hanks

Q1. (1 Kings 17-19) Why do you think the author contrasts the "still small voice" to the wind, earthquake, and fire? How does God's voice comfort and renew Elijah? Why is it easy to miss God when His voice is gentle and quiet? We read of God sending the wind, earthquake, and fire, but His presence was not found here in these powerful demonstration of destruction. Instead it was in the “still small voice” that followed them. God reveals Himself to us according to our needs. To awaken His Prophets, He is sometimes the God of thunder and flame. But to someone who is fearful and stressed, to comfort them, He is the God of the “still small voice”. This is how God, in love and grace, spoke to Elijah. Nevertheless, he was still rebuked for his loss of faith. I think Elijah was also feeling sorry for himself and wanted vengeance. He wanted God to send the windstorm, the earthquake, and the fire upon Jezebel and her idolaters, but God was reminding him that He is in control, not Elijah. God comforted and renewed Elijah by speaking gently to him as well as giving new assignments that would keep him busy and help him to forget the situation he thought he was in. This made him realize that God doesn't always reveal Himself only in powerful, miraculous ways. We can also miss His gentle and quiet voice. This can so easily happen today, since we are so exposed to all sorts of social media and we need to step back from all the noise and activity of our busy life and listen quietly for His guidance. It may come when we least expect it, and is often found gently whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart.

Q4. (1 Corinthians 2:9-16) How does the Holy Spirit make "the mind of Christ" available to us? How does this make you dependent upon the Holy Spirit? How does this relate to listening for God's voice? It is only by spending enough time with Christ, consistently reading and meditating on the Word, that we as believers, can start building up an intimate relationship with our Lord. It is then that the Holy Spirit might make “the Mind of Christ” available to us. This can give us insight in knowing His thoughts, as well as insights into some of God’s plans. We are able to talk with Him and hear His answers to our prayers. This will also change our mind-set making us more and more like Jesus Himself. We will be humbler, willing to obey God and serve people, so that like Christ we should have a servant’s attitude, serving out of love for God and for others. We will become more and more dependent upon the Holy Spirit as Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, makes available to the believer great wisdom, discrimination, knowledge, and understanding. We can never hear God’s voice without the help of the Holy Spirit. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we have access to the mind of Christ. Unaided, the unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness to them, so they cannot possibly understand since this is only spiritually discerned.

Q3. (John 14-16) What promises concerning the Paraclete – Comforter – Counsellor – Helper - Holy Spirit, does Jesus give in John chapters 14-16? How do these relate to guidance? To "hearing" God? Jesus promises all believers a gift from the Father - the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This gift is given only to those who have received the Son, loved Him, and have kept His commandments. Those who are blind and deaf to Jesus do not receive the Paraclete. This describes the world who are completely ignorant of the Holy Spirit and are led by Satan. Being guided by the Holy Spirit allows us to remain in communion with our Lord, and we find that we make decisions in the light of His Holiness. It means to be occupied with Christ and acknowledging Him in everything we do. Although we still have our evil desires but with the help of the Holy Spirit we are made aware of the conflict between the Spirit and the flesh. These desires include obvious sins, such as sexual immorality and demonic activities, however, they also include less obvious sins, such as hostility, jealousy, and selfish ambition. The Holy Spirit guides us to deal with these evil desires decisively leading to a transformed life. Being led by the Holy Spirit involves the desire to hear, the readiness to obey God's Word, and the sensitivity to discern between our feelings and His promptings. By living each day controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit, we will find that the words of Christ will be in our mind, the love of Christ will be behind our actions, and the power of Christ will help us control our selfish desires. God does speak to us, but the problem is that we do not always listen or heed His advice. He speaks to us through His Word, church sermons, our conscience, certain events, and fellow believers. It is the Holy Spirit that helps us in hearing and understanding our Heavenly Father. Every day He speaks to us, it might be a caution or encouragement, some precept or promise, some invitation or warning, some understanding or banning.

Q2. (John 5:19, 30) Why do you think Jesus said, "By Myself I can do nothing"? (vs. 30). How do you justify this statement with Jesus' divine nature as the Son of God? In what ways can we use Jesus' example as a pattern for our own life and ministry? How do you think Jesus would "see" and "hear" the Father? Jesus is fully God, however, when He came down to dwell among us, He voluntarily laid aside certain divine powers. That is why He could say that He can do nothing by Himself. This was for Him to be totally dependent on the Father while here on earth. This He did, for we always notice that Jesus acted in harmony and subordination to the Father’s will. Jesus said, “Whatever the Father does the Son also does” (5:19) confirming His divinity. Only someone who is equal to the Father could do everything He does. Also in John 10:30 Jesus also said “I and the Father Are One”. Since they are one in being, that is, one eternal God, to see Christ act is to see God act. Jesus is not only equal to God (Philippians 2:6), He is God (John 10:38; 12:45), as the visible image of the invisible God He is the exact representation of God. Once we have Jesus we receive the Holy Spirit who gives us insight into some of God's plans, thoughts, and actions. We could say that we have “the mind of Christ”. This only happens when we spend time in His presence and in His Word, building up an intimate relationship with our Saviour, acknowledging Him in everything we do, talking with Him, and listening to His answers to our prayers. For Jesus to see and hear the Father, He must have had continual access to the Father and complete knowledge of what is going on in heaven. For this to happen He must have been very closely united with God the Father. This Jesus confirms in John 14:10-11, where He describes the closeness of the union between the Father and the Son.

Q1. (Mark 1:33-39) What pattern do you see emerging in Jesus' prayer life? Why do you think He spends Quiet Time with the Father before the day begins? How does this prepare Him for His ministry? How did the disciple desires for Jesus differ from what Jesus felt impelled to do? (Mark 1:37-38) Why? Do you have a Quiet Time? What could you do to improve the quality of your time with God each day? The pattern we see is one of seeking a quiet place free from distraction. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus even makes an extra effort by getting up early to be alone with the Father. Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He knew the importance of solitary prayer time. He didn’t do anything on His own initiative but instead lived in dependence upon the Father, acting only on the instructions God communicated to Him. He spends this Quiet Time to obtain the strength and guidance needed for the task ahead. Jesus had a mission to fulfil and only His death on the Cross would accomplish Salvation. To achieve this, He needed to remain focused on the task ahead, and He did this by being in constant touch with the Father, The disciples felt Jesus was making a mistake by slipping away quietly to a lonely place to pray. They wanted Him to make full use of the great opportunity the recent publicity had brought them. Of course, at this time, they did not know Jesus’ ultimate purpose was to be a Saviour and not a miracle-worker. Yes. I have a Quiet Time three times a week. My wife and I, spend about a 30 to 45 minutes in prayer and studying and meditating on the Word. Jesus was the perfect example of a Spirit-led life, and prayer played a vital role in His life on earth. We are to follow in His footsteps, and our Quiet Times gives us the opportunity to seek His guidance for the day ahead, to put our trust in Him for providing for our needs and for protection, as well as interceding for others. Starting the day with prayer as a priority lays a firm foundation for the day ahead. To help us improve the quality of our time, as from the 1st January this year, we changed the format from the one we had been using for years. Also, this year will be my 4th year of spending time with the Lord in a yearly Bible Reading Plan. This requires the reading of about 3 to 4 chapters a day. I first read a commentary about the required chapters before reading the Word. The previous 3 years I followed the M’Cheyne Plan, and this year I’ve started with the Chronological Plan. I find this an exciting way to get to know the Bible and it also helps to discipline me. Up to today I’ve done Genesis 1 to 11, and Job 1 to 31. This helps me to become familiar with the Word of God and gives me a sense of achievement.

Q4. (Malachi 3:16-18) In what ways does it encourage us that God keeps a list of those who love Him? That He considers us His own private and treasured possession? Do we deserve this? What effect should that knowledge have on us? What does it teach us about grace? His Book of Remembrance again shows us that He truly cares and loves us enough for our names to be recorded. This is a great encouragement and should motivate us to serve Him even better. It’s a human trait that we thrive on recognition and acceptance. However, we definitely do not deserve anything but separation from God. That He cares highlights again His loving grace and mercy. The realisation that we belong to our Heavenly Father in a unique way and are of special value to Him, is an awesome thought!! “For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).

Q3. (Malachi 3:8-11) In our passage, why does God call people who neglect to tithe "robbers"? Why does He withhold blessing from those who don't fully tithe? Does the Old Testament law of the tithe obligate Christian believers to tithe? What principles of stewardship can we learn from this passage? Everything we have comes from God and actually it all belongs to Him as well. The same with us; we are His creatures and belong to Him. So, who are we to deny returning to Him a part of what He has given us. At the same time, if the priests did not receive the tithes and offerings, they would have to turn to other means of supporting themselves. As a result, the temple ministry would suffer. The bottom line is that by neglecting to tithe is the same as pinching from God – not willing to give what was due to Him. He has said that if they will be faithful with their tithes, He will bless them abundantly, and He will deliver them from drought, plagues, and their enemies. I don’ think the OT law obligates us to tithe, however, the NT does teach us to give systematically, and cheerfully, as the Lord has prospered us, that is, proportionately. But no mention is made of tithing. I read once that if the Jews living under law gave a tenth, how much more should we as Christian living under grace give! And this is the problem I’m battling with. I know we are to trust Him fully and not to lean on our own understanding. But being a pensioner with a fixed income in an inflation economy, with looming medical expenses, I try to balance my tithing with my expenses. I feel guilty if I skimp, at the same time I have to be most careful not to undermine my finances. I realise that budgeting and planning my finances must be done, but it can never become a substitute for hearing from God. My relationship with my Heavenly Father is far more important to me. I pray about it and trust the Lord to tell me what to give, and to take away any guilt feelings.

Q2. (Malachi 3:6) Why should we rejoice that God doesn't change? We know that God's character doesn't change but if he is immutable, unchangeable, how can He answer our prayers? Does prayer have any effect? Before creation God chose some people to be saved - the elect. This was not because of any foreseen merit in them, but solely an act of love on His part. This means that in the past eternity, God had decided upon this wonderful plan of salvation, to save guilty sinners through the sacrifice of His Only Son. He decided to offer eternal life to as many as would accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. This is enough reason for us to rejoice, knowing God keeps His promises, and does not change. We abide in Him, and no enemy shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus your Lord. As we read, God is unchanging in His being, perfections, purposes, and promises, however, He does respond to different changing situations. God is eternal and exists outside of the constraints of time, and since God is omniscient, He cannot learn something new that He did not already know. However, our actions cause change, things and circumstances change, but not God, and it is His response to His dealings with us that change. So, He answers pray, as we and our circumstances change. In Numbers 23:19 we read, “God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfil?” F W Robertson wrote: “God is not affected by our mutability; our changes do not alter Him. When we are restless, He remains serene and calm; when we are low, selfish, mean, or dispirited, He is still the unalterable I Am. The same yesterday, today, and forever, in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. What God is in Himself, not what we may chance to feel Him in this or that moment to be, that is our hope”.

Q1. (Malachi 3:1-5) For what purpose is the Messenger sent to prepare the way? What will the Messenger of the Covenant do? Why do God's people need refining and deep cleaning? How do you sense God wants to refine and cleanse you? The first Messenger is sent to prepare the way morally before our Lord Jesus. We learn that this is John the Baptist, and his work was to call all to repent. The Second Messenger, the Messenger of the Covenant, is the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who will come to judge sin. He will come suddenly and unexpectedly “as a thief in the night” (2 Peter 3:10; 1 Thess 5:4) – bad news for the wicked when Jesus will punish all evildoers, but good news for believers. We all need refining and deep cleaning to be able to come into the presence of our Lord’s Holiness. As a sinner saved by grace, I continually need to be purified and have all my sins scrubbed away – God’s deep cleansing.

Q4. (Malachi 2:13-16). What does Malachi teach us about marriage in this passage? Which two or three of these truths do you think would most help improve Christian marriages if applied today? God teaches us a number of things in this passage: marriage is a covenant (14d); He is Witness to the marriage covenant (14a); divorce is "breaking faith" with the covenant you make with your spouse when you marry (14-16); we are His property by creation - so He sets the rules of marriage (15a); He makes husband and wife one in body and spirit (15a); He desires us to have godly offspring (15b); He hates to see divorce (16a); He abhors marital violence (16b); the desire for divorce is a spiritual problem (15c, 16d); divorce and marital violence hinder our prayers (13). The Lord has truly blessed our marriage. We have been married for just on 56 years, and it has been a team effort. We each have our own centres of responsibilities in the marriage, and we support each other totally. We often refer to ourselves as the “Winning Team”. The biggest problems seem to arise when we put our own interests first instead of serving each other. As believers we must maintain our loyalty to God who created us, and to the marriage partner He gave us. In not doing this we cannot claim that He is our Lord, Father, and Master.

Q3. (Malachi 2:1-9) In what ways do church pastors and teachers fall heir to the role of "teaching priests"? Which of the roles of teaching priests do you see as most vital in your situation? A true servant of the Lord must proclaim and teach the truth of God’s Word. All of it, irrespective if it is popular or not. They are to live lives that are in harmony with God, as taught in His Word – being a living example to others. They must be helping their congregation turning away from sin, and teaching them to follow Jesus as their example. Teachers are to remember that they are accountable for those they teach as well as themselves. It calls for a total commitment to Jesus Christ – He must be Lord of every phase of their lives. I will always remember when one of our medical doctors, at the start of his first sermon, saying that standing here at the pulpit is more daunting than his first time in the operating theatre. He acknowledged that here he was dealing with people’s souls – their salvation! And to me, this is most vital role - save souls. People need to hear the gospel. This is done by firstly proclaiming important elements of the gospel. We read in Romans 10:14: “How can people have faith in the Lord and ask Him to save them, if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?” They must be aware of the facts concerning salvation. They must be taught who Jesus is and how He meets their needs for salvation. A good start would be a plan of salvation called “The Roman Road”, consisting of 5 verses from Romans. All people have sinned (Rom 3:23). The penalty for sin is death (Rom 6:23). Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for their sins (Rom 5:8). Believe in their heart and say with their mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, they will be saved. (Rom 10:9-10). Accompanying this must be a decision to repent of their sins and come to Christ in faith, asking Him for forgiveness of sins. What a responsibility!

Q2. (Malachi 2:5; 1 John 4:18) What does it mean to "fear God" in Old Testament days? Should we "fear God" now, as Christian believers? How does fear of God interface with our love for God? How does our love change the fear? In the OT days to “fear God” meant to trust and obey Him with reverence. Much like Christians believers today. Only we repent of our sins and put our trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, and then live for Him wholeheartedly and devotedly. This is not a dreadful fear, but rather a loving respect. We read in Deuteronomy 6:5 that we are to: “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). We must know that God hates sin and will punish those that wilfully sin. So, we should be living in humble reverence to Him, and be aware of His disciplining us if we do not live our lives in such a way that pleases Him. But when He disciplines us we must know that He is doing it for our best will. However, God is love, and perfect love drives out fear. I am assured of the Lord's love because He sent His Son to die for me. “God shows is love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This means that I can look to the future with confidence and without fear.

Q1. (Malachi 1:6-14) How were the people and priests disrespecting God with regard to offering sacrifices? In what ways do we today disrespect God in our attitudes toward worship, in giving to God, and in regard to holy things? What is God saying to you personally as you ponder this? The people disrespected our LORD by bringing the leftovers of their flocks as offerings – the sick, blind, and lame. The people and the priests had become so lax in their worship that they didn’t recognize anything was wrong with these unacceptable practices. This was as if anything was good enough for God, but they would not, for example, dare offer this to their governor. The priests indifferent, careless, and half-hearted attitude influenced the people. They had neglected and dishonoured the Lord for so long, they no longer knew who He was. As a result, they were not giving Him the reverence He deserved, and everything relating to offering sacrifices had become too much effort and was not taken seriously. I feel our Lord looks first at the heart of the believer before He inspects their attitude toward worshipping, or the gift given, and our respect to holy things. Are we truly worshipping Him or just going through the motions? Often we complain if the sermon is longer than 30 minutes, or if the service takes more than an hour. We want to get it over with and carry on with our living – no time for our LORD? Yet, we will sit through a three-hour opera, a lengthy symphony, or even a marathon sporting event, without complaining. Are we a cheerful giver? Or do we find excuses to tithe less? Do we give joyfully or grudgingly? Hasn’t He told us to trust Him with all our heart? We are to remember He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. All this tells us about our priorities, and the use of our time. It shows disrespect to God and that we find other interests more important than His Word, His service, and our relationship with Him. If we call ourselves believers we need to do more than profess that God is our Lord, and our Heavenly Father. We must respond to God's Word by doing what God says, and this can only be done if we read and listen to the Word. I have found it easy to backslide, and that I have to be disciplined, or I could easily be guilty of disrespecting our LORD. Most of my time should be spent in devotion to Christ. If other activities are taking too much of my time, there is little left for praying and reading the Word, or even serving the Lord in some way. I know I should rather be involved in activities that enrich my relationship with God.

Q4. (Nehemiah 13:30-31) How should you respond when the people you are ministering to disappoint you? How must you treat them? What must you do to sustain your own faith and spiritual momentum in times of discouragement? God is the all-powerful Creator, and He preserves and governs everything in the universes – He owns it all. He works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will (Ephesians 1:11b). So, when people disappoint me I hand over control to the Lord and know that the Holy Spirit will take over control. It is up to me to continue loving them and praying for them, irrespective of their actions. I know it is not easily done. In times of discouragement I always turn to our Lord Jesus. I will turn to Him more in prayer and the study of His Word. He must have allowed things to happen for my good. The devil often uses discouragement, frustration and confusion to lead us astray. It is therefore important that I must remain strong in faith. I find this strength in Scripture. By putting my trust in Jesus I find a new love for holiness and a new hatred for sin. At the same time there is also a greater love for my fellow believers, for practical righteousness, obedience, and separation from the world.

Q3. (Nehemiah 13:1-5, 7-9) Does God set higher standards for leaders than for others? If so, why? What results in the people when leaders become corrupt? How can you keep this from happening to you? If God shows you corruption within, how can you recover from it? Yes, being in positions of authority, they have the power to affect the lives of others favourably or adversely. This responsibility can so easily be abused and can cause great damage. A typical example is what is happening in my country today. However, Christian leadership is about spirituality, character, and the community. Here obedience to Christ is demanded. False teachers lead people astray putting their salvation at risk. Our church leaders are especially vulnerable to attack by Satan – if successful, he knows the damage this can cause. God has to set, therefore, higher standards for leaders, especially church leaders, because without strong and honest leadership the devil is in charge.

Q2. (Nehemiah 9:7-35) Why is God's compassion emphasized so strongly in Israel's history? How can God's compassion be present even in times of tough discipline (Hebrews 12:7-11)? How does the compassionate God of the Old Testament relate to Jesus giving Himself as a ransom for sinners (Mark 10:45)? It is through His compassion that His glory is revealed. It is the same with His love, mercy, grace, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice – they all reveal His glory. The way He treated Israel historically, revealed to the whole world, His character, and His nature, and also the way He relates to His creatures. He is a just God, and sovereign over all, but will not tolerate sin or disobedience nor idolatry. Yet He is patient to the extreme giving us chance after chance. I read once: The sovereignty of God is absolute; yet is never exercised in condemning men who ought to be saved, but rather has resulted in the salvation of men who deserved to be lost. This, I feel, includes all of us. When we face trials of any kind, we should realise that our Heavenly Father is treating us as His children, and like any good earthy father only has what is best for us in mind. We need to be disciplined for our own best will. By disciplining us He is trying to mould us into the image of His Son. We can be sure that He is acting with compassion, even when at the time the treatment seems harsh. We can be assured that in the long run, we will benefit. We must remember that His discipline is always perfect and His love is always infinite and His wisdom is always infallible! Sometimes we tend to think of the God of the OT as a God of wrath while the God of the NT is a God of love. However, God is always the same. He is unchanging (immutable). So He was the same God in both the OT and the NT, who is full of compassion but hates sin. He is infinitely worthy of trust, because He is absolutely and eternally unchanging in His being, His perfections, His purposes, and His promises. In Psalm 102:25-27 we read: “Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end”. The sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ is proof of His love and compassion towards us.

Q1. (Nehemiah 8:1-12) Why does the reading of Scripture bring such sorrow to the people? Why is Scripture reading so important in personal spiritual revival? What place does the Spirit have in this? What is the relationship between joy and faith in God's compassion and love? I think most of them had never heard the Law before, and on hearing it for the first time, they realised that all their suffering could have been avoided if only their forefathers had obeyed God’s Law. It could also be that they understood the severity of their own sin. At the same time, it also showed that they had taken the message seriously. In the end their sadness was turned to joy, and the joy of the LORD was their strength. Unbelievers can be happy, but this is dependent on things or circumstances, and even then only for a limited period. If things go bad, they have no resources to call upon. By contrast, we can have a constant inner happiness (joy), that is independent of circumstances. This happens when we do not operate in the power of the flesh. Joy is not an emotional issue; it is a fruit of the Spirit, and is a result of spiritual growth. The LORD has blessed us with an inner peace as well.

Q4. (Nehemiah 6:1-14) Why do Nehemiah's enemies want him to travel away from Jerusalem? Why do his enemies bribe the prophets? How are they hoping to hurt Nehemiah's integrity, will, and authority? How is your enemy trying to make you stumble? Having failed to stop the Jews by other means, Nehemiah’s enemies now try to destroy him. Four times Sanballat and Geshem the Arab tried to get Nehemiah to leave his work and meet with them; planning to do him harm and at the same time getting the work on the wall stopped. They then try another tactic; pretending to be his ally, Sanballat accused Nehemiah in a letter of planning to make himself king of Judah in rebellion against the king of Persia. Sanballat said he wanted to help Nehemiah avoid trouble with the king and suggested that they get together to discuss the matter. But Nehemiah refused, knowing all too well that Sanballat did not have his best interests at heart. Besides, the slanderous charges were false. They are getting desperate and now make use of a false prophet, Shemaiah, to trick Nehemiah into sinning and getting into trouble with God. However, Nehemiah was a devout man and one who feared the Lord. They used Shemaiah as a secret informer, warning Nehemiah that there was a plot on his life and suggested that he accompanies him into the temple. Nehemiah saw through the prophet's deceptive plan. God's Word forbade any but the priests to enter the temple. Nehemiah would rather lose his life than violate the law. And so Sanballat's third scheme failed as well. Just like Nehemiah’s enemies, we face constant attacks where Satan tries to get us to stumble. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Although we should not worry, we must be most careful and vigilant, because we have a powerful adversary, the devil. There must also be constant alertness, a preparedness to meet every attack. Our adversary is described as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. We must remember he has different poses. Sometimes he comes like a snake, seeking to lure people into moral corruption. Sometimes he disguises himself as an angel of light, attempting to deceive people in the spiritual realm. Here, as a roaring lion, he is bent on terrorizing God's people through persecution. We resist him through prayer and God’s Word, and by standing firm in the faith – acknowledging our dependence on the Lord.

Q3. (Nehemiah 5) Why doesn't Nehemiah wait until he isn't so busy to deal with the complaints of the poor who are being oppressed? What is the chief motivation of their oppressors? How does Nehemiah deal with the issue? Why are church leaders sometimes quicker to deal with the complaints of the wealthy than those of the poor? What motivates these leaders? His people are suffering under the heavy tax burden and the current drought. Food is scarce and he therefore has to deal urgently with the poor being oppressed. The chief motivation of the oppressors was as usual - greed. This happens all over the world – the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The wealthy had been profiting from the misfortune of the masses. There was a drought and besides tending to their farms they were working on the wall in Jerusalem. They had mortgaged their property to buy food; borrowed money to pay taxes. And due to financial hardships they had been forced to sell their children into slavery. This is a very serious and sorry state of affairs and made Nehemiah very angry over the injustice done to God’s people. But Nehemiah did not act in the adrenaline rush of anger Instead he gave the problem some serious thought. Not only was the rebuilding project at risk, but the very future and unity of God's people in Judah was at risk. Nehemiah deals with the issue by confronting the nobles and the rulers. He demands the buying back of the Jews sold into slavery to Gentiles; and any further sales into slavery is forbidden; he sets new low interest rates and excessive interest charged is to be refunded; confiscated land is to be returned; and taxes are cut. The priests are summoned as witnesses and to see that all is done as he demanded. Money is power. The wealthy have more influence in the church and the church leaders are careful not to antagonise them – their contributions are needed.

Q2. (Nehemiah 4) How does Nehemiah respond to his enemies' ridicule? How does Nehemiah respond to military threats? What effect does this have on construction? How does Nehemiah respond to discouragement and fear in the people? How do you respond to discouragement and fear? What "walls" need to be rebuilt in your life to protect you from temptation and sin? Nehemiah does not respond to their taunts, instead he concentrates on the work to be done and calls on God to vindicate their cause. He knows that ridicule can cause discouragement and despair. To military threats again he turns to God and he strengthens his defences by stationing extra guards by day and night. The sooner the walls are built the sooner will they be safe – so there was a renewed energy that motivated them to finish as soon as possible. Initially I tend to panic, but fortunately after a short while I come to my senses and turn to my Heavenly Father for help and wisdom. It is then that I start thinking rationally and have this peace that comes over me. I put my trust in Him and I do not lean on my own understanding, acknowledging Him in this problem knowing ultimately all will be solved. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). I know that if I study and meditate on His Word, I’m actually building a protective wall around me against temptation and sin. “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

Q1. (Nehemiah 3) Why does Nehemiah need to build the walls quickly? Why does he assign so many teams? What motivates these teams? What kinds of problems would Nehemiah need to solve with so many teams working simultaneously? The walls had to be built quickly as they were vulnerable to any attack. Besides the walls that were in ruins the city had about nine gates making the city open to people getting in and out. There was much opposition and to rebuild Jerusalem was seen as a threat to the Samaritans who had been in control of the area since Judah’s exile. They felt that they would lose control of the land with all the exiles returning and they would, therefore, oppose securing the city. This is such a huge project and it required much planning and it needed to be subdivided into smaller projects that could be managed more easily. Nehemiah did all this as he had 41 different sub-tasks involved. Being such a daunting task reminds me of how do you eat an elephant? Also various experts in their own field necessitated many different teams. As for motivation; there was a spiritual renewal. Nehemiah had a vision and shared it with enthusiasm thereby inspiring all. He also climbed in and helped with the physical work – leading by example. Another motivation was using people to repair sections of the wall close to their own homes. He must have encountered many problems. Besides the opposition from the Samaritans, and the need to build quickly, he had to source all the materials needed. Some of the people fear for their safety and may be easily discouraged. Even then, all the existing rubble had to be first removed. Think of all the different leaders with their different personalities that are involved. A mammoth task only achievable with the help of the Lord!

Q4. (Nehemiah 2:4) What danger is Nehemiah in? Why does he pray quickly and silently before he answers the king? How does this quick "arrow prayer" relate to the four months of prayer he has just finished? As a servant he is not allowed to initiate a conversation with the king; never mind mentioning any personal problems. If he did upset the king, he could be punished severely even until death. God must have softened the king’s heart in that when he saw Nehemiah’s sad face, the king initiated the conversation giving Nehemiah an opportunity to state his problem. This is the moment he has been waiting for and as a continuation of his prayer he sends up an arrow prayer. He knows God has given him this chance and he must grab it and be brave enough to take it.

Q3. (Nehemiah 1:11) In what way does Nehemiah's situation compare to Esther's? Why does God place his people in strategic positions today in the community, in business, in the military, in government? What responsibilities do we have to God that can cause danger to our positions and our lives? Has this ever happened to you? How do you pray in situations like this? Both Nehemiah and Esther are in similar situations. They need to ask the king for a favour but to do this involves great risk to themselves. They were not to upset the king in anyway as both kings had passed decrees that would bring great harm to the Jewish people. However, both of them had been placed by God in strategic positions and it was up to them to take advantage of this and to trust God. It is up to us to be counted as Christians and to unite with our brothers and sisters in praying for, as an example, things that affect our whole country. Yes, we had a prayer meeting where nearly one million believers came together to pray for our country. To help us defeat the evil corruption and plundering and the state capture that is destroying our beloved country. This was a historic occasion, for never before had so many believers come together to pray. We can already notice the upheaval occurring in the political organization that is responsible for our situation.

Q2. (Nehemiah 1:7-11) What is the basis of Nehemiah's appeal? How does he argue his case before God? What do we learn from this about intercession? God had promised that He would restore His people to Jerusalem. Even though Nehemiah had not experienced the hardships of those living in Jerusalem, he identified with them, and shared their burden. He decided to fast, mourn, and pray. Confessing their sins as his own he asked God to remember His Word and to be faithful in regathering His people. While praying he sensed God’s direction and advice, and thought up a bold plan which needed the help of the king. Nehemiah acknowledged God’s greatness and sovereignty; humbly admitting that he was only a servant. His prayer is an example of the power of intercessory prayer. We need to seek His guidance in all we do; at the same time acknowledging Him in everything we do.

Q1. (Nehemiah 1:1-6) Why does Nehemiah pray day and night for four months? Why does he fast and weep? Isn't that excessive? His brother, and others, had informed him of what was happening in Jerusalem, and this news was most disturbing. The Samaritans had stopped the walls being repaired thereby leaving the city vulnerable to any attack – the Jews were like sitting ducks. This was the result of the deception used by the enemies of Israel in having persuaded Artaxerxes to withdraw his support and to issue a command for the work on the wall to be stopped. By fasting and praying, Nehemiah was expressing his concern for the situation in Jerusalem. He humbly asked God for help and advice. By the end of his prayer time he knew what had to be done. Again demonstrating that when we pray, problems and difficult decisions fall into proper perspective and we are able to solve them by applying the correct actions provided by our Heavenly Father. No amount of prayer is ever excessive. We need to be patient and wait on the Lord. As His children, we should only be grateful that we can approach the throne of Grace with confidence knowing that He hears us. What a blessing – thank you Lord!