Archive for category: GAMEtime Sharing

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 12:1-47.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-23:  These verses list by name the priests and Levites who led the Israelites in worshiping the Lord.  What can we learn from this?  God sees, remembers and honours those who lead others to worship Jesus.  You were made to lead others in worship too.  You don’t have to be a good singer, musician or speaker to lead others in worship.  Worship is so much more than music and speaking.  Worship is living your life to give God glory in whatever you do or wherever you are.  When you live your life to worship Jesus, you will naturally influence others to worship Jesus too.  Like the people listed in verses 1 to 26, may you be counted among those who led others to worship Jesus.

Nehemiah 12:24-26 (NIV) 
24  And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 10:1-27.  There are so many important lessons we can learn from this passage.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-27:  Here is a list of the priests, Levites and other leaders, along with Nehemiah, who represented the people in signing a written agreement to say, on behalf of the Israelites, that they would obey the Lord and be faithful to Him.  To evidence how serious their commitment was, they put their own names on the line and sealed the document with their personal seals.

What can we learn from this?  I respect the guts of those who were willing to put their names on the line and sign an agreement to say that they will follow all of God’s commands.  Every family, every church, every city, every school, every company and every nation needs people who are willing to stick their neck out on behalf of the people and lead by example in following the Lord.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 9:1-15.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 9:1-2 (NIV) 
1  On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. 
2  Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers.

On verses 1-2:  Earlier in the month, the Israelites gathered to celebrate, rejoice and hold a feast in accordance with God’s commands (8:13-18).  Now just over two weeks later, the Israelites gather again, this time to fast, confess their sins and draw near to God.

What can we learn from this?  In church, there is a place for rejoicing and celebrating, and there’s also a place for mourning, weeping and confessing sin.   A healthy church is one that does both:  we rejoice and we repent, we celebrate victories and we confess sin, we party and we pray.
 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 7:1-73.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 7:1-2 (NIV) 
1  After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed. 2  I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.
 
On verses 1-2:  Having successfully rebuilt the wall, Nehemiah now choses leaders to help protect and manage what he and the people have built together.  Nehemiah picks his brother Hanani as well as Hananiah to take charge of Jerusalem.  He picks Hananiah “because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do” (v2).  Notice that when picking leaders, Nehemiah wasn’t focused on the candidates’ charisma or charm, but their character.  Likewise, when choosing your spouse, your closest friends, or other key people whom you let have an influence on your life, don’t focus on that person’s charisma or charm; focus on that person’s character.  Are they a person of integrity?  Do they have an uncommon heart for God?
 

Hi GAMErs,
 
Today’s passage is Nehemiah 5:1-19.  Let’s go!
 
Nehemiah 5:1-4 (NIV) 
1  Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers. 
2  Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” 
3  Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” 
4  Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
 
On verses 1-4, 7-10:  The richer Jews in Jerusalem were taking advantage of the poorer Jews in Jerusalem, lending them money but charging interest (v7-10) and taking their real estate as security (v1-4). Nehemiah rebukes the nobles and officials harshly for this (v7-10).  You might ask, “What’s wrong with that? In a market economy that sounds reasonable.” It’s because God expects us to deal with His children graciously rather than to squeeze them for everything that they can give to us. Since we are brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not use each other simply for business purposes, but we are to see each other as family and “love each other as brothers and sisters” (1 Peter 3:8).