09.28.2008 Financial Crisis, Nehemiah 2, Power of Prayer

Audio

09.28.2008 Grace Summit Sermon by Mike Marette from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

We are going to do something a little different today – instead of 1 long message – you will hear 3 short messages. With the financial crisis, and the fears and concerns you might have, I thought that I should at least address this.

Then I’d like to jump back to Nehemiah – and then a short message from someone else at the end. I haven’t decided which one of you will give that. Just kidding – a video message from Jim Cymbala.

Lord, sometimes it seems You are far away and we don’t know what to do. We need to turn to You completely – the cry of our hearts needs to go out to You – we cast those burdens on You. May You see fit to resolve these things in Your way. Consume us, encourage us, take control, that we might give You praise with our lives. In Your Name we pray.

Psalm 121 – a song of ascent. That means it was done as the Jews would approach Jerusalem. Several times a year – or at least once – people would make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. They would sing these songs or quote these hymns and psalms – like on the Triumphal Entry – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

121:1 (A Song of Ascents.) I Will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From whence shall my help come? 2 My help [comes] from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.

This is like a huge event – like July 4 in Washington – or going to a football game – and there is this momentum as you approach the stadium.

These are not like the Rocky Mountains – but large hills. A sense of awe and anticipation as they head up the mount to Jerusalem – and standing at the peak of Jerusalem was the Temple. There would have also have been maybe a sense of intimidation or fear. These people lived perilous lives – it wasn’t easy. They knew that life was fragile. What he does – as they are looking at this great sight, and thinking of the concerns and difficulties of their lives – they would have been going up to Jerusalem – Where does my help come from? The Lord. These mountains may be intimidating – but our help comes from someone who is greater than these mountains.

When you compare and contrast it – the mountains of Jerusalem become insignificant.

When we look at what is going on – there is the possibility that this nation will hit a significant financial crisis. We have lived in a time – for some there has been struggle and loss of jobs, but in general, we have experienced wealth for many, many years. As we look to this difficulty, how do we respond?

121:1 (A Song of Ascents.) I Will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From whence shall my help come? 2 My help [comes] from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Even though there may be difficult times ahead, when it comes to the issues of finances – the silver and gold are God’s. We have this constant reminder through the Bible that it all belongs to Him and that He has complete control of all of it. The wealth is His. Whether it is a crisis in our own finances or in the nation – the One who helps us is the One who owns all things. He can distribute that as He chooses and wishes.

A couple of comments – it requires FAITH and FAITHFULNESS.

In light of the fact that God owns everything – He wants us first to believe and to trust Him.

God has taken it upon Himself to take care of our needs. In light of that – we need to be responsible in understanding that God provides for us – that what He gives us belongs to Him. These things are not your own – they belong to God.

Allow Him to choose how all that He gives is used.

We have to understand the importance of giving back to God in our offerings and tithes. It is a demonstration of faith and belief – all wealth is His. The tendency is to focus on US.

I also urge you to avoid all irresponsible debt. This crisis is about irresponsible debt. There is verse after verse warning against this. Now is the time – in a crisis like this – to look at this area to make sure we are being responsible.

Third, lifestyle. When God allows these types of things into our lives – He wants us to make a correction of lifestyle. We have so much and then begin to believe it is our right, and yet throughout Scripture the Lord talks about living lives of frugality and sacrifice.

For us, in our lives – you know, God gives us the understanding through Scripture – that we need to be faithful through our responsibilities.

Now – jumping to Nehemiah – Sermon Number Two.

Jerusalem is in crisis – Economic and physical collapse. Nehemiah, in desperation – turns to God because He realizes that only God can change this situation. We may be entering a time were only God can change things. You may have burdens that only God can fix.

Nehemiah 2:1 And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine [was] before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid.

In chapter 1, he got the bad news. 3 months later, this is taking place. We know – for 3 months Nehemiah had this burden – he couldn’t leave – but night and day – he was praying. Whenever he wasn’t having his responsibilities to the king – all he would do is pray.

“I was never sad in his presence.”

– what is that about?

2 So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid.

This was a time of feasting – wine was before the king – and yet Nehemiah could have lost his life for this – but the burden was too great for Nehemiah.

God had a plan in placing him as a cupbearer to the king. God is sovereign. Nehemiah is living this really, really good life. He had the wealth of the king at his disposal, and was about to give it all up. God sometimes gives us favor in order that we might have responsibility.

3 And I said to the king, "Let the king live forever.”

That is a good thing to say to the king when your life is on the line.

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

This concern and then 3 months of prayer give Nehemiah the boldness, the audacity, to say to the king – Why should I not be sad. He comes with this confidence.

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

Relief for Nehemiah…

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 fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it." 6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

He was Mr. Administrative – he had every duck in a row – he knew how much timber and people it would take. But instead of blurting out his plan, he said,

I prayed to the God of heaven.

There are so many things we do that we have figured out for ourselves and we just do it – so we think we don’t need God. We need to choose to need God in every circumstance of our lives.

This is the same verse without references..

4 The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king,…

I prayed to the God of heaven…and then answered this little ole’ king… - That may not be how he said it, but he recognized the power of God – God’s sovereignty. He is going to an earthly king with all the power and authority of heaven with him. Then he says,

"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 fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it." 6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

Nehemiah lists all he needs and how long it will take –

" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests”

God granted Nehemiah success. That is what prayer does – this desperate burden – to bring it to God.

1) it increases our faith and confidence. If you are lacking faith, pray – and pray desperately. That increases your faith and confidence in God. When you pray, God reveals things to you. The silver is His, the gold is His –

2) it gives clear direction – how to approach the concern and to be faithful in the concern.

3) Prayer and time will grant success. Always. Success in God’s dictionary – not necessarily ours.

Why is it so hard for us to just do it? To cry out desperately. We get anxious and fearful, but we need to respond in faith and faithfulness.

Jim Cymbala is the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle…

Here is his message:

These Tuesday Night prayer meetings were a highlight for me. A few years ago, our oldest girl, Chrissy, was away from the Lord - being a parent, you know how that feels. The Lord had led me to understand I couldn't control her. I had to trust God. On a Tuesday night, a strange thing happened - a woman sent a note to me - I feel like we should pray again for your daughter tonight. I saw the note - and thought, God, is this in Your plan for this meeting? I felt a freedom to do that. That church turned into a labor room. I told the people that my daughter didn't know up from down - and they began to pray - it moves me still today to think of it. Prayer is a gutsy, heart centered thing. I told Carol, if there is a God in heaven, Chrissy is coming back. There was a breakthrough that night. Chrissy appeared on our doorstep the next morning and God had visited her that night we prayed. She is now married to a pastor and is doing great. That Tuesday night tipped the scales and we saw a breakthrough. When God answes prayer like that, it becomes an encouragement to the entire body.

Mike Marette: We need to learn to bring it to God. The real issue is constantly bringing it to the One who can change things. In closing - something we have lacked that we need to step up - I'd like to ask, to develop a prayer team in our church. We will gather as needed - if you have an interest and would like to be part of a prayer team, mention it to me.

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