(Wednesday Online) From Start to Finish: You Can’t Finish What You Don’t Start – January 15, 2024

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Pastor Jim Bryant

2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NLT)

11 We keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.

• Who am I becoming?
• What Has He called me to do?

Nehemiah 1:1-3 (NLT)

1 In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.

Jeremiah 6:14 (TLB)

14 You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there!

Nehemiah 1:4 (NLT)

4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

1. Change often begins as a concern.

2. On your mark, get set…wait!

Nehemiah 2:1-3 (NLT)

1 Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, **I was serving the king his wine. **I had never before appeared sad in his presence. 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.

Isaiah 40:31 (NJV)

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

3. Let prayer be my first response, not my last resort.

James 5:16 (NLT)

16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

• Praise
• Confession
• Declare God’s promises
• Petition

Nehemiah 1:10-11 (NLT)

10 The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.

James 4:2-3 (TLB)

2 …The reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

Nehemiah 2:4-6 (NLT)

4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.” 6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.

4. Get started doing what God has called you to do.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.