An unexpected transformation, unexpected failure, and God's grace all the way home | Genesis 33
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
‘If he had not cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” we would have howled out that hideous complaint in the lowest hell for ever’ - John Flavel | Mark 15:34
Encountering God
Our biggest need in life is to encounter God, a real encounter with God will leave us changed, and encountering the real God brings blessing | Genesis 32
Preparing to Build
To rebuild you need: the hand of God on you, to be ready to step out in faith, to be prepared for opposition | Nehemiah 2
Praying for Revitalisation (2)
The confidence in which he comes. the promises he claims and the action to which he commits. Though while Nehemiah is a great example in prayer, we are not him in this story - we are the sinful, helpless remnant in Jerusalem being prayed for in the throne room of the king | Nehemiah 1:8-11
Praying for Revitalisation (1)
As Nehemiah prays for revitalisation we see the God to whom he prays and the sin in which he shares | Nehemiah 1:5-7
The Great Escape
We believe ‘that this Church cannot fail, nor be annihilated, but must endure forever’ (Waldensian Confession of 1655) | Genesis 30:25 - 31:55
Weeping over the ruins
“No man will do worthy work at rebuilding the walls who has not wept over the ruins” – Alexander Maclaren | Nehemiah 1:1-4
Our Disappointment and God's Purpose
Jacob, Leah and Rachel all experience bitter disappointment - and yet God is at work through it all | Genesis 29:21 - 30:24
A Time to Build
An introduction to the book of Nehemiah and its relevance to us as life begins to return towards normality after Covid | 2 Chronicles 36 ; Ezra 1:1-5 ; Nehemiah 1:1-4