Foundation: DIG Deep

Introduction

God has a vision for our Church

God has a vision for your life

Looking at the story of Nehemiah to help us partner with God as He builds new things in our lives.

Babcock

God has been faithful He is doing so much and we are growing so fast. Even building the new building we believe that we will not have enough space to fit all of the people who He wants to fill. We see that in the new testament as well where houses were so packed that people fell out windows and stuff and we don’t want that to happen here. So we are being faithful and intentional (We’ll talk about that here in a minute) but we can see what God is doing.

And a part of our Church code, a part of who we are is that

We are faith-filled big thinkers meaning we dream big, celebrate big, and take big risks because we serve a big God.

So while we are building a bigger space for Cape Coral, we are expanding our reach by starting a new campus in Babcock Ranch.

There are 1000s of people in Babcock Ranch who need to experience God and we have between 60 and 70 people already in place (who call this church their home) who come to Cape Christian who live out that way. But instead of making them come here to our campus, we are going to take what God is doing here and bring it to them.

So we have asked Pastor Mac to lead our team and be the Campus Pastor out a Babcock

(on Sunday- In fact that is where he is at right now) They are already having preliminary services in homes with the core group of people and they are already seeing new people show up to the services out there

So if you live out that way and would like to be a part of that work we encourage to contact Pastor Mac. He has already reached out to a bunch of people, but if God has laid it on your heart, we want to provide you with the opportunity to be a part of that team. You can contact him by emailing [e-mail] and he will connect with you.

Message

Review

God is doing some amazing things as we walk in obedience to His vision for our Church.

And it is no different for you. God has incredible things for you, He has a vision for your life and we want to help you see those things happen and that is what this series is all about.

In our first week we talked about how Nehemiah saw a problem and his first reactions was to go to God, to seek God about what to do.

Then last week Pastor Brandon helped us to discern God’s voice as we go to Him.

So once we see a problem and go to God, once we make His voice the loudest in our lives and listen to him.

What do we do next what leads us from a Problem and a Prayer to Action

Look at what Nehemiah did. While he was praying - he didn’t blame God, he didn’t blame anyone else. He repented. He owned his part of the problem. The issue wasn’t Nebuchadnezzer, the problem wasn’t Babylon, the problem wasn’t Artaxerxes.

Nehemiah 1:6–7 NIV84

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. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

In order for God to build His vision for your life we have to be like Nehemiah and we have to:

1. OWN our Part.

Nehemiah includes himself in the confession. “WE have acted very wickedly toward you.”

It wasn’t someone else’s problem. It was Nehemiah’s. He wasn’t mad at God. He understood that God was faithful. So, if there was an issue it was directly at the feet of God’s people. And someone needed to own it, so Nehemiah said I will own it.

he went to God and he repented.

But he didn’t stop there. He took “ownership” to a whole new level. He offered himself to God to be the one that God could use.

It’s similar to when God called the Prophet Isaiah. God is saying to each one of us.

Isaiah 6:8 NIV84

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

God is asking “who will go for us”

Nehemiah could have said “Somebody needs to go take care of that!” “Somebody should do something!”

Instead he said “I AM SOMEBODY.” “What can I do?”

What is God asking you to do?

When you looked around and saw that crack in the wall

What is God showing you?

Pray about it, own it and then be like Nehemiah.

2. Do Something

Nehemiah stood up and said:

My City My Problem

Look at what Nehemiah prayed

Nehemiah 1:11 NIV84

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.

Nehemiah wasn’t content with just praying, he put some feet to his faith.

It wasn’t comfortable - stepping out in faith never is

It wasn’t going to be easy - but a lot of the time God’s answer to your prayers and the prayers of others is YOU

It wasn’t going to be easy for Nehemiah - you can read the story and see that. Nehemiah was the one who was equipped - he was a cup bearer.

But regardless of all of that, Nehemiah said “My city, My Problem” he said “Here I am, send me” “ I am somebody”

What is God showing you, what is God asking you to do to bring His Kingdom to this world.

What do we do?

We might feel ill-equipped, maybe a bit disqualified for God to use.

Well In order for God to build some things up in our lives there’s God to be some work done first.

When you build a building you don’t just put the shovel in the ground there’s some prep work that has to be done.

In fact long before you see anything go up there’s been a ton of stuff done “in secret” behind closed doors, that no one sees. We talked a little bit about that last week in hearing God voice. His voice has to be the loudest. It has to be His vision otherwise what we build is pointless.

We mentioned this passage and it is still true, not just in developing the vision but all the way through the process - God has to be in this thing.

Psalm 127:1 NIV84

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.

God… and you have to do some site work, some prep work. We have to lay a foundation that God will build upon. Again.

It will be disruptive and it won’t be easy. But…

Foundation

The Higher You Build, The Deeper You Have to Dig

Site Prep

Remember it’s the unseen stuff that makes the seen stuff possible.

Listen Breaking Ground is great, it can be exciting, it can be hopeful.

But it is very disruptive and uncomfortable - so we are going to have to do some work.

Even before you lay the foundation you may have to clear away some stuff that is getting in the way.

Like we talked about last week - there maybe some people speaking into your life, some relationships that you have that are getting in the way of what God is trying to build in you and through you. You may have to clear some of that out.

You may have some rubble from the destruction of the life that you used to have:

Bad decisions

Hurt and abuse/unforgiveness

Addictions and bad habits

Your own building that you decided to build but God never wanted them there to begin with.

What is it that God needs to clear away so you can lay a foundation on Jesus.

It’s going to be hard, it may hurt a bit, it will be uncomfortable but God wants to clear it away so He can replace it with something way better and way stronger.

Now once that is cleared away How do we build the foundation.

Foundation

We want to help you not only clear the area but we also want to give you 3 quick suggestions to help then build something better with God.

Remember the Higher you want to build, the deeper you have to dig.

So to build a strong foundation we have to

DIG Deep

D- Deliberate

People who dig are Deliberate in their thoughts and behaviors through prayer, meditation and setting their intentions.

Be Deliberate

Luke 14:28 NIV84

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?

1 Peter 4:7 NIV84

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Ephesians 5:15–17 NIV84

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

We have to be measured, clear minded, intentional.

Nehemiah was deliberate.

He knew what he was going to face, so he prepared, he was ready, and he was strategic. He got the letters and orders that he needed, he knew he would need supplies and he strategically broke up the responsibilities.

Nehemiah didn’t just say okay let’s get there and figure it out. No knew what he needed he prepared, he recruited and then set everyone to work intentionally. We have to do that in our lives.

We have to look at what God is asking us to do seriously and make room for it in our lives. Is he looking at us using our finances, our time, our relationships, what are we going to have to adjust to be a part of what God is building.

It is going to cost you something. It’s going to be difficult but stay at it.

Be Deliberate, steward it well.

People who DIG are

I- Inspired

I’m not talking about feelings or desire

Here’s what I mean.

People who DIG allow God, through prayer and His word to inspire them to make new and different choices and live a new different kind of life.

Many times we just keep doing what feels good, we keep doing what we have always done.

But…

If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will keep getting what you’ve always gotten.

Some of us need to change what we are doing. We need to allow God through prayer and through His word to inspire us to live a different life

Romans 12:2 NIV84

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When we conform to the patterns of the world we build our lives on unstable foundations

For our online broadcast we talked about building your foundation on sand or on the rock.

Conforming to the world build the foundation on the sand.

But allowing God’s word and His voice to transform us meaning inspire to do His will His way for His glory that is building our foundation on Jesus.

Nehemiah as a story isn’t just about building the walls of Jerusalem it is a story about how God’s people came back to Him.

What is interesting is that while Nehemiah was building the walls, he was also, with the help of Ezra restoring the faith and obedience of Jerusalem.

In fact after Nehemiah and Ezra rebuild the walls and reconsecrated God’s people back to Him, they never left.

In the OT over and over again God people would rebel then God would punish, then they would repent and God would restore them.

After Nehemiah, God’s people never rebelled, they never fell away, they remained faithful to God and then Jesus came. All because Nehemiah decided to DIG.

We need to allow God to inspire us to change how we are living.

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV84

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

We can be inspired to make new choices by reading God’s word as well.

But we can’t just be hears we have to be doers

Because people who DIG are people who are GOING

G-Going

People who DIG are people of action- they take action they don’t just hear the word to change they do the change.

James 1:22 NIV84

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

We have to do something new to build something new. We have to take action in order to see results.

That is what Nehemiah did - He say the problem, He counted the cost, He changed his actions (he went from cup bearer to builder and repented and turned back to God) and then He took action, He changed His actions (turned away from sin) and then set out to do something about what He saw.

That is what Jesus was talking about with the parable of building your house upon the rock.

It isn’t just about hearing the right thing to do, or know the right way to behave. It is about doing. Taking action on what you know.

Close

What is it that God is speaking to you today? What do you have in your life that is keeping you from laying a good foundation.

What do you need to tear down

What do you need to clear away

What areas is God asking you to DIG Deeper so He can build up something stronger, something better.

You may want to give up - keep going, don’t be lazy, don’t give up. There is something better on the other side. More than you could ever possibly know.

CapeYes