Thursday, May 2, 2013

Documenting the Priorities, Part 3


Scripture: Nehemiah 10:31 & 39
As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt….For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine and the oil to the chambers; there are the utensils of the sanctuary, the priests who are ministering, the gatekeepers and the singers. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.

Insights: Today’s verses reveal two more of the four declarations the people signed in regards to their walk with God.  Verse thirty-one gives us the first which was the signers promised to conduct business in an obedient manner.  Whether you are a business owner yourselves or an employee your work ought to be that as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). The world system is about cheating, lying, backstabbing and the like in order to progress through the ranks, but our Lord has called us to a higher standard of living.  Is your distinction in the workplace, or at school, of such a quality that people notice?  These men who signed this declaration were stating to the world that their business would reflect God’s glory in their lives. Verse thirty-nine gives us the second declaration which was the people promised to worship in the place of the Lord.  Now it is really verses thirty-two through thirty-nine that give the full picture of this truth, but thirty-nine gives the concluding thought when it states, “Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.”  In those eight verses I just mentioned the phrases “house of the Lord” or “house of God” was mentioned nine times.  In other words these men were taking serious their need to worship the Lord in His house.  Obviously, we do not have a temple today, but we do have local church buildings.  In essence, these men were saying, “We are going to be at the temple every time those doors are open.”  Unfortunately, we live in a culture that acts as if we are doing God a favor to give Him one or two hours on a Sunday morning.  We ought to be in church every time the doors are open, whether that is physically at the church or in someone’s house for small group Bible study.  Our desire to worship and grow in the Lord ought to be ferocious and when we do attend a worship service our thoughts ought to be on the Lord and not each other.

Questions:
  1. Are you conducting your daily affairs in a manner that honors the Lord?
  2. Are you faithfully worshipping the Lord on a regular basis?
Prayer: Father, I desire for all I do to bring glory to You.  May my daily affairs and my regular worship be pleasing in Your sight.  Amen.

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