Nehemiah 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.

Nehemiah means‎, "Jehovah comforts". He was cupbearer to the king Artaxerxes, king of Persia. Nehemiah opens his story by telling us that he was in in the palace at Shushan when one of his brethren, named Hanani, together with certain men of Judah, came to him. Apparently, they had just returned from Jerusalem and Nehemiah asked them about the condition that was in his homeland. When he heard the sad state in his homeland, he was so deeply affected by the tidings that he wept and mourned and prayed before God (Nehemiah 1:1-11).

What are the lessons for us?

1. BE CONCERNED. The first question Nehemiah asked his friends was: “How was Jerusalem?” His thoughts had often reverted to the ancient home of his people.

Nehemiah wasn’t called by God like Abraham or any of the prophets. There was no burning bush or angelic visitation. Nehemiah didn’t need one! His concern for the affairs of his people and Jerusalem was built-in; it was his character to be concerned about the work of God.

Do you care what is going on in the church? Many do not care. Paul wrote: For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's” (Philippians 2:21). Many live for their own ease and for their families to care about the works of the church. Our Lord wants us to be concerned about spiritual things: “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life,” (John 6:27).

2. BE PRAYERFUL. Nehemiah was a man of prayers. The first thing that he did was to pray (Nehemiah 1:4). He prayed before he answered the king (Nehemiah 2:4). Are we prayerful people? “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17).

3. BE INVOLVED. Nehemiah had a great many very good excuses why he shouldn’t be involved in building the walls. He might have said: “Jerusalem is a long way off. I have my own work to do; it is no part of my business to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem; let others do it. I am the King’s cupbearer; I’m needed here.” But he made none of those excuses; he took leave from the king and went.

It is a sharp contrast how many today would give excuses that they are too busy. It is difficult to find men and women who are fervent in spirit these days and we thank God for the few that care about the work of the Lord to be involved. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

4. BE CHRIST-LIKE.  Nehemiah had godly character that endeared him to the king and his people. Nehemiah was a captive in Babylon but he was also the king’s cup bearer. Would you trust a prisoner of war with your life? But Nehemiah gained the trust of a king. There must have been considerable merit in him for the king to take a Hebrew captive and place him in such an office where he was responsible for the wine which he drank.

He led by example. How encouraging it must have been for the people to see this high ranking official working so hard to rebuild the city. He was the governor but he still got his hands dirty; it shows his humility even as a leader (Nehemiah 4:21). Christ, the Son of God, came down and lived as a humble servant (Philippians 2:5-9).

Let us be like Nehemiah in his godly living and be abounding in the work of the Lord. You are never too busy that you cannot find the time to be involved. If you are concerned, you will get involve.

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

The Difference in Jesus and O. J. (and the rest of us)

    Did O. J. do it or not? If you don’t know what I’m referring to (or don’t care) you were probably born after about, say, 1990. In what was hailed as the "trial of the century" O. J. Simpson was tried on two counts of murder for the June 12, 1994 deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and a friend of hers – restaurant waiter Ron Goldman. The trial was held at Los Angeles County Superior Court. Opening statements began on January 24, 1995 and continued until October 3, 1995 when the jury returned a "not guilty" verdict and acquitted Simpson of both murders. Simpson – a retired NFL running back / actor / sportscaster – was widely known, very popular, and wealthy enough to assemble a group of high-profile defense lawyers who came to be known as the "Dream Team." Surveys showed dramatic differences in opinion between black and white Americans over Simpson’s guilt or innocence. Did O. J. do it or not? People are still divided about that. But whether he did or not, a duly selected jury acquitted him, so, as far as the legal record goes, he is innocent. The rancor and debate over his guilt / innocence makes me think of a story I once read. A man told about being selected as foreman for the jury he was serving on. "We deliberated after the trial and ended up acquitting the defendant. When we came back into the court room I announced our decision to the judge. He chastised us: ‘How in the world were you able to acquit?’ I replied, ‘Insanity.’ He retorted with great irritation, ‘All twelve of you?’ "

    Let us consider a trial that concerns all of us – not in a human criminal court but in God’s court. The trial is described in the New Testament book of ROMANS. For 64 verses beginning in Romans 1:18 all the way through Romans 3:20 the apostle Paul indicts every responsible person on earth as being guilty of sin. A summary can be found at 3:9-10 – "they are all under sin . . . There is none righteous, no, not one." Further, at 3:19 we read that "every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." A further indictment of our spiritual guilt before God is in Romans 3:23– "for all have sinned [past tense – we’ve all done it] and fall short [present tense – we’re all doing it] of the glory of God." Turns out O. J. is guilty – if not murder, for sure of other sins! But, then again, so am I – and so are you! What can we do? Thank God we have, not a dream team, but a Divine Team! Romans 3:21-26 explains that in spite of our sin against God and guilt before God, He initiated a plan that makes acquittal available to any and all who will come to Him through Christ. When we come to God on gospel terms, we are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (3:24). Without cost to us or cause in us, God arranged that He could be both "just and justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (3:26). That required the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross (3:25). Now don’t miss the difference in Jesus and O. J., and the rest of us. At the cross Jesus "suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). There’s the difference in Jesus and O. J. – regarding sin, Jesus was totally innocent, but O. J. is guilty, and so are the rest of us. Yet, incredibly, Jesus suffered the punishment we deserve so that in God’s court we can be acquitted and be saved! Is that gospel or what?! Think about it.

Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN

2017 – Obstacles and Opportunities!

Beautiful words from Ruth Johnson Caruth’s song sometimes haunt but also help, because they (hopefully) motivate us to take personal inventory of how we are using the time God has alotted us on Planet Earth. In 1904 she wrote: "Swiftly we’re turning life’s daily pages, Swiftly the hours are changing to years; How are we using God’s golden moments? Shall we reap glory, Shall we reap tears" (verse 1 gospel hymn "Into Our Hands")? God invites us to pull off the fast-track of life and "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile" (Mark 6:31). He knows that a reasonable and regular amount of time spent in exercise and recreation strengthens and "re-creates" us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Such periods are not a waste of time. But many people, including many Christians, are guilty of wasting time, or at least spending it in ways that soak up large chunks of time and energy that could and should be used in better ways. I don’t want to irritate you unless you need to be irritated – but how much time do you spend in front of a screen of some kind as compared to time spent in front of Scripture or worship of God and service to other people? Just sayin’. Scripture scrutinizes our management of time and urges us not to misuse it. Ephesians 5:15 directs us to "walk circumspectly [carefully], not as fools but as wise" – and interestingly, the very next verse says, "redeeming the time, because the days are evil." The New International says in verse 16 "making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil." And in Galatians 6:9-10 Christians are directed to "not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to the household of faith." These passages remind us our moments indeed are God’s, and that how we use them in the here and now effects our destiny in the hereafter! Will we reap glory, or will we reap tears?

The 365 days of 2017 will be saturated with opportunities to do good! But caution is in order, for, as Ann Landers once observed, "Opportunities are often disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them" (see Matthew 25:34-46 for proof of that). Consider the story of an ancient king who had a large boulder placed on a roadway. He hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many verbally criticized the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything to get the stone out of the way. At length a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon reaching the boulder, the peasant unshouldered his burden and, after much pushing and straining, managed to move the rock to the side of the road. Picking up his vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king announcing that the gold and special court privileges were a reward for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us still don’t understand – what sometimes seems to us to be an obstacle is in reality an opportunity in disguise. God’s work awaits in 2017. Opportunities abound, but most require work. Honestly, how are you using God’s golden moments? Will you reap glory or will you reap tears?

Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN