– EZRA 4:4
Have you ever been involved in building something good? Something worth building? A ministry to orphans; an outreach to the homeless; a food bank; or maybe even something as simple as writing letters to missionaries to help build their spirits? Isn't it odd, strange, and seemingly somewhat coincidental that while you are doing your best to bring some good into this world, someone, or a group of someones, or an entire army of someones, will try to beat you down, and harass you, and try to discourage you? In today's scripture reading in the book of Ezra, we find that the people of Israel were harassed and berated for 15 years while they rebuilt the temple of God. That's 15 years of being laughed at and insulted. 15 years of ridicule and taunting. 15 years of having to continually hear the negative as they worked their butts off in order to honor their God . . . YOUR God, and MY God.
How would you like to be followed around all day by someone telling you you're no good and the work you're doing will never amount to anything . . . for 15 years?! We can't stand it for 15 minutes before we start questioning ourselves and our abilities to complete the task, or the project, or the outreach under such difficult circumstances! Our resolve sometimes is dependent too much on the approval of man and not enough on the appointment God has hand-picked for us. The assignment is ours and nowhere in His Word does it say that things will be easy and everyone will approve of what we are doing. To the contrary! The Word warns us that we will encounter troubles as we build according to God's purpose for our lives. There will be lies, and rumors, and naysayers, and deceivers. People will hurt us – some intentional, but some out of good meaning, but just using bad judgement. Regardless of the reason, opposition is just part of our walk in this life called Christianity.
We need to draw our strength and find our resolve in the God who sees all, provides all, and knows all. We need to be kingdom builders – no matter what, or who, or why anybody else thinks differently. We need to learn to hear God's voice in our lives so that we know we are building His way and in His timing. When we can get to that point, when we can know that we know that we know that God is behind us, then 15 years, 25 years or even 50 years won't be enough to deter or discourage us from the work we are doing for our God.
The enemy hates us! He doesn't want us to have any victory in any are of our lives. Building God's Kingdom defeats the enemy and makes him hate us even more and he will stop at nothing to get us to quit. But the enemy's tactics are only lies and the God of the Angel armies builds us up as we build for Him! He builds us up with Grace, and Peace, and Joy, and Forgiveness, and Endurance, and Righteousness, and Love, and Heavenly Determination! He gives us HIS all so that we can give Him all we are . . . with everything we are . . . and everything we hope to be . . . for the Glory of HIS Kingdom, forever and ever . . . AMEN!
So doubt the doubt! Let go of the lies! Disbelieve the deceivers! Say NO to the naysayers! Keep moving forward! Keep serving with excellence! Keep Building with all that is in you to build! Just keep being who God created you to be and before long, you will see God remove the roadblocks and change the hearts of those who were sent to harass you. You will see Victory and you will dine at the table of Grace and God will plunge you into a sea of Joy . . . all because you kept on building, even though it would have been easier to quit. You just kept building!
Prayer
Father, give us the strength to continue building – even in the face of discouragement and opposition. Give us the desire to complete Your purpose for Your Glory. Forgive us for the times when we get discouraged and for letting the negative voices influence us and for the times when we feel it's just too hard and we want to quit. Help us to remain strong and purpose-driven for You!
Have a Blessed day everyone!
Richard
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