Continue to Build

Ezra 4:4-5a "Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building...and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose."

This is the story of the temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem. Years earlier, King Solomon had built a beautiful temple in which the Lord was to be worshipped, but it had been destroyed by Israel's enemies. Now, the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia that he make a proclamation throughout all of his kingdom that the temple be allowed to be rebuilt by the Israelites. As the people began to lay the foundation of the temple, the opposition began. Their enemies came around to discourage them..they even some time later lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem, which stopped the building completely for a time.
Friends, this story really ministers to me as I think about those times in my own life that the Lord has sweetly spoken to me about something, and in my spirit I was convinced that I knew the voice of God, and the direction that He was giving me..but then came the naysayers..those who unfortunately don't always want to see the plans of God carried out..and to make matters even more difficult, sometimes they are the people around us..sometimes they are the people we know best..sometimes..they are even God's people. As I wrote this devotion this week, I had an encounter with such a person..In the past it would have stopped me dead in my tracks...but I have learned, as the Israelites did, that when God calls you to something, you MUST continue. Ezra 3:3 says that despite their fear of the people around them, they set the altar upon it's bases. In other words, they continued to build!
Beloved, words are containers for power..our words can be used to greatly encourage someone..to speak words of life into someone..or they can be used to tear down. Today, ask God to strengthen you in this area..ask Him to give you words of life, words of encouragement to speak into someone around you. I wonder how many times literally the purpose in our life has not been fulfilled, simply because of the words that someone spoke over us..words that entered our ears, but sank deep into our hearts..words that cut deep, words that hurt, words that literally stop us dead in our tracks. I wonder how often we have not only been the recipient of these words, but we have been the giver of them. Proverbs 21:23 says, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." How often have we created problems for ourselves just because of our words.
Someone told me once that because sound travels, every sound that has ever been made, is still traveling someplace out in our solar system..and that with the right audiological equipment, every sound could be brought back..in other words, every word that we have spoken could literally be retrieved with the right equipment. I shuttered at that thought, because I wouldn't want to be reminded about some of the things I've said in my life. I wouldn't want to hear that tone in my own voice again that cut someone and hurt them. Psalm 139:4 says, "For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, o Lord, thou knowest it altogether." I am so thankful that even though God knows every word, He is the center of each one of us.. Just as the sun is the center of our solar system....He is .living in us..giving us strength..working in the midst of our lives, speaking to us, giving us direction, helping us to encourage others in Him. May the Lord make His face to shine on each and every one of you today. May He be gracious to you. May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
God bless you all.