Monday, January 30, 2006
OVERCOMING OPPOSITION
OVERCOMING OPPOSITION
Nehemiah 4:6-21
INTRO: As Nehemiah organized the people to rebuild the walls of
OBSTACLES THAT HE FACED
Threats from Sanballat and Tobiah (vs. 7-8)
Discouraged workers. The work is too hard (10)
Fearful people. (11)
Distractions (chapter 6)
Nehemiah was asked to come meet Sanballat and others.
Sanballat threatened to report his plot to the king. (5-7)
False prophet warned him to flee to the temple (10)
WHAT NEHEMIAH DID IN RESPONSE
He first PRAYED (vs. 9)
Posted a guard
Made plans to proceed
He refused to be distracted. He was focused on the job.
The people finished the job in 52 days!
LESSONS FOR US
Know that opposition will come.
Trust God as you move head.
Refuse to be distracted. Be focused.
Be confident in God not in your own ability.
Trust God. That cannot be said too much!
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Sermon preached in Greenville, CA, January 29, 2006.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
PRAYER
PRAYER AND FOLLOWTHROUGH
Nehemiah 1:5 - 2:9
INTRO: When Nehemiah heard that
HIS PRAYER (Nehemiah 1:5-11)
Praise (verse 5)
Confession (6-7) Confessed that his fathers and he had sinned
Requests: (8-11): Remember your promise, (8-9)
Hear our prayer. (Others were praying.)
Give me favor with the king.
With a different arrangement of these elements we would have C.P.R.
AUDIENCE WITH THE KING (2:1-9)
Nehemiah was cupbearer -- a highly trusted servant-advisor.
He came before the king in sadness. (This was forbidden.)
The king noticed his sadness and asked about it.
The king offered to help!
Nehemiah prayed and then made his request to the king.
The plan was probably in response to earlier prayer.
PRAISE TO GOD (8)
"...because the gracious hand of God was upon me
the king gave my requests."
Nehemiah recognized God at work in the king's heart.
FOLLOW THROUGH
Nehemiah prayed to God and was led to go to the king.
He made request to the king with Gods leadership.
When prayers were answered, he went to the job.
RESPONSE: As we see the pattern of Nehemiah's prayer and follow through, we are challenged to trust God with our situations. As we pray to God, He will give us directions and provisions in His time. We need to wait on Him and then obey Him when He answers.
As we pray, we must follow through with obedience, confidence, expectancy, and praise.
Preached January 22, 2006.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
IN REMEMBRANCE
IN REMEMBRANCE
I Corinthians 11:23-26
INTO: As we have observed and taken the Lord's Supper this morning it is a good time to reflect on the meaning of this ordinance. Jesus said that we should do it in remembrance of him. So lets:
REMEMBER
HIS DEATH
Substitute for us. John 3:14-17; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 6:23.
Voluntary John 10:18.
Out of love
HIS LIFE
To reveal God's love.
His power
His promise
His victory over death
His present presence, Matthew 28:20.
RESPOND
Faith in Him as Savior
Gratitude for His love and sacrifice
Experience joy and peace
Service to Him and for Him
CALL TO COMMITMENT: If you are here today and have not responded to Jesus in accepting Him as your Savior, then that is the response called for now. If you have, then will you accept His love, joy, and peace, and live thankfully?
EMPHASIS: I wanted to emphasize that when we come to remember Jesus' death or His life, we must respond in faith and obedience.
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Presented January 15, 2006, GSBC, Greenville, California
Faith
Genesis 12:1-9; 15:1-9
INTRO: Into a world of failure and turmoil, God came to begin a new plan. He would make for Himself a separated people. He chose a man named Abram to start with. While it was God's working, it called for faith from Abram.
THE EXPERIENCE OF FAITH
The basis of his faith was "revelation". God spoke to him.
Abram was asked to leave home and family,
But, God promised to make him a great nation and a great name and bless him,
and bless all nations through him.
Abram had to recognize and accept God's work:
So Abram left as the Lord had told him
(4)
THE TESTING OF FAITH
Canaanites were in the land!
There was famine in the land.
He feared his own well being in
When his faith faltered, God intervened.
EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH
Abram built altars at Shechem and
He called on the name of the Lord.
ENCOURAGEMENT OF FAITH (15:1-17)
Here we find Abram questioning things.
God promised protection. (vs. 1)
Abram questioned God because he had no children.
God promised a son, and Abram believed. (vs. 6)
Abram asked for a sign. God made a covenant with a sacrifice.
NOTE: The focus is on God. GOD called Abram. GOD protected him. GOD brought him out of
Abram became an example for us. His faith brought him acceptance by God. But his faith led him to serve GOD.
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This sermon preached on January 8, 2006. The intention is to look at Abraham as an example of one who practiced his faith. But behind it all was God at work in his life. His faith and ours is a response to God's leadership and provision.
Monday, January 16, 2006
ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW YEAR
Numbers 14:1-19
INTRO: The children of Israel have been brought out of Egypt and now stood at the border of the Promised Land. Spies have been sent in and brought back a negative report. True, the land is one of abundance, but there are giants there. But there was another report. The people were faced with a choice. As we stand on the brink of a new year, we could be said to be facing the same choice. Consider:
I. WE CAN BE FRIGHTENED BY THE FUTURE (2-4)
The majority report scared the leaders.
They began to let their imaginations get the best of them.
In their fear they thought of going back to Egypt.
The good old days sometimes beckon us!
Usually they are not what we remember.
It has been said, “You can’t go back home!”
II. WE CAN EMBRACE THE FUTURE (5-10)
There was a minority report.
The land was good and would be good to them.
The risks were worth the rewards.
God would be with them. The battle was not theirs.
Moving ahead would be an act of obedience.
III. WE NEED TO REMEMBER who owns the future.
God threatened to destroy the people.
He suggested starting over with Moses.
Moses called God to defend His reputation.
If He destroyed the people,
the Egyptians would say He was not able to protect the people.
Moses called on God to forgive the people.
As we face the New Year, will we fear the unknown, or will we move ahead with the assurance of God’s provision? Will we try to find all the answers ahead of time, or will we move ahead with trust In God?
This is a new thing for me. I propose for now to simply post my sermon outlines. Perhaps an occasional comment.
