Courage too Rebuild God's Temple

 

Courage to Rebuild God's Temple
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 by Brave Knight Writers

Nehemiah rebuilt the temple, at God’s direction, with intense opposition all around him. He planned his work and worked his plan. It only took 52 days! What could be more important to the next 52 days in your life, than rebuilding God’s temple? God’s gift to us is the temple of our bodies, where the Holy Spirit dwells. If yours is in disrepair, rebuild it. If you’ve maintained it all along, keep up the good work!

What did Nehemiah do first? He prayed. A lot. And fasted. (Nehemiah 1) In Nehemiah 2, he determines what needs done, and confidently states “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. . .” In chapter 3, he breaks  the work down into parts. Chapter 4 and 5 brings opposition from enemies, along with ridicule and discouragement. You will have opposition. Satan will see to that. Be strong in your faith, get half-way there, in spite of the obstacles, just as Nehemiah did with the walls. Nehemiah 6:15-17 tells us, ‘The wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.’

Our God can accomplish a lot with us. Our enemy is Satan. He wants us weak, tired, ineffective, a slave to our palates. God wants much better from each of us. And He certainly can create a good work in us.

Remember the parable of the talents? Isn’t it a sin to bury your resources? Our most precious resource is our body. The Master will be pleased with those that take good care of what He has given them, investing in wise choices.

Here’s your mission. Rebuild your temple. Choose to make it your priority. Everything else will fall into place. Schedule your daily temple-building time. Nothing else gets priority over this time dedicated to work for God.

It’s a choice to get up and move. The only difficult step is the first one. Yes, you do have time. What you don’t have is time to neglect God’s creation. What will you do with this, the greatest resource He has given you?

It’s a choice to put the fork down. We each hold the power of the fork.

Galatians 6:7-8 tells us, “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.”

The seven deadly sins propounded by Thomas Aquinas are:

pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, lust, and gluttony

Which of these involve not taking care of God’s temple?

At the least, sloth, greed, lust, and gluttony fall into the realm of neglect of the temple. Lust can be termed ‘craving’ in today’s world.

Let’s be smarter than our taste buds, our appetites, and the abundance of culinary delights confronting us at every turn.

Why are these sins so readily acceptable in today’s church? Sin is sin. And yes, neglecting our health is a sin. It falls short of the mark God set for us.

How do we know when we’ve excessive in our sloth, our greed, our lust, our gluttony? Look at your body. God designed us to be incredible, complex machines, used to bring Him glory. This can continue into old age. Is yours doing the best it can with what God gave it?

Somehow we’ve adopted the idea that it’s fine if we slow down a lot as we age. The trick is to keep going, as much as you can for as long as you can. So don’t slow down at 40, 50,60, or 70. Probably not even at 80. Read about the people who live in blue zones. They just keep going.

Don’t feel guilty. Unless you are going to spend yet another day NOT taking steps to DO something about it. Guilt is Satan’s tool to bring us down. Guilt is a waste of time. Use your time and build your strength to rebuild the temple. Start today. Don’t wait until you have perfect conditions and help from your neighbors. Remember the discouraging words from Nehemiah’s neighbors? He broke the work down into parts and he started immediately.

It’s a matter of faith, just like with Nehemiah. He had so much faith, even though he faced major obstacles, he accomplished a lot in 52 days. Where will you be in 52 days? Hopefully your temple will be stronger, have more stamina, and serve God by showing the world His strength in you.

What about those with limitations and illnesses? Be honest. Isn’t there something you can do? Chair exercises? Wheelchair exercises?

A matter of obedience- God doesn’t ask us to take care of ourselves. He assumes we will. Ephesians 5:28-29 tells us, ‘In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church.’  Wow! We are to care for our bodies just as Christ cares for us!

Start where you are and commit it to God. He’s on your side, He wants you to succeed! If it’s better for your body, then it’s better for God, and it’s better for your spouse, children, and grandchildren.

Spiritual warfare is real, and one of Satan’s current favorite tactics seems to be keeping us weak and ineffectual due to our weak and ineffective bodies. We’re focused on sips, snacks, and Sunday dinners, when we should be focused on re-building the temple into a place of holiness, health, and happiness that draws others to want to worship God as well.

Scripture references to sustain you:

John 14: 16-17- “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.”

Matthew 19:26- Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Proverbs 17:22- A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

(Exercise releases your happy brain chemicals, endorphins!)

Jeremiah 30:17- But I will bring you health and will heal you of your wounds—this is the LORD’s declaration . . .”

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20- ‘Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.’

1 Corinthians 9:27- ‘Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.’

Romans 6:12-14- Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

Mark 12:31-“. . .Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

God expects us to love the body He has given us. Love is best expressed by doing. Doing what we know to be good for us.

The internet is full of resources for information, tips, and tricks for healthy eating and movement-no matter your starting point.

Knightly Ramblings, our latest book is now available.

Our latest book is now available on Amazon.

 

Turn the Page

 

Turn the page. Flip the script.
Thursday, January 1, 2026 by Brave Knight Writers

As one year closes, another opens—and we reflect while looking forward. It occurs to me that one constant is the need to fight evil. From the beginning of time, evil has reared its ugly head in various guises. And then the ‘historians’ step in to ‘splain it to us.

I’ve found my niche this year, in writing devotions. It gives me peace and joy to search the Bible for passages of truth, or righteousness, or the need for a gospel of peace while wielding a sword. The first book in the devotional series is on Amazon, Daily Devotions For Brave Knights: feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. The second book will be published this winter, Daily Devotions for Brave Knights: with truth like a belt around your waist.

We also met some amazing tween and teen authors, Zach and Matt Pierre. Find their story and books at their website.

So I’ll share a few of my favorite devotionals, and stories of Brave Knights, to end one year’s fight and begin the struggle of another. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. . .

A STORY OF BRAVE KNIGHTS

We sometimes take our ability to gather and worship for granted. People in some countries don’t have that luxury. They attend church, gather together, worship God—and get tortured and killed for it.

Tens of thousands of Christians have been killed in recent months, most notably in Nigeria and Sudan. Other areas of the world have also suffered this lately. Churches and homes are burned, and Christians of all ages killed or kidnapped.

These Christians are secure in their knowledge of God and His mercy. Even with threat of death, they don’t deny knowing God. They don’t just know about Him, they have a personal relationship with Him, and cannot say they don’t know Him, no matter the circumstances and consequences.

THEY ARE BRAVE KNIGHTS,

WORSHIPPING GOD, EVEN AT THE RISK OF DEATH!

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 58:7… and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?

REFLECT & REMEMBER- Who are the people we are responsible for taking care of first?

This also ties into James 1:27-Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

SCRIPT- REMEMBER and CARE for the needs of your family first- it can be as simple as writing a card or drawing a picture. THINK about who may especially need some loving concern.

 BE A BRAVE KNIGHT!

YOUR REFLECTIONS: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 65:24 Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.

REFLECT & REMEMBER- When does God know our needs and wants?

What is He trying to tell us?

SCRIPT- PRACTICE making your wants the same as God’s wants for you.

BE A BRAVE KNIGHT!

YOUR REFLECTIONS: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SCRIPTURE- Exodus 20: Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

REFLECT & REMEMBER- If you lie, or don’t say what you need to say, will it ever lead to anything good in the long run?

Many of the commandments tie into each other. What other commandments are you breaking when you lie about someone?

SCRIPT- TELL the entire truth, especially if it’s not easy. We can’t see what God has planned.

BE A BRAVE KNIGHT!

YOUR REFLECTIONS: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A BRAVE KNIGHT’S STORY

We can only hope to be as full of joy as our good friend George.

George’s daughter was born with extensive cerebral palsy, requiring much care and devotion. He was happy to discern her every need and provide for it.

His son faced a debilitating illness for a decade until it took his life in his early twenties. George helped him all along the way. He carried him on his back to travel into the woods and explore.

George lived with excruciating arthritis, crippling his hands into gnarls. He carried on with all of the various and many activities he could.

He developed Chrohn’s disease, which caused major intestinal distress, pain, and limitations. He endured surgeries to manage it.

He received a fatal diagnosis but reached out for experimental treatment, just in case it could save him to be with his family a while longer.

Through it all, he displayed a bright smile and consideration for others.

HE WAS A BRAVE KNIGHT, FACING ILLNESS AND DEATH, BUT CHOSE TO CARRY ON WITH COURAGE, NOT FEAR.

God commands us to fear not, many times. Let’s carry on into 2026 with courage, knowing we are fitted with the full armor of God.

So embrace the challenges of the coming year with courage, good humor, and belief in something greater than yourself. Overcome with love and kindness, allow the true victories to unfold in the spiritual realm and turn over all glory to God.

                                         HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!

Be the Honey

 

BE the HONEY
Sunday, February 1, 2026 by Brave Knight Writers

Considered the impact of those you engage with along your path of life. What will your loved ones and acquaintances remember and reflect on, when they think about you? Will they even think about you at all? How do you let others impact you?

Jesus told us in the last days, people will be cold, lovers of self. Do you see that playing out? There’s plenty of excuses to go around. It’s easy to be considerate of everyone but family. Or everyone except the opposite political party. Or everyone except (insert label).

How many people will attend your memorial service? How much loss will they feel? Does it completely depend on you and your actions? What about the cultural tendency to focus on self?

And what about deconstruction? Social trends emerge almost before we even know what’s going on, if we’re not paying attention. Deconstructing history, deconstructing the truth is rampant now. AI is only going to increase that tendency. And yes there is only one truth, God’s truth—even if we don’t always figure out what that is.

Deconstructing the truth of another person’s life, we are basing our assumptions on our perspective. How can that begin to be a complete picture?

Take the best, leave the rest. Learn from every person you encounter. How not to BE. How to BE. We are human BEings. We’re meant to BE what God envisioned and planned for each of us. There’s only one way to know what that might BE. BE in the Word. BE in prayer. BE observant of each other’s hopes, dreams, and missions.

BE gracious, BE positive, BE considerate. How can you do that if you don’t take another person’s perspective? Try to take their perspective. Do you know what it means to BE them?

Have you traveled their path? Have you considered their past?

We lost a Brave Knight this month. Each person takes up their personal cross and follows their personal path, which eventually leads to the ‘other side’, a beautiful shore. Or not.

God will not BE mocked. He expects us to seek the entire truth of our existence as we travel our path. We can’t do this if we’re busy creating our own truths. God is the creator. Of us. Of truth. Of our existence.

Consider the good of someone’s life, their achievements, yes. But also the accomplishments that they didn’t have to do, they just did. Anyone can live the selfish life of the bar scene, the living for TV scene, the wrapped up in work and control scene, or even the do-gooder scene.

Consider this: A young mother of three whose father has an accident. He is paralyzed and in hospital rehabilitation for many months. She totes her three young children along while she cooks and cleans and cares for her parents’ children at home—seven of them. When life returns to the new normal, she takes along the youngest few, with her own kids, to gym & swim, to cultural events, to church events, to piano lessons, to parks, and playgrounds. She creates homemade gifts for the entire family, such as dresses for special occasions, and reading pillows for all. There’s no softball team in the town for girls, and girls were not allowed to play baseball in those days, so she starts a softball team. What does she know about the sport? Next to nothing. So she reads about it and drives ahead. Her team wins the league championship the first year. She starts a track team for kids ages 3 to 12.  She moves several kids along into AAU track, they make it to eastern nationals. She chauffeurs and provides drinks, honey, and encouragement. The honey convinces the kids they’ll have lots of energy to run. She encourages all the kids around her to do their best and provides a way for them to succeed. She spent many nights in a supportive role for musical band members of her family. She was one of the pioneer volunteers at the local pregnancy resource center. She not only provided essential supplies for babies and their mamas, but she created beautiful flower beds around the facility to add an element of nature for the young families visiting there. And in her old age? She continued to organize family get-togethers, provide numerous dinners in her home, and deliver 7 course meals to family in the midst of house-building. She even dressed up as Mrs. Claus to entertain local school kids.  And continued to call those she loved, Honey.

Let’s BE the honey of encouragement, the honey that sticks together. Who have you encouraged as they run the good race, trying to fulfill their God-given mission?

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.