Putting God's Plan into Action | Dr. John Ewart

Well, good morning, Englewood. How about that video that just

broke me up. Appreciate you all being here

this morning. I know we still have a lot of

folks out with flu and I'm hearing strep and I'm hearing,

you know, the plague. I don't know.

I don't know, I'm telling you what, sometimes I just want to

take a snake in a garden and say you messed the whole thing up.

Fallen creation. Listen, thank you all so much

for being here. If you're a guest today, thanks

so much for being here. Listen, as we enter into 2026, I

wanted to share a big thank you to you, our happy birthday Jesus

missions offering. We had a goal of $185,000 and

not only did you blow that away, but you've given the second

highest Happy birthday Jesus offering in the history of this

church. So to be honest with you, I

can't give you the final amount because some of the final

amounts are still coming in, but we know it's well over $200,000.

That's going to really help us to not only support some of our

missions partners, but also start some new projects, some

new church plant partnerships, as well as to be able to give an

abundance to Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong and the City of

Refuge. So thank you so much for that,

and I look forward to what God's going to do with that in 2026.

Thank you for being faithful so much.

Had a great time with the deacons yesterday.

Hope you'll be back tonight. It's going to be a special

night. Love those guys.

And you got a great group of deacons, a larger group of

deacons now, and they're ready to serve you and want to do

that. And so we're going to honor them

and recognize them tonight. You have an outline on the back

of your worship guide if you want to use it, and you can also

download notes, but just to be aware of that.

William Butler Yates, it doesn't matter if you know who that is

or not, but he was talking about war, War One in Europe.

Listen to this quote. He was talking about that.

He goes the best. I got to do this slowly because

you got to think about this for a minute.

The best black all conviction while the worst are full of

passionate intensity. That's often the way our world

works. The very best of us, those who

believe, those who are good people, those who are trying to

serve the Lord often, often lack conviction, often lack passion.

Sometimes it happens especially in cycles.

While the worst of us, the ones that are the bad out there often

have passionate intensity. So the question of the morning,

as we continue in the book of Nehemiah, if you'll turn to

Nehemiah chapter 2, the question of the morning is how does what

Nehemiah 2 · chapter mention

you believe determine how you behave?

How does what you believe actually determine how you

behave? Does your faith decide your

action? What's the honest relationship

between the two? And in this story, we're going

to see an example of this. Is your Christianity

passionately proactive or simply reactive?

In other words, I've done some bad things out here, so now I've

got to do some good stuff to offset the bad stuff and somehow

try to maintain balance. Or I believe so strongly in

Jesus Christ and what He's done for me, I'm proactively,

intentionally avoiding sin, avoiding the bad.

And when I do stumble every now and then, and we will, we're all

sinners, then I depend upon His grace to set me right again.

Listen to what Martin Luther once said about faith.

He said this. He said faith is a living,

daring confidence in God's grace.

It is so pure and so sure and certain that a man could stake

his life on it 1000 times. Do you have faith?

So last week we learned that Nehemiah was a man of great

faith. He's also a man of great prayer.

He sought after God's plan for the future of his people.

And we're going to pick up that story because he believed.

And that made all the difference in Nehemiah's life.

He believed in what God wanted him to do.

And as we continue to enter into 2026, I want us to think about

not just how God's blessed in 2025.

I mean, what an amazing testimony.

And after the first service, we had some folks come forward to

say, I want to be baptized after they saw that video.

I promise you, just give the invitation right now.

Pastor Charles. Yeah.

And y'all stop it. We got to do a little more.

But he believed. How can I have that type of

faith to join God's plan? How can we experience the

miracle and mission of what God wants in 2026?

And though I can't guarantee you what God might do, I can show us

how to put ourselves in the best position for His movement, for

His revival, for His restoration.

As we work together, let's all be part of putting God's plan

into action. Look at Nehemiah chapter 2 verse

Nehemiah 2 · chapter mention

one in the month of Nissan in the 20th year of King Art

Xerxes, when wine was before him.

I took up the wine and gave it to the king.

Now I had not been sad in his presence.

Interesting sentence. It doesn't make a lot of sense

what that Well that's really important.

Pay attention to that. I had not been sad in his

presence and the king said to me, why is your face sad seeking

seeing that you're not sick? This is nothing but sadness of

the heart. Then I was very much afraid, and

I'll explain that why he was in a minute.

And I said to the king, Let the king live forever.

Why should not by my face be said, when the city, the place

of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been

destroyed by fire? Then the king said to me, What

are you requesting? So I prayed to the God of

heaven. Don't miss that last sentence

either. The first thing we're going to

see, four things. First thing I just wanted to see

is in order for us to move forward in God's plan to put

that into action in 2026, we must be burdened to engage in

that plan. We must care about it.

Nothing will happen if I don't seek what God wants.

Last week Nehemiah received a report that Jerusalem lay in

ruins, and it broke his heart and it drove him to mourn.

It drove him to pray, it drove him to fast for many, many, many

days. A lot of time passes and God

answered his chapter 1 prayer when he prayed that he might

have the opportunity of going before the king of Persia to ask

him for something. So God answers his chapter 1

prayer. And this was no small thing in

this context in culture. You got to understand, Persian

royal etiquette in those days was very, very strict and even

appearing sad or disappointed in the presence of the king or

wearing the wrong dress, wearing the wrong outfit would be

interpreted as displeasure in maybe disloyalty to the king and

it could result in punishment or even death.

This was a big deal. So This is why he's afraid of

being sad. So Nehemiah takes his own life

into his own hands by displaying this sad face in front of the

king. But his burden was just too

great to contain. He couldn't hold it back.

He couldn't not be this way. He was, his heart was broken,

his heart was burdened. As one commentator writes about

this passage, he says it's only the man with the heavy burden

that God can trust with his work.

If we do not have hearts that are burdened with conviction, we

will never be fruitful in the service of the Lord.

Revival is born out of burden. So Nehemiah reassures the king

of his loyalty and the king asks what what is he seeking?

And notice it's interesting in it right up in verse 4.

What are you requesting? And it and it doesn't mean that

Nehemiah starts talking doesn't mean Nehemiah just hops in there

with his answer in his quest request.

What does it say? He he says he prayed to the God

of heaven. This was a big moment.

So don't just speak before you think.

Sometimes we're guilty of that, aren't we?

But also, don't just think before you speak.

Pray, pray in these moments. Be a disciple that abides in

prayer. Nehemiah's focus on prayer was a

key to this whole story. You're going to see it over and

over and over again. He was in constant communion and

constant communication with God about what was going on in his

life and what God wanted out of his life.

And so his burden and hit the mission to which he knew he was

called was always right there before him, right there in front

of him, guiding the way. So how do we respond in the big

scary moments of life? Is abiding in prayer with

dependence and anticipation such a common discipleship essential

for us that it's our first, most natural response?

When crisis or burden or problem hits?

Even when your life, even when your career might be at risk,

where's your first turn? What do you want so badly as you

enter 2026? What?

What is? What is a burden on your heart?

What do you want so badly that you're so burdened and focused

upon it? What would you request of the

King who has the power of life and death?

What would lead you to months of prayer and fasting?

Is there anything in your life ever, or is there a long list?

Maybe there is. Maybe this is familiar to you

for what are you requesting of God for 2026 for your life, the

life of your family. He has the power of life and

death. What is your request to the King

of Kings? I was teaching a PhD seminar at

Southeastern part of this weekend and we were actually

focusing it was a, a seminar on conflict.

I'm a expert on conflict because I cost so much.

And so and so we were talking and one of the guys was bringing

up a certain passage, James 4/2 and and he kept bringing it up.

We kept talking about it in quite a lot of depth.

I don't have time for all of that.

But James 42 reminds us you, many of you know this.

First, you desire and you do not have.

So you murder, you covet and cannot obtain.

So you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do

not ask. We're we're not asking with the

right spirit. We're not asking for the right

things. And so in this life, in this

fallen world, we drink from empty wells and then we seem

shocked that we're still dying of thirst.

And that's what this world does out there, promises you a drink

of this and a drink of that, but then you're just dying of thirst

because it's not satisfying. It is your prayer life real

enough and constant enough to draw you into that living water

of abundance. Listen, Nehemiah walked so

closely with God, he knew how to answer his king.

He walked in dependence. He walked in anticipation, like

one of our essentials of discipleship we're teaching

here. He knew how to pray.

He had prayed, He had confessed if you go back to chapter 1,

he'd repented of his national sin, of his family sin, of his

personal sin, and he was ready to ask the king to join God for

what he wanted him to do. Look at verse 5.

And I said to the king, if it pleases the king, and if your

servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to

Judah, to the city of my father's graves, that I may

rebuild it. O King, I want to help restore

my people. I want to be used to help them

to be God's people again. I want to help save them from

these enemies in the land. O King of Kings, I want to be

used to bring restoration to my people.

Help us, O King, help us to be the people of God who are used

to save these people from the enemy.

We must be disciples at Inglewood, and we must make

disciples at Inglewood who love God with their entire being and

who love one another and including the people out there.

We must love them too, so that we can join God on his mission.

So our prayer must be. Dear Lord, I humbly request that

you allow us to join you and what you want to do in 2026 in

Rocky Mount and Red Oak in Nashville and this entire area.

What can we do, Father, to join you in your movement, in your

revival? GK Chesterton, an old

theologian, once said this. He was observing about soldiers

and he said, listen to this. He said true soldiers fight not

because he hates what's in front of him.

A true soldier fights because he loves what's beside him.

He loves what he's protecting. He loves who he's following and

serving with. Look at verse 6.

And the king said to me, and the queen sitting beside him, How

long will you be gone, and when will you return?

So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.

And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, let letters be

given to me, to given me to the governors of the province beyond

the river, that they may let me pass through until I come to

Judah. And a letter to Asaph, the

keeper of the King's forest, that he may give me timber to

make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for

the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.

And the king granted me what I asked for.

The good hand of my God was upon me.

Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river

and gave them the King's letters.

Now the king had sent with with me officers of the army and the

horsemen. So the king didn't just agree to

the request. The king also said, listen, not

only can you go, I'm going to empower you to go.

I'm going to resource you to go. I'm going to help you be

successful, Nehemiah. So the king provided Nehemiah

resources from his forest and from his army, from his guard.

And Nehemiah went on mission with all the authority and all

the power of the king, just like us.

Just like us, we engage in a mission under another's

authority. At the end of the service,

you'll hear Skyler or Drew often say to you, they'll quote John

2021 and where Jesus said to the disciples, peace be with you as

the Father has sent me, Even so I'm sending you.

We are to fulfill God's mission to bring glory to himself and

join Him in redeeming the nations.

And that includes the person across the street.

Power, provision, protection, these are the things our King

provides when we request it, when we seek him, when we seek

to engage in his work, we request to see his hand at work,

to be used by Him, to seek restoration for our people.

He'll supply us what we need. Philippians 419, often

misquoted, says this. And my God will supply every

need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,

not according to my ability, not according to my wisdom, not

according to my to my strength, but according to his riches.

So make the request to be used by him known, be burdened to

engage. Nehemiah was willing to lay it

all on the line. He was willing to lay it all on

the line to be used by his people.

He was willing to give up comfort and power and a

wonderful place in the Royal Court to go serve and to

sacrifice. If we will commit all that we

are and all that God has provided for us, there is

absolutely no telling how He will bless us in 2026.

So don't simply pray. He'll send and bless others.

Pray, Lord, please send me. Send me, Please.

Use me as a catalyst, as the beginning of restoration, as the

beginning of revival. Listen, I was so blessed after

the first service. Someone, one of our members, I

won't mention a name, but one came up to me intentionally

wanting me to meet a friend that they had invited, one of our

Christmas blessings families that they'd reached out to and

brought. And they were here worshipping

with us, celebrating with us. Please use us.

How could I serve our church to move forward in 2026?

How could I help you, pastor, to carry the burden of leadership

and service? How could I help and bless my

lay leaders and my connect group leaders by lifting my share of

the load? How?

How could I? How could I be used and to

transform burden and belief into action and to join the King's

mission? Nehemiah was sent forth both by

his earthly king and by his eternal king.

Don't miss that. Look at verse 9 again.

In verse 9, Don't miss this. Then I came to the governors of

the province beyond the river and gave them the King's

letters. Now the king had sent with me

officers of the army and horsemen.

Don't miss this. They wouldn't have missed him.

This would not have been a small thing for him to show up with

this small armed force from the Persian king.

This was a big deal. He's not just out there all by

himself. He's bringing a small army with

him, and the enemies would have taken notice.

It would have called attention. He came in the authority of the

king, and so do we. So guess what happens.

Look at verse 11. So I went to Jerusalem and was

there three days. Then I rose in the night, I and

a few men with me, and I told no one what my God had put into my

heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but

the one on which I rode. And I went out by night by the

valley gate to the Dragon Spring, what a cool name, Dragon

Spring, and to the Dung Gate. And I inspected the walls of

Jerusalem that were broken down and it's gates that had been

destroyed by fire. Then I went on to the fountain

gate into the King's pool, but there was no room for the animal

that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by

the valley and inspected the wall and turned, and I turned

back and entered by the valley gate, and so returned.

So not only do we need to be burdened to actually engage in

God's plan, but secondly, we need to appreciate the obstacles

in the way because there going to be some real ones.

This trip would have taken months.

This wasn't like an overnight, overnight jog through the

desert. This would have taken a long

time through dangerous land. So I'm sure when Nehemiah hits

Jerusalem, he needed a couple of days to rest.

But also based upon who Nehemiah is and his character, I bet you

he spent a lot of those three days praying, seeking God's

will. What do I do now?

I'm here now. What now?

What God, what do I do now? So he spends those three days in

Jerusalem. Then in the middle of the night,

while others slept, this man of burden and prayer reviewed the

extent of the work that had to be done.

He focuses his inspection on the southern, western and eastern

portions of the city. The northern walls have been

totally destroyed. And it's so bad at times he's

forced to ride along the Kidron Valley down below the walls

because the walls had collapsed so much they blocked the path.

He even had to scramble over the damage because there was no room

for his horse. Can you imagine this burden,

man? The extent of his grief when he

surveys this utter devastation? The report that he had received

was accurate. Things were in really bad shape.

This was real, my friends. Often before a restoring work of

God begins, faithful, burdened believers journey in the night

to weep over the ruins. And to wrestle in the darkness

through prayer. Nehemiah conducted a very

thorough assessment that ought to sound familiar to some of

you. Assessment never ends.

These last several months, that's what I've been doing.

And he carefully considered the extent of what my God has put in

my heart to do. God had a plan.

He always does. He always knows.

He always knows. And so Nehemiah takes an honest

look and face the actual need. I mean, it would have been

easier to ignore it. It would have been easier to

spend the truth. It would have been easier to

talk about how great things were.

But it just wouldn't work this time.

It was time for the truth so real restoration could be

sought. Now that's the job of a true

leader. Leaders often spend nights in

prayer, weeping over the brokenness of their people,

seeking the restoration and what their God has put in their

hearts to do. Because these walls, these gates

broken down, represented obstacles to the future of His

people and to their ability to serve God and to worship God.

Something had to change. They needed a new normal.

And I was wondering our personal lives, how long has it been?

How long has it been since you spent the night reviewing the

walls and gates of your life and whether you have a solid

foundation or not? Is your relationship with God,

your relationship with others, the fruit you are producing?

The obstacles to producing that fruit, The number of people you

are actively discipling right now?

Do you ever stop and ask God? Will you saddle up and honestly

review your life and the lives of those around you?

Will you seriously count the cost of obedience?

And through discipleship? Revival will never begin until

we do. We must rebuild first in our own

lives. What needs to be rebuilt?

What needs to be repaired? What essential of discipleship

is missing? What needs to be upgraded?

What area do in which I need to grow, do I need to face?

Because they face real obstacles.

And so will we. In 2026, we have an enemy who

will make sure we do. Look at verse 16.

And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was

doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the

nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

Then I said to them, See the trouble we're in, how Jerusalem

lies in ruins with its gates burned.

Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer

suffer derision. And I told them at the hand of

my God that had been upon me for good and also of the words that

the King had spoken to me. And they said, let us rise up

and build. So they strengthened their hands

for the good work. So we got to be burdened to

actually engage in God's plan. In the 1st place, we need to

appreciate the obstacles that are in the way.

And thirdly, we need to choose to embrace our purpose.

It's time to commit to rebuild the walls and gates, which is

going to be a major part of the remaining story.

That actual process, not not just getting ready for it, but

what we actually going to do to rebuild the walls and gates

within the exposed condition of the city, which constantly

invited attack. It constantly invited reproach

from their enemies. So Nehemiah had a calling upon

his life, clear calling to be a rebuilder and the hand of God

was on him and he called the other leaders to join him.

But they had to make a decision. Would they embrace the plan of

God or continue to cower in the ruins like they had been?

Would they act in the powerful purpose God had for them, or

would they stall and allow the past circumstances to dictate

their faith and actions? I know so many people who spend

so much time looking through the rear view mirror they miss

what's ahead of them through the windshield.

Would it be too difficult, too big, too much for them?

As believers, we have a calling to act in faith and obedience,

to be the agents of revival. But it requires unity, it

requires cooperation. There's no way that one person

could do this. They'd have to do this together,

and so must we. There can be no divisive spirit

allowed when we're working side by side along the wall facing

the enemy. So we got to wrestle together on

our knees against a real enemy, never with one another.

We must resolve to act and to move into this next chapter that

God has for us. As Paul exhorts incredible verse

Romans 12/11, he says do not be slothful, slothful in zeal.

Hard to say that without spitting on somebody.

Do not be slothful in zeal. Be fervent in spirit.

Serve the Lord. We must believe these leaders

had to decide how to respond to Nehemiah, and you got to think

about their context. I mean, who's this new guy?

I mean, here's this new guy telling us what to do when we've

been here, some of us for decades, we've been here, we've

gone through it all. It ought to sound kind of

familiar. I mean, who's this new pastor

guy who talks about new normals who shows up here and talks to

us that how dare him talk to us this way?

Verse 18 says, and they said, let us rise up and build.

So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

Let us not let you not let me let us.

So they set their hands to do this good work this and and you

got to think this is no small commitment.

It's a big deal. There's a lot of work.

They had been there and they knew the reality of the extent

of the work that they were facing that and they had to

believe that. And so it would be long and it

would be hard and there would be those who oppose them.

It's a big part of the story. But they also knew it was time

to rise up and build. So will we struggle with

embracing commitment, especially to to something we know up front

will be long and will be difficult and will have built in

opposition? Because the problem is, in this

culture, we are conditioned as individuals to seek our personal

comfort. We are conditioned to seek our

personal autonomy. We're conditioned to seek our

personal rights. And we often do not know how to

work together. We often don't know how to

commit to a shared mission. We would rather follow our own

personal opinions and desires or let our emotional reactions to

something guide us rather than do what God wants.

So we might just need to pay attention to this story.

The hand of God was upon Nehemiah, and he knew he was

called to do this work. He believed in the God who

called him. And the same Spirit called each

one of us to join together and to rise up and to build this

body of Christ. He is our reason for unity, not

me, not you. He is our reason for unity.

He's our reason for cooperation as we move forward.

So we've got to decide to act upon His future for you and for

His Church. So decide today to rise up and

build together. But we know it's a fact.

Until He comes again. Until He comes again, we have an

enemy and He never sleeps. He never relents.

He never gives up. He never grows tired, He never

stops. He is an army against us.

Look at verse 10. But there's always one of those.

When Sambalit the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite servant

heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to

seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

They didn't like something new, they didn't like something

different. They didn't like something that

might challenge them. Verse 19 But when Sambal at the

horror night, and Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and guess him,

the Arab heard of it. They jeered at us and despised

us and said, what is this thing that you're doing?

Are you rebelling against the king?

Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper,

and we his servants will arise and build.

But you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.

Be burdened to engage in God's plan.

Appreciate the fact that there are going to be obstacles in the

way. Choose to embrace your purpose

and reject. Fourthly, any opposition to

obedience. Just reject it.

Rebuke it. Because among those who settled

in around Jerusalem during the exile, you got to recognize that

several forces moved into the area.

One of them is the governor of Samaria.

Symbolic. His name in Babylonian actually

means sin, the moon. God has given life.

That ought to tell you something about Him.

And then Tobiah, who is probably governor of the Persian

controlled Transjordan area and he's going to come into play

dangerously later because he's actually a relative of some of

the Jews in Jerusalem, including some of the priests.

He's going to try to pull inside jobs.

And then you've got you've got this Arab leader of Gesham who's

a leader of a confederacy of non Jewish groups around Palestine

and the Sinai. Now these folks normally would

be enemies, they'd all be fighting over the control of

this region, but now they had a common foe.

So they joined together and they, they were upset because

Nehemiah is coming in the power and the provision and under the

protection of the Persian king was huge and, and, and, and, and

we a public threat to their authority.

And, and they weren't happy about it.

As the King's personal cupbearer and bodyguard, he had the power

and the provision to fortify the city, which was the largest in

the region, which means they would seize control back of the

entire region. And they didn't like Nehemiah.

He wouldn't like the, he wouldn't like one of the

prophets. He wouldn't like these scribes

who'd been here before. They they could be easily

intimidated. These priests who showed up

earlier, some of them decades ago, they could be intimidated.

They could be forced to stop. The work took him forever to

build the temple, but this guy wouldn't like that.

This man was different and he scared him, but they still try

over and over again. We're going to see it.

We're going to make up a lot of the future portions of this

story because the enemy just will not give up that easily.

You've got to be warned. You've got to understand.

They begin mocking him by effort of the effort, and they mock

him. They actually threaten him later

with the king. But when?

Because when God is about to sweep in with revival, expect

opposition. Count on it.

When we move in the power, provision and protection of our

King, Satan will take notice. Just see what happens when

Christians are serious about their faith and allow it to

spill over into a community, into spiritual awakening, and

they allow it to truly dictate their actions.

You've got to expect the enemy to make every attempt to

distort, distort that or distract you from that.

He will mock, he will criticize what is happening.

He'll seek to discredit our leadership.

He'll, he'll, he'll seek to discredit our mission and

vision, just as he did when he tempted those to ridicule Christ

when he was on the cross. Just like he did on the day of

Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends and he says he people

are just drunk, just like he did with the Greek philosophers who

called Paul a babbler. He never gives up.

Or, or maybe when he tells you that you're not worth it, or he

tells you that they're not these people out here who are lost and

sinners are just not worth it. They're not worth my effort.

They're not worth my time. They're not worth it.

Or maybe when he tells you that you can't be forgiven for that

sin that nobody else knows about and and that you're too

worthless to be used by God, he'll tell you all kinds of

lies. Or that this church cannot be

built to become what God really has in his heart for us.

As one commentator writes, Satan's not concerned about a

Christian until he sees him crowning Jesus as Lord and

seeking to glorify Jesus through his life.

But here came a man who is different, a man of great faith

and a man of prayer. And he walked with God, and

God's hand was upon him. So listen to how he responds to

these critics. The God of heaven will make us

prosper, and we His servants will arise and build, but you

have no portion or right or claim.

The victory here in 2026 at Inglewood Baptist Church in

Rocky Mountain, North Carolina, United States of America, is the

Lord's. Anything that happens, anything

good that happens, he's going to produce the growth.

He's going to produce real transformation.

And I must grow in my faith in the God who has a perfect plan

and who's still orchestrating history, the same God

orchestrating history right now in 2026.

He'll lead the way. So Nehemiah rebukes him.

You have no claim. You have no right, You have no

place here. And so I just have to say out

loud, Satan, you have no portion.

You have no right. You have no claim here at

Englewood Baptist Church. You are a condemned serpent who

will burn forever in the fires of hell.

And I say it out loud because I know you're listening.

You have no place here. This is the body and bride of

Jesus Christ who has crushed your head, and the stage is set

and restoration can begin. If, if we as his people are

ready for what's next, are we really ready for revival?

I've shared this old African proverb with you more than once

in different contexts, but a tribal elder in a class I once

taught shared this old Swahili proverb that simply says if you

want to move a mountain tomorrow, you must move stones

today. What stone is the first stone

that has to be removed? What?

What obstacle must be rejected? Is it a hard heart?

Is it a closed mind? Is it a hidden sin?

Is it a root of past bitterness? Is it a lazy commitment?

Is it a refusal to serve? Is it a lack of faith?

Nehemiah believed so strongly. He believed that he sacrificed

his earthly position. He sacrificed his comfort.

He sacrificed his safety to pursue God's plan.

I love what Spurgeon once prayed.

Spurgeon once prayed. God save us from living in

comfort while sinners are sinking into hell.

Forgive us, Lord, what will we do?

What is the relationship between your faith and your actions?

How What does what you believe determine how you behave?

Mark Twain once wrote the secret of getting ahead, getting

started. So let's go.

It's time to rise up and build. So we're going to enter into a

time of response and commitment right now, right here.

We're going to sing, pastors are going to be here.

Our next steps room is going to be open.

I appreciated the fact there's the next steps table out in the

lobby. One of our young lady went right

to that table after the first service is talking about getting

baptized. What is God laying on your

heart? Salvation recommitment, baptism,

church membership, obedience. Prayers are a prayer request.

What must you give God this morning?

What, what removal must take place and what offering must you

bring to his altar? Faith, obedience, belief,

action. And as Pastor Charles mentioned,

we're also going to begin passing the offering plates as

part of our response time. Every single Sunday morning.

We have ushers who are going to be ready in just a moment.

In fact, I was talking to a Deacon, but well, actually, a

Deacon was talking to me yesterday morning.

They had an incredible workshop and and he was talking to me

about this moment. I was sharing this with him and

he reminded me of an important truth.

This is not simply some transactional time during which

we give something. This is intended to be a true

transformational time of worship, of submission, of

recognition, of dedication. So when that plate is in your

hand, whether you're putting anything in it or not

physically, when that plate is in your hand, I want you to

think about what is it that I must give God in 2026 in order

to be fully obedient members. You can still give online.

You can still stick your offering in in boxes around the

building. You can still do everything

you've normally done. But if you'd prefer, you can

also start giving every week in the offering plate.

But this isn't about the monetary offering you put in the

plate. It's about an act of worship.

It's about an act of recognition, the fact that, that

the ownership of my life, everything that I am, everything

that I possess already belongs to him.

And so whether I give a tithe or an offering as a member, it, it

needs to be an acknowledgement that that everything is his.

And we're just giving back a, a portion of what he's blessed us

with out of that complete recognition that he already owns

everything. So it's an, it's an act of

worship. It's an act of remembrance and

thankfulness and a celebration of His ownership.

So as the ushers come in, just a moment, we're going to pray

about what you can offer to God this morning.

Now, if you're our guest this morning, we don't expect you to

put any monetary offering in that plate at all.

If you want to put that Next Steps card in there, put prayer

requests in there, we'd love to collect them.

That way you can still put them in the boxes, give them to one

of us. So if you're our guest, just put

that card in there. We'd love to contact you and

talk more about what God's doing in your life.

So let's stand together right now.

Stand up. Our ushers are going to come.

I'm going to pray, we're going to sing.

Everything else will be like normal.

But as that plate's being passed, I just want you to ask

God, what can I give you? What part of me am I holding

back in 2026? Father, we're so grateful that

Father, we don't have to figure this thing called life out by

yourself. We don't have to do that,

Father. You're, you're, you're in US and

around us, and you want to help us if we know you.

So, Father, help us to embrace the plan you have for each of

our lives and for this church. I pray, Father, that you'll help

us to commit to live out the purpose you have for us.

Now, there may be some in this room right now, Father, some

listening online who recognize that they need to give you their

salvation. Father, they're not saved.

They've never trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

They need to believe this morning.

And I just pray, Father, right now in their heart of hearts,

they'll know that this is truth. And Father, they might come and

talk to us or someone in the Next Steps room about what it

means to be a Christian, what it means to be saved, what it means

to be a follower of Christ. Others saw that video, like in

the first service, they say I need to be baptized.

I just pray, Father, they'll come so we can talk about that.

What does it mean to be baptized?

What does that mean? Others need to come and

rededicate their lives. Others need to come to join the

church. Others just need to come and

pray. Whatever we need to surrender,

whatever we need to remove, help us to embrace your will.

Father, I pray that you'll bless this offering, that this

offering will be an act of worship.

Father, as we talk about as disciples, we must be good

stewards of what you've blessed us with.

I pray, Father, this act of worship will be an honor and

blessing to you and Father. It will be used, Father a

promise to further your purpose and your plan to Father be with

us now as we worship and we respond in Christ's name, Amen.