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Theme: BUILDING NEW JERUSALEM
Text: “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” Nehemiah 4:6.
Comment: Willingness to build New Jerusalem overcomes whatever may be the hindering factors. There are always reasons not to use our resources for God. There are always bills to pay, health issues to attend to, family and friends pressure, some factors that we even bring upon ourselves because of our cravings for pleasure.
In the face of all this, we are encouraged by the fact that people have made great sacrifices in the past even under dire circumstances because they understood that to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness is far more beneficial and as Christ said every other thing shall be added unto us. – Matthew 6:33.
Willingness is a virtue that God looks for in our hearts; He will give us the necessary assistance to accomplish. As seen in the time of Nehemiah when they built the wall of Jerusalem, their enemies mocked them and even planned to attack them, making them share themselves into two groups, those building and those on guard at every point in time. Nehemiah 4:14-17 states, “… And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work…” He himself prayed: “Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.” – Nehemiah 13:14.