THE GATHERING PLACE

BLESS THE LORD! What a powerful service we had this last Sunday morning. I have included the morning message entitled "Staying The Course!". However it is what took place after that blew me away! I had watched ER (not a usual practice) the other night and was taken by the Chaplain's hand washing service. It seemed to fit so well with what I was ending the service with on Sunday so I incorporated it into our service.

I have never performed this nor have I ever experienced its powerful effect. I preached my heart out to the thirty or so people present. I ended with a call to Stay The Course! Then I invited them to come and wash their hands in the bowl I had set up near the cross. I had a number of torn rags to dry our hands with and then a container at the foot of the cross for us to throw the rags into. Thereby not taking anything back with us. So after I read Job 17:9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger..... Judi led us in "Give us clean hands" and as we sang people were invited to come forward.... whow! What a Holy stirring. Our people along with visitors came forward one by one... and for me the moment my hands hit the water the anointing came over me... PTL.

People stood around and sang praise unto the Lord and then one of our older brothers said the Lord showed him how the pastor stood on the front line and needed brothers and sisters to stand by his side ... (the whole watching and praying thing we had just spoken about). He invited those who felt the Spirit speaking to them to stay the course with the pastor to come forward..... I did not know it then but every single person in the church came forward... young and old regulars and visitors. I cannot explain the powerful encouragement that was to me and my family! Casey was really moved by the show of support. During their lay on of hands and prayer I was aware of the person next to me weeping... I stole a glance but didn't recognize the brother. When the prayer ended he imbraced me with tears rolling down his cheeks he gave one of those "I'm standing with you looks". I found out later that he was the coach of the Osoyoos Whalers (Hockey Team) and he had brought three of his players (including the enforcer) to the service. He and the players all responded to the call that morning. God is doing something wonderful in our midst! The coach told me later that he will be bring the whole team in the new year.... all I can say is GOD IS GOOD!

Stay The Course! In the first chapter of Nehemiah, Nehemiah was told of the great affliction and reproach brought upon the remnant people of God! He heard also that the wall around Jerusalem was broken down and that the gates of it were burned.

The Word tells us that when he heard these things he sat down and wept. He mourned, fasted and prayed for days.

He then reminds God of His covenant with those who love Him and keep His commandments, Nehemiah then confesses the sins of the children of Israel. He included himself; “...both I and my father's house have sinned.“

A righteous man always examines his own life first.
Nehemiah does not demand his rights, rather he reminds God of His great mercy!

Now Nehemiah was a cup bearer for the king and he prayed for something specific Nehemiah 1:11 grant me mercy in the sight of the king…

The king noticed something different about Nehemiah and asked what was wrong? The king listened to Nehemiah’s story and then asked how he could help… But before Nehemiah answered he prayed 2:4.

And then answered the king in the next verse. The king gave him time to go, letters of reference to be given to the governors beyond the river, a letter to the keeper of the king's forest, for timber to make beams, gates and the wall of the city, and for a house for Nehemiah. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God on me. The king even sent a small army of horseman to protect him.

So God set a plan into motion for Nehemiah to rebuild the walls. Now for the sinister twist.... when Sanballat and his servant Tobiah, heard of all that, it grieved them exceedingly! We’re not sure why, but they were ticked!

WHENEVER you try to repair the broken alter of your life;
WHENEVER you seek to do something about this temple (flesh);
WHENEVER you begin to build a wall of separation

You can bet the enemy of your soul will seek to turn up the heat of opposition!

He’ll try to get you to compromise.
He wants you to turn away from God’s calling. He wants you off the wall of God’s divine purpose.

WATCH and PRAY!
I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

You dare not neglect to WATCH and PRAY!

Satan’s bag of tricks has not changed - just as he tried with Nehemiah so he’ll try with you.... take a look and see if his tricks aren’t the same today:

RIDICULE AND MOCKING
Nehemiah 4:1 when Sanballat heard that we had built the wall, he was angry and took great indignation, mocking the Jews.

He said, What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Are they going to revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish?
Tobiah his servant so as not to be out done said, Even what they do build, if a little fox were to climb up on it, he would easily break it down!

Perhaps the devil has ridiculed or mocked you when you’ve taken a stand for Jesus!

Job 12:4 the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

FEAR AND INTIMIDATION
Nehemiah 6:1-9 When Sanballat and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall... they sent me an invitation, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.

But they thought to do me mischief. (Discernment!)

So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it and come down to you? They sent the same invite four times and each time Nehemiah answered the same way!

Nehemiah 6:5-8 Sanballat sent his servant in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah.. So come now and let us take counsel together.

In today’s language Nehemiah’s reply would simply have been - NOT!

These things are untrue, you imagine them.

“An open letter” is a very divisive tool. Pastor on death bed - Pillow case

Nehemiah was then tempted to hide in the temple. But, because he had learned early to WATCH AND PRAY God was able to warn him.... “I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me.. he was hired, that I should be afraid and then in hiding in the temple I would sin.. giving them a matter for an evil report to reproach me.”

In our watching and praying God’s purposes can be distinguished from our enemies purposes and even from our own purposes!

The devil's plot was revealed in verse 19 to put me in fear.

The devil controls people through fear!

As a point of interest... Sanbal'lat means a thorn in secrete.

Let me encourage you with this truth, When someone persecutes a child of God, God Himself, personally takes up the cause!

When Paul was persecuting the church Jesus stopped him right in his tracks and said, Saul why do you persecute me!
THE JOINING
If you can't beat him, join him method.

Ezra 4:1-5...when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the temple walls were being built.. they came to Zerubbabel and said, Let us build with you for we seek your God as ye do and sacrifice to him.. But, the chief fathers of Israel, said, You have nothing to do with us building a house to our God; we ourselves will build for our God.

The devil’s true colours will show: Then those people who had offered to help began to oppose and weaken the hands of God’s people and troubled them in the building of the wall.

They even hired counsellors to frustrate their purpose!

HERE IS A KEY:
The agenda of our enemy is still to frustrate our God given purpose!

How did Nehemiah and his brethren finally complete the work?

The answer to this question will hopefully give us some good council tonight!

Here is the answer - They watched and prayed. Nehemiah 4:9 we prayed to our God, and set a watch day and night.

Most Christians are far too nieve when it comes to spiritual warfare! We far too often get involved way beyound the boundaries - the safe boundaries of watching and praying....
Nehemiah 4:16-21.. half of my servants continued in the work and the other half held the spears, the shields and the bows... the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, So we labored in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

Nehemiah and his brethren put into effect God’s principle: WATCH & PRAY. The importance of WATCHING AND PRAYING cannot be over emphasized!

Refuse to be distracted! Refuse to get offf the wall of God’s purpose!
Job 17:9 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.....