Tag: Plan

GOD IS THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF ALL THINGS…INCLUDING ME

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“You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.” – Psalm 145:16 (ESV)

We serve a God who is never at a distance in anything. He has a personal relationship with each of us who has chosen to accept Him as Lord and Savior. He sustains, supports, and holds all of His creation together.“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” is not hyperbole. The world fits in His hands and He’s in control of it all. John 1:3 says, “God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” And Hebrews 11:3 adds, “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” God didn’t merely set it all into motion and flip on a cosmic “autopilot” switch. At this moment,  “he holds all creation together” (Colossians 1:17).

When we say God sustains all things, we mean all things: from the tiniest organism to the vast expanse of the galaxies. If we really stop and let all this sink in, our hearts should explode in worship.  The writer of Hebrews wants to expand our understanding of who Jesus is.  Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command…” Jesus is the Author, Ruler, and Sustainer of the universe.

If Jesus easily sustains the weight of the universe, don’t you think He can sustain you? The same God who keeps the planets aligned also holds you in His hands. When life is too much for you to take on by yourself, trust in the Lord. We are part of His creation, which means God knows exactly how to hold us together, too. “Jesus doesn’t need your strength; He has more than enough power on His own. He simply asks for your weakness; He has none of that Himself.”  Charles Spurgeon

Isaiah 46:3-5 says, “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?

Here in Isaiah, we see God, the creator, and sustainer of the world, give a promise that can comfort us in any stage of life. Life is a journey, and each part of that journey is packed with different challenges. The hardships facing a toddler differ from those of a preteen; young adult challenges are different than the middle adults; as are when we get older, but the same God sees us through each stage. God told us in His very own words, “I will sustain you; I will rescue you. Remember all I have done in the past? I am faithful. I am trustworthy.  I am here”. “Remember the former things, those of long ago: I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9).

Why is this important? With all that’s going on in our world God remains in control. He can certainly take care of me. He’s got the whole world and me in His Hands.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe God is in control of everything? Explain why you believe He is or is not in control of everything.

Jeremiah And Your Calling

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“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young! The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!” – ” Jeremiah 1:6-9 

We all know those fortunate people who know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. Some want to be rock stars, some want to be veterinarians, and others want to be teachers. You have to admire those people, especially when they achieve the calling they set out for themselves. But the majority of people seem to have a clear vision for their life, but get sidetracked along the way. The world held seemingly endless possibilities, but along the way, paths changed.  

The story of Jeremiah is different. His calling was clearly and specifically communicated to him. Scripture tells us that long before he was even born, God intended to use him as His prophet. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5). Jeremiah received instructions for his calling very early on in life—a clear purpose with detailed words from the Lord. Even so, Jeremiah protested, saying, “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” (v.6). Imagine how intimidating it must’ve been to be chosen as God’s mouthpiece. Not only was the job description itself daunting, but Jeremiah was also young and without much life experience. But God reassured Jeremiah again and again that He would be there to rescue him (vv.7–8, 19).

God knew Jeremiah, chose Jeremiah and appointed Jeremiah. He was known by name, hand-picked by God, and commissioned to serve. Those facts give one a great sense of purpose. The promise of God’s purpose allows us to let go of our own plans and receive God’s plan without fear. Like Jeremiah, we need to accept that our future is not our own. We are God’s. He has a distinct plan and purpose for our lives.

Before Jeremiah could experience God’s presence, he had to go where God sent him, speak what God told him, and reject fear. When God calls us to a task, He does not give us a road map to follow and then leaves us to our resources. God walks with us. His presence gives us the strength to stand in the face of every barrier.

What about you?  God chooses all of our callings. Designing us to carry out a unique purpose at a specific time and place, He equips us with gifts to help bring restoration to the world: “may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.” (Hebrews 13:21). 

God will fulfill His purpose in you, He will equip you, He will enable you, He will protect you, He will accompany you and He will accomplish His purposes no matter how people respond.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is God’s primary calling for each of us? 
  2. What are some practical steps you could take to follow your calling this week?

Got It All Figured Out…Think Again

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“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.” – Proverbs 3:5-12 (MSG). 

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Though that will not be easy, especially the “do not depend on your own understanding.” (NIV) 

The Bible is pervaded by teachings that God’s sovereign control is complete, not partial. It governs every aspect of nature, every aspect of history, national life, personal life — nothing, absolutely nothing, is outside God’s sovereign governance. Nothing in the universe is random or without divine design and purpose. We would not be human if we did not believe that we are right more often than we are wrong. So, once we have weighed the pros and cons of a decision, it is probably the right one. But so often we find out that we are not right and find ourselves in places we do not want to be in. Fortunately, we don’t have to figure things out on our own.

Moses had a heart of gold. He was a true servant of God who selflessly cared for the well-being of those he served. He was about to pay dearly for his personal sin. He would not see the land for which he had labored for forty years. But Moses did not bemoan his situation. He was more concerned about the future of God’s children. He wanted to ensure that they had a genuine person to succeed him as their shepherd. Numbers 27:15-17 tells us “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” That request was no surprise to God. God already had a solution in place in the person of Joshua.  “The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.” (Numbers 27:18)

Every day of your life has been written in God’s book before it unfolds in the annals of history and time. God has your situation already figured out. Don’t live in anxiety. Don’t sweat the details of life.

Why? Because God has it already figured out!

 Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you decide which things you should control and which you should let go? Is this worth your time, attention, and energy to try to control the trivial and the unimportant?
  2. The more confident you are in God, the more comfortable you are with His control. Agree or disagree and why?

I Surrender All

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“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” – James 4:10.  

You are probably thinking, “Surrender. Ugh.” I get it. In the eyes of the world, surrender equates to humiliation. No one wants to give up and wave that white flag of surrender. So, no wonder the idea of surrender is often deeply resented. But here’s the irony and the paradox of the Christian faith: Surrender is the beginning of the victorious Christian life. Jesus was all in for you, He wants you to be all in for Him.

Fulfilling our purpose in life and creating the future we desire can be frustrating.  But we have a choice. We can give up or give in, or we can surrender it to the Lord. Surrendering isn’t the same thing as giving up — not when God is involved. Surrendering to God means letting go of our plans, and letting God have His way in every aspect of our lives. Allowing Him to guide our steps and direct our decisions. As Christians this means we surrender our will for His perfect will, and follow God.  As Christians, we are called to turn over every aspect of our lives to God’s control. There is no one-step way to surrender to God, it’s a daily, moment-by-moment choice to give it to God.  

As we surrender to the Lord, our giving up is replaced by His lifting us up: “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7). When we humble ourselves before the Lord, we begin to see His mighty hand at work.  

In surrender, God may—or may not—give us what we want. But when we surrender, He always wants to give us Himself. When we surrender, we always receive what is best: the Lord Jesus.

Surrender isn’t about giving up; it’s about giving in to the One who knows what is best for us, to the One who knows us most and has a perfect plan.  Surrender is the only real way to experience His peace. It’s the only way to true joy.

“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” (John 3:30).

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is an area of your life that you know you need to surrender to God? 
  2. What might you be giving up if you do surrender that area to God? 
  3. Do you believe that surrendering to God could actually benefit you? How?

What If Today Is It?

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“Resolved never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life or before the last trumpet blew.” – Jonathan Edwards, 5th Resolution

Every decade or so, people predict that the world is going to end. For example, some people said that the world was going to end on December 21, 2012, at least according to the Mayan calendar.  Going back further, it was forecasted that computers would fail to handle the three zeros in the number 2000, and thus there would be a catastrophic meltdown of civilization. Again, the day came and went, and here we are in the year 2022.

The Lord Jesus Christ told us that the world will end one day. He said, “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) However, Jesus made it clear that the precise date of this apocalyptic end is a secret that only the Father knows: Mark 13:32 says, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”

But what if today is our last day? We do not know when we will come to the last days of our lives, but one day, you will wake up in the morning, and it will be your last day on earth. How must you live so that you will not regret it when that day comes? The Bible makes it very clear that this earth is not our forever home.  We are merely passing through until our day comes to meet our Lord and Savior.

We should strive to live each day as though it is our last. According to James, we don’t even know what our life will be like tomorrow.  “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (James 4:13-14) There is nothing wrong with making plans and filling our calendars but we must not be so obsessed with our plan that we miss God’s plan.

Paul knew that his life was near the end and that he had fought the good fight of faith: “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.” (2 Timothy 4:6)  He looked ahead to the crown of righteousness, which the Lord had waiting for him, but this crown wasn’t only for him but for all who had a deep, abiding longing for Jesus’ return. “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8). He could reflect on his life with the satisfaction of knowing that he had given it everything he had and faithfully kept the faith until the very end. 2 Timothy 4:7 says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” What about us? Can we say that we are fighting the good fight of faith today and every day and living like today could be the last day of our lives?

It may not be the last day you live here on earth, but it may become a great day for you and those you care about.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What would you do if today were the last day of your life? 
  2. What would you not do if this was the last day of your life? 

The Power of Prayer

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“When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.”– Nehemiah 1:4-7.

The power of prayer isn’t in the person praying. It’s not a magic formula. It isn’t keywords. It is an open heart, humble and filled with awe of who our mighty God is. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to.

Nehemiah had a burden for his people and for the city of Jerusalem. He had a vision of what could be, but he didn’t immediately pack up and race off to Jerusalem and try to get things fixed. He didn’t start developing a strategy or plan. He didn’t communicate with the populace in an attempt to get them on board. Instead, he went to the Person who knew the problem and had the power to fix it. Nehemiah went to the Lord and prayed. Nehemiah understood that he needed God to be successful.

We all have dreams just as we have have a purpose in this life. Every day each of us is faced with numerous choices. Decision-making can be difficult. There is often a lot at stake. So the question is: How do we choose wisely? What criteria do we use to evaluate, to discern the best course of action? Gathering all information necessary to make a wise decision is essential. We need the kind of wisdom that comes from above and that wisdom begins with prayer.

We know that God is sovereign. God is above all things and before all things. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is present everywhere so that everyone can know Him. God created all things and holds all things together, both in heaven and on earth. That being the case, God can help us with our decisions about our dreams and purpose if we ask Him in prayer. In His timeless plan, God has conceived all possible scenarios and has thought of every possible contingency. There has never been an event that took God by surprise, and there never will be.

That should be comforting to every follower of Jesus faced with a decision. Pray and tell God that you are worried about a decision. Pray that God would give you a heart of wisdom. Pray that you will make wise choices; and when two paths seem to be equal, pray God will help you to trust even as you make the decision. Pray if the decision is the right one that God would open the door wide. And if it’s not what God has for you, that God would close the door tightly.  And at the end of this decision, pray for continued guidance.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe every decision should begin with prayer? Why or why not?
  2. What can we do to make prayer an integral part of the decision-making process?   

Matching Your Dreams with God’s Dreams

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“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” – Luke 4:18-19

We hear a great deal about “the American dream” or “finding your dream girl or boy” or “beyond your wildest dreams” to speak of experiences that surprise us or go beyond our expectations. There are many terms and expressions in which the term “dream” is used. God starts with a dream of a beautiful, interconnected world, constantly unfolding, teeming with His creation that is loving. The question is how do we match your dreams with God’s dreams for your life. 

Joseph was a dreamer. He had dreams of his brothers bowing down to him. His brothers hated him because he was already their father’s favorite; he wore a special multi-colored robe that was a daily reminder of their father’s favoritism. Now, these dreams just made them hate him even more. They wanted to kill him, but one of the brothers talked the others into selling him into slavery instead. They looked at Joseph and saw a pampered and spoiled pet, and an egotistical dreamer.

But God looked at Joseph and saw a man He could trust. God knew that tough times were coming, and if the family was going to survive, God needed a man He could trust in a position of authority. God gave Joseph those dreams, and other dreams, because God had a dream for Joseph. God didn’t see a spoiled boy; God saw the next administrator of Egypt and the savior of Jacob’s family.

 God’s dream for you is more significant than anything you may have in mind. You are called to participate in greatness, not smallness. God’s dream is for you to have a spectacular life—the best. But often, God’s dream for His creation veered off course putting each other down instead of bringing out the best in others, or ourselves.

Jesus is the answer to getting back on the path toward re-alignment and cutting the gap between the world as it is and the world God intended. In Luke 4:18-19, at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus tells us what He is all about and how to get back on track.  Jesus was about healing, liberating, forgiving debts, and extending God’s favor to all.   

Discussion Questions: 

  1. Every person is a dream of God. God dreamed you up…for a reason. God has a plan and purpose for you, and you will be the happiest and most effective when you are living God’s dream for you. Agree or disagree and why? 
  2. How does God’s dream for us impact our daily lives? 

More Than Your Wildest Dreams

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“May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon. And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.” – 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.

In the movie Billy Elliott, a young boy loves to dance. But he has a major obstacle: his father disapproves. Billy has a long, arduous road to travel, but his dream keeps him going despite his challenges. This wonderful movie will encourage anyone who has a dream to keep reaching for it and inspire those who have stopped dreaming to once again imagine what could be.

Our lives, like that of Billy Elliott, are full of obstacles—people and circumstances that try to tell us our dreams are impossible, unrealistic, or, as in Billy’s case, that there is something or someone trying to keep us from fulfilling them. 

When we dream, how big do we dream? How large can our aspirations be? There is a certain fear within a dream and a bigger fear of trusting God with our dreams. We worry that our expectations are too high, that our dream could never happen, or that this dream of ours is too big for us. One of the most common fears as Christians is that our dreams might not lie within the parameters of God’s plan for our lives.

God’s hope and plan for us are pretty simple to figure out. For those who resonate with formulas, here it is: add your whole life, your loves, your passions, and your interests together with what God said He wants us to be about, and that’s your answer: basically that is to love God and love people. Does your dream fall within that?

Loving God is surrendering everything in your life for His glory, and the beauty of loving people is that it could take shape in so many different ways. That is where your dream lies. Within fulfilling the great commandment; loving God and dreaming big for His glory and the love of His people.

God longs for His children to dream. He longs for us to set aside time with Him to wish and wonder about what life could be. I fear that many Christians have lost the art of dreaming with God out of a misunderstanding of His heart. While God most definitely has a will for our lives, He also longs for us to dream with Him so that His desires become our own. While He most definitely has perfect plans for us, He longs for us to want His plans so that we might co-labor with Him. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” 

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your dreams? 
  2. What dreams do you feel will never come true? Why? 
  3. What dreams are you sure will come true? Why?

A Little Bit Of Planning Goes A Long Way

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God is a God of systems and predictability and order, and God honors planning.” – Andy Stanley

As Christians, should we plan for the future? If God is in control, then should we plan at all?

The Bible talks a lot about the future and whether or not Christians ought to prepare for it. The Bible demonstrates that God is not only concerned for our earthly future, but also for our eternal future. So as Christians, we ought to prepare for the future. First, we should make sure we are prepared for our eternal future. This means getting our relationship with God correct and storing up treasures in heaven. Second, we can work to prepare for our earthly future while trusting it in God’s hands. James tells us, “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4: 13-15)

Preparation and planning are a part of taking responsibility and practicing good stewardship of what God has entrusted to us. In Nehemiah 2:4-10, we see the balance between these two principles – diligent planning and reliance upon God.  God gives wisdom, but we need to plan. God opens doors, but we must walk through them. Nehemiah asks the king for the resources necessary to rebuild the wall. We wouldn’t consider building a house, room, or anything without planning out our supplies. The work of ministry deserves no less. 

By the time Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, he already has two of the essential ingredients of a well-crafted plan. First, he’s got a goal: his objective is to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He’s also gone to Ace Hardware on the way to Jerusalem and compiled all of his building materials.

But there are still unanswered questions. Nehemiah needs to know what exactly needs to be done. So Nehemiah makes a thorough inspection of the wall. Now Nehemiah can then say, “Here’s where we are, here’s what we have to build it with, and here’s what we are going to build.”  All he needs is a labor force. Nehemiah gives an impassioned speech persuading the Jews to throw in with him.

While Nehemiah is a model of planning, Jesus is the ultimate model: If we never witnessed this same planning, strategy, and preparation in Jesus’ ministry it wouldn’t be a priority in our spiritual leadership. But we do. As you read through the gospels you clearly see where Jesus goes, when He goes, what He says and does, and to whom are anything but random happenstance or just “letting the cards fall as they may.” His ministry is brilliantly conceived and executed. 

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is it so important to not get ahead of the Lord, but to wait for His perfect timing? 
  2. What can we do this week to get a little better at planning? 

Planning For The Good Work

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“So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later, I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding. After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble. 15 So, though it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.” – Nehemiah 2:11-15.

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king of Persia. For him to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls was not a step he would take randomly. For four months Nehemiah prayed and fasted about his plan before he approached the king for permission and help. His prayers paved the way for him to receive the king’s favor.

Nehemiah needed to fully understand all the circumstances of the project he was about to undertake. Initially, he was not physically in Jerusalem, so his early assessment was made from discussions he had with people who saw first-hand the destruction and were knowledgeable about the current state of the walls and gates. Once he arrived in the city, he spent three evenings personally examining the damage to the wall and the gates before rebuilding.

Can you almost picture Nehemiah secretly riding around the city three nights in a row? I imagine him and a couple of trusted men. They were quiet. He needed wisdom, and he needed to formulate a plan. None of which could be accomplished if he relied on other people to show him their version of the situation, or hearsay commentary from enemies inhabiting the city waiting for him to fail. He wanted to assess the situation, in the dark, without detection.

When he had gathered all of the information needed, he held a meeting with the officials and nobles. Nehemiah stated something these men already knew, they were in a bad situation. Desperate even. Jerusalem abandoned. The walls, crumbling and the gates burned. Yet, Nehemiah told leaders that God had been favorable to him. We don’t have his whole speech, but it must have been stirring because the response was . . . “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!”

Nehemiah taught us that vision is a divinely given picture of what could be and should be. Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been broken down. Right away, Nehemiah saw what could be and should be – that the defenses of the city could be restored, and the walls rebuilt. A vision is always a picture of what could and should be from God’s perspective.

There’s nothing more exciting than following God’s leading in our lives. There’s nothing more exciting than sensing and obeying God’s promptings in your life.

Discussion Questions: 

  1. What can we learn about the kind of person Nehemiah was by the way he sets out at night to personally inspect the entire wall?
  2. Read Nehemiah 2:17-20: How does Nehemiah describe the situation that the people have been used to for many decades? What are some troubling realities you have become accustomed to over the years?
  3. Think about the beautiful response of the people, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” and the words, “they began the good work.” What good work has God given you to do, and what was your response to it?