Even in the Desert

 Scripture:

“For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭9‬:‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ezra is worshiping God in this passage for all He had done for the people of Israel. He recounted many of God’s incredible provisions through the years for His people. That verse stood out because of the words, “even in the desert they never lacked anything.” It continues by saying their clothes didn’t wear out and their feet didn’t swell during that forty years.

Application:

If God was able to take care of 2-3 million people in a desert, He can take care of me, my family, and the church I lead. When we are aligned with God’s plans and purposes, He provides and takes care of His people. There are times when life feels like a desert, with not a lot of growth and life, but God can provide in the midst of the desert. Even in the bad places of life, God is still our provider.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are incredible and I love You much! Help me to walk by faith in the are of provision. When I feel like I’m in the desert, provide for me and my family. Take care of the church You sent me plant. Help me to lead according to Your will and ways. Provide the land and buildings we need as a block. Provide the finances for our current place and enough to hire the help we need.

Yours,

Jeff

With the Help of Our God

 Scripture:

“When all our enemies heard and all the nations who were around us saw this, they were greatly disheartened. They knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Nehemiah and his team rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem in 52 days, while being taunted by their enemies. When it was completed, their enemies were disheartened. Their enemies realized that God was involved in the process. They knew the God of Israel was working with them once again and they were filled with fear. 

Application:

When we are walking with God, we can expect some miraculous intervention at certain periods. During those times, we know that God is working with us to accomplish His will in and through our lives. I want the hand of God to be visible in my life. I want the enemies of God to see His faithfulness in my life. I want to live a life that makes the enemy fear because it is evident that only God could do the things that are accomplished.

Prayer:

Father, I love walking with You and serving You. You are my strength and my song. You are my rock and my salvation. You are the source of every good thing in my life. I want testimonies that let the world and the devil know that God is with me. I long to see Your miraculous power demonstrated around my life. You are my everything. Be glorified in my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Pray, Fight, and Work

 Scripture:

“When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!”” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Nehemiah was trying to do what the Lord had called him to do. In the process, the enemies of Judah began to torment him and his workers. When he inspected what was happening, he reminded the people not to be afraid of their enemies, but remember the great and awesome Lord. HE then told them to fight on behalf of their brothers, sons, daughters, wives, and families. He encouraged them by reminding them that God was awesome and their families were worth the fight.

Application:

When I feel overwhelmed by all that is on my plate, I need to remember the great and awesome God I am working for, then I need to make it personal and fight for my family. As Mark Batterson says, we need to pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on us. I need to pray hard and work hard to fulfill all God has given me to fulfill.

Prayer:

Father, help me to honor You well in everything I do. Help me, when I don’t see things going well, that You are still great and awesome. Help me to trust You when I don’t see You working on my behalf. Also, empower me to fight for what I need to fight for and work for what is important to You and Your kingdom. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Add Fasting When Necessary

 Scripture:

“So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭8‬:‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse shows the power of fasting and prayer. Ezra had called the people back to God and was making a fresh covenant with God and the people. He was repenting, praying, and seeking God for His blessings. In the process, he decided to add fasting to the mix and began to humble himself before the Lord. When he did, it says very clearly, “and He answered us.”

Application:

Sometimes we have to add fasting to our prayer regimen in order to see the breakthrough. Fasting is a form of humbling ourselves before the Lord and acknowledging that we cannot make it without His intervention. Fasting is not a way to bend God’s arm, rather it is a way of aligning us with His will, then He can bless us. I need to spend more time in fasting prayer in my life.

Prayer:

Father, show me when to add fasting to my prayers. I see the power of fasting in this verse. I want to be able to write as the Ezra did, “and He answered us.” I know You always hear me, but I want to see some answers to my prayers. I want to see some breakthrough in some areas of my life. Teach me to hear Your voice and to walk humbly before You all the days of my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Favor and Strength

 Scripture:

“Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem! He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭7‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ezra communicates here about what the Lord had done in having Cyrus, a Babylonian king, encourage him to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. He not only encouraged him, he blessed him, gave him favor, resources, and everything he needed to get the job done. Ezra declares here that God moved the heart of the king to honor God’s people. God had the king give them favor. It was God who gave him strength to accomplish what he was called upon to do. More than anything else, he said that he had strength because the hand of the Lord God is upon him. 

Application:

When God’s favor and blessing are on your life, even you enemies will have to bless you. God can use heathen to accomplish His purposes in the earth if He needs to. When God’s hand is on your life, favor and blessing come with it. For me, I want God’s hand upon my life for His purposes every day. I want to see his goodness. I need to have more faith that whatever God calls us to do, He will provide for.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Help me to believe that You can do what You say You can do. Teach me to walk in Your Spirit and to yield to Your will and desires. Let my life reflect Your goodness. Give me favor this year as we look to build a permanent home for the church I lead. Let Your favor and grace be evident upon my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Shouting and Weeping

 Scripture:

“When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by King David of Israel. With antiphonal response they sang, praising and glorifying the Lord: “For he is good; his loyal love toward Israel is forever.” All the people gave a loud shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King Cyrus of Persia, a foreign king, felt from God to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem for God Almighty. He heard from the Lord and started the work. HE was an outsider, but one who did what he felt the Lord wanted him to do. When the Temple was established, the priests and Levites, praised God how David had taught them. The people wept and shouted at the top of their lungs. They sang out, “For He is good; His loyal love toward Israel is forever.”

Application:

There are shouting seasons in our lives when we need to give God a triumphal shout, declaring how awesome He is. We must learn that God isn’t afraid of celebration, in initiated it in Israel’s day. There are times when weeping and shouting go together. Weeping at the goodness of God and shouting shouts of victory because we see His hand moving in our lives. We must be willing to do both. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. Teach me to follow Your ways. Help me to know when to celebrate and when to weep. Show me when and how to build a building for Word of Life. Provide the necessary things to get land and build for Your kingdom. Like David, I want to build a house for You in the region I have given my life to build Your kingdom in. Let me always be led by Your Spirit and not my desires.

Yours,

Jeff

Saved By Faith, Not Works

 Scripture:

“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭27‬-‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage tells us that we are baptized into Christ and we are clothed with Christ. It goes on to say we are all one in Jesus Christ. We are not male, female, slave or free, but one in Christ. We are all Abraham’s descendants and heirs according to the promise. As Gentiles, we are given the promises and blessings o Abraham by faith and belief in Christ and what He did for us on the cross.

Application:

Christ lived a perfect, sinless, life. We, as Gentiles, are grafted into the family of God. We have been accepted and adopted into the greatest family ever. Even in the process, we are not judged on our obedience to the Law, but our walking in the Spirit. We have been given some incredible blessings and favor. God brought us into His family, not because we were good enough, but because Christ was good enough to cover all of our sins and trespasses. We are truly saved by grace through faith, not on anything we have done.

Prefer:

Thank You Lord for these great and precious promises. Thank You for allowing us access to the kingdom of God. You are incredible and I appreciate all You have done for me. Help me to follow You completely and to see Your good hand in my life. Help me to live a life that appreciates Your sacrifice Jesus and that advances Your kingdom and plans in the earth. You are incredible!

Yours,

Jeff