Rebuild Those Walls: Blue Eyes, Blue Jeans
One Year Bible (Aug. 13)
Nehemiah: 5:14-7:73a Rebuild Those Walls
Blue Eyes Blue Jeans
I remember in my college softball days a chant that you would often hear while in the dugout.
“We want a pitcher, not a belly itcher!”
I am seriously wondering about the person that came up with this slogan. Also, I have watched baseball and am not really into all the itching in various places that goes on while the cameras are rolling. Tacky, definitely tacky!
However, I think the message behind the somewhat crude saying is that “There needs to be action taken on the mound to move the game along.”
Yesterday we learned about three tactics to STOP the movement of the Kingdom of God. There is the BELITTLER, the BELLYACHER, and the BUSHWHACKER.
The goal of the BELITTLER, BELLYACHER, and BUSHWHACKER is to “SWOOP DOWN” and END the important WORK of God’s KINGDOM!
What does the enemy really look like? Sadly, he looks just like us.
“THE BUSHWHACKER” comes to attack someone by SURPRISE from a HIDDEN PLACE.
By definition, it is one who “beats the bushes” to cause harm. They are STEALTH and INCOGNITO. They just kind of “BLEND IN”...
There is an 80’s song that I will never forget because the message to it is so INSIGHTFUL.
The song is called, “Somebody’s Knockin’” by Terri Gibbs. Seriously, google it and give it a listen, because the enemy of God has taken the time “To Google” you. He watches for your open doors and weak spots to tempt you.
“Somebody’s knockin’ Should I let him in? Lord, it’s the devil. Would you look at him? I’ve heard about him, but I never dreamed, he’d have blue eyes and blue jeans.”
The song goes on to say, “He must have tapped my telephone lines”. You see the enemy of God does not have the power that God has to know your thoughts and heart, but he certainly can listen to your actions, watch your weaknesses, and see your sinful patterns.
Like “THE BUSHWHACKER”, the enemy will SURPRISE you from the HIDDEN PLACES to interrupt the building of a wall of protection in your life, your family’s life, and in the CHURCH.
You can observe these very same tactics wherever the kingdom of God is being built for God’s Glory. How does this pertain to you and me today you may wonder.
Today’s lesson is about the people’s response to their Antagonists.
There is a FOURTH TACTIC seen in the life of the “BESEECHERS”.
Look at Nehemiah’s THREE-PRONGED APPROACH to ATTACKS on the building…
PRAY: “Then I prayed, ‘Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land.” (4:4)
PROCEED: “I am engaged in great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working and meet with you?” (Nehemiah 6:3)
PREPARE: “We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard.” (4:21)
Notice that they didn’t just pray and then sit. They weren’t “belly-itchers”. They pitched the ball to win the game! They proceeded with the work given to them while preparing for future attacks. Nehemiah instructed them to stay dressed and armed for battle at all times. They were watching and ready. He also became aware of an internal problem to address. Many of the people were being “squeezed” financially by having to pay interest on borrowed money from their relatives.
Nehemiah called them to “account” for their actions and all the people agreed and said “Amen”! He dealt with threats from “Without” and from “Within” and the people joined him.
When you see the BELITTLER, BELLYACHER, and BUSHWHACKER used to destroy the building of God’s Kingdom today, what is your response?
Many people today listen with “ears of the flesh”. They regard friendship, familiarity, and fellowship over “calling someone into account” as Nehemiah did.
Are we part of the problem or part of the solution? Somebody’s knockin'… Will you let him in?
Pray, Proceed, and Prepare to rebuild those walls… Watch out for...Blue Eyes and Blue Jeans!
