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Dirty Jobs

Becoming God’s Builder

 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.  They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.                                                                Nehemiah 2: 18

 

You and I are the Workers/Builders (instruments or tools) God has chosen to use to “Build up” or “Rebuild His Kingdom”

REBUILDING NOTES:

• The Work is VOLUNTARY
• God knows His Builders by name
• God’s Builders are TEAM PLAYERS
• Everyone has SOMETHING to offer
  • Some builders are willing to work outside their areas of strength.
• Some work STINKS but is necessary
• Rebuilding starts at HOME

8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section.

10 Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house,

14 The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.

Nehemiah 3: 8-10, 14

Dirty Jobs

God’s PLAN includes me

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1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 

 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness, Genesis 1: 1-5

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

 

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.   Matthew 16:25

 

16 This is how we know what Jesus is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

 

 NOTES:

 

 “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and go to the grave with the song still in them”                        David Thoreau

Dirty Jobs

PASSION & ZEAL

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 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. – Colossians 3:23-24

“The PROCESS” of Improvement

Stage 1:     Build Awareness

Reset, Prayer, Preparation, Perceptive, Perception

Stage 2:     Changing Ourselves

Stage 3:     Refining Ourselves

 

Changing Ourselves

PASSION and ZEAL

• We accomplish that which ____________________ us
• Like a CONSUMING ______________
• Is CONTAGIOUS
• Changes ________________

 

“Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn.”    John Wesley

Gaining or Regaining

Our Zeal for God

 

1. We must make this a priority in our lives.
2. Associate with Passionate People.
3. Avoid Apathy & Complacency
4. Find something you would die for, and live for it

Nehemiah 2:17-18

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

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Improvement for Impact

Perspective & Perception

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.   James 1:22-25

The Process of Improvement

1)    Reset:      Things can be better than what they are

2)    Prayer:     Seek God’s guidance and direction

3)    Preparation:   My TRUST in God & My SUBMISSION to God are not substitutes for being PREPARED

PRAYER & PREPARTION should always go together.

      4)    Perspective & Perception

“Keys to Success”

Gaining God’s Freedom & Blessings from Scriptures

–    Intently seek              (intentional concentration)

     –   Continually seek        (in good and bad times)

     –    Don’t forget               (focused, and un-distracted)

     –    Apply it now             (Use what you’ve learned, don’t  waste it)

 

Nehemiah 2:11-16

11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.      Proverbs 3: 5-6

• 29 based on 1

• “ALL” means ________
  • My “ALL” cannot be measured by my estimation or assessment alone
  • “ALL” doesn’t mean you’ve got it all figures out in your mind.

• From a “_________ person” to an “ALL person”
  • Settling for the easy

• My TRUST in God & SUBMISSION to God are not substitutes for being _____________
  • PRAYER & ___________ should always go together.

 

Nehemiah 2: 2-4

“Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

 

Improvement for Impact

Positive Life Change

I am actively working on IMPROVING myself, so I can have positive, lasting IMPACT with others and in the world

5-Key Areas I’m Improving

Relationally, Financially, Physically, Spiritually, My Attitude

Relationships

– Identify at least one relationship that you would like to see

   improved

– List 5 reasons you would want this relationship(s) to improve

Financially

– For 1 week, save your receipts & record what you spend your

   money on.

– List all your debts and debtors on a paper. (who you owe, and

   how much you owe them)

Physically

– Register to run/walk/volunteer for the Chocolate 5k run on

   2/25/17 ($30 which includes both a LifeSpring & Chocolate Run

   T-shirt)

– Take a 15 to 30 min. walk outdoors twice this week

Spiritually

– Read Proverbs 3 this week

– Say Proverbs 3:5-6 aloud twice a day

My Attitude

– Before each meal, Smile and thank God for “Being God”

– At the end of each day, tell (text, talk, email) someone 3 positive

   things that happened in your day.

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MESSAGE NOTES:

Positive Life Change

Improving myself, in order to have a successful lasting impact on others and in the world, begins when I intentionally activate my life’s “RESET” button by….

–   Realizing “things aren’t as good as they should or could be”

–   Moving from “feelings” to “actions”

–   Taking small steps toward my desired destination

Would you consider yourself a seeker?

A Seeker Understands

• God is God and I’m not
• I can find God, but it will take an ALL-OUT pursuit
• Disobedience/sin are against God, and are barriers
• God is a God of 2^nd Chances
• God wants us to succeed, SO ASK

 

Nehemiah 1: 4-11

11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

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