Many religions claim a level of righteousness in their faith which much of it is done through self-exertion!!  In the next couple of devotionals, I will be focusing on the “righteousness of faith” described in the Bible and find out what that really means. In order for us to be followers of Christ, we must see His heart for righteousness, so we can pursue the right thing!!

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.Romans 4:13-15

What is”rightousness of faith”? It is a righteousness that belongs to faith. It is a righteousness that is tied to faith. The basis of our faith is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He accepts us and makes us righteous. That’s the starting point of our journey of faith. Then we must continue to walk in faith and walk righteously!! Abraham believed God and it was credited to Him as righteousness!!

You may ask the question, is there another type of righteousness than the one that is not tied to faith? Yes, there is. As Christians, we can walk in a so-called “righteousness” as if it is a means to an end. Meaning, if I am righteous enough, there will be a blessing or a reward associated with it. We can even find scriptures especially in Proverbs that declare great blessings for the righteous. However, there is a difference in a righteousness that is tied to faith versus a righteousness that is a means to an end!!

The righteousness that is tied to faith as its source is initiated by God and for God! It means without faith in Him, the fruit of righteousness will not be in existence because it is impossible to please Him.  This type of righteousness is a fruit of faith. It is a by-product of a life surrendered to Him. One rests in God’s promises without continually asking questions such as, “Am I doing enough?”, “ Do I need to pray harder?”, “What’s next?”, “Is this really going to happen?”, “Who should I connect to?”, “Is the sacrifice worth my time?”, “What is the reward if I do this right?”.

The faith that produces God’s righteousness is child-like, and it is not goal-oriented. It does not have a timetable, and it genuinely trusts the one who gave the promise to be faithful and true. In this condition, the enemy cannot tempt one like he did Eve by “Did God really say..?” One’s faith is unwavering and intact because every thought has been brought to the obedience of Christ and the atmosphere of faith is not contaminated with the smog of unbelief or carnality.

The righteousness that is not tied to faith is one that wants to have the supremacy and be a standalone unit. It is self-righteous. As if the person wants to negotiate and make a deal with God on how much it will give for how much blessing it expects to receive. This kind of righteousness is demanding, legalistic, contractual, impersonal, and very prideful. When the blessings and rewards do come, there is smugness about the righteous person because they feel they have earned and attained the reward by their level of righteousness!!

The Lord is so gracious that He will put us in situations to test our hearts and our righteousness. Have you been walking in the righteousness of faith? Let Him show you!

I wrote  a devotional yesterday, but this morning I felt that the Lord didn’t want me post it today.

What I am hearing from Him is His desire to be intimate with us. He’s asking us to be a Mary today. Sit at Jesus’ feet and allow Him to calm us with His words of life and love. Let’s push aside all the hindrances today. Stop the busy minds and hearts and just allow Him to minister to us through His word and through songs of worship!

I would recommend reading a couple of chapters from Song of Solomon and meditating on them. It is a great book in which the Lord expresses His deep love towards us in a vivid way!!

Natural disasters show how utterly helpless people are when they hit an area. Despite our advances in science and technology, human beings still cannot control climate, or natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, monsoons or earthquakes. The best we hope for is to come alongside of those who are devastated and help them restore their lives.

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,  The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. “ Joel 2:25

During the Prophet Joel’s life, the Israelites were faced with the plague of locusts that had devoured the fields and laid them waste. The locusts left people with empty hands and empty bellies and in great confusion of what just happened. In the midst of all of this Joel is calling the Israelites to repentance. He is basically saying that what you just observed happen to your fields is a warning of what can happen to you spiritually. It is God’s warning from heaven, and it would be to your best interest to repent from your ways and turn to God and allow this judgment to pass over you.

Jesus told us that in the last days there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. These things will happen as a reminder and a warning of the coming Day of Judgment by our God (Matthew 24).

Many natural disasters are just natural physical occurrences around us. However, it is interesting that with all the recent natural disasters, I have not heard of any city official or any other leader for that matter, to call people to repentance or declare this could be a warning from God on a coming day of judgment. Of course we want to tend to the needs of those who lost their livelihoods, or even loved ones. However, this should not negate the fact that some natural disasters can have a spiritual message to the people in a specific region or possibly to all of us!!

In the above scripture, Joel 2:25, Joel speaks about God restoring what the locust had eaten over the years. The word “restore” is a powerful word with the below definition:

To be in a covenant of peace, be at peace, to make peace with, to be complete, be sound, to make safe, to be repaid, be requited, to complete, perform.

In any true work of restoration, we must first restore peace with our God. That’s a starting point of all the other restorations. The Lord sent His son to die for our sins, allowing us to restore our broken relationship with a holy God. This requires repentance from sin!!

Jesus’ forgiveness opens the door for us to have a blood covenant with God. He adopts us as His children and our relationship is restored with a holy God. Now we are at peace with God. He takes away our ungodly fears, insecurities, and brokenness and begins the healing process from the ravaging affect of sin in our lives!!

The locusts of our lives are not the same creepy and crawling insects of days past. On the outside our locusts look better, sound better, and taste better. The locusts of our lives can be addictions to alcohol, sex, pornography, overeating, anorexia, bulimia, or they can be more subtle such as workaholism, laziness, perfectionism, competitiveness, envy, jealousy, bitterness, fear, pride,  & insecurities. All of these are ways the enemy creeps in, crawls around, and starts chewing away at what is good in our lives until it leaves us bankrupt and devastated!! One day we wake up and wonder,” what happened to my life, my marriage, my children, or my love for God?”

Today the answer is not any different than the days of Joel. God is the only true restorer of our lives. We can’t live in shame and guilt of the past, nor can we look around and get discouraged by other people’s crops. We need to repent from our actions and the “locusts” that we have allowed entering our lives!! As we partner with the Lord, He will begin to restore our lives and will start preparing the fields again.

Our greatest hope on this earth is the restorative work of the cross, first in our relationship with a holy God, then in our relationship to ourselves, and finally in our relationship to those around us. There are times that God restores health and wealth, but ultimately the restored life is an abundant and righteous life lived out for Him.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalm 51:12

After David’s sin with Bathsheba, David repented and asked God to restore the joy of His salvation back to Him. There is joy, hope, and freedom in the restorative work of God. We know we are not in the mode of destruction anymore. God is rebuilding and renewing our souls and our lives. Praise God for His restorative work!! The restorative work of God is available to all those who call on His name!!

Are there locusts that have been eating away at your life which need to be removed and cast out?

Does your spiritual life need restoration? Are there relationships in your life that need God’s hand to repair and restore a better and more wholesome relationship?

Please pray. Repent when necessary, and ask the Lord to restore your life and your relationships.

Waiting is an act of humility and love towards our God. It gradually removes the poison of self and replaces it with the aroma of Christ. It teaches us to surrender our lives, desires, and dreams to the one who gave them to us in the first place!!

Waiting comes completely against a culture of immediate self-gratification. There are times that we have the ability to make something happen, but just because we can, it doesn’t mean we should. Waiting allows us to see things through God’s perspective and get His mind on it rather than move on our own limited view and half-baked idea!!

Waiting Positions Us For Success

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me. Acts 1:4

After Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples must have been ready to go tell everyone about what had transpired, but they weren’t ready. Jesus knew that they would need more than excitement and a good message to help them reach multitudes and face the persecution that was awaiting them. They needed the comforter and the counselor, the Holy Spirit to help them with all that they were going to encounter.

Our children are a good example of this. They may think they’re ready to cook in the kitchen or drive a car, but we parents know that it takes more than a desire or a zeal to be playing with fire or sit behind a steering wheel!!

Sometimes, we are ready, but the Lord asks us to wait. This could be a desire to be married, or have children. It could be waiting for a raise or a promotion at the job. We may feel hurt or even rejected. We want to do things or have certain things, but the Lord is not allowing us. At the same time, we see others around us doing or having what we want. That leads to discontentment, insecurity, and discouragement.

We need to remind ourselves that “God is for us not against us”. He desires for us to do well and produce good fruit. He is the one who has a purpose and plan for our lives, and calls us to do good works. Why would He stop us from the very thing that He desires for us except that it’s not the right time yet!!

Waiting Allows God To Intervene

I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense. Psalm 59:9

Wait:Hebrew 8104-to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1) to be on one’s guard, take heed, take care, beware 2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain

There are times that we will be attacked or misunderstood, and generally our first reaction would be to defend ourselves and set the matters straight. Generally, if one is in self-preservation mode, then the defense has an attack associated with it as well. That’s how arguments, and strife ensue. It takes a lot of self-control to protect our hearts and our mouths to not say things in the moment and to trust God.  The Lord has a way of protecting the righteous!!

Waiting Keeps Us Steadfast

Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:23

Wait: Greek 553- assiduously and patiently waiting for

Assiduously: Webster’s definition: marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application

As sons and daughters of God, we’re all waiting for the day we meet Jesus face to face. We hope with expectation that someday all the struggles of daily life and the injustice of sin will be wiped out by our savior at His return. This gives us a steadfast focus, regardless of what happens on this earth, we have a hope and expectation of eternity with our Savior. In the light of this hope, the significance of the issues we deal with on a daily basis and all the waiting we have to do takes on a different perspective because ultimately we get to be with our Savior forever and ever.

The story of some of the heroes of faith is amazing. Many overcame fear, hatred, persecution, and imprisonments. Some were even martyred. These individuals lived their lives with open hearts and open hands, not afraid of losing it all. No one could take away the most important prized possession of theirs which was their relationship with their Lord!! They knew that nothing shall separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus.

God uses our “waiting” to reveal His character to us. If we take matters in our own hands by not waiting on Him, we will miss out on learning more about Him. We will also miss the opportunity to overcome impatience, insecurity, fear, and unbelief in our own lives.

Have you considered the areas of your life that waiting is difficult? Would you ask the Lord to give you the courage to be “steadfast” the next time you feel fearful, agitated, or discontent while waiting?

I don’t know of anyone who enjoys waiting when waiting is not their choice!! The difficulty about waiting is that we don’t know how long the waiting will take. Sometimes we’re not even sure if we are waiting for the right thing!!

Waiting is a difficult spiritual discipline with a great potential to build our character, help us to get to know God better, and allow our faith to grow. The enemy can also use waiting as the battleground to bring discouragement, confusion, jealousy, and discontentment.

Unbelief and the insecure areas of our lives can get exposed through waiting. Waiting causes us to face self-preservation head on and choose it or trust God!!

Waiting Protects Our Integrity

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You. Psalm 25:21

There are times that we will be tempted to take a short-cut to get our way, however as followers of Christ, we know a short-cut will jeopardize our integrity. When a famine came, Abraham quickly rushed to go to Egypt, but that wasn’t what the Lord had asked him to do. Then he was faced with the possibility of getting killed because Sara was so beautiful. So he asked her to lie about him and tell the king that Abraham was her brother. Not waiting upon the lord, opened new dangers for him that caused him to compromise his integrity and made Sara to fall into sin as well.

If we have a resolve to stay people of integrity, many times it will keep us from making haste decisions because haste decisions can pressure us into lying or telling half-truths!!

Waiting Helps Us Overcome Fear

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27:14

There are times when fear is pressing in against us. “Fight or flight” is the natural reaction, but waiting is the supernatural response . We cannot overcome fear unless we wait on the Lord and allow him to strengthen our weak and fearful hearts.

Every time we take the matters into our own hands, and we fight or flee we just aborted God’s process!! We may relieve fear, but the opportunity for us to grow in courage and strength is taken away. Sometimes the Lord may lead us to fight or flee, but many times it comes from our natural, familiar mode of operation and not from the Lord!!

When we wait on the Lord and don’t react by fighting or fleeing, we can get delivered from fear in that area!

Waiting Helps us Listen Better

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5

Wait-Hebrew439: to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb

There are times that waiting is just being quiet before Him. Sometimes the Lord just wants our full attention, and the only way He gets our attention is to tell us to wait. This, at times can feel like a time-out but the purpose is not for punishment. It is for developing intimacy with the Lord and slowing us down from whatever has distracted us from Him. It’s good to take advantage of that time, slow down and listen to the Lord.

Those times of waiting are good times of recalibration!! Thinking about where we’re spending our time and energy will help us cut off things that are not important to Him. Waiting on God and being silent is not a waste of time. It’s a blessing, and it will produce good fruit in our lives.

Ask the Lord, “How am I doing with waiting on you, Lord?”.  If you’re not doing well, ask Him to show you what the obstacles/issues are that hinder you from waiting well!! Pray for freedom and deliverance in those areas!

A Leader Must Overcome Fear of Man

As Nehemiah became more successful in his assignment, the opposition became more personal!! This is how the enemy works. First he starts out by discouraging your work, but ultimately if you keep moving in the right direction, the attacks will be against you and your character!! Nehemiah’s enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem tried to meet with him. This is what he did:

So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” Nehemiah 6:3

When he refused four times, they sent a letter accusing him of rebellion and that his actions were going to be reported to the King. Nehemiah sent the following message:

Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.” Nehemiah 6:8

I love this man!! He knows who he is and what he is about. The enemies’ badgering or accusation wasn’t going to move him from doing what he needed to do. He didn’t even feel the need to defend himself. He could have at least sent a letter to the King making sure the king understood his intent and heart, but Nehemiah didn’t.  He continued to do his work on the wall and ignoring his enemies. He did not give any weight to their false accusations and didn’t let them intimidate him.

Later on Shemaiah another enemy came in sheep clothing. He was acting like he was trying to help Nehemiah because of false accusation and suggested for them to hide in the temple. This was not only unlawful for Nehemiah to do but also it would look like he had done something wrong.  Again Nehemiah refused to go along with that suggestion.

The fear of man will be tested in a leader’s life.  A leader will have to learn not to succumb to man’s opinion of him/her.  Daniel, Joseph, and Jesus had to face this. A leader cannot accomplish God’s assignment if he/she is distressed about false accusations, intimidation, or man’s acceptance.  That doesn’t mean that as a leader we become insensitive to people’s needs, but we must differentiate between the different voices in our lives. Peter and Judas both criticized Jesus, but one was out of immaturity and presumption and the other one was out of rebellion!!

Enemies come in different forms. Sometimes, in the form of envy and jealousy discouraging you to finish the work. Sometimes, in the form of intimidation, accusation, or even help. A man or woman of God must be discerning of who is speaking in their lives and consider the source of the information.

A Good Leader Is a Good Delegator

As soon as the walls were built, Nehemiah started assigning people to various roles needed to restore life in this city. He assigned gatekeepers, singer and Levites to their posts. He placed his brother, Hannani to be in charge of Jerusalem. He explained Hannani was a “faithful man and he feared God more than many”. Those are good qualifications for leadership. He wasn’t just doing it because he was his brother, but because he was the right man for the job.

A Leader Is a Willing Reformer

A leader cannot be afraid of change and reformation when necessary. A leader is placed there as God’s representative. That means when someone or something is not effective anymore, then either correction or change needs to be made.

Over a period of time, Nehemiah found out that one of the priests had allied himself to Tobiah, an enemy. Nehemiah was not afraid of throwing out all of Tobiah’s belongings and cleaning everything out . He also brought back Levites whose portion was not given to them. He appointed treasurers over the storehouse who were faithful to care for the storehouse and the needs of the people.

Nehemiah performed other reforms where he had to rebuke people, contend with some, and pressure them to change. He was a relentless leader who had done much work to restore the city, and he wasn’t going to allow the compromise of some ruin what he and many others had worked so hard to accomplish.

Sometimes leaders are afraid of change because they know it can make one or more people unhappy with them. One of the difficult tasks of leadership is reformation because it produces new enemies and new friends!! A leader cannot be focused on the response of man to motivate or intimidate him to do the tough task regardless of the cost to the leader.

A Leader Is Performing to the Audience of One

Ultimately, everything a leader does must be done unto the Lord. There are many times that as a leader one can be alone in a situation and one may not even have a direct boss to report to. A leader must learn to encourage himself in the Lord. David was very good at that. Many of the Psalms is David’s communication with the Lord about his situation or his struggle. In the book of Nehemiah, he used the statement, “Remember me my God…” four times.  It is clear that Nehemiah’s primary conversations were with the Lord. The Lord was his confidant. He desired to do what was right before the eyes of the Lord.

When Nehemiah was falsely accused of rebellion, he didn’t run back to the king to make sure the king still liked him or trusted him. He didn’t even seem concerned about losing his position as a cupbearer. Nehemiah honored the king and he was faithful to him, but I don’t believe he feared him. The only fear that Nehemiah speaks about having is the fear of the Lord. He knew that even the King was used as an instrument by God to give him favor. It wasn’t the king who ultimately had the power to save him or protect him or his position, it was the Lord.

Nehemiah’s type of leadership is hard to find. Many people look at leadership as a job or a position. Some try to find the formula for success or promotion. Leadership becomes about the person rather than a weighty assignment from the Lord. In order to do the weighty assignment, sacrifice and loneliness is part of the process. Nehemiah is a great example of a man who loved and feared God, and he loved people. God used this man in a mighty way because he was willing to endure hardship, accusation, and loneliness for the sake of the call.

Let’s pray for ourselves and our leaders that God would continue to shape us and enlarge our vision to be Nehemiah type leaders. Imagine how a church,  a business,  a city, a state, or a nation would look like if we had Nehemiah type of leaders leading the  people!!

Nehemiah could have enjoyed the pleasures and the comfort of living in a palace and had just stayed there, but that wasn’t enough for him. Sometimes, in order to follow the burden the Lord has placed on us, we must leave the comfort of our surroundings, friends, or position in order to go to the land unfamiliar but full of God’s harvest!!

A Leader Must Catch God’s Vision

Nehemiah began his journey to Jerusalem. When he arrived, he went at night, along with a few others to personally assess the damage and the work needed to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah had to catch the vision alone, without anyone’s input/opinion, before he could lead others in the work God had given him to do.

Later on Nehemiah communicated the vision of rebuilding the wall to the Israelites. They began the work by having the priests build the Sheep gate. All the other various gates and walls were built by other Jewish families, each in cooperation and along side of other families.  It was a beautiful picture of people who were willing to work with one another to complete the wall, starting with the priests. To rebuild/restore, God’s leaders must set the example for others!!

Opposition Does Not Dissuade a Leader

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! 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. Nehemiah 4:4-45

The opposition started to rise against the building project. On one hand, Nehemiah kept interceding on behalf of the people. On the other hand, he was encouraging those who were weary and afraid. Finally it was decided that they would have to hold a weapon with one hand and work at construction with other hand.

This is where a lot of leaders get discouraged because they think if this is the work God has given them, there shouldn’t be opposition to it. Nehemiah didn’t take any of the opposition personally, and neither did he become disillusioned or discouraged because of it. God had given him such a vision for the condition of the people and the ruined walls, that nothing was going to stop him from finishing the task!!

What are the burdens and/or tasks that God has given you? Have you been discouraged in fulfilling your assignment because there were too many barriers in your path? Do you still remember the vision God gave you concerning the situation? Does it still hold true? Would you recommit yourself to working on the task without losing heart? If it is God’s vision, He will do His part to bring the assignment to completion in His time!!

A Leader Is a Reconciler

When Nehemiah saw that the Jewish people were taking advantage of each other, he had to rebuke some of them and ask them to stop oppressing the poor among them.  A Godly leader who judges righteously, at some point will not be popular with his own because he will have to stand for righteousness over his own relationships. He has to remain impartial towards anyone or any group of people. To expect a man or woman of God to be partial towards us is not only foolish, but it is also sinful!! God has said that He hates differing scales. We must guard ourselves from partiality, and also not expect others to have differing scales because of our relationship with them.

God has given each of us the Ministry of Reconciliation. It doesn’t sound like a fancy task, but it is such a crucial assignment!! The majority of our life issues are relational issues. Our problems are either in relationship to the Lord or in relationship with others. As a result, it is important to realize the significance of this assignment as we help reconcile people to God, or to others. Nehemiah was able to settle the matters among the Jewish brothers, and they each promised to do their part to treat each other properly and follow the rules established by God.

A Leader Remains Sacrificial

One of the things that really touches me about Nehemiah was his sacrificial generosity. This man had left the comfort of a palace to be among the Jewish people. He rolled up his sleeves by getting in the dirt and mud, with a lot of tears, sweat, and prayers to rebuild the wall. He even put his own life in danger, but when it came to enjoying the benefits of being a governor, this is what he said:

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. Nehemiah 5:14-16

What an example of sacrificial leadership!! His work was truly for God and unto God!! He did not come to this place for privileges, but he came to serve and help a group of helpless and hopeless people. He came to bring them to health and restoration. That is called dedication to the call of God, and love for his people!! He just blesses me.

Additionally, the scripture tells us that he fed 150 people every day at his table. This leader was an inclusive man. He wasn’t just around his group of friends. As a matter of fact, there is no mention of anyone being called a friend by Nehemiah while he spent 12 years there. If he had them, that wasn’t his focus. He was there for God’s assignment and nothing was going to derail him.

We will continue with this topic in the next devotional. It’s a good time to pause and evaluate the areas that need growth and change. Ask the Lord to help you with those areas. If we want to reflect the Lord’s leadership in people’s lives, we must conform to His ways of leading!!

A true leader is a burden bearer. He/She must know and demonstrate the ability to serve before leading. There are many who desire to be leaders among us, but very few have what it takes to be a true leader; one who represents the Lord well and cares about the condition of people. Jesus is our ultimate example of leadership. He sets a high standard that we can use as a plumb line to evaluate ourselves and the leaders around us.

Nehemiah is one of my favorite Biblical leaders. While he never met Jesus, he lived out a life that was exemplary and effective for the Kingdom of God while facing much opposition.

Who is Nehemiah? Nehemiah was a Jewish cupbearer serving under the Persian Emperor Artaxerxes I Longimamus. Being a cupbearer was a trusted position. The king only took a cup from his cupbearer knowing that the drink has been tested before being given to the king. However, a cupbearer was the last person who has access to that drink before the king drinks it, so he has the opportunity to poison him if he wanted to. That shows the level of trust the king had towards Nehemiah.

King Artaxerxes had allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls. This is where Nehemiah comes in.

Nehemiah the Intercessor

It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:1-4

Nehemiah cared enough to ask Hanani about the Jews’ condition in Jerusalem. When he heard that they were in distress, he became distressed. This is an example of great empathy. He could have just said, “Oh, that’s too bad. I’ll pray for them.” But he identified with their condition and it brought him to a place of mourning and crying out before God on their behalf. He even chose to fast for them. Nehemiah took ownership of the situation. He became a burden-bearer for people he didn’t know personally. They were just his fellow Jews!!

Are there times in your life when the Lord leads you to intercede on behalf of others who are not your family and friends? Have you fasted for situations that you didn’t have any control or power to change?

Nehemiah, in his prayer asks for forgiveness of sins when he prays “…we have sinned against you.” (Nehemiah 1:7b) He included himself in this prayer, and confessed that he along with the other Jews had sinned and were in need of forgiveness. That shows great humility on Nehemiah’s part. He could have just prayed for them, but he chose to identify with them.

A true leader intercedes on behalf of people by identifying with their condition. That’s the beautiful and delicate balance of leadership. On one hand the leader is close to the Father. He can pray, mourn, fast, and ask Him for mercy and forgiveness. On the other hand a leader is in pain for his people, when sin has brought so much devastation in their lives.  I don’t think Nehemiah at this point even thought of himself as a leader, but the condition of His heart was shaping him to be the leader when God had a need of him.

Intercession leads into a blueprint

In chapter 2, Nehemiah came before the King, and the King noticed his sad face. The King asked Nehemiah why he was so sad. Nehemiah explained the condition of Jerusalem. This time the King asked what Nehemiah’s request was.

When God gives us a burden for someone or a group of people, many times through that burden He shapes our hearts to become part of the solution. Nehemiah had been praying and fasting for four months. The Lord had been speaking to him during those times. He knew God had picked him for this burden that He had laid on him. There is nowhere in scripture where it tells us that Nehemiah was hesitant or excited about the opportunity. He kept doing what was before Him. When he came before the king, he didn’t barge in or make any demands. He was doing his ordinary work, and it was the king who noticed that Nehemiah was sad. The Lord opened the door to Nehemiah for the burden that He had placed on him.

Blueprint Leads into Action

When the King asked Nehemiah what His request was, Nehemiah was ready with a plan of action. All those days of intercession, mourning, and fasting had given him the opportunity to hear God and His plan of action for the Jews. He had seen the blueprint. Nehemiah asked to go to Jerusalem to help rebuild the walls. Nehemiah knew exactly the material required, the route he needed to travel on and the letters of permission he needed as he traveled through various territories. This was just a beginning of this journey that would last several years of Nehemiah’s life.

In our culture, we admire and adore the term “leader”. People have desires to be in leadership positions. However, when we look at the Bible, most leaders understood the weight of the responsibility so well, that it didn’t excite them or make them proud to be leaders. They were doing it because they loved God and wanted to be obedient to His request.

What is your view of leadership? Does being in leadership make you feel important and significant? Have you been faced with the weight and responsibility of leadership to the point you would willingly give it up if the Lord asked you to? Are you doing it just to please Him?

There is much to learn from Nehemiah and his leadership style. We will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

The scripture has much to say about debt. I did not grow up with credit cards and didn’t know what they were until I applied for a Macy’s credit card right after college. We are a debt-driven society!! Our taxation system even encourages debt in hope of a return at the end of the year. Most debts are discouraged in scripture with the exception of one debt! I will discuss financial debt and spiritual debt in this devotional.

Financial Debt

As it relates to financial debt, the scripture looks down upon the idea of borrowing and considers borrowing a form of slavery to another. Years ago, we used to lead Crown Financial Bible Studies, and one of the chapters covered the issue of debt.

One of the scriptures shared was:

“The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. “ Proverbs 22:7

We had a Filipino lady in our class. This lady was amazed at how the scripture was telling the story that she had seen played out before her eyes. She said that in my country if a person borrows money from someone and can’t pay them back, they become their servants for a time period until the debt is paid off.  She had seen a form of slavery due to unpaid debt!!

In our American culture, people can be in deep debt but not have it be visible to others. Their debt can be to a bank or other lending institutions, so as a result we don’t see the slavery in its true sense. Nevertheless, it still keeps people in bondage of paying off debt for years to come.

When it comes to financial debt, the scripture discourages all kinds of debt. If you borrow money for an investment with a hope of return on your investment, then that generally is a better reason to borrow.  However with the recent economic crisis we saw that even money borrowed for an investment such as a house, still needs to be done with great wisdom, moderation, and care. The person should be able to afford to pay the debt for the long haul and stay committed in paying it off. Borrowing should be done in moderation, not as a get rich quick or trying to obtain a dream house on a shoe lace budget!!

Besides purchasing investment properties, most debts are caused by overspending and impulsiveness. Credit cards or store credit cards are all ways that businesses encourage people to purchase items they can’t afford and do it impulsively. Then they are left with paying off the items along with high interest rates added to the original price. Those kinds of situations can keep people in perpetual debt. To the degree that is possible, and it is not an emergency situation, we are called to save for what we desire to purchase.  Steady plodding will eventually bring prosperity in the long run.  In the short term we will have money to pay for things rather than being compelled into borrowing. This also develops self-control and patience in our lives. I have found many times if I just walk away from something and decide to get it in a couple of days, the urge to purchase it goes away!!

The scripture discourages us to lend/cosign for someone because it puts us under a financial obligation if they can’t pay their debt. That’s why it is so important not to get into situations that could possibly affect our relationship with someone or put us in financial jeopardy because the other person can’t afford to pay the debt.

For further study on financial debt, I would recommend taking a Crown Financial Bible study in your area. Many churches offer this or they have similar Biblical financial principle classes that are very helpful in building our financial house on the Word of God.

Spiritual debt

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus prayed a prayer that we now call “The Lord’s Prayer”. One of the things that He prayed was the above scripture. We recognize that we have a debt towards God due to our sin and rebellion before a holy God. Jesus took on our sins and became the sacrifice for the remission of our sins. This was a debt that we could not repay because the consequence of sin before a holy God was death. Jesus, the perfect one was the only qualified person to be able to die for our sins. He was sinless, so he had no debt to pay for His own sins.

Since we are tremendously blessed by the forgiveness of our sins and get to enjoy a fellowship with a Holy God, we in turn are called to forgive our debtors.

Debtor: one who owes another, one who has not yet made amends to whom he has injured.

A debtor is one who has sinned against us, offended us, hurt us, or owes us something. The scripture is clear that while this person may not make amends with us, we are still called to forgive the debt they owe us and release them from our grip.

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

The scripture adds to Matthew 6:12 by basically saying that not only we need to forgive our debtors, but also as a believer the only thing we should owe one another is love. We don’t owe someone hatred, revenge, or indifference.  When we think of people, we want to think about how we can express love towards them next time we see them. This would not happen if we haven’t already forgiven their offenses towards us. Forgiveness brings us to a position of giving rather than expecting something of people. The only debt that pleases God is to owe love towards  our brothers and sisters in Christ!!

This is a good time to examine our heart and our finances to see the areas that we owe others money, or an apology. It’s time to settle the matters or at least start working towards paying off the debt. If there are individuals who owe us something, it’s time to forgive them and put the past behind and start loving them. If they owe us money, while we may want/need our money back, we can still release them spiritually, so whether they pay or not, it won’t affect our relationship with them. We are also making a statement of trust that if this person doesn’t pay us back, We are trusting God’s provision for our needs.

We live in a culture that craves to create celebrities and be impressed by them!! We have celebrities in the body of Christ and out in the world who get a lot of attention and publicity from the crowd. However, as God’s people we are to look up and look around us to honor God and those God has placed in our lives. What a blessing for someone to know that we honor them for what they have meant in our lives!!

Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Esther 6:3

Honor: Hebrew word H3366 -price, value, preciousness, honor, splendor,

Honor is a humble recognition of someone. Mordecai was a man who saved the king’s life, and the Lord brought this to the king’s attention through the reading of the book of records.  While the king was a powerful man who didn’t need to recognize anyone, he understood that he still wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for the work Mordecai had done to expose an attempt to kill him. This was something that was honorable before the king, and he desired to acknowledge Mordecai for it.

Can you think of a person who did something for you that you could not repay? Every time you think of them, you can’t help but think of them with great honor and appreciation for what they did for you. Those kinds of people remind us of our history and give us the right perspective in life.  We know we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for certain individuals who gave us a chance that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.  This could be a parent, a teacher, a mentor, or a friend.  Jesus is one that we can’t ever repay, but we can choose to live our lives by honoring Him.

When I left Iran at the age of 15, I could not speak any foreign language. My second cousin Ramina who could speak French was just granted  a visa by the United States Embassy in France. Since she knew that my Mother & I needed help with interpretation to go to a U.S. Emabassy, she extended her trip another 2-3 weeks, so she could help us out when we got there from Iran. That was a great help and a great sacrifice on her part since it cost her time and money to stay for that long in France for us.  After a couple of attempts in getting a visa, I was able to receive one form U.S. Embassy in Switzerland through her help. I was also able to fly with her to the U.S. from Europe after they denied my Mom an entry to the U.S.  I  honor her love and sacrifice, and I am very grateful for what she did for me.

Honor is important in marriages. The scripture tells husbands to honor their wives, and it tells the wives to be submitted and respectful to their husbands. Don’t you think our marriages would look a lot different if there was honor in relationships? Honor would even change the atmosphere of the house. The children’s attitude towards the parents and each other can even be changed because they see the parents honoring each other. Honor looks at someone and considers them precious. Honor puts weight and significance on the person as well their position. In human relationships, who do you honor the most in your life? Is your spouse on top of that list?

Honor all [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 1Peter 2:17

Honor must be given to all men. Finally, the scripture tells us to honor all people. When we honor people, we choose to see them through God’s eyes rather than our own eyes. God created each of us in His image. He gave the task of stewardship to Adam and Eve before the fall which he didn’t take away after the fall. That means that every man/woman walking on the face of this earth has honor and dignity bestowed upon them by the creator. The honor we give someone cannot be dependent upon us liking or disliking the person, their socioeconomic status, education, beauty, talent, or benefit to us.

Honor is a long lasting attitude toward God and people. The more we walk in humility, the more we find ourselves honoring God and others because we come to appreciate and value who they are. We are able to see them through God’s eyes.

Are you a person who honors others regardless of who they are? If not, ask the Lord to show you what is hindering you in honoring others and valuing them. What is your honor dependent upon?