|
OQ: What is your ambition in life?
Introduction: Nehemiah was an ordinary man working as a cupbearer to the king.
When he heard about Jerusalem, his heart was filled with pain.
He prayed to God and got the strength and started rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.
Let’s read about this great man of God and imitate his life.
1. Turn to God.
Nehemiah 1:4-11
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
5 Then I said: "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands,
6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you.
7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 "Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,
9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'
10 "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.
11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king.
Q: How is our God according to Nehemiah? (He is great and awesome, and keeps His covenant of love.)
Q: How is Nehemiah’s attitude regarding sin? (He feels terrible; he confesses and wants to repent.)
Q: How is your attitude regarding sin?
Q: How are Nehemiah’s prayers? (He is pleading to God.)
2. Build on Conviction.
Nehemiah 6:9-11
9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."
10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you--by night they are coming to kill you."
11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!"
Q: When people tried to frighten Nehemiah, how did he react? (He was bold to face the consequences.)
Q: How do you react when your family, boss or your friends try to frighten you?
Nehemiah was filled with convictions. So he was not afraid. In the same way you’ve got to build your life on conviction.
3. God will grant success.
Nehemiah 6:15-16
15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
Q: How did Nehemiah’s enemy’s feel when they heard that the walls were completely built? (They were afraid and lost their selfconfidence.)
Q: With whose help the work was completed? (With God’s help.)
Conclusion
So if we turn towards God and start rebuilding our lives on the basis of conviction, God will surely grant us success.
So let’s make a decision to study the Bible and change our lives.
|
