IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2009

I am hoping to invest some time today in going over my notes, especially the starred ones, from the Simulcast and maybe I will have something to share with you from either Friday or Saturday’s sessions with Beth. I can tell you this much, it was GOOD to be there!

For this morning, let me pull something from My Understandings of the Word folder, and since my reading and studying right now is in Nehemiah, let’s go to Nehemiah 4.

Know what I love about Nehemiah? Here in the first three verses of chapter 4, Sanballat and Tobiah did their best to discourage him and the work God called him to do.

Nehemiah 4 (New King James Version)

1 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”

Talk about ‘trash mouthing’, these guys were doing it, don’t you think? BUT Nehemiah; he did not enter into a debate, nor did he set himself to defend. No. He went straight to God. And as I think about it that was a point Beth made this weekend, not from this text, but another, that when people say things to us or about us that hurt, makes us angry or discouraged, rather than give them a piece of our mind, let us give our mind, heart, and mouth to telling Father just how we feel about it and He’ll take care of it the RIGHT way.

4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders.

Yep! Nehemiah just laid it out there the way he FELT. And THEN he left it with the Father and went to work.

6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

I think that is a fine formula for dealing with trashy-mouth people, don’t you?

Father, thank You for lessons from Your Word and servants, and may we learn them and apply them well today as life gives us the opportunity. Thank You for each IDOK on the other side of this screen; love on them and bless them today, encourage them and me too, to do the right thing today and to come running to You first before we say things that will not honor You and will not build up the Body of Christ or storm the gates of hell.

Keep safe our IDOK Troops today in spirit, soul and body; please bring them all home safe and sound at the appointed time we pray. And every name just read below I pray for them today, for their peace, for healing, for comfort, for pain relief, for new courage and hope, whatever it is that each of them needs individually, I know You have an overabundant supply for them, I pray they will come to You and receive in Jesus Name.I pray for Israel, for peace. I pray for America for repentance and for us, the Church, I pray we will war well today on our knees in the love and power You give us through our Savior and Lord Jesus. Amen and amen.