Friday, May 18, 2018

Prayer and faith, plus practical action

Nehemiah 4:1-23
Sanballat was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews/ Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side.
But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."
So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.
Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day. Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off out clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.
Nehemiah beats the opposition
The people have a will to work, and a dynamic leader. Nonetheless they have to face first ridicule, them terrorism from powerful opponents. Nehemiah's reply is prayer and faith, plus practical action: 'we prayed... and set a guard','Remember the Lord... and fight'. His unshakable confidence comes from the certainty that 'our God will fight for us'
Why?
Nehemiah had confidence to the Lord and pray to the Lord, and he also had action to protect the threat and terrorism. He and his people were living with people and worked with them.
Strong faith to the Lord and practicing real action to the threat is the action we have to do, this is the way to work for the Lord Almighty.'
How?
Prayer and faith, plus practical action is the way to serve the Lord and do any good matter.

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