EZRA & NEHEMIAH

I'm reading in Ezra and Nehemiah.  Two books I've come to love so much.  Ezra is about the rebuilding of the temple, and Nehemiah is about the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem.  Now one thing they have in common and teach us clearly is that anytime you are building anything for God, their is opposition!  But the story is not the opposition, the story is the victory that God always ultimately gives!!  That is a lesson we can take with us... the victory is on it's way!!  KEEP BUILDING for GOD!! Here are a few other thoughts: 1) HELP FROM UNEXPECTED SOURCES:  In Ezra, Zerubbabel is the man God uses to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed.  His unexpected help comes from the King of Assyria.  Here is what Ezra 6:22 says: "for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel."  A heathen King strengthens their hands.  Wow!!  You know that when God is wanting to bless us, He can bring blessings from totally unexpected sources.  Be on the lookout.... 2) WHERE DOES THE HELP COME FROM- Well, from God of course!  In Ezra 7:27 it says: "Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart,..."  So, it wasn't really the king behind it anyway.  It was God!  God is looking to bless and help His children.  We must be looking for those blessings around us.  They are there, but sometimes we just get used to them and don't see how special they really are.  Look for God to help! 3) GETTING RIGHT- Now that the temple is built, it is time to use it as a tool to get right with God.  Church doesn't get you right with God, but it is a great place to get right with God!  Ezra 9:6 says: "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head,"  Then in Ezra 10:1 it says: "when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God.."  He confessed, he wept, and he cast himself down before the house of God.  These things are quite old fashion, but they will still work today!!  Put them to work and you too can get right with God! 4) HE WILL PROSPER US- Nehemiah 2:20 says: 'The God of heaven, he will prosper us:  therefore we his servants will arise and build:"  God will prosper us!!  On the bases of His blessings, we can go forward by faith!!  Let us go forward by faith!! 5) AN ATTITUDE TOWARDS OPPOSITION- What is your attitude towards opposition?  Nehemiah had this attitude in Neh 6:11: "Should such a man as I flee?"  He faced the opposition and did not run from it.  You may get hit by an occasional arrow of the Devils, but don't let it hit you in the back!  Go forward... don't flee!! Hope today's blog encourages you to stay faithful, stay in the battle, keep looking to the LORD for strength!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler