BUILDING TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE

Neh.2:17-20; 4:6, 13-23; Exod.17:8-13; Eph. 4:11-14

Believers are a privileged people, chosen to show forth the glory of God in Christ. We are privileged to be the building blocks for a spiritual house for the Lord. Putting it  in another scriptural parlance, or idiom or phraseology, we are vessels unto honour, prepared and meet (fit) for the Master’s use. We are also described as soldiers, on active service for the Lord. We may be called upon at any time to go into service anywhere for the Master. The true soldier will go without objection or questioning. As long as the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, He will serve the Lord anywhere on earth.

 

Pastor Chuks has served the Lord creditably in Edinburgh and Scotland and will now be moving on to another section of the work. I have come here today to congratulate him for a job well done and to thank you all for the great support and cooperation you gave to him. I would like you to give a standing ovation for the great job God has enabled him to do in Edinburgh!!!

But the work here must continue even when pastor Chuks has gone. And God has blessed Edinburgh with very capable hands to carry on with the work. After much prayer and deliberation, I have been enabled choose someone to take over the responsibility pastor Chuks, is leaving behind. The Brother will now be the new pastor of this great Church, Deeper Life bible Church, Edinburgh, with all the honour, respect and responsibility accorded to that position. I will again be with you on Friday to formally present him to you and to ordain him and pray for him. I have three points to share with you today in my exhortation.

 

Trowel On One Hand Sword On The Other

Neh. 2:20; 1Chro.22:11-19; Luke 9:57-62

Praise God For What Is Already Done!!

Cooperation (with our new pastor)

One Purpose (To spread the good news)

One Goal (To be Rapture ready)

One Enemy (Satan)

One LORD (Jesus Christ)

Arise and build! Arise and be doing! This is a positive directive, given to Solomon by his father David, to build the house of God. David considered that as a most important job and therefore adequately prepared for it. He therefore charged his son saying, “Arise and build!” “Arise and be doing!” I have come here today first to thank God for the work He has done using Pastor Chuks and all the worker and members of this Church.

This was made possible only by the fact that all of you had a mind to work (Neh.4:6). Nehemiah completed the work of building the walls of Jerusalem because the people had a mind to work. You have sown that same characteristic in Edinburgh. Let me therefore charge you to keep up the good work and move it onward and higher.

We must give hundred percent support and cooperation with our new pastor (1Thes. 5:12-13). We must also support all our other workers. This spirit of cooperation is the hallmark of true Christianity. Unity is strength (Rom.12:6; 1Cor.1:10; Phil.3:16). We have one enemy, Satan whose intention is to come to steal, to kill and to destroy. He goes about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour. We must join hands together to resist him in the faith.

We have one Church and one Lord, Jesus Christ. He will give us the victory.

The enemy comes to fight and to hinder God’s work in may ways. He can use people to oppose the work – Samballat, Tobaiah and Geshem opposed Nehemiah and the workers that come together to build the house of God. When we are united under the same purpose, same goal and same Lord, we will defeat the enemy.

Lift Up The Hands That Hang Down

Neh.1:1-11; Heb.12:12-13; Exod.17:8-13

Lay The Foundation Of Prayer

Have A Mind To Work

Spend More Time In More Prayer

Exact More Effort In More Work

Nehemiah laid the found of prayer. Look at the steps He took:

He sought information  from those who came back from Jerusalem concerning the Jews who were there; When He heard the words, (i) he wept (ii) he mourned for some days, (iii) He fasted (Neh.1:4, and (iv) he prayed (Neh.5-11). After this he now took a decisive action to ask the King for supplies to go to Jerusalem and build the walls of the city that has fallen down.

In this new era for the Church in Edinburgh, we must lay a solid foundation of prayer. Prayer is the key to Church growth. Prayer is the key to miracles. Prayer is the key to obtaining favour from God. Prayer is the key to success (2Chro.7:12-14).

When Moses lifted his hands with the rod of God heavenward, there was victory for Israel, but when his hands hand down… (Exod.17:8-13). Prayer will overcome your enemies. Prayer will win you decisive victories. But… all prayer and no work will not win the victory we are seeking after, but prayer and work, work and prayer is the combination that will not fail to win the victory.

 

Defending The Master’s Inheritance

Neh.4:13-18; Exod.17:8-13; Acts 20:18;

Every Child of God Important

Every Weak Believer Needs Strengthening

Every Young Person Needs Godly Mentoring

Every Worker Needs Encouraging                                   

“…not an hoof will be left behind…” (Exod.10:24-26). Moses was a man who would not allow any of God’s inheritance to be neglected or left behind. That also is the charge we receive from the Lord, to feed the flock of God which  purchased by His own blood. We will take the oversight of God’s inheritance. We are not lords over God’s inheritance, but servants of the Lord (1Peter 5:1-4). I therefore by the word of the Lord charge the new pastor and all the key leaders and workers in this Church to feed the flock of God. We are not hardhearted taskmasters, but we are to be under-shepherds under Christ the Chief Shepherd.

Just as Jacob would not allow Esau to drive the young along with his footmen,  so are we to be gentle over God’s inheritance. God will give us the grace to serve him.

 

CONCLUSION

A New Era For Edinburgh Church

A New Era For Scotland Region

A New Opportunity For All Workers In The Church

A New Opportunity For All Members Of The Church