NEHEMIAH: A Role Model for Today

With our US economy opening again, Nehemiah’s story provides a mother-lode of prayer and skill. This ancient builder would be a Fortune 500 CEO today.

A cup bearer for King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah was born in Babylon during the Jews’ Exile. The cup bearer held one of the highest palace positions since he made sure the King was not poisoned with food or drink.

When reports penetrated the palace grapevine that Jerusalem’s walls lay in ruins, Nehemiah was devastated. He asked Artaxerxes for permission to return to his homeland to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. The King granted his request, making him the governor of the Judean province. He also supplied Nehemiah with building materials and royal transit letters for the 800-mile journey.

When he arrived in Jerusalem, Nehemiah surveyed the damage then used his expert management skills to rebuild the walls of his beloved city. Violence and opposition broke out from Arabs, detractors, and other enemies. Along with damage to our economy, we also face the enemies of socialism, division, and those who don’t hold fast to our American way of life.

Nehemiah met his challenges by devising more strategies to simultaneously build and protect. He equipped some workers with spears, shields, and bows. Other workers strapped their swords at their sides and continued construction. He set up an alarm system using musicians to blow trumpets/shofars when danger was afoot and devised a security plan encouraging them that God would help. The book of Nehemiah records fourteen prayers.

Our focus is Nehemiah 4: 4-15.
“O my God, … the wall was completed on the twenty fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 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.”

The prayers in the book of Nehemiah can serve us well today while we rebuild our economy, recover from Covid-19, strengthen law and order, and quell civil unrest and violence.

Prayer Points:

· Pray for the Trump Administration and US states to create strategies with Nehemiah’s expertise to maintain the strength of our nation and our American way of life.

· Pray Nehemiah 6:4 regarding those seeking to destroy our Judeo-Christian culture. “Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads…”

· Pray for wisdom, hope and hard work to emerge in a context of unity to rebuild our nation for all citizens.

Shaking Your Salt

Ancient Salt Bowl

      We Christians must be intentional in expressing our opinions and do it without slander and ugliness. The Apostle Paul's words in Colossians 4:6 are important. “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.”  Choosing to season our speech with salt doesn't mean passivity; it means state your views firmly and respectfully. It's difficult to do,  so asking the Lord's help to discipline our speech is essential. Remember, relationships matter. Even in Social Media. We are to shake our salt and season the atmosphere with light.

     The Bible contains plentiful references to salt and knowing how important salt was in ancient cultures helps us understand why it’s mentioned so often. The English language too is filled with mentions of salt in these idioms: “Back to the salt mines, salt of the earth, worth one’s salt, take it with a grain of salt.” Salt has an interesting history where it served important purposes.  

      Before nations were industrialized, salt was part of many economies.  In the Roman Empire salt was part of a soldier’s pay.  Here’s an interesting linguistic fact: The soldier’s pay was called “solarium argentum” and originated the word “salary.” Salt also offered health benefits such as disinfecting wounds and used as a food preservative. 

     Ancient Jews used salt in some sacrifices as one example of covenants. Leviticus 2:13 instructs: "And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt." While the Dead Sea is a “must-see” destination for tourists, in ancient times it was a necessary source skillfully mined by the Jews and used in many contexts. Ezekiel 47:11 puts it this way: “But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt."  

     Examples of salt's value abound and here are a few more examples. In the 6th century, Moorish businessmen considered salt and gold equal in value for trading.  Even into the 1930’s salt taxes levied by Great Britain on India became so burdensome that Mahatma Gandhi led his followers to the sea where they made their own salt. 

     Salt is sprinkled throughout the Bible from the Older Testament to the New.  Jesus picks up on the importance of salt in Israel, His earthly ancestral homeland in the culture of His day. He transitions it into a valuable teaching about salt in relationship to others. 

Jesus taught in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” He speaks of the value of His followers in “salt” terms and admonishes them to make sure their “salt” spreads out and seasons kingdom relationships with others.  

    Let's make sure our salt remains fresh and seasons our culture in productive Kingdom ways.  It was significant in Jesus’ time and significant for us today to season our speech, season the atmosphere with love and light, and sprinkle the Good News in our daily lives.  #SprinkleSaltInTheSpirit

 

God Never Changes-Even in a Covid-19 Culture

When I grew up in the 50s and 60s, change didn’t seem as “changeable.” Most of our parents remained married and stayed at the same job. School began after Labor Day. In the south, grocery stores closed on Sundays. We attended the same church year after year. We watched only three TV channels that shut down at midnight playing the National Anthem. Continuity reigned and with it, a sense of security. 

In the last few decades though, change seems to dominate everything every minute. Today’s speed of change is sometimes dizzying.  Those days of less change have slipped into the history books of our lives if we are old enough to remember. 

Changes reflect both joy and sadness. Joy...encountering our Lord transforming our lives. Meeting the love of our life, changing from single to married. Children coming along changing us into parents. Accepting a dream job that changes our lifestyle. And sadness...divorce, accidents, ill health, addictions, financial loss, betrayals, or the passing of a loved one.

With news now changing even more in this season of a Covid-19 culture, our lives are invaded with anxiety and fear about the future. Without question though, we CAN count on two “unchangeables.” 

     
First, relying on the words of the most profound and popular book in history assures us of inner security and rays of hope. James 1:17 reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Hebrews 13:8 carries the same theme, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” And Isaiah 40:8 offers us this truth, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” 

Secondly, while we learn about our Lord in scripture and His eternal Presence, we also prove and embrace biblical truths in a deeper, personal way when we choose to walk in the ways of Jesus with the necessary and enabling help of His Holy Spirit. 

Our Father of lights doesn’t change. The word of God is forever. Jesus is the same every day.   Count On Who Never Changes!

“A bend in the road is not the end of the road…unless you fail to make the turn.” 

― Helen Keller

Lessons from the Poplar Tree

A grove of trees stands at the end of our driveway. Two stately Poplars are among them. They are adorned with yellow flowers in the spring after a bare-branched winter and called Tulip Poplars.  

Poplars can grow up to 165 feet high. I estimate our two Poplars are at least 100 feet high and stand with straight trunks. Poplars also grow deep roots spreading out up to 130 feet in diameter.

Poplars have an interesting history. Ancient Romans planted Poplars in meeting areas and thus the Latin name for people, “Populus,” was born. Roman soldiers used the wood for battle shields and in contrast, Poplar wood was used in later centuries to build organs. Today, Poplar wood still has many uses including making pallets, snowboards, guitars and drums. It’s an impressive tree that reflects important spiritual lessons.

When we ask the Lord Jesus to dwell in our lives, He helps us to develop deep roots in our faith. If we tend our roots hand in Hand with Him, we will cultivate a strong, rooted network that will carry us through the most destructive winds of life.  We fertilize our good spiritual roots with Bible familiarity, authentic fellowship with the Lord and other believers. We add ways to serve others by rooting up our selfish natures and seek extra help when we face a problem or challenge that inhibits our maturity. 

Like the Poplars and other trees, growing time is part of the process. Sometimes, as we grow older and “taller,” the obstacles grow too. The winds of life buffet us. We may lose some branches, and sometimes, like the Poplar, the leaves of our lives fall off in a deep time of sorrowful winters. We wonder if the spring will return yet counting on the Lord to re-grow and rebuild us, Spring returns.

Akin to the Poplars, the Lord endows us with usefulness in our time here on earth. 

The ancient Roman shields of wood can become shields of prayerful protection when the enemy attacks us with doubt and pain. With God’s enabling, we carve out the “wood” of our lives with love and service. And although our “wood” may be a pallet not a guitar, each is important. 

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

May 14, 1948 God Keeps His Covenants

May 14, 2020 marks the 72nd anniversary of the modern state of Israel! Like Daniel, let's praise “the great and awesome God” Who has kept His covenants with the Jewish people. Revisiting Daniel's story gives us a road map and a hope for our personal lives too. Daniel  prayed three times a day in pagan Babylon. He didn’t hesitate to bring his and the people’s failures before the Lord, yet he trusted that God keeps His covenants no matter what. Daniel remained faithful and God remains faithful to Israel and to us! 

Here are a few of his prayers in Daniel 9: “The great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, …we have sinned and done wrong. Turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, see the desolation of the city that bears your Name…and O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name.”

Daniel’s life was dramatic. Babylonians kidnapped him from his Jerusalem home when he was a teenager. Daniel’s 12 chapters describe his ascent in exile to the heights of Nebuchadnezzar’s regime as a politician and a respected interpreter of dreams. Yet, he practiced a vibrant faith and interceded for the Jewish people. Today, Daniel’s IQ would surely be genius level!

Drama continued into Daniel’s 80's when he was thrown into a lion’s den for refusing to worship anyone but the Lord! A clay tablet discovered in the late 1800's in the ruins of ancient Susa (modern Iran) confirmed the death penalty of throwing the “criminal” alive into a lion’s pit or cage where kings likely kept lions for their hunting sports. 

The Susa tablet and discovery of cages with iron bars in Babylon (modern Iraq) shows that archeology once again proves biblical facts!  

Daniel lived most of his life in Babylon yet praised God and believed His commitment to keep His eternal covenants promised to Father Abraham. God kept one of His most profound covenant promises on May 14, 1948 when Israel was re-born as a modern Jewish state!

On this significant day, let's follow Daniel who prayed for his Jewish people and pray for our Christians too. Some Christians believe the error of Replacement Theology which declares that the church has ‘replaced’ the Jews and that they no longer have relevance.  Pray against antisemitism and Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS)-economic warfare against Israel.  

Lift up Moses’ Prayer Banner for Israel

I have curated prayers from ten biblical figures as a guide to pray for Israel. In chronological order, they are Moses, Deborah, Ruth, Nehemiah, Esther, Isaiah, Daniel, Zephaniah, Apostle Paul, and Cornelius. I’ll post all ten in the coming weeks.

When praying for Israel we are lifting a prayer banner handed down in ancient times from Abraham to Jesus and beyond. Now in modern times, our own prayers under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit link us with Bible characters we love and venerate. When God spoke first in the Older Testament through Jewish scribes- then in the New Testament- He bequeathed to believers a magnificent set of prayers, engraving His words into ancient and modern hearts. Praying scriptures places us in agreement with God.

In our prayers for Israel, we are in a sense reenacting traditional Jewish prayers called a Minyan. Ten adults compose a Minyan, the minimum number needed for public prayer, and to hold services at a synagogue.

Ours though is a worldwide Minyan with intercession across every time zone.

At any one moment it is likely that someone or some group is praying somewhere in the world for Israel and the Jewish people. Our prayerful dialogues with God can take place anywhere, anytime.

MOSES A Masterful Politician, a Mentor for Today

A Jewish infant born into slavery, rescued from a basket in the Nile and adopted into the Pharaoh’s royal family, Moses’ life is a drama of the unexpected. Later with an accusation of murder, escape to Midian, and then an encounter with a burning bush, God trained Moses into advocacy with the Pharaoh. His political biography is worth imitating.

When God tapped Moses to lead a freedom march out of Egypt, he was not enthusiastic. Even with a royal education, he claimed he could not give good speeches. God remedied Moses’ excuse by appointing his brother Aaron as a 1500BC Press Secretary. The brothers worked in tandem in their senior citizen careers.

Moses’ political skills developed when God gave him a plan to set the Jewish slaves free. The reluctant leader/politician then made the case to Pharaoh with unrelenting persistence with Aaron by his side. Finally, after ten plagues Pharaoh capitulated. Moses’ lobbying efforts resulted in freedom and the Jewish return to their ancestral homeland.

Moses is a role model for the necessity of appealing to leaders who can implement change. He melded together prayers, politics, and persistence.

Toward the end of their forty-year sojourn Numbers 6: 22-27 records one of the most recited and treasured prayers of all time. God told Moses the prayer that Aaron was to say over the children of Israel. The Aaronic Blessing is a prayer that fits any situation. Taking the lead from the brothers who gained political success on behalf of their Jewish community, Moses’ prayers pronounced by Aaron were powerful.

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and to his sons saying, ‘In this way you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them, "The Lord bless you, and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace."’ And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” Numbers 6: 22-27

Prayer Points:

· Pray that United States Congress will continue to vote in favor of Israel’s security aid and that Christians will follow Moses’ example to become politically engaged on behalf of Israel. Here’s how: AIPAC.org and CUFI.org

· Israel’s Knesset, with 120 members, is made up of Jews, Arabs, and Ethiopians. Pray that the laws they enact produce the best results for all Israelis.

· Pray for Israel’s Prime Minister and President for wisdom, ability to inspire their citizens, and to communicate expertly with the world.

Look for the Silver Lining in Covid-19

When I saw this gorgeous beach photo taken by a friend it immediately reminded me of a phrase, “look for the silver lining.” Our nation and the world have faced heartbreaking challenges in the last few months.  

Life has hit all of us with a curve ball. How will we respond?  Going into the “fight the good fight” mode I strive to remind myself, “No matter what, I have a choice. Will I trap myself in a quagmire of self-pity or will I look for the silver lining?” Sometimes it's an easy road, but more often, the road is full of ditches and rocks that challenge my persistence.  

Most of us struggle with life's ups and downs. Yet,  Covid-19 has greatly intensified anxieties and a sense of loss. Looking for ”silver linings” is more important than ever. Often, the prayer, "Help me, Jesus” is all we can muster. Choosing to dive into favorite scriptures helps me refocus on the reality of Jesus especially Psalm  23. It reminds me that I am not alone in the valleys or the feasts. The Good Shepherd guides and sustains me.

Curious about the phrase “look for the silver lining,” I found its origin. The British poet and writer John Milton, one of the most famous wordsmiths in the English language, first coined the phrase, “silver lining” in the 1600s. His most famous work is his epic poem “Paradise Lost” where he grapples with human suffering and life’s unfairness. Several authors in the 1800s picked up the phrase, then famous songwriters Jerome Kern and B.G. DeSilva wrote the song in 1919.

They penned this song for a musical when the world had just experienced the devastation of World War I where 17 million were killed. At the same time, a Spanish flu epidemic took the lives of 20-50 million people worldwide, a third of the world’s population at the time. I’m guessing the song could have been a musical antidote that helped ease a little bit of pain in a lighthearted way. The beloved songstress/actress Judy Garland made the song widely famous in later years. Here are the lyrics:

As I wash my dishes, I'll be following a plan

Till I see the brightness in every pot and pan

I am sure this point of view will ease the daily grind

So I'll keep repeating in my mind

Look for the silver lining

Whenever a cloud appears in the blue

Remember somewhere the sun is shining

And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you

A heart full of joy and gladness

Will always banish sadness and strife

So always look for the silver lining

And try to find the sunny side of life

All of us have asked the age-old question, “Why?” It’s the most normal yet the most dead-end question in the English language when it comes to sorting out life’s painful events. Often, no answer is available when we face heartbreak or disappointments.  What does the Bible say to us?

Psalms 46:2 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." A silver lining!

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Yet another silver lining!

John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” And best of all, here’s the Truth……Jesus is our Silver Lining