Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We have started a four-part series at First United Methodist Church Waco titled “Amazing Stories”. Today’s message is “Nehemiah’s Story” and can be watched at this link. Below is an outline of the message.

1. RECOGNIZING A REVELATION.

“…In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, I, Nehemiah, was in the capital city of Susa. One of my brothers named Hanani came with some other men from Judah. I asked them about Jerusalem and the Jewish people who lived through the captivity.” – Nehemiah 1:1-2 (NCV)

2. HOLY DISCONTENT.

“When I heard these things, I sat down and cried for several days. I was sad and ate nothing….” – Nehemiah 1:4 a, b (NCV)

3. URGENT PRAYER.

“…I prayed to the God of heaven,…. Hear the prayer that I Your servant, am praying to You day and night….Lord, listen carefully to the prayer of Your servant and the prayers of Your servants who love and honor You. Give me,Your servant, success today; allow this king to show kindness to me.” I was the one who served wine to the king.” – Nehemiah 1:4c & 6 & 11 (NCV)

4. PASSIONATE ACTION.

“Then I said to them, ‘You can see the trouble we have here. Jerusalem is a pile of ruins, and its gates have been burned. Come, let’s rebuild the walls of Jerusalem so we won’t be full of shame any longer.’ ” – Nehemiah 2:17 (NCV)

5. RELENTLESS PERSISTENCE.

“So I sent messengers to them with this answer: ‘I am doing a great work, and I can’t come down. I don’t want the work to stop while I leave to meet you.” – Nehemiah 6:3 (NCV)

“The wall of Jerusalem was completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul. It took fifty-two days to rebuild.” – Nehemiah 6:15 (NCV)

Related articles

• keep going (judikruis.wordpress.com)
• Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah : Lesson #9 (stevenruff.wordpress.com)