Nehemiah 5:14-7:73, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Psalms 33:1-11, Proverbs 21:8-10
Today is the 13th day of August welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is…it’s great to come around the Global Campfire together and, I don’t know, grab a seat, step away from it all for a minute in this little oasis that we have created for ourselves, a peaceful place in the midst of chaos at times, a place of serenity, a place that we can allow God’s word to speak into our hearts and minds and…and lives. So, it’s great to be here with you right now, today, as we take the next step forward and that will lead us back into the book of Nehemiah. We’re reading from the English Standard Version this week. Nehemiah chapter 5 verse 14 through 7 verse 73.
Commentary:
Okay. So, we’ve been watching the story of Nehemiah as we read through it and what we’re gleaning from it is just a very, very…like a front row seat to the way that he was leading things, how he got a vision for this wall to be rebuilt in Jerusalem while he was cupbearer to the king of Persia, how he interceded, how he planned before he ever told the king, how it was that he invited the king into the story, and how the king got on board and sent him, how he was provided for, how he showed up and was just kind of incognito, didn’t show up announcing himself and his authority to do what he was going to do, how he just kind counted the cost, looked the whole situation over, and then how he cast vision and people got on board and how that only…that…that’s when the problems began. They started rebuilding the wall and then the voices of intimidation come against them. The voices of ridicule and discouragement come against them. The threats of attack comes against them, and they just…they keep going. I mean, they make the adjustments necessary and even though that slows things down they keep going. And we should see that as they get closer and closer the completion of the goal of the dream of the wall then the…the problems, the challenges that they face escalate. And in some ways, we should just…we should feel a sense of encouragement. Like this is how it goes. Like when we face these things, we’re not the only one. But what is it that puts the wind in Nehemiah’s sails? Like, what is it that keeps him going? That’s kind of what we get to in today’s reading. We’re able to observe Nehemiah’s heart, like his motives and that’s ultimately…when we’re trying to accomplish something, and it becomes hard and it always does, it’s our hearts motive that will dictate whether we will persevere or whether we will surrender and give up. And, so, we see Nehemiah’s motives is in the way that he deals with everybody else. He’s not lording it over them because of his appointed position. And, in fact, he’s not even taking what he deserves according to his position because of the burden that would place on the other people around him. And there’s nothing wrong with him earning what he’d earned. That…that was his job and that was his compensation, but he saw that the people he’s working on this wall, the people that he’s on this mission with are the people that would have to provide that and they’re already working their hearts out. And, so, instead of like trying to add to that load so that he can benefit personally or for that matter just not have to pay out of his own pocket, he…he chooses…he chooses not to put the burden on them and that had to speak volumes toward his character and his leadership to the people that he was leading. He’s providing out of his own pocket for his own job. So, we could safely say like, “this is a job that Nehemiah wanted so bad, he was so passionate to accomplish this he would have done it for free” because he was. And that shows his motives and it shows that he is resolute in his purpose. He is there for a specific thing, to get this wall built in. And this wall needs to be built, not for some kind of ground-floor opportunity to rebuild Jerusalem to become rich. This wall needs to be built because God’s temple is inside those walls and God’s temple must be protected. And I mean if you think about it. So, there is this city named Jerusalem and it’s an ancient city and its very, very famous for lots and lots of reasons, over lots and lots of generations even at this time and it has been destroyed and it’s being rebuilt and now there is a temple and there are walls. So, you would think like, the real estate inside those walls is now very, very valuable and this is an opportunity to use position to get rich, to build wealth, to build…to own property. It’s just that Nehemiah, like he didn’t do any of that stuff. He was there for a reason and nothing was gonna distract him from that reason. That…the wall was his mission from God, and he was in that mission with a single purpose with the whole heart, which would…which would help the people…the people who were following Nehemiah to be on board, like to get his heart about the whole thing as well. And then the politics got into the situation. So, these ringleaders of the opposition, Sanballat and Tobiah. I mean they tried to discourage. They tried to ridicule or make fun. They tried to threaten and intimidate, and those things were not successful. And, so, they start sending him letters, “hey, we need to get on the same page. Come talk to us. Let’s…let’s meet about this.” And, so, they send him four letters of the same…same thing and Nehemiah basically responds the same way, “I am on this wall. I am not coming down from this wall. Why should I come down from this wall to listen to you when all you’ve done is discourage and intimidate us and try to stop us? Like, why should I come down and talk to you?” And, so, then they send the open letter like, “well, you should come talk to us because the king is going to find out what you’re really trying to do.” And they had cooked up this thing that the real reason Nehemiah was there working so hard was for his own benefit, like they’re gonna get the wall done and he’s gonna declare himself king, and that the prophets are gonna prophesy about him and he’s gonna try to take over, which was a complete fabrication, but if it took hold it with be the end of Nehemiah, like he would be executed for this. And this is what Nehemiah says, “they all wanted to frighten us, thinking their hands will drop from the work and it will not be done, but now O God strengthen my hands.” And they just worked harder. Like, basically Nehemiah was like, “okay. If I’m going to have to defend myself, if this is gonna like pull me away because of the politics of the situation we better finish what we started and they worked harder. So, the politics didn’t work. And, so, the enemies then try to bring religion into the mix and the payoff a prophet to try to coerce Nehemiah into the temple where it looks like he’s blockading himself where it’s like he’s done something wrong and he’s hiding out in God’s temple and this would discredit him. And Nehemiah is…because he’s got a single purpose and because he’s been true and because he’s walking in wisdom, he can see what they’re trying to do and he even realizes, “wow! Wow! It’s like my…some people that I even know and who know the story here, they had a price. They’re speaking for God and they had a price. This is…this isn’t what God’s saying,” And Nehemiah’s like, “I am not…I am not gonna do this stuff. I am not going to play these games.” And, so, we see that through it all, the mission, the dream, the thing, the calling, the purpose, that never got unclear. It never got cloudy. Nehemiah was there for something specific, and so all of his efforts, no matter what came his way and he had significant obstacles that we’ve seen so far, he did not stop. He was there to finish what he started.
Prayer:
Father, again as we have said in days past, thank You. Thank You that this story has been written down for us to look into and examine and interpret and bring on board into our own hearts as it…it works in conjunction with some of our own stories and some of our own dreams and some of our own goals and some of our own callings. And, so, we invite Your Holy Spirit again to continue to lead us into all truth but give us wisdom from the story of Nehemiah. Give us wisdom and insight into our own stories because we can see resolute and single-purpose to person here achieving a goal, but…but we can also see the voices of discouragement and threats and politics and religion and all of the things that are brought to bear against this story and how he is able to look through it all and stay clear on what the mission was. Help us to see that too. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
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And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.
Community Prayer and Praise:
This is Duncan the piano man from Fredericksburg Texas. Almighty God please take care of Emily the urgent prayer going out for her there in ICU there in Wyoming or wherever it was. And Father just we hold her to in the…before Your throne Lord. Please hold her in the palm of Your hand and heal her out right. Touch the ouches touch the hurting places. Take care of Jordan here in Texas Father and as he is Papa to this newborn for the second time around. Father be especially with him and his wife and their two children, their two boys. Father, it’s not easy not even for…for a parent of a newborn even if they had maybe two or three. We had we had one. So, Father You know. Just give them grace, both of them grace Jordan and his wife and the kids too. Restore calm and gentleness and patience and humor and…and just…and the joys of parenting because it’s tough even with the challenges of it all. Father, this is the week of my wedding anniversary and I look forward very much to…to Friday but my dear wife has been dead…has been with you now over eight months, I’d say 10 months now, almost a year. And father thank you for giving me the joy this past weekend with visits from friends and going places. And I prepare now for worship. Thank you, Jesus for hearing on prayer. Amen.
Hello, my wonderful DAB family this is Rosie in Oklahoma and today is Sunday, August 9th. I’m calling in right now to ask you to pray for my granddaughter Anisa and her husband Isaiah. They’ve been married a little over year and a half, and he told her two days after she had their son that he didn’t have any feelings for her anymore. And we have talked to him and let him know that love is not a feeling it’s an action and we don’t always go by our feelings. But I think he has his eyes on other people and he’s not listening to anybody. And right now my granddaughter and my great-grandson are staying with me and it just breaks my heart because she’s trying so hard to restore her marriage and she’s been praying a lot and she reads the Bible and she even reads the Bible to the baby. And that you would pray for him as well his name, his name is Demaree. And I just want to ask you guys to please pray for them. I love you DAB family. I appreciate you more than you…than you’ll ever know. God bless you. Bye.
My name is Julie I’m calling from Petula Montana I’ve never called __ for introducing me to DAB. Today is August 9th. I’m listening to August 2 and I just want to say prayers for all the COVID people all this nation. I want to ask for prayers for strength for me. I have been with a cancer patient for 22 years chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Also has had __. He has been my whole life. I met him when I was 34. I am now 58 and I feel that the end is coming and we had a horrible two nights of throwing up and nerve pain. I’ve been through seven chemo’s with him, numerous tumor removals. He has been…he is the love of my life and it’s been the best and the worst and he is Jewish, and I want him to see Jesus and I want to strengthen my relationship with Christ. And please forgive me, I’m just am lacking sleep and I just….it’s like, bargaining with God to please at this point just take him or care for him as if…as if that can…
Hi family this is Biola from Maryland I hope you’re all doing well. Brian and Jill God bless you God bless your ministry. Well I’m still behind, I’m on July 27th and I’m going to mix the old with the new. I want to say a big shout out to those who transcribe Daily Audio Bible transcripts. God bless you for your labor of love. Mike from Reading I heard your prayer request for your daughter Annie, and I am joining…joining you in prayer for her. Father Lord you said Lord Jesus when you were here on earth that you have come to set the captives free. And, so, Lord of heaven in agreement with my brother and thousands of others who are praying oh God for Annie I break the hold of addiction upon Annie’s life, the hold of this heroin O God Lord, I break it upon her life. Lord Jesus set her free. You have come to…You came specifically for Annie, set her free in the name of Jesus and every work of darkness in her life we command you to cease and desist in Jesus’ name. Lord bring the prodigal daughter back home in the name of Jesus. Carmen how can I advise you in less than 30 seconds? I’ve been where you are Carmen. What I would just say my sister is that you should give yourself time to grieve. Do not rush into any relationship. Just process what is going on and give yourself time to grieve. And what is very important is that you forgive your husband or your ex-husband now that you will forgive him, you know. And I pray that God will comfort your heart and God will touch you in the name of Jesus. And then I want to pray for Gigi’s sister. Gigi, I heard your prayer request. I read it rather because I’ve not listened because I read it on Tumblr and I’m praying for your sister, that she will find a job, a good job and God will comfort her even over the passing of your dad, that God will comfort you all in the name of Jesus. Anonymous, I am praying that the truth will be found out in your situation, that God will step in and help you and the truth will be found out in the name of Jesus.
Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is BW in NC I hope everyone’s doing well. I’m calling in today for Megan who called in about seeking counseling and living with her boyfriend before marriage. Megan, God is telling you what to do here and I think you know, and God is your ultimate provider. He is not gonna leave you stranded if you follow Him. Also, it sounds like you may be getting ready to become unequally…unequally yoked, which God also commands against as well. I would say to you as a male that, if your boyfriend will not respect your wishes to honor God then you should probably not worry about losing him but you should run from him. And as always seems to be the case, if you’ll honor God you will be provided for in abundant ways, in ways that are…ways that you would never be able to imagine or understand, but you will never go wrong by honoring what you know God is telling you to do. I’ll be praying for you and I know you’ll be okay so long as you honor your God.
Good morning DAB family this is Jonathan from North Carolina and I’m calling to pray for Mike and his daughter Annie in the situation with a heroin addiction and the baby on the way and recovering. Dear Jesus, I just want a lift before You as Mike has done many times his daughter Annie. And this whole situation Lord, I thank You that she came to the point of coming to him and wanting to get help and yet God it seems that she has left the recovery program again and God I have no idea how hard it is for her to go into recovery or what that’s like but I just pray that You will strengthen her, that You will change Your heart, that You will help her to know that…that You can strengthen her to tear away from this addiction Lord that’s been a part of her life for only You know how long. And God I’m just sitting around my porch looking at a rainbow, a sign of Your promise, and I just thank You for Your promises and I thank You for Mike and I thank You for Annie and I just pray that You would bring his daughter Annie home. He talked about her and it’s almost like she’s…she’s gone and it’s just a ghost that’s left and God I just pray by the power of Your Spirit that You would deliver Annie, that You would comfort Mike in this time. I can’t even imagine the pain and I pray that he will sense Your presence in this time and Annie as well Lord, that she will just know beyond the shadow of a doubt that You’re there to deliver her in Jesus’ name. Amen.