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Weimar University

Don Mackintosh

Dealing with Distractions

Well, let's just pray together, ask Lord to bless us before we open his word.

Father in heaven, thank you today that you want to grab our ears today and you want us to have an ear to hear what you're saying to us individually and corporately.

We do ask that our ear would be turned and open to you.

Okay, we've been studying the book of Nehemiah.

And in the first chapter, we found Nehemiah, that ancient cupbearer, a layperson, but a well-positioned layperson, who got a report from his brother that God's project, his temple, was not going forward as planned.

There were, the walls were being broken down, the gates were burned with fire, and he was very upset about this.

In fact, he had almost what you would think an over emotional reaction when you read chapter 1.

I mean this guy hears, we watch the news all the time and we don't come home and cry about the news, maybe we're desensitized.

But he heard the news and he just was crying.

And he was planning, he started fasting and praying, He had a personal revival that came into his life as a result of the great need he saw around him.

This led to corporate conviction and revival of Israel.

And finally he shared his vision with the rest wisely at the right time and they were all convicted.

So his personal revival led to chapter 2, a corporate conviction and revival in Israel.

And then in chapter 3 there was a reformation that came because revival without reformation is dangerous causes fanaticism and prayer without some kind of activity is useless and can cause you become self-focused neurotic suspicious wrapped up in yourself So personal revival led to corporate revival, which led to corporate reformation, the rebuilding of the gates that had been drowned.

Remember when we studied the gates in chapter 3?

There was the sheep gate, acceptance of Jesus into the life.

No sooner have we accepted Jesus than we want to share with others.

When we find people that do not want to share Jesus with others that means they probably have not accepted Jesus or know him as they should.

Because once you accept and know Jesus as you should you are going to share Jesus and You can't be stopped from sharing.

People are going to have to say, please don't share that anymore.

How many of you have that being a problem where you are?

I remember I was called in when I was revived earlier in my experience, I worked in this emergency room and I always had my Bible with me, sitting right next to my chart.

And I tried to act as questionable as possible.

In other words, I wanted people to ask me questions.

Because if I started talking, I'd get in trouble.

But if they asked me a question I was just responding to their question.

My supervisor calls me and she goes, do not answer any more questions.

And she actually told the staff, don't ask him a question.

So as soon as we accept Christ, then we want to share Christ.

And We want to use the old gate, stand in the way and see and ask of the old path where the good way is and walk in it and you will find a rest for your soul.

We want to lead people back to see the organic unity between the old and the new.

The deuteronomos, second giving of the law.

We want them revived based on the foundations that have already been laid.

So we don't have young people's church and old people's church.

So repairing the sheep gate, the fish gate, the old gate, the valley gate.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

This is where the sacrificial services were.

This is where Jesus was obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.

So repairing the valley gate, spending time studying Jesus, the self-sacrificing Jesus.

And then the dung gate, cleansed on the basis of God's promises.

How many glad for a church that has a cleansing message?

How many of you glad for a church that has a cleansing message?

How many of you are glad for a church that has a cleansing message?

Restoring the dung gate, the fountain gate filled with the Holy Spirit, the water gate, that's where Ezra stood right next to that gate, as he led a revival with the water of the washing of the Word, studying God's Word.

Can't run with the footmen, how will you run with the horses?

Personal revival is going to lead to corporate conflict with the devil and we need our horses.

Singing to the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and rider thrown into the sea.

How many want to be a mighty church that's unified, not separated for battle?

And then the East Gate or Golden Gate, preparation for the Second Coming as lightning comes from the East to the West.

And then back to the inspection or judgment gate.

We live in the hour of His judgment, and we need to preach that His coming is soon.

It's message number 1233 angels' messages preparing for Jesus' return.

Isn't it amazing that in Nehemiah 3, it actually is a complete plan for revival and reformation?

How many of you want to go back to those gates, See those gates repaired in your own life.

And as I mentioned in the first hour that I preached this morning, which was a sermon that I didn't know I was going to preach, but I felt convicted to preach about vaccinations and no vaccinations.

So if you want to watch that, that'll be some afternoon edification for you, hopefully edification.

And I was encouraged by the text messages I've received already from that message, from people that are pro-vax and people that are no-vax.

If I'd only gotten text messages from 1 side of that equation, I probably would be hiding in the back room.

So this personal plan of revival and reformation that's outlined in chapter 3, when you actually enter into personal revival and personal reformation, the devil is going to come after you.

And all who live godly lives in Christ Jesus will in fact suffer persecution.

Blessed are you when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you, falsely rejoice and be exceeding glad for so persecuted they are prophets before you.

When I used to be in charge of an evangelism school, which I still consider this school an evangelism school, although some people sometimes get confused about that.

If it's not an evangelism school, it shouldn't even be a school.

If it's not a Bible school, it shouldn't even be a school.

Everything we do should be based on God's Word, yes or no?

Anyway, all who live godly lives, I would tell my students, they'd go out, look, everybody was rude to us, they slammed the door on us, they did this, they did that, I was going, let me read you the Beatitude.

Because when you're out trying to use by God to bring a reformation and revival, you're going to get attacked.

Whether in your home or in the community.

I think I mentioned several weeks ago, I'm giving a Bible study on Daniel 7, this dog comes over and starts to urinate on my leg.

I was not really, I said, I expect it, because every single time I study Daniel 7 with somebody, something bizarre happens.

1 time I was studying Daniel 7 with somebody, and a picture fell off the wall, right when I was talking about the little horn.

When the dog was urinating on my leg and my shoe, The lady goes, oh, I'm so sorry.

I said, yes, but then we're going to forget everything we just studied.

You see, because when you're doing something for God, the devil tries to distract.

I said, by the way, I've never seen the dog before.

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Dealing with Distractions

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