Will you be a Nehemiah?

Nehemiah 1:4, "Now it came about when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven."

Nehemiah was moved by the things that moved God's heart.  He felt real compassion.  He allowed God to change his plans and redirect his goals.  It wasn't a passing thing.  He was committed to the cause God laid on his heart.  As a natural result, he turned to God for supernatural intervention and guidance.  He was diligent in prayer.  He knew that God was the one who could change the situation.

Nehemiah 1:6b, "I and my father's house have sinned."

Nehemiah didn't just see other's faults.  He realized that he too was a sinner in need of God's mercy.  Instead of looking down on others, he associated himself with them.

In Nehemiah 2:5, he makes a request to the king to rebuild.  Taking a bold step of faith, he did what he could do to change the situation.  He knew God uses his people who step out in obedience to Him to change the world around them.

 Nehemiah 2:18, "'Let us arise and build.'  So they put their hands to the good work."

He involved others in this joint effort which he could not accomplish on his own.  Sharing his vision with others, he made the need known, recruited helpers, and facilitated the response.

Nehemiah 6:16, "And it came about when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God."

God will be working with us to accomplish His purposes, and the work will be greater than we imagined.  God will be glorified by the results.  Will you be a Nehemiah?  Perhaps you could join with EFCA's Mobilize Initiative or organize a short-term team.  Maybe God is calling you to step out and offer your gifts as an intern or staff member with TouchGlobal.  Maybe you are being led to develop a local outreach ministry to people in your community.  Ask God how He wants you to be involved.  Remember to start with prayer and allow God to lead you.

Tell Me A Story About God's Greatness

When someone goes on a mission's trip, they experience God in a greater way.  Often, we put God in a box and have expectations of what He will or will not do.  We have Him as part of our life, but we do not expect Him to change our lives.  On a mission's trip, we see God at work changing lives, meeting needs in unexpected ways, and answering very specific prayers.  It is exciting!  We want to come home and share that excitement and what we have learned about God with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Unfortunately, we often find no one is interested in hearing about our experience.  I have talked to numerous people across the country who have had this disappointing experience.  They are so fired up about the greatness of God, and no one really wants to hear what they have to say.

What can churches do differently?  Can they make opportunities for people returning from a trip to share with other groups in the church?  Is there any follow-up where team members can meet again and encourage one another?  Are we taking the opportunity to pass this excitement on to the congregation and maybe change their lives and our church forever?  I was thrilled to be at Faith Church in Montoursville for an evening where each member of the returning team spoke about their experience to the church.  The group was also continuing to meet as a team for Bible study, accountability, prayer, and encouragement.  I thought this was great!

God is doing great things here and abroad.  He deserves glory for what He is doing.  This means the stories should be told and retold.  Stories benefit children as well as adults.  They stick with us as we face difficult situations in our lives.  How are you enabling people to tell their stories to others of what they have seen God do?  Are your children learning that God is alive and active and can make a difference in their daily lives?  Are our churches too structured to allow the Holy Spirit to shake things up and change what we are learning?  Are we too focused in one area to see what God is doing across the world?

Louisiana

Louisiana

I am in Louisiana in my heart,
Wishing I was there to do my part.
Many homes from Katrina are not rebuilt,
Which should fill our nation with some guilt.

Hurricane Isaac stalled there with lots of rain,
Causing the residents still more pain.
Flood waters broke into homes on the North Shore,
Stealing contents from both rich and poor.

Wind tore up trees and roofs throughout the Ninth Ward,
Through streets where Katrina floods once roared.
People are hurting and feeling little hope,
Looking for new ways in which to cope.

Open up your heart and show a little love,
Sharing the strength which comes from above.
You can be the one to patch a hurting heart,
If you say "yes" to doing your part.