Blessings and benefits of praying for others

Sermon notes from Sunday 9 September 2018 am

James 5 verses 13 - 20, Daniel 6 verse 10 and Nehemiah 1 verses 1 - 6

We read from 3 accounts of 3 men - Elijah, Daniel and Nehemiah.  These men had one thing in common - they were men of prayer.  They were men who knew how to pray.  Think today of how many people are dependent on what we do this winter.  The souls of men and women that hang in the balance.  There are so many instructions in Nehemiah, encouragements, challenges in it.  So many directions for us to take and follow.  Whenever we have it in our minds, when we leave this scene of time behind, close our eyes in death, are ushered into God`s eternity, stand on the golden shore, the first person to meet us, to greet us, to take us by the hand will be our Saviour and Lord.  After the Lord wouldn`t it be nice to go around and find out about this man Nehemiah, ask him about some of the great characters of this book.  He had a great income and future yet gave it all up that he might come down into Jerusalem, gather the people together to pray.  It took so much out of him.  He was not a man who would sit on the fence.  He got down to the work straight away.  He had an interest in the people and work of God.  He inquired about the people then got involved.  We saw the impact it had on him but also the involvement it led to.  Chapter 2 verse 10 "it grieved them exceedingly".  Here are the enemies of God`s work set out to oppose him.  They were concerned that a man would come to seek the welfare of the children of the Israel.  Is the devil angry?  Are the demons of hell grieved today because you have compassion for others.  In chapter 1 verse 4 we come to the first of Nehemiah`s prayers, there are 11 in total in this book.  Look at the blessings and benefits that prayer brings.

There was a time of preparation in Nehemiah`s prayers.  There was a need for tears.  The walls are broken down, the gates are burned with fire.  The enemy could come in.  The people were scattered.  They did not know their God anymore.  It was a time to weep, getting down to business with God.  Nehemiah heard about the conditions in Jerusalem and did 5 things.  

He sits down - he has heard about the situation in Jerusalem and stops everything that he was doing.
He weeps and he mourns - it is the same weeping and mourning we have for someone who has passed away.
He fasted - goes without food and drink.
Then he prays - what was taking place in Jerusalem drove this man to his knees to pray.

When we think over the years how many great preachers and churches have been raised up, how many prayer times have been held - is that still the case today?  Prayer times have stopped, the people in the pulpits do not know God personally any more.  Maybe we need to take time to weep and pray once more.  Daniel was studying the book of Jeremiah when he stumbled on something very significant.  God told Jeremiah that the people would be in captivity for 70 years.  Daniel is now reading this and he knows it is coming up to near the end of the 70th year.  He knew it would be a time of movement by God and deliverance by God.  Prayer is something we must be careful of.  The example of 2 men - Daniel and Nehemiah - they set a time to seek God`s face.  Do we still set time for God today?  So busy in the morning that we set the prayer time aside.  Daniel took time each morning to pray to God.  Nehemiah realised that this was a big burden the Lord had laid on him.  He set to pray, he had to receive the power of God to take him through.  How do we handle problems and difficulties today?  When was the last time you took time to pray for people?  To be broken hearted, to weep and cry?

A time for praise.  Praise is also important in prayer.  What gave Nehemiah assurance coming into the presence of God?  Psalm 34 verse 18 "the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite heart."  Nehemiah 1 verse 5.  We see the same in the book of Daniel - "O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments."  This is someone who needs our respect and reverence and awe.  "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity." Habbukuk 1 verse 13.  We need to still have great respect for him.  Here is a demonstration of great respect for the God of heaven.  Do we take time to come into his presence in preparation?  Take time to praise him?  Prayer is not just mentioning a few names and running out again as quickly as we can.  It is coming into the presence of God, realising who he is.  Praising him for who he is.  Thanking him.  Do we sit down before God`s presence.  Sometimes you cannot find words to pray but simply saying "thank you Lord for saving me" is sufficient.

A time to plead - verse 5.  He makes this great plea in verse 6 "let thine ear now be attentive and thine eyes open that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee now day and night."  He admits the sin of the people, he is getting to grips with the seriousness of the situation.  He is open and honest before God.  He admits that he has sinned first.  We need to be careful.  There is an apathy amongst the people of God.  The people of God went back to Jerusalem.  God delivered them from Babylon, set them free after 70 years.  He sent them back to build the house of God, to get the walls built and gates restored, to gather the people together.  The people however went down to Jerusalem and settled down.  Some times that can happen to us.  We can be on fire for God when we first get saved but then we settle down.  The people in Jerusalem built their own houses but had no time to build the Lord`s house.  Solomon in his day realised the people he lived amongst were prone to fall short.  "If I shut up  heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people.  If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7 verses 13 and 14

A time of personal engagement - verse 11.  Praying for himself then others.  "I pray thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king`s cupbearer."  There is a work to be done in Jerusalem but there is one problem - the king.  Nehemiah was a servant of the king.  If I go down and say to this man I want to serve another, I will be put to death.  If you grant me mercy and open the door for me I will work through it.  He trusted the Lord to open the doors for him.  It is easy to pray "send someone to do that work" but we need to pray "Lord what about me?"  Could you send me somewhere, open the door for me?  Nehemiah was serious about the things of God, had a burden for the things of God.  He needed God to soften the heart of the king.  He was praying for Jerusalem but also for himself.  The seriousness of the situation.  He could be put to death for the request he had to make of the king.

There is a lad here

Sermon notes from Sunday 26 August 2018 pm

John 6 verses 1 - 14

"There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes but what are they among so many?"

If you have ever sat down to a great novel or watched a great film the producer will put a caption "6 months earlier".  The director wants you to focus your mind and bring things up to date , he wants to explain those earlier moments.  "There is a lad here"  Out on the hillside there were some 5000 people who had gathered.  The commentators say that number could have swollen to 20,000.  Jesus has been teaching them, instructing them all day.  Now the time has come, the day is gone, what are they going to do with all these people to feed?  Philip questions even if 200 penny worth of bread would not be sufficient for them.  Think of what was happening a few hours earlier.  The origins of that great miracle when the Lord took 5 loaves and 2 fishes began in the home.  

A permission that was granted.  You can almost imagine that lad asking his mother to allow him to go and hear this great preacher on the hillside.  The man who was performing so many miracles.  The greatest asset in any home today is a mother or father who knows and loves the Lord as their own and personal Saviour.  That is the greatest transformation in any home - when someone comes to know Christ personally that is handed down to the family gathered at their feet every day.  In Acts 16 we read of a jailer.  One day his family saw him going out to his normal days work.  On this particular day he was given charge to keep 2 men securely.  There was something different about these 2 men.  They loved the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind.  They prayed and sang praises to God.  At midnight when that earthquake took place that jailer called for a light and he ran in and asked "Sirs what must I do to be saved?"  He realised something important - he knew he wasn`t saved.  He took Jesus as his Saviour and he brought the 2 men to his home that night.  He brought his family together.  Before the day was over his family all came to a saving faith in the Lord.  There is no greater joy than for someone to come to faith in Christ.  The lad was given permission to go and hear Jesus on the hillside.  Or perhaps that lad was there with his faither and mother.  It is great to see children being brought in with parents to hear the word of God together.  The bible does not talk about many ways but 2 ways.  The broad way at the end of which is hell and destruction and death.  Many are on it.  Then there is a narrow way and few there be that find it.  It leads to heaven and home.  Which road are you on tonight?  Have you ever invited the Lord into your life, invited him to be your Saviour and Lord?

A provision that was made.  The lad was granted permision.  That lad`s mother no doubt prepared for her a son a little lunch to take with him.  Here was a woman who gave her son that which God could use to the profiting of this miracle.  There is no greater miracle than that of the new birth, being transformed by the power of God.  Imagine coming into a meeting knowing you are not saved.  The man in jail came to Christ and asked the question "what must I do to be saved?"  He knew perfectly well he needed to be saved.  There is no greater miracle than the new birth, no greater miracle than coming into God`s presence, feeling the guiding of the Lord in his presence, showing you his perfect son who was without sin yet made sin for you and I.  He was set aside by all the religious leaders of his day.  As he hung on the cross his father had to turn his back on him that day, such was the seriousness of sin.  God says fools mock at sin.  It begins in the home - to teach little ones the way of salvation.  That rich young ruler had everything this world could offer - position, power, prominence but he didn`t have eternal life however.  He knew he didn`t have eternal life.  The Lord told him you know the commandments thou shalt not kill, honour thy father and thy mother.  The rich ruler replied "all these have I kept from my youth up."  There was something missing though.  The religious man was taught in the things of God but he didn`t know how to be saved.  Is it possible that that there might be one person who doesn`t know how to be saved?  Within that heart of yours there is something that will damn your soul.  It is called sin.  There is nothing you can do for yourself.  Your sin sent God`s son from heaven to the cross of Calvary.  He took your sin on himself.  He died and took the penalty for your sin.  You have to acknowledge that Jesus died there for you, that he is prepared to take it for you and is offering you eternal life.  This woman gave this lad something.  Remember in the house of Timothy Paul said "continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and are convinced of."  Timothy learned these things from his mother and grandmother.  Daniel was carried captive into a pagan land at 12 years of age.  He was brought into the kingdom of Babylon.  The king set down the best food and wine, he could eat and drink of these but Daniel purposed in his heart.  He said he couldn`t take of them.  He rejected the kings meat.  It would defile him in the eyes of God.  He learned that from his mother`s knee.  Moses was brought up in all the wisdom of Egypt.  There came a day when he had to decide.  The learning came from his mother when she taught him about the God of Israel.  There came a day when Moses was able to make a decision.  What a responsibility.  They could not bring him into the kingdom of God but they prayed that the Holy Spirit would take that which was planted in his heart and use it to the saving of his soul.  One day the Holy Spirit can use the word of God to save your soul.  Can you put your hand on your heart and say you are saved today?  Do you take time to instruct your children, to apply it to their hearts?  This mother gave him  something for his lunch and the Lord used it to bring food to the people.

The presentation that was made.  The lad was asked to bring the lunch to where Jesus was.  He never gave it a second thought to give that which he could do nothing with.  Here was a young boy willing to take his stand and present his lunch to the Lord.

The performance Jesus made.  He handed the loaves and fishes over to Jesus.  It was the Lord who performed the miracle not the lad.  When it was given to the Lord then the miracle took place.  It was not something the lad could do of himself.  The Lord would use the loaves and fishes.  The Lord is asking for faith the size of a mustard seed.  If the Lord has not made a change in that life of yours it is not his fault, it is your fault.  I wonder what you will do today?  Will you decide to follow Jesus?  Will you come and trust him as Saviour and Lord, begin to follow him?  You are on the broad road that leads to destruction and hell for all eternity.  The invitation is given to you to start for heaven and home.  Only the Lord can do it.  As the boy handed the loaves and fishes to the Lord it was the Lord who blessed it, took it and handed it to the crowd.  People say I cannot have that faith to do this but you can bring what you have to the Lord and he will use what you have, not what you can try and do.

Hearing the word of God and acting on it

Sermon notes from Sunday 2 September 2018 pm

Hebrews 2 verses 1 - 9

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip" verse 1

The Lord does not want selective hearing.  We need to give the earnest heed to this today.  This is a book written to a group of Jewish men and women who had come to the knowledge of saving faith in Christ Jesus.  They reallised deep down in their souls they had sinned, were shapen in iniquity.  The ritual they were carrying out week after week would never atone for their sins.  When they heard that Jesus came into the world and died on the cross for their sin they turned away from the gods they served and trusted Christ as Saviour.  They were now under extreme pressure and turning away from faith.  Some of them are losing their livelihoods, families for the sake of the Lord.  This word comes to them at a very prominent time.  Take heed to the things they had heard, hold onto them and keep them.  Satan doesn`t forget about you when you get saved, when you trust the Lord as Saviour.  Satan is on you until you take the last breath in your body.  He will try to discourage you, defeat you, bring so much to you.  God says take heed to what you have already heard.  In the word of God where is the danger - "lest at any time time we should let them slip."

The greatest privilege for you and I.  "which we have heard"  When the Lord gathered that faithful band of disciples before he was taken up into heaven he gave them the great commission.  He told them to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  What a privilege to hear the gospel especially when we are sinners and on the way to a lost hell.  Then someone comes to us, shows us we need not be condemned but we can be saved.  It is a wonderful privilege to hear that message.  They were to tell men and women of their lost condition.  We will never look to be saved until we realise we are lost in sin, unless we come to Christ, realise we are lost, on that broad road that leads to hell and destruction.  The disciples were to tell the people there was one mediator between God and man.  There is one way to heaven.  That is through Jesus` own blood shed on Calvary.  Someone said the bible is like a telescope.  When you look through it you see the worlds beyond.  As we read the word of God we can see eternity beyond.  If we merely look at the word of God that is all we see.  Nothing about eternity, just God`s word.  Remember how Paul answered in Romans 3 verse 1 "what advantage then hath the Jew?"  Paul said "much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God."  What a privilege to hear this wonderful message.  Paul said to the Jewish people what a privilege you had.  You first received the oracles of God, were given the inspired word of God.  Mary listened to the angel when told she would have a baby.  She listened and took it to heart.  Joseph also received a message.  It was sure and steadfast.  We need to give a similar good hearing to the word of God.  In Acts 10 Cornelius had a great privilege.  God heard his prayers and sent an angel right into his house.  God took note and was pleased with the works of this man`s hands.  That didn`t save him.  The angel said "send for Peter he will tell you words whereby you might be saved."  What a privilege we have to hear the gospel message heralded from every corner in our province.

The greatest priority.  The writer wants us to hear "give more earnest heed".  We have heard the greatest mistake.  When Cornelius received that heavenly visitor on that day he didn`t leave it like Agrippa.  Agrippa said "I will leave this until a more convenient season".  He wanted to hear him again.  When that message came to Cornelius he gathered all his family and servants together.  He sent for Peter in Joppa, nearly 30 miles away.  He realised his soul was in the balance.  Your soul can also lie in the balance as God directs you to Calvary and what you do with Christ.  It was Cornelius who made that decision.  The angel told him what to do but he had to act on that word.  He had to think for a moment whether he should send for him straight away or not.  He sent his servants immediately to Joppa to contact Peter and to come back to him as quickly as possible.  As we look to Christ suffering and bleeding for us on Calvary we have to ask the question "what am I going to do, wait and act another day or not?"  Jesus spoke of the sower going out to sow the seed.  He likened that to the man or woman sowing the seed of the word of God.  He said to those who heard "be careful of what you hear and be careful how you hear it."  There can be a danger of hearing the word of god that is able to make you wise unto salvation.  We need to be careful of how we hear.  You can hear without a great priority.  You can be thinking of what you are going to do tomorrow or what you were doing yesterday but you need to careful how you ought to hear - "give the more earnest heed to the things you hear."  Amos chapter 8 "behold the days come when I will send a famine of hearing the words of God." 

The greatest peril.  "lest at any time we should let them slip."  The wording is that of a boatman and he is making for the harbour and into safety.  As he comes along with his boat he falls asleep and instead of taking the turn to the harbour he drifts on past out into the angry sea.   Are we drifting on the sea of this old world?  Another picture here is used of a pot not holding in water, it is leaking.  It is the same illustration God is giving here.  We should give the earnest heed lest at any time we should let them slip.  Hebrews 4 verse 2 many have heard the finest preachers and the most powerful sermons but not saved - why - because we have slipped past.  We haven`t realised it was for us.  A decision needs to be made.  Have we allowed the things of God to slip from us?  It is possible that we haven`t applied them to our hearts yet and they have slipped away?  These things are slipping away from you.  There was a time when you were sold out for God, studying the bible and seeking the Lord, liked to come and congregate with the people of God but now over time things have slipped from you.  What a peril - of letting things slip.

The greatest price.  Toying about with the word of God.  We shall pay the greatest price if we allow these things to slip away from us.  We will pay it with our souls in a lost eternity.

What it means to follow Christ

Sermon notes from Sunday 9 September 2018 pm

Luke 19 verses 57 - 63

I suppose it is safe to say we live in an age of great apostasy.  Whenever we see many filtering away from the faith in God as Saviour and Lord.  The Lord in these verses is pointing out a great truth, following after him.  We need to get back to looking at the foundations.  When a house begins to crack you would begin to look at the foundations.  So many are turning away from the Lord, they haven`t got a foundation in the first place.  Today it is easy believism, a mere raising of the hand in a meeting and you are saved.  Maybe signing a commital form and you are saved.  There is no mention of the cross, no mention of sin or being sorry for sin, no mention of turning from sin.  None of these phrases are mentioned.  We meet in this passage 3 men who came to the Lord with a desire in their hearts.  The Holy Spirit turns the searchlight on them, we see their conversation and desires.  They want to follow after the Lord for whatever measure we don`t know.  Maybe they wanted to catch the limelight, to be seen as followers of the Lord.  Whatever reason they came with the Lord makes it clear what it would cost them to follow the Lord.  The Lord makes it clear what it would cost them to follow him.  It is good to count the cost of following after the Lord.  

Verse 57 "Lord I will follow thee withersoever thou goest."  Peter himself said "even it means death I will not deny you."  He didn`t realise what he was saying.  This man wanted to follow the Lord wherever he was going.  In verse 58 Jesus asked him "do you want to follow after someone who hasn`t even a roof over his head."  The Lord was saying to follow the Lord on these terms would be sacrificial.  Zacchaeus wanted to see the Lord when he came into the city.  He couldn`t see him because of the crowd so he climbed up a sycamore tree.  The Lord stopped at that tree and told him to come down.  He later said he was prepared to give everything up just to follow Christ.  To follow Christ it means sacrifice, turning away.  This man comes to the Lord and didn`t realise what the Lord meant.  Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he would never return this way again.  In Jerusalem he would be rejected by men, he would be beaten, abused, placed on an old cross outside the city walls.  There he would die an awful death.  He said "would you follow me to that?"  Is that what you are going to do?  It will take sacrifice to do that.  Perhaps this man had the best intentions but he hadn`t really fully counted the cost.  It is sad to see how many are caught up in the emotion of a meeting, they are determined to do something but there was nothing there.  Confronted with the reality this man seems to have disappeared into the shadows.  Didn`t he say that about the parable of the sower.  The seed that would fall in the hard ground, it had a certain amount of growth to it.  The sun comes up and the winds come and it is withered away.  People hear the word of God to receive it but when the reality sinks in it is a differen story.  There is no foundation to their commitment.  Jesus spoke of the sacrifice it would mean.  Matthew 16 verse 24 "if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross."  Abraham when he was called was living in Ur of the Chaldees.  God told him he wanted him to leave his home behind, leave his family behind, leave his nation behind.  Can you imagine what it was to say farewell to all he had to follow the Lord?  When the rich young ruler was called upon to follow he looked at his wealth, his riches, his position in society, his popularity.  The Lord said all of it had to go.  Moses was a young man when he came to make a decision.  He had everything he could ever want, his education was second to none.  He was brought up in Pharaoh`s household with all its wealth.  Yet there came a day when he realised this was not the life for him.  He had to take a stand with the people of God, those who were beaten and tormented.  He had to forsake all he had.  He was mighty in word and deed yet he had to give it up for the sake of the Lord.  Is there something in your life that you are not prepared to give up to be saved?

There is a walk of sincerity.  Verses 59 and 60 a man heard the voice of the Lord saying "follow me".  He wanted to put off the decision.  "I have a father will you wait until I bury him."  We are not told that the man was even dead yet.  He just wanted to put off the decision to follow.  When the Lord came to Matthew he was sitting at the seat of custom or taxes.  The Lord said to him "follow me" and he arose immediately and followed Christ.  This man wanted to wait for a few days.  He had the desire to follow but he wanted to do it in his time.  We cannot pick and choose the day or hour of our salvation.  He just wanted to put it off.  In these days it was the responsibility of the young man to take care of his family`s needs.  He didn`t want to make a decision at that particular time.  It was his duty to make sure his parents were cared for, to bury them if necessary but we are not told here that the father was even dead yet.  This young man thought he could wait for a while.  The time to come to Christ is when you hear the Lord telling you to come.  The Holy Spirit works in your heart to show you Christ dying for your sins on Calvary.  There he shows you your great sin, then he says come.  That is the time to come.  Martin Lloyd Jones met a man one morning who said to him "Sir if you had made an appeal last night I would have responded."  Martin Lloyd Jones looked at him and said "well why don`t you come now?"  The man said "O no I don`t feel like it now."  Martin Lloyd Jones said "I feel it wan`t God that was speaking to you last night because if it had of been you would have been at my door this morning first thing."  It is not coming when you are emotionally ready but when the Lord speaks to our hearts.

It is a work of separation.  Verses 61 and 62 this man wanted to go home and say farewell to his family.  The Lord had something of this man`s soul in mind.  If he went back home maybe someone would put him off following Christ.  This young man had set his hand to the plough but he was about to take it off.  The fishermen in Matthew 4 as Jesus was passing were told to follow him and he would make them fishers of men.  Right away they followed him.  There was no mention of going back to their homes to say farewell.  They followed Christ immediately. Maybe the Lord is saying to you "will you follow me, will you allow me entrance in your heart?"  "If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in."  There is a work of separation.  We have to be separated.  The woman caught in adultery was told "go and sin no more"  In other words "don`t be in the places of sin any longer."  The woman at the well left her water pot and went to Samaria.  Why? Because the water pot would take her back into the home where there was immorality.  She wanted to be separate.  This man wanted to say farewell to his family.  Sometimes that is what happens.  A person comes under the convicting hand of God, he hears the word of God and is challenged, then he goes out the next day and confers with someone else.

It is a work of steadfastness.  Verse 62 contains a stern warning. "No man having put his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."  The Lord gives the same warning to us as he did to this man.  When the farmer got his hand on the plough and his eyes on the marker at the top of the field he wouldn`t let go until he reached that point.  The Lord likes that to us today.  Maybe God is speaking to you, something he requests of you.  The Lord says if you take your hand off the plough you are not fit for the kingdom of heaven.  How is it with you today?  What`s holding you back from getting saved?  Is it the sacrifice, giving up of sin?  Is it something that holds you back?  Is it the sacrifice that is called for?  Is it the sincerity, are you ready to go on with the Lord?  Is it the separation?  What about the steadfastness, going on and going through with God?  Whatever the cost the man that hears the word of God, goes out and does it is like a man who build his house on a sure foundation.  When the winds and rain come the house will stand because it has good foundations.  The man who hears God`s word and forgets about it is like a man building his house on the sand.  When the wind and rains come it falls down.  Paul said there is no other foundation that a man can lay.  There is the foundation of good works but they will crumble.  There is the foundation of religiousity, self righteousness but these will crumble.  There is a foundation that is laid that no-one else can lay today.  When we lay our all on him we will be saved and saved for all eternity.  Are you on that foundation, a sure foundation?

A vision for the work of God

Sermon notes from Sunday 2 September 2018

Nehemiah 1 verses 1 - 11

Think of the situation Nehemiah found himself in.  What sort of character he was and the effect it had on his life.  Proverbs "where there is no vision the people perish."  Wouldn`t it be sad for us to have no vision, no vision of perishing souls, souls going out into a lost and Christless hell for all eternity?  Nehemiah got a great vision of the need all around him.  Here was a man who saw things, his eyes were opened by the Spirit of God.  He had voluntary service, saw what needed to be done and asked the Lord to send him into the situation.  Consecrated and committed to the work of God.  We see he spoke out.  We need to be a people who can speak out about things happening all around us.  Nehemiah had a great victory.  He achieved what he set out to do.  Do we really have a vision for those not saved or do we need to come afresh and say "Lord give us that vision."  We often sing the hymn "take my life and let it be consecrated to thee."  We never really think of the words.  If you were to go through that hymn would we be prepared to do all that it tells us?  Are we prepared today to give notice?

The interest that Nehemiah had for the work.  Notice where he is - chapter 1 verse 1 "in Shushan the palace".  Verse 11 "I was the kings cupbearer."  Living in a palace in all the luxury and splendour, really high ranking servant of the king.  He was the man who would say who would go in and see the king or not, he oversaw all that the king was to eat and drink.  Nehemiah had one passion - the work of the people of God.  Israel was a defeated people.  That nation God had promised so much to, he had brought them out of Egypt, brought them through the waters, gave them the land of Canaan.  As long as you serve me and look to me you will get the good of it, if you turn away then judgment will fall.  God patiently walked with that people but they had turned their backs on the God of heaven.  They began to worship gods of the people of that land.  They had said "we don`t want you any more God we want a king."  They wanted to be like every other nation.  Jeremiah 7 verse 13 "And now because you have done all these works and I spake unto you rising up early and speaking but you heard not and I called you, but ye answered not."  They were so taken up with sinful ways that they shut God out all together.  God had said to Jeremiah I don`t want to hear your promises for this people, intercession was no longer good, they had crossed the line, a line of no return, they had sinned and followed other gods.  Sin now must pay, the floodgates were opened.  God allowed Nebuchadnezzar and his armies to go down into Jerusalem, carrying away captive the people of Israel.  Jeremiah 15 "The Lord said unto me though Moses and Samuel stood before yet my mind could not be toward this people, cast them out of my sight and let them go forth."  Even with the mighty prayers of Samuel and Moses praying for their people God would close his ears.  Even today in our situation, our lives turning away from God as his people, his nation, God would not hear the prayers of his people for the province in which we live in.  Now in Nehemiah the Persian king was raised up to bring them back into the land of Israel once more out of captivity in Babylon into Jerusalem again.  Now they had been back for 70 years.  Nehemiah was living up in Babylon, in Shushan the palace, he had a good existence and was very secure.  One thing was on his mind - the work down in Jerusalem.  No doubt they would be in a good way of going again but what a sad message he received.  This man had a great interest.  Although he had a good job, living in luxury, was well off, his heart was for the people of God.  We can get so caught up in our work, the friends we have and all the pleasures they bring, so much so that we forget about God.  Sometimes our thinking of God can be low on our agenda.  We turn away, one little thing slips in and then another.  Do we have that interest?  Jesus talked about a man who fell among thieves.  There he was lying in the road, battered and bruised.  No-one had any mercy for him.  A Levite passed by, could see the body lying there on the road.  A priest passed by too.  He was a religious man with no compassion for this man lying in the road.  It was a foreigner who came on him and took care of him.  Have we that interest today as we see men and women walk past?  That is the interest Paul had as he stood in Athens.  He could see they were given over to idolatry.  He could see these people had nothing spiritually speaking.  His heart was stirred.  He had a natural interest in their souls.  Demas hadn`t that interest.  He preached for a while, followed Paul for a while, then he forsook him and the preaching of the word of God.  Abandoned the interest he had in the souls of men and women.  It is good to have an interest in the souls of men and women.

The inquiry he makes.  What happens - his friends came up from Jerusalem, he meets them where they are in verse 2.  Here`s a man in Shushan, the kingdom of Babylon, on his heart was the work of God and the people of God in Jerusalem.  Now he had the opportunity to ask his friends about the people and the work of God.  He could easily have said the right people are down there to help the people of Israel but no he had a interest in the people of God and the work of God.  Have we that interest in the work of God?  The inquiry Paul had.  He was lying in chains.  Philippians 1 he is speaking to those coming in to comfort him.  Verse 14 "and many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Just because he was cut off from the work of God he was interested to know if the work was stopped.  Paul enquired about the work regularly.  Remember when he left Thessalonica and had to leave there quickly he knew the work was not finished.  1 Thessalonians 3 verse 5 "for this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith lest by some means the tempter have tempted you and our labour be in vain."  "Forbear" is an emotional word.  He had to inquire about the souls.  That challenged me  - do we enquire about souls?

There is the impact this news on him.  He received a poor message in verse 3.  He thought to himself, the people have been done there for the past 70 years, surely they will have the work progressing.  The walls were broken down and the gates were burnt.  The gates were there for safety and protection.  We have to be careful with the walls around our lives that they do not break down.  The wall of our bible study, times of prayer, quiet times that they are not broken down.  We need to watch what we listen to.  We become discouraged.  The impact it would have.  It brought Nehemiah to his knees, he came unto the Lord of heaven for days and nights.  Nehemiah found out that the people wouldn`t put their backs to the work.  They were giving leeway to the enemy.  The impact of the word - Nehemiah 1 verse 4 "I sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven."  Nehemiah prayed, we need to pray for our home, nation, church and fellowship again.

There is the involvement that it brings.  This is only the start for Nehemiah.  On his knees weeping and praying.  Then God tells him to go to Jerusalem and take care of the work.  He is involved now but only after he has prayed to the God of heaven.  We can only find out the purpose of God when we pray and seek God`s help.  Souls are dying as we speak, perishing into a lost sinners hell.  May God give us what Nehemiah had - an interest, an inquiry, an impact that it takes us to our knees but involvement - there is something I can do.

A passion for our families

Sermon notes from Sunday 26 August 2018

Joshua 2 verses 12 - 21, 6 verses 22 - 25

Many commentators have said different things about Rahab.  Some of it has been in a derrogative maner.  Some speak of the life she lived, the place she lived in and the things she did there in Jericho.  I want us to consider today the passion Rahab had for her family.  What was happening at this time?  Rahab lived in the city of Jericho.  The nation of Israel were on the move.  They had come out of Egypt and were going into the Promised Land.  God said he would give to them this land of promise.  However, the city of Jericho stood before that blessing of promse.  Sometimes there is an obstacle in the Christian way.  Sometimes we try to get rid of the obstacle our way but it never works out.  Then God comes and takes us through the obstacle.  He didn`t take his children around Jericho but through it.  There are some things that hold us back from the blessing of God and he takes us through those obstacles.  Joshua very wisely sent his spies into Jericho to see what is happening.  They came to the house of Rahab because she owned a house of entertainment.  That is where the people all gathered together and heard snippets of convesation.  When Rahab spoke to the spies she knew she was in danger, she knew she had to help the spies.   What was on her mind most of all was her family.  God has given us families we are responsible for.  Rahab was heathen when we first meet her.

Rahab`s praises of God.  She was willing to put God in his right place, happy to receive the God of heaven.  God has his people in the right place.  God always has his people where he needs and wants them to be.  All that was in Rahab`s mind was her family.  She asked these spies to save her father and mother, her brothers and her sisters - verse 13.  All she wanted was to make sure her family were safe and sound.  She told the spies in verses 9 and 10 "I know that the Lord hath given you the land.  I know what the Lord can do."  Wouldn`t it be great to be able to say "I know the Lord can do something very special for this person that is close to my heart."  The Lord can save those we love in the presence of God today.  This woman was following the nation of Israel, she had heard so much of the delivery out of Egypt when the blood of the lamb was sprinkled on the doorposts and that action saved millions in one night.  She had heard how they had walked out of Egypt that night.  Here`s this woman putting God first "we know something of what this God of yours has down, what he can do and will do  She thought of how the Lord had opened up the Red Sea.  Her heart is beginning to melt.  Then she talks about the kings of the Amorites and what the Israelites did.  What a great lesson there is here for us - to come to that place and ask God where he is in our lives.  Is he number 1 today on the throne of our lives and nothing else matters?  The author in Hebrews said "without faith it is impossible to please God."  What was God doing here?  She was placing God before her and was willing to prove that God was able to do more than she could think or feel.  Remember Andrew when he heard John the Baptist saying "Behold the Lamb of God?"  He immediately followed the Lord and the Lord turned to him and asked him "what seekest thou?"  Andrew said "where dwellest thou?"  He spent the whole day in the presence of the Lord, he knew that day Christ was the Lord and he went and told his brother Peter.  Andrew thought of every sacrifice of the lambs on the altar and how one day God would send his son to be the sacrifice for the sin of the world.

Rahab`s prayers for her family.  Verses 12 and 13 - she wanted to be sure her family would be saved.  She sees the judgment of God close at hand.  The wrath of God would fall on them.  She was to see her family saved in light of what was about to happen.  She prayed for her loved ones.  As we look around us surely the day of the Lord is at hand.  Surely the Lord  is about to come for his family once more.  That should give us urgency to pray for our loved ones.  We looked at Nehemiah as he repaired and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.  He gathered the people together and they began to build.  Day by day he encouraged them as the enemy sought to persuade them to stop.   The devil would still seek to discourage us today but we need to keep at it today.  Nehemiah 4 verse 14 "be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses."  The devil wants to hold them in his grasp from getting saved, the last thing he wants us to do is get a passion for our loved ones.  Rahab realised there was nothing more she could do than to pray for her loved ones.  Remember Hannah, she brought Samuel back to the house of God and said "this is the child I prayed for."  What a testimony to have.  Praying for our children and families.  Job rose up early in the morning to sacrifice for his family because he feared that they might have sinned against God.  Maybe you love the altar of prayer and God`s precious word - the enemy comes in and tries to attack you during such times.

The provision that was made for Rahab - verses 15 and 16.  Rahab got a cord.  She told the spies that they could not go out through the door again because there may be some watching for them.  They told her to place the red cord in the window and when they came back into the land she and her family would be saved - verse 18.  Her house would become a place of safety and salvation for her family.  All that were behind this cord would be safe.  Rahab would have to point them to that crimson cord.  That cord speaks of Calvary.  We have to point our families to that place of provision at Calvary.  It as all that they needed, there was only place of safety - behind that crimson cord.

Rahab`s pursuit.  She has an idea of who God is, now she has a different view point.  There is a different way of looking at things.  God becomes our friend when we come to Christ.  He is the one we turn to.  She prayed for her family.  She pursued her family.  She told them all would be well.  The praying was over.  She must go out and speak to her family, point them to the place of safety.  There was a time when she prayed and pleaded but now she must put feet to those prayer and promise to gather her loved ones into the place that is provided for her safety.  Verse 18 "thou shalt bring they father and thy mother and thy brothers and all thy father`s household, home unto thee."  Remember Cornelius praying in his own house one day and the angel came down and told him to send for Peter in Joppa for he would tell him words whereby he might be saved.  Then when Peter arrived at the house he found a household all gathered there.  Cornelius had been at work when the angel came and told him to send for Peter.  The Lord`s Spirit will tell you what you need to hear.  May we be in pursuit of our loved ones today.

Rahab`s prize - chapter 6 verses 24 and 25.  She had them all gathered in for that day.  God looked on Rahab`s obedience and faithfulness and blessed her in the salvation of her father`s house.  She proved the promise of the spies to her.  When they saw the red cord they realised she had done her work and seized the opportunity to bring her family into the place of security.

A look in the wrong direction

Sermon notes from Sunday 14 May 2017 pm

Luke 12 verses 13 – 21

A look in the wrong direction

This young man was looking for something to satisfy his soul yet couldn’t find it because he was looking in the wrong direction.  He asked Jesus to speak to his brother so that his brother would divide an inheritance they had.  Jesus in reply referred to ’a man’s life’ in verse 15 and had something to say that was very positive.

The void that is in a man`s life.  Here’s a man amongst a crowd of people.  The Lord was in the presence of this young man teaching and preaching.  Somehow the young man’s mind is closed, fixed on one thing – on the inheritance he had been cut off from.  Is your mind already closed to the things the Lord would speak to you about?  “Except you be born again ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  Somehow you are confused, you think you are on your way to heaven and home.  You don’t need this new birth but there is a void in your way.  It is a space that the natural things cannot fill.  It is not in the things we have, the riches of this world.  Your soul lies in the very balance.  That is why Jesus came into the world, that he would die on the cross, shed his blood, to give his life for your sin.  Can you imagine the preciousness of your life tonight?  Man was made and created for something very special.  He was made of the dust of the earth.  God breathed into him and he became a living soul.  God came down and had fellowship with man.  That communion was however broken and it has left a void in our hearts.  We were conceived as sinners.  A broken relationship with the eternal God.  When God came down to the Garden of Eden he couldn’t find Adam – where art thou?  Adam had to confess he was hiding from the one who created him, the one who made him.  Ever since then there has been a great aching void in every man because we are cut off from God.  Are you without Christ?  Then you are without hope and without God.  There is that void in your heart.  You can try as you like, as much as you want.  “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth.”  Jesus told the story of the parable of the farmer.  He had everything he could ever possibly want. Did it bring happiness and joy to his heart?  He only thought of things that were to come, the leisure he would have, the pleasure he would have.  It didn’t bring satisfaction to his soul though.  When he departed this world he had nothing, he was in poverty.  Is there a void in that soul of yours?  You are trying to fill it up with possessions, friends, places, trying to fill that gap.

The value of a man’s life.  The young man wanted the inheritance more than anything else.  That would not bring him happiness or joy.  Having his sins forgiven and being reconciled to God, made anew in Christ, having heaven as his home in the future would however.  This young man in the crowd had the wrong idea of life.  He was looking in the wrong direction for satisfaction.  James described life as a vapour that appears for a short time but then vanishes.  The life span of man could be valued at three score years and ten but what about your lifestyle during that time?  Have you ever come to that place where you have thought about the day when you close your eyes in death?  Come to the cross of Calvary, look on Christ, the one who took every sin, died to satisfy the God of heaven in the salvation of your soul.  What is the value of your soul?  Even the very hairs of your head are numbered.  Not one of the sparrows will fall to the ground but God in heaven knows about it.  God values your soul more than these.  You could have all the wealth of the world but for what?

The vision for the life of man.  Jesus speaks to this man in the crowd.  He is steering him away to the right way, trying to take him away from the thoughts he would have, steering him to the right pathway.  Jesus talked of the broad and narrow way.   He was trying to point people to that narrow way.  This young man had everything he thought he would ever need.  Jesus told a story of a farmer who had as he thought a life time to enjoy his crops but all was taken from him that very night.  The farmer boasted of having so much.  The God of heaven came to him and said “this night thy soul is required of thee.”  Not tomorrow or the next night but this night.  He boasted of having many years before him but that very night his life was taken from him.  This man had to leave everything and so will you.  It doesn`t matter how much of a gain you make in this old world.  Moses was brought up in the education of Egypt.  He made a decision one day to leave the riches and splendour behind.  He would take his stand with the downtrodden people of God.  He gave up all those riches for the God of heaven.  What are you prepared to give up to take Christ as your own Saviour?  God was not willing that any should perish.  Jesus stands with outstretched arms, he does everything to prevent you going to a lost and Christless hell.  Jesus himself said “you will not come that you might have life.”

The victory for man`s life.  It is at the close of Calvary Jesus died to reconcile mankind unto himself.  He came into this world.  He was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.  We need a right relationship with God, to know our sins forgiven.  “He breaks the power of cancelled sin and sets the prisoner free.”  For the child of God at the end of life God draws very close.  He is looking over that child about to come into his presence. What about it tonight?  Are you like the young man standing in the crowd, having closed your mind about everything else and are thinking of things eternal?  Can you claim the cross of Christ?  Will you trust Christ tonight?  Will you give him your life and soul?  He asks you to come and trust him this very moment, don’t miss out on God’s salvation.