Pastor Alan is on the road and you're invited. Check out pastorallen.org for more information. But if you live in the Carolinas, you're invited to a men's event in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on February 27th. And if you're in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, join us at the Epic Conference open to all in late February. Plus, catch Pastor Alan preaching at Sojourn Church in Carrollton, Texas on March 1st.
All the details at pastorallen.org. Hmm. Here's Pastor Alan Wright with today's blessing, a biblical, faith-filled vision for your life. In your losses, big and small, I bless your soul. To feel the compassion of the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort.
Those words from 2 Corinthians 1:3. I wish I could bless you with a promise of no affliction, no pain, no loss. No grief. But God offers no pledge of pain-free living. He offers something.
better. He offers his comfort. He comforts us in all our afflictions so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1, 4 through 5. His comfort is greater than your sorrow.
His grace is greater than your disappointment. His presence is greater than your grief. Be comforted, child of God. The Lord is near. Pastor, author, and Bible teacher Alan Wright.
I wish somebody had explained this to me when I was a teenager.
So I could have understood this. and let go of all that performance. and anxiety and stress that was churning inside that thought, I've got to be better and impressive in order to be loved and accepted. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light.
I'm Daniel Britt. Excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series Nehemiah, Dreamer, Builder, Warrior, as presented at Renolda Church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program, I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. For a limited time, this can be yours for your donation to Allen Wright Ministries. As you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer.
Contact us at pastorallen.org. That's pastorallen.org. Or call 877-544-4860. Again, by phone, 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program, but now let's get started with today's teaching.
Here. is Pastor Alan Wright. Mm. Look at all these things. I mean, they're all noble aspirations.
Nehemiah 10, 30, we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take the daughters for our sons. This is about we're not going to intermarry with the pagans. And they're saying we will not dilute our faith. And then in verse 31, and they made this of: if the peoples of the land bring in any goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. In other words, we will keep the Sabbath, even if it means we don't make as much money.
Look at verse 32. We also take on ourselves the obligation. to give yearly a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God. They're saying we will pay for the priest's work so that the ministry will flourish.
Well, that's a good one, actually. Nehemiah 10, 34, We the priests, the Levites, and the people have likewise cast lots for the wood offering to bring it into the house of God, to burn on the altar of the Lord our God as it's written in the law.
So they're going to roll the dice and, you know, your turn to bring in the wood this week, your turn to bring the wood next, because we've got to get the wood for the fire so we can have the fire at the altar burning so we can offer our sacrifices. And so let's take turns bringing it. We'll do that. Verse 35, we obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground, the firstfruits of all fruit of every tree year by year to the house of the Lord. Noble and wonderful aspiration.
They're saying we'll become more generous. We're not giving the leftovers anymore, but the firstfruits. In verse 37, and They pledge to bring to the Levites tithes from our ground. For the people of Israel, the sons of Levi, shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers. Look at this: we will not neglect the house of our God.
And we make an oath.
Now We got the temple rebuilt, our walls restored. We're going to take care of this place and ensure that worship is happening now and always. And they're all good commitments. But none of them worked. Not one of them.
In fact, if we jump over to chapter 13, you see the awful irony. It's almost just comical. Watch this, Nehemiah 13:4.
Now, before this, Eliashib the priest, this is the priest of Israel, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of God.
So they got the temple restored, they got the walls rebuilt, and they got the priests back in place, and he is related to Tobioph.
Now if you hadn't been with us or been to Nehemiah, let me remind you that Tobiah was one of the arch enemies of Nehemiah. He was a pagan who was totally against what Nehemiah is doing, and he's mentioned over and over along with two other co-conspirators. But the priest is now somehow related, probably through marriage, to the former enemy, and prepared for Tobiah a large chamber. meaning he built him an apartment in the temple.
So here's what happened in verse 7. That Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. He said, I discovered the evil that Eliaship had done for Debiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. What happened to we will not neglect the house of God? Verse 10 of chapter 13.
Nehemiah said, I also found out that portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so the Levites and the singers who did the work had fled each to his field. They weren't paying the priests anymore or the worship leaders, and so there's nobody. Leading the worship anymore, nobody tending to the ministry because they had to go back to farming. What happened to we're going to bring down the cars and we're going to bring the pain and pay? Verse 15, in those days he said, I saw in Judah people treading wine presses on the Sabbath, working, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and wines and grapes and figs and all kinds of load they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day so they could buy and sell their goods.
What happened to we will observe the Sabbath and we will not buy or sell on the Sabbath? Look at verse 23. And Nehemiah said, in those days, I also, y'all, this is the concluding chapter of Nehemiah. This is where this is how the story ends in here. And in those days, I also saw the Jews who had married the women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
And look at this. And he said, and half their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they couldn't speak the language of Judah. He's saying they had not only intermarried, but they'd started having children. And in short order, they were raising kids who didn't even know Hebrew or Aramaic anymore because they were so pagan, they were just speaking the language of the Ammonites. What happened if we will not marry people of different faiths and dilute our faith?
And verse 28. And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashab, the high priest, Was son-in-law of Sambalot. The Horonite.
Well, Sombalot was the main worst foe to Nehemiah, who directly opposed the will of God, who conspired to kill Nehemiah, who wanted to stop the work by trickery. He is the worst guy in the story, and his daughter is married to one of the sons of the son of the high priest of Israel. In other words, the story of Nehemiah ends with the people sinning more than they did. before their revival. And their oath with a curse.
had backfired on them. Isn't that interesting? What does Nehemiah do about all this?
Well, he does what you have to do if you've got the law. He ramps up the law and ramps up the punishment. It's almost comical.
So here's what happened. When he found out a former enemy was living in the temple, look at verse 8. It says, And I was very angry, and I threw out the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber.
So Nehemiah comes in and he's like, What in the world? They've given Tobiah an apartment in the very temple. He goes in there, he starts grabbing the stuff himself, throwing chairs out, throwing things out. He's going crazy. And in response to the failure for them to bring their tithes and offerings, He appointed some enforcers and some accountants.
Verse 13: I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shalamiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Bediah of the Levites. For they were considered reliable. Their duty was to distribute to their brothers. He's like, people aren't paying their tithes. Establish a committee that forces them to.
In response to the violation of the Sabbath, Look at this. Verse 19. As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And then I stationed some of my own servants at the gates. We're going to observe this Sabbath by God.
I don't care if it kills us to do it. I'm putting some people out there. We're going to have guards at the gate. Nobody's going to be buying and selling here. And then, when some of the merchants nonetheless camped outside the walls, hoping to still be able to sneak in and sell stuff on the Sabbath, this becomes just comical.
Now Nehemiah, this great leader. He says, verse 22, but I warned them and I said to them, Why do you lodge outside the walls? If you do so again, I'll lay my hands on you. And from that time, they didn't come anymore. Nehemiah, I'm going to come out to you and beat you up.
And then if you really want to get a laugh, See? Look what happened when he responded to finding out people were intermarrying people of other faiths and they were diluting their faith and all that. Verse 25 said, I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. Beautiful. What?
And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, you shall not give your daughters to their sons. He cursed them and beat them and pulled out their hair. What is going on? Yeah. Yeah.
And he made him make an even stronger oath. Because I'm saying, beloved, I hope you're seeing this: that if you think you're going to be a better person by living under the law, and the threat of punishment if you don't keep it. Which includes any sort of vow you make in your heart. That says, I'll be a better person so other people and God will love me more. Any sort of oath that you make in your heart that turns it all back to your performance as if that's the basis of how you're going to be joyful in this world.
I wish somebody had explained this to me when I was a teenager.
So I could have understood this. and let go of all that performance. and anxiety and stress That was churning inside that thought, I've got to be better and impressive in order to be loved and accepted. Because any form of that is law-based living. And if you want to live under that, what will happen?
Is when it doesn't work, you'll find yourself just ramping it up. with more threats of punishment. and more commitment. and it leads into more anxiety. That's Alan Wright.
And we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series. Parents, are you ready for some good news? You can have a low-pressure, high-expectation home by God's grace. If you want your children to be their best without hounding, threatening, or pressuring them, there's good news. God's grace works in parenting.
Shame and pressure offer only fleeting motivation while creating long-term, toxic anxiety in a child's heart. But children thrive in the environment of grace.
Now, for the first time, Alan Wright has joined with his wife Ann to produce eight video sessions that blend humor, deep gospel insights, and loads of practical advice to equip parents and grandparents to raise their children in homes filled with grace and blessing. Use the videos for personal growth with your spouse or with your small group. The DVD album comes with a detailed study guide as well. When you make your gift this month, we'll send you the DVD album as our way of saying thanks for your partnership. Make your gift today and start raising kids by the power.
Of the gospel. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Allen Wright Ministries. Call us at eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty.
That's eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. Or come to our website, pastorallen.org. Today's teaching now continues. Here once again is Alan Wright. A perfectly good revival.
under Nehemiah's leadership has now been ruined. by a bunch of oaths. That could never work. No, I thought it was mine. Hack upon a couple ironies about this.
The first is: did you notice God never asked him to make these oaths? He never asked him to sign this document. I think God was enjoying their fellowship, enjoying them having joy and peace, enjoying them experiencing love in their fellowship, enjoying their celebrative spirit, and enjoying the fact that they had discovered that the joy of the Lord could be their strength. Never thought that They just weren't thinking that maybe God doesn't want us to be putting ourselves under a bunch of laws and oaths. Maybe they just forgotten the prophecy that came from Hosea.
long before Nehemiah's day, A prophecy that Jesus loved so much that he later quoted it to the oath-making Pharisees. Matthew 9, go and learn what this means. I desire mercy. It's my favorite Old Testament word. I talk about it all the time.
Chesed. It means covenantal love. It means Relational love. It means I desire the kind of love that's expressed when there aren't a bunch of conditions attached. I love it, he says, when there is just love in relationship.
I desire chesed. not sacrifice. Not law. He might as well have said, I love grace. not law.
And did you also notice this irony? as I've been pointing to it. They interrupted Authentic joy. Authentic spiritual renewal. and interrupted their exaltation of God.
with an oath. They were already in the power for extraordinary living and forfeited it. They exchanged the joy of the Lord being their strength. for oath and curse becoming their strength. And there's stories like this all through the Bible.
It's fascinating to me. Like God just keeps dropping these stories in where people do this exact same thing. Most notably in my mind is Jacob. Who is just one of my favorite characters because Jacob. is always struggling to try to understand grace.
And Jacob has stolen his brother's blessing, and he's running because he's afraid his brother's going to murder him, and he's in a lot of strife. And God is so gracious to Jacob that he appears to him. And he appears and shows him in a vision a ladder. A dream that's so real to Jacob, he knows that it was God. And in this dream or vision, he sees this ladder and it connects heaven and earth.
And they're angels, they're messengers of God ascending and descending on it. And the message is clear to Jacob. God is saying, I really am with you. and your life is not just of this earth. but is connected to heaven.
And I've got purposes at work. If you've never had God show you that personally. If you've never Had the savor of that kind of moment with God. I pray even today you do. Because in it There's just joy.
It's one thing for a preacher or a friend or a parent to tell you God loves you. and has a wonderful plan for your life, but boy, it's special. if God just somehow shows you himself. And that happened for Jacob. His strife filled man And then look what happened.
Jacob awoke from his sleep, After this vision, and said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. And then verse 17, strange it said, and he was afraid. Afraid what? God? Afraid of Losing this feeling?
Afraid of not being a good enough person? He was afraid. And said, How awesome is this place? This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
So early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he put under his head and set it up for a pillar and put it. poured oil on top of it. and he called the name of that place Bethel. And Jacob made a vow. Saying, if God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear.
So that I come again to my Father's house in peace. If God will do all these things and keep up his inner bargain, he said, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone was which I've set up for a pillar. Shall be God's house. And of all you give me, I'll give a full tenth to you.
As if God is sitting up in heaven. Going, wow, gee, thanks, Jacob. What I always wanted. a rock anointed with some oil to be my house. And you really mean that?
If I just keep on blessing you and appearing to you and providing for you, you really mean that? You'll make me be your God. And you'll give me a full tenth of everything I've given to you? Wow, Jacob, you are so incredible. I've just been waiting for this day.
Alan Wright, our good news message today: How to Ruin a Good Revival from the series on Nehemiah. They stay with us, Pastor Alan is back, joining me in the studio, sharing his parting good news thought for the day. in just a few moments. Unlock the power of blessing your life. Discover God's grace-filled vision for your life by signing up for Alan Wright's free daily blessing.
If you want to fill your heart with grace and encouragement, get Alan Wright's Daily Blessing. It's free and just to click away at pastorAllen.org. I don't want to pressure my kids and I sure don't want to shame them, but I do want them to try hard and be all they can be. That's the desire of every well-meaning parent. For over a decade, Alan Wright has been teaching all over the nation about the toxic effects of shame and the amazing power of the gospel of grace to heal and set free.
Now, for the first time, Alan has been joined by his wife Ann to produce a video series about shame-free parenting. It's called Good News for Parents: Raising Grace-Filled Kids in a Pressure-Filled World. The eight DVD video sessions are chock full of humor, deep gospel insight, and loads of practical advice. Use them for personal growth or with your spouse. They're also perfect for use in your small group.
The DVD album comes with a detailed step-by-step study guide as well. When you make your gift this month, we'll send you the DVD album as our way of saying thanks for your partnership. Make your gift today and start raising kids by the power of the gospel. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give to day, we will send you to day's special offer.
We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Allen Wright Ministries. Call us at eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. That's eight seven seven five four four forty eight sixty. Or come to our website, pastorallen.org. Back here now with Pastor Alan in the studio.
Well, what a title from a good gospel preacher here. How to ruin a good revive. What is this? A reverse psychology, Pastor? Yeah, exactly.
Exactly. This is the sermon of what not to do. Exactly. And the bottom-line answer to that, as we're seeing, is don't start. making a bunch of law that Have to come in and start ruining the very grace by which you were saved.
And I think we we all have s for every reason, Daniel, a tendency That we get saved gloriously by the grace of God and we're filled with the Holy Spirit. And there's something in us that feels like, okay, Now we need to. Start trumpeting our commitment and make it about about my commitment to God. You're saved because of God's commitment to you. Revel in that, live in that, and don't feel a need to ramp up law and the fear of punishment as if that's what's going to sustain you.
The same grace that saved you sanctifies you. Thanks for listening today. Visit us online at pastorallen.org or call 877-544-4860. That's 877-544-4860. If you only caught part of today's teaching, not only can you listen again online, but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox free.
Find out more about these and other resources at pastorallen.org. That's pastoralan.org. Today's good news message is a listener-supported production of Alan Wright Ministries.
