Moving Forward / Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / Oct 6, 2024

Series: REBUILD

Text: Nehemiah 7:1-73

“Leadership is a dealer of hope.” – Napolean

Read 2 John 8

I. WATCHMEN

A. The Rulers

Read Nehemiah 7:1-2

  1. His
  2. His
  3. Their

B. The Rules

Read Nehemiah 7:3

II. WORKMEN

Read Neh 11:1-2

3 Things to Remember:

  1. Remember who you as a of God
  2. Remember who has gone before you in the of God
  3. Resolve to continue the of God in the time and place in which you are living

III. WORSHIP

Read Neh 7:70-72

 

 

“The Power of Perseverance”

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / Sept 29, 2024

Series: Rebuild

Text: Nehemiah 6:1-19

If we are ever going to do a great work for God, we must learn to persevere.

I. PERSEVERE IN THE FOLLY OF DISTRACTION 

Nehemiah 6:1-4

“If the devil cannot defeat us as a roaring lion, he will try to defeat us as an angel of light.”

“Distraction will halt a work for God or a life for God.”

II. PERSEVERE IN THE FALSEHOOD OF DEFAMATION 

Nehemiah 6:5-9

“Slander is a tool of Satan.”

“Since I cannot govern my own tongue within my own teeth – How can I hope to govern the tongues of others?” – Benjamin Franklin

III. PERSEVERE IN THE FEAR OF DANGER 

Nehemiah 6:10-14

“Just because someone claims to be a prophet – does not mean he or she is.”

Nehemiah was a man of discernment

How to Have Discernment

1. Get to know

2. Develop – Hebrews 5

3. The from the Holy Spirit – I Corinthians 12:10

“… be not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee. Yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

“Fear weakens your knees and stops you from the work of God.”

II Timothy 1:7 – “For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

“Worry doesn’t take the sorrow out of tomorrow. It just takes the strength out of today.” – Adrian Rogers

IV. PERSEVERE IN THE FACE OF DESERTERS 

Nehemiah 6:15-19

What wall has God called you to build?

What rebuilding needs to take place in your life?

 

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / Sept 22, 2024

Series: REBUILD

Text: Nehemiah 5:1-19

Nothing hinders God’s work like – division among God’s people

Read Nehemiah 5:1-5

“The most sensitive nerve in the human body is the nerve that runs from the heart to the wallet.”

I. THE FOLLY OF GREED

Philippians 2:2 – “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind. “

Financial bondage is not God’s plan for his people

Ten Ways to Determine Financial Bondage

  1. Uses because of lack of funds
  2. Puts off paying until next month
  3. to pay fixed expenses
  4. Unaware of how much you
  5. call you – past due bills
  6. Withdraw from to pay bills
  7. You make new to pay off old
  8. You with your mate over finances
  9. Think about being regarding your finances
  10. Finding it difficult to pay God’s to God’s house on God’s Day

Read Nehemiah 5:6-8

Money is a wonderful servant but a very poor master

Five Marks of the Bondage of the Rich

  1. Has more faith in his than in his God
  2. Has ambitions and goals in life which don’t square with the of God (Read 1 Tim 6:9-11)
  3. Has a burning desire to quick
  4. Compromised and obligations in order to make money
  5. Searches for reasons not to when God prompts his heart

“When you fear God, you fear nothing else. When you don’t fear God, you fear everything else.” Oswald Chambers

I Samuel 12:24 – Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. 

II. THE FREEDOM OF GREED

Five Principles to Give Freedom from Selfishness and Greed

A. PRINCIPLE OF PRIORITY – Read Nehemiah 5:14-15

Nehemiah is giving testimony to the fact that God was absolutely first in his life

“A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses don’t blow horns – they only shine.” D.L. Moody

Proverbs 3:9 – “Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.”

B. PRINCIPLE OF INDUSTRY- Read Nehemiah 5:16

The freedom of finances = W – O – R – K !

C. PRINCIPLE OF INTEGRITY – Read Nehemiah 5:16

Proverbs 28:20 – “…he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.”

D. PRINCIPLE OF GENEROSITY – Read Nehemiah 5:17-18

Here is a vital principle of financial freedom: the way to get is to give.

E. PRINCIPLE OF DEPENDABILITY – Read Nehemiah 5:19

We must depend on Him to have freedom of greed

 

Straightforward: Don’t Turn Right or Left

Sermon by Pastor Bob Johnson / Sept 15, 2024

Text: Proverbs 4:23-27

Introduction

Proverbs 4:1-2 “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.”

Proverbs 4:10 “Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.”

Pro 4:20 “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.”

Solomon concludes his plea for his son to get wisdom and to listen to his words in verses 23-27, which is our main text this morning.

Proverbs 4:23-27 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Straightforward – Don’t Turn Right or Left

Straightforward – Straightforward means going or directed straight ahead, direct, not roundabout or detour.

Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 

Proverbs 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.  

“What is wisdom?”

The dictionary defines wisdom as “the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting.” Knowledge, on the other hand, is “information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance.”

We are to walk in line with wisdom!

Job 28:28 “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”

1 Corinthians 1:24 “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

Therefore, to walk in line with wisdom is to walk with God. As Solomon pleads with his son to walk with God, to walk straightforward, he gives him two warnings.

Two Warnings

The two warnings are found in verse 25 and 27.

Proverbs 4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 

Proverbs 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. 

The verbs “look” and “turn” are in the Hebrew Jussive form, which means, these statements are commands in the third person indicating a warning to the subject and the influences.

#1 – Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Solomon was warning his son to look right on and to look straight.

Look Right On = Look intently at what is in front, to regard with care what is straightforward.

Look Straight = To be straight, in other words, your feet follow your eyes.

Solomon knew that if his eyes drifted from truth, he would drift from God.

#2 – Turn not to the right hand nor to the left

He is warning his son regarding all the distractions and temptations that could pull him away from wisdom.

It is easy for our eyes to get distracted and cause us to turn right or left.

Temptation also likes to get our eye’s attention.

So, there’s the warning, straightforward, don’t turn right or left. However, Solomon doesn’t give his son a warning without showing him how to follow the warning. Therefore, Solomon gave his son four commands that must be observed to go straightforward!

Four Commands (Imperatives)

These commands must be followed for you to go straightforward in your walk with God. You can’t neglect them, pretend to do them, or do them half-heartedly.

Here is the first command found in verse 23.

#1 – Keep thy heart with all diligence!

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Notice that the verse says, for out of it are the issues of life. This phrase is comparing the heart to a fountain of water.

Solomon is saying that if the heart is contaminated, the whole life is, therefore, guard your heart! First the fountain, then the streams; first the heart and then the life-course.

Is your heart alert to God’s voice?

Is your heart aligned with God’s Word?

Is your heart in tune with God’s Spirit?

Is your heart tender and soft or is it cold and hard?

Are you guarding your heart?

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

#2 – Put away a forward/perverse mouth!

Proverbs 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 

-Your eyes are the windows to your heart

-Your mouth is the expression of your heart

Solomon is saying, you must remove the rubbish before you build the building. Our words, our speech, our twisting or perversion of the truth is one of the first things that should be removed as we build our lives on God’s Word.

#3 – Ponder the path of thy feet!

The best time to ponder any path is not at the end or even in the middle but at the beginning of it.

Solomon is telling his son that he has a long path ahead of him, so he better ponder which path he will tread!

Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

#4 – Remove thy foot from evil!

Avoid all crooked ways. Be an upright, downright, and straightforward man. Avoid tricks, wiles, and deceptions of any kind. The evil of sin brings on the evil of punishment.

You become like those you hang around.

Solomon already warned his son to avoid evil men.

Proverbs 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 

Proverbs 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 

Proverbs 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 

Proverbs 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 

Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. 

Have you turned to the right or to the left?

Have you drifted?

Have you moved away from the straight path of wisdom?

What to Do This Week

-Evaluate your viewing habits. (Movies, shows, social media, time)

-Keep your eyes from drawing you away to the right or left.

-Thank God for something different in your life each day.

-It’s hard to covet what others have if you are thankful for what you have.

-Memorize Proverbs 4:23-27

-Hide God’s Word in your heart – alignment!

Here are a few sermon illustrations for Proverbs 4:23-27 that might inspire you:

  1. Your Heart:
  2. Paths:
  3. Matter:

These illustrations can help convey the practical wisdom found in Proverbs 4:23-27 in a relatable and engaging way. Do any of these resonate with you, or would you like more examples?

 

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / September 7, 2024

Series: REBUILD

Text: Nehemiah 4

One of the sharpest knives in Satan’s drawer is discouragement

Read Nehemiah 4:7-11

Our focus today: how to setup against a setback

I. THE CURSE OF DISCOURAGEMENT

Read Nehemiah 4:10

II. THE CAUSE OF DISCOURAGEMENT

A. Constant (Ref Nehemiah 4:10)

The most dangerous time of a work is halfway

B. Clutter of

“Life is hard by the yard. Life’s a cinch by the inch.”

C. Control of (Ref Nehemiah 4:11)

When we are overtaken with fear, the devil moves in for the kill.

D. Consistent (Ref Nehemiah 4:12)

Discouragement coming within the camp: it’s devastating

Things Nehemiah could have done: 1) nothing 2) panic 3) fear 

III. THE CURE OF DISCOURAGEMENT

Read Nehemiah 4:9

6 Steps Nehemiah took to cure discouragement

  1. He his people (ref Neh 4:13)
  2. He his people (ref Neh 4:14 / Isaiah 26:3-4)
  3. He his people (ref Neh 4:14)
  4. He his people (ref Neh 4:15, 16-18)
  5. He his people (ref Neh 4:19-20)
  6. He his people (ref Neh 4:21-23 / 1 Corinthians 15:58)

 

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / Sept 1, 2024

Series: REBUILD

Text: Nehemiah 3:1-32, Nehemiah 4:1-7

“When God chooses to do a great work, he raises up a man or woman who cares.”

I. THE WORK ASSIGNED

Focus: Nehemiah 3

A. The laborers

In Nehemiah 3, there are 48 individual workers named in the chapter, and 42 different groups are mentioned.

In 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, Paul compared individual Christians to members of the human body.

Every member is important.

Read Ephesians 4:12

Read Nehemiah 3:5

The most important ability in the work of God is availability.

B. The labor

“I like work, it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” Jerome K. Jerome

Read John 17:4

II. THE WORK ATTACKED

Focus: Nehemiah 4

Read Nehemiah 4:1-6

A. The attack on the work

Reasons why Nehemiah’s enemies laughed:

  1. The of the people 
  2. The of the task

Read Nehemiah 4:2-3

B. The appeal of the worker

  1. The (Nehemiah 4:4)
  2. The (Nehemiah 4:4-5)
  3. The (Nehemiah 4:6)

Read Romans 12:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / August 18, 2024

Series: REBUILD

Text: Nehemiah 2

I. INQUIRY

Nehemiah – a prayer warrior / prayed for 4 months 

Read Nehemiah 2:1-4

A. Dialogue

We must learn to do 2 things:

  1. and pray
  2. and pray

3 Statements from Scripture to Learn

  1. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord (Exodus 14:13)
  2. Sit still .. until you know how the matter will turn out (Ruth 3:18)
  3. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

“It is only the man with a crushing sense of burden and responsibility that God can trust with His work.” – Alan Redpath

“Prayer brings to pass things that would never otherwise occur.” – E.M. Bounds

B. Details

Read Nehemiah 2:5-8

Nehemiah was not only praying: he was planning.

A Four-Fold Answer

  1. He asked King Artaxerxes to appoint him governor of Judah – to rebuild the city walls
  2. He gave the king an approximate time he would return
  3. He needed letters of introduction that would guarantee safe travel
  4. He requested letters of authority that would provide materials to build the walls

II. INVASION

Read Nehemiah 2:10

The enemies that began their opposition: Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem

“The door of opportunity swings on the hinges of opposition”

III. INSPECTION

READ Nehemiah 2:11-16

Sometimes the most spiritual things we can do is … nothing.

A wise leader knows when to plan, when to speak and when to work.

IV. INSPIRATION

Read Nehemiah 2:17-20

A. His (Nehemiah 2:17)

B. God’s (Nehemiah 2:18)

C. Man’s (Nehemiah 2:19)

When God raises up a man or woman to do a work for Him, Satan always raises up those to hinder

  1. Scorning 
  2. Slandering 

Read Galatians 1:10

“Maturity is moving from a thin skin and a hard heart to a soft heart and a tough skin.” – Oswald Sanders

D. Our (Nehemiah 2:20)

 

Sermon title: “Who Cares”

Pastor Brent Snook / Aug 11, 2024

Series: REBUILD

Text: Nehemiah 1

The book of Nehemiah is about one man who cared.

He cared about his people, his people’s city and God’s glory.

The book of Nehemiah is all about rebuilding.

I. HE CARED ENOUGH TO BY

READ NEHEMIAH 1:1-3

II. HE CARED ENOUGH TO BY

READ NEHEMIAH 1:4

“No one builds a wall until he first weeps over the ruin.”  B.R. LAKIN

“There is no winning without warfare. There is no opportunity without opposition. There is no victory without vigilance.” ALAN REDPATH

III. HE CARED ENOUGH TO BY

READ NEHEMIAH 1:5-7

Several Qualities about Nehemiah’s Praying

A. PRAYER OF

B. PRAYER OF (see Nehemiah 1:6)

C. PRAYER OF

D. PRAYER OF (see Nehemiah 1:6-7)

E. PRAYER OF (see Nehemiah 1:9-11)

IV. HE CARED ENOUGH TO BY

READ NEHEMIAH 1:11

 

 

 

WALK IN FREEDOM

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / Aug 4, 2024

Series: Summer Walk – a study on Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4: 25-31

“The chains of habit are so light, you cannot feel them
Until they are so strong, you cannot break them.”

I. CARELESS CHAINS FOR SATAN’S STRONGHOLDS

Read Ephesians 4:25-31

5 Careless Chains of the Devil

A. LYING

Ephesians 4:25

Read John 8:44

God’s kingdom is built on truth

  • John 14:6 – “I am the way, the truth”
  • John 17:17 – “Thy word is truth”
  • I John 5:6 – “The spirit is truth”

B. ANGER

Ephesians 4:26

C. STEALING

Ephesians 4:28

Verse 28 involves 3 principles:

  1. Integrity – “Let him that stole, steal no more”
  2. Industry – “Let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good”
  3. Generosity – “That he may have to give to him that needeth”

“A rumor could travel halfway around the world before the truth could get its boots on.” – DL Moody

D. SPEECH

Ephesians 4:29, 5:4

E. BITTERNESS

Ephesians 4:30-31

II. CLEANSING CURE FROM SATAN’S STRONGHOLDS

3 steps to walk in freedom:

A. REPENTANCE (Eph 4:22)

B. RESISTANCE (James 4:7)

C. RENEWAL (Eph 4:23-24)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sermon by Pastor Jeff Moss/ July 28, 2024

Sermon series: Summer Walk – a study on Ephesians 4

Text: Ephesians 4:15-24

I. THE BALANCE – Verse 15

Jesus condemned the deceivers but was gracious to the deceived. He attacked the Pharisees and Sadducees but had pity on their victims. 

II. THE BIOLOGY – Verse 16

Biology proves that an out of balance connection between the head and the body  = problems in the body! 

III. THE BEFORE – Verses 17-19

  1. Our connection brings wisdom. 1Cor. 1:24 “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

 

Before Christ, man’s connection brings darkness (v 18) 

 

  1. Our connection lights our path. Pro 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

 

Before Christ, man walks in blindness (v 18) 

 

  1. Our connection gives us love. Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

 

Before Christ, man greedily harms themselves and one another. (v 19) 

IV. THE BETTER – Verses 20-24

Mark 9:42-47 “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:” 

“So, if you want to know the Lord Jesus Christ, you must live with him. First he must himself speak to you, and afterwards you must abide in him. He must be the choice Companion of your morning hours, he must be with you throughout the day, and with him you must also close the night; and as often as you may wake during the night, you must say, ‘When I awake, I am still with thee.’ ” (Spurgeon)

  1. In your interactions with other believers are you balanced in truth and love, or would you be considered harsh?
  2. Are you participating in cooperation with the head, or are you sending signals back to the head that are out of balance?
  3. Are you walking like the new creation who has removed the lifestyle of the “before” man and replaced it with the “better” man?