The power of the Holy Spirit of God brings us hope in the midst of suffering! What a glorious blessing it is to know that there is Someone who is in control of all things and that someone is Jesus! All the events and situations of our lives–the good, the bad, and the ugly–are being used by God to make us into the people that He wants us to be.
As we’ve considered this concept of renewal, we have noted that renewal requires consecration (i.e., being separated to or belonging to God). Renewal also requires confession (i.e., agreeing with God about the sinfulness of your attitude and actions). And we noted that renewal will result in commitment in our sermon last Sunday. Today—as we complete our study in Nehemiah—we will see that renewal requires consistency (i.e., doing something in the same way over a long period of time). So, in this study, we’re going to focus on that concept—consistency in our walk with God—because there is no other way to sustain a spirit of revival.
In Nehemiah 9 and 10, the people covenanted together to “observe and do all the commandments of the Lord.” Now in Nehemiah 11, we see the result of this covenant and how it impacted the lives of these people. Many people pay lip-service to following God—or committing wholly to Him—but commitment to God does not come without effort and sacrifice. As we pray each time before studying God’s Word, we must be doers of the Word, not hearers only.
After restoring the broken-down wall of Jerusalem, the restored exiles needed spiritual direction and renewal—they needed revival. In our study last week, we noted that this process of renewal begins with hearing and obeying the Word of God. In today’s study, we will focus on the role of confessing sin in the renewal process, as well as the attitudes that foster a repentant spirit and the product of confession.
The walls of the city of Jerusalem have been rebuilt, restoring the honor and dignity of that great city. Now it is time for the people of Jerusalem to be restored as well. They were in desperate need of reviving and renewal. Both Ezra and Nehemiah were aware of this need, so Nehemiah called all the people together at the Water Gate and asked Ezra to bring the Law of Moses to read to the people so that they could repent and seek the face of God!
Misconceptions, big or small, have a huge impact on our lives. The things that we perceive to be true about a situation can have us making decisions that can impact us negatively for years. So who do you say Jesus is to you? Is He a cosmic hall monitor that is just out to get you? Is He like a watch maker who just started this whole thing and is waiting for it to all end, Or is He is your truth, your peace, your way, your Salvation? It’s important that we can answer for ourselves and for others, Who is Jesus.
Pastor Stuart Estes, Ministry Team Leader at the University of Arkansas’ Association of Baptist Students, shares with us about the work of God on the U of A campus and challenges us to allow Him to work in our lives as well!
As I was seeking God’s will as to what I should share with you today, he brought to my memory a message that I preached at our state association meeting last November—Journey of a Spiritual Man. I have wanted to share this sermon with you for some time now, but until today, God has not given me peace about doing so. I guess my mind has been focused this week on the journey that is this life. As we are nearing the end of my earthly father’s journey in this life, it has caused me to reflect on my journey as well.
Psalm 32 was written by King David sometime after his series of sinful acts dealing with Bathsheba and Uriah, her husband. The story was scandalous, but David thought he had hidden the truth from everyone. Hidden sin is never hidden from God, a lesson that David learned first-hand. Psalm 51 records David’s prayer of repentance for all the things that he did. Psalm 32 is its companion and stresses the blessings of God’s forgiveness and the suffering he experienced because of his stubbornness in acknowledging his sin.
Who we walk with in this life is a choice. Each of those relationships consciously and subconsciously impact the shaping of our lives. It is important that we are judicious in who we let speak into our lives. Proverbs 13:20 tells us that when we hang with fools we are on the road to destruction. Today we are going to look at 5 important relationships and how to discern if they are wise counsel or not.