These people are rebellious and evil. Let's do everything we can to frustrate and discourage them. We'll even write a letter of accusation against them and bribe some people to help us stop them! What their doing is wrong and can't continue!
This sounds like some pretty awful people doesn't it? Well it might surprise you to know these are things that were being said and done against the Children of Israel when they were released from captivity and sent back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God. You can read about it in the Book of Ezra.
I mean these people were DREAMING.......AGAIN! Let me share Psalm 126:1,2 again. "When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy...." While writing this I can sense their excitement. Maybe they were realizing their true identity. They were now beginning to understand that they were not "children of captivity" but they were children of the Most High God!
Yet immediately they faced opposition. They experienced negative words spoken against them trying to remind them of their past. Words trying to identify them as someone other then who God created them to be. I can only imagine some of the inner personal struggles they must have faced in overcoming their past but now they had to overcome the words of others!
When you experience failure in any area of life such as a failed marriage, business or even a moral failure you not only have to overcome your own negative thoughts and emotions but sometimes you have to overcome the words and actions of others. Even Christian brothers and sisters. And sometimes these negative words and actions come from others simply because we're not doing what they want. It happens! Friends there's nothing new under the sun. It happened to the Children of Israel and it will happen to you and me. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO REBUILD AFTER A FAILURE!
For the Children of Israel it even got to the point they were so discouraged and fearful that they were forced to stop rebuilding the temple. And this is were many people are that have set out to rebuild after a tragedy. You've faced much opposition from the words and actions of others on top of your own personal struggles and now you're just surviving instead of living life with value and purpose.
BUT TODAY I HAVE GOOD NEWS! I love Ezra 5 because it tells us that God sent His Prophets to encourage the Children of Israel so they started again to rebuild the temple of God! CAN YOU SEE IT? PLEASE DON'T MISS THIS. WHAT THEY NEEDED WAS SOME ENCOURAGEMENT NOT DISCOURAGEMENT!
I know there are times in my life I need to encourage myself and that's very important but in a season of rebuilding it's also vitally important that you have people around you who will encourage you.
As I'm writing this I just heard the following words in my spirit. "It's not a sign of weakness to have people around you to encourage you. In fact it's pride to think you can do it on your own." Let me say it again, we need each other! It's interesting! We need each other but no-one can take the place of God in your life. He's the ultimate encourager! In fact He wants to encourage you through others.
That's why you need to IGNORE those who are trying to discourage you. Jesus had a gift of ignoring those who were trying to accuse and discourage Him and we should do the same. Circle your life with people who believe in you and will encourage you.
Just a little side note. The Bible identifies Satan as "The Accuser of the Brethren."
In closing this blog post let me challenge you with a few things. When necessary encourage yourself in the Lord. Build an inner circle of people who are for you and will encourage you. Distant yourself from those who discourage and accuse you and others. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO IS BE AN ENCOURAGER!
Here's what I've discovered. When I know for certain that God is for me and not against me and I can encourage myself and others and have people around me that are encouraging me, these are the ingredients for DREAMING.......AGAIN!
Stay Tuned, more to come!
This sounds like some pretty awful people doesn't it? Well it might surprise you to know these are things that were being said and done against the Children of Israel when they were released from captivity and sent back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God. You can read about it in the Book of Ezra.
I mean these people were DREAMING.......AGAIN! Let me share Psalm 126:1,2 again. "When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy...." While writing this I can sense their excitement. Maybe they were realizing their true identity. They were now beginning to understand that they were not "children of captivity" but they were children of the Most High God!
Yet immediately they faced opposition. They experienced negative words spoken against them trying to remind them of their past. Words trying to identify them as someone other then who God created them to be. I can only imagine some of the inner personal struggles they must have faced in overcoming their past but now they had to overcome the words of others!
When you experience failure in any area of life such as a failed marriage, business or even a moral failure you not only have to overcome your own negative thoughts and emotions but sometimes you have to overcome the words and actions of others. Even Christian brothers and sisters. And sometimes these negative words and actions come from others simply because we're not doing what they want. It happens! Friends there's nothing new under the sun. It happened to the Children of Israel and it will happen to you and me. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO REBUILD AFTER A FAILURE!
For the Children of Israel it even got to the point they were so discouraged and fearful that they were forced to stop rebuilding the temple. And this is were many people are that have set out to rebuild after a tragedy. You've faced much opposition from the words and actions of others on top of your own personal struggles and now you're just surviving instead of living life with value and purpose.
BUT TODAY I HAVE GOOD NEWS! I love Ezra 5 because it tells us that God sent His Prophets to encourage the Children of Israel so they started again to rebuild the temple of God! CAN YOU SEE IT? PLEASE DON'T MISS THIS. WHAT THEY NEEDED WAS SOME ENCOURAGEMENT NOT DISCOURAGEMENT!
I know there are times in my life I need to encourage myself and that's very important but in a season of rebuilding it's also vitally important that you have people around you who will encourage you.
As I'm writing this I just heard the following words in my spirit. "It's not a sign of weakness to have people around you to encourage you. In fact it's pride to think you can do it on your own." Let me say it again, we need each other! It's interesting! We need each other but no-one can take the place of God in your life. He's the ultimate encourager! In fact He wants to encourage you through others.
That's why you need to IGNORE those who are trying to discourage you. Jesus had a gift of ignoring those who were trying to accuse and discourage Him and we should do the same. Circle your life with people who believe in you and will encourage you.
Just a little side note. The Bible identifies Satan as "The Accuser of the Brethren."
In closing this blog post let me challenge you with a few things. When necessary encourage yourself in the Lord. Build an inner circle of people who are for you and will encourage you. Distant yourself from those who discourage and accuse you and others. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO IS BE AN ENCOURAGER!
Here's what I've discovered. When I know for certain that God is for me and not against me and I can encourage myself and others and have people around me that are encouraging me, these are the ingredients for DREAMING.......AGAIN!
Stay Tuned, more to come!
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