O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 10:19 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Thursday May 15 > Nehemiah 4-6 (The Message) > > Nehemiah 4 > "I Stationed Armed Guards" > 1-2When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he exploded in > anger, vilifying the Jews. > In the company of his Samaritan cronies and military he let loose: "What > are these miserable Jews > doing? Do they think they can get everything back to normal overnight? > Make building stones out of > make-believe?" > 3 At his side, Tobiah the Ammonite jumped in and said, "That's right! What > do they think they're > building? Why, if a fox climbed that wall, it would fall to pieces under > his weight." > > > 4-5 Nehemiah prayed, "Oh listen to us, dear God. We're so despised: > Boomerang their ridicule on > their heads; have their enemies cart them off as war trophies to a land of > no return; don't forgive > their iniquity, don't wipe away their sin-they've insulted the builders!" > > 6 We kept at it, repairing and rebuilding the wall. The whole wall was > soon joined together and > halfway to its intended height because the people had a heart for the > work. > > 7-9 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites > heard that the repairs of > the walls of Jerusalem were going so well-that the breaks in the wall were > being fixed-they were > absolutely furious. They put their heads together and decided to fight > against Jerusalem and create > as much trouble as they could. We countered with prayer to our God and set > a round-the-clock guard > against them. > > 10 But soon word was going around in Judah, > The builders are pooped, > the rubbish piles up; > We're in over our heads, > we can't build this wall. > > 11-12 And all this time our enemies were saying, "They won't know what hit > them. Before they know > it we'll be at their throats, killing them right and left. That will put a > stop to the work!" The > Jews who were their neighbors kept reporting, "They have us surrounded; > they're going to attack!" If > we heard it once, we heard it ten times. > > 13-14 So I stationed armed guards at the most vulnerable places of the > wall and assigned people by > families with their swords, lances, and bows. After looking things over I > stood up and spoke to the > nobles, officials, and everyone else: "Don't be afraid of them. Put your > minds on the Master, great > and awesome, and then fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, > your wives, and your > homes." > > 15-18 Our enemies learned that we knew all about their plan and that God > had frustrated it. And we > went back to the wall and went to work. From then on half of my young men > worked while the other > half stood guard with lances, shields, bows, and mail armor. Military > officers served as backup for > everyone in Judah who was at work rebuilding the wall. The common laborers > held a tool in one hand > and a spear in the other. Each of the builders had a sword strapped to his > side as he worked. I kept > the trumpeter at my side to sound the alert. > > 19-20 Then I spoke to the nobles and officials and everyone else: "There's > a lot of work going on > and we are spread out all along the wall, separated from each other. When > you hear the trumpet call, > join us there; our God will fight for us." > > 21 And so we kept working, from first light until the stars came out, half > of us holding lances. > > 22 I also instructed the people, "Each person and his helper is to stay > inside Jerusalem-guards by > night and workmen by day." > > 23 We all slept in our clothes-I, my brothers, my workmen, and the guards > backing me up. And each > one kept his spear in his hand, even when getting water. > > Nehemiah 5 > The "Great Protest" > 1-2A great protest was mounted by the people, including the wives, against > their fellow Jews. Some > said, "We have big families, and we need food just to survive." > 3 Others said, "We're having to mortgage our fields and vineyards and > homes to get enough grain to > keep from starving." > > 4-5 And others said, "We're having to borrow money to pay the royal tax on > our fields and > vineyards. Look: We're the same flesh and blood as our brothers here; our > children are just as good > as theirs. Yet here we are having to sell our children off as slaves-some > of our daughters have > already been sold-and we can't do anything about it because our fields and > vineyards are owned by > somebody else." > > 6-7 I got really angry when I heard their protest and complaints. After > thinking it over, I called > the nobles and officials on the carpet. I said, "Each one of you is > gouging his brother." > > 7-8 Then I called a big meeting to deal with them. I told them, "We did > everything we could to buy > back our Jewish brothers who had to sell themselves as slaves to > foreigners. And now you're selling > these same brothers back into debt slavery! Does that mean that we have to > buy them back again?" > > They said nothing. What could they say? > > 9 "What you're doing is wrong. Is there no fear of God left in you? Don't > you care what the nations > around here, our enemies, think of you? > > 10-11 "I and my brothers and the people working for me have also loaned > them money. But this > gouging them with interest has to stop. Give them back their foreclosed > fields, vineyards, olive > groves, and homes right now. And forgive your claims on their money, > grain, new wine, and olive > oil." > > 12-13 They said, "We'll give it all back. We won't make any more demands > on them. We'll do > everything you say." > > Then I called the priests together and made them promise to keep their > word. Then I emptied my > pockets, turning them inside out, and said, "So may God empty the pockets > and house of everyone who > doesn't keep this promise-turned inside out and emptied." > > Everyone gave a wholehearted "Yes, we'll do it!" and praised God. And > the people did what they > promised. > > "Remember in My Favor, O My God" > 14-16 From the time King Artaxerxes appointed me as their governor in the > land of Judah-from the > twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign, twelve years-neither I > nor my brothers used the > governor's food allowance. Governors who had preceded me had oppressed the > people by taxing them > forty shekels of silver (about a pound) a day for food and wine while > their underlings bullied the > people unmercifully. But out of fear of God I did none of that. I had work > to do; I worked on this > wall. All my men were on the job to do the work. We didn't have time to > line our own pockets. > 17-18 I fed 150 Jews and officials at my table in addition to those who > showed up from the > surrounding nations. One ox, six choice sheep, and some chickens were > prepared for me daily, and > every ten days a large supply of wine was delivered. Even so, I didn't use > the food allowance > provided for the governor-the people had it hard enough as it was. > > 19 Remember in my favor, O my God, > Everything I've done for these people. > > Nehemiah 6 > "I'm Doing a Great Work; I Can't Come Down" > 1-2 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies > heard that I had rebuilt > the wall and that there were no more breaks in it-even though I hadn't yet > installed the gates- > Sanballat and Geshem sent this message: "Come and meet with us at Kephirim > in the valley of Ono." > 2-3 I knew they were scheming to hurt me so I sent messengers back with > this: "I'm doing a great > work; I can't come down. Why should the work come to a standstill just so > I can come down to see > you?" > > 4 Four times they sent this message and four times I gave them my answer. > > 5-6 The fifth time-same messenger, same message-Sanballat sent an unsealed > letter with this > message: > > 6-7 "The word is out among the nations-and Geshem says it's true- that you > and the Jews are > planning to rebel. That's why you are rebuilding the wall. The word is > that you want to be king and > that you have appointed prophets to announce in Jerusalem, 'There's a king > in Judah!' The king is > going to be told all this-don't you think we should sit down and have a > talk?" > > 8 I sent him back this: "There's nothing to what you're saying. You've > made it all up." > > 9 They were trying to intimidate us into quitting. They thought, "They'll > give up; they'll never > finish it." > > I prayed, "Give me strength." > > > 10 Then I met secretly with Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, > at his house. He said: > Let's meet at the house of God, > inside The Temple; > Let's find safety behind locked doors > because they're coming to kill you, > Yes, coming by night to kill you. > > 11 I said, "Why would a man like me run for cover? And why would a man > like me use The Temple as a > hideout? I won't do it." > > 12-13 I sensed that God hadn't sent this man. The so-called prophecy he > spoke to me was the work of > Tobiah and Sanballat; they had hired him. He had been hired to scare me > off-trick me-a layman, into > desecrating The Temple and ruining my good reputation so they could accuse > me. > > 14 "O my God, don't let Tobiah and Sanballat get by with all the mischief > they've done. And the > same goes for the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who have been > trying to undermine my > confidence." > > > 15-16 The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul. It had taken > fifty-two days. When all > our enemies heard the news and all the surrounding nations saw it, our > enemies totally lost their > nerve. They knew that God was behind this work. > > 17-19 All during this time letters were going back and forth constantly > between the nobles of Judah > and Tobiah. Many of the nobles had ties to him because he was son-in-law > to Shecaniah son of Arah > and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of > Berekiah. They kept telling me > all the good things he did and then would report back to him anything I > would say. And then Tobiah > would send letters to intimidate me. > > > > > > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
