"A BROKEN MAN!"

Nehemiah 7:1-4                            (ESV)
1 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed,
2 I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and GOD-fearing man than many.
3 And I said to them, "Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes."
4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt."



The story spoken in the book of Nehemiah could be written with about the modern day church instead of the Children of Israel.  The book of Nehemiah (chp. 1) begins with the him being BROKEN HEARTED and petitioning GOD, acknowledging that GOD was great, and "confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against YOU. Even I and my father's house have sinned" (Nehemiah 1:6).  Can you fathom a man of stature proclaiming today that America, or even the church, has SINNED and begging for GOD's mercy once again?  A more important question, is the modern church willing to admit it's pride and arrogance before a HOLY GOD?

GOD was ready and willing to forgive Israel but HE needed to see their humility and brokenness before HE could begin to restore them.  Can GOD see our humility and brokenness when the church consistently has millionaire preachers and evangelists hawking their wares on television with no regard for the lost souls going to hell?  Souls are in danger of spending an ETERNITY in the lake of fire and ministers are worried about how big their jet is, and how comfortable their lifestyle is?  Is it any wonder the HOLY SPIRIT inspired 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 that says "Therefore GOD sends them a strong delusion, so that they may BELIEVE WHAT IS FALSE, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had PLEASURE in unrighteousness"?

When we remove ourselves from the vortex that "this world" endeavors to keep our lives in, we can begin to SEE what GOD is trying to say to us.  Until we "BE STILL" the enemy attempts to keep our lives in such a pace we can't SEE how busy we are, all the time accomplishing nothing for the Kingdom.  In verse 4 of Nehemiah 7 it says "The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few"!  Only GOD can draw souls to HIMSELF, no matter which preacher a church hires to be pastor.  When HE is glorified, HE will draw people to HIM.  When ministries are glorified, people will flock to be catered to, but leave as soon as the catering is over.

Nehemiah was "A BROKEN MAN" as Nehemiah 1:4 states "As soon as I heard these words I SAT DOWN and WEPT and MOURNED FOR DAYS, and I continued FASTING and PRAYING before the GOD of heaven".  How long has it been since I "SAT DOWN and WEPT and MOURNED FOR DAYS"?  And how long since I FASTED AND PRAYED before the GOD of heaven?  We don't need to build any more churches or Temple walls until we become "A BROKEN MAN" before the GOD of heaven!  HE isn't looking for ornate structures and fancy suits to show-off to "this world"!  GOD wants to see "A BROKEN MAN"!!!