Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 As we approach the topic of prayer, let’s begin with an assessment. Carefully […]
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Nothing More Vital Than Prayer
“You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.” Nehemiah 9:6 Of all the disciplines a leader must maintain, nothing—let me repeat, nothing—is more vital to […]
Read MoreObedience and Genuine Joy
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Psalm 119:1 When we get beneath surface facts and start to traffic in the realm of in-depth truth, two things usually happen: we walk in greater obedience, and we discover genuine happiness. The leaders in Nehemiah’s day experienced both. They found written in […]
Read MoreThe Pursuit of Insight
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. Proverbs 9:10 Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe so that they might gain insight into the words of […]
Read MoreThe Joy of the Lord
“Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” Nehemiah 8:10 After an oral reading from the book of the Law, those gifted in its truths exposited the text to make the meaning clear. But why did they need to translate the Scripture? These people were Jews by birth, but […]
Read MoreRevival at the Water Gate
They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage. Nehemiah 8:8 Tucked away in the old book of Nehemiah is the first recorded revival. And of all places, the revival occurred at the Water Gate. According to Nehemiah […]
Read MoreEven as the Enemy Blasts, God Builds
They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination. Nehemiah 6:9 Sanballat’s weapon of choice was rumour, which has at least two distinctive characteristics. First, a source is never declared. Note the vague reference, “It is reported among […]
Read MoreDoing a Great Work
“I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?” Nehemiah 6:3 If you are a leader, you spend a lot of your time either on the top or on the bottom. You’re either hero or villain; respected or reviled. Rarely anything between […]
Read MoreMaking Wrong Things Right
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favourable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2 A good leader does not stop with rebuke. Nehemiah took steps to correct problems—steps we should take first as leaders when we are wrong and steps we should […]
Read MoreWhen the Godly Are in Authority
When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. Proverbs 29:2 Regardless of the perils of leadership and promotion, I hope you will never forget Proverbs 29:2. In this proverb, Solomon gave us a tremendous truth. When born-again people are promoted to places of increased leadership […]
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