Recently, on the WeChat account "Morning Prayer", Pastor Zhang Zhongqiu gave the eighth lecture in the series of "Victory in the Workplace". This time he shared about how Nehemiah was shrewd as serpent and wise in the workplace.
Based on chapters 1-6 of Nehemiah, the pastor shared that it took Nehemiah only 52 days to re-build the wall of Jerusalem. We can apply his wisdom to our faith and work .
Nehemiah loved his country with all his heart.
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:3-4)
Nehemiah was a shrewd and outstanding leader. He was as shrewd as a snake and as innocent as a dove. His shrewdness was entirely based on his love of God and his people.
He was very concerned about Jerusalem and his people. He was not in the comfort of his own easeful environment and the high position of the chief cupbearer, and then despised his people. He heard the situation, then immediately repented for the people's sin, fasted and prayed. Instead of relying on himself, he begged the power of the Holy Spirit and prayed for 4 months.
"A man is under the power of sin, with no wall to protect his spiritual life, is plundered by the enemy, and overthrown by the sins at will. Will we be indifferent and do nothing when we see this?" the shepherd asked. Because they are also created by God and have a noble image, we should pray for them.
Nehemiah acted cautiously and planned carefully.
I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 2:12)
When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, he carefully investigated the situation of Jerusalem and knew how bad the wall was destroyed. He did not say loudly that he came to help them, but was very humble and low-key, and investigated first.
After doing enough investigations, Nehemiah summoned the chief and told them why he came back, how to get permission from King Artaxerxes, and how the gracious hand of God helped him. Rather than depending on his own position, Nehemiah used his spiritual experience and God's guidance to inspire them. This is very different from us.
And he arranged everyone to work. A good leader is asking everyone to participate. And they may have a sense of presence and engagement in their work.
Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. (Nehemiah 3:23)
Nehemiah was very smart and asked them to build a house against their own home. Why did he do this? Because when you were building a house, you not only built for Jerusalem but also for your own home. Nehemiah knew the human heart very well and knew how to stimulate them. So this is great wisdom.
If we work for the church or for social posts, we must know that it is not for others, but for ourselves. So we must do it carefully.
Nehemiah strengthened people's hearts。
When the wall was built very well, the enemies of the Judah immediately disturbed them. At first, they ridiculed the Jews that they couldn’t build the wall at all. Could the feeble Jews build a wall to protect themselves? If the Jews built walls, these people would be protected from being bullied, and they would not benefit from them. These people joined together and wanted to attack them.
When Nehemiah heard these people threatening the people with these words, he prayed first. After praying, he had the power to strengthen God's people. Our workplace is also a battlefield, with spiritual battles and devil disturbances. If we flinch, the devil is disturbing us more and more. We should beg the Lord for power, authority, and wisdom to overcome it.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah (Nehemiah 4:16)
In the workplace, when we work, we should pick up spiritual weapons to fight. When we win the battle, we are strong in our hearts and able to work.
and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet because they could find nothing to say. (Nehemiah 5:8)
The ruler of Judah, through the oppression of the Gentiles, lent money to his people for profit until the people were very poor. Corruption started from within, and Nehemiah must solve this problem. Nehemiah summoned these dignitaries and used himself as an example to be clean-fingered and fair.
In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. (Nehemiah 5:18)
“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” (Nehemiah 5:12)
Nehemiah saw through the tricks。
Nehemiah was very shrewd and knew people. When his enemies saw the walls were built very well, they were desperately angry and hated Nehemiah, trying every method to let Nehemiah go out and kill him. Nehemiah saw through their tricks.
I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” (Nehemiah 6:8)
It is very difficult to know people today. Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles. Traveling thousands of miles is not as good as reading countless persons. The human heart is deceitful above all things, who can understand it? Corrupt sinners, do many bad things, hurt fellow citizens, etc. The process of knowing people is painful, and the growth is also painful. The process of constantly recognizing people is the time for continuous growth.
Nehemiah protected himself and knew who was tricky with him. When he should sacrifice, he had no pity for the position of the chief cupbearer and did not flinch. But he avoided unnecessary sacrifices and avoided the trap in the face of deceit. So Christians must protect themselves, and at the same time rely on the wisdom and understanding given by God, and not recognize people by appearance.
得胜职场——学习尼希米灵巧如蛇，在职场精明
近日，在微信直播平台“早祷记”上，张忠秋传道继续分享“得胜职场”的第八个圣经人物：尼希米。他围绕尼希米记1-6章，以“尼希米灵巧如蛇-在职场当中要精明”为题，分享了尼希米仅仅用52天建造耶路撒冷城墙，从中学习信仰和职场中的智慧。
一、尼希米赤诚爱国
尼希米是非常精明的人物，是非常卓越的领袖。尼希米有灵巧像蛇，驯良像鸽子的生命。并且他的精明完全是建立在爱神与爱人的精明上。
那些被掳归回剩下的人，在犹大省遭大难，受凌辱。并且耶路撒冷的城墙拆毁，城门被火焚烧。我听见这话，就坐下哭泣，悲哀几日。在天上的神面前禁食祈祷。（尼1：3-4）
他非常牵挂神所拣选的耶路撒冷和自己的百姓。没有在自己安逸的环境当中，身居酒政的高位中，轻忽自己的百姓。他听了马上为了百姓认罪悔改，禁食祷告。 他不是凭着自己的一腔热血，而是去依靠圣灵的大能，一直祷告了4个月。
爱神的人不单是天天祷告，自己灵修。爱神之人必然爱人，讨神喜悦，为神担忧。看见自己同胞在生活当中远离神，陷在罪中，亲自探望他。这些人的生死可能和他无关，但是和他属灵的生命有关系。
“一个人在罪的权势之下，属灵生命当中没有城墙，没有保护，仇敌随意掳掠，罪随意打倒他，我们看到是否会无动于衷，做事不管呢？”牧者问。
他们也是神所造的人，有尊贵的形象，我们当为他们祈祷。
二、尼希米行动谨慎，计划缜密。
但神使我心里要为耶路撒冷做什么事，我并没有告诉人。(尼2：12）
尼希米回到耶路撒冷的时候，谨慎地了解耶路撒冷的情况，城墙到底坏了多少，要怎么去做。他没有大张旗鼓，大张威势，我回来帮助你们了。而是非常谦卑，低调的，先调查。这是非常好的工作方式。
对照我们，我们或许受过很高的教育，比如学过博士，学了很多方法。所以回到教会，不了解教会和弟兄姐妹的情况，只是自己大张旗鼓，夸夸其谈，结果弟兄姐妹听不懂，不适用在这个环境中。因此我们服侍要去了解此处的情况，学习如何根据实际情况服侍。
做了足够的调查之后，尼希米召集官长，和他们说他是怎么回来的，怎么得到神的允准，神施恩的手怎么帮助他们。尼希米用自己生命的见证帮助、激励他们，不是拿自己的地位，尼希米用自己属灵的经历，和神的引导来激励他们，这是非常不一样的。
尼希米安排工作的时候，人人都安排到，像在社会上有位置的官长，没有位置的百姓，人人都参与。一个好的领袖，是让每个人参与，在工作当中他们有存在感，参与感。
其次是便雅悯与哈述，对着自己的房屋修造。（尼3：23）
尼希米非常聪明，让他们对着自己的家修造房屋，为什么这样呢？因为你在建房屋的时候，不只是为了耶路撒冷，还为自己的家建，你建造城墙和你家的安全是息息相关，你修城墙的时候，修得不好，容易攻破的话，马上攻到你家。你在这边干得越结实，你的家越安全。尼希米非常了解人心，刺激人心，想到为自己做，受到刺激；若想着给别人干活，可能会糊弄。那么大的城墙，有的人愿意干，有的人不愿意干，有偷懒的问题，这是很大很大的智慧。
我们如果给教会干活，或者给社会岗位干活，一定要知道，不是给别人干，是给你自己干，要是给神干，用心地做，好好地做，在今生当中神祝福你，在永生当中神纪念你。说到底你还是给你自己做。
三、尼希米坚固民心
当城墙建的非常好的时候，犹大人的仇敌马上搅扰他们，刚开始嘲笑城墙根本建立不成，无能的犹大人能建立城墙保护自己吗？如果犹大人有城墙，这些百姓受到保护，不能欺压他们，他们不能从中获利。这些人合起伙来，想攻击他们。尼希米听到这些人用这些话来威胁百姓的时候，尼希米首先干什么呢？先祷告。祷告后从神得能力坚固神的百姓。
我察看了，就起来对贵胄，官长，和其余的人说，不要怕他们。当记念主是大而可畏的。你们要为弟兄，儿女，妻子，家产争战。（尼4：14)
虽然十几次地威胁百姓，告诉弟兄姐妹，好好坚固起来，我们的工作也是战场，有属灵的征战，魔鬼的搅扰，难道我们要退缩吗？你退缩，魔鬼越来越搅扰你，求主加给能力和权柄，求主给我们智慧，足以面对。
从那日起，我的仆人一半做工，一半拿枪，拿盾牌，拿弓，穿铠甲。（尼4：16）
我们在职场当中，一面要做工，一面要拿起属灵的兵器征战。你征战得胜，内心坚固，才能有能力做工。属灵征战不得胜，工作不能得胜，生活也不能得胜，不能经历神施恩的手帮助我们。
我对他们说，我们尽力赎回我们弟兄，就是卖与外邦的犹大人。你们还要卖弟兄，使我们赎回来吗？他们就静默不语，无话可答。（尼5：8）
犹大的官长，凭着自己不好意思，借着外邦人欺压，向自己的百姓放债取利，直至百姓非常贫穷。腐败从内部开始，尼希米一方面要面对外敌，还要担忧内患。这些人没有办法造城墙了，没有能力了，食不果腹，被犹大的权利们欺压，被骗了很多钱，尼希米必须解决这个问题，内在彼此欺压的问题。尼希米把这些权贵们找出来，以自己为榜样，廉洁公正。
虽然如此，我并不要省长的俸禄，因为百姓服役甚重。（尼5：18）
众人说，我们必归还，不再向他们索要，必照你的话行。（尼5：12）
四、尼希米识破诡计
尼希米是非常精明的，能识人。当他的仇敌看他的工作城墙建得非常好，这些仇敌气急败坏，非常愤怒。他们痛恨尼希米，想方设法让尼希米出去，杀害他。尼希米看出他们的诡计，识破了诡计。
我就差遣人去见他，说，你所说的这事，一概没有，是你心里捏造的。（尼6：8）
今天能识人非常不容易，读万卷书不如行万里路，行万里路不如阅人无数。
人心比万物诡诈，谁能识透呢？败坏中的罪人，做很多坏事，伤害同胞等。不断识人的时候，是不断成长的时候，这个过程是不容易的，认识人的过程是痛苦的，成长是痛苦的。有的时候很失望，明明他是很好的人，发现竟然看错了，每个人不是完人，每个人都有瑕疵，只是程度不一样。
基督徒必须保护自己，同时靠神给的智慧和聪明，不凭外貌识人。
尼希米保护自己，知道什么样的人和他相处是诡诈的。该牺牲的时候，不顾惜官的位置，不退缩；面对别人诡诈，不该牺牲的时候，他不受没有必要的牺牲，规避，躲避陷阱，不落入圈套当中。
牧者最后分享到：尼希米建造耶路撒冷城墙52天竣工，非常有工作效率，弟兄姐妹要有这样的效率，完成神给的工作，荣耀神；同时要识破属灵的攻击和搅扰，识破人的套路。并且格局要更大，用属天的方式，胸怀的宽广，去包容，忍耐别人。
Recently, on the WeChat account "Morning Prayer", Pastor Zhang Zhongqiu gave the eighth lecture in the series of "Victory in the Workplace". This time he shared about how Nehemiah was shrewd as serpent and wise in the workplace.
Based on chapters 1-6 of Nehemiah, the pastor shared that it took Nehemiah only 52 days to re-build the wall of Jerusalem. We can apply his wisdom to our faith and work .
Nehemiah loved his country with all his heart.
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:3-4)
Nehemiah was a shrewd and outstanding leader. He was as shrewd as a snake and as innocent as a dove. His shrewdness was entirely based on his love of God and his people.
He was very concerned about Jerusalem and his people. He was not in the comfort of his own easeful environment and the high position of the chief cupbearer, and then despised his people. He heard the situation, then immediately repented for the people's sin, fasted and prayed. Instead of relying on himself, he begged the power of the Holy Spirit and prayed for 4 months.
"A man is under the power of sin, with no wall to protect his spiritual life, is plundered by the enemy, and overthrown by the sins at will. Will we be indifferent and do nothing when we see this?" the shepherd asked. Because they are also created by God and have a noble image, we should pray for them.
Nehemiah acted cautiously and planned carefully.
I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 2:12)
When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, he carefully investigated the situation of Jerusalem and knew how bad the wall was destroyed. He did not say loudly that he came to help them, but was very humble and low-key, and investigated first.
After doing enough investigations, Nehemiah summoned the chief and told them why he came back, how to get permission from King Artaxerxes, and how the gracious hand of God helped him. Rather than depending on his own position, Nehemiah used his spiritual experience and God's guidance to inspire them. This is very different from us.
And he arranged everyone to work. A good leader is asking everyone to participate. And they may have a sense of presence and engagement in their work.
Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. (Nehemiah 3:23)
Nehemiah was very smart and asked them to build a house against their own home. Why did he do this? Because when you were building a house, you not only built for Jerusalem but also for your own home. Nehemiah knew the human heart very well and knew how to stimulate them. So this is great wisdom.
If we work for the church or for social posts, we must know that it is not for others, but for ourselves. So we must do it carefully.
Nehemiah strengthened people's hearts。
When the wall was built very well, the enemies of the Judah immediately disturbed them. At first, they ridiculed the Jews that they couldn’t build the wall at all. Could the feeble Jews build a wall to protect themselves? If the Jews built walls, these people would be protected from being bullied, and they would not benefit from them. These people joined together and wanted to attack them.
When Nehemiah heard these people threatening the people with these words, he prayed first. After praying, he had the power to strengthen God's people. Our workplace is also a battlefield, with spiritual battles and devil disturbances. If we flinch, the devil is disturbing us more and more. We should beg the Lord for power, authority, and wisdom to overcome it.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah (Nehemiah 4:16)
In the workplace, when we work, we should pick up spiritual weapons to fight. When we win the battle, we are strong in our hearts and able to work.
and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet because they could find nothing to say. (Nehemiah 5:8)
The ruler of Judah, through the oppression of the Gentiles, lent money to his people for profit until the people were very poor. Corruption started from within, and Nehemiah must solve this problem. Nehemiah summoned these dignitaries and used himself as an example to be clean-fingered and fair.
In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. (Nehemiah 5:18)
“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” (Nehemiah 5:12)
Nehemiah saw through the tricks。
Nehemiah was very shrewd and knew people. When his enemies saw the walls were built very well, they were desperately angry and hated Nehemiah, trying every method to let Nehemiah go out and kill him. Nehemiah saw through their tricks.
I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” (Nehemiah 6:8)
It is very difficult to know people today. Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles. Traveling thousands of miles is not as good as reading countless persons. The human heart is deceitful above all things, who can understand it? Corrupt sinners, do many bad things, hurt fellow citizens, etc. The process of knowing people is painful, and the growth is also painful. The process of constantly recognizing people is the time for continuous growth.
Nehemiah protected himself and knew who was tricky with him. When he should sacrifice, he had no pity for the position of the chief cupbearer and did not flinch. But he avoided unnecessary sacrifices and avoided the trap in the face of deceit. So Christians must protect themselves, and at the same time rely on the wisdom and understanding given by God, and not recognize people by appearance.
