Hello My Dear Family,
We are nearing the end of this Nehemiah Challenge but we cannot fail or falter. Now, more than ever, we must remain strong, vigilant, and single-minded as a body of believers.
Today we read chapter 10 and it is an amazing chapter! The first several verses might seem unnecessary, but don’t just skip over them…realize what you are reading. You are reading the names of every family who covenanted together to live according to the law of the Lord. They wrote their names down on a signed and sealed document. There was no escaping this covenant!
We will not live like the nations around us. We will stand separate and apart, holy before our God. The names listed are those of the priests and leaders, but even below that, in verses 28-30, we read that “the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding, are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, which was given through Moses, God's servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of GOD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes; and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.”
In one voice, as one nation, they declared that with this new beginning they would follow God’s commands. At any cost they would obey His word.
This is where we stand now, my friends. It is time to start over. We have an incredible opportunity to set out strong, with a newly constructed firm foundation beneath our feet. Will we choose to follow the ways of the world around us or will we choose to honor the Lord our God with all that we have?
I follow the words of Joshua, “Choose for yourselves this day who you will serve, but as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!”
If we will all agree, making that commitment in one voice, then we will be able to echo the covenant of the Jews in Nehemiah’s day, “we will not neglect the house of our God.” (verse 39)
That is my heart’s desire. Join with me now to surrender and follow Him with devotion and abandon. If you will do that, I guarantee that He will not disappoint!
The Nehemiah Challenge continues tomorrow with chapter 11.
Your friend and servant,
Elise
Friday, July 30, 2010
Nehemiah Challenge - Day Nine
Hello my dear family,
We learned yesterday about how the Israelites moved forward, with God's law as their guide. They began by celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, as He had commanded them. Rejoicing, as one nation, for all that God had yet to accomplish.
Today we read about their reflections of the past. It can often be hard to move forward during uncertain times. Which way should we go? How should we proceed? How can we prevent these same mistakes in the future? Then more and more questions pile up...what will become of us now? What is going to happen? What is this going to look like when the dust settles?
Of course, only God knows the answer to any of these questions, yet He asks us to move forward with our faith and confidence firmly in Him.
How can we do that? Only with full knowledge of His past faithfulness, of His past victories on our behalf can we move ahead in boldness.
So, with the immediate work on the wall complete, a restored nation asks "Where do we go from here?" And the answer? Let's look back at all that God has done for us. Look back at all the times He saved us from our enemies. Remember how He miraculously provided for our physical needs? We never went hungry or thirsty...our clothes and shoes lasted for 40 years! Don't forget how He delivered us from slavery.
With this knowledge fresh in their minds, what could they fear? God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So, if He met our needs then He will do it again.
Likewise, my friends, as God has guarded and protected, healed and delivered, saved and guided us in the past, He will continue to do so. With the full assurance of His continued love and faithfulness we can look ahead to a future of promise. The best is yet to come!
The Nehemiah Challenge continues tomorrow as we will read chapter 10. Keep running with me...the race is not yet won!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
We learned yesterday about how the Israelites moved forward, with God's law as their guide. They began by celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, as He had commanded them. Rejoicing, as one nation, for all that God had yet to accomplish.
Today we read about their reflections of the past. It can often be hard to move forward during uncertain times. Which way should we go? How should we proceed? How can we prevent these same mistakes in the future? Then more and more questions pile up...what will become of us now? What is going to happen? What is this going to look like when the dust settles?
Of course, only God knows the answer to any of these questions, yet He asks us to move forward with our faith and confidence firmly in Him.
How can we do that? Only with full knowledge of His past faithfulness, of His past victories on our behalf can we move ahead in boldness.
So, with the immediate work on the wall complete, a restored nation asks "Where do we go from here?" And the answer? Let's look back at all that God has done for us. Look back at all the times He saved us from our enemies. Remember how He miraculously provided for our physical needs? We never went hungry or thirsty...our clothes and shoes lasted for 40 years! Don't forget how He delivered us from slavery.
With this knowledge fresh in their minds, what could they fear? God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So, if He met our needs then He will do it again.
Likewise, my friends, as God has guarded and protected, healed and delivered, saved and guided us in the past, He will continue to do so. With the full assurance of His continued love and faithfulness we can look ahead to a future of promise. The best is yet to come!
The Nehemiah Challenge continues tomorrow as we will read chapter 10. Keep running with me...the race is not yet won!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
Nehemiah Challenge - Day Eight
Hello my dear family,
I enjoy this chapter because it reminds us to keep everything in proper order. God was faithful to the Jews, enable and empowering them to rebuild their city wall and the first thing they did once their labor was completed was read HIS law and rejoice as HE had instructed them.
They spent a day listening to the law of the Lord and when they found areas where they had strayed from His commands they wept. Then, their priest and leader encouraged them, the time for weeping is past. Let's start over and start right from here on out. So, according to the word of God they restored the feast of booths.
The feast of booths (also known as the feast of tabernacles or sukkot) is our great earthly rehearsal for that time when we rejoice at the wedding feast of our Savior. It is a time when we celebrate the harvest God has given us as a symbol of the harvest of all souls which we will celebrate with Him in heaven.
What a perfect way to rejoice in God's work! As they Israelites celebrated God's faithfulness to them, they in turn, rejoiced in all He has yet to accomplish. They turned their back on the mistakes and rebellions of their past and moved fully and completely, as one nation with one purpose, toward our God.
This is where we stand, as a family of believers. What's done is done. What's past is past. Let us move together now, in one accord, in the center of God's will. Let's return to His word, to His promises and follow where He leads.
"...this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10b)
The Nehemiah Challenge continues tomorrow with chapter 9. Don't give up now. Let's keep running the race!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
I enjoy this chapter because it reminds us to keep everything in proper order. God was faithful to the Jews, enable and empowering them to rebuild their city wall and the first thing they did once their labor was completed was read HIS law and rejoice as HE had instructed them.
They spent a day listening to the law of the Lord and when they found areas where they had strayed from His commands they wept. Then, their priest and leader encouraged them, the time for weeping is past. Let's start over and start right from here on out. So, according to the word of God they restored the feast of booths.
The feast of booths (also known as the feast of tabernacles or sukkot) is our great earthly rehearsal for that time when we rejoice at the wedding feast of our Savior. It is a time when we celebrate the harvest God has given us as a symbol of the harvest of all souls which we will celebrate with Him in heaven.
What a perfect way to rejoice in God's work! As they Israelites celebrated God's faithfulness to them, they in turn, rejoiced in all He has yet to accomplish. They turned their back on the mistakes and rebellions of their past and moved fully and completely, as one nation with one purpose, toward our God.
This is where we stand, as a family of believers. What's done is done. What's past is past. Let us move together now, in one accord, in the center of God's will. Let's return to His word, to His promises and follow where He leads.
"...this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10b)
The Nehemiah Challenge continues tomorrow with chapter 9. Don't give up now. Let's keep running the race!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
Nehemiah Challenge - Day Seven
My dear family,
Today was difficult. Who knew what to expect? Who knew what was going to happen? But we got through…in fact, we triumphed through!
Now, it’s time to regroup.
In Nehemiah’s day, by the time we hit chapter 7, the eminent dangers of a breeched wall have been repaired. In this chapter they take a census of all of the families who have returned to Jerusalem from exile. This is what I’m calling “regrouping.” They take stock of the resources at their disposal so that they can move forward in strength.
How can we relate this chapter to our current circumstances? Well, our immediate questions have been answered. Now, with a still uncertain or unknown future before us, it’s time to regroup! It’s time to pull together and figure out what our strengths are. Where can we maximize those strengths? Where are their still weaknesses in our wall?
Every one of us has something to offer this family of believers. NOW is the time to stand up and share the burden of ministry. NOW is the time to jump into action. Use your gifts to serve, to support, to encourage the people of God.
At the end of chapter 7 we read “ And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.” Being in their cities is powerful here. It indicates permanency, being at rest.
If we will join together now and pool our resources of time and gifts then when our “seventh month” comes, we, too, will be in our cities!
The Nehemiah Challenge continues tomorrow with chapter 8!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
Today was difficult. Who knew what to expect? Who knew what was going to happen? But we got through…in fact, we triumphed through!
Now, it’s time to regroup.
In Nehemiah’s day, by the time we hit chapter 7, the eminent dangers of a breeched wall have been repaired. In this chapter they take a census of all of the families who have returned to Jerusalem from exile. This is what I’m calling “regrouping.” They take stock of the resources at their disposal so that they can move forward in strength.
How can we relate this chapter to our current circumstances? Well, our immediate questions have been answered. Now, with a still uncertain or unknown future before us, it’s time to regroup! It’s time to pull together and figure out what our strengths are. Where can we maximize those strengths? Where are their still weaknesses in our wall?
Every one of us has something to offer this family of believers. NOW is the time to stand up and share the burden of ministry. NOW is the time to jump into action. Use your gifts to serve, to support, to encourage the people of God.
At the end of chapter 7 we read “ And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.” Being in their cities is powerful here. It indicates permanency, being at rest.
If we will join together now and pool our resources of time and gifts then when our “seventh month” comes, we, too, will be in our cities!
The Nehemiah Challenge continues tomorrow with chapter 8!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
Nehemiah Challenge - Day Six
My dear family,
As the wall of Jerusalem was nearing completion, Nehemiah and his people are met with challenges, false accusations and deception.
Throughout this book of the Bible I am continually amazed at Nehemiah’s strength, singleness of mind, and perseverance. His faith in his purpose was so strong that nothing anyone said or did stopped, swayed or deterred him. He never lost faith. He never even paused!
When met with false accusations he did not become ashamed or dance around the charges because he knew he had nothing to hide. He had done nothing but follow the purpose God gave him. He called the accusers out point blank, v. 8 “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.”
With the determination of Nehemiah as their driving force, the wall was completed. The people, working together with single purpose repaired the wall around the whole city of Jerusalem in just 52 days! (Looking back to yesterday’s chapter, remember, their minds were set to work!)
So the wall was completed and all of the enemies who had tried to come against Nehemiah personally and the Jews collectively lost their motivation to battle the people of God. Verse 16 reads, “When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”
If we will stand strong and rebuild our church with confidence found in God, then even our enemies, those who try to cause us to lose our faith and give up, will come face to face with the power of God moving among us. If we will yield ourselves to Him then HE will enable us to rebuild and stand strong in the end. In HIM we live. In HIM we move. In HIM we have our begin. And now, in HIM, we rebuild.
Tomorrow we continue our Nehemiah Challenge with Chapter 7!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
As the wall of Jerusalem was nearing completion, Nehemiah and his people are met with challenges, false accusations and deception.
Throughout this book of the Bible I am continually amazed at Nehemiah’s strength, singleness of mind, and perseverance. His faith in his purpose was so strong that nothing anyone said or did stopped, swayed or deterred him. He never lost faith. He never even paused!
When met with false accusations he did not become ashamed or dance around the charges because he knew he had nothing to hide. He had done nothing but follow the purpose God gave him. He called the accusers out point blank, v. 8 “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.”
With the determination of Nehemiah as their driving force, the wall was completed. The people, working together with single purpose repaired the wall around the whole city of Jerusalem in just 52 days! (Looking back to yesterday’s chapter, remember, their minds were set to work!)
So the wall was completed and all of the enemies who had tried to come against Nehemiah personally and the Jews collectively lost their motivation to battle the people of God. Verse 16 reads, “When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”
If we will stand strong and rebuild our church with confidence found in God, then even our enemies, those who try to cause us to lose our faith and give up, will come face to face with the power of God moving among us. If we will yield ourselves to Him then HE will enable us to rebuild and stand strong in the end. In HIM we live. In HIM we move. In HIM we have our begin. And now, in HIM, we rebuild.
Tomorrow we continue our Nehemiah Challenge with Chapter 7!
Your friend and servant,
Elise
Nehemiah Challenge - Day Five
Hello my dear family,
I am so grateful that so many of you have agreed to join me in the Nehemiah Challenge. I truly believe that we will see God's hand moving among us in response to our cries for His help.
Today we dive into chapter five of Nehemiah. There is a theme running throughout this chapter...being above reproach.
It came to Nehemiah's attention that the wealthy Jews were taking advantage of the Jews returning from captivity. They were using this trial as a means of increasing their own wealth.
We can draw a parallel between that and our own current circumstances. This is not the time for posturing, for trying to place ourselves above or apart from one another. This is the time to stand together. As Nehemiah admonished the wealthy people of his day to stand WITH their brothers, so we must put aside our differences and stand together.
The time for taking sides and bickering amongst ourselves is over. The time to stand united together has come.
During this time, when all eyes are focused on us and what we will do or say, how we will handle ourselves through this "scandal", we must remain above reproach. We must keep our eyes focused on our goal...the health of our community of believers.
Let us now accept what has come, and turn to the future. Join with me, my friends, my family, to rebuild this wall, one brick at a time.
Your friend and servant,
Elise
I am so grateful that so many of you have agreed to join me in the Nehemiah Challenge. I truly believe that we will see God's hand moving among us in response to our cries for His help.
Today we dive into chapter five of Nehemiah. There is a theme running throughout this chapter...being above reproach.
It came to Nehemiah's attention that the wealthy Jews were taking advantage of the Jews returning from captivity. They were using this trial as a means of increasing their own wealth.
We can draw a parallel between that and our own current circumstances. This is not the time for posturing, for trying to place ourselves above or apart from one another. This is the time to stand together. As Nehemiah admonished the wealthy people of his day to stand WITH their brothers, so we must put aside our differences and stand together.
The time for taking sides and bickering amongst ourselves is over. The time to stand united together has come.
During this time, when all eyes are focused on us and what we will do or say, how we will handle ourselves through this "scandal", we must remain above reproach. We must keep our eyes focused on our goal...the health of our community of believers.
Let us now accept what has come, and turn to the future. Join with me, my friends, my family, to rebuild this wall, one brick at a time.
Your friend and servant,
Elise
Nehemiah Challenge - Day Four
Hello my dear family,
I am sitting at a library in Wisconsin while my heart is bound to you, my Living Word family. So...even from a distance, let us continue with our Nehemiah Challenge - Day 4!
This is a hard chapter. It's not hard to understand, but it is hard to digest...trials are never easy and never fun.
At the beginning of the chapter we learn that Nehemiah's work is being mocked and ridiculed. The Jewish people are being criticized and insulted.
In times like this it is so very easy to jump to one side or another and to start accusing and defending. This is not what the Jews did, though. They cried out to God for HIS justice. They asked HIM to defend them and move on their behalf. And then what did they do right after they prayed to God for His help? Verse 6: “So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”
Isn’t that amazing?! It gets me excited just thinking about it! They asked God for help and then left their concerns in HIS hands so that their minds were clear, unencumbered, ready to focus wholly on the task at hand. They were not running around worried or confused, “they had a mind to work.”
The assaults continued to come, and my friends, we surely can expect the same. We live in a small town and we are an easy target, but let us continue to follow Nehemiah’s example in verse 9 and pray to our God, and because of our accusers, set up a guard against them day and night.
Guard your hearts and minds right now from the verbal and emotional attacks that will come. “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.”
This is the time for us to rise up, stand together and continue the work God has set before us. I stand with you, following the path God has laid before us. This will be our finest hour.
Your friend and servant,
Elise
I am sitting at a library in Wisconsin while my heart is bound to you, my Living Word family. So...even from a distance, let us continue with our Nehemiah Challenge - Day 4!
This is a hard chapter. It's not hard to understand, but it is hard to digest...trials are never easy and never fun.
At the beginning of the chapter we learn that Nehemiah's work is being mocked and ridiculed. The Jewish people are being criticized and insulted.
In times like this it is so very easy to jump to one side or another and to start accusing and defending. This is not what the Jews did, though. They cried out to God for HIS justice. They asked HIM to defend them and move on their behalf. And then what did they do right after they prayed to God for His help? Verse 6: “So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”
Isn’t that amazing?! It gets me excited just thinking about it! They asked God for help and then left their concerns in HIS hands so that their minds were clear, unencumbered, ready to focus wholly on the task at hand. They were not running around worried or confused, “they had a mind to work.”
The assaults continued to come, and my friends, we surely can expect the same. We live in a small town and we are an easy target, but let us continue to follow Nehemiah’s example in verse 9 and pray to our God, and because of our accusers, set up a guard against them day and night.
Guard your hearts and minds right now from the verbal and emotional attacks that will come. “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.”
This is the time for us to rise up, stand together and continue the work God has set before us. I stand with you, following the path God has laid before us. This will be our finest hour.
Your friend and servant,
Elise
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