Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

5 Ways to be a Successful Husband (2229)

Building on the Word of God (0539)

The Book of Nehemiah tells the story of the rebuilding of the fallen walls of Jerusalem. And at the end of the sixth chapter, the walls were completed. Despite the devil’s attempts to stop them, the people of God prevailed, and built as God instructed them.

Nehemiah 7 begins: the job was completed. The people of God were secure, organized, housed and fed. But there was something that needed to be done inside these freshly restored city walls: building their community on the Word of God. God blessed His people with a real, genuine revival; one that was rooted in a hunger for the Word of God.

Nehemiah 8:1 tells us, "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of the Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel."

There was a famine for the word of God. The people gathered and begged Ezra to preach to them. The revival came about by a hearing of the Word of God. Nehemiah 8:3 says, "And he read therein before the street that was, read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday." Adrian Rogers says, “These people were attentive, not time conscious. They had revival because they were not clock watchers.”

There was an honor given to the Word of God. Our greatest danger is indifference toward Scripture. If we believe the Bible to be true, we ought to honor it as these people did in Nehemiah 8.

There was a proper handling of Scripture. It’s not just enough to read the Bible; someone has to explain it. Preaching Scripture is reading a passage of scripture, then analyzing, organizing, illustrating, and applying it.

Finally, there was a heeding of the word of God. What took place when they began to heed to the word of God?

1. There was mourning over their own sin.
2. There was joy.
3. There was obedience.

A church that is built on the Word of God is one that obeys His commands.

Apply it to your life
Do you have a relationship with Jesus that is built on the Word of God? Until you know Jesus, you won’t understand His Word. And until you understand His Word, you will never truly live.

Weapons of Our Warfare (0534)

Before he ever rebuilt the fallen walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was a man of prayer, facing serious spiritual warfare. When we live for God, we find ourselves in a battle between light and darkness, death and life, Heaven and Hell. Every Christian is called to be a part of it.

Before we can identify our weapons in this warfare, we need to learn about our adversary, the devil. The Bible says we wrestle against “the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph. 6:12)Our intellect is no match for his subtlety and unrighteous spirituality, or his strength.

How are we supposed to fight this enemy? Ephesians 6:13-17 tells us to put on the armor of God:

The Belt of Truth holds everything together, locked in for battle with the truth from Scripture.
- The Breastplate of Righteousness protects us from the enemy’s arrows of impurity.
- The Boots of Peace keep us encouraged as we tread through dangerous territory.
- The Shield of Faith protects us from the enemy’s attacks of doubt.
- The Helmet of Salvation gives us full assurance of God’s constant deliverance.
- The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” Putting on the armor of God is preparing ourselves to pray in the Spirit. Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer is not getting ready to fight. That’s where the fight is…The devil mocks our schemes, he laughs at our toiling, but he fears our prayers.”

Praying in the Spirit listens to God. It is a prayer that abides and lovingly intercedes on behalf of others. It’s also hard work; it takes blood, sweat and tears to pray in the Spirit.

Though it takes much work, praying in the Spirit is the weapon of our warfare that Satan cannot stand against.

Apply it to your life
Put on the armor of God and go to battle. Pray in the Spirit; listen to God, abide, intercede for others, and embrace the hard work it takes.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Nehemiah 4:1-6:16

The Book of Nehemiah tells the story of the rebuilding of the fallen walls of Jerusalem. And at the end of the sixth chapter, the walls were completed. Despite the devil’s attempts to stop them, the people of God prevailed, and built as God instructed them. Nehemiah 7 begins: the job was completed. The people of God were secure, organized, housed, and fed.

But there was something that needed to be done inside these freshly restored city walls: building their community on the Word of God. God blessed His people with a real, genuine revival; one that was rooted in a hunger for the Word of God.

Nehemiah 8:1 says,

"And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of the Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel."

There was a famine for the word of God. The people gathered and begged Ezra to preach to them. The revival came about by the hearing of the Word of God. Nehemiah 8:3 says, "And he read therein before the street that was, read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday." Adrian Rogers says, “These people were attentive, not time conscious. They had revival because they were not clock watchers.”

There was an honor given to the Word of God. Our greatest danger is indifference toward Scripture. If we believe the Bible to be true, we ought to honor it as these people did in Nehemiah 8.

There was a proper handling of Scripture. It’s not just enough to read the Bible; someone has to explain it. Preaching Scripture is reading a passage of scripture, then analyzing, organizing, illustrating, and applying it.

Finally, there was a heeding of the word of God. What took place when they began to heed the word of God?

There was mourning over their own sin.

There was joy.

There was obedience.

A church that is built on the Word of God is one that obeys His commands.

Apply it to your life

Do you have a relationship with Jesus that is built on the Word of God? Until you know Jesus, you won’t understand His Word. And until you understand His Word, you will never truly live.

Dealing with Discouragement (0533)

Any work for God will be met with opposition from the devil. And one of the devil’s methods to stop the work of God is through discouragement. Nehemiah 4 shows us how to deal with discouragement. While rebuilding the fallen walls of the city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah and his team faced the enemy’s attack of discouragement. This passage reveals, first, the curse and the three causes of discouragement.

First, Nehemiah’s people were worn out. They were in the middle of the job, working hard, growing tired. The newness had worn off, yet the end was far out of reach.

Second, they were weighted down. They had a task to do; rather than seeing it one step at a time, they saw the rubbish, trash and debris. The task seemed too big.

Third, they were wrought up. The enemy knows just when we are in breaching difficulty, physically debilitated, or when we have more to do than we can do. He can sense when things are about to cave in. That is when he attacks.

And unfortunately, much like in this passage, the attack can come from other people of God. Adrian Rogers says, “Do you know the hardest thing for me to face as a pastor? It's not what the enemy does out there, but it is people within the camp who say it can't be done.”

Nehemiah then took six steps to re-encourage those who had been discouraged:

1. He armed his people, equipping them for battle as they built.
2. He assured his people, urging them to remember the Lord their God.
3. He aroused his people, stirring in their hearts with a powerful message: “You’re not just building walls… you’re building lives.”
4. He applied his people, instructing them to get back to work.
5. He assembled his people, unifying them before God.
6. He admonished his people, warning them to be careful.

Apply it to your life
Are you dealing with discouragement today?

As Adrian Rogers says, “Be sober; be vigilant. Let's stay on our knees and keep our face in the book. Let's keep loving one another and be deathly afraid of sin. Let's keep on the whole armor of God. Let's not be careless, not play loose; let's stay together. Let's love, let's believe God; and together God’s people will see great things done.”

Reacting to Ridicule (0531)

The Book of Nehemiah tells the story of Nehemiah’s return to his homeland to rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem. In Nehemiah 4, he and his team faced criticism for their work. Their mockers ridiculed their feebleness and the futility of their task. They laughed at Nehemiah’s confidence to accomplish his big task at hand. They mocked the foolishness of their faith and the frailty of their work. They didn’t think Nehemiah’s work would last.

Ridicule is one of the hardest things we will face as Christians. We are feeble people by the world’s standards (measured by numbers, size, prestige and finances). The world doesn’t believe we can do what we have been commissioned and empowered to do by Jesus Christ. They laugh at what they call the foolishness of our faith.

When reacting to ridicule, we ought to remember what things Nehemiah did. He made practical considerations.

First, he considered the cause of the ridicule.Ridicule is a substitute for reason. If these mockers couldn’t reason Nehemiah out of this work for God, they would ridicule him, instead.

He also considered the character of his mockers. Adrian Rogers says, “We’re known not only by the friends that we make, we’re also known by the enemies that we make.”

He considered the company he was in. When we are scorned, we must remember: Jesus Christ was scorned. We are in good company.

He considered the compensation he would receive, because “when men will persecute you, and revile you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My name sake, rejoice and be exceeding glad.” (Matthew 5:11)

Then he considered the conclusion of the matter: God, Himself, will have the last laugh.

Nehemiah carried the ridicule to God in prayer; and then, he got to work. In spite of all of the threats of the enemy, of the ridicule and scorn, this team kept their work in mind. Rather than submitting to the criticism, they just started doing what God had called them to do.

What would happen if we had a mind to work and a heart to pray as Nehemiah and his team did?

Apply it to your life
Our reaction to ridicule is clearly outlined in Nehemiah 4:

1. Practically consider the ridicule.
2. Prayerfully speak your concern to God.
3. Get to work!

Let Us Arise and Build (0530)

In Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah is commissioned by God to rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem that had left the people of God without defense. In this passage, there are six principles Nehemiah practiced in building the walls. We can apply these principles as we rise and build the fallen walls in our lives.

The first thing Nehemiah did was fix his focus. Nehemiah had a mandate from God. He fasted, prayed, and wept, and God revealed to him what to do. In the same way, God has a purpose for our lives and our goal and aim should point toward that purpose.

Second, Nehemiah found the facts. Nehemiah saw for himself that God’s work in Jerusalem was in ruins. In finding the facts, he was able to calculate what it would take to rebuild.

Then he formed a fellowship. Nehemiah knew that there is strength in numbers and in unity; he knew he could not do by himself. Though God called him to lead, he said, “Come, let us do it together.” (v. 17)

After this, Nehemiah fortified his faith. Human nature fears the new. Whenever anyone suggests doing something great and noble, there's always a sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs that maybe it cannot be done. Christians, let us not forget: God is leading, and if God's good hand is upon us, it can be done. God is the one who opens doors that no one can shut. But remember: God only opens doors for people who want to go through them.

Next, Nehemiah faced his foe. Adrian Rogers says, “The door to the room of opportunity swings on the hinges of opposition.” When we come to an open door, we will have adversaries. But if God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31)

Lastly, Nehemiah fulfilled his function. Reconstruction begins in Nehemiah 3. What a wonderful thing it was as each man found his place along the wall and fulfilled his function. Each person had a part in the work. Each person had a job to do.

But notice: these builders began construction near his own house. Let this be a reminder to begin at home, in our own hearts.

Apply it to your life
Are there fallen spiritual walls in your life? Let us arise and build! Start in your own heart, in your own life.

How to Turn Your Problems into Possibilities (0527)

God wants us to see our problems as possibilities, and our adversaries as opportunities. Whether we, as individuals or as a church, are trying to turn a problem into possibilities, the Book of Nehemiah shows us that God has wonderful plans for us.

There are three basic steps we must take in order to do anything glorious in the name of Jesus.

The first thing we must do is visualize. Nehemiah received the news of the city of Jerusalem’s fallen walls. Walls in the Bible had a symbolic meaning. They spoke of glory, salvation and the protection of God over his people; and these walls had fallen. These walls are also symbolic to us. We, too, are called to rebuild walls that have fallen: walls of national security, of the family, of decency, of our educational system and of doctrine.

The second step is to agonize. In Nehemiah 1:4, Nehemiah prayed a prayer of contrition. He wept over the condition of the city. Adrian Rogers says, “Society has forgotten how to blush, and the church has forgotten how to weep.”

He prayed a prayer of confession. Nehemiah understood that if he didn't repent, he would remain part of the problem, not the solution.
It was also a prayer of confidence. Real prayer is rooted in the promises from the Word of God.
Finally, it was a prayer of commitment. Nehemiah had a great job in a great disposition, however, when God burdened him over the city of Jerusalem, he decided to get involved.
The final step is to organize. When God began to move in Nehemiah’s heart, Nehemiah asked for the king’s permission to return to his homeland, as well as for protection and provision to rebuild.

We, as a church or as individuals, must be bold to ask the King of kings for permission, protection and provision as we rebuild the walls of our conviction. It’s only then we will turn our problems into possibilities.

Apply it to your life
Visualize until God gives you a burden; agonize until you know that you've confessed your sins and made a commitment; then organize and get to work. Ask God for His permission, provision and protection.

Victory of a Mother’s Faith (1924)

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:23-27

The most influential people on earth are mothers of faith. One powerful example is Jochebed, a Hebrew slave, mother of Moses, whose faith saved her son and, eventually, an entire people.

Hebrews 11:23-27 reveals five things about Jochebed’s faith that remain true for mothers of faith everywhere.

First, Jochebed’s faith saw a promise from God. “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child…” Jochebed saw that her son, Moses, was a gift from God. She recognized his legitimacy, saw he needed protection at a time when her nation was slaughtering babies like him.

Second, her faith acted upon the promise of God. Not only did Moses’ parents have faith, their faith led to action. They hid Moses in order to protect him. “...and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.”

Those were dark days, yet the Bible says that Moses’ parents were full of valor. They knew God, His Word and His promise to deliver His people. “By faith Moses… refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”

Jochebed’s faith saw victory; God preserved the life of that child. Not only that, God had engineered a faith in Moses’ heart, through the faith of his mother. “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”

Jochebed’s faith obtained strong, godly values she would pass on to Moses, who, in turn, would pass them onto God’s people.

Thank God for young men and women who have fires built into them by mothers and fathers of faith. Adrian Rogers says, “The great need today is godly parents, who in spite of the king's commandments, listen to the King of kings instead.”

Apply it to your life
Have you been made new in Christ? Does your life show that you have a new Lord, life, liberty, love and labor?

The Simplicity of Salvation (1276)

The Gospel is meant to be told simply. God wants salvation to be made simple, because it is His desire that anyone can understand and obtain it.

Acts 16:23-31 tells the story of Paul and Silas, who have been put in prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They’ve been beaten and stuffed into a dungeon; yet, they are singing and praising God. Then came a great earthquake, and the prison doors and shackles came undone. They were free. When the jailor saw that the prisoners were freed, yet remained in their cell, he asked, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas’s answer reveals the beautiful simplicity of salvation.

First, we must consider the meaning of salvation. To be saved means to be delivered from sin. Sin comes in three forms:

The wrong we do
The right we don’t do
The good we do without God
So what does it mean to be saved from sin? We are saved from the penalty, the pollution, the power and the presence of sin.

Second, we must consider the man of salvation: the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 16:30 says “...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved.”

When these disciples said, “Lord” they meant He’s the Master of our lives.

When these disciples said, “Jesus” they meant He's the Mediator between us and God.

When these disciples said, “Christ” they meant He’s the Messiah, the one who saves.

Finally, remember the method of salvation: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. What does it mean to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? It is not mere intellectual belief. The demons believe and tremble (James 2:19), and they are certainly not saved. “Believe on” means “commit to”. Commit to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Rom. 10:13)

And whosoever means anybody, any time, any place, anywhere.

Apply it to your life
If someone asks you, “How can I be saved?” as the jailor asked Paul and Silas, would you know what to say?