Lead Pastor
Sermons by Wade Allen (Page 9)
Every human relationship is dependent on communication. If communication between two people is good, then there is mutual confidence and trust. When that trust is broken, there is conflict and suspicion. In our text today, we discover that Paul is addressing a situation of broken trust between himself and the believers in Corinth. When dealing with this kind of situation, it is important to remember that we cannot control other people’s actions, only our reactions! We see in this passage, some of the ways that Paul responded to the situation happening in Corinth.
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!
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.
The goal of this study is to discover the six obstacles to becoming self-aware. “Self-awareness refers to your ability to see yourself clearly and objectively.” It is a problem —both a spiritual and an emotional problem—if we are unable to have a clear and objective view of ourselves. It is good to know our strengths, but also our weaknesses. We need to recognize our talents, but also our limitations. What do people see as virtues of our character and what are our character flaws? This is why it is so important to guard our hearts—the condition of our heart affects everything!
As we continue our series on navigating life’s relationships, we have come to the portion focused on how to deal with conflicts that always seem to happen when you put two people together. Conflict cannot always be avoided, but the Scripture has advice for us in how we should deal with conflict. So this morning, we are going to look to the Proverbs for nine tips in dealing with conflict.
In our message today, I want to focus on four encouragements and one admonition from Proverbs 17. When we speak of encouragement, we have all experienced the afterglow of receiving an encouraging word or text. And sometimes we are on the giving side of it and we’re able to watch as a person’s expression changes from that of defeat to the face of strength. What a blessing it is to both give and receive encouragement! Now when we speak of admonitions—or admonishing someone—we may or may not have a clear understanding of this term. To admonish means “to caution, advise, or counsel against something; to reprove or scold, especially in a mil and good-willed manner.” The Apostle Paul uses this word to describe the work of God’s Word in our lives. He wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16a).