Revelation 3; Nehemiah 4; Psalms 98

Revelation 3

1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: "The One who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says: I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.

2 Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God.

3 Remember therefore what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. But if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come against you.

4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.

5 In the same way, the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.

6 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: "The Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and closes and no one opens says:

8 I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close.

9 Take note! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying-note this-I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.

10 Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

11 I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown.

12 The victor: I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God-the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God-and My new name.

13 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: "The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God's creation says:

15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot.

16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.

17 Because you say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,' and you don't know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,

18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent.

20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me.

21 The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

Nehemiah 4

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews

2 before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria, and said, "What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore [it] by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?"

3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, "Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!"

4 Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

5 Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked the builders.

6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its [height], for the people had the will to keep working.

7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious.

8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.

9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.

10 In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall.

11 And our enemies said, "They won't know or see anything until we're among them and can kill them and stop the work."

12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, "Everywhere you turn, [they] attack us."

13 So I stationed [people] behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.

14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes."

15 When our enemies realized that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall.

16 From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah,

17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the trumpeter was beside me.

19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: "The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall.

20 Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!"

21 So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out.

22 At that time, I also said to the people, "Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day."

23 And I, my brothers, my men, and the guards with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.

Psalms 98

1 Sing a new song to the Lord, for He has performed wonders; His right hand and holy arm have won Him victory.

2 The Lord has made His victory known; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.

3 He has remembered His love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen our God's victory.

4 Shout to the Lord, all the earth; be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing.

5 Sing to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and melodious song.

6 With trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn shout triumphantly in the presence of the Lord, our King.

7 Let the sea and all that fills it, the world and those who live in it, resound.

8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains shout together for joy

9 before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world righteously and the peoples fairly.