. Here in this verse we read Nehemiah's encouragement to the Jews and steps he took in light of the threat they faced.

Nehemiah was a godly man and his encouragement of the people lay squarely on the Lord, "who is great and awesome". Certainly the Lord would watch over the rebuilding of the walls and gates in Jerusalem and the workers could take solace in his protection, "Remember the Lord..."

However, I note that Nehemiah took all the prudent steps a responsible person would to provide protection for the workers. He arranged for watches during the night, guards during the day, "constitutional carry" for the workers (he had the workers keep weapons on themselves as they continued their work).

At times in the church today, issues arise that surround both our dependence and faith in the Lord in some way, and yet on the other hand, determining what we should do on our part in a given situation: do the steps we take reflect our faith in God?

A great example of this is whether to provide armed security for a congregation in worship. Given the mass shootings we have seen in the past couple of years in churches, this raises an issue. Do we trust in God to provide protection of worshipers? Do we have elders or others who are tasked with concealed carry weapons for security in church? Do we post guards, arrange for security in other ways?

Can we acknowledge God's protection and watchful eye on us, and yet, at the same time, provide armed security for ourselves? Does faith and action work together? Does the Lord expect us to do some things for ourselves?

I think Nehemiah, a godly man, can provide us all the answers we need in this regard.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Achieving God's Agenda: A Team Effort - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 3:23,

"Beyond them [the priests], Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house."

Chapter three provides a listing of the repairs to the various walls and gates surrounding Jerusalem. The city, with the temple and its walls and gates was destroyed by the Babylonians years earlier, with a remnant of Jews being taken into captivity at the time.

Now, the survivors of the remnant were being allowed to return to Jerusalem. The temple was rebuilt and this chapter in Nehemiah chronicles the repairs to the walls and gates.

I note the reconstruction of the walls and gates were accomplished by many people. I read of 44-45 or so different people/groups of people who rebuilt different parts of the walls and gates.

In a very loose way, I am reminded that when it comes to building the things of God, it often takes many to accomplish what it is God desires. Today he is building his kingdom and all of us have a part to play, just as the returning Jews had with the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." Romans 12:6-8. God equips us all to participate in the building of his kingdom and has provided us, through his Spirit, unique abilities to do our part.

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10. All of us have been gifted with something to build God's kingdom with and he has an expectation that we will use those gifts, slide into the harness, and do our part, just as the returnees did their part in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and gates.

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, Paul tells us how God equips us to do our part: "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."

Today, God is busy building his kingdom. He uses all who have come to him to bring others in and to provide for the building up of us all.

So... what part do I play? What is my assignment? What is it God is asking me to accomplish with what he has provided me with?