Posted on Oct 5, 2018 in Devotions |
Nehemiah had a vision, he developed a plan, and he motivated and engaged people to make the vision a reality. Notice, “the people worked with all their heart.” That’s the key to success. They were not halfhearted or lukewarm. They were all in!
I am reminded of the word of Jesus: “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad”
(Matt. 12:30). There is no middle ground when it comes to following Christ. You are either following him, or you are following something, or someone, else. Your relationship with Him shouldn’t run hot and cold, depending on your circumstances or current emotions. Through thick and thin, ups and downs, Jesus asks you to be
“all in” with Him. God works in and though people who are fully yielded to Him to change the world!
You can’t give half your heart and expect full heart results. Just like you can’t put in 20 hours and wonder why your paycheck isn’t based on 40 hours. The same is true in your commitment to Jesus and his Kingdom. You must be ALL IN – in worshipping, serving, giving, loving, and sacrificing! You must give 100 percent effort in securing a win for our Coach and our team!
Jim Elliot put it in perspective this way:,” He is no fool who loses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Jesus went “ALL IN” for you. Are you “ALL IN” for Him?
Posted on Oct 4, 2018 in Devotions |
Each morning most of us have a routine in getting ready for the day’s activities, whether it’s school, work or leisure. I remember when I worked as a retail store manager; my team had a daily process in getting ready for the customers. When the store opened, you had to have store cleaned, all sales signs up, registers opened, sales associates in place, and a warm smile. You had to be ready for the customers and day’s challenges.
Because Nehemiah had a real and menacing threat from the opposition, he ensured his people were ready to face any attack. Nehemiah had the people keep their swords close by at all times. He took his enemy seriously and prepared his people to defend themselves at a moment’s notice. Read more…
Posted on Oct 3, 2018 in Devotions |
In a car friction is constantly wearing out the engine parts and wasting energy. Hence the need for lubricants: substances that fight friction and allow moving machine parts to slide past one another more smoothly. Lubricants allow many parts work together efficiently. Glue, on the other hand, is a sticky substance which is used to join things together permanently. Can you imagine putting glue in the engine of your car?
There is no doubt that work goes faster when everyone works together. It is vividly shown in book of Nehemiah. It is also true when we look at work in the ministry of the church. It is not just about how quickly chairs get set up or put away after a service or event, but also about the eternally significant work that the church is charge to complete – helping people know Jesus, find freedom and purpose, and make a difference for God’s glory.
The church has a lot of work to do, but it will never get done unless we all step up and do our part. Success comes when we work together like the people of Jerusalem under the leadership of Nehemiah.
Henry Ford reminds us:
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”.
The church of Jesus Christ is called to be a mighty force in the world that not even the gates of hell can stand against. However, if each of us fail to stand up and take seriously the work assigned, the church will not have the momentum to ring the door bell of hell let alone knock down its gates.
So here are some questions to think about when it comes to the church and your contribution in making a difference in the world for the glory of God: Am I acting like grease in the axles or glue in the gears? Am I high maintenance and low return or am I low maintenance and high return? Am I a burden to the work God is trying to do around me or am I making the burden lighter? Read
Posted on Oct 2, 2018 in Devotions |
A burden is a load which is too heavy and needs to be shared; but each of us should bear our own responsibilities, and not be lazy, expecting others to do our work for us.
Burdens are different: they may be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual; and we are not designed to carry them alone. Christ’s instructions is to love one another in such a way that the burden is shared (John 13:34). The Apostle Paul reminds us: Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. – Gal. 6:2
Jerusalem was not a small village but a large city covering a significant area but as everyone worked together diligently the work got done. Working together lightens the burden of the work God has for us.
Much of the work that the church does relies upon everyone doing their part. We all have a role in God’s house when you’re tempted to wonder whether your part matters, remember you make a huge difference!
Ask this: How can you use your unique gifts and talents to build God’s house?
Posted on Oct 2, 2018 in BLOG, Devotions |
As you read the book of Nehemiah, especially chapter 3, you discover that Jerusalem had lots of gates. some less prestigious than others and let’s face it most people could only name only a couple if they tried. Besides being part of a city’s protection against invaders, city gates were places of central activity in biblical times. It was at the city gates that important business transactions were made, court was convened, and public announcements were heralded.
When you look at the gates from a construction and strategic standpoint, there is no gate or wall that is more or less important. Sure, some might be more prestigious than others, I believe I would rather be working on the Fountain Gate than the Dung Gate, but all were important. If all of the gates were rebuilt, except one, Jerusalem would not be a safe city. If one gate did not get rebuilt it would be open season on the inhabitant of Jerusalem. Their defenses would be worthless!
The same is true of the work of the church. Sometimes the work we do might seem insignificant, but there is a huge purpose in it and can have eternal consequences. One thing we can be sure, Christ promised that “the gates of hell will not prevail” against the church.
Your Work Is Important!!
Posted on Oct 1, 2018 in Devotions |
“If we don’t fight for what we ‘stand for’ with our passionate words and honest actions, do we really ‘stand’ for anything?” ―
Tiffany Madison, Black and White
Nehemiah did more than complain about a problem. He did more than pray. Nehemiah acted. With courage, Nehemiah spoke to the king. Not satisfied with, “Someone else will do it,” Nehemiah boldly made his request to the king. While we all doubt God sometimes, it is usually a lack of action that keeps us stuck, not a lack of faith.
Just because our hearts are broken doesn’t mean we’re willing to do something about a problem. We can be sad about what’s happening to us or around us and do absolutely nothing about it. We can talk about the problems in our community, but it is action that will bring change.
Faith without works is dead (
James 2:20). We’ve got to respond to the opportunities God gives us. Is your heart broken for something? Do you know what to do? Are you ready to initiate?
Here is a simple prayer: Jesus, I have a burden. I know what to do next. I want to be a next level doer. Give me the courage to act!
Posted on Sep 30, 2018 in BLOG, Devotions |
Stephen Edgecombe |30 September, 2018| Devotional
We were not designed to bear burdens alone. When we see the brokenness in our communities and the world, the solutions seem overwhelming. A God-sized vision is simply too big for any one of us. The church’s mission—to go into all the world and make disciples—is too big for one person. We need the help of others.
God gave Nehemiah a desire to see Jerusalem’s wall rebuilt, but Nehemiah did not complete the task on his own. Nehemiah 3 lists 43 different groups of people who helped to bring the wall to completion. The historian Josephus recorded the circumference of Jerusalem’s walls at about 4.5 miles. Other sources tell us the wall was 15 feet thick and perhaps 12 feet high. Rebuilding the wall was a big job.
The cooperation of the people in rebuilding the wall is a great example of how the church was designed to function. Some completed large sections of the wall while others made small repairs. Everyone shared the burden and together they finished the job. They were not professional builders; simply ordinary people willing to follow an extraordinary vision.
Paul reminds us that we all have a role in the church (Romans 12:4-8). When you’re tempted to wonder if your little bit matters, remember: You make a huge difference! We are all ordinary people with unique gifts. But when we’re using our gifts and working together, we can make a bigger difference than any one of us could do alone.
How can you use your unique gifts and talents to build the church?
Read: Nehemiah 3
Posted on Sep 29, 2018 in Devotions |
by Stephen Edgecombe | 29 September, 2018 |
Devotional |
We learned yesterday that when Nehemiah focused on the “Why”, he was able to inspire others to join the cause. The cause was bigger that just one person. It required a shared vision and a community of workers.
What God has called you to do is most likely larger than you. It will require purpose, vision, passion and prayer. But it will also require the involvement of others. You will need help. You can accomplish so much more when you have a team with “a mind to work”.
Nehemiah told his people what God had said and some people got involved, and some didn’t. The ones who identified as builders DID SOMETHING! They strengthened themselves for the good work that was ahead of them. Then they arose and build.
Prayer, planning and preparation are essential, but there comes a time when you must act. Arise and build! Get your hands dirty, mix the mortar, saw the wood, drive the nails! Be doers of the good work!
Say this out loud right now: “I am a doer!”
Posted on Sep 28, 2018 in BLOG, Devotions |
Stephen Edgecombe | 29 September, 2018 |
Devotional |
It is interesting that after Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he takes three more days to size things up before he speaks to the officials, the priests, and the nobles. When he does speak, he doesn’t speak only concerning “how” and “what.” He talks about “why.” (
Nehemiah 2:17-18)
We live in a world, like Nehemiah, filled with constant distractions. Unlimited activities are floating around us at all times that can take our attention, and often the ones that scream the loudest win. An easy way to change your world is to focus (and stay focused) on your purpose – your “Why”.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an employee, a leader of a team or ministry, you want to tackle the WHY of your life and work. Discovering the WHY injects passion into your work. And it’s those who start with WHY that has the ability to inspire those around them. Nehemiah knew his WHY and inspired others to help fulfill the mission of building the wall.
Most people live their lives by focusing on what they have to do. The endless tasks continue to mount up, and we wonder why we never feel like we’re getting ahead. It seems like we’re sprinting on a treadmill just trying to keep up, and every task completed is quickly replaced by new ones. Life gets a lot simpler when we focus on why we do things. So when a new item comes across your plate, you need to ask “Why”? Why do you attend church? Why do you give (or not give)? Why do you serve or not serve in a ministry? \
“The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without a purpose.” ― Myles Munroe
Posted on Sep 27, 2018 in Devotions |
T.D. Jakes says “Anytime God answers your prayer, and the opportunity presents itself, there are always going to be opposing factors that make success not taste successful… Success will taste stressful, because your opportunities come wrapped in opposition.”
This was exactly what happened to Nehemiah. He had a vision coupled with passion, experience favor from the king, motivated his countrymen and took initiative to rebuild the wall. But not everyone was excited about this new project.
Sanballat , who will show up several times during the project, was the leader of the criticizers and distracters. His purpose was to create fear. Some people sit on the sideline and never ever stepping out for the LORD because they know opposition will come. They somehow think their life will be better or easier if they simply “lay low,” Nothing could be further from the truth!
Tough times are going to come anyway; but remember, tough time do not last. When we are growing and moving forward, we are far more equipped to deal with those tough times. So use the season of opposition as opportunities to grow stronger, develop resolve and move forward with what God has called you to do. So as you face your opposition, Know that God has called you and He is with you!
