Wasps and yellow jackets….

 wasps and yellow jackets ….

One of my sons came over to my house earlier this summer and tore down papery nests adhered to various spots on my house…some hidden and some in plain sight…he sprayed them and the wasps swarmed out and quickly died… it seemed like for every one killed, two others appeared…this year seems to be a healthy year for their appearance in my yard…I have three kinds of traps and have emptied those, to be refilled/rescented again…they seem to enjoy my fruit trees a lot….an annoyance to be sure..

Nehemiah had annoyances as well….Sanballat, Tobaih, Geshem

and other enemies…those who did want him to succeed…those who were a bother, willing to “Sting” when they could…

First, they became angry , incensed, insulting, trying to stir up trouble …they didn’t want their power to be given overly to “those Jews”. Then they tried to take Nehemiah away from his work…by planning a meeting away from the city of Jerusalem…

Thirdly, they hired prophets to intimidate Nehemiah…

Nehemiah, as usual sent up his “Bullet prayers” each time…”strengthen my hands”…and God did…

The last we hear of these men is in the sixth chapter of Nehemiah…the wall is built…

As a reminder, as I write this, my dog has interrupted no less than ten times…wanting my attention….usually he is sound asleep now, paying no attention whatsoever to what I am doing…not today though…strengthen my words….

Thank YOU…

 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” 

But now, O God, strengthen my hands. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. 

Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

Neh.6.1-7, Neh.6.9,Neh.6.14,Neh.6.19

Quiet times …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCJPp20ZV4c