Nehemiah 7 with Homework

Nehemiah Chapter 7 Intro. Two important topics stare me in the face when I read this chapter. That's what we are going to talk about today. 1. The Bible says God laid a plan on Nehemiah's heart. 2. Restoration of the wall doesn't make the restoration complete. What goes back inside the walls is as important as the rebuilding. A lot of times we think we can't hear God speaking to us or into our lives because we haven't given him our whole heart. Nehemiah gave God his whole heart. 1. He had a heart for his people. Chapter one. He wasn't self absorbed or selfish. The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip. (Psalm 37:31 NASB) 2. Nehemiah's heart was broken but He gave his broken heart and what it was broken about to God. Chapters 1 and 2 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26 NASB) 3. Nehemiah heart turned to God for strength in face of opposition and his workers getting weak. Chapter 3 and 4 Psalm 73:26 4.Nehemiah heart sought favor of God and not men. Chapter 5 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. (Acts 8:21 NASB) 5.Nehemiah's heart was full of Gods wisdom. Chapter 6 And all the kings of the earth were seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. (2 Chronicles 9:23 NASB) 6. Nehemiah had a heart full of God therefore God could lay something on his heart. Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first in which I found the following record: (Nehemiah 7:5 NASB) Pure Heart matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 NASB) Pure heart is living a life totally pleasing to God. Restoration God doesn't just build the damaged walls and want us to fill them with rubble again. If He rebuilds a strong wall he wants to put strong stuff on the inside also. Example The Lord didn't just rebuild the walls of Jerusalem to have them filled with sin and disorder again. He wanted to establish order and strength. Same in our life. 1. Restoration = newness= new heart Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB) 2. Restoration to embolden the weary Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:12 NASB) 3. Restoration to set up a new standard Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations And set up My standard to the peoples; And they will bring your sons in their bosom, And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. (Isaiah 49:22 NASB) 4.Restoration to make strong "I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph, And I will bring them back, Because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them, For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. (Zechariah 10:6 NASB) Conclusion Homework Nehemiah Chapter 7 Pray and ask God to give you insight as you read Chapter 7. Nehemiah says that God put it in his heart. What does that mean? Has God ever put a thought or action in your heart? What was it? This chapter is about restoring those that were exiled and their families. God is in the business of restoration. Do you feel like anything in your own life needs to be restored? If so, what? Scripture: Psalm 51:12 Psalm 80:3 Jeremiah 42:12