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P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-E-S 3: Resist & Input


by Pastor Davis on January 19, 2014

Text: Nehemiah 6:3

We began the New Year trying to creatively define the meaning of stewardship. We have used the word PRIORITIES as an acrostic. We started by Prayer, then Review, and last week we looked at stewardship as an Investment, and how we must Order our lives starting with the things that matter the most. This week we are called to take bold steps in making sure we are being the best stewards possible. Notice:

Resist. Nehemiah was the leader in charge of the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after the city was destroyed by the great king Nebuchadnezzar. Nehemiah faced many distractions to his work. Perhaps the hardest to resist were the urgent demands by his enemies to come down and meet with them. He had spoken to them once before in Nehemiah 2:19-20 and realized that any further talking was a waste of both his time and breath. Nehemiah was engaged in a great work. He didn’t have time to be bothered with lesser things!

  1. Resist the temptation to follow ___________________________. Regardless of where you are in the season of life, you are on the wall, adding to your section of the whole!
  2. Resist the temptation to seek __________________________________. Jesus said that we should pick up our cross daily. Anything less than fully embracing the cross will pull you off the wall and hinder your influence with others!
  3. Resist the temptation to serve _____________________________. Are you proving that your God is holy, sovereign, and central to your life… Serving the “Living God” will ensure that you keep your footing as you labor on your section of the wall!

Input. Seeking input from others is a vital instrument to help us determine God’s priorities for various seasons of our lives. Seeking and heeding godly counsel is a mark of humility. Author Steven Scott shares what he calls “The Consequences of ‘Going It Alone’:

  1. Your plans and purposes will be frustrated. Proverbs 15:22 “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisors bring success.”
  2. You will fall. Prov. 11:14 “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisors.”
  3. You will experience financial loss and personal humiliation. Prov. 13:18 “If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace…”

One of the key benefits in having the input of godly balanced people in your life is that you will accomplish your dreams, goals, plans and objectives according to Proverbs 20:18 “Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.”