Priorities Under Pressure
A few months ago, our family minivan was breaking down enough that we decided to get a new one. That meant that I had to do the dreaded deed of going car shopping. Some people love shopping for cars, but I am not one of those people. I don’t like being hassled, I don’t like being coerced, and I don’t like being taken advantage of – and it seems those things happen regularly when shopping for a car. I went to a dealer, and sure enough, the upsells started. The need for the special security system, the clear undercoating, and the extended warranty. I didn’t go for any of it because I knew what I wanted and how much I was willing to spend, but the temptation was there. That got me thinking about the way that our priorities and convictions are challenged under pressure.
Nehemiah was confronted with the same challenge. In Nehemiah 6:5 we read,
“5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand.”
Nehemiah tells us that it was an “open letter.” That’s important because most letters from leaders in that day were not. Usually a letter would have been sealed with the leader’s personalized seal, so the recipient knew it was from him. So why send an open letter? The goal was to spread a rumor about what was happening in Jerusalem. The goal was to create a coalition of people that would be against Nehemiah. The goal was to create a court of public opinion that would get Nehemiah to come down from the wall. The hope was to create pressure that would bring Nehemiah down from the wall.
I’ve thought about that lately because our priorities get challenged in the same way. All of us have to answer the questions: Will we stay true to the truth of Scripture in a culture of compromise? Will we prioritize our families in a time when everyone seems to want to get ahead? Will we live for Jesus when the world around us thinks that’s foolishness? How will we respond when people disagree with us?
Our response to pressure to change our priorities will shape the trajectory of our lives because aligned priorities lead to empowered living. Nehemiah knew that he was called to rebuild the wall and he stuck with that task until it was done – he didn’t care who opposed him. Spend some time today and think through internal and external pressure that war against you living in alignment with your priorities. Are there any areas you’re compromising because of pressure? Take some time and repent and then realign your life with the way of Jesus.
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor
Catching Vision
“I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” - Nehemiah 6:3
A number of years back, we got my son some Legos for Christmas. But not just any Legos, we got him the official Star Wars Millennium Falcon Masterbuilder Lego Set! This thing had 1329 pieces and it was the most complicated Lego set that I had ever seen. Now, Caleb was in Elementary School, he loved Legos, and he had just seen Star Wars for the first time. In his mind, he was Caleb Skywalker, a Jedi Padawan in training. He spent most of his time dreaming about fighting the dark side and saving the world. He had his own outfit and his own lightsaber, the only thing he was missing was his own spaceship. As soon as he opened his present, it was as if Christmas was over. He didn’t want anymore presents. He just wanted to build his Millennium Falcon. And that is what he did. For the next 17 hours, he sat diligently placing one brick on the next, dutifully following the 168 page instruction booklet. We had to drag him away to eat or sleep, and every waking hour for two days straight was dedicated to his project. His focus and determination was something beautiful to behold. And sure enough, he finished it all on his own and years later, it still sits in a place of honor in his room. My wife and I have often pointed to that Millennium Falcon as an example of what our kids can do if they just put their minds to it… if they just catch the vision.
This is one of the things that I love about Nehemiah. He caught the vision! He knew that he was a part of a “great work.” He knew that God had called him to this work and that nothing would get in the way of stopping him from accomplishing that work. So that’s why when these two very important politicians called for Nehemiah, he basically told them, “No way… you can’t stop me now!” He wasn’t going to let anything, even a high powered official from the strongest military power in the region slow him down. Nehemiah had caught the vision and it gave him the motivation to keep going against all odds.
What keeps you going? What is your vision for the future? I want to invite you to catch the vision that Jesus came to give us. It may not involve building your own Millennium Falcon, but I can promise you that it does involve fighting the dark side and that even you can become a warrior of the Light. Will you join in the rebellion?
Josh Rose
Teaching Pastor
Embrace the Mission
“All true passion is born out of anguish. All true passion for Christ comes out of a baptism of anguish. You search the scripture and you’ll find that when God determined to recover a ruined situation, He would seek out a praying man, and He’d take him down into the waters of anguish. He would share his own anguish for what God saw happening to His church and to His people, and he would find a praying man, and he would take that man and literally baptize him in anguish. You find it in the book of Nehemiah. Jerusalem is in ruins. This is the center of God’s interests on earth at the time, His holy city is wasted and it’s full of iniquity.” (David Wilkerson, “A Call to Anguish,” 9/15/2002)
We spend a great deal of time dreaming up big things for God - fashioning a mission for Him and His church, only to find it wasn’t God’s mission at all. And, at times, we may find it was God’s mission, but not for us. Then there are times when He invites us into His world to see things from His perspective, and He calls us to join HIm in what He is about to do. We see this woven into the narrative of God’s Word through the lives of Abraham, Moses, and here, Nehemiah. The ruins of Jerusalem are archetypal of the spiritual condition of Judah.
What if Nehemiah just threw up his hands and walked away, saying “I can’t - it’s a mess. This is hopeless and not worth the fight. It’s just too much-it isn’t worth it”? God takes us to the depths of reality before He raises us to the heights of His power and purpose. Out of the ruins of despair, disillusionment, destruction and doubt, God’s mission is born; a season of awakening, repentance and reconciliation is about to occur. God invites Nehemiah to join Him in accomplishing this mission. As Henry Blackaby would say, “It was a God-sized task.” Often when the Father reveals His purposes and ways to His people and invites them to join Him, the initial response is “we can’t do this.” But when someone decides to embrace God’s mission, He will take them first and foremost to the profound realization of their sin, weakness, inadequacy and humanity - why? When we finally reach the end of ourselves, that is where the Father begins!
The more we fall weak before Him on our knees, the more He shows us Himself and what He is about to do. Like Moses, Jonah or Gideon, we question, doubt, and make excuses. Or, like the apostles, when challenged to feed the multitudes, we see, assess and address the situation through human reason and resources. But when we offer ourselves up to the Lord’s purposes, He takes us beyond ourselves and like Isaiah, He creates character to match the assignment. At just the right time, the Father provides all we need to accomplish what He has placed before us. Embracing God’s mission doesn’t mean we resolve to work harder for God, but make whatever adjustments needed in order to work with Him as He works in and through us in ways we would’ve never imagined on our own.
Dave Hook
Pastor of Worship
Acknowledging God’s Faithfulness
A while back, a faithful friend saw that I was struggling and responded by reminding me of who I am in Christ. I had become discouraged over some now forgotten difficulty. And rather than telling me to “cheer up” or how to fix things, my friend simply reminded me of the truth of who God is and what He is like. Today I have forgotten the difficulty, but I’m still remembering how God used a friend to remind me of God’s faithful love.
Recently, as I sat reading the opening account of Nehemiah, where he hears of the distress of his people and their beloved city Jerusalem, whose walls still lay in ruins, my thoughts returned to our recent study of the book of Daniel. I was struck by a common theme.
In Daniel 11, he describes a vision of things to come. Tucked away in the breathtaking vision is a simple statement that has strengthened me and challenged me to live on a steady diet of remembering God’s “hesed” or steadfast love toward his children. In the midst of great suffering, the vision tells us, “but the people who know their God display strength and take action.” (Daniel 11:32) While there is so much more to the vision in a larger context, I am always struck by those words, “the people who know their God”. Oh, how I want to live with the strength that comes from knowing and remembering what he’s like.
This is Nehemiah as he prays, and fasts, and repents before the Lord. Even as he speaks to the Lord, he is reminding himself of what God is like.
“I said, ‘Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands…’” (1:5)
With disastrous news, Nehemiah prayed and remembered that God had not changed. He prayed, knowing that he could boldly ask God to act on behalf of his people and the reputation of his name. Then he stood, and with renewed strength, he took action. May we be a people who know our God, displaying strength and taking action for the good and the blessing of our community and for the sake of the kingdom this year.
Nicole Jiles
Director of Faith Kids
Engage Emotionally
When Nehemiah heard the wall around his home city had been destroyed, it hurt him to the core. A city without protection was vulnerable to attack, the people there were not safe, and there was probably a good amount of fear and worry in the inhabitants' hearts. Nehemiah’s response was to sit and cry. Just like Jerusalem, in that moment he was vulnerable, defenseless and overcome with emotions. What stood out was how Nehemiah did not run from emotions and go right to the king and beg to go home. He didn’t ignore the problem his home city was having and pretended nothing was wrong. Instead he sat with his emotions. There is a valuable lesson there.
We often do not feel like there is time to sit and engage with our emotions. Maybe we were taught to not show or allow emotions to rise up in us. Maybe someone hurt us and to not let them see it we built a wall to hide what we feel AND we kept hiding our emotions. Maybe because of the past, you have stuffed your emotions down and do not even know they are there. Maybe you have a hard time feeling right now. Maybe you’re thinking Jeremy toughen up, emotions are for (use whatever derogatory statement you want).
It’s pretty crazy that God would show us that running from our emotions is wrong, instead we need to engage our emotions. God gave us emotions so we could grow with him, become like Jesus, and help others. So sometimes we need to engage and explore our feelings and evaluate how they cause us to think or act. Nehemiah is a good model for us in how to engage emotionally with what is happening around us. First he shows us to stop and feel. Second he shows us how to set aside comfort and distraction and go to God. If we engage like Nehemiah I think we would see a lot more healthiness in us and in those around us.
Read Nehemiah 1:2-4, what is God telling you in this story and what do you think he wants you to do with it? Take a moment and pray and ask God to help you think about how you handle the emotions in your life. I hope you follow Nehemiah’s model and let God work through the emotions he gave you.
Pastor Jeremy Johnson
Family Pastor
Admit Reality
Years ago I found myself seeking counsel for an area of struggle. I didn’t want to face the reality of the situation but I also didn’t want to stay in it. I listened to a counselor quote John 8:32, “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The words of Scripture dug deep into my soul, but I chose instead to let it pass me by. How could the truth of my situation bring about anything but pain, and pain was exactly what I was attempting to escape. Acknowledging the truth might also mean that I would have to change and that was the last thing I wanted to do. Sadly, I didn’t allow myself to admit reality for some time and with that the pain didn’t go away and I did not experience the freedom that God had waiting for me.
In contrast, Nehemiah, in chapter 1, is also faced with a horrible situation. Yet, rather than wallowing in his misery, he admitted reality, called out to God, confessed his sin and the sins of his people, and worshipped God. Admitting reality was the first step in acknowledging his own state, the state of his people and the power of his God to overcome what appeared to be a hopeless situation. Nehemiah demonstrated the power of facing a challenge head on such that the truth of his circumstances drove him to his knees.
I too finally got to a point where my pain was too much to bear, and in order to move on, I had to face reality. While I know God was at work throughout it all, looking back, I desperately wish I had allowed my heart to listen to the words of John 8:32. It doesn’t say that the truth immediately solves our plight, but it does say that the truth will ultimately set us free.
When something dear to our hearts feels like it is being destroyed, the first step to rebuilding or overcoming is to admit the reality of the situation. This week starts a brand new year, yet, 2020 has left multiple paths of destruction in its wake. What in your life feels hopeless to you today? Is it your marriage or another relationship? Your health or that of a loved one? A shattered dream? Loneliness or isolation? An addiction? Admitting reality may mean that you need to change and change is hard. Take some time and ask God what reality he is calling you to face today. You may want to seek help from the EFCC Care and Counseling Department or sign up for Truths that Transform which is a wonderful class that helps us understand our identity in Christ. Start today by acknowledging the truth. The truth will set you free!
Lynette Fuson
Director of Counseling and Soul Care
2020 in Review
I consider it an honor to get to welcome you to the new year 2021. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. 2020 has come to a close, and the new year promises to be better or different, at least. Yesterday the sermon covered the first part of Nehemiah, and we saw him sent out by the king to rebuild the wall. This week we'll be looking at how we can be rebuilding our lives in similar ways. Like the title says, I'm going to try to encourage you to recount the events of 2020 with fresh eyes so we can potentially see the bigger picture of what the Lord is doing. Sometimes looking behind us is an intimidating proposition; consider Psalms 23:4
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Psalms 23:4
Since everyone goes through valleys at some point in their life, I think we can glean some hard-fought truths from what we've gone through so far. This COVID pandemic makes for a considerable valley, but as the psalmist said, I will fear no evil because you [God] are with me. God rarely lets us bypass the valley; instead, he walks with us right through the center of it. His rod and staff are navigation tools and powerful reminders that he's still very, very close to us.
Something that can really help with perspective is going over various stressful or scary events of the last year in your recollection and look for how the Lord has brought you through. He has a way of leaving some detail in our memories, like a watermark of sorts. So that in hindsight, you can clearly control the whole situation. Maybe go through your cellphone photos of the last year and potentially rediscover some minor event you forgot about that had God's providence all over it. If you journal, maybe go back and read about a situation you were unsure of and then see how God provided in that perfect way.
I imagine there are quite a few of you who are contending with unpleasant complications carried over from last year's COVID. Seems like this thing won't end, but that's only because the Lord hasn't finished with it. God's plan isn't threatened in the least, and we'll be better off for it. So take heart and anticipate God's loving-kindness to be evident through all this.
Jonathan Duncan
Prince of Peace
Merry Christmas! As you open this devotion, I hope you are getting ready to spend the day with loved ones as you celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus the Christ. My hope is that there are a few presents underneath the Christmas tree that have your name on it. However, there is one gift that is essential to Christmas that won’t show up underneath your tree; it’s the gift of peace.
Have you noticed that peace shows up all throughout the Christmas story? Isaiah foretold that the Christ-child would be the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) and the angels declared “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14). Peace is absolutely central to the Christmas story; it might even be argued that peace is the gift that Jesus came to give.
However, we have a problem with peace. When we think about the word peace, we typically only think of the absence of war or conflict, but peace means so much more than that. Peace isn’t solely passive, it’s active. The word translated peace in the English New Testament is the Greek word eiréné; which means, "to join, tie together into a whole" or “to weave back together frayed parts.” What a beautiful picture of the gift that Jesus brings; he weaves back together our frayed parts – he is the gift of peace.
There are two main ways that Jesus brings peace. First, he gives us peace with God. See, the Scriptures are clear that apart from Jesus, we are God’s enemies – we’re at war with him. However, through faith, we are reunited with him and our frayed relationship with the Almighty is made whole. Paul captured this truth in Romans 5:1 when he wrote, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” What great news! However, we don’t just have peace with God, we also have peace from God. Jesus is the great physician. He weaves back together the fractures and pain that come from living in a fallen world. He takes our brokenness and failure, interlaces with his love and weaves us back together. We are not like Humpty-Dumpty who couldn’t be put back together again, peace is possible for all humanity. This is what Jesus born in a manger came to deliver.
When we have peace with God and peace from God, we are released into the world to be beacons of light. One of the best examples of His peace was displayed on Christmas Eve, 1914, in an event often referred to as The Christmas Truce. There was an unofficial ceasefire between German and British soldiers and the troops crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings, food, and souvenirs. Imagine soldiers at war stopping to converse and celebrate together. It’s hard to picture what that scene might have been like, but there was a short film made a few years ago that tried to capture that moment. Take a few minutes today and watch this clip. As you do, ask Jesus how he wants to birth new peace in you. Here’s a link to the video.
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor
For Their Glory
If anyone has put together furniture before (Ikea instruction manuals come to mind), then you know sometimes missing a step has huge ramifications for the end product. When it comes out perfect we revel in its glory (or ours). Sometimes when I read the bible, I might miss a key word or a step and then that changes the outcome, just like if I miss a step with the furniture. This happened to me with the story in Luke 2 about Simeon and Jesus.
In the story, Simeon is prophesying over Jesus and in verse 32 he says that Jesus will be, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The light Simeon refers to makes sense because Jesus was light through the darkness that sin had made. He opened salvation to the Gentiles. Usually I did not think much about what Simeon meant by “the glory of your people Israel.”
Jesus came to save the lost and return honor/glory back to Israel or to restore the call Israel had- which was to bring the world to God. Genesis 12:2-3, Genesis 22:18, and Genesis 26:4 all speak to how the world will be blessed through the descendants of Israel. So Jesus came to redeem this world and redeem Israel’s glory/honor. Jesus came to redeem people, history, purpose could all be restored. When the angel came to the shepherds in the field in Luke 2:10, he told them the good news was for ALL people (Jew and Gentile) and that is also what Simeon is saying over Jesus. He was also saying Jesus will restore the honor of the nation since they were his people, God had used them to bless the world through Jesus.
Jesus’ coming meant light for those who couldn’t see and restoring the glory to those who might have missed a step. Jesus came for all this season, which is something to honor and praise.
Jesus has been teaching me how to cherish the good news that Jesus brings, what has he been teaching you? Who can use a little good news or light this season? Can you pray and ask the Lord who you should share his story with? Or maybe invite them to the Christmas eve service with you! Merry Christmas Eve!
Pastor Jeremy Johnson
Family Pastor
An Insight
As interesting and captivating as the people described in the Bible can be, I’ve only found myself ever wanting to have an experience like two of them. The first is Joseph, and truth be told, I don’t really want to have to go through what he went through. Rather, what I admire was his optimism and the trust he displayed through it all. The other person I’ve often found myself drawn to has just a small part to play in the Christmas story. His name is Simeon and he is referred to as being “righteous and devout” as well as having “the Holy Spirit on him”. What a reputation! It says in Luke 2:26 “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.”
Simeon was waiting for “the consolation of Israel” (that’s a powerful phrase) and God found favor in him to let him know that he would see it. I think it is cool to have been given an insight from the Lord like that and then to have the sensitivity from the Holy Spirit to be able to notice that this little baby, who was being brought to the temple to be consecrated to the Lord, was special.
Babies can be cute, or babies can be squishy, or chunky, but it is difficult to imagine seeing a baby and seeing fulfillment; seeing a baby and seeing what will be accomplished through that baby one day. Simeon, however, is satisfied:
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. Luke 2:28-32.
He saw salvation in this baby. And more, Simeon had been waiting for Israel's deliverance, and in Jesus, he sees salvation that is visible to all nations and is a light of revelation to the Gentiles (non-Jews) too.
Let us pray that we will have eyes that can see, and also be, a light for revelation to all nations too.
John Riley
Junior High Pastor
