Leadership: Learning From Nehemiah

Speaker: Toby Soechting

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:16

INTRODUCTION:

1. In 1921 B.C. God made a promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3).
2. Approx. five hundred  years later, Israel was a great nation (Josh. 21:43-45).
3. Around 1931 B.C. Rehoboam divided the kingdom (2 Ki. 17).
4. In 722 B.C. Israel was taken into captivity by the Assyria.   Judah was taken captive by Babylon in 586 B.C.
5. In 536 B.C. Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland, at which time Zerubbabel began a twenty year process of restoring the temple in Jerusalem.
6. Ninety one years later (445 B.C.) under the leadership of Nehemiah the walls of Jerusalem were restored in 52 days.  The city was secure.

DISCUSSION:  AN EXAMINATION OF NEHEMIAH’S LEADERSHIP REVEALS --

I. GOD’S PEOPLE MUST CARE (Neh. 1:1-4; 2:10).

II. GROWTH REQUIRES PLANNING (Neh. 2:12-16).

III. OTHERS NEED OUR ENCOURAGEMENT (Neh. 2:18).

IV. CRITICISM IS NOT ENOUGH TO STOP A LEADER (Neh. 2:19-20).

V. EVERY MEMBER HAS A JOB TO DO (Neh. 3).

VI. EVEN IF OTHERS REFUSE TO WORK, A LEADER WILL NOT QUIT (Neh. 3:5).

VII. WE SHOULD NOT GO LOOKING FOR A FIGHT BUT SHOULD BE READY JUST IN CASE (Neh. 4:7,8).

Conclusion: Nehemiah led the people to do in fifty two day, what had been delayed for nearly one hundred years.  Are there things being needlessly delayed in my life?

Leadership: Learning From Nehemiah

Leadership: As A Man Thinks In His Heart - Part 2

Speaker: Toby Soechting

Scripture: Proverbs 23:7

INTRODUCTION:

1. “Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” (Proverbs 23:6–7) 
2. “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:9–10)  

DISCUSSION:  KNOWING MY DESTINY IS SO CLOSELY CONNECTED TO MY THOUGHTS, TODAY, I “THINK” --I. I WILL LEAD.

1. I will forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead. (Phil. 3:12)
2. I will remember to be a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).
3. I will do the good works for which I am created in Christ (Eph. 2:10).
4. Life’s circumstances will never defeat me nor destroy me (2 Cor. 4:7-10).

II. I WILL LOVE.

1. Without it, my actions are little more than clanging cymbals (1 Cor. 13:1).
2. Without love, it does not matter how much I know (1 Cor. 13:2-3).
3. Love never fails (1 Cor. 13:4-8).

III. I WILL LAST.

1. “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8) 
2. “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10, NKJV) 

IV. I WILL LEAN.

1. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;” (Proverbs 3:5, NKJV) 
2. ““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:31–33) 

V. I WILL LIMIT.

1. “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control…” (2 Peter 1:5–6, NKJV) 
2. I will be filled with a diet of spiritual fruit, instead of physical lusts (Gal. 5:16-26).

VI. I WILL LAUGH.

1. “A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;” (Eccl. 3:4) 
2. “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.” (Prov. 17:22) 
3. “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.” (Philip. 2:17–18) 

VII. I WILL LIVE.

1. Paul only knew two days—today and “the day.”
2. “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:16)
3. Today, I will avoid the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:12-13).
4. I will take up my cross daily (Lk. 9:23). 

Conclusion:  Our thoughts will eventually become our destiny.  As we think in our hearts, so shall we be. So… whatcha thinking?

Leadership: As A Man Thinks In His Heart - Part 2

Leadership: As A Man Thinks In His Heart - Part 1

Speaker: Toby Soechting

Scripture: Proverbs 23:7

INTRODUCTION:

1. “Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” (Proverbs 23:6–7) 
2. “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:9–10)  

DISCUSSION:  KNOWING MY DESTINY IS SO CLOSELY CONNECTED TO MY THOUGHTS, TODAY, I “THINK” --I. I WILL LEAD.

1. I will forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead. (Phil. 3:12)
2. I will remember to be a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).
3. I will do the good works for which I am created in Christ (Eph. 2:10).
4. Life’s circumstances will never defeat me nor destroy me (2 Cor. 4:7-10).

II. I WILL LOVE.

1. Without it, my actions are little more than clanging cymbals (1 Cor. 13:1).
2. Without love, it does not matter how much I know (1 Cor. 13:2-3).
3. Love never fails (1 Cor. 13:4-8).

III. I WILL LAST.

1. “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8) 
2. “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10, NKJV) 

IV. I WILL LEAN.

1. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;” (Proverbs 3:5, NKJV) 
2. ““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:31–33) 

V. I WILL LIMIT.

1. “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control…” (2 Peter 1:5–6, NKJV) 
2. I will be filled with a diet of spiritual fruit, instead of physical lusts (Gal. 5:16-26).

VI. I WILL LAUGH.

1. “A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;” (Eccl. 3:4) 
2. “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.” (Prov. 17:22) 
3. “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.” (Philip. 2:17–18) 

VII. I WILL LIVE.

1. Paul only knew two days—today and “the day.”
2. “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:16)
3. Today, I will avoid the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:12-13).
4. I will take up my cross daily (Lk. 9:23). 

Conclusion:  Our thoughts will eventually become our destiny.  As we think in our hearts, so shall we be. So… whatcha thinking?

Leadership: As A Man Thinks In His Heart - Part 1

Let Us First Ask God

Speaker: Toby Soechting

Scripture: Judges 1:1-8

INTRODUCTION:

1. Before his death, Joshua reminded the people of grave consequences that would follow along the path of disobedience (cf. Josh. 24:20). 
2. Upon the death of Moses, Joshua was named as successor.  At the death of Joshua, no one was named (Josh. 1:1)!

DISCUSSION:  
I. THE BEST STEP TO DETERMINE WHERE AND HOW TO GO IS TO FIRST ASK GOD.

• Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, “Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?” (Judges 1:1)

II. COOPERATION WITH OTHERS IS KEY.

• “And the LORD said, “Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.”   3 So Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me to my allotted territory, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I will likewise go with you to your allotted territory.” And Simeon went with him.”   (Judges 1:2,3)

III. EVERYONE HAS A JOB TO DO.

• “And Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah.” (Judges 1:17)

Conclusion:  Israel sought the counsel of God because she was concerned about losing her inheritance (promised land of Canaan).  Being in possession of better promises ( Heb. 7:22, 8:6, 12:24) let us include God’s counsel as we labor steadfastly for our Lord.

Let Us Ask God First