R339 Is Your Name on the Wall?

We all could use some encouragement and will find it together today in the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton of The Encouraging Word today's messages is your name on the wall that will make more sense of just a few moments, Dr. Don Texas most of the book of second Chronicles 14 and Nehemiah 12 for today's Bible-based teaching as we do so we want to know that we care for you, for many reasons, but especially to pray with you and for you.

Sometimes you have a prayer request sometime you want us to pray with you about a specific situation just a moment. Dr. Dongen asked an important question of our nation praying for our nation would love to join with you in that prayer we do that on the phone at 866-899-WORD 866-899-9673, and online@tewonline.org now Dr. Don Wilton as we close out our study and Nehemiah today. We have a question that must be lost about nation we have a question that must be lost of each one of us who love the Lord Jesus Christ. Garrett is is your name written on the whole is your name on the wall. I want you to turn with me. First of all, the second Chronicles chapter 7 and verse 14 second Chronicles chapter 7 in verse 14 is what the word of God says if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land. Then if you turn with me to Nehemiah chapter 12. I want to read just a few verses from Nehemiah chapter 12 beginning at verse 27 the bull had been rebuilt.

The latter chapters of Nehemiah had everything to do with what was done as they dedicated God's work back to God. Nehemiah chapter 12 verse 27 at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. The Levites were sorted out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of symbols.

Hopson lives sing is also brought together from the region around Jerusalem from the villages of the Metco fight tax from Beth Gill gal from the area of Gaber and asthma Vance for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem when the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially. They purified the people the gates and the wool I had the leaders of Judah said Nehemiah go up onto the top of the wall and I also assigned to large squires to give thanks.

May the Lord righties good upon our hearts what what was wrong and Nehemiah. What if we discovered about this great epic saga hearing God's word. Three things basically number one. The walls were broken down number two worship of God was in disarray. Number three. The people were divided in this unified fact Nehemiah has to do with the exiles coming back together I think so often of the world war. I think of the first world war, for example. Unbelievable. 1914. All it took was one spark to ignite an unprecedented rule. The Balkan states in Europe. The camps that had begun to be Santa people were divided.

The walls were broken down God was pushed into recess and out of consideration and in 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on the streets of Sarajevo. Ironic, isn't it we talking Bosnia and Herzegovina we talking Yugoslavia we talking Serbs and Croats we talking about a center of divisiveness that we have not seen since the second world war and when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914 the incident itself did not warrant a world war, but the incident itself provided the spark that began an unprecedented rule.

My grandfather Wilton for in the first world war he was a squadron leader Capt. in the Royal Air Force. I love to read the accounts that he wrote back in stock with cameras and these airplanes that were opened I had no parachutes. Obviously, back in the first world war he was a fearless leader from all accounts my grandfather was awarded the distinguished fine cross which is the Air Force equivalent of the Victoria crossed the highest commendation in the British Commonwealth for valor in the battlefield. My grandfather one time was shot down over enemy territory and my uncle Tommy who was he's gonna was wounded very severely and granddad landed managed to crash landing Sopwith Camel and he climbed over and sat down. Apparently on top of uncle Tommy was almost dead took the machine gun out of its nest and began to fire at the enemy that were coming across the field to capture them, or to kill them before they apply and burst into flames when he saw what was happening. He managed to get uncle Tommy and drag him into a river and they stayed in this river. This half dead man in my grandfather got back. Eventually off the days into Allied territory and made it back safely to England. They try to ground my grandfather. He said no way I'm in this for the long haul and he went back he was shot down three times and he survived the war.

That's just one story we can talk about it in many different ways. The second world war, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, on and on and on and on it goes. Wall tells us about something.

The walls are broken down. God has been put into recess and the people are divided no different to what happened in Nehemiah and absolute blueprint of what is taken place many times over, not any of the United States of America but all over the world. The question is this what they knew about. I've said many times that even though I'm glad I was not born in 1940. I wish if there was any time that I would love to be in the lab would be 1945 because I think the unprecedented celebration. Must've been a marvel to behold. Why because it signified the rebuilding of the wool it signified the reinstatement and the rediscovery of the God in whom we trust it signified the coming together of a group of people who many many hundreds of years ago were brought together by the grace of God and founded upon the principles of the word of God.

What happened to Nehemiah.

What I want to share with you several things that these people did some of which we have already discovered what they do in order to carry out what God had given to them.

What is it that makes this nation great.

What do we as a nation need to God with our lives. What is it that we need to be prepared to lay our lives down for how far is too much how deeply and sincerely do we need to pray for our leaders well there were several things that Nehemiah did first of all they read and reread the Lord. The Bible tells us in chapter 8 verse 18 that the law of God.

The commandment of God presented to these people. The very central focus of everything they did. As a nation reconstructing the broken wool. Ezra came in and he began to read and reread them all the commandments, the 10 Commandments with the focal activity of everything that they do. There was a move to do away with the 10 Commandments in any kind of public place in one particular start.

Dr. Carlson went to a meeting with some legislators and as he walked into this meeting.

There were editors and people from the media and a Who's Who of people when he walked into this room. One of the my chief editor came up to him and said to him, Chuck close and I want you to know that I've been one of the leaders to try and eliminate the 10 Commandments from everything that we do in the United States of America because Chuck Colson responded to him, telling him that the 10 Commandments with the very focal point of the Judeo-Christian ethic that the words in the compounds of God that were handed down to Moses on Mount Sinai were not after negotiation.

Also grabs they were ripping and etched into the heart of every person, every man and every woman and every boy in every goal and Chuck Colson told us a little while later as he spoke that that same man said to him sometime later that one of the greatest problems they have in the society in which they live up there near Washington is the amount of speeding that was going on and he said to Chuck Colson. He said them. Dr. Carlson, what can we do about all the stealing of the thievery that is going on and he said why don't you just put up a sign that says thou shalt not steal to seek God understands this doesn't he understands how need they read and reread the law wanted to do for them. It gave them spiritual understanding it caused them to be astray because of their sin and their waywardness, and it caused them and allow them to experience the miracles of God, we can never experience the medic miracles of God.

If we don't understand the law of God. But then, secondly, they wept together.

I read that in chapter 9 and verse one that they wept together. I said to myself how foolish it is a group of people about to reconstruct the walls of Jerusalem and all lighters come together and weep. Well, I think of all the weeping that we've done as a nation. I think of all the tears here this morning and we saluted in pride as we saw American troops there changing God and honoring those who had given their lives in the Rican's oxen of the walls of America and we went together. There's something about God's people coming together to weep in the presence of God. Parents do that for their children.

Legislators ought to do that for that government God's people ought to do that for the nation, they wept together they read and reread the law, they wept together, but they also celebrated together. Chapter 8 verses nine and 10 and on and on right throughout Nehemiah we read about unprecedented celebration.

God had moved across those prison courtyards and we had seen what God had done.

We just simply celebrated there comes a time where you just gotta say yes thank you Lord.

Some of us are so frozen in our chosen condition that we're never willing to celebrate the presence of God. Some of us are so locked up in our own spirituality in our own modern-day Pharisaism that we not willing to let loose and to celebrate the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of lords. I'm going to say to you, my friend, if we consider the Olympic spirit and the gold medal for which we all strive and we pray for how much more likely not to celebrate the fact that God has come down upon these United States of America. And he has blessed this nation beyond our wildest imagination choir. Thank you for helping us to celebrate today. What an honor to celebrate our veterans in this place.

I believe we ought to stand more often and report to express our appreciation to the men and women who were POWs of Newport and who gave their lives in order that we might be free. We need to be a nation whose celebrate Christ of Almighty God, but they took it further they assume leadership responsibility. I love that part. Chapter 8 verse 13 and it does right throughout, we begin to find right throughout. You can look at chapter 12 and chapter 13 in chapter 14 you going to see name often name often name often name what was Nehemiah doing he was celebrating the fact that as the wolves were reboot as worship came together in a corporate sense as people wearing impacted by the grace of God that spiritual leaders began to pop up like popcorn popping in a microwave oven that was it was all over the place started out as just a dry little interesting and boring kernel and blossomed into something delicious and tasty and desirable by everybody. That's the essence of leadership on the mirror image choir tour I said today my brothers. Isn't it amazing how some of these young people are now quieter are automatically assuming leadership. You could see that they would just assuming leadership God was just dealing with them and when I began to assume leadership.

It was voluntary it was definitive and it was absolutely costly. It is costly to be a spiritual leader. It comes at a price. It's not necessarily the popular thing to do, not in America today. It's not popular to stand up in the school and say I stand upon the principles of God. It is not popular to say no I don't put that drunk in my body.

It is not popular to say I'm not going to drink that beer is not popular to say I'm not going to that.

But in America today America.

America. There are people who are assuming spiritual leadership, but all over this building upstairs and downstairs in the choir. People assuming spiritual leadership are young people who are standing up assuming spiritual leadership.

What was it that they did. What is it that we need to do.

How do you and I get our names written on the wall.

You don't have to go to Vietnam and die to get your name put on the wall. You don't have to die in Normandy or Dunkirk to get to know put them on the wall. You don't have to do some heroic deed in order to put your number on the wall. You don't have to even stand in the service and allow people to acknowledge you to get to know on the wall.

What did I do they read and reread the law of God, they wept together they celebrated together. They assume leadership responsibility but number five they realigned their focus. They realigned their focus and you look at chapter 8. This 14 to 18 you going to find something rather remarkable happens because in chapter 8 verse 14 through 18. We have a duplication of What Took Pl. in Leviticus chapter 23 versus 33 and 34 also in Deuteronomy chapter 16 verses 13 through 15 began to celebrate the feast of the tabernacle. Now we look at this and we find ourselves well. The feast of the Tabernacles. That's just a ceremony.

We stood here this morning. We all pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. We sign the battle hymn of the Republic we get together and we gathering stadiums and we salute America and we say is all we doing is going through some kind of motion are my friends, we are re-focusing and realigning our focus. That's what war does wall makes nations realign their focus. I want to say something today. I've heard it said by many spiritual leaders in this nation that if America does not turn back to God, then perhaps what it's going to take in order for America to turn back to God is another wall that's a tough stripe why what if you would have a hurry can come throughout community guarantee you, every church will be packed.

The next day.

Why because trials and tribulations for summation to realign their focus. You have a bombing in Oklahoma City. All the churches were packed out by empty again now because everybody's got over excepting those who lost loved ones and will never forget it causes them to realign their focus. You have a bombing in Saudi Arabia and we weep and we morning we cry out with anguish because of what's happening in our world. But I'll tell you what a bomb blast in Saudi Arabia does it not only infuriates us but it activates us, it causes us to stand up with indignation. What happened at the Munich Olympic Games in 1975 with those terrorists came in day and they butchered inverted those incredible Jewish athletes the whole world realign their focus and it was an uprising and within the space of 10 years, people are forgotten to begin. See the walls were broken down and worship was in disarray and the people would just unified. And God said, go and bring my people back and rebuild the walls and these people did what God said and it made them realign their focus. What was the feast of the Tabernacles. It was a time of remembrance. Please forgive you and Russ will be back in just a moment Dr. Don Wilton to remind you we are here to pray with you and for you live on the phone right now at 866899 word that's 866-899-9673 or online@twonline.org that's 866-899-WORD 967, 314, EW online.org that you know there are a lot of resources on our website before we got back in the teaching Dr. Don Wilton remind you of a very special resource that is the most requested resource.

We have not love to be a part day devotion love to be able to sing The Encouraging Word daily devotion ceased to each one of us through his word every day. You can become part of that and receive one your self from me just go online to TW online.org that's TW online.org and get your copy of The Encouraging Word devotion to that were available for you 24 hours a day on our website. It TW online.org pallet shift gears back into the sanctuaries. Dr. Don is preaching this message is your name on the wall, God's people taken into the world and they wondered around in the mall. They disobeyed God, the more God said, you just gonna wonder a little more. He never stopped protecting them, but he just added on a few more years.

He said I'm going to do this until you realign your focus. I'm going to keep teaching you and so we just made them wonder a little more and finally after 40 years, God said, I now believe that your focus is where it all to be. Therefore, I'm going to give you permission to go into the promised land. And when you begin to read from that point and the division of the kingdoms and the northern kingdom in the southern kingdom, and all the kings from soul to Jeroboam you constantly find the realignment of their focus and here in Nehemiah. As the wolves had been rebuilt. The Bible says that they realigned their focus. What an incredible thing God is calling upon our leaders in America in 1996, not only to look at that flag, but to rediscover our focus to reinstate our focus to reinstate the values upon which this nation was grounded and found they realigned their focus number six they gave their blessings back to God.

Chapter 12 is 44.

In chapter 13 verses 12 through 13 when God allowed them to rebuild the walls that I gave it back to God. People say to me preacher is tithing biblical gun read 11 chapters of chapter 12 and 1314 of Nehemiah you going to read about the firstfruits the ties.

God said bring it into the storehouse. I've had people come to me and say to me.

Rev. cannot give my clients other than to the storehouse know you may not. Not according to God's word. It must come into the storehouse, not because of what a preacher says, but because of what God's word says if you get your money outside. I'm not talking about over and above your time.

I over and above my time, but according to God's word when God blesses we must, according to God's word to to the storehouse throughout the church to where we belong not to man, but to God within. Finally, they separated themselves they separated themselves. The Bible says in chapter 10 verse 28 and following these people as the wolves were rebuilt and as they began to worship God and as the people became unified under God. They separated themselves from pagan practices and alliances.

There was no compromise.

When we got down to Miami, Florida. We decided to take our young people to a restaurant called Planet Hollywood. I've never been made.

It's quite an experience. We went in there. There was all kinds of glittering golden glory. We had a wonderful time. Our young people are so precious.

The moment we sat down, they began to flash on those screens, a movie that was about to come out. He would damn them all and I show this over and over and over and over and over and over again just little shots of it. Then when I was through that serving our food, they all came out with the most wonderful T-shirts. They gave T-shirts to all our young people.

They gave us T-shirts top quality T-shirts with a big sign across the front good faith strip then when I was through that in Planet Hollywood in Miami. They came out they gave young people rings not plastic junk rings with a spell on it. I dance looking stop just like that on this ring.

Well we got on the bus and we went back to our motel and we had a good time.

I said to myself. Please don't be a killjoy from the old fuddy-duddy to not and I took the microphone and I got up and we had the most incredible revival service. I think I've almost ever been. I say to those young people do you know what that represents you. Note it means you know what it is to wear a T-shirt for striptease on it you can you say it's godly and as I began to speak to the young people the power of God came down upon that bus young lady stood up, walked all the way from the back and through a T-shirt in the garbage can, then your comes another one and another one and another one the next minute they T-shirts all of the garbage can and I spoke about the skull I spoke about dates not blind I spoke about the fact that we were telling young people that Jesus Christ is the lack of the world is that one is ready to bring a fresh nation to your life as well. It is we've heard Dr. Wilton preach and understand his heart and his passion for this passage. Second Chronicles and Nehemiah. The challenge challenge starts with a single step of saying yes to Jesus Christ we been back and forth with Dr. Don in the studio and from the pulpit today as he comes back in the studio one final time for you to open your heart when you want to share text. Are you ready to give your heart block to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanting to pray this prayer with me. Dear God, I know you love me very, very, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven of arson today.

I repainted myself. I confess my sin to you, and I invite you to come into my heart into my life by faith in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that pray that we be the first one to welcome you to the family of God. This is one I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important this is for me. Call us so we can talk to Nick. I base you can begin this wonderful journey for some of just pray to give your life to Jesus Christ.

Some for the very first time some re-dedicating your life and coming home to the family of God. Either way, Dr. Wilton has wonderful resources he once you have absolutely free. If you'll just call us at 866886689673 or email us at online@tewonline.org wanted to have these resources but also want to pray with you and for you to help lead you and guide you and encourage you in the next steps are prayer again is that God would change us from the inside out, allowing us to become the encourage that God calls us to be know that we here for you, both online and TW online.org at 866-899-9673.

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