Dover Assembly of God
2.14.2021 | Nehemiah - Week 9
Locations & Times
Dover Assembly of God
4790 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
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February 14, 2021
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Sunday
9:00 am ~ Coffee & Donut Hour
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministry
~ BGMC / MISSIONS DAY
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Wednesday ~ PRAYER & FAST DAY
6:30 pm ~ FAMILY NIGHT
Friday
6:30 pm ~ Pizza & Movie Night
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Movie Night
We will be showing the movie “Overcomer” on Friday February 19 at 7:00 pm. There will be pizza served starting at 6:30, and popcorn and candy during the movie. Please sign up in the lower foyer if you would like to attend. No cost, but we will need an accurate count for the pizza.
Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study
For the next few Wednesday nights, we will watch a video series on America’s role in the end times. Do we have one? Will American be around at that time?
Easter Egg Hunt
We will be having our annual Easter Egg Hunt on Palm Sunday, March 28 immediately following the morning service. We are currently collecting small candies that are able to fit inside a plastic egg. Please place your candy gift in the bucket in the upper foyer. We will be assembling the eggs on Wednesday, March 28. Thank you for your help!
Also, please sign up in the lower foyer if you plan to have your children [no adults please :) ]
BODY NEWS
Special Thanks...
To Gene Knaub for once again plowing the church parking lot! Thanks Gene we appreciate you!
Congratulations...
To Laura Brehm for being selected as “Care-Giver of the Month” by her employer! Congrats Laura!
National BGMC Day
We are moving our recognition of National BGMC Day to March 7 instead of March 14. Mark you calendars and bring your Buddy Barrels!
Join us for 21 in ’21!
God Answers Prayer
21 Wednesdays of Fasting and Prayer
Wed., Jan. 6 ~ Wed., May 26, 2021
We will fast Breakfast and Lunch and take time to pray for:
Salvation for our families, friends and community
1 Timothy 2:3-4
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. NIV
Health for our families and church body
James 5:15
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. NIV
The Lord’s direction for our property
Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. NIV
Welcome to Dover Assembly!
We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life.
THIS WEEK
Sunday
9:00 am ~ Coffee & Donut Hour
9:30 am ~ Sunday School
10:30 am ~ Worship Service
10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministry
~ BGMC / MISSIONS DAY
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Wednesday ~ PRAYER & FAST DAY
6:30 pm ~ FAMILY NIGHT
Friday
6:30 pm ~ Pizza & Movie Night
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Movie Night
We will be showing the movie “Overcomer” on Friday February 19 at 7:00 pm. There will be pizza served starting at 6:30, and popcorn and candy during the movie. Please sign up in the lower foyer if you would like to attend. No cost, but we will need an accurate count for the pizza.
Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study
For the next few Wednesday nights, we will watch a video series on America’s role in the end times. Do we have one? Will American be around at that time?
Easter Egg Hunt
We will be having our annual Easter Egg Hunt on Palm Sunday, March 28 immediately following the morning service. We are currently collecting small candies that are able to fit inside a plastic egg. Please place your candy gift in the bucket in the upper foyer. We will be assembling the eggs on Wednesday, March 28. Thank you for your help!
Also, please sign up in the lower foyer if you plan to have your children [no adults please :) ]
BODY NEWS
Special Thanks...
To Gene Knaub for once again plowing the church parking lot! Thanks Gene we appreciate you!
Congratulations...
To Laura Brehm for being selected as “Care-Giver of the Month” by her employer! Congrats Laura!
National BGMC Day
We are moving our recognition of National BGMC Day to March 7 instead of March 14. Mark you calendars and bring your Buddy Barrels!
Join us for 21 in ’21!
God Answers Prayer
21 Wednesdays of Fasting and Prayer
Wed., Jan. 6 ~ Wed., May 26, 2021
We will fast Breakfast and Lunch and take time to pray for:
Salvation for our families, friends and community
1 Timothy 2:3-4
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. NIV
Health for our families and church body
James 5:15
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. NIV
The Lord’s direction for our property
Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. NIV
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Week 9 - February 14, 2021 - Pastor Jeff Bender
Two weeks ago in our study of Nehemiah, we saw how opposition and struggle will always be present when we attempt to do God’s work.
And when I mean God’s work, I don’t always mean work in the church because first and foremost, God wants to build each of us up individually.
He cares about us as individuals, as children.
God wants what is best for His kids.
His purpose and plan is to bless us and keep us maturing in Christ.
Ministry in church is only as good as the workers who do it. If we are maturing and recognize all our blessings, then out of that recognition, we will want to be involved in helping others to grow.
You can’t give others what we don’t have ourselves, but once we realize how good God is to us and how we have been cared for, we can’t help but want to give that to others.
But what the enemy does to churches and ministries, he also does to us as an individuals.
So when we discuss Nehemiah’s work as a whole nation, we need to understand that it applies to us as individuals.
And when I mean God’s work, I don’t always mean work in the church because first and foremost, God wants to build each of us up individually.
He cares about us as individuals, as children.
God wants what is best for His kids.
His purpose and plan is to bless us and keep us maturing in Christ.
Ministry in church is only as good as the workers who do it. If we are maturing and recognize all our blessings, then out of that recognition, we will want to be involved in helping others to grow.
You can’t give others what we don’t have ourselves, but once we realize how good God is to us and how we have been cared for, we can’t help but want to give that to others.
But what the enemy does to churches and ministries, he also does to us as an individuals.
So when we discuss Nehemiah’s work as a whole nation, we need to understand that it applies to us as individuals.
Nehemiah persevered through the opposition and hardships and completed what God wanted.
If we are faithful to persevere through whatever we face, God will finish in you what he started.
If we are faithful to persevere through whatever we face, God will finish in you what he started.
But just to remind us how difficult it was for Nehemiah, chapter 6 ends with this . . .
During those 52 days, what was happening?
You had the nobles in Judah. These were fellow Jews who now had gone to the other side. Not just garden variety Jews, but nobles and from the tribe of Judah.
Of all people, you would think that they would side with Nehemiah, but they didn’t. Why?
Because they entertained the enemy. They read the letters, believed the letters and were drawn away by what was written in the letters.
I instantly thought of this verse when I read that...Paul wrote to the Colossians . . .
You had the nobles in Judah. These were fellow Jews who now had gone to the other side. Not just garden variety Jews, but nobles and from the tribe of Judah.
Of all people, you would think that they would side with Nehemiah, but they didn’t. Why?
Because they entertained the enemy. They read the letters, believed the letters and were drawn away by what was written in the letters.
I instantly thought of this verse when I read that...Paul wrote to the Colossians . . .
The letters influenced their thinking, because they didn’t know God’s word. They didn’t seek the truth. They didn’t test the voracity of the letters, they just believed them at face value.
Tobiah no doubt flattered them, played into their thinking and probably promised them something if they went with him.
The enemy will flatter you and play into our desires and promise you something if you only give into sin. That’s how he attacked Jesus. He played into his hunger, promised him many things and challenged his authority.
If you only eat this, jump off the temple, worship me. Each one of those things sound good, right?
The temptations today are no different for us. They believed those outside the faith before they believed someone in their own nation.
How quick are we to listen to what those outside the faith say about those of us in the faith? Don’t believe everything you hear and read about Christians until you know the facts about it.
Why did the nobles reject Nehemiah and embrace Tobiah? Because their relations with people overtook their relationship with God.
Tobiah no doubt flattered them, played into their thinking and probably promised them something if they went with him.
The enemy will flatter you and play into our desires and promise you something if you only give into sin. That’s how he attacked Jesus. He played into his hunger, promised him many things and challenged his authority.
If you only eat this, jump off the temple, worship me. Each one of those things sound good, right?
The temptations today are no different for us. They believed those outside the faith before they believed someone in their own nation.
How quick are we to listen to what those outside the faith say about those of us in the faith? Don’t believe everything you hear and read about Christians until you know the facts about it.
Why did the nobles reject Nehemiah and embrace Tobiah? Because their relations with people overtook their relationship with God.
Because of that marriage, Tobiah was now related to the guys in the tribe of Judah, and that relationship helped to create this problem.
There’s a reason that God said don’t be unequally yoked. Because there is going to be a day of reckoning. A time when the 2 of you are going to disagree on something spiritual.
And one of 2 things is going to happen.
There’s a reason that God said don’t be unequally yoked. Because there is going to be a day of reckoning. A time when the 2 of you are going to disagree on something spiritual.
And one of 2 things is going to happen.
So now these nobles felt they owed an allegiance to Tobiah since he was a part of the family.
Ask ourselves, has there ever been a time where a family relationship caused you to do something that you knew was against what God says?
When you get together at a family reunion or some such event, do you act differently with them than you would normally act with other believers?
Again, do you go along to get along?
This is not to say that we divorce ourselves from our families and we don’t take care of them and show them love.
Because God’s word is plain about that.
Ask ourselves, has there ever been a time where a family relationship caused you to do something that you knew was against what God says?
When you get together at a family reunion or some such event, do you act differently with them than you would normally act with other believers?
Again, do you go along to get along?
This is not to say that we divorce ourselves from our families and we don’t take care of them and show them love.
Because God’s word is plain about that.
It means when there is a clear choice to obey God or go along with relatives, to keep the peace, our obligation is to obey God.
These nobles let the human relationships supersede their relationship with God.
These nobles let the human relationships supersede their relationship with God.
It’s not enough that he was opposed by Tobiah and that the nobles were on his side, they also felt it necessary to keep telling Nehemiah how good Tobiah was.
When in fact he was doing things directly opposed to what God said.
Look at today: Now we are hearing in the news about how good and “religious” some of our politicians are. They all go to church and they all carry the biggest black bible they could find, and yet put into law the very things that God opposes.
When in fact he was doing things directly opposed to what God said.
Look at today: Now we are hearing in the news about how good and “religious” some of our politicians are. They all go to church and they all carry the biggest black bible they could find, and yet put into law the very things that God opposes.
When people reject God’s word, they are in effect praising the wickedness in the world.
Closer to home, how many believers support people, politicians, organizations and companies who are in direct opposition to God’s word.
They also went back and told Tobiah everything that Nehemiah said. They were trying to get on Tobiah’s good side, maybe impressing him with information.
How often do we “share” gossip with others just to impress them with what we know? That we have the “inside scoop” and we like others to know it.
In addition to all this going on, Nehemiah kept get harassed.
Closer to home, how many believers support people, politicians, organizations and companies who are in direct opposition to God’s word.
They also went back and told Tobiah everything that Nehemiah said. They were trying to get on Tobiah’s good side, maybe impressing him with information.
How often do we “share” gossip with others just to impress them with what we know? That we have the “inside scoop” and we like others to know it.
In addition to all this going on, Nehemiah kept get harassed.
Those were the same letters he sent before, earlier in Nehemiah 6.
But it carries a great deal of weight with it. It means that for the 52 days, he kept receiving this threat.
I wonder if he ever felt like he wanted to just quit? I can’t take this anymore. He just kept getting pummeled.
Have you ever felt like you were just getting barraged with temptation? Or fear, or hardships? I imagine that we all have at one time or another.
And I’m sure that everyone has felt the urge to just give in, or quit or just even take a break.
But Nehemiah didn’t let those letters get to him. He kept on working.
And like we said at the beginning, God helped him finish work.
I wonder if he ever felt like he wanted to just quit? I can’t take this anymore. He just kept getting pummeled.
Have you ever felt like you were just getting barraged with temptation? Or fear, or hardships? I imagine that we all have at one time or another.
And I’m sure that everyone has felt the urge to just give in, or quit or just even take a break.
But Nehemiah didn’t let those letters get to him. He kept on working.
And like we said at the beginning, God helped him finish work.
Awesome, the wall is done, the gates are in place, now it’s time to take it easy!?
Nope, no time to let your guard down. Just because you won a victory doesn’t mean the enemy won’t be there to steal it from you.
Nope, no time to let your guard down. Just because you won a victory doesn’t mean the enemy won’t be there to steal it from you.
Gotta have continued protection . . . remember when Peter had a great revelation?
WOW! It’s like God spoke right through Peter’s mouth. I’d be on cloud 9 if that happened.
Then in the very same breath, we have this . . .
Then in the very same breath, we have this . . .
Wow, how fast the enemy can show himself in temptation.
Peter was feeling pretty good about his revelation, but he didn’t recognize the enemy when it riled up in his head.
Whenever we have a mountaintop experience with God, you can be sure the enemy will show up to know you right off the mountain.
Nehemiah knew that and proceeded to guard what God had done.
Peter was feeling pretty good about his revelation, but he didn’t recognize the enemy when it riled up in his head.
Whenever we have a mountaintop experience with God, you can be sure the enemy will show up to know you right off the mountain.
Nehemiah knew that and proceeded to guard what God had done.
It is entirely possible to have a great victory and lose the war.
So Nehemiah sets out to guard the work of God. Up until know, the people have been working on the wall, but the wall was not an end to itself.
It was designed to protect the people inside. Because that is what mattered. The wall is a tool to guard and protect and bless God’s people.
And the wall won’t be doing it’s job if they didn’t guard against the enemy outside.
So what is his first step?
So Nehemiah sets out to guard the work of God. Up until know, the people have been working on the wall, but the wall was not an end to itself.
It was designed to protect the people inside. Because that is what mattered. The wall is a tool to guard and protect and bless God’s people.
And the wall won’t be doing it’s job if they didn’t guard against the enemy outside.
So what is his first step?
Nehemiah had to choose other leaders to help him. This was not a one-man job. Protecting the city.
Christians are not designed to work alone. We are meant to work together as a family unit.
That means that family and church work is not be done alone. Everyone needs someone in their life to help them. To encourage them, to challenge them to guard them.
Nehemiah picked people he knew would do the right thing. Not the ones who he liked or ones who would do everything he said, but people he knew loved God!
It’s very important who we allow in our inner circle. Who we allow to influence us.
Who we allow to lead us.
Christians are not designed to work alone. We are meant to work together as a family unit.
That means that family and church work is not be done alone. Everyone needs someone in their life to help them. To encourage them, to challenge them to guard them.
Nehemiah picked people he knew would do the right thing. Not the ones who he liked or ones who would do everything he said, but people he knew loved God!
It’s very important who we allow in our inner circle. Who we allow to influence us.
Who we allow to lead us.
The wall is only as good as the gates that let people in.
If the guards or gatekeepers opened the gates too early, the folks inside would still be sleeping and unwanted people could enter unnoticed.
We have to watch who we allow to enter our lives. People and negative influence could enter our thoughts and lives if we do not monitor what we allow in.
A constant diet of news and social media, will eventually begin to influence our walk with God.
Either we succumb to their rhetoric, and believe what we constantly hear or we get incensed and act un-Christ-like.
If the guards or gatekeepers opened the gates too early, the folks inside would still be sleeping and unwanted people could enter unnoticed.
We have to watch who we allow to enter our lives. People and negative influence could enter our thoughts and lives if we do not monitor what we allow in.
A constant diet of news and social media, will eventually begin to influence our walk with God.
Either we succumb to their rhetoric, and believe what we constantly hear or we get incensed and act un-Christ-like.
We assume that the gatekeepers were armed so as to protect the city from invaders.
So the armed gatekeeper had to be present when they closed the gates, otherwise, if they were gone before the closed the gates or even as they were closing them, invaders could come in.
The bible is called the sword of the spirit. We have to be constantly armed with it and protected by it to prevent the enemy from gaining unwanted entrance into our lives.
So the armed gatekeeper had to be present when they closed the gates, otherwise, if they were gone before the closed the gates or even as they were closing them, invaders could come in.
The bible is called the sword of the spirit. We have to be constantly armed with it and protected by it to prevent the enemy from gaining unwanted entrance into our lives.
So not only did they have gatekeepers who monitored the gates, they now had guards roaming the area to keep constant watch over the entire wall so no one can get over it.
He had 2 groups. One that patrolled a given area, and another that patrolled near their homes.
Remember that many of the workers on the wall built sections that were right near their own houses.
Now they were being called on to guard what they had already built.
Warren Wiersbe said: “If God’s people don’t protect what they have accomplished for the Lord, the enemy will come in and take it over.”
We see that happening today. Many great institutions were begun as Christian ministries. The Ivy League schools were founded by Christians.
All the mainline denominations were solid bible churches. All of them had a great start, but the enemy came in and took them over.
We need guards, gatekeepers and faithful believers to keep watch over what God has done so the enemy does not get a foothold.
If we become over-confident we giving the enemy an open door.
Parents need to guard their homes, church leaders need to guard their church.
Christian businesses need to guard their way of doing business.
He had 2 groups. One that patrolled a given area, and another that patrolled near their homes.
Remember that many of the workers on the wall built sections that were right near their own houses.
Now they were being called on to guard what they had already built.
Warren Wiersbe said: “If God’s people don’t protect what they have accomplished for the Lord, the enemy will come in and take it over.”
We see that happening today. Many great institutions were begun as Christian ministries. The Ivy League schools were founded by Christians.
All the mainline denominations were solid bible churches. All of them had a great start, but the enemy came in and took them over.
We need guards, gatekeepers and faithful believers to keep watch over what God has done so the enemy does not get a foothold.
If we become over-confident we giving the enemy an open door.
Parents need to guard their homes, church leaders need to guard their church.
Christian businesses need to guard their way of doing business.
Walls and gates are up, but not too many people have traveled to live there.
So to protect the city from spies and unwanted residents, the Jewish people made a big deal about their genealogy.
Today we classify our country as a “melting pot”, where everyone hopefully, assimilates.
But throughout history, Jews had to be able to prove their ancestry.
Not to be able to prove your ancestry meant being a second-class citizen and separated from God’s promises.
That’s why there are so many of them in the bible. The most notable being in Matthew and Luke. The genealogy of Jesus from both his mother’s side and Joseph’s side.
Nehemiah wanted to be sure that those in the city walls were those who knew they were Jews and were proud of it.
So to protect the city from spies and unwanted residents, the Jewish people made a big deal about their genealogy.
Today we classify our country as a “melting pot”, where everyone hopefully, assimilates.
But throughout history, Jews had to be able to prove their ancestry.
Not to be able to prove your ancestry meant being a second-class citizen and separated from God’s promises.
That’s why there are so many of them in the bible. The most notable being in Matthew and Luke. The genealogy of Jesus from both his mother’s side and Joseph’s side.
Nehemiah wanted to be sure that those in the city walls were those who knew they were Jews and were proud of it.
God didn’t have to list each family. He could have just given us the number or not even listed them at all.
After all, who cares after so many thousand years? The point is God cares about each person. The important thing isn’t the count of people, but that these people counted.
They had been living in Babylon for 70 years and they risked everything on this new venture. They left what was comfortable to be where God planned for them to be.
This is a good place to close.
Whenever we hear the gospel for the first time and even after many times, and we think about raising our hands or walking the aisle or however we chose to believe, you are doing the same thing.
You are choosing to leave what is comfortable to go to a place that God has always intended for you to be.
Or even as a seasoned believer, God always challenges us to leave what’s comfortable and go where God planned for us to go.
People matter to God. You matter to God.
And it matters to God that you end up where God has already planned for you to be.
And our first destination is as a follower of Christ. If we don’t start to follow, we’ll never end up where we need to be.
After all, who cares after so many thousand years? The point is God cares about each person. The important thing isn’t the count of people, but that these people counted.
They had been living in Babylon for 70 years and they risked everything on this new venture. They left what was comfortable to be where God planned for them to be.
This is a good place to close.
Whenever we hear the gospel for the first time and even after many times, and we think about raising our hands or walking the aisle or however we chose to believe, you are doing the same thing.
You are choosing to leave what is comfortable to go to a place that God has always intended for you to be.
Or even as a seasoned believer, God always challenges us to leave what’s comfortable and go where God planned for us to go.
People matter to God. You matter to God.
And it matters to God that you end up where God has already planned for you to be.
And our first destination is as a follower of Christ. If we don’t start to follow, we’ll never end up where we need to be.
Thank you for joining us!
If you haven't already, be sure to check out our website and follow us on social media @doverassembly! Have a great week!
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