WHEN OTHERS RAN OUT THEY RAN IN After the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, people were needed to repopulate the city, which had been destroyed some 70+ years earlier. It was a run-down and dangerous place where few wanted to live. So when certain men willingly volunteered to live in the city, the people blessed
REVIVAL AND REPAIRED WALLS After the rebuilding of the walls surrounding Jerusalem there was great enthusiasm for God’s Word and for the giving of tithes and offerings. The people willingly and joyfully entered into a covenant to be faithful in these things. Yet, before the walls were rebuilt, the people were filled with doubt and
ARE YOU ATTENTIVE TO THE WORD AND WORSHIPING TOGETHER? Nehemiah led a group of Israelites back to Jerusalem to rebuild its broken down walls. They had lost their nation and freedom to worship 70 years earlier when the Babylonians had invaded. Jerusalem was destroyed and its people and wealth were carried away. But after 70
LEARNING TO SAY NO TO THINGS THAT DON’T MATTER Nehemiah knew when to say “Yes” and when to say “No.” He was focused on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and he didn’t have time for distractions. Learning when to say “No” may be one of the most important leadership traits, as many leaders struggle
NO FEAR. REMEMBER THE LORD. DEFEND YOUR FAMILY. Nehemiah led a volunteer workforce to rebuild the wall surrounding Jerusalem, while at the same time facing dissension from within and opposition from without. Yet, he challenged the people to remember two things: 1) Remember the awesome greatness of the God upon Whom you depend and 2)
WHAT PROMISES ARE YOU ASKING GOD TO REMEMBER? When Nehemiah heard the report about the broken down condition of Jerusalem’s walls, he fasted and prayed with weeping. As he poured out his heart to God, he reminded God to “remember” His Word. This seems a little strange doesn’t it? Asking the omniscient God to “remember”
ARE YOU LIVING OUT OF YOUR NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST? After admonishing believers in Corinth for suing other brothers in court, rather than handling things within the Church, Paul reminded them that they had a new identity in Christ. He listed some of their former identities, which were really marked by their favorite sins. Identities
GIVE YOUR TROUBLE TO GOD FOR HIS CONSIDERATION This Psalm of David teaches us to choose gladness and worship, while giving our troubles to God. David wrote that God had “considered” his trouble. In other words David had stopped thinking about his troubles and had given them to God for His consideration. This is
FAITHFULNESS IS OURS, BUT RESULTS ARE GOD’S Paul called himself a “steward of God’s mysteries” (1 Cor. 4:1). A steward is a manager who serves on behalf of the owner. Managers in business are judged by their success. But Paul said that stewards of God are judged by their faithfulness. In God’s Kingdom, faithfulness is
ONLY THE GOSPEL CAN BRING SPIRITUAL LIFE The “natural” person is one who has not been spiritually born again. They are still dead in their sins. That is to say, they are spiritually dead. And so, they are dead to the things of the Spirit. Their spiritual deadness accounts for their spiritual deafness and spiritual