Determination makes the differance! Determination makes the differance!
I would like to start our time together this morning by asking you a question. My intent is
not to embarrass anyone, so please don’t raise your hands, but rather answer this question
in your own heart. The question is, “Am I willing to live my life for Jesus Christ,
regardless of the cost, regardless of what obstacles may come at me and regardless of the
opposition that I am sure to face?” Are you willing to live the new life that God has in
store for you, putting behind you the old ways and the old habits and striving toward that
which God has planned for you? Do you sit here this morning with the determination or
the “stick-to-itiveness” that it will take, because you know what God brought you out of,
what HE purchased you out of with the payment of the death of His son Jesus Christ on
the cross.
Our focal passage this morning is short and is found in Nehemiah 6:15-16;
“so the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. And it
happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these
things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this
work was done by our God”
Over the past several weeks we have been looking at the book of Nehemiah from various
points of view, but I feel that this is the most powerful one yet. Why? Because of that
first part of our scripture for today, “so the wall was finished”.
Nehemiah found himself living a privileged life as the cup bearer to the great king
Artexerxes, giving advise to the king when asked, participating in meetings of all types
and as the cupbearer was even responsible for the safety of the king. While this life was
great in comparison to standards of the time, he was simply going about his daily tasks and
living a fairly uneventful existence. In fact, I think that Nehemiah is a lot like many of us
here this morning in that, we go to work everyday, day in and day out, but not really
believing that we have found our purpose in life, God’s purpose in our life. Nehemiah
probably felt this way. But then God intervened and asked Nehemiah to give up his good
job to go and do a hard job in the building around Jeruselam.
Is there anyone in the room today that has been tempted to quit anything? I am sure that
Nehemiah was tempted to quit at every step along the wall building project, but he didn’t.
He kept going regardless of what oppostion came at him. This is a great picture of
determination.
How many diplomas have been earned because of determination? How many court battles
won, because of determination? How many addictions conquered because of
determination? How many musical pieces written, how many cures for diseases found,
how many marriages built strong due to determination? What faithfulness to God kept,
because of determination?
This determination is not common as most do not have what it takes to complete the
tasks that God has called them too. As a matter of fact we find in the bible that out of 400
leaders mentioned, only 80 finished well. Most did not as most do not have what it takes
to cross the finish line.
Barna says that most New year’s resolutions last only 17 days. We just don’t stick to
things very well these days. There is a lack of, a void of, a chasm of determination. But I
don’t want to dwell on defeats this morning, I want to talk about the victories! We will
study some inspriration, learn some applicaton and then we will be done.
Dr. Beck Wethers attempted to climb Mt Everest in 1987 along with many other people.
This was, and is a monumental task as it takes three months, averages $50,000 in cost and
only 1 in 4 ever reach the summitt. For every 17 that reach the summit, one dies. Dr
Wethers and a companion were stranded high up in 30 -50 below 0 temperatures, 50-60
mile per hour winds and a blinding snow storm. By the time that the rescuers found them
the lady had dies and Dr. Wethers showed no signs of life, had ice over his face and they
assumed he was dead. Before they could get the two bodies off of that area of the
mountain the weather turned even worse and the rescuers had to retreat to a base camp
futher down the mountain. A revived Dr. Wethers came to and began to snake his way
down the mountain to the camp. He was snow blinded, walked frankenstien like and had
to feel his way along icey paths with 1000 foot drops on both sides. When he finally made
it back to camp, he was asked how he had made it. He replied, “I am either going to make
it back to camp or fall off the mountain to my death, but I had decided that I was not
going to simply lay there.” What do you think saved Dr Wethers life? Determination!
Years ago, there was a young man who applied to West Point Military Academy and his
application came back denied. The second time he applied, the same response. He was
accepted on his third attempt. That man was Douglas MacArthur. What do you think
kept young Douglas applying time after time? Determination!
Henry Ford’s first attempt at automobile manufacturing went bank rupt. His second
attempt suffered the same fate. His third shot at it has done rather well. What kept him
going? Determination!
23 publishers rejected a first attempt at a book by a young author because they thought no
one would buy a book written by someone named Suess. The 24th publisher took a
chance on Dr Suess and over 6 million copies of that book have sold over the years. What
kept a young author going to publisher after publisher, determination!
Dozens and dozens of times the authors of a book were rejected by publisher after
publisher, but eventually Chicken Soup for The Soul was accepted and put into print.
Over 30 million copies of one form or another have been sold to date. Again,
detemination!
Nehemiah was doing God’s work on God’s holy city with God’s people even when crisis
after crisis after crisis came his way. He faced an economic crisis when he found out that
locals were being charged huge interest rates on loans that they had taken out to pay for
food. He faced a crisis of opposition through persistent critics. These critics even kept
going as the wall was nearing completion, they did not stop. Even when things were
going well Nehemiah still faced opposition.
Southeast Christian Church in Louisville is probably experiencing some of the best times
in its history as it just moved into its new 9100 seat auditorium a few years ago. Along
with having 1000’s and 1000’s attending weekly services and with lives being impacted
across the spectrum, they have their critics and opposition. As a matter of fact Bob
Russell the Pastor averages a critical letter every day ranging from moderate complaints to
out and out threats on his life. And yet, God continues to bless the church, why?
Because of and through the determination of its people!
Nehemiah also faced false accusations from his detractors. They accused him of wanting
to be king instead of Artexerxes because of his building plan. He faced a crisis of violence
directed at his workers. In spite of all this, a miracle was witnesssed as the wall was
completed in just 52 days.
We learned last week that even with modern building technology, experts feel that it
would take at least a year if not more to complete a wall with the same dimensions. And
how did he do it? Determination!
How Can I Stay Determined? What are some keys that we can use for a successful finish
to the race that we have begun? Well, first:
1. I must keep my eye on God! I must keep my eye on God! I must and you must
always remember that God is in the mix. As the pressures of life and the conflicts of life
come our way, we must remember that God is in it! The pressures of life can either push
you towards God or can pull you away from God!
Missionary Hudson Taylor said, “Pressure where it lies, either comes between or pushes
me toward God!” What is your response when you come against the pressures of life?
Do you allow it to pull you towards or to push you away from God?
Nehemiah’s response when his enemies attempted to put pressure on him was, “Why!
Why should I come down when I am doing a great work for God?” He knew what God
wanted him to do and he could do nothing less than to keep his heart and mind on the
task.
Determination is not just a Christian thing! Mark McGuire, probably one of the best
hitters in the history of baseball has been going through rehab following surgery and he
commented recently that his therapists are amazed that a 37 year old could and would put
as much effort into rehab and that he would have such a great desire to return to the game.
But you know, I got to thinking about what does McGuire actually get at the end of the
day after hitting home run after home run? Oh sure, he has earned some more money with
which he can buy more stuff and that is his reward.
But what about you and what about me? At the end of the day our reward is that
hopefully we have attempted to please God and to be more like Jesus Christ. 1000’s of
years from now they won’t be talking about Mark McGuire, but here we sit talking about
Nehemiah 1000’s of years after his achievement for God. The purposes of God are all
that really matter, why? They are the only things that truly last.
A few years ago, the UK football team was rocked by the tragic death of three of their
players. It was later learned that the driver was driving drunk, which made the news even
more bitter. As Coach Hal Mumme attempted to help his players process and deal with
the tragedy, he invited a local minister into the locker room to talk with the players.
Normally this would have gotten the ACLU and a host of other organizations hot under
the collar. But not this time. Why? Because when the pressures of this ordeal hit, they
did not call the local bartender, they didn;t turn to the professors and staff, the turned to
the church.
They needed and desired a word from God. The church represents God and all that He is
about. What is God about? He is about life, hope, comfort and help. Friends, that is the
work that we ought to be about. That is the purpose of God for our lives individually and
is also the purpose of God for the church collectively. Purpose seperates worthwhile
determination from futile determination. Keep your eyes on God!
2. Others will help me and I must help others! Others will help me and I must help
others! I can just imagine what it must have been like for the workers to get up every
morning and look to their right and look to their left and for as far as the eye could see,
they saw workers attacking the wall. How inspiring that must have been. I am sure that
sight encouraged those who were weary to keep on keeping on for God.
Dr, Henry Cloud said that most leaders crash and burn when they try to do the work
alone.
Nehemiah was not trying to do the work alone. He had help around him, he had block
layers, concrete masons, goldsmiths, perfumers, butchers, bakers and candle stick makers.
While God had provided them and he had recruited them, they provided a great deal of
support, encouragement and strength not only to each other but to Nehemiah as well.
Who is in your life right now, who has God brought to your side to help you through
whatever it is that you are facing? Can you picture that special person who came at the
right time, with the right way and with the right stuff? They came with just what you
needed at just the right time. If so, whisper a silent prayer for that person right now.
Oh yes, one more thing, do they know how much they have helped you? Do they know
it?
Who do you need to come along side? Who in your life, do you need to put an arm
around their shoulder, or a hand on their back, or maybe even a hug? That is ministry!
When you come along side and simply bolster up in any way that you can, without being
asked to do so., that is minsitry and that is what we are to be about! Have you visited or
made a phone call to someone that hasn’t been in church in a while? Or maybe sent a card
simply saying I miss you! Or what about going to the hospital when someone is ill, or
even preparing a pot of soup for someone who is sick? When was the last time.
In today’s church, we have somehow gotten this mistaken notion that the preacher or the
pastor is supposed to do that sort of thing. Well we could not be further from the truth
because you see we are ALL called to be ministers. We are all called to visit the sick,
befriend the shut-in who cannot make it to church, to offer a ride to the senior adult who
might have difficulty in driving in the snow and ice, we are mandated to look after those
who are sick, to encourage those who are discouraged and to even “go” regardless of
where it might be that you are required to “go”!
What cause has God been calling you toward but your body has been holding back? GET
INVOLVED! Don’t set on the bench!
It was Teddy Roosevelt who said,”If I am going to fail, I am going to fail while daring
greatly!” Friends dare greatly as you reach out to each other, for when you do, failure
isn’t even an option, for God will provide the victory.
Many of you have probably either read or at least seen Guideposts Magazine. This
popular little devtional magazine has become the most widely circulated Christian
publication other than the Bible of all time. It was founded in 1946 by Norman Vincent
Peele and his wife Pat. By 1947 they were personally hand addressing 20,000 magazines
each month. And then the worst of all tragedies struck. A fire gutted the offices from
which they worked and their entire subscriber list was destroyed. They had no idea who
their subscribers were and they were faced with certain distinction. But God had other
plans. A national radio personality picked up the news article about the fire and asked all
subscribers to write into the Peales to let them know their address. He went a step further
and asked those may wish to subscribe to write in as well. In just a few short months, the
Peale’s were hand addressing over 40,000 copies, their circulation had doubled. How did
this happen? Because one person got involved in one life or in this case in one situation. I
must help others and others will help me!
3. When I am winning, I cannot let down! When I am winning, I cannot let down! As
Nehemiah was leading the rebuilding of the wall, we find that as the wall was half built and
they were experiencing great success for God, that the opposition came at them and even
rumors of attack and impending battle circulated. Nehemiah realizing that this was a
definite possiblity took half of his workers, armed them with swords and shields and
positioned them as guards. He did not stop there, for we read in 4: 17 that even the
workers who remained on the wall held a trowel in one hand while keeping the other on
the handle of their sword. These people were ready for any attack, they wre not letting
down their guard and the work of God went on. that is determination.
In 1917 John Heisman, for whom college footballs Heisman trophy is named, was the
coach of the National Champion Georgia Tech football team. In that year they
slaughtered Cumberland Tennessee by a score of 222-0. This was and still is the largest
rout in college football history. there were no first downs in the game. Cumberland
couldn’t earn one and Georgia Tech didn’t need one as they scored on the first set of
downs each time that they got the ball. they were truly winning and yet at halftime, this is
what Heisman told his players. He said, “Men, we are in front, but you never know what
these Cumberland boys have up there sleeve, Don’t give up!” Don’t give up!
God is not seeking perfection in our efforts, for He knows that is impossible as we have
what is called a sin nature. What God is looking for, however, is progress. Progress not
perfection.
If you are here this morning and hoping to find the perfect church, you are going to be
disappointed because there is no perfect church. Why? Because churches are filled with
people and we read in the bible that no person, no human, that no one is perfect. But, I
do think that this church is beginning to go in the right direction and that we are making
progress. Progress not perfection!
When you or when I find the ministry that God desires for us to be a part of then that
ministry or that church is worthy of our best effort and of our best support. Support
through attendance, support through the joyful giving of our resources ranging from time
and talents to money and prayer, worthy of our discovering the special gifts that God has
bestowed upon us so that we can be a blessing to others in the church, those in the
community and the world and ultimatley to God himself!
There is no perfect marriage, for we all struggle! There is no perfect person, even though
I did here of the preacher who asked one sunday moring if anyone had ever heard of a
perfect person and one guy in back stood up and shouted, yes, my wife’s first husband!
There are no perfect people, no perfect marriages, no perfect churches, these just do not
exist. But what God desires for us all is that we make progress. There is no perfect faith
in God, we all struggle and stumble and stammer, but we are hopefully learning more each
day, growing more each day and progresisng more each day in our pursuit of being just
like Jesus! Progress not perfection!
C.S. Lewis wrote, “If only the will to walk is there - God is pleased with our stumbles.”
To look at it another way, when we have little children and they are just beginnning to
learn how to walk and they struggle to climb hand over hand up the coffee table and then
take a wobbly step or two and then tumble to the ground, we don’t rush up and chastise
the kid or spank them, why? Because we we are so tickled and pleased that the attempt is
being made and that we know that someday they will walk, that they will run.
God does not condemn us when we stumble. He is not looking for perfection in your life.
What He is looking for is the will to walk with Him. He is looking for the will to walk
towards Him. He is longing to see you walking for Him!
It was the Catholic monk, Thomas Minton who said, “God, trying to please you, pleases
you!” God knows when we are trying and when we are not.
So what’s the point? Simply this, Are you willing to try? Are you going to be
determined even though you may stumble from time to time. Are you detrmined ot hang
on and to not let go?
It’s kind of like the bulldog. You have probably noticed that his nose is pointed back, and
that is so that he can continue to bite and breath without having to let go. It may not be a
pretty sight, but it is sure a great picutre of determination.
As we consider living God honoring lives,
As we consider the pursuit of God honoring goals
As we consider God honoring work.
As we long for a God honoring church.
As we yearn for God honoring realtionships>
we must have determination. We must not quit! We must have long obedience in the
same direction!
Pray
Invitation
