NEHEMIAH

 

June 22, 2008 – Nehemiah 9:17 – The Lesson of Nehemiah.

 

Intro:  What a privilege it is again to share the Word of God with you today.  This morning we are looking at 7 lessons or truths found in the Book of Nehemiah.  I love this book.  It is a lesson in prayer, sacrifice and tenacity.  It is an overcomer’s book.  It tells of a man that gave up wealth, position, power and comfort to follow the will of God.  Nehemiah is a book that shows how through prayer and wise actions we can overcome any opposition or attack.  Nehemiah is a foundation book.  One friend of mine when he was starting a new pastorate spent several months in this book helping that church rediscover its purpose and direction.  I will never do this book justice this morning but we will look briefly at the lessons we can learn from it.

 

1.  Even in the face of arrogance, stubbornness, rebellion, disobedience and forgetfulness

     On the part of His people.  God is still forgiving, gracious, compassionate, slow to

     Anger, abounding in love and refuses to abandon His people.  I love this about God.

     No matter how far I may stray or others.  God still possesses these qualities and

     View of us.  These qualities are who He is.  Church write these down.  The writer of

     This book wanted his audience to know.  This is who God is.  This is His nature and

     Essence.  The wrath and judgment of God are but for a moment but His forgiveness

     Lasts for such a long time.  The apostle Paul was a great example of this.

 

2.  The second lesson we learn is that we need prayer and firmness in the work of the

     Lord.  In the work of the Lord it is not how you start that matters but how you finish.

     It is not just how you arrive that is important but how you leave.  Nehemiah started off

     In prayer.  He heard about the walls of Jerusalem and for five months he prayed and it

     Was only because the King noticed his disposition that his request to go back to

     Jerusalem was even approached.  Even before he asked the King his request.  He took

     A moment to pray.  Strong works for God on built on the foundation of prayer.

 

a.  Nehemiah also learned that he had to firm, focused and forthright to overcome all

    obstacles.  He refused to let the trivial or even urgent, to keep him from what he knew

     God wanted him to do.  A good lesson for us.  For many of us, it is the urgent, the

     Unimportant or crisis that seems to drive our time and energy.  It takes real wisdom,

     Discipline and knowledge to know the different.  We can see that Nehemiah had this

     Figured out.

b.  Nehemiah also knew that when you decide to take a stand or fight a battle.  You have

     to be willing to stay in there until the battle was won.   A good lesson for parents,

     employers, authority figures and leaders.  Leaders lead, not get led.  If you do not as a

     believer exercise the authority God has given you, in your family, work or

     community others will intimidate you and hinder your effectiveness. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Thirdly, we need a fresh touch from the Lord from time to time.  That is so true.  I

      Even pray now, Lord gives us here a fresh touch of your spirit.  Man has some basic

      Needs.  There is our physical, those elements that are needed to maintain physical

      life.  Security, will my needs be met tomorrow?  Love, will I be loved by God or

      others?  Purpose, will I value myself and will others value me?  Lastly, am I full

      creative and expressing myself.  These basic needs drive us so much we can get

      weary tired and dry.  That is when we need to reach out to God and say.  Lord I need

      that fresh touch.  Lord touch me now.  Close you eyes for a moment and reach up to

      heaven and just receive his touch that is coming right now.   

      Nehemiah knew this and he encouraged it.  After years of

      moral decline, Nehemiah and  Ezra brought reform.  That is why we have special

      Meetings and times with the Lord.  That is what Northern Harvest is for.

 

4.   Fourthly when people come into the family of God, they must be shown how to

      Worship and encouraged to be dedicated to the Lord.   When I came to the Lord.  I

      Didn’t know how to act, talk, or think.  I am so glad there wee people who took

      Time to do that.  We must help those new here to become part of us by becoming

      Their friends and family.  It takes work which witness, opportunity, knowledge and

      Risk.  I also encourage new people here to make yourself available for this kind of

      Help and support. 

 

5.  We must never be afraid to confess our sins.  Nehemiah had Ezra read the law so the

     People would know who set them free.  He an the nation then confessed their sins and

     Sought the Lord forgiveness.  Nehemiah remember 2 Chron 7:14, a formula for

     Individual and personal revival.  John encourages us 1 John 1:9 to confess our sins.

     Our opening scripture told us about God’s nature.  So never be afraid to confess your

     Sins, faults and failures to God.  He is willing to forgive.  That is what I love about

     Redemption.  A brand new start and beginning every time.  We can stop the madness

     And start again.  This is my sanity foundation.

 

6.  When faced with stiff opposition, it is good to have a wise defence.  Sanballat and   

     Tobiah and the people of the land.  Made threats, deception, accusation and other

     Tricks to try and make Nehemiah stumble, fall or get off track.  Nehemiah saw

     Through them and had a wise defence.  For example the work was done in shifts.

     The workers also wore weapons of defence.  Watchmen and soldiers were on guard.

     Every attempt failed because Nehemiah prayed, heard from God and implemented

     His plan.  I believe when Jesus faced all the questions he did, knew how to answer

     Because He heard from God before in His prayer time.  We can too.  That is why I

     Try to do when face with difficult choices, decisions and situations.  Also I believe

     That if we take a moment and pray before we open our mouth it would save us from    

     A lot of trouble.  Nehemiah faced every problem and was an example for all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  This last point is get to the essence of God’s will.  Nehemiah had a food position in

     Life,   He was the cupbearer of the King of Persia but he went to Jerusalem to follow

     God’s will for his life,  We must be willing to forsake all so that the work of God can

     Be completed in our lives.  I believe there is a perfect and permissive will of God for

     Each of us.  The permissive is where we decide what we are going to do for God with

     Our lives.  We will be blessed but this directed by comfort, safety, prosperity, family

     Friends etc.  The perfect will is willing to go, say, do and be what God wants you to

     Be.  It is where you say, anytime, anywhere, anything, God I will do.  Whatever,

     Wherever and however.  My answer in advance is Yes.  Jesus did and won salvation.

     Paul did and the gentile world was won.  Ken Gaetz did and this church, the hospital

     Next door is a testimony to his willingness to come.  The thousands coming daily to

     The Lord is a testimony to the millions who say God I want your will to be done in my

     Life.  This is what this book is all about.  prayer, sacrifice and tenacity.