PAUSE, PRAY, PLAN, & PROCEED
K. Doug Allen
Nehemiah • Sermon • Submitted
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Regarding the COVID-19 restrictions:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/03/us/california-places-of-worship-pandemiic-trnd/index.html
REVIEW
REVIEW
Ezra had restored worship, but there was not control of access and egress to the city. A type of the The born again spirit with a carnal mind.
Jack Hayford - Rebuilding the Real You
Jack Hayford - Rebuilding the Real You
Nehemiah (ne-he-mi’-ah) = Jehovah comforts; Jehovah has consoled; the comfort of GOD; i.e., the aid of the LORD; (roots = [1] to comfort; [2] Jehovah).
16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever—
A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 3875. παράκλητος3875. παράκλητος paraklētŏs, par-ak´-lay-tos; an intercessor, consoler:—advocate, comforter.
A KAIROS MOMENT
A KAIROS MOMENT
The word ‘Kairos’ has its roots in archery, where it signifies a “penetrable opening, an aperture” through which Greek archers aimed, simulating the forest of shields and armor through which an arrow must pass to reach its target.
NEHEMIAH CHAPTER TWO
NEHEMIAH CHAPTER TWO
1 Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence.
2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified,
1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa.
It has been 9 months since Nehemiah heard the report on the conditions in Jerusalem. It becomes increasingly apparent that Nehemiah has spent this 9 months “gestating” a plan. He has not been passive. He has been waiting on the Lord.
Waiting on the Lord
“Think waiter waiting on a table, not someone waiting on a bus to arrive.”
“Think waiter waiting on a table, not someone waiting on a bus to arrive.”
“Terrified” - In the king’s presence.
It is apparent that Nehemiah is deeply grieved, that he is emotionally engaged in this situation, and though driven by emotion, he is not acting on emotion.
by emotion, he is not acting on emotion.
by emotion, he is not acting on emotion.
It has been nine months since Nehemiah had received the report on the state of Jerusalem.
Avoid the temptation to just “do something”.
Pause, Pray, Plan, Pursue
Pause, Pray, Plan, Pursue
3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven,
5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”
Nehemiah clearly states the problem
6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.
I think the Queen gives the King some wisdom here...
“A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”
~ Harvey McCay
For the believer, I would ad, not your plan, but God’s plan. It takes time to know God’s plan.
7 I also said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah.
8 And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.
Nehemiah states, apologetically, exactly what he needs.
“God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.”
“God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.”
~ Hudson Taylor
One man’s radical obedience is still affecting the freedom of billions.
“When take the time to Pause, Pray, Plan, & Proceed, we should expect the unusual favor of God.” ~ PD
“When take the time to Pause, Pray, Plan, & Proceed, we should expect the unusual favor of God.” ~ PD
9 When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.
Nehemiah didn’t ask for protection, but God considered his well being to be a default part of His provision.
Nehemiah didn’t ask for protection, but God considered his well being to be a default part of His provision.
Every great story has at least one protagonist, in this case, Nehemiah, and at least one antagonist, in this case Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.
The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names Sanballat
Sanballat (san-bal’-lat) = Hate in disguise; the enemy is secret. Chaldean: A hidden branch. Hatred (or throne) in secret
Tobiah (to-bi’-ah) = Distinguished of the LORD; Jehovah is good.
The Ultimate Who’s Who in the Bible Tobiah [Toh-bi-uh]
Tobiah [Toh-bi-uh]
(Hebrew origin: God’s goodness)
(Ezra 2:60). Unspecified date. Tobiah was the ancestor of a family that returned with Zerubbabel from the Babylonian Exile. The members of this family were dismissed from the priesthood, because they could not prove their genealogy.
(Nehemiah 2:10). 5th century B.C. Tobiah, the Ammonite, a sworn enemy of Nehemiah, enjoyed the friendship of many people in Judah, because he was related by marriage to some of the most prominent Jewish families. His father-in-law was Shechaniah, the son of Arah, and his son Johanan had married the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.
There will always be resistance to the will of God by 2 counterfeit kingdoms:
There will always be resistance to the will of God by 2 counterfeit kingdoms:
The Kingdom of Satan
The Kingdom of Satan
The Kingdom of Religion
The Kingdom of Religion
11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later,
12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.
The Holy Spirit is always working, even in seeming darkness, when we cannot see evidence of the fact.
God doesn’t tell everybody what He’s doing.
God doesn’t tell everybody what He’s doing.
Prerequisites for the informed:
Be a Disciple:
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
Disciple Defined: Men and women submitted to the delegated authority of the local church to become strong followers of Christ, who then become disciple-makers themselves
Disciple Defined: Men and women submitted to the delegated authority of the local church to become strong followers of Christ, who then become disciple-makers themselves
Be a Seeker:
1 My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.
9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.
Commit to Obey
17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates.
14 Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble.
15 So, though it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.
16 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration.
17 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”
18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.
19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.
20 I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
