MONDAY, 8 February, 2021 “Stand Firm”

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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends, on this Monday of a new week.

I hope you had a good weekend and you step into this new week refreshed and ready for new opportunities to make a difference in the world where you live. I think that may have been how Nehemiah stepped into Monday… and then came the harsh reality! Would you join me in Nehemiah chapter 6? The massive wall rebuild project is nearing completion and euphoria is beginning to rise all around the city of Jerusalem! But that meant those in opposition needed new tactics and so they invited Nehemiah to a meeting. No more threats, no ridicule, no terrorism… a meeting for discussion. That sounds innocent doesn’t it?

Are you alert to danger that appears innocent? Have you noticed how mild disagreement with Christian values and Biblical truth has turned rather quickly to outright, overt opposition? Have you noticed it is no longer sufficient to oppose Christian values, Biblical truth, now those opposed are emboldened to demand SILENCE from those who espouse Christian values or God’s truth. Watch closely friends, soon this demand for silence may move to a demand for REMOVAL from society any form of communication… print, media, and voice, that supports Christian values, God’s Truth, the Bible. And finally, there’s only one step after that… extermination of the people who hold those values! It has happened before in our world, in fact it is happening right now in places like North Korea, some parts of China and increasingly some parts of India. Could it happen in America… just watch, it’s coming, my friends! Do you see it?

Nehemiah was amazingly wise in his discernment of the schemes of those opposed to the wall rebuild project. Nehemiah knew it was more than simply their opposition to the wall. They were opposed to Jews living again in Jerusalem. They preferred all Jews to be living in bondage far away, or better yet, as Haman had attempted, extinction. Remember the story of Esther we looked at a few days ago?

Nehemiah writes in 6:2 “But they were scheming to harm me, so I sent messengers to them with this reply: ‘I am carrying on a great project and cannot come to meet.” (Nehemiah 6:3) My friends, what have been some of the tactics used to try and discourage you, distract you, even oppose you, as you have tried to live a God honoring life and accomplish the life mission you believe God has for you? Over and over Nehemiah had to deal with those opposed to his leadership of this great wall rebuild project, yet every city needed a wall for protection. It was the right thing to do. Do you find when you attempt to do the right thing, there is often opposition?

Mr’s Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem were not easily deterred. Nehemiah writes: “Four times they sent me the same message of invitation and each time I sent them the same answer. Then the fifth time Sanballat sent his aid to me with an unsealed letter in which was written this: ‘It is reported…that you and the Jews are plotting revolt and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover according to the reports, you are about to become king in Jerusalem and you have appointed prophets to proclaim your kingship…now this report will reach emperor Artaxerxes, so come let us meet together.” (Nehemiah 6:4-7)

Lies can turn to blackmail quickly, can’t they? Sanballat knew this was not true, but to force Nehemiah to leave his wall project and walk into a trap, those opposed used rumor and threat of sending such rumors to the Emperor. Have you seen this tactic recently as false accusations have been made of conservative public figures and especially Christians, to intimidate them and silence them?

Nehemiah’s response is a good example for us. He refuted the accusation with truth, and turned to God in prayer and appealed for God’s help. Nehemiah refused to be intimidated and he refused to be baited into any traps. He remained focused on the mission entrusted to him by God. He countered the lies with truth and boldly refuted any attempts to intimidate or demean or trap him. And he prayed… earnestly he prayed that God would engage the battle on his behalf. And then Nehemiah records this simple yet powerful statement: “So the wall was completed on the 25th day of the month of Elul, in 52 days! When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their confidence, because they realized this work had been done with the help of our God!!” (Nehemiah 6:15,16)

Now I invite you to pause a moment friends. You and I live at a time in history when powerful people can move armies of employees, use billions of dollars with which they can shake the global markets or make big government deals. Social media and tech giants can even silence presidents or close communication channels for millions of people. If you find yourself feeling both insignificant and fearful that you may be silenced or eliminated… Nehemiah calls us to stand firm in WHO you are as a redeemed Holy Spirit filled follower of Jesus Christ, and look UP into the throne room of God, and call upon the most powerful force of all time, our Almighty, Holy God. History gives us many accounts of what happens when God decides to unleash HIS power in defense of His people and His purposes in our world!

I close today with a few questions for us…

1. When is the last time you were part of something that so obviously had the hand and power of God upon it, that people “…realized that this work had been done with the help of God.”, as Nehemiah experienced?

2. When was the last time, in your part of the world, that the enemies of God, God’s truth, God’s purposes, and God’s people were afraid because they recognized the undeniable Presence and Power of God?

3. What are you feeling these days, as you consider the dramatic social changes happening in so many places of our world, especially related to attitudes toward Christians and God and God’s values and the Bible? Are you frightened, feeling intimidated, maybe even concerned for your personal safety if you live publicly as a true follower of Jesus Christ? What is the Spirit of God saying to you today through Nehemiah’s example?

In closing, listen to this from Psalm 121 “I lift my eyes up to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of the heavens and the earth…He who watches over you will not slumber…the LORD watches over your life, the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

Now I found a song…oh my, this will lift up your soul my friends. It’s sung by people whose country has suffered far more than you or I probably ever will. Have you ever heard of the atrocities of a man called Idi Amin in the country of Uganda?

Click to view “The Atrocities of Idi Amin”.

Just listen to the joy in the voices and look at the joy in the eyes of these dear Christian worshipers! Let’s worship my friends, celebrating our great God who is Sovereign over all!!

Today’s Scripture is Nehemiah 6.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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