|
Sermon Series
|
|
| Once 3 other sermon seekers subscribe, mentioning your name, you get a free sermon series download! |
Grace Notes Sermon Ministry:
NOTICE! Our sermons are free to download, copy and paste, edit and use as you see fit...but only our free subscribers get the newest messages, featured sermons, and some gifts we shower on them from time to time!
Steps to Success
Nehemiah 2:1-10
Nehemiah heard the sad news
of
Many of us pray to God to
fix things and what we mean is, I'd like to see change God, and I'm hoping
you will send someone else or just magically make it happen.
ill.--VBS is a busy time in
our home, esp. for my wife. The
house suffered for it, and I suggested, "Someone needs to clean up around
here." Big mistake.
I finally got it finished yesterday!
Here we find some
principles of success in one of the most successful building projects ever
undertaken. How did it go from
vision to fruition in 52 days?
And how will these same principles help us build a church, or a good home,
or a business?
Christians should not be
afraid of the word success ["prosper" in KJV].
Psalm 1 tells us if we shun
the world and sin we will be like a tree, fruitful, and whatsoever we do
shall prosper.
In Joshua 1, Joshua is
about to take over for Moses in leading God's people.
God tells him, if you'll build your life on my Word, then you will be
prosperous and then you will have good success!
I love our Charismatic
friends, and am not trying to bash them.
But we should not allow the 'excesses' of some to rob us of Biblical
truth.
ill.--A few decades ago
when the tongues movement was so big a lot of churches in our circles
stopped preaching on the filling of the Holy Spirit at all, because they
wanted to distance themselves from being labeled as fanatics.
But, that's allowing yourself to be robbed of a blessing...and of the
truth!
Prosperity gospel is not
what we're all about, but God does want us to be successful...not for our
glory, but for His, and not by the world's standards, but by His!
ill.--Trump wants his name
on towers, and to glorify himself.
We want to make a name for Jesus, and to build Him a kingdom, not us
a compound!
Nehemiah didn't want to
build his personal kingdom, but something for God!
And he had much better hair than Trump, no doubt! [you'd think he
could afford implants rather than having that mother of all combovers!]
Last time we saw how -
1.
Nehemiah Verbalized his Goal...
...at
the proper time, right when
God opened the door to discuss it w/ the king.
Many times we rush ahead of
God, impatiently wanting our way, and wanting it now, and we make a big mess
of things.
Then there's the danger of
waiting too long to launch out w/ what God has told us to do.
Some people are like the guy who waited at the end of his driveway
for every stoplight in town to turn green before he would go.
You don't go anywhere that way!
ill.--Here comes the bride,
white of hair, stooped over her cane, her footsteps uncertain need guiding /
Down the other church aisle with wide toothless smile, the groom in his
wheelchair comes riding / Who is this elderly couple thus wed, you'll find
when you've closely explored it / This is that rare, unusual pair, who
waited 'til they could afford it!
...with a prayerful spirit.
Even as he talked w/ the king he was silently talking to the King of
kings, and he had bathed it all in prayer for 4 months already!
...with a powerful statement.
It was all boiled down to those 5 words, "That I may build it."
v. 5b You need clearly
spelled out goals...a mission statement, and put it on paper.
And now Nehemiah has
already made the impossible happen, for the king had decreed that the walls
would not be rebuilt, and yet his heart is taken in and changed because
Nehemiah prayed for the impossible and put it in such a powerful way at the
proper time ... and God holds the heart of the king in His hand!
2.
Nehemiah Mobilized the Means.
Wishful thinking never
achieves goals. You have to know
in advance what it's gonna take to reach a goal and you have to ask God to
give you direction.
Jesus taught in Luke 14,
"What man builds a tower w/out counting the cost?"
He went on to make the same point about a king planning to go to
war...you have to do some planning first.
In every area of life we
must count the cost, and mobilize the means.
"People don't plan
to fail...they fail to plan."
But Nehemiah spent 4 months
praying and planning. He has
thought through every detail, and now when he finally has the ear of the
king he knows exactly what to ask for.
Look what
Nehemiah asked for:
·
Permission.
- vv. 5-6
This was government
service. You don't just walk
away. You'd be going AWOL!
Plus, he needed permission to build the walls.
So, why do we need
permission to do what we know is God's will?
Because the Bible teaches that God's people, above all people, should
be subject to authority as good citizens.
As much as possible we ought to work w/in the framework of our
society. We should have respect
and obey the rules of human government.
The exception of course is when man's law conflicts w/ God's law.
Then we ought to obey God rather than men as they did in Acts.
Even Jesus paid His taxes and He was under a wicked Roman rule.
ill.--the IRS has what they
call a 'conscience fund' where you can send monies you owe from many years
back which are no longer able to be audited.
One man sent a check w/ a note that said, "I truly hope this helps my
guilty conscience a little. If
it does, maybe I'll send the rest!"
Permission...
·
Passage.
v. 7 Crossing the border is a tense moment, and the most difficult
part of the journey. Can you see
how Nehemiah has carefully considered all the details of this undertaking?
He wasn't caught flat footed.
He was ready! He was a
man with a plan.
·
Provision.
v. 8 Nehemiah is so well researched that he already has the name of
the guy who runs the king's forest, the lumber yard.
And spiritually, we need
the provision of God if we're gonna do anything for Him.
We need a heavenly fuel to get us all the way.
We need some checks from the bank of heaven to pay our way all the
way.
Interesting, Nehemiah got
his supply 'out of' the king's riches.
But my Bible says I get my supply not out of my King's riches, but
'according to' His riches!
Philippians 4:19
19 But my God shall supply all your
need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
What's the difference
between 'out of' and 'according to'?
If you were a street beggar and Bill Gates walked by and gave you a
20 dollar bill he would be giving 'out of' his riches.
But if he gave you a blank check and told you to fill it in, he would
be giving 'according to' his riches!
And we serve a God that makes Bill Gates look like the beggar!
God owns the cattle on a
thousand hills, and He owns the hills, and the gold in them.
The sky is NOT the limit w/ Him...His riches extend throughout the
universe, and there's nothing you're facing that isn't very small for Him to
supply!
v. 8b "The good hand of God"
We can trust that good hand, and we can sing, "God is so good!"
Nehemiah gives God the
glory...he didn't write a book and start the speaking circuit on "How to get
what you want from the king!"
Truly the king's heart is
in the hand of the Lord!
Throughout history we see that God is the one on the throne and in full
control. It doesn't matter who
sits in the Oval Office or who presides over the UN.
God used Pharaoh to demonstrate His power in
What has God put into your
heart to do? Quit wishing for it
and looking at why it CAN'T happen and start praying that God will move
heaven and earth if it be His will for your life!
My future is as bright as
the promises of God...I've gotta wear shades!
And I want to make the most of His plans for me!
He verbalized his goal, and he mobilized the
means...
3.
Nehemiah Galvanized Against the Enemy.
v. 10 Once you set your heart on
accomplishing what God has put in your heart to do there's no looking back,
and no fearing the enemies the devil will put in your path.
The world will not be your cheerleaders!
Much opposition will rise up if you want to go forward in your life!
ill.--a lady told John R.
Rice she had never met up w/ the devil.
He said, "Maybe you're both heading in the same direction!"
If you never have
opposition from the devil, it may be because he's got you right where he
wants you!
When
you say, "Let us rise up and build" the devil will raise up some to blast!
Galvanize your soul against all enemies and keep your eye on the goal
and don't give up for nothing!
Two frogs fell into a deep
cream bowl,
One was an optimistic soul;
But the other took the
gloomy view,
"I shall drown," he cried,
"and so will you."
So with a last despairing
cry,
He closed his eyes and
said, "Good-bye."
But the other frog, with a
merry grin
Said, "I can't get out, but
I won't give in!
I'll swim around till my
strength is spent.
For having tried, I'll die
content."
Bravely he swam until it
would seem
His struggles began to
churn the cream.
On the top of the butter at
last he stopped
And out of the bowl he
happily hopped.
What is the moral?
It's easily found.
If you can't get out --
keep swimming around!
Author Unknown
Nehemiah had a cushy life,
but God put a great vision for more in him, and he allowed it to galvanize
his heart, and he wouldn't let go or give in until those walls were built!
Grace Notes Sermon Ministry:
NOTICE! Our sermons are free to download, copy and paste, edit and use as you see fit...but only our free subscribers get the newest messages, featured sermons, and some free gifts we shower on them from time to time!
Help keep this service free by recommending it
using the links above the sermon
All Sermons and PowerPoint Slideshow Presentations ©Copyright Jerry Shirley and Grace Notes Ministries® unless otherwise credited. These resources are yours to use freely, but only in public worship services or private study groups and devotions. They may not be sold, republished or retransmitted in any form without written permission.
