Last week we heard about the people's response as they listened to God speaking to them from the parts of the Bible that were read out loud to them. There was joy, there was obedience ... but there also needed to be confession of wrongdoing (and of the absence of rightdoing). Confession and repentance aren't easy for our stubborn hearts to do, are they? But very necessary, especially when we consider the unending mercy of God towards us.

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After so much faith-fueled struggle, Nehemiah's compatriots find a joyful, spiritual dimension to their rebuilding work. There's still lots to do, and there are still many challenges that they face, but when they realize what God has been doing, and will do, they can't help but celebrate. And how does this realization come about? By looking in what God has written down in his book, the Bible. That's what we're doing today! Do you realize what God's been doing and will do?

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Today we reach the turning point in the story of Nehemiah. In the first 6 chapters that we've looked at in previous weeks, he's had to face, and overcome, all sorts of problems in order to complete the building up of his ruined city. But now, stage 1 is complete and the city's community needs to be built. So Nehemiah looks back to the list of people who'd resettled in the city. People a bit like you and me!

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The threats facing Nehemiah and his building team don't ease ... this week it's intimidation. But, Nehemiah presses on and the building project gets finished. What strategy does he use to keep going? Maybe we can learn a lesson or two to help ourselves when ridicule and intimidation come our way - for if we're trying to live God's way they're a certainty!

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Last week we learnt about the threats facing Nehemiah and his building team ... and how they overcame them. But, just like in our lives, it's often not the challenges we experience from the world we live in that really get us down. No. It's the problems involving those we love (or ought to love!). How does Nehemiah cope with that type of problem? Listen to this week's podcast and you may get some help for your problems!

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Working for God often starts well. But are enthusiasm and energy enough when threats, challenges and difficulties start appearing? Nehemiah is about to find out! Will he keep going? Will he be able to keep motivating the people working for him? Listen to today's podcast and find out!

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Nehemiah faces a huge task. God wanted him to get the walls of a whole city restored and the gates reconstructed. But this seemed like an impossibility ... and it was until the people caught hold of God's plan and power. Then they worked in harmony with each other, each taking up their share of the task. What a lesson for us!

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Last week we started our studies in the Bible book called Nehemiah. Nehemiah finds himself in a do-or-die situation. What does he do? Watch our service this week to find out. Is it what you would have done? Has Nehemiah bitten off more than he can chew? By himself, definitely yes! But with God things go differently.

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Today we start our studies in the Bible book called Nehemiah. We get to meet Nehemiah in his job as an important servant of a heathen king. Nehemiah's gets some bad news, his heart is breaking and his face shows it. It's dangerous to appear before the king looking sad - be happy or else! Will Nehemiah survive (yes, of course he will, otherwise there wouldn't be any more chapters of the Bible book to look at!)? Will he be able to resolve the things that make him sad? That will prove more difficult ... just as well he's starting in the right place!

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For our first podcast of 2025, here is a verse to take you through the year - Ephesians 2 verse 22: "In Christ you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit". We hope it's true for everyone who follows this channel. And we pray that you may know God the Holy Spirit living in you throughout 2025. If you'd like a bookmark with the text on it (and a couple of key prayers on the reverse), send your address to [email protected] and we'll mail you one.

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