Sunday 01:06:13

Nehemiah 4:1-14 vv. 1-5 The more success the Jews have rebuilding the wall, the more opposition they receive from the Persian's governors. Sanballat and Tobiah ridicule them in hopes of discouraging them. Nehemiah again looks to God for help. First he prayed for help with the wall, then for help with the king, now for help with their opponents. vv. 6-9 In spite of the ridicule, the people kept building. Then the ridicule turned to plotting. In response, the Jews post guards and again prayed to God for help. Nehemiah and the people constantly turn to God for help. There is a dedication both to the work and to prayer. vv. 10-14 Troubling news: the workers are exhausted and their enemies have plotted to infiltrate their ranks and kill them. What would they do? Give up? How do they interpret this trouble? Was God not in this? Was He telling them they were doing something wrong? Were they suffering because they were in sin? No. They interpret this as adversity that they need to overcome with the Lord's help. Nehemiah posts armed guards at the weak points of the wall and reminds the leaders and the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember The Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight..." When we are ready to give up because it seems the work is too hard or the opposition is too strong, we should remember that we have nothing to fear. Our Lord IS great and awesome - greater than our difficulties and more awesome than our opponents. Don't let discouragement keep you from God's work. Adversity built real unity and community among the Jews. Adversity proved to the Jews and their enemies that God was behind the rebuilding. The Jews were encouraged. Their enemies were demoralized. Our view of adversity has been twisted by a health and wealth mentality that says, "If you are in God's will, you will not have trouble." This is simply not the case of any person in the Bible. Certainly sin brings trouble, but punishment is not the only reason we face trouble. Amos 4:6-11 God used trouble to get Israel to turn to Him It was in the adversity of exile that the Jews • Turned from idols • Realized their need for God • Wholeheartedly sought The Lord God uses trouble and adversity in our lives for something better than punishment. He uses adversity to bring out a wholehearted devotion and a pure faith in His people. Hosea 2:14-17