So far in this series, we have discussed the following prayer strategies of Nehemiah.
He prayed fervently
He focused on the greatness of the One he was praying to
He prayed for favor
He prayed the promises of God
He prayed against resistance
He prayed for strength
He personalized his prayers
Many years ago, the music band Starship recorded a hit song called ‘We built this city on rock ‘n roll’. However, Nehemiah built the walls of Jerusalem on prayer, and through the guidance, wisdom and courage he received as a result of his prayers.
Since last week, the eyes of the sports world have been firmly fixed on the Rio Olympics. As expected, new records have been set, new talented athletes haven been discovered and some of the more seasoned campaigners have also proved that they are still at their best!
Personal Sports Memories-
I have always been a fan of sports and my favorites have been cricket, football and tennis, in that order. As a schoolboy, I remember waking up very early to listen to cricket commentaries on short-wave radio from Australia, staying up late when they were being transmitted from England, and staying up even later to listen to commentaries from the Caribbean. All the listening was done through a small radio we owned.
Another sports memory that will always be entrenched in my mind is tuning in at around 3 in the morning to listen to the 1970 Football World Cup final between Brazil and Italy, being played in Mexico. I still remember the thrill I felt when the legend Pele scored the 1st goal and very specially, the final goal scored by the Brazilian captain, Carlos Alberto, later to be described as one of the most memorable goals in World Cup history! The commentary team from BBC Radio made you feel like you were actually watching the game!
The book of Nehemiah is one that is filled with courage, effective leadership, faith, motivation, a great sense of adventure and a desire to honor God. Upon receiving information that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and in ruins and the gates burned with fire, Nehemiah clearly understood the dangers and disgrace involved (Nehemiah 1:3). It meant the city was unprotected, probably a laughing stock, with its security under grave threat from enemies. (Today we are battling with an unseen enemy that has crossed most borders in the form of a dangerous virus). He therefore resolved to do something about it. This great task that he undertook and finished efficiently was covered by much prayer.
This is a a sermon preached at the People’s Church, Sri Lanka recently. The sermon is based around the time when God was training Joseph in Potiphar’s house for the great task ahead!
The writer of the passage, David, was obviously facing extreme dangers when he wrote this beautiful Psalm. His enemies were waiting in the shadows (v 2) to shoot their arrows at him (v 2). This could refer to verbal attacks & very definitely, to attacks on his life. King Saul had already been using him as target practice to enhance his skills in javelin throwing (1 Samuel 19:10)! In verse 3, David speaks about his very foundation being destroyed. At this point, it seems like David’s close friends had encouraged him to flee to safety.
Let’s look at how David responded to this extreme challenge.
This is the full sermon preached on Father’s Day. In this sermon we look at five qualities from the life of Joseph who had the responsibility of bringing up the Lord Jesus Christ.
Recent Feedback