Nehemiah Series - Prepared to Serve - Sermon 1

 

I have been feeling it on my heart for several months that it was time to do a new series – a time where we spend several weeks concentrating on a particular section of Scripture.  But when you look at doing something like that, there are so many different paths to go down, where do you begin.  So I just kept my heart open and have been thinking about it and praying about it for a long time.  Then, several weeks ago, I heard a message by Ravi Zacharias titled, “Living a Life Used by God” that was really good.  I really appreciated his words and that got me to thinking about and pondering on this man called Nehemiah.  A few weeks ago, we started studying about Nehemiah in our Godly Men Bible Study using notes from © 2014 – Verse By Verse Ministry International (www.versebyverseministry.org) and today we are going to begin focusing on this section of Scripture to pull out some lessons from this fascinating story using information I have also derived from there.

A Garden Heart

In the beginning God created man and woman in His image, stamped with His likeness, possessing pure hearts.  They were made perfect without flaw.

Yet, when they chose to sin, they marred forever the perfect creation gifted them by the Creator.  From that day to this, the world has tended to chaos and mankind to decay. 

Many still believe there is no hope of restoration until eternity comes.  But I want to encourage you all.  It is true we cannot restore creation (though we should work to preserve it as best we can).  We cannot restore our bodies (though we should take care of them as God’s temple). 

However, God can restore our souls to the same status they had when created: pure and whole – perfect.  The same sacrifice which Christ made for our justification also provides the means for our sanctification – restoration of a Garden Heart.

This does not mean you will be perfect in every action, but it does mean you may be guided by the Holy Spirit in every motive.  Thus, though cursed with a dying body in a fallen world, we may live with Heaven in our hearts.

          How about you?  Have you met Jesus Christ and surrendered all you are to all He is so you may be all you can be until you reach the gates of Glory?  Do you have a Garden Heart?