ou can rebuild it! When God puts a project on your heart to repair, restore or rebuild something that's been broken, God will help you every step of the way to put it back together. Learn from the great prophet and rebuilder Nehemiah how God helped him, and how God can help you, too.

Nehemiah: Lessons In Rebuilding

Is there something broken in your life that you'd like to fix, but don't know how? Then you'll love to learn these lessons in rebuilding from the biblical book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah took on a rebuilding project that seemed imposing, impractical and nearly impossible. But God walked him through every step of the project, and he eventually completed his project. Join me in learning these lessons in rebuilding from a man who achieved his goal, with God's great help.

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Introduction to "Nehemiah: Lessons In Rebuilding": Nehemiah faced a rebuilding project that was imposing, impractical and nearly impossible. But with God's help, he rebuilt a wall around the entire city of Jerusalem. After many months of planning, praying, debating and building, the work was completed. And everyone knew how it had happened, even those who thought it was impossible: "...they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God" (Nehemiah 6:16).
Lesson 1 - Sit Down And Weep: You might be surprised at the first step Nehemiah took toward rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem. He sat down and wept. But once he got up, he had the resolve to do what needed to be done. Without sitting down and weeping, he may never have stepped into what God had put on his heart to do.
Lesson 2 - Get Up And Pray: God doesn't want you to weep over your losses forever. There comes a time when you'll need to move forward, and the best next step to take is to get up and pray. Nehemiah gives us some good ideas for what to include in our prayers, as recorded in Nehemiah chapter 1, verses 4-11.
Lesson 3 - Acknowledge Your Position: Why did God choose you to take on the task that He's given you? Why didn't He pick someone else? When you find the answer to that question, it may just give you the confidence you need to move forward with the task at hand.
Lesson 4 - Find Your Resources: If God wants you to undertake a special project, He probably wants to see it succeed even more than you do. If it's too much for you to handle on your own, that's when you'll need to find your resources somewhere else. This lesson is to encourage you to do what you need to do.
Lesson 5 - Examine The Situation: There will come a time when it's important to enlist the help of others to do all that God has called you to do. But there's also a time when you need to talk to God, and God alone, about your project, letting Him help you to examine the situation at hand so you can take the next steps together.
Lesson 6 - Gather Others To Help: When the work's about to begin, you'll need to enlist the help of others. You may have to ask several times, and several different people or groups, but it's important to ask and keep on asking! If God is for you, you're not alone. Gather others to help.
Lesson 7 - Start Rebuilding: After all the thinking, planning and praying, there comes a time to start rebuilding. Let the story of Nehemiah encourage you that it's worth it to take that first step, whatever it may be, toward fulfilling what God has put on your heart.
Lesson 8 - Pray Against Opposition: What can you do when someone laughs at your "good idea"? Return to the Lord in prayer. Let Him speak to your heart, then put your hope and trust in Him to vindicate you in your cause. If you need some encouragement to do that, read on...
Lesson 9 - Work With All Your Heart: Are you more likely to look at the glass as half-full or half-empty? Today, I'd like you to take a look at what God has done in your life so far, praying that He will give you the boost you need to keep moving forward with whatever He's put on your heart to do.
Lesson 10 - Don't Be Afraid: When God says, "Don't be afraid," it isn't always because there's nothing to fear. Sometimes the threats and attacks and dangers are very real. The reason He often says, "Don't be afraid," is to help us remember that He is real, too.
Lesson 11 - Fight For What You Hold Dear: If God has called you into a battle, there's no doubt He's willing to fight for you. But don't be surprised if He chooses to fight through you, too! When you look to the Lord, be sure to follow His lead.
Lesson 12 - Help Those Who Are Helping You: Sometimes those who are helping you with a project are too burdened with their own issues to adequately help you. In that case, following Nehemiah's lead of helping those who are helping you will enable you together to do all that God has called you to do.
Lesson 13 - Don't Give In: People may try to distract you from achieving the plans that God has called put on your heart. While it's good to listen to input from others, especially those who love you and care about you, it can be dangerous to meet with those who mean you harm. When this happens, don't give in! Keep pressing on!
Lesson 14 - Don't Fall For Lies: Satan will often try to discourage and dissuade you from the work God has called you to do by lying to you and about you. The best way to nullify his lies is to confront them with the Truth. Keep reminding yourself of what God says, and you'll find yourself closer to victory that you might think!
Lesson 15 - The Wall Is Complete!: Just when you think the storm around you is the worst, a ray of light may break through the clouds, showing you the clear skies ahead. When Nehemiah finally finished his wall, God was able to take the next steps for His mission in the world. Keep the future in mind as you work to finish your own task at hand!
Conclusion - How To Maintain What You've Built: Nehemiah found the key to maintaining what he had built when he asked Ezra the scribe to pull out and read God's Word to the people. God showed them how they got into the mess in the first place, how to get out of it, and how to move forward from there on out. The same God who spoke to them will speak to you as you move forward as well.
Don't Lose Heart: A personal follow-up at the end of this study.
A Life Well-Lived: Sometimes the best sermons are not those that are preached, but those that are lived out in the lives of those we love. This is one of those sermons, lived out in the life of my dad.
Choosing To Love: If you read the tribute I wrote to my dad, you might want to read this follow-up message, which tells "the rest of the story." Choosing to love not only covers a multitude of sins, but it releases blessings on everyone involved, including you.
Deepening Your Love for the Word of God: Have you ever wanted to go to Israel? While you don't have to go to Israel to study the Bible, a trip there can help bring the Bible to life for you, thereby deepening your love for the Word of God. Whether you ever go or not, just realize that the people and places described in the Bible really are real. Maybe they should change the name from Israel to "Is-Real!" At least that's what it's become to me.
Learning More About Jesus: Here are three ideas to help you learn more about Jesus, this Man who had such an impact on the entire world, and who can have a huge impact on your world as well.
Good Decisions Make Good Men: Some of you have a decision to make today. Whatever it is that you're facing, I pray that you'll make a good decision, because good decisions make good men.
A New Life: What better week than Easter week to talk about the New Life that Christ offers to all who put their faith in Him! Here's the story of what Christ has done for me in my life. I pray it will encourage you to put your faith in Him for everything in your life as well.
The Power of a Declaration: Never underestimate the power of a declaration, especially a declaration of your faith in Christ. That moment of faith often leads to years of after effects in your life, and will be well worth it in the end.
Money and Fear: Money and Fear are two of the biggest obstacles that can stand in the way of doing what God is calling you to do. The good news is that one thing can help you overcome them both: faith.
Israel 2009: If you've ever wanted to visit the Holy Land, I'd like to invite you to join me on a trip in 2009! "It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end" (Deuteronomy 11:12).