Disobedience and Prayer

Title: Disobedience and Prayer, when God ceases to Listen, When not to pray, When it is in vain to pray, Tit for Tat is a fair game...,

Key verse: Zec 7:13  “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts, and...

Goal: Communicate the invaluable prerequisite of obedient living to answered prayer or fellowship with God. (John 15:7, 1 John 3:22, )

Objectives:
Explore scenarios when God ceases to give attention to our prayers (Saul the King 1 Sam 28:6)
Explain what factors led God to cease giving attention from the passage.
Is there restoration? What is the way out? Explain.

Context

• Judah Sin and Exile  to Babylon, Jeremiah 29:4-10
• Exile to last 70 years by decree
• False prophets claim the return will be sooner
• Jeremiah gives God's message- stay there, farm, get married, establish yourselves, trade, and pray for that city..seek its welfare. (Probably this is where the tradition of praying in th 5th and 7th month started for them - Zecharia 7:10
• After 70 years, Cyrus the Persian King Conquers Babylon,
• Orders the Jews to return to Jerusalem and Build God's Temple (Ezra 1:1-4)
• Zerubbabel leads (Together with the High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak), later Ezra leads and finally Nehemiah leads another group of returnees. 
• But some people opted to stay in the Persian Nation- Esther, Mordecai.  
• Haggai and Zechariah prophecy to the returnees back in Jerusalem to boldly rebuild the temple, and foretell God's plans for the future Messiah and a future temple. 

Text:
1. The Inquiry
 Begins with a Inquiry from the people of Bethel, returnees from exile, "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?” (The Fifth Month was approaching), it was time for fasting and weeping. This was a tradition kept for seventy years during the exile, 7:5. infact, include the seven month.
Why those months? Note, the time for inquiry, 4th day of the 9th month, Chislev.  Sort of, "next year should we fast in the fifth month? should we keep this tradition, this ritual?"

This is a good question; should we? should we not? (In our planning meetings, we ask, what should we continue doing? what should we stop doing?) It is important. We should not be afraid to ask this question, face ourselves, and get rid of what is not adding value.

2. God's response
When you fasted, those 70 years, you did not do it for me. 7:5 you lived for yourself. You did not care about me. you claimed to fast, but you left that place to went out and lived as though i am not there, you just lived for yourselves. Rom 2:24  For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Ezek 36:22-23. you did not care about the things i care about.
The message to you, is the same as was given to your forefathers,
"Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor,
and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” 7:9-10.

For your planning, here is the template, this is the Focus- not the traditional/ritualistic calendar prayers, no!, Plan for these and do them, because i care about them. Look at these areas of your life: Justice and mercy, look into your hearts (That no evil is devised there), look out for those who are in trouble, the less privileged! plan for those things and it shall be well with you.

Otherwise- If you keep the tradition of ritualistic prayer, and continue  in the path of injustice and extortion, and greed, your fate will be like that of your forefathers. "I will not listen, and i will scatter you."

Zec 7:13  “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts,, and i scattered them with a whirlwind..."

Lessons for application:

1. Consistency-when we pray, we must live as though we care about what God cares about; John 15:7-If you abide in me, and my words abide in you...Ask whatever you wish, 1 John 3:22. "and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.. Right living matters to God.


2. God is not fooled by spiritual ritualistic outward performances-he looks at the heart Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8,  Lips vs Heart. "“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 1 Samuel 16:7 For men consider the physical appearance, but God considers the heart." 1 Samuel 15:22, " And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 

3. Justice and Mercy matters to God- Isaiah 58: True Fasting. "sa 58:6  “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Isa 58:7  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 
Micah 6:7-8 "Mic 6:7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” Mic 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Nehemiah-Roles of a Spiritual Leader:

1.       Prayer: shows dependence. 

2.       Planning: strategic- He has thought through the details of the project, what do I need to make it happen? Situational analysis, he has facts,

3.       People: He mobilizes others to do the job. He knows that aspect of shared tasks. See how we are in disgrace… and motivates them with the solution and what God has already started doing… 

4.       Participate- implement- Nehemiah leads from the front. Chapter 3-6.

5.       Problems solving- Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem cause trouble- Nehemiah leads in navigating the problems that would stop him. In chapter 5, there is an internal problem- oppression of the poor.

6.       Posterity- chap 7-13 Nehemiah sets up structures to ensure success beyond his tenure. 7:2 the leaders set up are of this type: Hanani was reliable and God fearing man without an equal. 

Nehemiah's (Tender) Care for the People

Nehemiah 5:1-19

Observations.

The situation is critical. People have no money and grain, they have no means acquire the food they need. They have given out their vineyards and fields as surety, or say auctioned their property and even themselves to their fellow jews as slaves. Now they are under the control of the rich! The society is so unequal. See this, “We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us.”  On the other hand, the rich leaders have this mindset, “Possibly by farming on the acquired farms, we produce more and keep the rest of the people as our slaves, feed them”-That is power. God does not like that. Luke 12:14-21. Mercy means I help the poor and assist them to produce for themselves.

Angry Nehemiah-He has a sense of justice and fairness. He reminds me of Professor Aseka of ILU. These verses stand out for me; “I grew angry and decided to act” “I called a public assembly to deal with the problem.” Nehemiah is leading from the core of his heart. He denounces the leaders for oppressing the poor and taking advantage of their status. “You ought to obey God and do what is right.” Vs 9.

Self sacrificing Nehemiah- he leads in cancelling the debts and calls on the rest of the leaders to give up their claims from their relatives, and give back their fields and vineyards. The leaders follow suit.

A different leader- Nehemiah, though entitled to a certain status and privileges as the governor of Judah for 12 years, he forfeits it.  He chose to keep the interests of the people at heart. See this, “For the 12 years I was governor in Judah… neither my relatives nor I at the food I was entitled to have as governor… I acted differently because I honored God. I put all my energy into rebuilding the wall and did not acquire any property… I knew what the heavy burdens the people had to bear, and so I did not claim the allowance that the governor is entitled to.” Vs 14-18. His identity, security and significance was settled. It was not in the stuff he could amass. (Luke 12:14-15 for a person’s life is not in the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be” Jesus Said). He cared for the people.

Prayer of favor- “I pray you, O God, remember to my credit everything that I have done for this people.”

Lessons:

1.       The fear of God will make me lead in a different way.

2.       My identity is not in things and stuff.

3.       God rewards such leaders who serve the people with a selfless heart.

Application:

I will share this with my friends in the afternoon in GCTC class as an illustration of simplicity. Upload on my blog, and share some statements on facebook and Twitter.

Amen. 

Nehemiah's Conflict and Confidence

Nehemiah 4.

Observations.

More opposition-It seems the opposition gradually changed in nature and intensity. At first it was an indignant heart (2:10) then a laugh with a threat (2:19) and now it is an all out conspiracy (4:1-23).

Who-Sanballat, Tobiah, people of Arabia, Ammon and Ashdod vs 7 form the bulk of opposition. They ridicule, laugh and mock. Vs 8 gives us their intention, “so they all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.” Their real intent is to keep the Israelites in that state of disgrace, in the status of defeat. Yet this is the sole reason why Nehemiah came to Jerusalem, to remove this disgrace. This was his motto, his manifesto- Vs 2:17, “judge me by this.” By fighting them, they are really fighting this vision.

Response- Prayer- Vs 4, 9 show how dependent Nehemiah is. “Hear how they make fun of us, o God.” The natural response after fear is to run helter skelter and be found out unprepared. But Nehemiah prays. “But we prayed to our God…”

Discernment- God allows (In response to prayer and his commitment to his people and his word) the plots of the enemy be revealed. Vs 12, “Time after time time, jews who were living among our enemies came to warn us of the plans our enemies were making against us. So I armed the people with swords and spears and bows and stationed them by clan behind the wall, wherever it was still unfinished.

God-centered confidence and initiative- Nehemiah speaks to his laborers, “Remember how terrifying the Lord is, and fight for your relatives, your children, your wives and your homes.”

Interpretation

 My paraphrase- “Our God is… therefore be... and do…” He-God is our point of reference. What do you think comes to their minds when Nehemiah says, “Our God is terrifying?” I guess they remember how he terrified Pharaoh and his army, and the early kings of Canaan… So if you asked any of them, “What do you think you are, what do you think you can do against this huge army, what is your capacity to do the task? their response would be GOD-Centered. 2 Cor 3:4-6. No wonder the need to keep looking unto Jesus all the time, to know him- to know his attributes. Heb 12:1-2, Isaiah 45:22, 2 Cor 3:18. The more we know God, the more we draw our identity, and our confidence from him. “We say this because we have our confidence in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work, the capacity we have comes from God.” God is our sufficiency. See also Col 1:28-29.

Application:

I am not upto the task in my many roles, of my own self, but I will put my confidence in the Lord. It is about him. I will draw my identity from God and do as I am required still looking at him.

Others verses 1 Cor 15:10, But by the grace of God I am what I am. and 1 Timothy 1:12-15. 

Nehemiah's Company or Strategy

Nehemiah 3:1-32

Observations

This reminds me of a list I have seen at Nazarene University.  A list of those who participated in the work, It is a recognition of participation. Everyone who built the wall was recognized.

The task of rebuilding the wall was divided into sections by supervisors. Vs 5 and every section assigned to a particular person. I like the way everyone participates. There is great ownership of the task. Seemingly when the work began, the place became as busy as a beehive, some bringing the beams, some the bolts, some the stones, others pushing the carts, it’s just amazing. However in vs 5 “but the leading men of the town (of Tekoa) refused to do the manual labor assigned to them by the supervisors. You can see them, they are a status higher than manual work! Proud guys! Hey, but the work continues in spite of these spectating guys!.

Interpretation

Everyone who participated in the work was recognized. I believe that the relatives of these heroes and heroines were proud of them. Everyone who does a good job, will be remembered. If God had these names remembered and written in his word, so shall he remember everyone who participates. I too will be remembered.

Application

I am encouraged, to continue doing the right thing, serving the Lord. Revelation 14:13, 2 Cor 5:9-10. “For all of us must appear before Christ to be judged by him. We will each receive what we deserve according to everything we have done good or bad in our bodily life.”

This assures me, God keeps such a record like Nehemiah’s! 

Nehemiah's Character

Nehemiah 2:1-20.

Distressed Nehemiah- the situation in Jerusalem is weighing him down. His heart is gloomy and this is reflected on his face. He is unaware that he is looking gloomy even as he is approaching his master. What breaks my heart this way? (When a freind could not believe that we are declared not guilty forever when we believe in Christ, yet it is written all over the Bible. When another friend last week chose unbelief intentionally- rejecting the love of God, he turned his back to the truth, “I want to remain as I am.”)

Dependent Nehemiah- its amazing to note that when the king asks him, “what is it that you want?” Nehemiah prays a short prayer and then responds to the Emperor. He trusts God for utterance, for Wisdom, for guidance in speech. His prayer life is outstanding- shows dependence, and God is dependable.

Courageous Nehemiah-He articulates what he wants.

Favoured Nehemiah- The Emperor gave me all I asked for, because God was with me. It is because God..!!!! It’s because God was with me. There is no other way of explaining this, no other way to look at it. The emperor goes ahead and gives him army officers to go with him. It reminds me of the prayer of Jabez- “Let your hand be with me.”

Strategic Nehemiah- He sees the whole picture and the details in between. He asks for letters of passage, the provision for materials vs 7-8.

Fact finding Nehemiah- On arrival, he does not call a meeting immediately, in fact he waits 3 days. Then he journeys around the wall at night- this is tact. He now has the facts, the facts he needs when it comes to dividing the labour. This helps him not to underestimate the task… he needs this information.

Vision casting Nehemiah-vs 17-18 he casts the vision to the people and motivates them. In it he articulates the issue, “See what trouble we are in because Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are destroyed…” The solution, “Lets rebuild the city walls” Then he paints the picture of the future, “and put an end to our disgrace.”  Then he goes ahead to encourage and motivate the people to action. “And I told them how God had been with me and helped me, and what the emperor had said to me.”This is motivational- it showed the people that it is doable… the vision is not beyond reach. In this he is also building a team- the priests, the leaders, and the officials. Vs 16.

The result- people are motivated and ready to work. “They responded, “Lets start rebuilding!” and they got ready to start the work.

Opposition- Sanballat, Tobias and Geshem at first are indignant when they hear someone is thinking of the welfare of Israelites. Then they start with a threat, “What do you think you are doing? Are you going to rebel against the emperor?”

Confident Nehemiah- The firmness and the confidence of Nehemiah is hinged on his knowledge of God. “The God of heaven will give us success. We are his servants, and we are going to start building.” He tells these guys off. “You have no right to any property in Jerusalem and you have no share in its traditions.”

Wow, what a leadership and the evidence of God’s hand with Nehemiah.  

Nehemiah's call.

Responsive Nehemiah- He feels convinced to do something. A desire to do something from his time of prayer and in response to the news he has received—he feels called to do something. A deep persuasion, a calling to respond in a specific way is growing in his heart. He feels a sense of responsibility growing in his heart. Look at his prayer in the end. “Give me success today and make the emperor merciful to me.” He so identifies with the issue, that he feels like he wants to respond in a specific way. Such a heart is given by the Lord. And those who accomplish something significant are those who God brings to a place where life is not the same, as long as the status quo continues. For me, I know, that when I learned that many of the believers especially campus students are living an insecure life- in spite of the promises given to them by God in his word, Life could not continue being the same, God helped me to take personal responsibility—so identified with the issue, that such a prayer would proceed from my mouth… Oh God, give me success today in the sight of my partners… in the sight of my parents--- in the sight of my friends, and before the panel of interviewers at LMK.  When God calls you, then you realize you are working in a context that requires peoples favor. Vs 11.