Faith Baptist Church

Nehemiah 5:14-19 (New International Version)

New International Version (NIV)Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

 

 14 Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels ^[a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we ^[b] did not acquire any land.

 17 Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

 19 Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.

 

In case you haven’t heard, it’s deer season.  One week from tomorrow more than 300,000 hunters will take to the woods…

…the work place will be understaffed;
…Beanie Weenies will be in short supply on grocery store shelves
…Restaurants in rural counties will open at 4:00 AM
…Blaze orange will dominate the landscape
…(and) schools will close in several central counties

It’s an annual ritual that bewilders a lot of folks and frustrates PETA to no end. To the hunter, the “ethical treatment” of deer next week means making a clean shot!

Several years ago, I hunted with a pastor friend, and a young man named Chad, a new convert, who had permission to hunt on some prime property behind his house. 

Chad was very excited about this deer season; this was the year his wife
was going to begin hunting with him—Obviously a godly, submissive lady, whose example should be emulated by all wives with a desire to please the Lord.

When we came out of the woods in the afternoon, I met a bright, curly haired 2-year-old named Caitlyn.  Chad mentioned with pleasure that she loves venison.

He told how that during bow season, he had hung a field-dressed deer near the back porch.  Folks, I believe there will be deer hunting in heaven, but there is nothing appetizing about a field-dressed deer that’s been left hanging a few days. 

Returning from town, Caitlyn and her mother walked past the hanging, riger mortis animal. And as they passed by, the 2 year old gazed at it and said, ‘Yum! Yum!”

When I heard that, I thought of the power of influence…the influence of a culture, and parents on a two-year-old.

We are studying the personal journal of a OT saint who welded significant influence; He is a model.  We learn for the first time in this passage that in the process of building the wall, Nehemiah was appointed governor of Judea.

He didn’t set out with aspirations to sit in the governor’s chair, he was simply following the God’s leading as it had been revealed to Him. In the words of Abraham’s servant, “he was in the way and the Lord led him…”

Hardly a week goes by that I don’t talk with someone who is trying to discern the will of God.  Committed believers who are asking, “How do I find God’s will in this situation, for my life? For the next step?”

Finding God’s will is like driving at night.  You don’t worry about what’s ahead three miles up the road, you focus on the 50 or 75 yards illumined ahead of you.  When Paul was saved he said, “Lord, what would you have me to do?”
Jesus says what?  He didn’t say, “Start churches all over Asia Minor,” or, “Write half of the New Testament.”  He said, “Arise and go into the city…” 

The most important question is:  Are you doing what you know to be the will of God today? Are you walking confidently in the light that you do have?

Nehemiah says, “Lord what would you have me to do?”  “Go to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall,” the Lord says.  And in obeying, he is promoted to the office of governor. 

He is a prime example of Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man who
excels in his work? He will stand before kings.” 

That doesn’t mean that advancement up the ladder is assured; the point is: God blesses those who glorify Him through work hard and commitment to excellence. 

An employee was outraged that he was passed over for a promotion. “I have 20 years of experience,” he complained to the boss. “No,” the boss replied, “You have one year’s experience twenty times.”

Nehemiah’s story is a tale of influence.

…He had sway with the King, who gave him leave from the palace to pursue
   the vision of rebuilding the wall.

…He had weight with the Jewish leaders, and then the people, when he
   cast the vision.

…More recently, he had influence when he rebuked the nobles and rulers for
   their selfishness in taking advantage of a famine and the poverty of the
   brethren building the wall.

      In verse 8, “They were silenced and found nothing to say.”
      Verse 12, “We will restore it; we will do as you say.”

Looking back several years later, he writes a testimony about how God in His Providence rewarded his diligence.  Booker T. Washington titled his autobiography, “Up From Slavery.”

Nehemiah titled this chapter of his journal,  “Up from A Cupbearer.”

Does it strike you as self-serving? Is he like the newly-appointed General who wanted to impress his staff?  As some men entered his new office, he picked up the phone and said,

             “Thank you, Mr. President.  It was good to talk to you, sir.”

When he hung up, his secretary said,  “General, these men are here to connect your phone.”

Someone wrote a delightful little book titled, “A Turtle On A Fence Post.”  The Big Idea is, if you see a turtle balanced on a fence post, you know he didn’t get there by himself. 

Nehemiah is giving credit to the One who put him there! “I was appointed…”He says.  His testimony drips with wonder and worship.   It’s the spirit of Paul, who said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

A.W. Tozer once commented, “Listen to no man who has not listened to God.”   Nehemiah listened to God; and the Holy Spirit says, “Listen To Him.”

In this passage, He shares from his heart and experience: “How To Get A Promotion”— Four marks of a difference maker who influences others for the Savior and His Kingdom:First, A Difference Maker Places Responsibilities Over Rights—V14

In verse 14, he talks about his appointed in the 32^nd year of King Artaxerxes, then he adds this interesting clause…       “…neither I nor my brothers at the king’s provisions…”

One of the ‘fringe benefits’ of being governor was a food allowance, granted him by the Persian government, primarily for the entertaining of official guests.  But for the greater good of strengthening the treasury, he relinquished that right.  In verse 17, he paid for it out of his own pocket.

One of the ‘fringe benefits’ of being governor was a food allowance, granted him by the Persian government, primarily for the entertaining of official guests.  But for the greater good of strengthening the treasury, he relinquished that right.  In verse 17, he paid for it out of his own pocket.”Rights” is one of the words driving our culture.  Don’t you get weary of it? 

…a woman’s right to abort a child
…the rights of 13 and 14 years olds to pull up pornography on public library computers.

There is a deep-running attitude of entitlement.  The motto of the masses is: “When in doubt, sue.”   Seventy percent of the world’s attorneys are practicing in the US.

This article appeared in the local newspaper:  “Prisoner sues over shaving requirement.”  A prisoner at the Mount Olive prison (quote):  “…is seeking a court ruling that the policy is a violation of his constitutional rights and $100,000 in damages.

The ACLU is on the vanguard of some much foolishness that’s going on.

Difference makers focus on responsibilities…The greater good of…

…the family
…the organization
…the school
…the church

There are two kinds of people in this room:  There are “here I am” people—you hear them using words like “me, my, mine.” There are the “There you are” people—They are difference makers who use words like “you, yours, ours.”

Here lies the body of Benjamin May,
Who died defending the right of way.
He was right, dead right, as he sped along,
But just as dead as if he was wrong.
 
Are there ways and areas in which you are demanding your rights?

Difference makers die to self…They are willing to lose if it means that Jesus is glorified!

Second, Difference Makers Place Servanthood Over Privileges—V15

In verse 15, he talks about the former governors and their underlings who had taxed to the people into poverty and despair!   Then he says, “I did not do so…”

With promotion comes privileges; and privileges test your character and your integrity.  Chuck Swindoll writes:

       “Few people can live in the lap of luxury and maintain their spiritual,
        emotional and moral equilibrium.  Sudden elevation often disturbs
        balance, which leads to pride and a sense of self-sufficiency—and then,
        a fall. It’s ironic, but more of us can hang tough through a demotion
        than through a promotion.”

There’s a tale about an owl who thought he was god.  His path to divinity began when one day his friends of the forest asked him some simple questions. 

One, with an ear for grammar, asked:  “Can you give me an interrogative pronoun?”  The owl thought for a moment and said, “Whoooooo.”  The animals glanced at one another in amazement.

Another furry friend held up a couple of fingers and inquired, “How many fingers am I holding up?”  Without hesitation the owl said, “Twooooo.” The   forest dwellers broke into applause.

Finally another was determined to stump Mr. Owl.  “Why does a lover call on the one he loves?”  With growing confidence, the Owl said, “to woooooo.”

It was glorious! The forest creatures began to cry in one voice that he was God.  They bowed in his presence and often came seeking his wisdom.

With the passing of the days, the owl began strutting across the branches of his tree house. Then one day, amid a cascading stream of praise, his followers coaxed the wise owl from his tree and put him out front of his growing crowd of supporters. He led them a triumphant march through the woods.

Marching was rather difficult for the Owl, a natural tree dweller and sometimes flyer.  But when the compliments are coming fast, and everybody is shouting, “He’s God! He’s God!” it gets hard to remember what your real weaknesses are.

Another thing, Owl didn’t see very well in the light, which made his daytime leadership precarious.  Blinking and squinting and trying to see the course his leadership should take, one day Mr. Owl led his adoring followers out onto a busy four-lane highway. 

And there it happened:  An unsuspecting 18 wheeler came thundering down the highway. The driver locked down on his air breaks, but there was a cloud of soft, furry forms that flew in every direction.  But those who stopped to see the sight were puzzled most by the brown feathers that littered the highway.

And so ended the reign of the little god, whose triumphs led him into assumptions and paths that he wasn’t prepared for.

I remind you that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God took upon Himself the form of a servant…a servant of God and of others.

Responsibilities Over Rights
Servanthood Over Privileges

Third, A Difference Maker Places Devotion To God Over Personal Preferences—V15CWhy did Nehemiah take this tack?  Verse 15c— “because of the fear of God.”

Why did Nehemiah take this tack?  Verse 15c—It has been defined as “reverential trust.” Reverence is the attitude of mind of the person who is always aware that he is in the presence of God.

The word translated “fear” has the idea of how you respond to one of God’s attributes—His Holiness.  He says, “Be holy for I am holy…”  The essence of holiness is separation— Being set apart from (the world, the flesh,) unto God.  There are two elements:

*Repulsion— at Sin
*Attraction—to God, submitting to Him.

…It was the fear of the Lord that kept Joseph from committing adultery with
      Potiphar’s wife.

…It was reverence for the Lord which led Moses to renounce the influence of
      Egypt for the hardships of the wilderness.

…It motivated Paul for ministry (II Cor 5:11).

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” 

Winston church was a person of influence, who was revered. Just before his 90^th birthday, he received a birthday card from a 9-year-old girl in Columbia, South America.  What was extraordinary about this card was that it was address simply to: 

       “The Greatest Man In The World,”  (Six words)

With no postage, she dropped it in the mail.  It was delivered to 28 Hyde Park Gate, London, Mr. Churchill’s residence.

God is to be worshipped, loved, obeyed because He is God.  Devotion to Him touches every part of your life.

Responsibilities Over Rights
Servanthood Over Privileges
Devotion To God Over Personal Preferences

Fourth,  A Difference Maker Places God’s Agenda Over Personal Agenda—VV 17-18

In verses 17 and 18, we are invited to governor’s residence for dinner. You eyes first scan the other guests…150 Jews and rulers, and officials from neighboring nations.  It looks like a meeting of the UN Security Council.

You study the table.  The salad plates and collected and out comes the meat: Every day a ox and six specially chosen sheep were slaughtered, along with chicken (Nehemiah was a Baptist).  Three times a month exquisite wine was set before the guests.

This wasn’t a one-time banquet.  The fires never went out in Nehemiah’s kitchen.  All at his personal expense!

What would prompt him to do such a thing?  What was he thinking?
Surely He knew three things:

1. God owns it all.

2. All of life is a God-given stewardship. 

     -Everything I am is on loan from God.  Stewards are accountable.

     -Owners have resources; stewards manage resources.

3. Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
          Accumulation is not the goal. The glory of God and the furtherance of
          his agenda is the goal.

In a recent interview, Warren Buffet, one of the world’s wealthiest men, was ask about his passing of his wealth to his children: 

      “You should leave your children enough money to do something, but not
       enough to do nothing.

This man is arguably the best illustration in Scripture of Ron Blue’s definition:
   
          ”Stewardship is the use of God-given resources for the
          accomplishment of God-given goals.”  (Say that with me.)

Howard Dayton is the CEO of Crown Financial Ministries; a new ministry  founded when Larry Burchett’s and Ron Blue’s ministries merged. Dayton,
whose ministry counsels thousands of couples and individuals each year, recently said this:

”There is almost no difference between the way Christians handle their resources and the way those who don’t know Christ their resources.”

One more:

(Fifth)  A Difference Maker Places God’s Smile Over Man’s Approval—
—V19

Read verse 19.

This is not self-ambition or self-ambition.  It’s a wonderful expression of worship, humility and confidence in the Lord.

He says, ”I don’t care about the praise of men, I care only that you know my heart, my motives. You are the righteous judge who blesses those who sincerely seek to do your will.”

Nehemiah had learned the priority and benefits of living before an Audience of One.

General George Washington was a Christian who was sustained during the dark days of the Revolutionary War by his unswerving confidence in God’s sovereignty and personal care..

One Sunday during the gut-wrenching days of the War, the door of a certain church opened, and who stepped in the foyer, but General Washington himself.

When the pastor saw him, he took off his hat. 

“Put your hat on, Reverend,” Mr. Washington said, “We have both done the same—what we were supposed to do.”

There will be no greater success, no greater reward than to stand before Him one day with the joy and confidence that, by His grace, we have done what we were supposed to do.

That’s the passion of a difference maker.

Have you thought about this:  Nehemiah’s prayer is one that Jesus could have prayed on the Cross. 

          “Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for
           this people.”

The Lord Jesus Christ is THE eternal difference maker.  Through His obedience to the Father’s will in going to the Cross… we read…

          ”Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is
           above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should, of
           those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
           and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
           glory of the Father.”

One of the ‘fringe benefits’ of being governor was a food allowance, granted him by the Persian government, primarily for the entertaining of official guests.  But for the greater good of strengthening the treasury, he relinquished that right.  In verse 17, he paid for it out of his own pocket.Responsibilities Over RightsServanthood Over PrivilegesWhy did Nehemiah take this tack?  Verse 15c—In case you haven’t heard, it’s deer season.One week from tomorrow more than 300,000 hunters will take to the woods… …the work place will be understaffed; …Beanie Weenies will be in short supply on grocery store shelves…Restaurants in rural counties will open at 4:00 AM…Blaze orange will dominate the landscape…(and) schools will close in several central countiesIt’s an annual ritual that bewilders a lot of folks and frustrates PETA to no end. To the hunter, the “ethical treatment” of deer next week means making a clean shot!Several years ago, I hunted with a pastor friend, and a young man named Chad, a new convert, who had permission to hunt on some prime property behind his house.Chad was very excited about deer season; this was the year his wifewas going to begin hunting with him—Obviously a godly, submissive lady, whose example should be emulated by all wives with a desire to please the Lord.When we came out of the woods in the afternoon, I met a bright, curly haired 2-year-old named Caitlyn.Chad mentioned with pleasure that she loves venison.He told how that during bow season, he had hung a field-dressed deer near the back porch.Folks, I believe there will be deer hunting in heaven, but there is nothing appetizing about a field-dressed deer that’s been left hanging a few days.Returning from town, Caitlyn and her mother walked past the hanging, riger mortis animal. And as they passed by, the 2 year old gazed at it and said, When I heard that, I thought of the power of influence…the influence of a culture, and parents on a two-year-old.We are studying the personal journal of a OT saint who welded significant influence; He is a model.We learn for the first time in this passage that in the process of building the wall, Nehemiah was appointed governor of Judea.He didn’t set out with aspirations to sit in the governor’s chair, he was simply following the God’s leading as it had been revealed to Him. In the words of Abraham’s servant, “he was in the way and the Lord led him…”Hardly a week goes by that I don’t talk with someone who is trying to discern the will of God.Committed believers who are asking, “How do I find God’s will in this situation, for my life? For the next step?”Finding God’s will is like driving at night.You don’t worry about what’s ahead three miles up the road, you focus on the 50 or 75 yards illumined ahead of you.When Paul was saved he said, “Lord, what would you have me to do?”Jesus says what?He say, “Start churches all over Asia Minor,” or, “Write half of the New Testament.”He said, “Arise and go into the city…”The most important question is:Are you doing what you know to be the will of God ? Are you walking confidently in the light that you have?Nehemiah says, “Lord what would you have me to do?”“Go to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall,” the Lord says.And in obeying, he is promoted to the office of governor.He is a prime example of Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings.”That doesn’t mean that advancement up the ladder is assured; the point is: God blesses those who glorify Him through work hard and commitment to excellence.An employee was outraged that he was passed over for a promotion. “I have 20 years of experience,” he complained to the boss. “No,” the boss replied, “You have experience .”Nehemiah’s story is a tale of influence.…He had sway with the King, who gave him leave from the palace to pursue the vision of rebuilding the wall.…He had weight with the Jewish leaders, and then the people, when he cast the vision.…More recently, he had influence when he rebuked the nobles and rulers fortheir selfishness in taking advantage of a famine and the poverty of the brethren building the wall.In verse 8, “They were silenced and found nothing to say.”Verse 12, “We will restore it; we will do as you say.”Looking back several years later, he writes a testimony about how God in His Providence rewarded his diligence.Booker T. Washington titled his autobiography, “Up From Slavery.”Nehemiah titled this chapter of his journal,“Up from A Cupbearer.”Does it strike you as self-serving? Is he like the newly-appointed General who wanted to impress his staff?As some men entered his new office, he picked up the phone and said, “Thank , Mr. President.It was good to talk to , sir.”When he hung up, his secretary said,“General, these men are here to connect your phone.”Someone wrote a delightful little book titled, “A Turtle On A Fence Post.”The Big Idea is, if you see a turtle balanced on a fence post, you know he didn’t get there by himself.Nehemiah is giving credit to the One who put him there! He says.His testimony drips with wonder and worship.It’s the spirit of Paul, who said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”A.W. Tozer once commented, “Listen to no man who has not listened to God.”Nehemiah listened to God; and the Holy Spirit says, “Listen To Him.”In this passage, He shares from his heart and experience: “How To Get A Promotion”— In verse 14, he talks about his appointed in the 32 year of King Artaxerxes, then he adds this interesting clause…One of the ‘fringe benefits’ of being governor was a food allowance, granted him by the Persian government, primarily for the entertaining of official guests.But for the greater good of strengthening the treasury, he relinquished that right.In verse 17, he paid for it out of his own pocket. is one of the words driving our culture.Don’t you get weary of it?…a woman’s right to abort a child…the rights of 13 and 14 years olds to pull up pornography on public library computers.There is a deep-running attitude of entitlement.The motto of the masses is: “When in doubt, sue.”Seventy percent of the world’s attorneys are practicing in the US.This article appeared in the local newspaper:“Prisoner sues over shaving requirement.”A prisoner at the Mount Olive prison (quote):“…is seeking a court ruling that the policy is a violation of his constitutional rights and $100,000 in damages. The ACLU is on the vanguard of some much foolishness that’s going on.Difference makers focus on responsibilities…The greater good of……the family…the organization…the school…the churchThere are two kinds of people in this room:There are “here I am” people—you hear them using words like “me, my, mine.” There are the “There you are” people—They are difference makers who use words like “you, yours, ours.”Here lies the body of Benjamin May,Who died defending the right of way.He was right, dead right, as he sped along,But just as dead as if he was wrong.Are there ways and areas in which you are demanding your rights?Difference makers die to self…They are willing to lose if it means that Jesus is glorified! In verse 15, he talks about the former governors and their underlings who had taxed to the people into poverty and despair!Then he says, “I did not do so…”With promotion comes privileges; and privileges test your character and your integrity.Chuck Swindoll writes: “Few people can live in the lap of luxury and maintain their spiritual,emotional and moral equilibrium.Sudden elevation often disturbs balance, which leads to pride and a sense of self-sufficiency—and then, a fall. It’s ironic, but more of us can hang tough through a demotion than through a promotion.”His path to divinity began when one day his friends of the forest asked him some simple questions., with an ear for grammar, asked:“Can you give me an interrogative pronoun?”The owl thought for a moment and said, “Whoooooo.”The animals glanced at one another in amazement. held up a couple of fingers and inquired, “How many fingers am I holding up?”Without hesitation the owl said, “Twooooo.” Theforest dwellers broke into applause. was determined to stump Mr. Owl.“Why does a lover call on the one he loves?”With growing confidence, the Owl said, “to woooooo.”It was glorious! The forest creatures began to cry in one voice that he was God.They bowed in his presence and often came seeking his wisdom.With the passing of the days, the owl began strutting across the branches of his tree house. Then one day, amid a cascading stream of praise, his followers coaxed the wise owl from his tree and put him out front of his growing crowd of supporters. He led them a triumphant march through the woods.Marching was rather difficult for the Owl, a natural tree dweller and sometimes flyer.But when the compliments are coming fast, and everybody is shouting, “He’s God! He’s God!” it gets hard to remember what your real weaknesses are. Another thing, Owl didn’t see very well in the light, which made his daytime leadership precarious.Blinking and squinting and trying to see the course his leadership should take, one day Mr. Owl led his adoring followers out onto a busy four-lane highway.And there it happened:An unsuspecting 18 wheeler came thundering down the highway. The driver locked down on his air breaks, but there was a cloud of soft, furry forms that flew in every direction.But those who stopped to see the sight were puzzled most by the brown feathers that littered the highway.And so ended the reign of the little god, whose triumphs led him into assumptions and paths that he wasn’t prepared for. I remind you that the Lord Jesus Christ, who God took upon Himself the form of a servant…a servant of God and of others. Responsibilities Over RightsServanthood Over PrivilegesWhy did Nehemiah take this tack?Verse 15c— It has been defined as “reverential trust.” Reverence is the attitude of mind of the person who is always aware that he is in the presence of God.The word translated “fear” has the idea of how you respond to one of God’s attributes—His Holiness.He says, The essence of holiness is separation— Being set apart (the world, the flesh,) God.There are two elements:*Repulsion— at Sin*Attraction—to God, submitting to Him.…It was the fear of the Lord that kept Joseph from committing adultery with Potiphar’s wife.…It was reverence for the Lord which led Moses to renounce the influence of Egypt for the hardships of the wilderness.…It motivated Paul for ministry (II Cor 5:11).Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…”Winston church was a person of influence, who was revered. Just before his 90 birthday, he received a birthday card from a 9-year-old girl in Columbia, South America.What was extraordinary about this card was that it was address simply to:“The Greatest Man In The World,”(Six words)With no postage, she dropped it in the mail.It was delivered to 28 Hyde Park Gate, London, Mr. Churchill’s residence.God is to be worshipped, loved, obeyed because He is God.Devotion to Him touches every part of your life.Responsibilities Over RightsServanthood Over PrivilegesDevotion To God Over Personal PreferencesIn verses 17 and 18, we are invited to governor’s residence for dinner. You eyes first scan the other guests…150 Jews and rulers, and officials from neighboring nations.It looks like a meeting of the UN Security Council.You study the table.The salad plates and collected and out comes the meat: Every day a ox and six specially chosen sheep were slaughtered, along with chicken (Nehemiah was a Baptist).Three times a month exquisite wine was set before the guests.This wasn’t a one-time banquet.The fires never went out in Nehemiah’s kitchen.What would prompt him to do such a thing?What was he thinking?Surely He knew three things:-Everything I is on loan from God.Stewards are accountable.-Owners resources; stewards resources.Accumulation is not the goal. The glory of God and the furtherance of is the goal.In a recent interview, Warren Buffet, one of the world’s wealthiest men, was ask about his passing of his wealth to his children:“You should leave your children enough money to do something, but not enough to do nothing.This man is arguably best illustration in Scripture of Ron Blue’s definition:”Stewardship is the use of God-given resources for the accomplishment of God-given goals.”(Say that with me.) is the CEO of Crown Financial Ministries; a new ministryfounded when Larry Burchett’s and Ron Blue’s ministries merged. Dayton,whose ministry counsels thousands of couples and individuals each year, recently said this:”There is almost no difference between the way Christians handle their resources and the way those who don’t know Christ their resources.”One more:This is not self-ambition or self-ambition.It’s a wonderful expression of worship, humility and confidence in the Lord.He says, ”I don’t care about the praise of men, I care only that you know my heart, my motives. You are the righteous judge who blesses those who sincerely seek to do your will.”Nehemiah had learned the priority and benefits of living before an Audience of One. was a Christian who was sustained during the dark days of the Revolutionary War by his unswerving confidence in God’s sovereignty and personal care.. One Sunday during the gut-wrenching days of the War, the door of a certain church opened, and who stepped in the foyer, but General Washington himself. When the pastor saw him, he took off his hat.There will be no greater success, no greater reward than to stand before Him one day with the joy and confidence that, by His grace, we have done what we were supposed to do.That’s the passion of a difference maker.Have you thought about this:Nehemiah’s prayer is one that Jesus could have prayed on the Cross.“Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.”The Lord Jesus Christ is eternal difference maker.Through His obedience to the Father’s will in going to the Cross… we read…”Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.”