I woke singing the Doxology this morning; I’ll use Psalm 29 for Temple worship.

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures, reading in Nehemiah 4, and the Mind of the Spirit seized the attention of the spirit of my mind in verse 9:

Nehemiah 4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

Nehemiah’s intrepid leadership in Jerusalem to secure his beloved city, the Capital of his homeland, by building and finishing the wall is the Bible story most resembling ours.* Our own fearless leader and those supporting his works are confronted with incessant internal and foreign opposition to our efforts. Like Nehemiah and the post-exilic Jews, we wrestle against subterfuge, treachery, threats, double-misdirection, and every evil device imaginable. And we are confident our story will end like theirs:

Nehemiah 6:15 ¶ So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.

Nehemiah 6:16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

To secure their end, we must model their means. They “made [their] prayer unto … God, and set a watch against” their enemies (Nehemiah 4:9). They prayed and watched.

Along the still waters, Jesus, by His Spirit and His word, encouraged me to ponder His exhortation to “watch and pray” (Matthew 26:40 and Mark 13:33). Chronologically, Jesus’ first exhortation to “watch and pray” was given in the context of His sermon on the Second Coming: “ye know not when the time is” (Mark 13:33; cross reference Matthew 24**). He warned us that “ye know not when the master of the house cometh” (Mark 13:33-35): the “house” is the Church (1 Timothy 3:15) and the Master is Christ (John 13:13; see Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18).

Nehemiah prayed and watched. Jesus exhorted us to watch and pray. Nehemiah was the “wall builder,” securing the walls protecting the Old Testament “House of God.” Jesus is the New Testament House Builder, and the shield and protector of His House (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20; and 1 Peter 2:5). We are laborers in His field, and we labor together with Him in the building (Matthew 9:37-38; Luke 10:2; with 1 Corinthians 3:9).** We watch for His coming and pray for His power.

The word and in the phrase “watch and pray” is interesting. In Greek, the term is καὶ (kai), and it is used in Koine (common) Greek far more generously than in standard classical Greek. Like our conjunction, and, kai joins items, actions, or ideas in a list or sequence, treating them as equivalents, indicating no hierarchy — like first, and second, when there is no intent to indicate priority or subordination. Matthew 6:10 uses kai in the expression “in earth, as it is in heaven.” Jesus is encouraging us to seek God’s will to be done on Earth in the same way that it is done in Heaven: literally, “as in Heaven, and on the earth.” Praying and watching are actions that are interrelated; they are not to be separated: pray while you watch, and watch while you pray. Nehemiah prayed, then set their watch. Jesus would have us watch and pray simultaneously.

The second time Jesus exhorted His disciples to “watch and pray” was in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is recorded in Matthew 26:41. This time, He was concerned that they watch and pray “that ye enter not into temptation.” Not only do we watch up for the return of the Lion of the tribe of Judah (see Hebrews 12:1-2; Revelation 5:5), but we also watch out for Satan, the Tempter (Matthew 4:3 and 1 Thessalonians 3:5), the roaring lion seeking “whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

In the valley, in the shadow, in the Spirit, and resting in Christ, I prayed and watched while I watched and prayed. The Spirit prompted me to prayerfully plan and prepare a watch against the wiles of the Devil (Ephesians 6:11) and to live every day anticipating His return (Mark 13:33), praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) that His Spirit will flow through my belly and show Christ to all I meet (John 7:38-39; 2 Corinthians 4:11). Guess what I heard spoken in my heart as clearly as I am talking to you right now? Yep! “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). So, I did!

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed us out into the Harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap.

https://rumble.com/v6x1zhq-shepherds-pasture.html

[*If anyone is looking for a resemblance between Trump and any biblical hero, I think he is most like Nehemiah.]

[**Watch and pray for you know not the day! Jesus’ exhortation is connected with a very serious warning. In Luke 12:41-49.]