R338 To Be or Not To Be

God has a New Jersey word for you would be today to the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and the message to be or not to be so excited over God's word together in the book of Ezra and Nehemiah today is Dr. Don shares this message to be or not to be while resetting the word of God know that were available. Connecting keyboard to keyboard on our website at tewonline.org and the phone number 866-899-WORD in the numbers 866-899-WORD 9673 and the website tewonline.org G both places or places you can find about wonderful resources, including the one everyone seems to be asking about oh are now Dr. Don Wilton me or not that is subject this morning from God's word from the book of Nehemiah and I want to invite you to turning your Bibles. Everyone should have a copy of God's word in your hand.

This word is so precious. We are a Bible believing church.

We are a Bible preaching church and we tried to be a Bible practicing people. There is no other way and he said to me that day. He saved Rev. many of those young people will never get out of prison mirror image.

We soul, eight, nine, 10-year-olds in prison.

This week they ranges where ages went from 8 to 18 and the facilities that we were in.

We saw little boys and little girls. The Walgreens and the officials told us that many of them would come back time without number, they would be released. One little boy came up to me in Miami and died County prison and he said to me as they all strolled in. He said to me this is the sixth time I've been here and he said it with such pride and arrogance. It was unbelievable and I quoted him as I preached I looked at him when I said it and I said you got a choice to make a state of your choice is to remain here for the rest of your life and I want you to know that we not only pray for you and feel so sad for you but we want you to know that you don't have to be here, the choice is yours. Nehemiah was faced with an unprecedented opportunity. Things were in bad shape. People were divided.

The walls had been broken down in God basically said to his servant. Nehemiah I want you to go dripping and I want you to say to them, in essence, to be or not to be that is the question. Now I classical secular humanist by the name of William Shakespeare calling that phrasing want to be Shakespearean tragedies, but I believe that that is the question that God cost of the people in Nehemiah's time. I want to read just two verses for you to die.

First of all, Nehemiah chapter 9 and verse one. Wonderful to hear the pages of God's word being turn on the 24th day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together fostering and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. I want you to turn back to Ezra. The preceding book before Nehemiah Ezra chapter 10 and verse one. You see, Ezra, God's servant played a vital role in the restoration of Jerusalem. It wasn't just Nehemiah, there was a circle of friends. The God accumulated and gathered together with the express purpose of doing what God wanted them to do.

Ezra chapter 10 in verse one, while Ezra was praying and confessing weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God. I want to just pause there. Never let it be said that God's leaders should never throw themselves down before God's house.

Never let it be said that God's leaders should not get passionate about the burden of the word of the Lord. One of the greatest tragedies we have in America today is that there are not enough clergyman, there are not enough ministers. There are not enough deacons and elders and presbyters. There are not enough lay leaders who are willing to throw themselves down before the people in anguish because of the burden that God is placed upon their hearts. God has not called us to be about the business of articulate snoring. If all you do is come to church to get stroked then you coming for the wrong reason. If all we do is go to church in order to get out ears tickled, we coming for the wrong reason. If all we do is say we claim to know God in order to have out diapers change we are presenting ourselves to God for the wrong reason.

While Israel was praying and confessing weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites men, women and children gathered around him. Now listen what happened.

They too went blatantly by the Lord righties word upon our hearts what was wrong. Three things the wrong if we come to understand, somewhat of the essence of this great saga called me in my number one.

The walls were broken down they needed to be rebuilt. Number two collective worship of God was in disarray the house of God and the people of God were not doing what God had instructed them to do when they wandered through the wilderness.

That is why we going to come to understand the significance of the feast of the Tabernacles and the booths that have to be built to honor and to remember that I have to be in vain and rediscover the purpose of God for their lives. And thirdly the people were divided. One of Satan's oldest ploys and tactics all the way from Genesis right through the book of Revelation.

If Satan is ever going to pull God's people apart. He's going to cause disunity to coming to the body. If God is if Satan is ever going to pull this nation apart. He's going to cause disunity to come upon this nation. It is one of these oldest and most sacred and trusted weapons. As far as Satan is concerned, and so into this picture comes God's prophet near him.

Ezra turned back to Ezra chapter 7 let's just have a look at Ezra very quickly. Ezra chapter 7 verse six Bible tells us something about this man, this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well-versed in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given the King had granted him everything he lost for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.

Some of the Israelites, including the priests and Levites sing as gatekeepers and temple servants also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fourth month he began his journey from Babylon and he arrived in the first day of the first month for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.

Verse 10 four Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Lord of the Lord and to teaching its decrees and laws throughout Israel. What was this about Israel. Three things about Israel that making very special when it comes to this question. Are you going to be all are you not going to be. He said to the people of Israel.

Three things about them festival. He was a diligent student. The Bible tells us that in chapter 7 verse 10 pull talk about that to Timothy in second Timothy and chapter 2 and verse 15 Timmy said to Timothy B. Diligent Timothy to present yourself approved to God as a work who does not need to be a shame handing directly the word of faith. He was a diligent student but Ezra was also a faithful practitioner Bible tells us that he's practice Maxis preach and I'm convinced that we have come back at these young people have come back ready to put out preach in the practice. He was not only a diligent student, but he was a faithful practitioner.

And thirdly, he was an anointed server because nothing that happened could've happened outside of the anointing of God I'll guarantee you my friends. It had nothing to do with us. We were simply God's instruments back by a faithful church prayed for us and who supported us and who gave us a blessing. I want you to know that there is not a month of Sundays that this preacher or these young people could've seen an average of 90% of those inmates come to know Jesus Christ. We could never have seen an outpouring of that magnitude.

Under such angry violent circumstances outside of the anointing of God upon his servant. Such was the experience of his servant Israel. He was an anointed servant of God and he had a problem he had to get this message across to between 50 to 50,000 people go to Nehemiah chapter 7 and you can find out exactly how many people were there. Nehemiah chapter 7 verse 66. Listen to what the Bible says. The Bible says the whole company numbered 42,360 beside you need to add to this 7337 Main sevens and maidservants they also had 245 man and woman in the choir. I like it, don't you is amazing. You know, if you really understand the rest of Nehemiah. The choir plays a very prominent role. How did he get this message across to between 30 to 50,000 people will number one use the pulpit. That's what he did look at chapter 80 Nehemiah and verse four. Use the pulpit. Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform boots for the occasion.

I wonder if any of you ever wondered why this pulpit is here. I pray beloved friends that nothing ever in this beloved church would ever detract or distract from the centrality of this pulpit and I pray my beloved friends that never with this body of people ever allow anything in this open other than the unapologetic preaching and teaching of the word of God focusing on the cross of Christ, the death and the burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. God forbid it's biblical.

Forgive the eruption will be back with the rest of today's message from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment but he insists I interrupt to remind you that when he says, focusing on the cross of Christ is biblical. We pray that we would be providing resources not just this broadcast. But beyond the broadcast would help you focus on the cross of Christ focus on God's Encouraging Word and reap the benefits of living a Christ centered life. One of those resources is absolutely free to receive in a couple of different ways to go to our website right now at tewonline.org@up for the daily Encouraging Word email. It's easy to do right there on the website TE W online.org or if you'd rather have a physical copy my bride enjoys having it inside her Bible and open it everywhere from carpool lying to us early in the morning or late at night and study God's word. It's absolutely free to send it out quarterly but you can call for your copy at 866899 word absolutely free 866-899-WORD 96733 can order it physically and more electronically via email on our website EW online.org and coming up with in the program.

I pray you stick around for a very special opportunity to receive a video about Ruth Bell Graham celebrating life and legacy of so many people have been asking about and receiving and ordering the new book, Dr. will to produce just a few weeks ago about his time with Dr. Billy Graham. Billy still available on our website TE W online.org looking to the Ruth Pilgrim videos will all resources to grow our faith.

Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton Encouraging Word Bible says Ezra communicated from the Pope second he communicated truth through small groups, not chapters 7 and eight. Tell us about the small group insight biblical principles why do we have life Institute in our church because it's biblical. Why do we have Sunday school. I hope every one of you is enrolled and engaged in Sunday school Sunday school is a church within the church. It's the place where you develop small relationships with you. Develop personal relationships where you can be ministered. It's impossible. Folks for us to ministered over 5000 members in our congregation. It's impossible.

That's why God has given small groups to God's church.

It is as old as the Old Testament for us to withdraw into small groups and to be fed and to be nourished and to be uplifted, but there was 1/3 way that he communicated the truth and that was through reading and rereading the law of God, look at chapter 8 and verse 18 day off today. Note the persistence from the first day to the lost.

Ezra read from the book of the law of God day off today. How did he communicate this. He did it by preaching in the Pope. He did it by withdrawing into small groups to be or not to be as Nehemiah and Ezra began to obey God. And as God begin began to take root through his servants. Among these people.

What does this do for these people. Three things that are good for these people and I want to share them with you.

Number one. It helped them to understand and unbelievably deplorable situation. That's what it did when God's servants moved in. These people began to understand the seriousness of the situation in which they found themselves you go back with me if you can remember that father Nehemiah chapter 1 verse three. Remember what Nehemiah wanted verse three told us they said to me, those who survived the exile back in the province and are in great trouble and in disgrace the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned with fire.

It was a deplorable situation.

Beloved friends never let it be said that in America we are not facing a deplorable situation of unbelievable proportion and we are never going to understand until we are willing to subject costumes to the law of God until we are willing to subject ourselves to the spirit of God. What happened here as God's people in God's spirit began to move in in Jerusalem. These people increasingly began to understand the deplorable situation in which they found themselves they no longer were prepared to be blinded by their comfort zones. If I had, they would no longer be prepared to sit back in the lazy boy chairs and do nothing about. They were no longer prepared to have no interest in their neighbors will fit. They were no longer prepared to re-end the moon because of the circumstances of people who found themselves in bondage and help them to understand the deplorable situation but second it caused them to be ashamed and embarrassed go back with me to Ezra chapter 9 Ezra chapter 9. I want you look at that chapter 9 and verse three. Look at what happened to Israel when I heard this I told my tunic and cloak.

I pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down. Uphold how the Hebrew word for cold means absolutely brokenhearted to an inch degree because of the condition of the people. Then everyone began to tremble at the words of God because of the faithfulness of the exiles they were pooled by this king in Ezra chapter 9, he begins to pray upon these needs. Look at verse five. Then at the evening sacrifice. I rose from myself a basement with my tunic and my cloak torn I fell on my knees with my hands spread out prostate to the Lord and my God and I prayed over my God I am too ashamed and disgraced to live up my face. You Time without number. We were overwhelmed this week by the deplorable situation in which we find ourselves, but then finally wanted to do for them. It allowed them to experience a miracle breakthrough Ezra chapter 10 verse one. I rated the beginning it allowed them to experience a miracle breakthrough to be old enough to be you see my friends when the power of God comes down on people.

And when people begin to understand their sinfulness and wind.

I always say in the presence of a holy God. They become eligible for a miracle breakthrough God moves in.

God takes control and nobodies become somebody's you know the Lord Jesus Christ today. Have you turned your life over to him while you eligible today for a very filling your life. I want you to bow your heads all across this congregation upstairs and downstairs. Every head is bound and every October. Every head is God, and every eye closed. I told those prisoners.

So many times you don't have to pray this is America, you don't have to pray this is America, but I'm going on askew to respect those around about you. That's why 203, four weeks ago lost that nobody get up and leave during invitations in this church because you need to respect other people, unless you got a good reason to new the time is coming America my friends that we need to understand the value of every single person we need to understand that every person is valuable and precious in God's sight.

We need to understand that we are living on the age that it is time to act. There are people here today would say pasta I need this Jesus of whom you speak. I need to know him as my Savior and my Lord.

We want to on askew to come. In the early service sometime this morning.

We went on askew to common the service. There are some guy who would say pasta God is brought me to this church and I'm coming today with my wife, my family, I'm coming as a single adult. As a college student is a young person I'm coming today to unite with this church. This is where God has placed me. This is where I want to put my roots down.

I want my children to be a part of something like mirror image. I want my children to be able to go to vacation Bible school and learn about the word of God. I want my children to sit and study God's word to hear the preaching of the word of God to listen to the singing praise and worship. I want that because I know that life outside of team is nothing when you look at me for just a moment all across the congregation. I don't know when lost. I've told you this but I do love you today. We love you so much.

We thought of you so much this week so much and we thank God for you, the trains, it's time to act. You see, here is the question to be or not to be inside of me today. Pasta roots already happened. I'm divorced down the subdominant to be or not to be today can be the first day of the rest of your life, be the one. Are you willing to be the one. Are you willing to say Lord God from today, I'm putting Jesus Christ in his rightful place I want to live for him.

I want to strive I want to be surrounded by God speak beloved friend.

God will bless you that God will bless you. You want to give your life to him please come today all beloved friends. There is not a born-again believer here tonight is not going to rejoice because today you set the record straight, and you'd save pasta 11. You might say I'd like to know more about the Lord Jesus. We'd love to talk with you privately, you might say I'd like to give my life to the Lord Jesus, we'd like to help you to give your life to Jesus. Right now we can do it in this place. You say pasta but I'm not a prisoner. Yes, you all if you don't know Jesus, you have the shackle of sin around your arms around your body around her for the Bible says that Jesus Christ was set you free your Tyco shackles away you liberate your writing your song upon your heart you set you free but you gotta respond to him. We love you did the glorious day here on The Encouraging Word and I believe that many of you as Dr. Don was sharing the opportunity to change our lives by saying yes to Jesus that you have done so you said yes, perhaps for the first time to say Jesus or perhaps you rededicated your life and return to the faith. Either way, Dr. Don has specific information he wants to put in your hands absolutely free if you call and let us know about your decision or phone number 866899 word that's 866899673, and we left and only put these free resources in your hands, but to pray with you and celebrate what God is doing in this fresh new beginning. Walking with Christ.

Earlier today I mentioned that we have some wonderful resources, including the new book from Dr. Wilton about his time with Billy Graham Saturdays with Billy.

It's on our website tewonline.org OIG but there's also another wonderful set of resources that includes a video about Ruth L Graham-legacy peers lives with all the details when Jesus comes every eye will see him, even those who crucified Jesus and those who not Jesus. Do not be shocked or surprised it lets going on in America today. We had better wake up America. Jesus is coming again this month for your get that support in The Encouraging Word. He will receive Dr. Wilton's powerful and timely methods trusting God along with the bonus DVD movie on celebrating Ruth Bell ran a life marked by the faithfulness of God, 68668.

To request trusting God in the bonus DVD movie today for a gift of $20 or more.

Thank you for standing with that word side to share with you those offers the opportunity to connect again resources but please know more than anything else. Dr. Wilton what you did over here to encourage. We believe that our mandate from God to Encouraging Word the Bible itself, and one of those ways we do so is to pray together. Our phone number again is 866899 word that's 866899673 were also connecting online as well as tewonline.org G. Either way, we would love to pray with you and for you and allow you to know that you are calling to encourage you something we take very seriously.

As a matter fact before we get away closing thoughts from our pastor and chief encourager Dr. Don Wilton you know before we go today.

What a day of worship. You know you and I have in the middle of our hearts, our beloved nation how much I love I'm so proud to be an American.

You know this board cost is seen by so many across the we hear from any remaining love my they are our heroes and I want you to join with me as we are trying them that God would take love thinks through that right now show just before we got to join the Lord Jesus, I'm joining with thousands of people die trying for our members.

Our brave, brave members of our community. Many sentences families let on, Lord Jesus, listing at times gone today, but I hope you'll join us tomorrow. Dr. Wilton is taking is the second Chronicles 14 as well is a little bit of Nehemiah's wealth talking about is our name on the wall. It's an exciting message. I hope you'll join us at the same time tomorrow or perhaps invite a friend encourage someone else to our website@twonline.org did you find so many resources there but the one we are most excited about is just the opportunity for us to pray with you and for you we can do that keyboard keyboard@twonline.org or don't forget the number 866899673