Fellowshipmtz

Psalm 92:6-15 In part 1 (the week before) we considered the first strophe (movement, stanza).  In this message we cover the remainder of the psalm, especially contrasting two kinds of "flourishing" -- one that ends in death and disappointment and one that bears eternal rewards.

Psalm 92  ( part 1 ) After some general observations we considered the psalm's first strophe (movement), verses 1-5.  The LORD's thoughts (and works) are a beautiful tapestry of His steadfast love and faithfulness.

Nehemiah 12:43 > The High Point of Reformation! Nehemiah 12:44-47 & 13:1-3 > Two Appendices Nehemiah 13:4-31 > Coda (Failure) Including two audio excerpts featuring Don Carson: "We earnestly seek reformation, but help us never to be so foolish as to imagine that by our reforms, by our organization, by our gifts, somehow we will bring in utopia.  For this, merciful God, we await in eag...

Nehemiah 12:1-43 Gregory Goswell (Academic Dean at Christ College in New Zealand) writes in A Study Commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah,  (EP, 2013), 380.  "There is little prospect of Nehemiah 11 becoming one of the Old Testament's most famous or best loved chapters.  The modern reader does not find long lists of difficult Hebrew names very interesting.  The chapter is not, however, without its value or...

Nehemiah 11 So many genealogies!  So many names!  Why does it matter to God?| In Nehemiah, it is evident the people understand and support the larger mission to reestablish Jerusalem.  Similarly, the Church is tasked with a mission bigger than any of our own individual aspirations.  What is the mission?

Nehemiah 10:30-39 We draw our attention to understanding the significance of the three specific categories to which the Israelites pledge their obedience (and how those categories apply to the Christian Church).

Special message on the meaning and significance of Christian baptism.

Nehemiah 10:30-39 It is relatively *easy* to talk in general terms about making necessary changes, but now Israel gets down to some very specific, identifiable, measurable steps:  Intermarriages (family)  Sabbaths  Supporting Temple ministry

Nehemiah 9:38-10:29 Most Christian's view of Mosaic Law is entirely shaded by what the Apostle Paul teaches about the failure of the Law to justify the sinner.  No matter how hard s/he tries, it isn't good enough to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  So how are we to understand Israel's pledge in Nehemiah 9:38 and 10:29: "Because of all this we are making a binding agreement in writing on...

Nehemiah 9:26-37 Peter Adam writes in Reading the Bible Today Series (2014): "The big structure is that God had blessed [Israel] (vv 6-15), God had blessed them despite their rebellion (vv 16-25), and that they had rebelled despite God's blessing (vv 26-31)." 

Nehemiah 9:1-25 As the Israelites rehearse their history and understanding of what GOD has revealed, two truths stand out: 1) their pattern of sin is undeniable, persistent, and great, and, 2) GOD's past faithfulness and His promises are the basis of their hope in the moment.

Nehemiah 9 (part 1)

Nehemiah 8:13-18 From the Pulpit Commentary (1909): "The careful student of God's word is rewarded by important discoveries.  He will find truths, precepts, and promises which are new  to him, or come with all the freshness and force of a new revelation,  to correct his beliefs or his conduct, or to give him new comfort and joy.  The Bible is an inexhaustible mine of eternal treasures.  It will re...

Nehemiah 8 When the people hear the "Book of the Law of God" read and explained to them, they weep and mourn.  But Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites tell them not to grieve "for the joy of the LORD is your strength".  This is such a powerful truth!

Nehemiah 7-8 (part 1) Soon after after the walls are finished "all the people" Gather together and ask Ezra to read "the Book of the Law of Moses" to them.  They don't want Ezra to wax eloquent with his own musings on life and faith and they aren't gathered to swap their own ideas about God, they want to know how GOD has revealed Himself!

(Back from our East coast vacation to visit family) Nehemiah 6 Nehemiah faces a persistent battery of temptations to stop him from his God-given effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 5 is a terrific example how Christians (individually) and the church (collectively) should respond to opposition and hardship.  Mistreatment & opposition from outsiders is to be expected (to some degree); but sometimes, the opposition originates from those expected to be allies!  What then?

Nehemiah 4 We begin by spending some time confirming the late juncture in which Nehemiah arrives -- by all accounts, in very close connection with Malachi.  Otherwise, in chapter 4, we see that as Nehemiah makes progress on the rebuilding effort, his opponents intensify their efforts to stop him!

Nehemiah 2-4 Nehemiah has only known life outside of Israel.  He is living a very comfortable, secure life serving the King of the Persian empire -- so WHY does he even care about what's happening in Jerusalem nearly 1000 miles away? 

Introduction to Nehemiah and chapter one Before starting a lengthier series from Genesis 1-11 (starting in September?), we are going to do a shortened study of Nehemiah.  We recently finished Ephesians by spending four weeks on the subject of prayer.  As it turns out, Nehemiah is a wonderful example of godly prayer, so why not now?

Psalm 123 -  Guest speaker, John Davis (Pastor Cliff's son) comes to us from Louisville, Kentucky to open God's Word from one of the  psalms of ascent!

Ephesians 6:19-24 - Finding himself "an ambassador in chains" Paul adds a personal prayer request before writing his final benediction.  A terrific quote from Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) concludes our study of the letter first delivered to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 6:18 -- A wide variety of persons are called upon to provide an understanding of what the Bible means when it calls upon Christians (the church!) to pray, "at ALL times with ALL prayer and petition in the Spirit, and to this end, being on the alert with ALL perseverance and petition for ALL the saints,"  (Legacy Standard Bible)

Ephesians 6:18, "praying at all times in the Spirit" What does "at all times" look like ? What does "in the Spirit" mean?

Curt Fleck is the Executive Director of CIVIL SERVANT MINISTRY -- a ministry devoted to sharing the God's Word and the Gospel with those involved in politics in Springfield and Illinois.