Nehemiah Cared

By R.J. Evans

It has been said that “The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that’s the essence of inhumanity.” That statement is the lesson Jesus taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37).

Have you ever felt as though no one seemed to care? Have you ever been sick, and no one ever called to see how you were feeling? Have you ever been down and lonely, and hardly anyone ever glanced in your direction? Have you ever been discouraged to the point of missing the services of the church, and no one called to tell you they had been missing you, and wanted to know what they could do to help?

I’m sure that most of us have wondered at times— “does anybody really care?” A friend once told me of his attending a local church for three months before one particular elder of the congregation ever made an effort to introduce himself. I know of a person who repeatedly requested of a preacher that he visit her dying mother in the hospital, but he refused because that was not a part of his “job” as an evangelist. As Christians, we need to constantly examine our hearts to see if we really care for people. We need to ask ourselves if we are doing the things necessary to let others know that we care about them. Or, do we care about certain ones, while being indifferent toward others? We all must be careful, lest we become so “wrapped up” in our own lives, we become totally insensitive and oblivious to the needs and concerns of others (Phil. 2:3-4).

Nehemiah was the kind of person who cared. Let’s notice four ways in which he cared.

1. Nehemiah cared enough to ask. (Neh. 1:1-3) He was the cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes. He was concerned for the struggling remnant of Jews who lived hundreds of miles away. He asked about Jerusalem and the ones living there because he had a caring heart for his people. When we truly care about people, we want the facts, no matter how painful they may be. Three words summarize the bad news Nehemiah received: survivors, distress, and reproach. Are we like Nehemiah, anxious to know the truth even about the worst situations? Are we the kind of people who care enough to ask?

2. Nehemiah cared enough to weep. (Neh. 1:4) What makes people laugh or weep is often an indication of their character. People who laugh at another’s mistakes or misfortunes, or who weep over trivial, insignificant personal disappointments are lacking in character. Sometimes weeping is a sign of weakness; but with Nehemiah, it was a sign of strength and deep concern, as it was with Jeremiah— “the weeping prophet” (Jer. 9:1). The Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul wept over sad situations (Lk. 19:41; Acts 20:19).

3. Nehemiah cared enough to pray. (Neh. 1:5-10) This prayer is the first of twelve recorded prayers in the book of Nehemiah. In fact, the book opens and closes with prayer. It is obvious that Nehemiah was a man of faith who depended wholly upon the Lord to help him accomplish his work. Nehemiah succeeded because he depended upon God. The same holds true for us today.

4. Nehemiah cared enough to volunteer. (Neh. 1:11) It has well been said that “prayer is not getting man’s will done in heaven, but getting God’s will done on earth.” But for God’s will to be done on earth, He needs people who are readily available for Him to use them in His service. What about the times when volunteers are needed to teach a class, prepare the communion trays, prepare a meal, make a visit, write a letter, send a card, make a phone call, etc.? Do we make ourselves available?

God is still looking for people who care, people like Nehemiah, who cared enough to ask for the facts, weep over the needs, pray for God’s help, and then volunteer to get the job done.

Nehemiah cared! Or, as another prophet once said to the Lord, “Here am I, send me!” (Isa. 6:8). &

Seeing Is Not the Same as Noticing

LOS ANGELES - Psychology researchers in California say tests show people often do not recall things, even important items, they've seen or walked by hundreds of times. For the study at the University of California, Los Angeles, 54 people who work in a building were asked if they knew the location of the fire extinguisher nearest their office. Although many of the participants had worked in their offices in the building for years and had passed a number of the bright red extinguishers several times a day, 24 percent knew their locations. Yet when asked to find a fire extinguisher, researchers found, everyone was able to do so within a few seconds, with most of the participants saying they were surprised they had never noticed them. "Just because we've seen something many times doesn't mean we remember it or even notice it," UCLA psychology Professor Alan Castel said. Not noticing things isn't necessarily bad, he said, particularly when those things are not important in your daily life. "It might be a good thing not to burden your memory with information that is not relevant to you," he said. But safety information, like knowing where fire extinguishers are or what to do in an emergency, could be vital, he said. "We don't notice something if we're attending to something else," Castel said. "Fire extinguishers are bright red and very conspicuous, but we're almost blind to them until they become relevant." (From Gizmorama - December 10, 2012) & (Editor’s note: Many see without noticing what God’s word teaches. And many get mad when you point it out to them. Go figure.)

Jesus Is Lord

By Terry Sanders

Many today call Jesus Lord, but are they doing what the Lord says to do? Jesus said in Luke 6:46, "But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?" Acknowledging His Lordship and then refusing to obey Him is believed to be acceptable to multitudes, but it is unacceptable to the Lord!

Notice the context. In Luke 6:47 we find the one "who hears My sayings and does them" is the one who stands on a rock (Luke 6:48). The one who "heard and did nothing" stands upon bare ground (Luke 6:49). Which one truly acknowledges Jesus as Lord? The one who "hears My sayings and does them." Does that describe you? &

Christians Only

By Terry Sanders

Did you know that you can be a Christian without ever joining a denomination? That’s right! If you look at the New Testament you will read about people who became Christians centuries before the first denomination. Now, what would be the result if you did the same thing that those people did? You would be a Christian without ever joining a denomination. (Editor’s note: The Forest Hills church of Christ stands on this principle of the New Testament. We encourage you to do only what the New Testament says to do to become a Christian and to live as a Christian should. May we help you in this? Please come and visit us at your next opportunity.) &

Food for Thought

(From book by Mac Anderson and John J. Murphy – Habits Die Hard)

Contributed by Tom Leavins

I am your constant companion. I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden. I will push you up to success or down to disappointment. I am at your command

Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me. For I can do them quickly, correctly and profitably.

I am easily managed; just be firm with me.

Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a machine and the intelligence of a person. You can run me for profit or you can run me for ruin.

Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me. Lead me. Reward me. And I will then…do it automatically.

I am your servant. Who am I? & (Preaching for the Tri-City Church of Christ in Longwood, Florida 407-920-1757 - See answer below)

If You Cannot Reason, Ridicule!

By Bob Myhan

 Sports analyst, Rob Parker, has openly ridiculed football player Robert Griffin III for saying he does not want “to be defined by the color of [his] skin.”

 The Answer: A Habit

Note from Tom Leavins: It is up to us to make our habits according to the righteousness of God through Christ (Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:21-25).

WHAT HABITS WILL YOU START AND WHAT HABITS WILL YOU DISCARD IN 2013?