Welcome to Kendra Graham’s online Bible study. This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
Kendra Graham NOTES from Nehemiah 5:6-9
WHAT DOES IT SAY? THE FACTS ONLY PLEASE.
In this step you need to list the outstanding facts of the passage. DON’T get caught up in the details, just list the facts. Do not paraphrase. Use the actual words of the passage. This is God’s Word, a lot of times this step seems tedious to some, but I urge you, as we read, and say and write God’s Word, it begins to sink deep into our hearts. If you just pick one fact out of the verse, write it down and meditate on it.
Verse 6: I was very angry when I heard their cry & these words.
Verse 7: a. I consulted with myself, b. contended with the nobles & rulers, held an assembly against them.
Verse 8: We have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold, now to sell your brothers to us? They were silent.
Verse 9: The thing you are doing is not good. Walk in the fear of God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE LESSONS.
Look for a lesson to learn from each fact. What are the people doing that they should be doing? What are the people doing that they shouldn’t be doing?
Is there a command to follow? A promise to claim? A warning to heed? An example to follow?
Verse 6: The fact that God’s people were hurting unjustly at the hands of each other, angered Nehemiah. The hurt of God’s people mattered. The disunity of God’s people mattered. Nehemiah was just not in the “business” of building a wall; the actual people were personal to him, as shown by his emotional response. It was more about the people within the wall, than the wall itself. Oh that we could truly understand when Jesus said, “I desire compassion over sacrifice.” Matthew 12:7. It is easier to do stuff in front of people than to actually love the people you are doing it for.
Verse 7a: Before you go and freak out and rant and rave…. it is always best to consult yourself first. Then you are not putting down other people, saying things you will regret or making more of a problem than solution.
Verse 7b: Confrontation and accountability is never easy, but necessary. Confront the problem head on using the Word of God, not my word. Don’t let problems and disunity fester no matter who it is you have to confront. Best to get it over with after the initial anger has subsided. Exodus 22:25 states the nobles and rulers were wrong in what they were doing.
Verse 8: The Truth is stated. Let the Truth do the convicting, not accusations or finger pointing. Simply stated the Truth will set you free, but make you miserable first. – James A Garfield
There was no defense or justification on the part of the nobles when confronted with the Truth. You may not like the Truth, but that does not change the fact of the Truth.
Verse 9: Confront the issue. What you are doing is not good. We already have enemies (basically the rest of the world as we know it) and now to add to that, we are enemies against ourselves? The reason we don’t do what the rest of the world does and we do not take advantage of our fellow man and brother for our own personal gain, is not because we can’t but because we walk in more fear of God, than man. We care about what God cares about more than our own selfish gain; if we do not, then we need to take a hard look at the condition of our soul. God cares about people. The Word of God is delivered, then the choice rests with those who heard. Matthew 6:24 “NO ONE can serve two masters; for either you will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME NOW? APPLY IT…. TODAY.
Take the lessons you learned and put them into the form of a personal question that you would ask your spouse, or a friend or your son or daughter.
As you write the questions, listen for God to communicate to you through His Word.
*Do not rush. Do not write things down just to have something on paper, this step takes more time that you may think. This is where Scripture meditation becomes real, this is where you begin to hear that still small voice speak to you, and place His finger in your life and begin to direct your paths…. this day, and the next, and the next. Do you trust Him enough to put into place that which He is moving you to?
Verse 6: Do I have compassion for the people God has placed in my family? Church? Neighborhood? Daily Life? Will I take time and ask God to give me compassion for those I run in to daily?
Verse 7a: Am I quick to speak in anger to everyone around, or do I wait until the anger has simmered down?
Verse7b: Do I base my arguments on the emotion of anger, or the fact of God’s Word?
Verse 8: Do I let the Word of God to the talking, and let God do the convicting, or do I want to point my finger and justify my point of view?
Verse 9: Do I care more about being successful according the standard of the world, or do I care more about what God has set forth in His Word? Where is my focus? Do I strive to (Leviticus 11:24) “Be holy as God is holy?” Am I pursuing holiness? (Hebrews 12:14).
LIVE IT OUT!
Lord, convict me according to Your Word. Give me compassion for your people, and give me the ability to live it out.
Homework: Nehemiah 5:11-13
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com and Anne will walk through the Three Questions with you and help you along!