Gtcotr/ws080322
Late last night I, along with more than 20 other members of our most recent Church mission’s team, returned from Kenya. You will hear more about our challenges and successes this coming Sunday but suffice it for now to say that we accomplished our mission, exceeded our goals, and made a lasting impact in the lives of those God sent us to secure.
I have been blessed to participate in dozens of mission projects given to our Church by God during the past 34 years and each one has made a significant difference in lives and eternities. It might be my age or perhaps it is the age we are living in, however each successive outreach from our Church seems to grow in power and productivity. Time fails to tell of all the wonderful, miraculous, and amazing things God accomplished through us and our Church family during these past 10 days.
To God be all the Glory and to those of you who went to the work and those who stayed by the stuff, I say a heartfelt and eternal thanks. You have made our Father God and our Lord Jesus very happy. There is nothing as rewarding as putting a big smile on the face of God.
Now,
let’s go to the word tonight. Allow me to share a general overview of the life,
calling, and work of Nehemiah.
·
Nehemiah
was a blessed man with a good job in a safe place.
·
He
was a captive Jew who served as a cupbearer for the Persian King Artaxerxes at
his winter residence in Shushan.
·
He
was comfortable, trusted, and had a great reputation.
·
However
Nehemiah was a slave and as such subject to the wishes of his master the King.
·
One
day Nehemiah heard about the poor and difficult conditions his fellow Jews were
facing in a faraway country.
·
Nehemiah
felt he should do something about it if he could, and so he petitioned his
master to allow him to go and help these poor people.
·
When
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he saw the enemies of the Jews were working
against them to keep them poor and powerless.
·
Nehemiah
encouraged the people and stood with them against their enemies and began to strategically
lead them to re-shape their lives.
·
Nehemiah
had the backing of his master who was the undisputed King, but that didn’t
impress his enemies.
·
They
tried everything from intimidation, to accusations, to delay of resources, to
threats of injury and an unrelenting campaign to weaken, depress, distract, and
defeat Nehemiah and the workers.
·
Nehemiah’s
enemies tried to get the people to refuse Nehemiah’s help and to distrust his
motives. When that didn’t work …
·
They
made it as hard on these poor people as they possible could hoping they would
give up and quit trying to make things better for themselves and leave things
as they were.
·
The
enemies of the Jews wanted them to remain as poor possible so they would be
dependent and unable to protect themselves or provide for families. The devil
had a plan, but so did God!
·
God’s
will was clear and plain … It’s always plain … It’s always simple
· God placed a burden in Nehemiah’s heart, even when he was but a slave himself, and God made a way for Nehemiah to succeed.
There are a few scriptures in the book of Nehemiah that have provided key leadership principles for me in some of the most critical times of my life. Here are a few of those key verses from which the principles have come.
Nehemiah 2
18 And I told them of the
hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that
he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set
their hands to this good work.
19 But when (our enemies) heard of our plan, they laughed at
us …
20 And I answered, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build …”
Nehemiah 3
10 Next to them Jedaiah the
son of Harumaph made repairs in front of his house.
23 After him Benjamin and
Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of
Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs by his house.
28 Beyond the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house.
Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Nehemiah 4:17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.
The
weapons we hold in our hands while we do the work of God are:
·
Love
– The ability to be moved with compassion …
· Time – Time equals respect; Time builds relationship
We can’t be so busy with the work that we don’t have time to love people.
Nehemiah 6:11 … “Should such a man as I flee?” …
The principles God placed in His Word are standards upon which we can trust and rely in order to build our lives. They will work and bring you victory in your own personal life, in family matters, business relationships, and in the greatest work to which God has called you for His glory.
The enemies of Christ and of our God have not changed since the Garden of Eden. Their desire is to lock you in, lock you out, shut you up, or shut down. They deal in fear, intimidation, temptation, deception, lies and threats of loss or promises of gain.
We
must possess:
1.
Clarity concerning God’s will.
2.
An overriding trust in His provision.
3. Confidence that you are the best person for the job you have been assigned.
Conclusion:
·
You are a slave, called by God, for such a time
as this.
·
The God of Heaven will prosper you so that
you can succeed.
·
Work on the part that’s in your heart.
·
Faith won’t make it easy, but faith will make
it possible.
·
Speak of your dream today, tomorrow it will
speak about you.
