NKJV Nehemiah 6: 1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” (Emphasis by Pastor Tim)

 

Nehemiah stands as one of the great biblical illustrations of God’s vision coming to a person and the ‘follow-through’ which ended in the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem. This story was recently highlighted in a small group men’s study we completed last July about discovering God’s will for our lives. For me, the phrase I emphasized above stands out in stark contrast from the rest of the Scripture. Let me explain why. It all started when Nehemiah was burdened by knowing the walls of the holy city of Jerusalem were in ruin and desolation due to the foreign country he was now in attacking Israel and laying the city low! Nehemiah was the king’s cup bearer. His job was to make sure the king wasn’t poisoned by giving his life if necessary, testing drinks, foods, and most anything else the king would consume. He had gained great favor with the king and he provided all the material things Nehemiah needed to be successful in his quest to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem! The men mentioned above tried to intimidate Nehemiah and those who were helping him so the walls would not be successfully rebuilt. When they realized they could not stop them, they attempted to lure Nehemiah into a situation so they could do him harm. That’s when he made the emphasized statement above! God not only gave Nehemiah a vision---but He also gave him a process to complete it! This is where this story has impact on the body of believers at First Baptist Church and anyone who might be considering visiting us! It is important for all those who already attend and those thinking about attending to realize there is a process in place here at our church. The first step in the process starts in our WORSHIP SERVICES—(times and locations listed on this site). This is where those who first hear of Jesus find an opportunity to respond and accept the salvation He earned for everyone on the cross. It is where the body of believers who have joined together, learn to love God in preparation for the eternal celebration of heaven! Next in the process is FELLOWSHIPPING! ---where we learn to know and apply  God’s Word, the Bible to our lives in Sunday school, Wednesday night Bible study and other small group venues. Finally, comes the SERVING part of the process. This is where people train for and get plugged into a ministry opportunity here at First Baptist Church so they can apply all they have learned! The idea is to get people plugged into the process we’ve outlined at every level so together, we as a church body can produce a bumper crop of spiritual fruit and see God’s Kingdom grow! In the process we all grow closer to God through His Son, while growing even closer together as clean vessels who understand where we fit into the role and vision God has given to us! When distractions arise to draw us away---we must react as Nehemiah did in our emphasized Scripture above!  I’d like to personally invite you to join the process we have outlined here at First Baptist Ft. Scott, so---

 

 Come Meet Jesus with US!

Pastor Tim