Stop Making Excuses

Stop Making Excuses (Nehemiah 4:1-14)
 
Nehemiah 4:1-10, But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their  stone wall.4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. 7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,  8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. 13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
 
Peter Malam Brother was born on 30th of September 1917 and died on 18th December 2008. Brother served in the U.K. Royal Airforce in the Air Commadore during World War II. While on patrol in August 1940, Acting Flight Lieutenant Peter Brothers' flight of eight aircraft came into contact with around 100 Luftwaffe bombers. Despite being so heavily outnumbered, Brothers did not hesitate to immediately lead in his fight against the enemy. But before he could attack, he was fired at by a number of Messerschmitts (German airplanes). Brothers kept his cool and turned to face them. He found himself in a stalled position and had to use all his skill to spin out of it and recover. He then sighted a Dornier 215 bomber, quickly targeted it, and shot the bomber down. Later on, during the same say, Brothers would also destroy a Messerschmitt Bf 109. Peter Brothers was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for these actions on 13 September 1940. By the time of the Battle of Britain, Brothers was an experienced RAF pilot. His outstanding leadership skills were a huge asset during those intense months. He led by example and did all he could to boost the morale of his men and, in particular, new pilots. Later in the war he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for these actions on 13 September 1940 DSO for his courage and brilliant leadership.
 
The job that Nehemiah took on of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem was vital to the safety and future of the people. A city without walls had no means of defending itself from even minor attacks. So Nehemiah left his high position in the palace of the Persian Empire and made his way back to Jerusalem to take on the task. Not everyone was pleased at his arrival. In Nehemiah 2:10, When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. These men tried everything they could to hinder the work.
 
When Nehemiah was informed that his enemies planned an attack, he responded in a way that is a great example for us. As the old saying goes, “Pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on you.” Nehemiah sought for God's help, but he also set up a guard schedule and posted sentries to look out for danger.
 
There will always be some reason why it seems like the work of God cannot be done.  Judah makes excuses about why they are not able to build the wall.  They say that the bearers of burdens are too tired and weak and that there is too much rubbish around.  The others, however, did not use tiredness or too much rubbish as a excuse for why they were not building.  They just got on with the job.
 
Don’t be surprised if you face these same kinds of problems: taunts and attacks, efforts to spread fear and discouragement, mockery and insults, temptations and trials. Don’t be shocked by conspiracies from people desiring to entice you from God’s path and cause you to embrace errors and become confused. Instead of being discouraged or distracted by this opposition, surrender your life to God and be a person of prayer. Be filled with His Word and the power of His Spirit. Be ready to engage in spiritual warfare and don’t let the devil have even the smallest victory. Persevere!
 
The value of hard work may be disappearing from the culture around us, but it is no less important now than it always has been. The Christian who mopes and complains through his job is a poor testimony indeed. Instead, we should view work as an opportunity for service to the King. No matter what the task assigned to us may be, it is worthy of our cheerful and diligent labor. It is only when God’s people join together and work with willing hearts and minds that we see truly great things accomplished for Him. Our attitude toward work matters a great deal.
 
We each react in different ways to opposition. But Nehemiah’s example helps us remember to keep on task and to trust God, even when the going gets tough. Remember these four points when you face trouble. There is so much potential for fear; fear that we made the wrong choice, that we heard You wrong, that those who ridicule us are right. Lord, we need to hear and recognize Your voice. We can face anything if You are with us.
 
I wonder what excuses you and I use for why we are not doing what we should be doing.  Everyone has an excuse for what is happening in their life and why it can’t be done.  Instead of making excuses we should be making prayers to God, believing Him for great and mighty things, and attempting great things for God! There may be some legitimate difficulties in your life, but the power of God is far greater than any excuses you may face.  With men many things are impossible, but with God all things are possible.
 
Points to Ponder:
The labor that we do is ultimately for God, not for man, and deserves our cheerful and willing work.
Faith in God leads to more action on our part, not laziness that expects Him to do all the work.
 
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me complete the work You’ve given me to do with boldness and determination. Thank You for Your call on my life! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
If this post in any way, has blessed you,
please share this website and its articles with others:    
        www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
​