The Path To A Powerful Prayer Life - Part 1 of 2

Nehemiah 1:5-11 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:  (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, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.  (7) We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.  (8) Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:  (9) But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.  (10) Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.  (11) O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

A little boy was asked to pray before the meal. The boy looked over the meal set on the table before bowing his head. He picked up his fork instead and began to eat. His parents asked him why he didn’t pray before his meal. We will find out why the boy did not pray in just a moment, but it reminds me that a lot of people are puzzled and confused when it comes to prayer.

There are few places better in God’s Word to learn about prayer than the book of Nehemiah. A study in the life of Nehemiah is a study in the life of prayer. There are few prayers that you will ever read that are greater than this one before us today.

Notice with me the Focus of Nehemiah’s prayer. If you read Nehemiah 1:1, then 2:1 and study the different names of the months they used during Nehemiah’s day, you would notice that it covers a span of approximately 100 days. And as we see in 1:11, he prayed everyday that that day would be the day.

Nehemiah was consistent and persistent in his prayer for God’s intervention. Reminds me of that great prophet Isaiah and what he says in Isaiah 62:6-7, “ …ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, (7) And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” There is a single subject that that this grouping of books (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther) share. Remember when Mordecai was encouraging Esther to do something about Haman’s plan to have all the Jews killed in the book of Esther? He tells her in Esther 4:14, “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” I believe Nehemiah realized that God had placed him in a position of prominence for such a time as this, and his prayer reflected this great desire and burden. It was Chuck Swindoll who wrote this about Nehemiah – It is a tough combination to find a person who holds a high position in the eyes of the world and yet who is tender before God (Hand Me Another Brick, pg 19).

You understand that what Nehemiah was asking for was something that would be considered humanly impossible. While being the one who made sure the king’s food and beverages were not poisoned may not seem like a desirable job for us today, you have to remember that these were different times. Kings would often pick the best and brightest of those in their captivity for this sacrificial job. It had to be someone who he trusted, and with this great trust came great benefits. History shows that these cupbearers were often respected and honored more than even the king’s own family. So to be released from his position of king’s cupbearer and allowed to go back to Jerusalem for a rebuilding project would be unprecedented. Would the king be willing to give up the one person he has grown to trust in making sure that his meals and drinks were not poisoned? Nehemiah’s prayer needed to be very focused.

Also, we notice the Friend’s of Nehemiah’s Prayer. Something I have overlooked until I was studying for this series was a small phrase tucked away in 1:11, “…and the prayer of thy servants…” What an encouragement to Nehemiah to know that he was not alone in praying for God’s help. There are times in your life when you can literally feel the prayers of God’s people moving and motivating you. You will never be closer to a friend than when you pray together.

Prayer is one of the greatest weapons the Christian has at their disposal; yet it is often the tool that is most neglected and under used. One of the reasons is that there are a lot of questions surrounding how to pray. A preacher once shared this thought and said, “I am often asked this question, “How does prayer work?” My answer usually begins with the admission, “I don’t know how prayer works, I just know that prayer is work, and those who work at prayer discover prayer works!” (Nehemiah: Memoirs of an Ordinary Man, pg. 21)

Let me ask you this question today - How powerful is your prayer life today? Stephen Davey, in his book Nehemiah: Memoirs of an Ordinary Man, gives us a path to follow that leads to a powerful prayer life that I want to share with you.

P - PRIORITY OF THE SOVEREIGN – 1:5

The word Sovereign is one you often hear in description of God, which means supreme ruler, above all others. Dr. Harry Carr, in his book This I Believe, defines it this way - The sovereignty of God is not a divine attribute. It is the exercising of the divine will of God (This I Believe, pg. 44). We must always remember when we begin to pray that we are praying to the Sovereign, and we are His servants.

The first step down the path of powerful prayer is at the feet of the sovereign God’s throne. When we pray, we are not trying to manipulate and pressure God into doing what we want Him to. God is not some genie in a bottle who grants us three wishes. We must always pray as Jesus prayed in the Garden just before His trial and death by crucifixion – Not my will, but thine will be done. This is the start to the Lord’s model prayer – Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Our prayers should be a balance of boldness and reverence. Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, we can enter into the holy of holies and approach the throne of grace. So, we can approach God with confidence because we have been invited. Yet, we do so with trembling because we are aware Who it is that has invited us.

Part two

eBook Review: Roadmap Through Revelation by Rick Schworer

INTRO (from the book’s website):

For those who’ve picked up Revelation and wondered why Armageddon happens more than once, or which comes first, the Trumpets, the Vials, or the Seals, this is a book that will clearly chart out for you a timeline of events, harmonizing the four accounts of Christ’s Second Coming.

Whether you are new to Revelation or have studied it for years, you will enjoy the short stories that bring Revelation to life. Experience the faceoff between the two witnesses and the Antichrist at the temple. Watch as a living, breathing statue commands the world to worship the Antichrist and receive his mark. Rejoice as the Messiah rescues His chosen people hiding within the rock city of Petra.

This book will help to answer your questions with an in-depth look at the three raptures, the seventy-five days between the Tribulation and the Millennium, the differences between the Red Dragon, the Beast of the Sea, and the Beast of the Earth, and Daniel’s Beast; as well as the history of Baal, Nimrod, and Babylon.
Rev. 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

WHAT I LIKED: This was a very easy to read study on the Book of Revelation. It was not technical, had had a lot of “fact-based hypothesis” on what it might be like experiencing the book of Revelation as it unfolds. The author is very well studied in not only the Book of Revelation, but Old Testament prophecy and church history.

WHAT I MIGHT CHANGE: What I liked is also what seemed to take a little bit away from the book. Sometimes, the author’s ideas on how he thinks it will play out bleed into the actual text and interpretation of the Scriptures, in my mind. I had to remind myself every now and then that  it was his interpretation and not concrete facts from the Bible (though, you need that in a prophetic book like Revelation).

MY RECOMMENDATION: While this is not necessarily a technical, verse by verse commentary on the Book of Revelation,  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is studying the book. The author makes it clear that you will not agree with everything you read in his book in his introduction, and if you keep this in mind, you will greatly enjoy it and glean much from it.

 

This eBook was given to me free by the author to review.

A Good Sunday School Resource

Hey everyone, I wanted to take a quick moment and share a great Sunday School Resource that I have been using. Just click on the link below and it will take you to the sight. I teach the children’s Sunday School class on Sunday’s and use these lessons. They are very adaptive and easy to use.

http://www.christianitycove.com/

What other resources do you use for Sunday School, children’s ministries?

THE PAIN OF THE BURDEN

Nehemiah 1:1-4  The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,  (2)  That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.  (3)  And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.  (4)  And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

As we begin with our study of Nehemiah, the first subject that comes up is the heart and burden of Nehemiah. Too many Christians today live like they habitate on an island to themselves. This is a very self-centered attitude. But it is God’s purpose for us to be focused on Him first and foremost; and if we are focused on God like we should be, we will be burdened for those in need around us. What tugs on your heart strings today? Is it personal problems or needs? Our vision of God will shape our lives and impact those around us. As we will see, Nehemiah was a man who sought for God to be glorified and His children helped. Let’s look and see three characteristics of Nehemiah and how we can share this same vision and burden.

NEHEMIAH’S BRETHREN – 1:1-2A

There are some facts we know about Nehemiah’s breathern. First, lets notice When They Returned. The remnant of Israel returned in 3 waves. Zerubbabel, then Ezra brought a group and rebuilt the Temple and restored the worship. Now, approximately 14 years later, Nehemiah learns of the deplorable conditions of God’s city and chosen people. The Bible tells us the month was Chisleu, which coincides with our November/December.

Secondly, we notice Who Returned. His brother’s name is Hanani, who we meet again later in  Nehemiah 7:2. Hanani was one of the people who returned with the second group led by Ezra. They were struggling without and protective walls after some successful spiritual reform under Ezra. The Israelites had a goal to make Jerusalem a God fearing and worshipping city, but their enemies prevailed in thwarting this by tearing down their protective walls. This is a reminder to us today that we need to build and maintain spiritual walls to protect our testimonies, families, churches, and country. The world today does not want distinctive, separated, sold-out to God Christians and will try to do anything and everything in its power to break down your walls and burn your gates. Think about all the attacks today on families…fundamental, Bible-believing churches…Bible standards (marriage, drinking, worldliness, etc.). We need walls of separation!

NEHEMIAH’S BURDEN – 1:2B

Nehemiah’s burden was two-fold. He was concerned for their Safety. Even though Nehemiah had it very well living and working in the king’s palace, he had not forgotten his people. How was it that Nehemiah developed this burden for the safety of his people? By hearing of their great need.

God often calls men and women to a particular job or ministry by revealing to that person a specific need. We see the same today in our churches when we are blessed to be in the presence of missionaries. These are men, women, boys and girls who have seen a need and received a burden from the Lord to do something about it.

As we will see in Chapter 2, the position that Nehemiah held in the king’s palace gave him a great opportunity to be used by God to help his brethren. God often blesses us and puts us in a position so that we may get a burden for those less fortunate…those who are struggling. Do the blessings that God has bestowed upon you motivate you to help others, or drive you to gather more for yourself?

We also notice that Nehemiah was concerned for their Spiritual Condition. More pressing than the physical needs the remnant of Israel had was their spiritual needs. They had begun to lose hope in God, and Nehemiah was motivated by his great love for God to do something about it. One issue that some have with our churches is that we don’t seem to care about the physical needs of people around them. And out of this, we have many new-age movements under the banner of Christianity, like the Emergent Church and New-Evangelicalism. But one of the main problems with these groups is that they often focus on the physical needs at a neglect to the spiritual. This leads to what is often referred to as a “Social Gospel.” Many people today are more worried about their family’s physical needs and ignore the spiritual.

Do we need to do a better job of sharing the love of God in our community through acts of kindness to those in need? YES. But we do so as a means to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not a means to an end. I like what I once heard Bro. Scott Pauley say at a preacher’s meeting - Jesus healed many, but always with a purpose. He did not have a healing ministry, but a revealing ministry. We help those in need in order to have the opportunity to reveal to them our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Are you burdened for the spiritual condition of those around you?

NEHEMIAH’S BROKENNESS – 1:3-4

First, Nehemiah receives The Report in 1:3. Nehemiah realized this was not just an attack on God’s people, but an attack to God and His Glory. But many times today we are so self-absorbed that we never even realize the need around us.

Now, we notice The Response in 1:4. Nehemiah’s response was three-fold:

1. Consecration – or wholly set aside for God. Nehemiah was fully set aside for God’s use and glory. The first step in consecration is repentance. Originally, we are all selfish in nature, and we need to repent of that selfish sinfulness and turn fully and completely to God. But most Christians never feel God lead them to do something great for Him because they are distracted with their own life – their own needs – and their own plans to hear. When we cannot obey God in the basics of our faith, we should never expect God to do extraordinary.
2. Compassion - He was moved with compassion and he wept and mourned over the terrible report. Nehemiah’s compassion was not just directed at the struggle of the Israelites, but he had great compassion for the glory of God. If we are sincere in our love and compassion for God, it will break our hearts to see His children in need and suffering. We are so hard-hearted to the needs around us that we dishonor the name of God to those we live amongst. As God’s children, we ought to be the first in line to help others, not Missing In Action.
3. Continued Intercession – When we look at Nehemiah 2:1 and compare the months, we see that he prayed for 4 months. This is what separates good Christians from great Christians – Intercessory prayer. As we will see starting in the next blog post, Nehemiah was one of the greatest men of prayer. Would to God that we would have some men and women today who would dedicate themselves to prayer and fasting on behalf of others!

As we close this blog post, let us consider some question:

Are we concerned for the glory of God?

Are we concerned for those around us?

When we see the need, when we see them struggle, how do we respond?

THE PERSON OF NEHEMIAH

Editors Note: This will begin a new series of blog post from the book of Nehemiah, in which I have titled the series, “Nehemiah: God’s Foreman.”

There may be few books of the Bible better than Nehemiah for where we are at today as a church, and a whole in this country. As we study this great book, we will be looking at the spiritual applications on rebuilding our families, churches, and country. Before we do this, I want to spend some time today looking at who Nehemiah is, and what characteristics made up this great man that was mightily used of God.

BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW of the Book

The book belongs in a grouping of three – Ezra, Nehemiah, and Ester. These 3 books together cover about 100 years, starting with the first of three remnants returning from captivity in Babylon as Jerusalem is rebuilt. These are the last, in chronological order, of the Historical Books, and Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are the prophets who prophesied during this time period. Nehemiah covers the time of approx. 457-432 BC, or 12-20 years after the end of Ezra. Nehemiah is widely considered the author of the book that bears his name. Most parts are a memoir, with chapter 7 being a historical documentation of the Jewish families, similar to the one found in the Book of Ezra.

SUMMARY of the BOOK

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king in the Persian palace, and leads the third and last return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. His concern for the welfare of Jerusalem and its inhabitants prompts him to take bold action. Granted permission to return to his homeland, Nehemiah challenges his countryman to arise and rebuild the shattered walls of Jerusalem. In spite of opposition from without and abuse within, the task is completed I only 52 days – a feat which even the enemies of Israel must attribute to God’s enabling. By contrast, the task of reviving and reforming the people of God within those rebuilt walls demands years of Nehemiah’s godly life and leadership. (Talk Thru the Bible pg 123)

BACKGROUND OF THE PERSON OF NEHEMIAH

He was born to Jewish parents in exile, and his name means “the comfort of Jehovah.” We can gather by his reaction to the poor state of walls and remnant of Jerusalem that he was raised in a godly home. We must always remember that Nehemiah’s don’t just happen – they are raised. At a young age he was appointed the responsibility of being the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. God would later use this position to secure the permission, protection, and provision Nehemiah needed for the task. He was a man of God, filled with the Spirit of God, and prayer was a natural and essential part of his life and his success. Nehemiah knew what work was, inspired others to work, and knew how to encourage those who became discouraged. He stood strong and tall in the face of opposition from without and within.

PURPOSE OF THE BOOK

The book of Nehemiah shows us what God can do through a remnant of believers who rise to God’s call through His servant to restore a focused and strengthen relationship with Him. This is where many of us are at today – a need to refocus and strengthen our faith and walk with God. What is needed today are some Nehemiah’s who will have a burden to rebuild what the enemy has destroyed. We have, for far too long, grown okay with the broken down walls of our faith. Are you willing to do something about the spiritual conditions around you? There are three characteristics that each of us should adopt in our lives so that we might begin to rebuild our walls.

NEHEMIAH’S FOCUS

He did not focus on what he could not do, what he had not been trained for, or what he never had accomplished before. Nehemiah was not one who saw the problems or complication, just the possibilities. Nehemiah was a dedicated layman willing to give up the luxuries of the palace to labor with the people of God. He was more concerned for the disrepair of God’s work than his own personal fame and fortune.

What is our focus today? When we look around and see no problems, it shows that we have a lack of spiritual focus. Too many of us are like the remnant of Jerusalem who see the disrepair of the walls, but we are unwilling to do anything about it. Our families are struggling in sin, and yet we turn a blind eye. Our churches are struggling to reach our communities and affect change with the Gospel, yet there is no tear I our eye as we sow the Gospel seed. Where is our focus?

NEHEMIAH’S FORTITUDE

J. B. Tidwell once said this about Nehemiah – He was cautious. His secret visit to the walls and his division and distribution of the laborers are good illustrations. He was courageous. He stood alone as leader of the enterprise and worked on, reusing to be frightened away by the enemies. He was uncompromising. He would neither compromise with outsiders, such as Sanballat, nor with those among his own people, such as the nobles. (pg 91, The Bible Book by Book)

It is sad how quickly the average Christians will just roll over and tuck tail and run when times are tough. There are some difficult times ahead for us as the Christian culture of our once great nation continues to erode – do you have the strength to see it through? The Bible still says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” The easiest thing to do is float down stream with everyone else…Blend in with the crows. It takes real spiritual fortitude to stand up and do something about what you see, about what needs to be done.

NEHEMIAH’S FAITH

J. B. Tidwell continues on with some more insight about the person of Nehemiah – He had a concern for God’s cause. This is indicated by his earnest inquiry, by his deep sorrow for Jerusalem, etc. He had confidence in God’s cause and could pray for it and plead with heathen kings for it. He co-operated in God’s cause and actively fitted into the divine plan and works. (pg 91, The Bible Book by Book)

One of the many great lessons and topics we will cover while studying Nehemiah is his prayer life. His life also is a picture of the restoration ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ:

• Both left their high positions in order to identify with the plight of their people.
• Both came with a specific mission and fulfilled it.
• Both are characterized by prayerful dependence on God (Talk…pg. 126)

If we want to accomplish the work that Nehemiah accomplished, we must share the faith that Nehemiah possessed. And this faith is fortified in prayer.

CLOSING:

Are you willing to be a Nehemiah? Your family needs a Nehemiah to spiritually lead them in building up the wall of separation and faith. The church is in need of some Nehemiah’s – men and women who will do their part to build a church – spiritually and physically.

Where are the Nehemiah’s today?

Sliding Down The Slope of Sin–Part 2 of 2

Psalm 73:1-3  A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.  (2) But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.  (3) For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

In this post, we will look at two other areas in our walk of faith that, if we are not careful, can begin to slip.

WE CAN SLIP IN OUR FAITHFULNESS

Notice the progression of slippage when it comes to our faith. The first place we begin to slip is in our Attitude. Usually this bad attitude it directed at someone else. Maybe it is the preacher who preached on your particular sin that day. Or maybe it was the Sunday School teacher because you did not like the way they taught their lesson. Or maybe it was another church member who looked at  you wrong…did not look at you…etc. Maybe your bad attitude is directed at a spouse, or sibling, or school teacher. The bottom line is this: there is nothing worse than a Christian with a bad attitude. It hurts your personal testimony, destroys your relationships, and stops your spiritual growth.

And this bad attitude, if not dealt with quickly and swiftly, will lead to bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

Next, we slip in our Application. When a bad and bitter attitude are left uncheck, we see we become hearers but not doers.

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

A lot of people sit in church with their poor attitude and hear lots of helpful teaching and preaching of the Bible, but do nothing about it. And this bad attitude has not only cost them their spiritual vitality, but they are deceived and don’t even know it. Many Christians who were once on fire for the Lord and now just smoldering reminders of the warnings of James 1:22.

Finally, we slip in our Actions. We can become stingy in three diferent areas of our Christian walk:

1. Stingy in our Scriptures – Many so-called disgruntled Christians claim to be mad at God when in reality they don’t know anything about Him. They have to stop reading God’s Word because they can no longer handle the conviction. It is easier to stop reading God’s Word and allow your heart and mind to be filled with the world’s trash. All this does, it continue your downward spiral of sin.
2. Stingy in our Supplications - Prayer is so important, so vital to our closeness with the Lord, that it is no wonder this is one of the first actions to slip away when we begin to backslide. I can almost guarantee you 100% that when someone has fallen deep into sin or grown cold in their relationship with the Lord, it started the day they stopped reading their Bible and praying with fervency. This is the life-blood of the Christian walk, and we cannot do without it.
3. Sting in Services -
   1. Stop giving our tithes - Malachi 3:8-10 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. (9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. (10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Mark it down, when someone has a problem tithing and giving, deep down they have a heart issue with God and this is how it manifest itself.
   2. Stop giving our time - Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

WE CAN SLIP IN OUR FAMILIES

We must face up to the reality that the American family unit has fallen on really bad times. But why have our families slipped so far? Look at what the Bible teaches about the family in Ephesians 5:21-6:4.

The first truth I want you to notice is that our families slip when the Husbands Don’t Lead. The husband has a two fold responsibility:

1. The Husband is to LOVE - In this entire section of Scripture, it is the husband who has the greatest and most difficult responsibility. As tough as some ladies may think it is to submit biblically to your husband, the husbands calling is much more difficult. The husband must first and foremost love his wife just as Jesus loved the church and gave His life for it. A sacrificial love puts your wife first – above your needs, wants, and desires. Loving your wife and your family means you are the one who provides for them – 1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
2. The Husband is to LEAD - We need to return to the time of men leading the family, and men leading the church. This does not mean that the woman is inferior, but that God has created the sexes with different responsibilities. While it seems that even during the Lord’s earthly ministry that it was the women who were more spiritually sensitive, He still called 12 MEN to lay the foundation of the first church with and to lead it to what it is today – and He has not changed His plan of formula! This business that, “The man is the head, but the wife is the neck that turns the head,” is right out of the pits of Hell! We need men today to spiritually and biblically lead their families.

Secondly, our families slip when the Wives Don’t Heed. It is sad that in today’s day and age that so many women are forced by their weak husbands to take on the role of leadership – but this is not God’s plan and purpose for you. But God help us from strong-willed women who will not submit to the leadership and God-given authority of their husband. You may think this is archaic, but it is as old as the Bible and we cannot improve upon it. The Bible is not telling you to submit to sin, but when your husband makes strides to be a spiritual leader, then love him and support him and DON’T TRY TO SABOTAGE IT.

Finally, notice with me that when the family slips, our Children Won’t Succeed. This new generation is struggling, falling further and further away from God – and it is not all their fault. I believe the brunt of the burden lies on the previous generation and the deterioration of the family. We have tried to tear down and redefine what the nuclear family is, and it is the children that suffer. One of the reasons we see so many children who don’t know how to obey their parents and other authorities is shown to us in our text from Ephesians:

Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

If we want our kids to grow up to be successful in the Lord, we must start training, leading, and loving them today in the Lord.

As we put a close to this blog topic, we must remember that we usually don’t notice problems until something completely falls apart – but before we fall, there is always a slow slide first. Has the quality of your fellowship, faith, or family begun to slip? It is time today that we seek the Lord to stop the slide before we completely fall.

Sliding Down The Slope of Sin–Part 1 of 2

Psalm 73:1-3  A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.  (2) But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.  (3) For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

As we see in this psalm of Asaph, there usually is a slid before there is a fall. There are 3 different men with the name “Asaph” mentioned in the Old Testament. One was a chronicler of Israel mentioned in 2 Kings and Isaiah. Another was a keeper of the forest mentioned in Nehemiah. The writer of this psalm was one of the Choir leaders for David, and was a skilled musician. He is mentioned throughout 1 and 2 Chronicles. Scholars attribute Psalms 50, 73-83 to Asaph. This is also the same Asaph that is mentioned in Nehemiah 12:46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

As Asaph starts this Psalm, he deals with two contrasting subjects in the first three verses:

1. The Goodness of God – 73:1. There is no mistaking or overlooking God’s goodness to His people who by faith follow Him.  All righteousness starts in the heart. David said it this way in Psalm 51:10, and he wrote under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” I recently read of one of the martyrs of our faith, John Hooper, who wrote of this verse while in prison and said, “We must learn to say this verse whether it be winter or summer, pleasure or pain, liberty or imprisonment, life of death.” We must always remember that God is good ALL THE TIME!
2. The Greed of Man – 73:2-3. Asaph’s problem came because he saw the wicked around him prospering without any seemingly retribution from God. This Psalm represents a great battle that many Christians have faced. Asaph chronicles this battle, and shows us when he turned the corner – Psalm 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. We often allow outside circumstances that we cannot control to allow us to slip in our own Christian walk.

In my Bible, I have this note written down beside vs. 2 – You slide before you fall.  To slip means that not only are we not moving forward, we are slowly moving backwards. God expects you and I to press on and move forward. Paul wrote in  Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We do so by looking to Jesus - Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Are we allowing certain aspects or areas of our Christian walk to slip? Let’s look at three areas in our lives that we need to make sure do not slip. We will study the first one in this post.

WE CAN SLIP IN OUR FELLOWSHIP

One of the ways we define a New Testament church is a called-out, separated, fellowship, or body, of baptized believers. Our fellowship slips when we fail to Preserve our Structure. Dr. Raymond Barber once said, “Poor and inadequate facilities stump church growth. We must provide the facilities that are adequate to keep the ministry of the church going.” God often blesses churches with facilities, or a central location to hold meetings, outreach, etc. They come in different shapes and sizes. Our job is more than just to maintain what God gives us, because if all you do is maintain, eventually the standard will begin to slide. What are we going to do about what we have to be a good steward of what He has blessed us with? What do new people think about when they first walk into your church building?

• Is it clean?
• Well lit?
• Inviting?
• A place to worship?

An old building gives off the vibe of an old, dying church. Preserve the buildings and structures God has blessed you with. It is a testimony of your church and the Lord to the community surround it.

Another area our fellowship slips is when we fail to Preach the Scriptures. We are called to communicate the Word of God and fulfill the Great Commission. A church cannot lose its focus on God’s priority – the preaching and teaching of His Word. He not only inspired it to be written, but God has preserved it for us completely and without error today. For English speaking people, I believe that is the King James Version of the Bible. As the church, we have a responsibility to maintain, and even reproduce that word. Think about what Paul said to Timothy in  1 Timothy 3:15, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

Music is important – programs are helpful – but the church’s first priority is to teach and preach the Word of God. We are to rightly divide the Word of Truth, and cannot err on the side of programs and personalities and music.

Yet another area our fellowship slips is when we fail to Propagate and Saturate. It would be great if people were beating down the doors of the church to hear God’s Word and to find out how to know for sure they are saved. But they are not, so we must go out and tell them and invite them. This is the first step in what we call the “Great Commission.”

• Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
• Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
• Luke 24:46-47 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

If we are not telling others how to get to heaven, then why would heaven want to keep our doors open?

Finally, our fellowship slips when we fail to Persevere with our Standards. No one today likes to preach and adhere to standards. And when you do, they claim you are nothing more than a Pharisee and a legalist. Instead of spending so much time trying to tear down Biblical standards, we should be doing what we can to build them higher and stronger.

If we are going to err, let’s err on the side of caution. If you were taking a trip up a mountain, I am sure you would stay as far from the ledge as possible. Yet, when we continue to ignore Biblical standards, all we are trying to do is get as close to the ledge as possible without falling. But all it takes is one gust of wind, one misstep, one slide, and we are tumbling down the slope of sin. One preacher said it well when he said, “I don’t have standards because I am so holy; I have standards because I know how sinful I am.”

Our families and churches would be in a lot better shape if we would keep our Biblical standards. Mark it down – every time someone lowers or loosens their standards, they don’t become more Christ-like, just more like the world.

Let’s not allow our fellowship, our church, to slip.