Rebuilding The Walls, Just What Will It Take?
Part 3 - Our Needed Repairs
Neh. 2:11-20

INTRO.: Two weeks ago I started a series of message called Rebuilding The Walls, Just What Will It Take? This series will deal with the some of the problems at Jerusalem that happened during the captivity of the Children of Israel in Babylon, and parallels it to our lives. It was because of SIN that the Children of Israel were carried away into captivity. Sin cost them a great deal. Sin still costs us today!

Before I begin, I want to share with you what I shared last week as seven items that are indications of broken walls in your life. They are:

If you have lost your Time of Prayer

If you are no longer Hungry for God's Word

If there is no Joy of Worship

If you have no great Desire for Fellowship with Believers

If you have quit Seeking His Guidance

If you have lost your Disdain for Sin

These are obvious signs of broken "walls" in our lives. Are your walls intact? Are some of them cracked, tumbled down? These are the things that should concern us when we find them in our own lives and see them in our church.

What does it take for the weaknesses to be repaired, to be rebuilt? As a church, what do we need to see done in order to have our walls repaired to the place that there is strength there? Instead of crumbled down walls, weakness, disappointment and damaging sin in our lives, we can have godly strength, excitement and godly Pride in our lives and our church.

Today I want to continue in Nehemiah. I have entitled today's message, Rebuilding The Walls, Just What Will It Take? Part 3 - Our Needed Repairs. Today, I want to take time out and tell you what I see when I take time and assess our church today. I am not being mean, argumentative or haughty, just telling you what I see. I know we can all find fault with all each our lives if we look hard enough. Let us look…
 
 

I want to share some items I see torn down…

Wall of worship worn down - many are sporadic or don't show, many refuse to really worship, thus they lack the stability God wants in their lives.

Collapse of commitments - willing to allow others to do the work, worry, etc.

Corner of cordiality ceased - we should enthusiastically welcome our guests. It should thrill us that people come in to God's house

Pillars of prayer pitched aside - Let's face it, we act as if there are snakes around the altar at times.

Extinction of everyday Christian examples - Daily walk, daily talk, daily communion, brotherly love, hard work ethics, plain honesty, charity, etc.

We cannot lay the blame on the next generation, because it is our example that they follow. It is our example that they mimic, it is our example that they will teach their young.

Level of Love is lessened - We really need to have a great love for each other if we are going to move forward for Christ, repair our walls and lift up the name of Christ. Did you know there are secular groups that will show more love and concern than we do at times. We are supposed to have the love of Christ within us.

Vanquished values - Wrongs and rights have become fuzzy in our society , but…

God still expects honesty Rom. 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. God still wants peace in our lives Rom. 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. God still demands holiness & godly living 1 Peter 1:15,16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. God still blesses servitude 1 Cor. 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. God still welcomes transformed lives Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Let me say, people should see the difference in our lives …

The look and dress - we should not look the same

The walk and talk - we should not sound the same

The eat and drink - cannot be just like them

The plan and think - our goals and thought processes should be directed by God, not this worlds economic and moral principles. We should be sincerely seeking God constantly in our lives.

 Note: - not just asking God to bless our endeavors, but really seeking His guidance. Our go and tow - where and who we go with - should be different

Our pay and stay - look out Las Vegas????? Is that right?

 In fact, our whole life should be affected by our values Everyone should see the difference in us - Our parents, our children, our siblings, our co-workers, our neighbors, our dog, and even strangers should see the difference Christ makes in our lives. I want to take time this morning to read our Church Covenant - this is something that many of you have agreed to live by. Well, you might say that this is not the Bible. If you look close it is based on the Bible, so it does apply as a good starting place to serving God.

FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH COVENANT

Having given ourselves to God, by faith in Jesus Christ, and adopted the Word of God as our rule of faith and practice, we now give ourselves to one another by the will of God in this solemn covenant.

We promise by His grace to love and obey Him in all things, to avoid all appearance of evil, to abstain from all sinful amusements and unholy conformity to the world, from all sanction of the use and sale of intoxicating beverages, and to provide things honest in the sight of all men.

We agree faithfully to discharge our obligations in reference to study of the Scriptures, secret prayer, family devotions, and social worship, and by self-denial, faith, and good works endeavor to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together for church conferences, public worship, and the observance of the ordinances of the gospel, nor fail to pay according to our ability for the support of the church, of its' poor, and all its' benevolent work.

We agree to accept Christian admonition and reproof with meekness, and to watch over one another in love, endeavoring to "keep the unity of the Spirit" in the bonds of peace, to be careful of one another's happiness and reputation, and seek to strengthen the weak, encourage the afflicted, admonish the erring, and as far as we are able, promote the success of the church and of the Gospel.

We will everywhere hold Christian principle sacred and Christian obligations and enterprises supreme; counting it our chief business in life to extend the influence of Christ in society; constantly praying and toiling that the Kingdom of God may come, and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

To this end we agree to labor for the promotion of educational and denominational enterprises, the support of missions, the success of Sunday schools, and evangelistic efforts for the salvation of the world.

And may the God of peace sanctify us wholly, and preserve us blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
 
 

Are there some "walls" down in your life?

Have you been shortchanging the Lord with your level of commitment and dedication?

Are you keeping your "walls" in good shape?

Do you want to have a closer, better, more satisfying life with the Lord?

If any of these areas I have mentioned need help in your life, why not fix them today?
 
 

Gary Marcum - East 38th Street Free Will Baptist - 082601am