Dover Assembly of God
3.14.2021 | Nehemiah - Week 13
Locations & Times
Dover Assembly of God
4790 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
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March 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
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Wednesday ~ PRAYER & FAST DAY
6:30 pm ~ Family Night
Thursday
6:30 pm ~ Prayer in Sanctuary
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Easter Egg Hunt
Our annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Palm Sunday, March 28 immediately following the morning service. We are collecting candies that are able to fit inside the plastic eggs. Please place your candy donations in the bucket in the upper foyer. We will be assembling the eggs on Wednesday, March 24. Volunteers appreciated! There is a sign up sheet in the lower foyer to sign up your children and / or their friends.
Youth Convention
It’s that time again! Instead of a 3 day weekend at the convention center and hotel, this year it will be a one-day event held at Harrisburg 1st A/G. It is open for grades 6th grade through high school. The date is Friday, April 2 and the cost is $40 per student. If your child would like to attend, please sign up in the lower foyer or see Pastor Jeff. Scholarships available.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP!
Girls' Night In!
Joyce Meyer is planning another in-church conference scheduled for Friday April 16 at 8:00 pm. If you are interested in joining Anna for this event, please sign up at the women’s table in the upper foyer.
Sonrise Easter Service
We are able to celebrate the resurrection, lake-side again this year. We will meet Easter Sunday, April 4 at Pinchot Park, 7:00 am. Masks will be required.
BODY NEWS
Prayer Warriors!
On the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm, Pastor Jeff and Anna will have a time of prayer for 30 minutes in the church sanctuary. We will be praying for specific church needs. If you would like to join us, please sign up in the upper foyer!
Community Outreach
Coming soon! More information will be provided regarding an outreach Dover Assembly will be doing to the community on Carlisle Rd. Stay tuned. . .
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
We are in the planning stages of our annual VBS. The theme is LEGOS and is scheduled for July 11-14. Before we order curriculum and begin advertising, we need excited volunteers. If you are able to commit to this tremendous outreach opportunity, please sign up in the upper foyer.
BGMC Update
Thanks to your generosity, we raised $186.83 last Sunday and we have raised so far this year, $422.93!
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
1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service
Wednesday ~ PRAYER & FAST DAY
6:30 pm ~ Family Night
Thursday
6:30 pm ~ Prayer in Sanctuary
Saturday
6:30 pm ~ Spanish Service
UPCOMING EVENTS
Easter Egg Hunt
Our annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Palm Sunday, March 28 immediately following the morning service. We are collecting candies that are able to fit inside the plastic eggs. Please place your candy donations in the bucket in the upper foyer. We will be assembling the eggs on Wednesday, March 24. Volunteers appreciated! There is a sign up sheet in the lower foyer to sign up your children and / or their friends.
Youth Convention
It’s that time again! Instead of a 3 day weekend at the convention center and hotel, this year it will be a one-day event held at Harrisburg 1st A/G. It is open for grades 6th grade through high school. The date is Friday, April 2 and the cost is $40 per student. If your child would like to attend, please sign up in the lower foyer or see Pastor Jeff. Scholarships available.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP!
Girls' Night In!
Joyce Meyer is planning another in-church conference scheduled for Friday April 16 at 8:00 pm. If you are interested in joining Anna for this event, please sign up at the women’s table in the upper foyer.
Sonrise Easter Service
We are able to celebrate the resurrection, lake-side again this year. We will meet Easter Sunday, April 4 at Pinchot Park, 7:00 am. Masks will be required.
BODY NEWS
Prayer Warriors!
On the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm, Pastor Jeff and Anna will have a time of prayer for 30 minutes in the church sanctuary. We will be praying for specific church needs. If you would like to join us, please sign up in the upper foyer!
Community Outreach
Coming soon! More information will be provided regarding an outreach Dover Assembly will be doing to the community on Carlisle Rd. Stay tuned. . .
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
We are in the planning stages of our annual VBS. The theme is LEGOS and is scheduled for July 11-14. Before we order curriculum and begin advertising, we need excited volunteers. If you are able to commit to this tremendous outreach opportunity, please sign up in the upper foyer.
BGMC Update
Thanks to your generosity, we raised $186.83 last Sunday and we have raised so far this year, $422.93!
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Week 13 - March 14, 2021 - Pastor Jeff Bender
We are going to finish up our study on Nehemiah today. We left off at the end of chapter 10 with the Jews promising to obey all the laws from God’s word.
They vowed before God to live right.
Chapters 11 & 12 talk about repopulating the city of Jerusalem in order to protect and maintain it. Then there was a great time of praise and celebration and dedication of the walls and gates.
2 separate choirs walked around the walls in opposite directions and met at the temple, all the while singing and praising God.
They were in revival!
Right after that the people go to work doing what they needed to do for God. The whole community was on fire for God.
It was a very busy month as they were vowing to serve the Lord.
Now we come to chapter 13.
They vowed before God to live right.
Chapters 11 & 12 talk about repopulating the city of Jerusalem in order to protect and maintain it. Then there was a great time of praise and celebration and dedication of the walls and gates.
2 separate choirs walked around the walls in opposite directions and met at the temple, all the while singing and praising God.
They were in revival!
Right after that the people go to work doing what they needed to do for God. The whole community was on fire for God.
It was a very busy month as they were vowing to serve the Lord.
Now we come to chapter 13.
General William Booth said to a group of new young officers in the Salvation Army:
“I want you young men always to bear in mind that it is the nature of a fire to go out. You must keep it stirred and fed and the ashes removed.”
Anyone who has built any type of fire, camp fire, wood stove fireplace, knows this to be true. If you leave it alone, it will eventually smolder out.
It needs constant attention.
So does our spiritual walk with God. If we are on fire one day for God, if we don’t give our spiritual life constant attention that fire will also go out.
And that is exactly what happened with the Jews.
Nehemiah’s first term as governor lasted 12 years.
“I want you young men always to bear in mind that it is the nature of a fire to go out. You must keep it stirred and fed and the ashes removed.”
Anyone who has built any type of fire, camp fire, wood stove fireplace, knows this to be true. If you leave it alone, it will eventually smolder out.
It needs constant attention.
So does our spiritual walk with God. If we are on fire one day for God, if we don’t give our spiritual life constant attention that fire will also go out.
And that is exactly what happened with the Jews.
Nehemiah’s first term as governor lasted 12 years.
When that was done, he had to return and report to the King.
That trip took about a year.
So the Jews made all these promises to serve and love God. To obey God’s word and to do everything they swore to do.
They even studied God’s word. Then Nehemiah leaves to go back to the king.
So the Jews made all these promises to serve and love God. To obey God’s word and to do everything they swore to do.
They even studied God’s word. Then Nehemiah leaves to go back to the king.
This certain law as we’ll see in a minute has a specific implication.
No sooner does Nehemiah leave, the people start to intermarry again.
Without spiritual leadership and a constant challenge to serve God, our natural inclination is to slowly move away from our promise to God.
If we are on fire for God and desperately want to live for him, if we aren’t diligent in maintaining that fire, we will move away too.
The marquee reads: “The more you miss church, the less you miss church."
Because our fire tends to go out and we get comfortable sliding back into our old ways.
Moses was gone from the people a couple of days and they built a gold calf to worship.
Paul established many churches, but left it to move on and start more, but these churches would find themselves in trouble right after he left.
The Epistles are just letters from Paul helping to correct some of the things that were going on.
Paul warned the church leaders in Ephesus in ACTS:
No sooner does Nehemiah leave, the people start to intermarry again.
Without spiritual leadership and a constant challenge to serve God, our natural inclination is to slowly move away from our promise to God.
If we are on fire for God and desperately want to live for him, if we aren’t diligent in maintaining that fire, we will move away too.
The marquee reads: “The more you miss church, the less you miss church."
Because our fire tends to go out and we get comfortable sliding back into our old ways.
Moses was gone from the people a couple of days and they built a gold calf to worship.
Paul established many churches, but left it to move on and start more, but these churches would find themselves in trouble right after he left.
The Epistles are just letters from Paul helping to correct some of the things that were going on.
Paul warned the church leaders in Ephesus in ACTS:
Our natural inclination after revival or a great move of God in our lives, is to let the fire weaken.
Nehemiah returns from his trip to the king and finds the people failing to keep the promises they made only a year or so ago. They were allowing mixed marriages and they were allowing people into the temple that God had told them were not allowed.
Why were mixed marriages not allowed? Because the alien spouses invariably led the Israelites away from God. Every time!
Why weren’t certain people allowed in the temple area? Because these folks were avowed enemies of Israel! Why would you let your enemy into your life?
We as a church welcome everyone to attend. Everyone needs to have a relationship with God and experience what joy comes from that. But not everyone is allowed to dictate our churches doctrine and teachings.
You might invite a friend or a fellow employee or an acquaintance to dinner, but you wouldn’t let them tell you how to run your household.
There is a reason that churches have voting membership and requirements for that membership.
You cannot have people who do not believe being able to make decisions and changes that would be contrary to the mission and vision of the church.
Nehemiah returns from his trip to the king and finds the people failing to keep the promises they made only a year or so ago. They were allowing mixed marriages and they were allowing people into the temple that God had told them were not allowed.
Why were mixed marriages not allowed? Because the alien spouses invariably led the Israelites away from God. Every time!
Why weren’t certain people allowed in the temple area? Because these folks were avowed enemies of Israel! Why would you let your enemy into your life?
We as a church welcome everyone to attend. Everyone needs to have a relationship with God and experience what joy comes from that. But not everyone is allowed to dictate our churches doctrine and teachings.
You might invite a friend or a fellow employee or an acquaintance to dinner, but you wouldn’t let them tell you how to run your household.
There is a reason that churches have voting membership and requirements for that membership.
You cannot have people who do not believe being able to make decisions and changes that would be contrary to the mission and vision of the church.
This is why it is so important that any church’s leadership has to be sold out to God.
John Wesley said: "Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth."
Eliashib was a priest who gave up his privilege when he married an outsider. The enemy quickly captured his leadership and people blindly followed him.
Somebody gave Eliashib a position of authority when he had no business being there. He was a relative of the enemies of Israel.
Now this guy Eliashib allows his relative Tobiah who was one of the original antagonists, a room in the temple.
John Wesley said: "Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth."
Eliashib was a priest who gave up his privilege when he married an outsider. The enemy quickly captured his leadership and people blindly followed him.
Somebody gave Eliashib a position of authority when he had no business being there. He was a relative of the enemies of Israel.
Now this guy Eliashib allows his relative Tobiah who was one of the original antagonists, a room in the temple.
The temple, was prohibited to people who were not Jews and especially this guy who was an ammonite.
So begins the slow descent away from following God.
Fire is slowly going out.
What happens when we open the door a crack for the enemy?
It was only one small room, what’s the harm? He wasn’t in the whole temple.
He takes up residence and he replaces what God wants with what he wants or more realistically, what we (our flesh) wants.
Fire is slowly going out.
What happens when we open the door a crack for the enemy?
It was only one small room, what’s the harm? He wasn’t in the whole temple.
He takes up residence and he replaces what God wants with what he wants or more realistically, what we (our flesh) wants.
When we let the enemy into only 1 area of our lives, he begins to have you get rid of everything in your life that draws you close to God.
This is maybe the most important truth today.
If we allow our unbelieving friends and family and the outside world to slowly enter in and affect the choices we make, it won’t be long until all of what we believe and promised to do will have been replaced with the enemy’s thoughts and wants.
This room was set aside for the things that God said were holy. Our lives are to be set apart as holy. And we cannot let compromise sneak in.
One compromise will eventually lead to 2 then 3, till we compromise in every area.
The good news is that we have the Holy Spirit to help us determine the difference and to help us change.
How do we do that? How do we make the change when we think we have gone too far?
This is maybe the most important truth today.
If we allow our unbelieving friends and family and the outside world to slowly enter in and affect the choices we make, it won’t be long until all of what we believe and promised to do will have been replaced with the enemy’s thoughts and wants.
This room was set aside for the things that God said were holy. Our lives are to be set apart as holy. And we cannot let compromise sneak in.
One compromise will eventually lead to 2 then 3, till we compromise in every area.
The good news is that we have the Holy Spirit to help us determine the difference and to help us change.
How do we do that? How do we make the change when we think we have gone too far?
We first have to acknowledge that we have allowed those compromises.
Then we have to get angry at the enemy for leading us astray. And realize that his desire into allowing us to compromise is not to help us but to ultimately destroy us.
He’ll promise great things from this one area of compromise, but then he uses that to destroy your life.
Then we have to get angry at the enemy for leading us astray. And realize that his desire into allowing us to compromise is not to help us but to ultimately destroy us.
He’ll promise great things from this one area of compromise, but then he uses that to destroy your life.
That being the case. The only response we should have is to instantly get rid of every compromise we have made.
One commentary calls Nehemiah “a man of a volcanic temperament who expressed his indignation by taking quick action.”
At the very moment we realize that our fire has gone out or is almost out because of our choices, we need to take immediate action. We can’t think about it, try to accommodate it, rationalize our choices or give excuses why our fire is almost gone.
Nehemiah didn’t care about any of those. The minute he saw it he took action.
Whether in our personal lives or in our church life, when we see the fire of God being put out by compromise we need to take immediate action.
This past year has been hard on everyone and I think one of the unintended consequences has been the fire is getting dimmer.
It’s easy to get discouraged with what’s been happening or when we read the news.
And we begin to think, what difference does it make?
And when that happens, fear begins to set in and . . . the fire gets dimmer.
One commentary calls Nehemiah “a man of a volcanic temperament who expressed his indignation by taking quick action.”
At the very moment we realize that our fire has gone out or is almost out because of our choices, we need to take immediate action. We can’t think about it, try to accommodate it, rationalize our choices or give excuses why our fire is almost gone.
Nehemiah didn’t care about any of those. The minute he saw it he took action.
Whether in our personal lives or in our church life, when we see the fire of God being put out by compromise we need to take immediate action.
This past year has been hard on everyone and I think one of the unintended consequences has been the fire is getting dimmer.
It’s easy to get discouraged with what’s been happening or when we read the news.
And we begin to think, what difference does it make?
And when that happens, fear begins to set in and . . . the fire gets dimmer.
Tobiah had one room, but Nehemiah demanded that all the rooms be purified.
We may think that one small compromise will only affect one area, but in reality one compromise will affect many areas.
Christians cannot compartmentalize their lives. We can’t have one area for God, one for work, another for church. Every area will affect every other area.
When we realize the fire is going out, we have to examine every area and renew everything. Every area that we feel is causing us to stray. It may not even be “sinful” things. Per se.
But anything that causes us to waver in our faith and trust and allows us to rationalize poor choices has to go.
I believe we are on the cusp of revival. I’ve seen answers to personal prayer as well as church prayers. But if we aren’t careful, if we allow compromise in or we think we’ve arrived, and we take our foot off the gas, we’ll see our fire start to diminish.
How can I tell if my fire is going out?
We may think that one small compromise will only affect one area, but in reality one compromise will affect many areas.
Christians cannot compartmentalize their lives. We can’t have one area for God, one for work, another for church. Every area will affect every other area.
When we realize the fire is going out, we have to examine every area and renew everything. Every area that we feel is causing us to stray. It may not even be “sinful” things. Per se.
But anything that causes us to waver in our faith and trust and allows us to rationalize poor choices has to go.
I believe we are on the cusp of revival. I’ve seen answers to personal prayer as well as church prayers. But if we aren’t careful, if we allow compromise in or we think we’ve arrived, and we take our foot off the gas, we’ll see our fire start to diminish.
How can I tell if my fire is going out?
If our dedication to the work of God in our personal lives and our church life begins to suffer. Fire goes out.
The people quit bringing in the required offerings so the Priests and singers could live. Remember God said that those folks couldn’t have real jobs, they were to live off of what the people brought as offerings.
No offerings, no food, so they had to neglect their calling and ministry and to go work. And the people suffered because of it. There were not priests to do their ministry, no singers to lead in worship.
When compromise comes in we begin to find reasons not to do things God has told us to do.
We find excuses not to read, pray or attend church. We find reasons not to be involved in the ministries that we know we were called to do. We quit giving to God’s work.
What happens? Everyone else begins to suffer and the work of God slows to a crawl or even stops.
But God gives everyone opportunity to recommit. Every chance to repent and start new.
Nehemiah as their leader, began that process.
The people quit bringing in the required offerings so the Priests and singers could live. Remember God said that those folks couldn’t have real jobs, they were to live off of what the people brought as offerings.
No offerings, no food, so they had to neglect their calling and ministry and to go work. And the people suffered because of it. There were not priests to do their ministry, no singers to lead in worship.
When compromise comes in we begin to find reasons not to do things God has told us to do.
We find excuses not to read, pray or attend church. We find reasons not to be involved in the ministries that we know we were called to do. We quit giving to God’s work.
What happens? Everyone else begins to suffer and the work of God slows to a crawl or even stops.
But God gives everyone opportunity to recommit. Every chance to repent and start new.
Nehemiah as their leader, began that process.
Up until recently, I think the circumstances of late has forced on us a dimming of the fire.
Many things have been causing church to be different, and I also believe that as church goes, so does our personal walk.
I mean that once we have “legitimate” reasons to not fellowship together, we find it easier to let the fire dim in our personal life.
When Nehemiah left to go back, there was a lack of getting together to read from God’s word like they did before.
Whenever they had a “service”, the people were engaged. They were in revival. But once they stopped meeting together, we see the slide back into their old ways. And it didn’t take too long.
What was one of the first things that happened?
Many things have been causing church to be different, and I also believe that as church goes, so does our personal walk.
I mean that once we have “legitimate” reasons to not fellowship together, we find it easier to let the fire dim in our personal life.
When Nehemiah left to go back, there was a lack of getting together to read from God’s word like they did before.
Whenever they had a “service”, the people were engaged. They were in revival. But once they stopped meeting together, we see the slide back into their old ways. And it didn’t take too long.
What was one of the first things that happened?
We are not under the Sabbath law anymore. The Sabbath was Saturday and was strictly a Jewish law.
Sunday is NOT a “Christian Sabbath”
It is however, a special day. It’s the Lord’s Day and represents the resurrection and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
It’s a day that we should use to honor and glorify God.
Sunday is NOT a “Christian Sabbath”
It is however, a special day. It’s the Lord’s Day and represents the resurrection and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
It’s a day that we should use to honor and glorify God.
Meeting together allows us to spur others on, it allows us to apply our love and good deeds and it allows us to encourage each other especially in these last days!
It builds us up and prepares us for the week ahead.
And that is how revival spreads. Using each of us, having been energized by God in a service, using us in the world to bring people to Christ!
Nehemiah closes with a prayer that God would remember and reward him for his faithfulness, regardless of what the rest of the nation did. . . he was faithful!
It builds us up and prepares us for the week ahead.
And that is how revival spreads. Using each of us, having been energized by God in a service, using us in the world to bring people to Christ!
Nehemiah closes with a prayer that God would remember and reward him for his faithfulness, regardless of what the rest of the nation did. . . he was faithful!
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