Hello Everyone,

Let's rebuild the wall of discipleship, and sacrificial service, and tithing, and giving to missions.

Let's rebuild the wall of faithfulness.

v. 4 ‘repaired' is used. It means to make strong or firm.

Nehemiah is not interested in a quick fix, he wants to establish something permanent.

He wanted to build something to the GLORY of God that will stand the test of time. And WE want to build a church, a people that will last.

Grounded people who aren't easily uprooted. Not flighty. Rooted in God's Word. This is why we have Life Learning and Life Groups.

We need to know what we believe and why we believe it.

Anything worth doing for God is worth doing right!

1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

People worked together to get the job done. 38 individuals are named, and 42 different groups are identified. And this is just a small representation of leaders.

Look at how Nehemiah's team worked together to do the job swiftly and to do it well...

4 groups:

· Leaders who set the example. v. 1

The priests are the leaders. They aren't used normally for manual labor, but they jumped in and got their hands dirty. They didn't say, sorry, we don't do that kind of work.

It's not do as I say, but do as I do.

· Faithful followers who do their job.

The phrase "Next to him..." is used 15 x's in this chapter. There is a principle here. Every section of the wall, every inch was covered.

The wall was for protection. And so a hole in the wall was just as dangerous as no wall at all.

It is sad to see holes in the wall, people not carrying their load, jobs undone, gaps in God's master plan!

The ministries listed in the bulletin are something for YOU to consider. Don't expect that someone else will do it. It won't happen until YOU do it!

· Shirkers who would not get involved. v. 5

'The nobles' wouldn't get involved. There are people like that in every situation. They might sit back and watch. They might show up or even give money, but won't get involved personally.

If this church were a wall, would there be a hole where you stand?

Is it right to come and enjoy the fellowship and the celebrations but never get involved personally? There's enough to do for everyone to get involved, and much is left undone until you get on board!

· Those who were willing to do more.

v. 11 repaired another section. v. 19, 21, 24 show the same thing.

These finished what they were told to do, and fell back in line to help make up for those who didn't do their job.

What would we do if it were not for multitaskers?

What would happen if everyone did their part in building the wall?

We all have tools God has given us. Will we be a stumbling block or a stepping stone?

Greater Things Are Still To Come!

Pastor Phil

Hello Everyone,

What will it take to get some to make God their first priority, to take the Lord's Day off their calendar where no one is allowed to make any plans that day.

Is God even more important to you than family?

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

God doesn't really want us to hate them. He wants us to love HIM so supremely and make Him such a high priority that by comparison our love for our family seems like hatred.

We always choose God over anyone else.

Blood is thicker than water, and we need to realize that it's the blood of Jesus that makes a faith family and that it is what ties us all together.

God is a God of superior organization, and we should strive to do His business in a careful, thoughtful manner, with proper priorities put into place, not just living on impulse.

v. 2 The word “built”. The Hebrew word for this is used 6 x's in reference to the wall, and it means REBUILT. The implication is that no new material was needed to rebuild the wall.

Now the gates that were burnt required new timber, but laying in the rubble was all they needed for the walls.

That's how it is in building walls for God. It is not by inventing clever new things that we build a church. We have many broken down walls and if we would just raise them back up we would be miles ahead.

Not many want to hear about hell or the end of the world or sin or judgment, and as a result, many preachers have stopped preaching it, and some today are laying aside preaching altogether.

There is no substitute for preaching.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel:
1 Corinthians 1:21 ...it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Titus 1:3 and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Greater Things Are Still To Come!

Pastor Phil

Hello Everyone,

Nehemiah showed Superior Organizational skills.

We see the phrase "next to him” over and over again in Chapter 3.

This thing is organized like a Swiss watch. Everyone knew their place and what was expected of them.

I believe in following the Spirit's leading, but I am totally opposed to flying by the seat of your pants. Some might say we organize the Holy Spirit right out of our church.

But God doesn't want chaos in His church.

He says all things must be done decently and 'in order.'

God believes in organization. The church is special, because we're not just an organization; we're an organism, a living, breathing entity.

God's Word instructs us in how to organize and prioritize our lives. We are not supposed to just live on whims and impulses.

We need to live for what is truly important, not just what is urgent. I want to live my life, not have others live it for me. I need to decide what is truly important, and the directions from God’s Word will help me.

God’s Word teaches that family is to be more important than work. No man ever lay on his death bed saying, "I wish I had spent more time at work."

And there's something more important than family, and that is God and His kingdom, His church, and things of eternal value.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Greater Things Are Still To Come!

Pastor Phil

Hello Everyone,

Nehemiah showed Superior Organizational skills.

We see the phrase "next to him” over and over again in Chapter 3.

This thing is organized like a Swiss watch. Everyone knew their place and what was expected of them.

I believe in following the Spirit's leading, but I am totally opposed to flying by the seat of your pants. Some might say we organize the Holy Spirit right out of our church.

But God doesn't want chaos in His church.

He says all things must be done decently and 'in order.'

God believes in organization. The church is special, because we're not just an organization; we're an organism, a living, breathing entity.

God's Word instructs us in how to organize and prioritize our lives. We are not supposed to just live on whims and impulses.

We need to live for what is truly important, not just what is urgent. I want to live my life, not have others live it for me. I need to decide what is truly important, and the directions from God’s Word will help me.

God’s Word teaches that family is to be more important than work. No man ever lay on his death bed saying, "I wish I had spent more time at work."

And there's something more important than family, and that is God and His kingdom, His church, and things of eternal value.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Greater Things Are Still To Come!

Pastor Phil

Hello Everyone,

Last time we saw Nehemiah's vision, and now it must become reality beginning in chapter 3, and that's going to take a lot of help.

Many people skip over this chapter because it reads like a Hebrew phone book. It's all names and sounds like the 'begat' chapters in Genesis. But it is a very important chapter.

Take time to read it this week.

It is the most detailed description of the layout of old Jerusalem, with intricate details about the placement of each wall and gate.

Even archaeologists sometimes use this chapter as a map to help them as they dig in the old city.

The first 2 chapters have been all about preparing to do the work of God. Now the actual work will begin. Nehemiah was given an assignment from God, and WE should find out our assignment from God as well.

You have a life and family to build, a business, a ministry...a church to build!

Nehemiah could never have completed this work so quickly without a lot of good help that he delegated.

Greater Things Are Still to Come

Pastor Phil