GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE!

HIS PLAN IS REVEALED IN JOHN 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled:…

God’s plan for your life includes spending eternity with Him in heaven.

GOD’S DESIRE IS…

THAT NO ONE PERISH! 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

THAT ALL BE SAVED! 1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

MAN HAS A SIN PROBLEM!  This sin problem prevents man from having access to God’s fellowship and Heaven. 

Romans 3:10 & 23 It is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:.. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Our Sin Problem Began With Adam! Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

MAN’S ANSWERS FOR MAN’S PROBLEM ARE NOT SUFFICIENT!  

• Man has always recognized there is a problem.
• Man is always trying to solve these problems in his own strength because he is afraid to face God’s truth
• Man has tried to solve his problems with... Government, Religion, Science, Medicine.

None of these have been able to correct man’s Sin Problem. In fact it seems, as time moves on, man is only growing worse.

         

Jeremiah 16:12 says, Ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.

Man has made tremendous advancement’s in technology, but has never been able to explain... “Where he came from,” “Why he is here,” or “Where he is going.” Only God, in the Bible, answers these questions!

GOD SAYS SALVATION IS...

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. 

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

This means that man cannot reach God through Philosophy, Good works, Religion, Government, or Science.

GOD’S WORD SAYS OF MAN...

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

The Reality Is Man Cannot Save Himself! He needs a Savior!!

GOD’S ANSWER TO MAN’S DILEMMA IS THE CROSS! Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, came to this world to take our sin upon Himself on the cross so that we may have restored fellowship with God and be able to spend eternity with Him.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

JESUS TOOK YOUR PLACE ON THE CROSS! The only answer to man’s sin problem was for the righteousness and justice of God to be satisfied. God’s word says in Romans 6:23a The wage of sin is death.

The way God satisfied His righteousness and met the demands of His justice was to make an atonement for man’s sin Himself on the Cross by taking our place.

Notice the statements found in 1 Peter 2:21-25 Christ also suffered for us,..Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him (God the Father) that judgeth righteously: Who his (Jesus) own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,..by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray.

Jesus Christ came to this world for the express purpose of dying for your sin, not being guilty of sin Himself.

THE REASON? HE LOVES YOU!

1 John 4:9-10 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (an appeasing) for our sins.

JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD! We know Christ atonement for our sin was accepted by God the Father because Christ rose from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:... [54-57] Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know Christ rose from the dead because He was seen of above 536 persons after His resurrection. There is actually more proof of the resurrection of Christ than that there ever was an emperor of Rome named Nero.

THE REASON HE AROSE? SO YOU MAY LIVE! 

From 1 Corinthians 15 we read, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Because of Christ resurrection we are free from the penalty of death which had been placed upon us.

·       

         The grave no longer holds those who looked for the atonement.

·                Nor those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Romans 6:23 states The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

HOW CAN YOU BE FORGIVEN OF YOUR SIN AND GO TO HEAVEN? Salvation is a gift from God; and as a gift it must be received. If it is not received then it is automatically rejected (Romans 6:23).

The way to receive God’s gift of salvation is stated in Romans 10:9-10, 13 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

YOU CAN RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SIN & ETERNAL LIFE FROM GOD BY...

• Believing that Jesus Christ paid for all your sins on the cross when He died in your place.
•  Believing that He rose again from the dead to give us victory over death.
• Turning to God (repentance) and asking Him in prayer to forgive you of your sin and to save you.

WHAT SHOULD I SAY TO GOD?

Dear God,

I come to you asking for your salvation.
I know that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sin.
I believe I am lost and need to be saved.
I believe now, and thank you, that Jesus died in my place.
I believe Jesus rose from the dead so that I might live.
Please forgive me of my sin and save me.

In Jesus Christ name I pray, Amen!

WORKING & WARRING

Nehemiah 4:1-6

Wherever God’s work is taking place there will be opposition. A worker who is weak in faith, lacking in character and short on purpose will quit; but a person of resolve and confidence will overcome opposition and finish the task. Nehemiah was that kind of person.

Matthew 5:11-12. Jesus said, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

John 15:18-20 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

When faced with opposition, while attempting to do the work of God, we should consider…

1.   THE NATURE OF OPPOSERS.  In Chapter 4 our enemy attempts to stop the work of God using three strategies.

They Ridicule (v 1-6). What do these feeble Jews?

British author, Thomas Carlyle, called ridicule "the language of the devil." Some people can stand bravely when shot at, but collapse when laughed at.

Shakespeare called ridicule "paper bullets of the brain," that have slain many a warrior.

Goliath ridiculed David (1Samuel 17). Many heroes of the faith have endured cruel mockings (Heb 11:36).

·      Sanballat [hater]: ridiculed the workers and the work (4:2).

·      Tobiah [goodness of Jehovah]: ridiculed the results (4:3).

These are the criticisms that all faithful workers of God face. We may not be able to stop the enemy from wounding us with words, but we can certainly stop wounding one another.

It is surprisingly difficult to get God’s people to unite, but it never seems to be a problem for our enemies to.

1Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings.

Colossians 3:8 Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

They Conspire with others (v 7-9).

Our enemies are many; we must be ready for battle.

Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. [11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

   

Romans 13:11-12 It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

They Discourage with “paper bullets” (v 10). Pressures from without often create problems within. Discouragement nurtures…

Faithlessness. We find an example of this in Numbers 13:31. We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. (32:9) When they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.

Fear (v 11-12). President Roosevelt said to a nation in the grip of an economic depression, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Hebrews 13:5-6 He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Frightened people discourage others and often bring defeat (Judges 7).

2.   THE NATURE OF WORKERS (v 6-9-20). They had …

A Mind To Work (v 6).

Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Also Romans 12:1-2

A Heart to Pray (v 9). There’s not a single example in the Bible of a successful work for God taking place without prayer at the onset.

C. H. Spurgeon said, “The Christian should work as if it depended on him, and pray as if it all depended on God. He who knows how to pray has his hand on the lever which moves the universe.”

Psalm 145:19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Eyes To Watch (v 9). Watching and praying are often coupled together in the scripture.

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance...

1Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

Armed for Battle (v 15-16).

Ears To Hear (v 19-20).

Ready to Respond (v 22-23).