Kientz unlocks the book of Nehemiah to show how the story has much to teach about courage, leadership, faithfulness to Gods call, sexual purity, and more. (Christian)

We are products of what we allow into our lives, either for good or bad. We are flooded by images and sounds and their associated emotional reactions. We are influenced by our relationships and environment. As believers we need effective walls to keep us from being overwhelmed by our culture and the trials and tribulations of life. We need strong, guarded gates to control what we let in. Walls and Gates contain a series of devotional thoughts for evaluating the effectiveness of our personal walls and gates based on the Book of Nehemiah. It covers the rebuilding of the walls and gates of Jerusalem and Nehemiah’s actions in restoring the people spiritually. Each devotional thought contains a description of Nehemiah’s actions and their relevance today. At the conclusion of each thought is a related New Testament scripture and thought-provoking questions. In easily grasped, yet stimulating devotions, Les Tripp challenges the disciple to maintain effective barriers to Satan’s attacks and filter out distractions and interference. He points to the role of faith in guarding one’s spiritual journey. As you progress through these devotions, be prepared to: • Be challenged to form effective spiritual walls and gates. • Appreciate insights into Nehemiah’s leadership. • Explore the actions and events of restoring the walls and gates in terms of your own personal spiritual journey and ministry. • Be engaged in developing spiritual protection against the world, the flesh and the devil.

"A farmer from a village in the occupied West Bank, cut off from his olive groves by the construction of Israel’s controversial separation wall, asked Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard to petition the courts to allow a gate to be built in the wall. While the gate would provide immediate relief for the farmer, would it not also confer legitimacy on the wall and on the court that deems it legal? The defense of human rights is often marked by such ethical dilemmas, which are especially acute in Israel, where lawyers have for decades sought redress for the abuse of Palestinian rights in the country’s High Court―that is, in the court of the abuser. [This book] chronicles this struggle―a story that has never before been fully told― and in the process engages the core principles of human rights legal ethics. [The author] recounts the unfolding of key cases and issues, ranging from confiscation of land, deportations, the creation of settlements, punitive home demolitions, torture, and targeted killings―all actions considered violations of international law. In the process, he lays bare the reality of the occupation and the lives of the people who must contend with that reality. He also exposes the surreal legal structures that have been erected to put a stamp of lawfulness on an extensive program of dispossession. Finally, he weighs the success of the legal effort, reaching conclusions that are no less paradoxical than the fight itself."--

The brick pation you've always wanted can be yours now. So can the picket fence, the dry wall, the brick walkway, and the flagstone terrace. You won't have to wait another day for a workman to rescue that hundred-foot washboard you call a driveway! If you have even the slightest level of skill or experience, this book will provide the information and the confidence you need to tackle these basic construction projects and succeed!

"Includes 30 fence, wall, and gate projects, including unique regional styles not found in other books"--Provided by publisher.