(Est 4:14 KJV) "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall
there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy
father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom
for such a time as this?"
In today's reading, we come across this famous passage, whereby Esther has now come to the
point in her life when she is going to discover her reason for being chosen queen. Every
single believer is where they are for a certain reason. Sometimes that reason may be known
only unto God, and it may never be revealed to us on this earth. God has made purpose as
one of the key reasons for the believer's existence; otherwise, if we become saved, we
would simply go straight to Heaven without remaining on earth for one more second. In this
case, Esther was a very beautiful woman, and she found favor in the king's sight. This was
God's method of moving her into position for the day of revealing her purpose. God does
the same thing with us. He may get us into position months or years before He is ready to
reveal His purpose to us. One thing we can count on is that God places His Children in
strategic locations. The Christian is not saved to wander around this earth and then
wonder why they are here. This is why God gave us certain spiritual gifts. Unfortunately,
many Christians do wander and wonder, because they are so diverted from true biblical
Christianity, that God cannot use them until they come back to the narrow way. God does
not empower us to sin or create our own palatable belief systems.
Esther was to go unto the king, but under Persian law, she was to be invited and could not
just go in on a whim. This is how many approach ministry. They have the idea that they
want to do what they want, rather than go where God is calling them. Then they wonder why
they become so discouraged and want to quit. So finally the moment came when Esther had to
go before the king. Since God was in control of this situation, when Esther went in, the
king held out the scepter, which meant that she was accepted.
(Deu 31:8 KJV) "And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with
thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."
It is the principle in this verse which gives us assurance that we are not alone in
any of the battles. God has already gone before us in every situation. What about the
martyrs that were burned to death? How did God go before them?
(John 14:2 KJV) "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
The Son of God has already gone ahead and their home is waiting for them, as it is
"reserved" as 1 Peter 1:4 states. Today as you ponder Esther's bold action,
consider the principle that God has placed you where you are for such a time as this.
Sometimes we don't want to be where God places us, but we must never allow our wavering
emotions to override our steadfast faithfulness.
October 2
(The Reward Of Evil) -OR- (Pull Out Those Bitter Roots)
Today's Reading - Esther 8 - 10
(Est 8:1 KJV) "On that day did the
king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai
came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her."
In today's reading, we come across this verse, which teaches us the principle of the
reward of evil. Haman had planned to completely destroy all the Jews from the land, but
unknown to him was the fact that as he was planning this destruction, God was planning His
victory over this evil. Haman thought that his position was so entrenched in the king's
government, he thought he could get away with this evil plan. This is the boldness of
evil. Many in positions of power believe they are untouchable. The recent scandals in the
business world proved that no one is above the law.
(Prov 3:29 KJV) "Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth
securely by thee."
This verse is a great principle, because whenever we devise evil against anyone, that
evil can backfire and affect the one who is perpetrating the act. Basically, this verse is
saying that you should not burn your neighbor's house down, because a spark from it might
start your house on fire. Evil deeds will always backfire on those who plan them. It may
not be right away, but eventually, it will happen. Haman is a good example of this, as he
was very close to the king, and his plans had severely backfired.
Not only was he executed, but his entire family was executed for his evil plans. Evil
planning can affect those that are not even the targets of it. This is why when we plan
anything evil against another human being, it will turn around and bite us too. Normally,
before evil is planned, there is much hatred brewing in an individual to even consider
harm against anyone. This is personal with me, but I can never understand, nor will I ever
accept, the act of a man hitting a woman. They are God's most precious creation, and to
abuse them is to spit in the face of God. Woe unto the half a man that does it. Haman
hated Mordecai, because he would not bow the knee to him, so he figured he would get even
by wiping out the entire race. This is what happens when anger goes unchecked. It
mushrooms like the cloud of an atomic bomb, along with all of its horizontal shockwaves.
The Bible evens warns us to make sure that no root of bitterness is in our life.
(Heb 12:15 KJV) "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest
any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;"
Bitterness and hatred can invade a Christian's life also. We are not immune from such
things, as long as we are in this flesh. These destructive emotions can easily detract
from our Christian testimony, plus they have the ability to destroy our health. Ponder
right now, is there anyone that you dislike, which, if it goes unchecked, may grow rapidly
into hatred or bitterness. Maybe now is the time to give it over to the Lord and let Him
abate that anger and give you a renewed vision of that person. You may get to see them in
a different light and, who knows, you might get to be their best friend, and you might
even like it. If Haman didn't hate Mordecai so much, he might have gotten the opportunity
to taste some good Falafel (He who has ears to hear).
October 3
(Be Ye Not Unequally Yoked In God's Work) -OR- (No
Compromises In God's Work)
Today's Reading - Ezra 1 - 4 (Ezra 4:2 KJV) "Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers,
and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do
sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up
hither."
In today's reading, we come across this section
of verses, which should send up a red flag to every Christian and Christian organization,
including churches. If you look at verse 1, it states that the adversaries came to the
people who were building the temple of God and wanted to build with them. This is a very
serious matter, because those who are unbelievers, as religious as they may be, are the
adversaries of every true Christian. Churches and organizations get into trouble when they
begin to allow the unbelievers to build with them. Unbelievers are spiritually dead and
have absolutely no spiritual vision for God's Kingdom. Until God saves them, they must
never be part of any Christian structure. It is very traitorous to place an unbeliever on
an Elder Board in a church or on the Board of Directors of a Christian ministry, just
because they may be wealthy and have donated to it. Those who were building the temple had
wisdom, as they refused these peoples' help, knowing full well that they were the enemy.
Once they would have gotten inside, they would have been like a cancer to the entire
project. Localized dissension at first, then widespread, until the whole organization or
project is infected.
Zerubbabel and Jeshua, plus the other leaders, told them point blank that they have
nothing to do with them, or the building of the House of God. If a church elects unsaved
Pastors, Elders, or Deacons, then that church is under the authority of Satan, because
unbelievers are not of God. Spiritual growth will never happen, and eventually, that
church will fold up and die, if it hasn't already. When Godly men are elected to
leadership roles, then that church has potential to grow, because it is under the
authority of God. When I speak of the church being under the authority of Satan, I am not
saying that all the believers in that congregation are worshipping Satan, but I am saying
that unbelievers are still in the kingdom of Satan and have no knowledge of true spiritual
things. This is why God is very careful to point out in this chapter that the true
believer must never partner with unbelievers in spiritual matters. The unbeliever is still
a mission field, and not a missionary.
(Am 3:3 KJV) "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"
(2 Co 6:14 KJV) "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness?"
Our daily verse in Ezra warns us of the temptation to compromise. It is better to tackle a
project requiring ten people with only five believers, rather than having the full ten
people with five unbelievers. Look at verse four, as we see that the unbelievers in the
land weakened the hands of the people of Judah. What they did was hinder the work, and
this is what unbelievers do in any spiritual setting. Their motivation is not the same as
the true believer's motivation. Their father is Satan, and ours is God. How do you mix the
two groups and gain spiritual advantage for the Christian? --You don't! The normal pattern
is that the Lord's Work suffers, because of the inclusion of spiritually dead people in
the equation. Think of it this way, how much progress would you make in your life if you
had a dead body tied to you? That body would decay, stink, make you sick, and finally, the
rotting flesh in contact with yours would start your flesh rotting and eventually, it
would kill you. Well, this is the same thing that happens to spiritual life and projects
when spiritually dead people try to build in the Kingdom of God. So think about that next
time you are tempted to include unbelievers in your spiritual Work.
October 4
(Believer's Responsibility In The Great Commission)
Today's Reading - Haggai 1 - 2; Zechariah 1 - 2
(Hag 1:4 KJV) "Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this
house lie waste?" In today's reading, we come across a reference
to the believer's responsibility in the Great Commission. It is believed that Haggai was
born during the seventy-year captivity and returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel to
rebuild Jerusalem. It seems that those who returned with Zerubbabel had become engrossed
with their own creature comforts and were neglecting the reason they were in Jerusalem. In
this verse, the word "ceiled" actually means "paneled." So God was
indicting them, through Haggai, for becoming very self-centered. It is interesting to note
that the reason they were in captivity was because of their indifference to the things of
God.
Many of the Jews wanted to remain in Babylon, because during the seventy-years, they built
successful businesses and did not want to leave them. As a matter of fact, tablets were
found giving details of a man, named Jacob Egebi, who was the father of modern banking. It
was written that he used to loan money out to his own countrymen at exorbitant interest
rates, which was in violation of God's Law. So what do we learn from this lesson today?
God includes events like this to make us aware that we are going in the same direction.
How many of us today are more concerned about careers, rather than funding missions or
outreaches through the local church? Many have good paying jobs. When it comes to
budgeting, is the Great Commission included? A tithe is a good place to start, and then
increase as you go along. You say, "I can't afford to tithe." Well, have you
been tithing to the bank for your new car? For your new boat? We should learn from ancient
Israel that our comforts should come second, and the building of God's House would come
first. I am not talking about a building, but rather the Body of Christ. When we give to
reputable organizations that are sending forth the Gospel, we are building the House of
God. For as the Gospel goes forth, new believers are brought into the Kingdom. And
someday, the last Elect One is going to be saved, and then we go to Heaven as the Church
Triumphant. So remember, don't look at the collection plate as an obligation, but as a
God-given opportunity and privilege!
(Deu 16:17 KJV) "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the
LORD thy God which he hath given thee."
October 5
(Hindrances & Setbacks Removed)
Today's Reading - Zechariah 3 - 6
(Zec 4:7 KJV) "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a
plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace
unto it."
In today's reading, we come across this verse, which teaches us that hindrances and
setbacks can never prevent the Kingdom of God from advancing. In fact, when we search the
Scriptures, we will find that God uses mountains as a synonym for a kingdom. (Psa 87:1
KJV) "His foundation is in the holy mountains." The great kingdom that will
become a plain before Zerubbabel will be the kingdom of Satan. But his kingdom can never
withstand the power of God's kingdom as it continues to spread throughout the earth,
bringing salvation to the Elect. This verse teaches that the kingdom will become a plain,
and that simply means that the hindrance will be gone. Sometimes when we seem to be stuck
or stopped by some type of situation, as with those who were were building the temple, we
may tend to forget that our strength is in Heaven, and God will fight those battles for
us. The work on the temple was temporarily halted, and the workers were diverted from
their spiritual duties. The situation seemed immense, like they were facing a mountain.
Notice that God said they would bring forth the headstone with shoutings. This is because
God has already seen the temple as built. There is a great spiritual parallel to this in
the New Testament concerning the body of believers. (Eph 2:6 KJV) "And hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" This
verse shows us that God has already seen the entire temple of the body of Christ
completed, as He has already sees us as raised up and in the heavenly places. Of course,
this teaching is much more plain in Revelation, as we see in several places where the body
of believers are around the throne of God. (Rev 7:9 KJV) "After this I beheld,
and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and
people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands;"
When we view any hindrance that we run into through the eyes of God, then we can
plainly concur with Zechariah that nothing will be able to stand before that great
spiritual juggernaut, the kingdom of God. That is because in verse 6, we are told that
power in any ministry does not come from power or might as the world knows it, but only
through the Holy Spirit.
(Zec 4:6 KJV) "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the
LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD
of hosts."
October 6
(Beware False Of Teachers)
Today's Reading - Zechariah 7 - 10
(Zec 10:2 KJV) "For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie,
and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a
flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd."
In today's reading, we come across this verse, which teaches us about the vanity of false
teachers. The idols represented the false gods, in conjunction with their false teachers
who taught a doctrine of Satan, as we see in the next part of the verse, "and the
diviners have seen a lie." Here, God teaches that prophets see false visions
implanted by Satan, because he is the master liar. The next part of that verse is,
"and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain." Here we read that the false
dreamers will tell people about their dreams with no reluctance. When a false prophet sees
that he can hold people in his power by the use of a false tongue, he will continue to do
so with the help of Satan. This type of deceit is going on all around us today, and is not
peculiar to only the cults. But if you stand on the Word of God, you are standing on an
Eternal Rock.
As we go further, we see their comfort is vanity with no meaning, and eventually, leads to
eternal damnation. This verse tells us that following someone's false dream or vision
causes a person to stand on shaky ground. The reason the flock goes astray is because
there is no shepherd with any type of real knowledge to guide them through both the good
and bad times. The only True Shepherd is the Lord Jesus Christ, who cares for His Flock,
and will guide you and go through hard times with you. So if someone approaches you and
says they have great authority behind their teachings, but they do not mention Jesus
Christ, then you have encountered a false gospel.
(Acts 20:29 KJV) "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves
enter in among you, not sparing the flock."
With as many warnings in Scripture concerning the false prophets, it still amazes me
how many believers still get caught up in following false teachings and teachers.
--Beware!
October 7
(The Land Shall Mourn) Today's Reading - Zechariah 11 - 14
(Zec 12:12 KJV) "And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the
house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and
their wives apart;"
In today's reading, we come across these verses, which are attached to the prophecy of the
Lord's execution. In Jerusalem during the time of the Lord’s crucifixion, for a short
time, the church had lost its head. There were many in Jerusalem who loved the Lord Jesus
and were very despondent over His death. The problem was that the true believers in the
Lord Jesus Christ only saw the death, but did not know what was going to happen in a few
days. This is why our daily verse speaks of a great mourning in Jerusalem at that time.
The mourning was not only a public mourning, but it was done in many of the houses of the
believers. The word "apart" can also be understood as "alone." When we
look at the list of the mourners in verses 12-14, we see that all phases of society were
going to mourn over the Lord Jesus, as He had followers in every class of Society, as He
does today. In verse 11, we see that this mourning is likened to an event, which happened
hundreds of years before the crucifixion. It speaks of the place where King Josiah lost
his life in his battle with Pharaoh Necho. The reason that Josiah is included in this
discourse is because it was he that had brought in some reforms for Judah, which would
have brought them under God's authority again, and would make them a great nation. The
people mourned for him in the same manner the people mourned for the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Luke 24:21 KJV) "But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed
Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done."
Many of the followers of Jesus had thought that He was going to make Israel a great
and powerful nation, as it was under David and Solomon. These disciples on the Emmaus road
did not realize that the Lord Jesus Christ did redeem Israel. He redeemed the Israel of
God, which was to come out of every nation. The problem was that they were looking for a
political redemption, while the Lord Jesus Christ came for the purpose of spiritual
redemption. Unfortunately, many Christians are looking for the same thing today in the
form of a physical millennial kingdom. That belief is found in prophecy books with
persuasive language, but not in the Bible. If the Lord Jesus stated plainly that His
Kingdom is not of this world, then why are so many looking for His Kingdom to appear
physically on this world? God is NOT the author of confusion --WE are!
(Heb 9:28 KJV) "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
The next time He comes, it will be the culmination of our salvation, and NOT a
physical kingdom. Next Sunday, when you go to church, look at all the believers, and you
will see the only manifestation of the Kingdom of God on this earth before the Last Day.
At that time, all the believers will rejoice, but the unbelievers will mourn
"apart."
October 8
(Dedicated To Seek, Apply &
Teach God's Word)
Today's Reading - Ezra 5 - 7
(Ezra 7:10 KJV) "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to
do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." In today's reading, we come across this verse,
which teaches us a great principle concerning the application of the Word of God in our
lives. Ezra, the scribe, came back with Nehemiah and was in charge of the list of the
lineage of the people. Ezra was a very godly man, and we can see why in these three
principles which are written about him. First of all, Ezra prepared his heart to seek the
law of the Lord. This means that his heart was not divided, and he was set on learning the
Scriptures. We can learn a great thing from this that if we want to know the Word of God,
we must determine that our heart will not be divided, but totally dedicated. This also
means that if we truly want to know God’s Word, then we must study the Word and not
what other people say it means. Our minds need to be dedicated to the Word and not to
commentaries. It is very easy to read a commentary and then simply adopt the writer's
belief system. This can be very dangerous since the writer of the commentary may have some
erroneous beliefs. It is better to get right into the Word and stay there. God gives us
the formula for studying His Word in the following verse:
(1 Cor 2:13 KJV) "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with
spiritual."
We are to compare Scripture with Scripture, and sometimes an understanding of a passage
may come after comparing 5 or 6 passages. No one said Bible study was easy.
The next principle we read about Ezra is not only did he set his heart out to learn the
Word, but he planned to apply it to his life. Many study the Bible just for head knowledge
to show others how much they know and behind the scenes, their life is miserable. It was
Will Rogers who said, "It is not what I don't understand in the Bible that bothers
me, it is what I do understand." It is the same with us. Whatever we learn, we put
that into our life. We will not learn every principle in Scripture, because our life is
too short, but we will learn many of the general principles in Scripture, especially the
character studies. Biblical principles for living are found on almost every page. It does
no good for a person to study to be a doctor and then become a plumber --although you can
probably learn much about the circulation of liquids in medical school. We must prepare
ourselves to inculcate into our life whatever we learn in the Bible.
The third principle we see concerning Ezra is that he sought the Word, he did the Word,
and finally, he taught the Word. When a person becomes astute in the study of the Bible,
normally that person is sought out for advice, because their counsel is coupled to the
Scriptures. When we begin to gain a good understanding of the Scriptures, God will
eventually use us in bringing that Word to other people. There are always new Christians
who have many questions, and those who are mature in the faith should try to help answer
some of them.
(Heb 5:12 KJV) "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one
teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such
as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."
The writer to the Hebrews was chiding these people, because they have had enough exposure
to the Gospel to the point they should have been teaching by now. Unfortunately, many
Christians never progress beyond the basics of the faith, simply because their heart is
not set upon learning the Word of God. We try to get by with as little study time as
possible, but that is to the detriment of a spiritual life. If you seem to be going
backward in your Walk, you can probably trace it back to minimal, or no study habits.
October 9
(Warning: Mingling With & Marrying Unbelievers)
Today's Reading - Ezra 8 - 10
(Ezra 9:2 KJV) "For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their
sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea,
the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass."
In today's reading, we finish up the Book of Ezra, and it deals primarily with the fact
that, while in captivity, many of the Israelite men had married pagan women from the land
where they were taken. Now, for those who came back with Zerubbabel to build the temple,
their genealogy had to be pure, so they were now being called into account for their
actions. If the nation of Israel was to once again be a nation which stands before the
Lord, there had to be some serious changes. One of those changes was that they were not to
be married to strange women --in other words, unbelievers. This type of union had gotten
Israel into trouble initially. They had become involved with the false religions of those
surrounding nations, and began to adopt their ways on a daily basis. God had to judge them
by bringing them into captivity. Now their punishment was over, and they were returning to
Israel.
Now, a problem had to be dealt with, and that is what were they to do with the foreign
wives. These pagan women would bring their beliefs right into their homes and would raise
their children in those beliefs. The only way to prevent this problem was to send these
pagan women packing back to their countries. There would be a mass divorce of these wrong
marriages. If the marriages would have continued, then the problem of false religions in
Israel would start all over again, and they would find themselves facing major judgment.
Let me state here that these passages are not endorsing divorce in any marriage today
where only one of the spouses have become saved. In this case, the Israelites separated
from the foreign wives for the purpose of keeping the lineage of Israel pure. Keep in mind
that the Lord Jesus was to come through the lineage of Israel, so God was still continuing
to keep the line pure, until the Messiah was born in Bethlehem. The point is that these
passages must serve as a warning to Christ's Own, that if we are planning to get married,
the mate must be a true, regenerate Child of God. However, if already
unequally-yoked in marriage, only God has any control over the situation. If it is His
Will, later on in the marriage life, God may save the unbelieving spouse. But if the
unbeliever chooses to leave, then the Scriptures teach that they may, but it must be
understood that they both must remain single for the rest of their lives, since the
only thing that breaks a marriage bond is death.
(1 Cor 7:15 KJV) "But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a
sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace."
(1 Cor 7:39 KJV) "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but
if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the
Lord."
Ezra brings us some good warnings concerning the mixing of religions. People of different
races can marry, provided both of them are saved or unsaved. If a Christian marries an
unbeliever, normally the house goes along with the unbelief, and this is what God is
speaking against. God never leads a Christian to marry an unbeliever. If a Christian
marries an unbeliever, it is because they are obeying their sensuality and emotions, and
NOT the Bible. God lays down these rules for our own good. He wants the Christian home to
be a place of repose on this earth and not another battlefield, but that is what it will
become, if we disobey His rules of Christian marriage.
(2 Cor 6:14,15 KJV) "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? {15} And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel?"
(Am 3:3 KJV) "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"
October 10
(Great Burden To Weep, Mourn, Fast, & Pray) -OR- (Building In The Ministry) Today's Reading - Nehemiah 1 - 3
(Neh 1:4 KJV) "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,"
In today's reading, we come across this verse, which shows us what a spiritual concern
Nehemiah had for his beloved Jerusalem. Information had come to him that Jerusalem was
broken down, and the city was in total disarray. Nehemiah had a position in the King's
court as cupbearer. In ancient times, you did not go before the king with a sad
countenance, because it was the responsibility of those in the court to keep the king
happy. (Prov 16:14 KJV) "The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise
man will pacify it." But when the soul is hurting, the body speaks, and
Nehemiah's countenance was one of sadness. His heart was back in Jerusalem. The king
noticed his sadness and was kind to him. Obviously, this king had liked Nehemiah and was
extending courtesy to him, when he did not have to. Nehemiah had prayed to the Lord
concerning the situation and how the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord. It is
interesting to note that Nehemiah had prayed to the Lord, and it was the Lord who
motivated the heart of the king to ask and grant Nehemiah's petition. When you look at the
immensity of the request that a mere servant made to the king of the nation, one can only
see that God was behind this situation one hundred percent.
We learn from this that if God has given you a burden for some area of ministry, whether
it is missions on foreign soil, or a work right there in your back yard, one need only to
pray and ask the Lord. We get into trouble when we ask the Lord, and then begin to move in
that direction without waiting for His answer. Whenever we petition God for something,
keep in mind that He knew a long time ago, before you did, that He was going to place that
burden on you. Normally, before God gets you into the action, there will be a time of
prayer and waiting until everything God is preparing is in place. We see in Nehemiah that
after the preliminaries were done, Nehemiah was granted the petition, and he was able to
begin the trek toward Jerusalem with the desire to build.
Then we also see that before Nehemiah even started the work, Satan already had his goons
in place. This did not hinder Nehemiah, as he had determined to rebuild Jerusalem. After
Nehemiah arrived on the scene, he had done something which many Christian never do, and
that is, to assess the situation and the job before them. This does not portray a lack of
faith. Nehemiah wanted to assess the condition of the walls, so that he could begin the
work properly. Today, too many Christians run headlong into God's Work, thinking that only
faith is needed. This is error. Let me offer the right way of viewing a task. First, faith
in God undergirds everything the Christian does. Secondly, building on that faith with
knowledge of the task at hand shows much wisdom and linear thinking. Thirdly, combining
the two, and then putting them into action, will create a strong foundation for your task.
Would you like to undergo an operation by a person who claims to be a doctor who is
heading at you with a large scalpel, but never went to medical school, yet has faith? You
get the drift! Now are these principles found in Scripture?
(Luke 14:28-32 KJV) "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not
down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? {29} Lest
haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it
begin to mock him, {30} Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. {31}
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and
consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with
twenty thousand? {32} Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an
ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace."
So let us learn the principles from Nehemiah on building in the ministry, or even building
a business. These principles are also to be used in everyday life. You can have great
faith, but if you get a flat tire and have no spare in your trunk, you are walking (He who
has ears to hear!).