217church - Audio

Nehemiah records his great sacrifice for the people and the vision to rebuild the wall. His eyes were not on the present gain but on the future well being of the people. Our sacrifice now means significance in eternity. Jesus tells the story of someone who thinks he is well prepared for his future and his secure in his finances, but he neglects the most important thing, The health of his own soul. To have a healthy soul we must be intentional givers. We all find ourselves at one of five stages: We have never made a gift, are an occasional giver, a proportionate giver, a tither, or an extravagant giver.

The more you love others, the more you leave your pride. There is no place for pride when working on a high performance team. The people are pulling together to rebuild the wall amidst the opposition, and they are learning how to be absolutely unified. In order to strive for unity we must rely on the power of God, remain alert, and rally to the needs of others.

When the work on the wall is in full swing the people of Jerusalem are attacked fiercely by the opposition. They are jeered at, humiliated and their physical well being is even threatened. Like the people rebuilding the wall, as we rebuild lives one person at a time we must come together and fight for our church family through praying continually, working tirelessly, and motivating constantly.

When the walls are complete, Ezra stands up in a pure act of spiritual authority and reads the word to the people. We have redemption in Christ and have been given the Word to guide us through this life. As it transforms us, the bible is cause for declaration, anticipation, celebration, consecration, and maturation. His Word is here for us for our benefit.

When Nehemiah receives the word that the city of Jerusalem is in distress it causes him excruciating emotional pain. It causes him to look deep into the heart of God through prayer and fasting. As he prays, he receives the perspective of God, the plan of God, the power of God and senses the pleasure of God.

Although we want to be independent, Jesus wants us to be interdependent. Always staying close to the fellowship of a local body of believers, the church. Paul encourages us to define our spiritual walk. We must walk worthy, peaceful, and hopeful, if we are to be the church Jesus wants us to be.

Guest Speaker Bruce Terpstra, District Superintendent of the C

As you prepare for a new season of Growth, trusting God is the only option. As we learn to desperately pray to God we must ask three key questions found in the Lord’s Prayer: Where is your focus, who is your provision, and how are you living?

We are not to live bound by the sins of yesterday, but are to live freed from the sins of yesterday. The love of Christ is to compel our behavior as we die to self, bury the past, and make an appeal for the Gospel as our life purpose.

After Mary is visited by the Holy Spirit, she goes to visit Elizabeth and is elated because they are both with child. Mary celebrates her new coming child with an overflow and outburst of joy and celebration as she writes a song. True peace and contentment are found when we accept God’s forgiveness and rely on God’s mercy and strength.

After Mary is visited by the Holy Spirit, she goes to visit Elizabeth and is elated because they are both with child. As John The Baptist’s father, Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit and gives a prophecy. In this prophecy, we learn of Jesus and his forgiveness. We must serve without fear, live without boundaries, live in peace.

Before Jesus was sent to die on the cross, we were separated from God, orphaned from His great love for us. But because of Jesus we have been adopted into the Family of God. Our response to orphans must be swift and intentional. We must Open our hearts, recognize our responsibility, prevent oppression, help in practical ways, accept them into families, and never forget the role of the church.

James closes his book by giving us instructions and encouragement on how to pray. We must live with the tension between waiting and wanting and continue to ask God for His perfect will.

James speaks harshly against the rich in this passage for their misuse of the power, money and influence. We must be a people that increase our faith when it comes to money by examining our money, our motivations and our investments.

More than anything else, Jesus wants your heart. To draw near to God is the only step forward. James shows us that we can do this by releasing control, repenting of our sins and realigning our path going forward. Drawing near to God is about accepting, claiming and walk in the grace and freedom that Jesus already paid for.

Wisdom is not just something we need occasionally, we must live on it exclusively. The fruit of God’s wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, impartial, and sincere. These are the evidences of living in faith with wisdom.

Words have the power to build someone up or tear someone down in an instant. The tongue is a dangerous and yet powerful tool for creating and sustaining positive momentum. We are responsible to be careful, cheerful and courageous with our words.