April 27, 2013 … Doing Life God’s Way

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 117

Passage of the Day: Nehemiah 5: 6-7, … 9 [NLT] ……
 6 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. 7 After thinking about the situation, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, “You are oppressing your own relatives by charging them interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem. … 9 Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?
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 Contextual Study of today’s passage: Nehemiah, Chapter 5 [NLT] … Go to this link … 
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 Reference Passage #1: 2nd Chronicles 7: 14 : [Desiring to see change in our world, God’s people must live God’s way.] …[NLT] …  
14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. 

 Reference Passage #2: Psalm 119: 9, ... 11 : [Living God’s way paves the way for productive living in a Godless world.] …[NKJV] … 
 9 How can a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed according to Your word … 
11 Your word, I’ve hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.

  My Journal for Today: Today, my devotional blogger, Brother Os Hillman, gets to the essence of why we as Christians are ill-effective in the workplace of life these days; and it’s the same dilemma faced by Nehemiah when he got to Jerusalem with God’s charge to rebuild the walls upon their return to the Promised Land from their captivity in Babylon.

Nehemiah, in scoping out the socio-political situation at the time, discovered that the Hebrew people were living by unGodly and unlawful practices such as charging exorbitant interest for the use of land which forced many of the Hebrews to sell their children into slavery. And Nehemiah knew that before these people were ever going to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they would have to get their act together and live according to God’s principles and follow His ways. And so, Nehemiah’s first task of leadership was to preach the truth and get the people to see that living by God’s will and according to His word was their only channel to successful living in a Godless world.

And having read the passages referenced above, from Nehemiah, Chapter 5, along with the other reference verses I’ve copied here today, I’m sure you’re beginning to see the application I am seeing from Hillman’s devotional for today’s world.

Until those in this world, especially Christians, live according to God’s will – taken from His word – we’re never going to see a Godless society become a God-fearing and God-following world. And what does that imply? Well, the reference I’ve made to Psalm 119 above gives that Godly prescription. We, God’s people, must know and live by God’s word in order to avoid sinning against God. However, when we live by the world’s way, instead of by the Word’s way, we become vulnerable and essentially powerless against our spiritual enemies, … Satan, the world, and our own flesh.

So, we (Christians) must choose. Are we going to live according to God’s way, following His will, from His word; or are we going to persist in doing life our own way, the world’s way, following Satan’s lead? Because if we choose to know God’s word and live according to His will, repenting of our sin as God’s people, we can exercise the truth of 2nd Chron. 7: 14, praying to God for revival and seeing Him heal our land; … and yes, even our world.

My Prayer for Today … Heavenly Father, … oh my Lord, … help us, Your people, called by Your Name, to live by Your precepts and follow Your ways in this wicked, war-torn world. … Amen