THE PLACE OF THE WALL.
-Defines an area ( delineates a territory)
-Sets boundaries
-Security
-Barrier
BROKEN WALLS
-Confusion of identity
-Unsure of boundaries
-Lack of standards.
-People make a thorough fare
-Animals , serpents can move in to bite (Ecclesiastes 10:8)
-Defenseless
-Lack of immunity
-Devastation/desolation
BROKEN WALLS IN THE FAMILY SYSTEM
-Removal of biblical standards/ redefinition of marriage and family
-Covenant/ contract. • A contract can be broken. If a person does not honor it, then there are clauses that allow you break the contract.
- Covenants are not meant to be broken, they are meant to last a lifetime. A covenant says you will honor your vows no matter what and you will not look for a way out.
- Contracts can specify that damages need to be paid if the other party is in the wrong.
- Covenants do not expect restitution.
- A contract can make you feel like the victim. It can have no thought to the other person. In a word, a contract can be selfish in nature, even if it is meant to serve as preservation.
- The marriage covenant is selfless in nature and not self-seeking. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
-Divorce / permanence
-Sacrifice vs what is in it for me?
-Separation of marital life from spiritual life
-Individualism in the family
-Materialism and pursuit of wealth
-Fading of values ( integrity, honesty, hard work, honor, dignity of labour)
-Apologetic about holy living, purity
-Cohabitation
The result is what we see in 2 Timothy 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
-Broken men and women
-Broken relationships
-Broken/ strange children
-Broken homes
HAC MISSION STATEMENT
To Spread the Gospel everywhere by means of Evangelism, Discipleship, Church planting, Missions, prayer and BUILDING STRONG FAMILIES.
POSERS
- How do we take back the families of the nation, of the World for the Lord?
- How do I myself build a strong family to fulfill the HAC Mandate of spreading the gospel?
- How do I build strong family relationships based on biblical principles of sacrificial love?
- How do I intentionally raise the next generation as children with a vision of strong family relationships and end time harvest?
NEHEMIAH’S RESPONSE / STRATEGY TO THE BROKEN WALLS OF JERUSALEM
KEY PASSAGES:
THE STATE OF JERUSALEM
-Great trouble and disgrace
-Laughing stock
-burnt gates (lack of beauty)
-Destroyed
NEHEMIAH’S RESPONSE
- He had a review of the state of Jerusalem. He sat down and wept. Can we review our family relationships in light of the gospel? What do we see? Are we dissatisfied with the status quo?.
Emotional response. This is where most of us stop when we have issues in our family. This will not solve the problem.
- He fasted and prayed for weeks. Not impatient unsustained prayer. He went to the king of kings first before going to Ataxerxes.
- He took action . Prayer is excellent BUT YOU MUST TAKE ACTION TOWARDS YOUR GOAL. – he had a plan of action. – he had a willing heart to go and repair
He went to Jerusalem and courageously undertook the task of repairing what was beyond repair. – he mobilized the people – so they began to build.
- OPPOSITION DID NOT HINDER HIM. Someone is benefitting from the weakness of your family relationship. – Satan benefits from the lack of coercion( power of unity, agreement power, multiplication, dominion). – Sanballat governor of Samaria and Tobiah were disturbed that someone has come to promote the welfare of the Israelites ( verse 10). – they mocked and ridiculed – were angry and incensed(4:1). – despised and insulted (4:3). – threatened to kill (4:11) – set up meetings against in Nehemiah 6.
HE SILENCED OPPOSITION AND ENCOURAGED THE PEOPLE TO BUILD.
- Nehemiah 4:22-23. Guards by night, workmen by day. Watch the unguarded hour. Neither I nor my builders nor my friends took off our cloths, each had a weapon even when we went for water. These are perilous times. You dare not take off your cloths. Be fully kitted. Put on the whole armour of God.
THE WALL WAS COMPLETED ON 25th October, 52 days to rebuild a wall that has been in ruins for 150 years.
There was a response in the camp of the enemy with the completion of the wall.
There was fear in the camp of the enemy.
There was loss of self confidence.
WE CAN TAKE BACK THE FAMILY
WE CAN BUILD STRONG FAMILIES BY RAISING THE THE POWER OF MODELLING.
KEY : ‘What your kids see you do as they grow up is what you will likely see them do when they are grown’
Parental MODELLING is powerful. Let’s model what we want to see in the children.
-Visible love for family and friends
-Truth honesty, integrity
-Right conflict resolution skills
-Appreciation
-Healthy expression of emotion including healthy anger. Anger is energy, you can spend it or invest it. Spending anger can lead to destructive actions such as emotional, verbal or physical abuse and destroy relationships.
-Model vibrant Christian life and faith in God
-Model evangelism
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
We can spread the gospel through MODELLING.
LETS RISE AND REBUILD THE BROKEN WALLS OF THE FAMILY.
LET’S BUILD STRONG FAMILIES BRINGING IN A HARVEST EVEN OF THE NEXT GENERATION.
