1-16-08 Enjoy!

Nehemiah’s Preparation
It’s been a week since we last met for our study on Nehemiah. But in the context we’ve been gone for four months. For four months Nehemiah has been fasting, praying and mourning over his people and homeland.
I. Nehemiah and the wait
For four months he pleaded his case before the lord. No doubt something that would have taken a whole lot less time if they had a Home Depot card. But since it was God’s plan Hank in the renovation department just wouldn’t do it.
A. Waiting on God’s plan
1. Exodus 14:13
2. “When you wait on God you aren’t wasting your time you are investing it”
B. God will put the pieces together.
1. Timing
a. Nissan was the month of Abib in Hebrew it was switched over after the captivity. Our March and April.
b. The same month the Hebrews left Egypt. Nifty Huh?
c. And it was on this day that the opportunity sprung up from the ground.
II. Nehemiah and the king 1-8
A. Risk
1. Being sad in the kings presence is a big no no, especially if your job was to keep him safe. Any sign of discomfort, or agitation in the cupbearer could signal a death threat to the king. Nehemiah could have been jailed, tortured and then killed for his bad day.
Talk about taking your personal life to work with you.
2. But this monarch suddenly cared
3. This monarch offered.
B. Request
1. Carpe “Whatever the Latin word for chance is”
2. A quick prayer to God.
3. A request made so clearly
III. Nehemiah and the ruins 9-16
A. Heading towards the battle
1. A trick many Christians should learn
B. God gave above and beyond vs. 9
C. Opposition
1. The world around us will hate the idea of God’s work prospering. It annoys them.
D. Nehemiah, God and the walls
1. He told no one what he was there for. When planning to do something for the Lord it’s best to keep it between the two of you.
2. Walls broken, Gates burning.
3. Some places so bad he couldn’t get his animal through it. Do not be afraid to look at the damage. Its no fun to look at your bills, but you’d fall behind if you couldn’t see the damage.
IV. Nehemiah and the Jews 17-20
A. “You see the distress”
1. The two problems with groups like that
a. “We tried that before, it didn’t work, why try again?
b. “Done rock the boat, we don’t need change.”
More then likely this is why God had to bring someone from the outside in.
B. Lets build
1. God backs us
2. The Kings backs us
C. Tobiah and Sanballet
1. Standing in the way
2. Shoved out of the way.

Its better to have a lion in charge of 50 deer then it is to have a deer in charge of 50 lions.