(August 30, 2022) Hope Flinchbaugh shares some more insights about Nehemiah’s wall- building journey, bringing a challenge to leadership!

The heart of this month’s part six is A Leader’s Faith for Finances.

My friend, whatever God calls us to do will require faith in some realm or another because without faith it is impossible to please him. God looks for faith in action and leaders should be setting examples!

Let’s give God what is due Him and offer your faith, not your friends’ or your congregation’s wallets, in respect of the project in front of you.

God is the supplier of needs
Let me pause here and talk to all of us with platforms and microphones in churches! God called Nehemiah to lead to rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. As a leader, if we’re feeling a twinge of guilt about asking for another offering, we need to talk to God. God never ever said that the church would pay our way, He said that He would supply all of our needs.

If you’re feeling a twinge of guilt, stop right there. Don’t take one more offering until God’s leading you to do it. Talk about a leap of faith.

The Spirit of God must lead us… or we will fleece the sheep instead of nurturing them. If you’re thinking about taking another offering so you can make budget, repent, unless God Himself told you that this is His plan for His people.

Corrie ten Boom’s experience
After Corrie ten Boom was released from the Nazi prison camp, Auschwitz, at the end of World War Two, God opened doors for her to travel and share her story that, ‘Jesus is Victor Still.’

She prayed and God spoke to her heart and told her to never present her needs for money again. He promised that He would provide in His own way. That week she received a letter from her sister and a separate letter from her close friend. Both women said the same thing. ‘Corrie, God spoke to me that He will provide for your needs. You are not to ask people for anything.’ And He did!

Moving in faith releases God’s provisions
We’re talking about provision here, so let me share just one more story with you. My parents were called to build a camp for children and teens from the inner cities of Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Buffalo, New York. Busloads of children and teens from these cities arrived every week all summer long and more buses came throughout the school year on weekends.

Teen Haven Camp was thriving, and my dad literally led teams of people to build the dining hall, recreation centre, swimming pool, and every cabin in the camp.

I remember when I was a little girl, my dad and I walked up the long lane to the mailbox on our dirt road at the camp. He said, ‘We need $500 right now and I believe God’s going to give it to us.’ I will never forget him pulling a check out of the mail for the exact amount he said he needed.

A smile broke out across his face as he waved that check in the air. ‘Jehovah Jireh! I told you – God will provide!’  Dad always said that. It tickled me to see him so delighted.

At the time of the great leap to build Teen Haven Camp, my parents did not ask their parents or siblings or friends to leap with them. And it’s important to say this: They moved! There is faith and power in movement! If a person never moves, their body will atrophy and become paralysed.

Fear can paralyse you – so don’t allow fearful thoughts to parade through your frontal lobes. Refuse to allow fear to have a voice in your thoughts and when God speaks, move! It’s fear or faith. And faith is spelled R-I-S-K.

Nehemiah’s faith and trust
I think it’s striking that Nehemiah did not ask the Jews – his extended family – to help him. He knew they didn’t have it. Where did he go?

He said to the king, ‘I not only need a letter of passage, but I need a letter to the keeper of your forest so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress, and beams for the wall of the city and for the house I’m going to live in’ (See Nehemiah 2: 7-8). Wow! Nehemiah knew where the wood was cut, and he wasted no time asking the king for the best in the land.

Imagine that – asking an authority figure to give you the best supplies in the land. Not only that, but Nehemiah also wasn’t exactly best friends with Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest. This guy is bold! He’s taking wood from Asaph’s world to build the gates and reconstruct the city!

Again, Nehemiah did not expect the Jews (the church) to pay for the reconstruction. He knew the best wood was in the king’s forest and he asked for it. And he got it!

Now, that doesn’t mean we automatically get whatever we want. But, when God’s hand is on you to do something, He will grant you favour with kings, landowners, manufacturers, and government dignitaries. Nehemiah recognised that! Nehemiah 2:8b says, ‘And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.’

Nehemiah recognised that all those years of preparation in front of the king – his faithful service as cupbearer, gaining the king’s ear, his confidence –and all those weeks of prayer and weeping and fasting were now paying off.

What about you?
Is God’s hand on you to do something He desires?

• Like Nehemiah, seek God and believe that He will grant you favour with ‘kings,’ landowners, manufacturers, and government dignitaries!
• Pray, fast, weep for the needs that God is showing you.
• Like Nehemiah, know that when God’s hand is on you to do something, He will grant you His favour with the people or organisations that have the supply.
• God is Jehovah Jireh!

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Hope Flinchbaugh, editor-in-chief of Hope Editors, a special team helping publishers and authors, has written three historical fiction novels and two nonfiction books. Hope’s love for children is evident in her delightful Baby Babbles series… available from Amazon Author Page or International Orders Here. 

I Come to the Garden Alone… Jesus is waiting – come and talk to Him, Hope’s inspiring daily devotions booklet, links with this month’s article. Hope’s Amazon Author Page. Link: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com
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