Tag: Nehemiah

Trust God, Uncategorized

Keeping Your Eye on the Prize

The Kedge Anchor
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Recently, I have had an already challenging situation, moving, with a challenging person constantly challenging my situation, my patience, my being Christ like. It’s really hard to to keep my mind from wanting to tear into this person and just being done with them. But this person claims to be a Christian. You can’t tell this person anything, know everything. Always right and has to explain everything to you. I struggle with am I being judgemental or discerning? There is just something not right. Actions, words, things aren’t lining up making me question the validity of this claim. It makes me feel horrible and question myself. Do my actions line up with my words? Am I doing anything to cause this person to behave this way? What did I do wrong? I’m constantly asking for forgiveness. I find my mind going off in angry tangents wasting mental and emotional energy. Sounds like a tactic of the enemy. But, when I catch myself doing that, I am quickly reminded where I need to focus my energy; moving, packing, rejoicing.

God reminded me of Philippians 3:14 – “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” This verse is talking about running the race and reaching the prize of a heavenly calling, the crown of righteousness. Like an athlete running a race, pressing forward to the finish line. 2 Timothy 4:8 – “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” That is my ultimate goal, the ultimate prize. And my angry thoughts are distracting me not only from packing and looking forward to our new place, but they are distracting me from running the race, I’m losing my joy, and most importantly distracting me from reaching the crown of righteousness.

God also reminded me of Nehemiah, a man of prayer and who was instructed by God to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. Nehemiah answered the call from God to restore the wall. and naturally was confronted with opposition, fear, and temptation from his enemies. Nehemiah’s enemies sent him a message asking him to meet them at one of the villages. He realized his enemies were plotting harm (Nehemiah 6:2), so he sent a reply “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” Nehemiah 6:3.

So I began to think, why can’t this be applied to anything God gives me to do? God has provided a much suitable place for us to live. I have packing to do and a new home to set up, I can’t come down, I can’t waste my time on renting the space in my head to this person. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, I am human but I do catch myself and have to put myself back on track, refocus and press forward once again.

This is a challenge not giving in to angry thoughts. I just want justice. As the line Jonathan Roumie says as Jesus said in the Season 2 Episode one of The Chosen, (Thunder) – “Strong passion can be a good thing when channeled for righteousness.” If this person truly loves God, then God will have to deal with this person. For now, I have to focus on the prize. Anchor in Hope.

Trust God

When It Seems Like God isn’t Talking

The Kedge Anchor
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When titling this post I was torn between the current title or “When We Don’t Hear from God.” But, I know this God is always speaking to us, we aren’t always hearing. Even if God is silent, He is still speaking to us, through His creation, through others.

God was silent for 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. We don’t know why God chose to be silent. I like to think that it was because people needed time to process what was taught (hold this thought) generations before or to rest a beat like in a musical piece, to highlight what was about to come in the New Testament, a theatrical pause. If you don’t think God is dramatic, read the book of Daniel and Revelation. But God doesn’t need to answer for His decisions. We just need to accept and trust. (I know not always easy). God may have been silent, but He was still working.

Today, God gave me an ah-ha moment. Have you ever experienced a “oh wow” revelation whilst reading God’s word? Heavenly information just keeps flowing. Sometimes I feel like I can’t keep up so my writing becomes almost illegible and I end up rewriting everything. Then the next day, I want more and I hear nothing. I get a little disappointed. Has this happened to you? What’s even more disappointing, the next day, I can’t remember what the passage of scripture was or what point God was trying make.

So, here’s what’s happening. My husband and I are getting ready to move and as you know the house is kinda outta sorts, boxes, not to mention a disruption in the daily routine, trying to keep up with my art projects and this blog, etc. Yesterday was one of those days where God revealed to me what I needed to focus on. He gave me Philippians 3:14 – “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” I have so many things that I need to do, we all do, and I can get so distracted by one thing, to shift my focus not only from God but from the tasks He has for me. Then He brought to my mind, Nehemiah rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was focused (and a man of prayer). He had distractions and opposition (expect that especially when doing God’s work). But, yet Nehemiah kept the mindset he needed to finish the work God had for him. Nehemiah 6:3 – “And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” I cannot come down is the focus I need when distracted.

Ok so let me tie these verses together. God gave me Philippians 3:14, to press toward the goal. My goal right now is to not be distracted by the unsettled feelings, distrust and disappointment I have towards someone right now. We don’t have time to acquiesce to their requests that aren’t urgent. I have so many other things to focus on other than what I feel this person is trying to do to make our lives difficult and it’s distracting me from my focus on God Himself. God will be the judge, vengeance is His. (honestly for the life of me I don’t know what we did to make this person act the they are and I am asking God to reveal that to us).

Today, I wanted God to give me more. And guess what? Nothing. Say what?! C’mon I thought I was on a roll? Then another ah-ha moment. God wanted me to learn, commit to heart what I learned yesterday. The Bible is God’s word, the Bread of Life right? God wants me to chew on it, savor it. And like Mary in Luke 2:19 – “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” God is giving me a pause before the next big reveal. He is giving me time process and treasure up. I am sure He is thrilled I want more but if I can’t remember what He spoke, what’s the point.

So the next time you sit down to read your Bible or do a devotional and you don’t hear anything from God, go back to the day before or a few days before and re-read the passage, maybe there’s something there you may have missed. Read your favorite verse and pick out the words that speak to you and look up the original Hebrew or Greek words. But don’t despair. Keep seeking Him. Be still and know that He is God. He may seem silent but He’s still working and still speaking.

Coloring Page

August 8, 2022 – Nehemiah 8:10

The Kedge Anchor

” … the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Have you ever wondered exactly what that meant or means for us today? Click here to read a recent post about the joy of the Lord.



August-8-2022
Uncategorized

Joy of the Lord is My Strength

The Kedge Anchor
Photo by Alexandr Podvalny on Pexels.com

Nehemiah 8:10 – “… the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Ever wondered what that really means? How can the the Lord’s joy be our strength? Well, first we need to look at the who, when, where and why of the passage. We need to read the chapters and verses before it. So, let’s journey through the passages.

Most scholars believe The book of Nehemiah was written by Nehemiah himself. Nehemiah exhibited exceptional leaderships qualities and he was a man of prayer. He depended deeply on God and knew how to draw strength and assurance from Him. Nehemiah was a volunteer of sorts. He was deeply affected by the dismal state of Jerusalem and I believe God used this to move Nehemiah forward in rebuilding the wall and spiritually restoring the people of Israel.

“… the joy of the Lord is your strength

Nehemiah 8:10

Without going into too much background, I just want to look at verse 10 – “Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” How does the Lord’s joy give me strength?

Chapter 8 starts with Ezra, a leader of the Jews on the first day of the seventh month read the law to an assembly of people, men, women and children, and all who were able to understand. As they listened to Ezra the people began to weep for they knew how disobedient they had been to God. This was known as the Feasts of Trumpets. Everyone was to stop working and remember the Lord. Everyone started out praising and worshipping God. As Ezra continued to read the law, they wept and mourned because they became aware of how disobedient they had been. The reading and receiving of the law was to be a joyous time. God’s Word has the power to convict, convert and revive and we can be joyous when we are convicted because true conviction leads to repentance and restoration with God. “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT). When we repent and change we are restored and that brings us JOY! GOD’S JOY!

How happy are you when someone you’ve hurt forgives you? Have had to repent to someone for hurting them, especially someone you love? When you realize what you have done and feel bad, or sorrowful and want to make things right, you go to that person, apologize and ask for forgiveness. When that person forgives you, you both are so happy and the relationship is restored. How happy have you been when someone apologizes for hurting you?

In Zepahnaih 3:17 – The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” God is love – 1 John 4:8 & 16 1 John 4:8 – But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:16 – We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.  John 3:16 – For God so Loved the world, He gave His only Son (paraphrased).

He will take great delight in you … will rejoice over you with singing.’

Zepahnaih 3:17

All we have to do is receive that forgiveness and His love!!! He takes joy in us when we turn from our sin and and are deeply sorry for what we have done. It is a time of restoration and a time to celebrate like people did in verse 10 of Nehemiah. Because God is joyful in my repentance I can draw strength from that.