Join us in this study of the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah the good man with a good God was doing the good work. He exchanged his royal cupbearer's robes for coveralls and got to work rebuilding the wall. The project took twelve years and was an uphill battle all the way--with grumpy workers, squabbles, and enemies lurking at every turn. The efforts of the good work reveal just how much God can accomplish in our lives when we follow where He leads.
Paul Clark
1-15-23
So Nehemiah was kind of a big deal, big responsibilities, a full schedule……. But he cared – and He Heard – and a burden is being born……
But the watershed deal for me – and what I think sets the tone for the rest of the book is – the moment this burden is born is when HE HURT
Paul Clark
1-22-23
So he starts with prayer – that goes into vision & planning --- this is the first of 9 prayers that he prays in Nehemiah – remember he’s praying for 3 or 4 months – How many of you know there’s just some things you have to work out……….
Paul Clark
1-29-23
Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. He'll lift you up. That's what Nehemiah said - the good hand of God was upon me. You don't do the good work without the good hand of God...
Paul Clark
2-5-23
I’m part of a much bigger plan here?” – and God wants to use me to accomplish something significant --- because God’s vision is connected to purpose --- His vision is for victory – and God will bring it to pass ---- do you see it before you see it
Paul Clark
2-19-23
Together ---- that’s the key word in Chapter 3 ----
“And next to him” – “And next to them” --- Hand in hand – heart in heart – life in life………It’s amazing what God can do with a group of people who are willing to get to work…
Paul Clark
2-26-23
That’s where we find our guy Nehemiah in chapter 4 – as soon as he started the good work – the good fight was on……. What we see here is really spiritual warfare – It really is the enemies of God trying to stop the work of God
Paul Clark
3-5-23
It all comes down to these great images – a sword and a trowel -- So God gives you a burden – God gives you a vision – and now we bring commitment --- You join the team
Paul Clark
3-12-23
Today – the challenges to be faithful—don’t just come from outside—they also come from the inside – think about that – because we as Christians like to think about the corrupt nature of the culture and society and Hollywood & Music & Washington DC & yada yada……..But what about what’s in us? –
Paul Clark
3-19-23
When the enemies came against Nehemiah with Weapons of mass distraction – He said no to anything that was lesser, because he was saying yes to his greater work
Paul Clark
3-26-23
And here’s the problem – you can be doing right stuff and be in wrong relationship
God won’t be second place in your life – God won’t play second fiddle to our stuff—even if it’s good stuff
God demands to be first in our affection, in our attention, in our priority. That’s because that’s who He is…..
Paul Clark
4-16-23
The battle is always against the opening of the Word of God. If the Bible is gonna be opened, there's gonna to be a battle to open the Bible. Because once God's Word is open, you're gonna see it. Revival comes, lives are changed and things happen.
Paul Clark
4-23-23
The law of God is an external authority and it judges everyone. It's over all the peoples, all the times, all the places and all the cultures. You can't say, well, that's not my culture. That's not how I identify. God's law is His perfect, unchanging external authority judging everyone.
Paul Clark
4-30-23
And they lived this way for a long time – Some of you have lived this way for a long time – But that can change – you can go from dead religion to dynamic revival --- and it happens with CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE
Paul Clark
5-7-23
So here’s what we’re going to do – we’re going to look at 7 things that they commit themselves to – and I want you to ask yourself – “Which of these might be a strength—and which might be a weakness?”
Paul Clark
5-21-23
And God gives Nehemiah a new project – to re-populate the city – It needs people – It takes people to make the city of Jerusalem into the thriving city God wanted it to be
Paul Clark
5-28-23
Probably everyone of us would admit that our commitment level isn’t where it should be. I know I can say that. And maybe some of us, if we’re honest, would admit that we are more committed to doing the right stuff and believing the right stuff than we are to loving Jesus
Paul Clark
6-11-23
YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY WHAT YOU’VE DONE --- the enemy wants to define you by either what they’ve done or what you’ve done – he’s called the accuser of the children of God – Listen to this – the Bible says – there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Paul Clark
6-25-23
Celebration is at the heart of worship. It is not about me, but about who God is – the Lord God almighty, King of the universe, Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Saviour and Lord. Worship is focusing my heart and my mind on who God is.
Paul Clark
7-9-23
Here’s the movement – God makes you clean – God makes you glad – and then God makes you generous .. Let’s ask the question – “Am I clean? – Am I glad? – and then Am I generous?
Paul Clark
7-16-23
One day your floating on a cloud – praising Jesus – walking with Jesus – and then you pull a Peter – and deny that you even know Jesus.. Most of the time it’s a slow drift away from God – you get complacent and you look up and you’re not in Kansas anymore..
Paul Clark
7-23-23
If you feed the flesh – you’ll compromise – you’ll drift – you’ll become complacent – and the fire will go out – So we have to fight the flesh – Nehemiah shows us how--- We’re going to look at PROFIT OVER PURPOSE
Paul Clark
7-30-23
Nehemiah came back and the place was a mess – the people were a mess – It’s because of what they believed – they wouldn’t believe the truth – the truth is this we can do it if God is for us – Our enemies don’t stand a chance –