R328 A Circle of Friends

Friendships are so important today. Dr. Wilton, Texas to God's word to talk about what it is to have a circle of strong as we open the word of God together know that our phone lines open as well. 24 hours a day at this number 866-899-WORD 866-899-9673.

We are here to encourage with Dr. Don Wilton Nehemiah chapter 3 friends. I'm going to say to you this morning that this is raw there an extraordinary passage of Scripture. In fact, I have a confession to make to you, and I got to Nehemiah chapter 3 I said certainly Lord. This must be one of those passages that I can just skip over off rule is just a whole list of names doesn't kind of make too much sense when you read it you know, as I began to pray about a God impressed upon me that there is not one single word in God's word that God gives us license to skip over all of God's word is inspired by the by God himself, from Genesis to Revelation. His word doesn't contain the word of God. It is the word of God and as I began to search my own heart.

In chapter 3 God began to reveal some things to me, but I'm going to show you in just a little while that in chapter 3 of God's book that there was something wrong. The extraordinary about what God's servant was able to accomplish against insurmountable odds.

All because of the things that he did according to God's word we going to see that by virtue of some of the illustration here just as a matter of interest, nor saw East and West. This was Jerusalem and the time of Nehemiah.

When the walls were broken down the pool of silo in which we have studied so much is down here on the south side and we referred to that in Nehemiah chapter 3 the pool of silo. But what is important here is the construction of the different dates of the city of Jerusalem, and one might remember that back in Nehemiah's time that all cities were fortress by a wool literally they would build a wall around the city and they would be selective gates placed around those walls and we going to read about the there was the sheep gate. The fish gate. The old gate, the Valley gate, the refuse gate, the fountain gate.

The Watergate that's not in Washington that's in Jerusalem the horse guide the East gate and the monster good now want to read to you the whole of Nehemiah chapter 3, I want you to follow along with us in God's word liar should the high priest, and these fellow priests went to work and rebuild the sheep gate. They dedicated it to save its doors in place building as far as the Tower of the hundred which they dedicated as far as the Tower of Hannah known the men of Jericho, both the adjoining section and Zachary were son of Emre built next to them. The fish gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassan Law violate its beams and put its doors and bolts of laws in place. Merriment, son of Uriah, the son of hate because repaired the next section next to him. The solemn son of Barrack Kia, the son of Michelle Isabel made repairs and next to him. Sadock son of Lena also made repairs. The next section was repaired by the men of Tacoma, but the ennobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors. The just and the guy was repaired by George, the son of Paseo and Michelle and son of Mr. dear they laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place next to them. Repairs were made by man from Gibeon and Mizpah Malay tear of Gibeon and Jaden of Marinol places under the authority of the government of trans-Euphrates use the elder son of Paul higher. One of the goldsmiths repaired the next section, and Hannah Anaya, one of the perfume makers made repairs. Next to that they restored Jerusalem as far as the board wool fire son of her ruler of 1/2 district of Jerusalem repaired the next section.

Adjoining this to Diane, son of Paul Romanoff made repairs opposite his house and had to son of Hashem Anaya made repairs. Next to him. Malachi just son of Karim and Hassan, son of Paul Hass, Moab, repaired another section and the tiles of the Charlotte son of Haller hash ruler of 1/2 district of Jerusalem repaired the next section with the help of his daughters. The Valley gate was repaired by Haman and the residence of Zane Noah. They rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place.

They also repaired 500 yards of the wall as far as the dung gate the dung gate was repaired by Malachi just son of Ray Ruler the district of Bangkok career he rebooted and put its doors and bolts and bars in place.

The fountain gate was repaired by salon, son of: José ruler of the district of Ms. Paul. He rebooted roofing it over and putting its goals and bolts and bylaws in place. He also repaired the pool, the wall of the pool of silo them by the King's garden as far as the steps going down from the city of David beyond him. Nehemiah son of as Buck ruler about half district of Beth Zürich made repairs to the point opposite the tunes of David as far as the artificial pool and the house of the hero next to him. The repairs were made by the Levites on the right him. Son of a nine beside him Hashem via ruler of the half district of Skylar carried out repairs for his district next to him. Repairs were made by their countrymen and being you are son of him mad that ruler of another half district of Kayla next to him. Jesus son of Joshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the same to the armory. As far as the angle next to him, but son of Zeb buyer zealously repaired another section, from the angle of the entrance of the house of Elias.

Should the high priest next to him. Miramar son of Uriah, son of hate because repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliasson's house to the end of it the repairs. Next to him were made by the priest from the surrounding region beyond him. Benjamin Hashem made repairs in front of the house next to them as a the son of my Uzziah son of Ananias, made repairs beside his house next to him being utilized, son of the night, dad repaired another section, from a Soraya's house to the angle in the corner in Palau son abuse. I worked opposite the angle and the top projecting from the upper palace near the court of the goal. Next to him the dire son of Perot's and the temple servants living on the Hill of Opal made repairs to the point opposite the Watergate toward the east and the projecting tower next to them. The man of Tacoma, repaired another section on the great projecting tower to the wool of both above the horse. The priests made repairs each in front of his own house next to them.

Sadock.

Son of a mermaid repairs opposite his house next to him. Sure Meyer son of Shekinah, the God of the E Skype made repairs and mix them. Hannah Anaya, son of Shayla Meyer and Hanley in the six son of Zale left repaired the other section next to them. The solemn son of Barrack Kia made the repairs opposite his living quarters next to him. Malachi 1 of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple service and the merchants opposite the inspection gate and as far as the room above the corner and between the room above the corner at the sheep gate, goldsmiths and merchants made repairs by the Lord righties word upon our hearts this morning as I began pondering my heart what it was, God would want to say to me. I came to the conclusion that what God was saying here was what God was saying to Nehemiah back then a circle of friends. That's our subject this morning. There is nothing more wonderful.

I should imagine. Outside of the fact that all of us have circles of friends, you know, as in a family, when one friend hurts everybody hurts country when a friend dies. We all heard when a friend leaves the family or family member leaves the family. We all heard when one loss we love.

When one tries we cry and get caring. Nehemiah chapter 3 we read this at first glance, and what we see we see a whole lot of difficult names, many of them very hard to pronounce, with apologies to those who know the correct pronunciation. All of these nine.

Most of them we would regard as being redundant information. We would also come to the conclusion that even the chronology is apparently meaningless and yet not so when one considers what God was able to do as he gave to his servant.

Nehemiah and insurmountable responsibility with an old myth and monumental toss to overcome Nehemiah. I want you to go I want you to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He had a strategy you not think of these young children and I think of the fact that as we begin to rear our children what we want more than anything else, which is a strategy we usually run throughout parents and say what was your strategy.

I'm always on the lookout I watch parents whose children are just precious and I want to go up to them and say to them what was your strategy teach me something I need all the help I can get a tell me, tell me what it is that you did so that I can do the same thing I want to give to you very quickly. I don't preach on this morning but Nehemiah had a six-point strategy ready for this number one listen to God listen to God profound is not, but if we understand what Nehemiah was about to do. He listened to God. Number two. Develop a workable plan develop a workable plan moms and dads sit down together and they say this is what we believe God wants us to do for our son. Both of the businessman expanding his business listen to God. Develop a plan at church on the move where God is moving. We need to listen to God and we need to develop a plan number three. We need to thank God for spiritual leaders Paris thank God for spiritual people. We can draw on the spiritual people that God surrounds us with number four. Be prepared to lead yourself.

That was Nehemiah strategy.

He was willing to lead himself. He said I'm going to get stuck in their I want to say that all the dads the other day.

The Bible teaches that the man is the head of the home. There's no way around that you cannot get over it. You cannot pull through. Man is the head of the home. Dads are we being the head of the if you going to develop a strategy lead yourself number five provide facts and training.

Nehemiah did that he provided them with the facts of the situation. The walls were broken down, he didn't provide them with the training what to do about and number six have very clear-cut goals in mind what you want to accomplish what Nehemiah want to accomplish what was his goal. It was not any to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down but it was to gather together the exiles who had returned having things captured to the four corners of the earth, and he wanted to be instrumental in giving to them. Hope for the future have obtainable achievable goals with her for your children, for yourself or your work and so it was that Nehemiah found himself surrounded by a circle of friends. What can we say about them. Let's say several things about the about the circle of friends festival. They were converted what a profound statement they were converted. You can go and read all Nehemiah you not you going to discover you going to discover that every one of these people that were assigned a specific responsibility with the old date, the Watergate, the horse date the prescribed every one of them will convert people by that the Bible means that they had a personal relationship with Jehovah God, the greatest motivation that anybody can ever have.

To do anything is God himself.

Why do we do because we love God. Why do we serve because we love God. Why do we come to church because we love God. Why do we preach because we love God. I'm going to submit to you today, my beloved friends that the first and foremost characteristic of this circle of friends that God gave to Nehemiah was that they were converted. I hope that you going to give your children a wonderful education very important that I'm going to say to you that even more important than an education is that your children love God. These circle of friends.

They were converted with number two they were co-laborers. Another thing that I noticed about them. They were co-laborers. Look at verse five of chapter 3. Just as an illustration. Verse five of chapter 3 is what the Bible says the next section was repaired by the minute to color. What were they doing it's implied by a somewhat negative statement then nobles would not put their shoulders to work.

You see this one group might've not been doing that, but they were 75 others who were putting their shoulders to the they were closed laborers together, but my favorite verse is verse 12 verse 12. That's what the Bible says they repaired the next section with the help of his daughter to know what just read this verse. He repaired the next section with the help of his goals. They were co-laborers together. There was something so special.

Just something so special about the fact that all these people got together and they were that's what the apostle Paul spoke about in second Corinthians chapter 6, he said we all co-laborers together with God, but in the third place they were committed, all of them were committed so you can go there and look at verse 20 makes to him the son of Zeb. I zealously repaired another section. These people were committed now. Don't know why laws. Nehemiah singled out as being zealous one, but I think he was just an example. You see friends. The word zealous is an outgrowth its root word is commitment zealousness is a product of commitment you and I will never be zealous unless we are committed and what God is calling for his committed people brace themselves in the zealousness of God's army. They were converted. They were co-laborers.

They were committed but I want you to note in the fourth place they were coordinated. I'm going to show you something very interesting here.

You see, Nehemiah was faced with having to reconstruct these goals. He didn't know how to do it.

He certainly didn't have the means that you and I have at our disposal. So what did offer much crazy remembering chapter 2 Nehemiah went out at night time. You remember that and he did all the survey work in all his analysis and he got all the data together, and he began to strategically place men and women by groups by families by vocation by calling by giftedness in each one of these gates next to their own homes. I want to show you something about how coordinated they will listen to this festival. Everyone was in their rightful place but you know that if you take a payment you going circle every phrase next to him next to them. Off to them. You going to find that phrase 28 times in chapter 3 in 21 of 32 verses that phrase is used. Why because everyone was in place now wanted the site what is the site for Nehemiah that everyone was in their rightful place in such an unbelievable toss business. It says six things. Number one that they must've been a lot of behind-the-scenes work going to think there must be a lot of work. This just in informing the price closer. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes work, but secondly there must've been hours of careful research and believe they must be very careful analysis of available data on the Nehemiah and those who around the must've brought down to some serious work number for an extraordinary ability to be able to put all together. Number five, very careful supervision. We got a notice that in just a moment you know that it every great pay was an official during this version we route we we we read about the ruler and official a deacon and overseer, a supervisor, a shepherd was given responsibility as an area shepherd over a group of people in a specific place and number six they gave them adequate resource. They equip them to be able to do the work. They gave him Bible studies they provided them experiencing God in monster life. They encourage them to go to Sunday school. They had worship services. Together they went on his treats to Panama City. They sang in the choir. They organize to evangelize and to keep the main thing the main thing these people got about a specific toss with everybody in the same place. That's what it said but what does this do for them what this organization do for the family shared with you first of all, it might. Everyone more personally involved. Secondly, it made every person far more highly motivated. I love that don't you do know why, because around these guys. This circle of friends were not only personally involved, but they were highly motivated.

Please forgive the interruption doctor will insist I remind you that this is a conversation not just a presentation for communicating on our website at tewonline.org G. 24 hours a day.

Would love to connect with you. That's TE W online.org are also here and availed to pray with you 24 hours a day on our prayer. Prayer is a communicating process that allows us to talk to God we believe in the power of prayer The Encouraging Word for our prayer line 66899 where 866899963 July person who would be glad to pray with you The Encouraging Word anything you are listener supported ministry team for listening today.

Again, please know we're here for you both on the phone number 866-899-WORD and online@twonline.org. Now back to the days teaching a circle of friends with Dr. Don Wilton personal ownership in what they were doing place that was a list wasting of time wasted time they didn't have people from the monster gate having to run over to the Valley gate. In fact the monster gate. People didn't even bother what was going on at the Valley gate. They implicitly believe that those who were in place at the Valley gate would doing what the Valley gate. People needed to do anything, was a break-in at the Watergate. Too bad. The FBI would catch the UC they let everybody get on with what everybody was supposed to do. They were more personally involved in a highly motivated, there was less waste of time but there's something else is good for them. It provided protection against attack UC with everybody in their right place at the right time doing what I was supposed to do when the enemy began to tactic what happened folks look what happened. The whole of Jerusalem was 45.

Even though the walls were still broken down and that something is not something even though the walls might've come crumbling down. It prevents an enemy from being able to penetrate God's fortress and then the final blessing was that it made use of all available talent UC everybody was involved. Even the sons and daughters. I like that everybody was involved. Even the sons and daughters see everyone was in place, commuters were given a special assignment.

The Bible says that people came from Jericho and Toccoa and Gibeon, and Ms. Bond versus two, five and seven.

They were outside. They were given a special assignment.

They were assigned by vocation.

Look at verse one with me in verse one. The Bible says that the priest reported the sheep good. Why would the priest put the sheep good. The reason the priest reported the sheep gate is that through the sheep gate would follow the animals that would come for the sacrifice. The central focus of worship and certainly a mind to the elders in the lead as they said let's the priest with the priest would be most interested in serving that is at the point of worship, so they put them and they match big giftedness with the work that God had said he folded Paul put it like this to the church at Rome. He said there are no gifted children and what he encourages us to do is to take out giftedness and to max out giftedness for the cause of Christ. They were assigned by vocation.

They were assigned by leadership. Just as we have in our church.

The deacons each have an area shepherd ministry.

They were assigned to all walks of life. There were the priests and the goldsmiths and the perfumes and the temple servants and the merchants they will all the Bible says they will all day from the highest to the lowest from the tallest of the smallest from the roundness to the skinniest guy role as sons and daughters grandparents moms and dads single adults, college students, teenagers, boys and girls. They were all there at the wall. Every single one of them. There were a few exceptions, there always going to be some people who miss the blessing for verse five tells us God's people were in place. Let me remind you they were converted.

They were close labors. They were committed.

They were coordinated but let me close with this they were commanders they were commanders. These people were encourages folks, you know that in chapter 375 names are mentioned, you know that in chapter 3, 15 groups of people are mentioned and many others from other groups are included in this took a lot of time with the dividends paid off Bible tells us about Barnabas and Max chapter 4 and verse 36 that he was an encourager, listen to what Hebrews chapter 10 tells us verses 24 and 25 let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but led us in encourage one another and all as you see day of the Lord approaching they were commanders.

I can just imagine all those facing the loans out there putting a hand on her shoulder. Keep up the works on keep going daughter. Keep going. My friend, good job well done, well done. Keep yes sir. I'm proud of you son for what you accomplished.

Good stuff. Jolly good show. They would say in London. Yes, it is good that you're doing what you're doing. Let's be reminded that Jesus will say welcome good faithful servant. How we long to hear those words from our heavenly father I pray that you know him as that your heavenly father because there's just one decision, it's necessary before he brings you to his family doctor will get a share Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus is God today.

I repainted my son and by faith I receive you into my phone in Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. Welcome to the family.

Welcome back for some of you know, prayed with the pastor while ago to give your life to Christ or to rededicate done so. We have wonderful resources.once you have for free but you got a call 86689866899673 Dr. Wilton would love to hear from you to know what God is doing in your life how he can pray for you. You also can connect with us on our website@tewonline.org. Let's connect