Monday Mentionings: Built for God Before Self - Nehemiah 6:15-7:4

Happy Labor Day!

I hope you all are having/did have a great day! It is good to have those three-day weekends from time to time.

With the opportunity to play softball next week coming up quickly, I enjoyed getting re-familiar with the game of softball Sunday evening with Shawn, Heather, Aubrey, & Shawn's friend, Adam. I have a feeling I am going to be getting re-familiar with sore muscles come Monday morning! :) We had a lot of fun and I am looking forward to playing with the Dale Christian Church next Sunday!

The wall that Nehemiah started is now built. All that witnessed or heard about the wall knew that it was because of God that it was completed. As we live our lives, may people see that our lives are "built by God" too! Here are a couple of other applications to use for this lesson...

1. What is a characteristic in you that people would have no problem identifying as being "built" by God? In other words, what do you do different than others to show that God is a priority in your life? i.e. your prayer life, handling your temper, encouragement, etc.
2. When was the last time you suffered a defeat? Did you praise God, then? If not, do it now. We must remember that we still serve God and praise Him in our victories AND our defeats! (From "Facing the Giants")
3. God before self. Easy to say, tough to put into action. What is an area where you've been struggling to put this into practice? Pray that God would help you prioritize things. Keep this verse in mind...“and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” - Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

May you be blessed to have the easy road in serving Him with no roadblocks to prevent that service! May you be ever saying something like this...“I don’t know how I’m going to serve you today or what you are going to put on my plate, but no matter what, I’m standing in the circle that says, ‘I’m serving You, Lord.’”

Have a God-strengthened, Jesus-oozing, and Spirit-led week!

Looking for surprises ~

Monday Mentionings: A Great Work - Nehemiah 6:1-14

It is almost always nice to start something new. In this case, it is nice to start a new week each Monday morning. You can put last week's business behind you and press on to making this week a great week!

God has a "great work" that He is doing all the time and everywhere. He guides us in carrying out that "great work" and that makes me excited to be a part of it! I hope that you can join in with an excitement of being a teammate of God's. Nehemiah had a "great work" going on and he was faced with opposition. See if you can use any of these applications to help you apply the lesson...

1. Though it is Monday morning at 11:30 AM, has Satan called to meet you somewhere yet? Nehemiah's opponents tried to take him away from a safe place to meet up with him. Our Enemy tries to get us to go away from Jesus and meet him in a place where we're more susceptible to being weak. Keep this idea on your mind as you go throughout the week.
2. Kids are taught at an early age that they can't have everything they want. I just visited with my 7 year-old nephew yesterday and he had just been at the store and wanted something but didn't receive it. However, this lesson never sinks in. Sure, some are more disciplined than others, but there is still a desire to want. The opposition to Nehemiah wanted them to not get the wall built so they could still have an influence on Jerusalem. We may want our "way" or may want a product. Either way, damage can be done in our pursuit to achieve that desire. Pray that the next time you "want" something - whether it is "your way" or something else - you think how it will affect your life and any others involved.
3. This week is a new week and Satan will be serving lots of different ping pong opportunities at you. How will you respond? Peter encourages us to be "preparing your minds for action; be self-controlled" (I Peter 1:13a). Pray that God will keep you strong and under control as you "fight the good fight of the faith".

Have a Jesus-filled week!

Keeping up my shield ~

E-mail Encouragement: Beating a Wall

Each one of us has a different life we lead. Some work while others are retired. Life experiences transform us. What have you been transformed into? That isn't something specific, but just self-reflect on what you've become. As we have looked at Nehemiah lately and the whole theme has been "Under Construction", a goal is to see us as always evolving into an even stronger Christian. Part of being a Christian is to share Jesus. When I think about opportunities that have come my way to share Jesus with someone, this quote seemed pertinent...

Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door. ~ Dr. Laura Schlessinger

Looking back, I would have to say that I've been a "wall beater" before. Sometimes I have been a "wall beater" because I've wanted something so badly that I was just trying to make a door out of it. God had other plans. Whether it is sharing Jesus, creating change, or something else, beating on a wall will never transform it into a door.

May we have the wisdom to understand when we see an opportunity as a "door" and when they are "walls".

Have a great week!

Sharing Him ~

Monday Mentionings: Through Foes, the Work Goes - Nehemiah 4

With school about to start, it seems that people are becoming busier. Whether it is physically busy or just mentally busy, the school year brings busyness. Sometimes the more busy you are the easier it is in life because it becomes such a routine for most.

As we press on to "build the wall", we looked at the fourth chapter of Nehemiah on Sunday. The builders were following Nehemiah to get the job finished, but they faced opposition. We, too, face opposition in life. Whether it is from something big or small, opposition is all around. How will you deal with it??? Think about these applications from the lesson...

1. When was the last time you were provoked? How did you deal with it? Did it make your "blood boil"? Was it a comment about you or someone else? Pray that the next time you are provoked you will handle it with total maturity and steadiness. Don't let someone try to keep you from "building your wall"!
2. When we really want something, we tend to talk about it a lot. Just notice a child that really wants a new toy in the store. Did they stop after they didn't get it? They will keep asking until they got what they wanted. What do you want God to do with your life? Ask God to give that to you. Remember that His will is what matters, but persistence is a big key to praying!
3. The people who were in opposition to Nehemiah plotted to try to make sure they thwarted the plans of the people. Satan is out doing the same to us. He wants us to give in to our fleshly desires. He wants us to compromise our morals. He wants us to fail! Remember to keep your Armor of God on at all times, knowing that you are susceptible.
4. We need the protection of God at all times. As in #3, the Armor of God gives protection, but that isn't all that will give protection. God himself will provide a safe place for us to be. As you stand guard and watch, remember to ask God to protect you - feet (where you go), eyes (what you see), hands (what you do), mouth (what you say), ears (what you hear), and mind (what you think).

How has God been using you lately?

In Him ~

Monday Mentionings: Probing the Possibilities - Nehemiah 2:17-18

It was a lot of fun to get together for a fellowship dinner! All the food I had was delicious!!!

Nehemiah is getting ready to start building, and he has rallied the people to be ready to build their portion of the wall. Are you ready to start “building”? As we looked today at a preparatory time before the building process begins, here are some other applications to take with you this week…

1. Taking some time before you begin a project/make a decision is good to allow your mind to be focused on the task ahead. Before we begin “building” what did you SEE today? What did you see that needed to have you and God team up to make a difference?
2. Take these few days before the building begins to pray. What did you get inspired to pray about to want to see changed in your community/neighborhood/circle of influence?
3. You may choose to keep these “plans” between you and God before you become assured that this is what God wants you to be involved in. As Nehemiah looked around the city – you may choose to drive around the city until you find an area that you feel God is calling you to be involved in.
4. A song that was sung when I was a teen (which I am sure many of you know or have heard) was “It Only Takes a Spark”. The point of the song is that it doesn’t take much to get a fire going. As our church would be amazing if everyone took the responsibility, each day, to try to “spark” someone else. If we limit being enthusiastic to Sundays, then we will probably forget from one week to the next. So, if we are doing it each day, Sunday will just be another day to “spark” someone. What will you do to “spark” someone today?
5. Remember, as we get ready to build, you are not expected to “build a wall, but to raise something more than that. We are called by God to go and search amongst the rubble of a fallen world to find precious stones that shall be polished by God into the smooth stones they once were.” (quote from outside source). Have you moved into the circle to say, “God, here I am, use me”. I HOPE SO!!! (If you are struggling with this concept, feel free to let me know how I can get you there.)

What an amazing book! I have really enjoyed Nehemiah! It inspires me to see what God and I can do when we team up to help connect people to His Son!

Have a super week!!!

Wondering who I can connect to Him next ~

E-mail Encouragement - Constant & Unexpected Encouragement

Being surprised is practically always a good thing. If a friend or family member brought you a surprise gift, it would brighten your day. If you received an unexpected pay raise, it would brighten your day. Sure, you could come up with as many negative things to be surprised about as positive, but why borrow trouble. I think that surprises are encouraging, which brings me to the quote...

Any mans life will be filled with constant and unexpected encouragement if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day. ~ Booker T. Washington

A life "filled with constant and unexpected encouragement" would be a great life to be living. When you are "doing your best" each day, you don't dwell on the bad things, you are going full speed to try to do all the good that you can. I can bear witness to this, as the days when I am up in arms over something, I don't accomplish as much. The days when I am striving to do my best and not letting other things bother me, it allows a lot of "unexpected encouragement" to come my way. After seeing "Facing the Giants" I try to remember to keep "building my wall" for God. He needs me and I want to do what I can to be His hands, feet, ears, eyes, etc. here on earth.

May you have a day "filled with constant and unexpected encouragement"!

Seeking Him ~