Coastal Church Podcast

<p>While many great theological and spiritual lessons can be drawn from the book of Nehemiah, this message focuses on the very practical leadership lessons that can be gleaned from studying the methods and outcomes of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is surely one of the Bible’s greatest leaders.</p>

<p>Proverbs 16:33 tells us that we may throw the dice, but God determines how they fall. God’s name is not mentioned in the Book of Esther, but behind the scenes God guides all that seems to happen by “coincidence.”</p>

<p>The classic parable of the Prodigal Son provides us with a glimpse into what a father’s love for a child should look like.</p>

<p>We too, must put first things first if we expect to see the blessings of God in our lives. Jesus clearly tells us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”</p>

<p>Andy Hawthorne, OBE is a British evangelist, author and founder of The Message Trust, a Christian mission organization based in Manchester, UK.</p>

<p>It is possible to succeed and be in the world, but not of the world.<br><br>It is easy to be overwhelmed today when the world presses in on all sides. Yet we have the words of Jesus in John 17:15, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”</p>

<p>God had tried everything to encourage the people to return to Him. After they had repeatedly broken the covenant, God could not continue to bless His people. God had to bring correction, but He would also give them a fresh hope for the future.</p>

<p>Our main character this week is King Hezekiah. He was the 13th of 20 kings of Judah, The Southern Kingdom. Hezekiah was one of few southern kings who attempted to follow God and return the people to loving and obeying Him. The Northern Kingdom fared much worse than Judah. They had no godly kings and, as a result, God allowed Assyria to conquer them and send the people into exile. This occurred in 722 B.C., during the period that Hezekiah reigned in Judah. During this time Isaiah and Micah were assigned by God to be prophets to the people in Judah. Both of these prophets saw beyond the present turmoil to the Messiah who would ultimately redeem mankind.</p>

<p>Guest Speaker Isak Pretorius from For Afrika shares a special Mother's Day Message.</p>

<p>In the book of Hosea, we read how God is trying to get Israel’s attention. They have wandered away from Him and taken other love interests. He repeatedly reaches out to them, but they are ignoring His calls as they enjoy the provision, He has given them.</p>

<p>Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” He chose to leave a healthy legacy by sharing his life through public service and today is remembered for his wit, wisdom, and insightful writings.</p>

<p>The greatest movies are based on a rescue theme. The epic stories in the Bible have a rescue theme. But the greatest rescue story of all is what we’re celebrating today – Easter.</p>

<p>If you understand what Jesus finished at the cross, you can understand Christianity and why we call today “Good Friday”.</p>

<p>As we study the life of Jesus, we discover that those who wrote about the life of Jesus focused on the last week of His life. They were saying that the most important part of who He was and why He came is revealed in the last week of His life. The words that describe the experiences of the week represent the ups and downs of emotion. We know them: hosanna, confrontation, betrayal, denial, trial, scourging, crucifixion, tomb. Then the most electrifying sentence ever uttered—”He is not here! He is risen!”</p>

<p>The divine mission of the nation of Israel is to point people to the upper story of God. Starting with Abraham, God creates the nation of Israel then moves them to the land of Canaan that He promised them, revealing to the watching nations along the way His nature, His love, His grace, and ultimately His plan for everyone to come back to God through the coming of Messiah.</p>

<p>Have you ever wondered why there is so much history in the Bible? One reason is for us to learn how God related with people. Bible personalities sometimes did the right thing and sometimes they messed up. Their history is recorded so that we can learn from their choices. Today we are going to draw wisdom from David’s mistakes.</p>

<p>Just as God saw David’s potential to be a king, God sees your potential and significance.</p>

<p>As we follow God in a broken world, remember He is at work in the upper story of our lives to keep us from falling and standing tall.</p>

<p>Ruth is a love story on several levels, but most of all it is a story that shows we are accepted and loved by God the Father.</p>

<p>In the book of Judges we find a repeating cycle of God rescuing and restoring His people after they rebel and refuse to acknowledge Him. We can only break this cycle of rebellion when we lived surrendered to Him.</p>

<p>God does not spare us from ongoing battles in our lives, but He promises victory when we fight according to His strategy.</p>

<p>In Chapter 6 of the Story, the Israelites finally reached the edge of the promised land at Kadesh-barnea, they sent out 12 spies to scout out the land. 10 of them came back with a negative report of fear because of the giants living in the land, while 2 of them came back with a positive report full of faith in God’s ability to give them the land, just as He had promised!</p>

<p>As the Israelites leave Egypt led by Moses, they are headed towards a new but unknown world, filled with great potential and great obstacles. God tells them that it is an abundant land, a land flowing with milk and honey, but there were giants. Moses is assured that they would be successful in the new land if they have one thing: His Presence.</p>

<p>Exodus gives us an account of how the Israelites as a covenant people were redeemed by God. It shows God’s powerful work in one nation in order that He might bring His blessing to all nations and make His name known.a</p>

<p>The account of Joseph gives us a spiritual lesson of destiny in the lower story and the upper story reveals God’s plan for mankind with the amazing parallels between Joseph and Jesus.</p>

<p>Despite the spiritual virus of sin that entered the world, God didn’t give up on humankind. His attention in the upper story was focused on a plan of restoration. He desired a people, a nation, to reflect His goodness and plan to redeem the world. He chose one man, Abraham, a man of faith, to be the patriarch of that special nation.</p>