Power Point - November 28, 2005

November 28, 2005

 

It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The survivors…are in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

--Nehemiah 1:1-4

 

The book of Nehemiah is about a man who made a dynamic difference. Nehemiah was a definite leader. He led the people of Israel in a rebuilding process—a project that brought glory to God. He was a man who refused the status quo, and determined under God that he would make a difference in the broken condition of his world and that of his kinsmen.

 

It was a time of national calamity for the Jewish people. In 587 BC, the Babylonians had overrun Jerusalem, taken the people into captivity, and left the city destroyed. The walls were broken and shattered. The gates were burned with fire. But in God’s providence, a group was allowed to return and rebuild the temple though the walls were still in shambles and many of the people were scattered about all over the place.

 

The walls represented the protection of the holy city. They knew rebuilding would be a difficult task. The same is true in marriage, family, friendships, a business, or a church body. Rebuilding after destruction in any of these situations is extremely difficult.

 

But it took someone with vision, conviction, commitment, and devotion to see that the walls were rebuilt. Nehemiah was willing to face the problem head on with God’s help. So often we want to stay in our comfort zone. We want to do what’s easy because the number one enemy of success is complacency. Christians need to face the facts, expose the problems in their lives, and seek the Lord in times of distress to rebuild.

 

Do you believe our God can make a difference and help rebuild your life when your spouse walks out, when you can’t pay your bills, when your relationships are destroyed, or when you are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness? Nehemiah sat down and prayed for days and days, fasted, wept, and gave it all over to the Lord. Instead of giving up to failure, seek the Lord.

 

GET ON YOUR FACE BEFORE GOD, EXPOSE THE PROBLEM, ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY, AND SEEK HIS FACE.