1. “Break Out at the Water Gate!”
Nehemiah 7 – 8:12

2. The United States of America have not been the same since Watergate have we?...

3. Nehemiah comes up with a plan to get these living stones in place
Nehemiah comes up with a plan to get these living stones in place. He wants their confidence not in the wall but in God…

4. What we’ll witness in chapter 8 is Ezra calling the people back to the Word of God, resulting in revival and leadership for future…

5. to learn revival comes through leaders preparing future leaders
Purpose:
to learn revival comes through leaders preparing future leaders

6. I A Renewed Hungering for the Word (8:1-2)
A. Terrible Famine for the Word

7. Amos 8:11-12

8. I A Renewed Hungering for the Word (8:1-2)
A. Terrible Famine for the Word
B. The U.S. Going Through a Famine

9. Our famine isn’t compulsory (although we believe the day is coming…); our famine is voluntary…

10. This happens every Sunday – God provides a spiritual feast every first day of the week yet on a percentage basis most choose NOT to partake!

11. II A Renewed Honoring of the Word (8:3-6)
A. Treating God’s Word as a Treasure

12. Story a man loved collecting old books
Story a man loved collecting old books. He was talking to a friend who had cleaned out…

13. Way too many churches are devaluing (i. e
Way too many churches are devaluing (i.e. compromising or cheapening) the Word of God…

14. II A Renewed Honoring of the Word (8:3-6)
A. Treating God’s Word as a Treasure
B. Ways These Jews Honored God’s Word

15. … from early morning until noon – for over six hours, Ezra read the Word and the, the people stood and listened!

16. My culture tells me “you’d better hide your emotions… unless it involves sports…”

17. …am saying there is a time to demonstrate to one another the joy, the thrill that comes from the power of God’s Word!

18. III A Renewed Humbling from the Word(8:1-2)
A. Brokenness is a Result

19. As these people realized their suffering, misery and pain was a direct result of their disobedience to God something happened…

20. III A Renewed Humbling from the Word(8:1-2)
A. Brokenness is a Result
B. Joy is a Result

21. Even though they had left God, God had not left them…

22. III A Renewed Humbling from the Word(8:1-2)
A. Brokenness is a Result
B. Joy is a Result
C. Obedience is a Result

23. The people realized they had a future and would be secure NOT because of a renewed wall, but because of God’s promise to stand by them…

24. Conclusion/Summary:
1. God’s Word will supply exactly what your life lacks…

25. 1 Peter 1:23

26. Conclusion/Summary:
1. God’s Word will supply exactly what your life lacks…
2. God’s Word will supply the conviction your life needs…

27. Hebrews 4:12

28. Conclusion/Summary:
1. God’s Word will supply exactly what your life lacks…
2. God’s Word will supply the conviction your life needs…
3. God’s Word will supply the celebration your life desires.

29. Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning
Elizabeth Barrett (famous poetess) was a semi-invalid as a girl. She was carefully cared for by her parents; especially her dad…

30. God can write, BUT if you and I don’t listen, nothing changes!
Conclusion/Summary:
God can write, BUT if you and I don’t listen, nothing changes!