Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”

My wife listened to the Bible Bus broadcasts of the “thru the bible” in five years radio program by the late pastor and author Dr. J. Vernon McGee. I later turned my car radio to the local Christian radio station in my car and listened to the verse-by-verse study of each book in the Bible, bring the whole Word of God to the whole world. The in-depth unpacking of the context and meaning of the living Word of God within the Holy Scriptures is loaded with application for living in every day and age for every generation, for the Lord intended for it to be that way. The radio program continuously goes through the entire Bible, book-by-book, and I encourage you to find the broadcast in your area and listen because you shall be blessed in doing so.

In a newsletter article that came lately, Dr. McGee discussed lessons on serving God that we learn from the book of Nehemiah. He states that if you’ve ever looked at a messy situation and thought, “someone ought to do something”, you’ll understand the passion Nehemiah felt for Jerusalem in his day. From distant Persia (modern day Iran), Nehemiah heard that its walls lay in rubble, even decades after Jews returned home. But what could he do?

That’s the question you may have when you consider some big need you see in your church or ministry or community. You may want to do something, but what can you do? You may not be in full-time ministry and you may not be trained in a Seminary, but when God wants to use you, those things do not matter. What God requires in His servants is a humble heart and courage to do God’s work, God’s way.

In Nehemiah 2:4, this Jewish Cupbearer to King Artaxerxes tells us, “Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.”

What a fabulous example of how to get something done. Pray before you start. Pray as you go. Pray when you’re between a rock and a hard place. Pray about everything. Nehemiah didn’t want to run ahead of God, so he prayed about it. He said, “Lord, if you want to use me, I am making myself available to You.” Know that God is not going to lead us all alike. God will lead you one way and He will lead me another way. God will use both ways. We are all designed and crafted by the Lord as unique individuals. Remember that God would rather have an original you than an imitation of anyone else.

Dr. McGee concludes that many unknown Christians will be called before the judgment seat of Christ and rewarded for their service to God. Understand that some of the greatest rewards will go to some of the unknown saints (meaning those who are sanctified) who live for God in this day.

Blessings in serving God.Go in peace. Serve the Lord