What a contrast!  God is Lord; but He is also our shepherd!

God is timeless and self-sufficient; yet he chose to be our Shepherd!

In Nehemiah 10, the Israelites made commitments that we too should keep.  The committed to: family, Sabbath keeping, stewardship, and recognizing we belong to God.

Psalm 22 is often designated "The Psalm of the Cross"

We consider today how it paints a prophetic picture of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Give Thanks to the Lord!  Develop an attitude of gratitude.

In Nehemiah 9, the Israelites enter into a time of repentance.  We too need to repent; and the good news is that when we do, we have a redeemer, Jesus Christ, who forgives us and restores us!

Guest speaker, Rev. Robert Belcher, shares from Ezekiel 8 those things which can drive the presence of the Lord from His sanctuary and then offers what can usher God's presence into His sanctuary.

Our trust is not in chariots or horses or elected leaders; we trust in the Lord our God.

However, we have a calling to pray for those "in high positions"

Nehemiah 8:1-8, Nehemiah has completed the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall.  Now Israel needs spiritual revival and Nehemiah turns primary leadership over to Ezra, the priest, who leads the people in Scripture reading, prayer, and explanation of Scripture - the sources of revival!

Scripture Reveals God!

Despite the amazing accomplishment of rebuilding the Jerusalem wall in 52 days, Nehemiah remained humble and he gave God all the glory.  Humility is much needed among leaders!