Stewardship of relationships:  “Rebuilding Your Relationships”

Scripture Lesson for the Day:  Nehemiah 2:13-18

Cornerstone Text:  “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me.  They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’  So they began this good work.  (Nehemiah 2:18).

Today’s Stewardship Focus:  God wants to rebuild and restore your relationships!

How do we go about improving and if necessary restoring relationships that have fallen into disrepair?

REBUILDING YOUR RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRES THAT YOU…

Analyze where you are:

“By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.  Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall.  Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate.  The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work”  (Nehemiah 2:13-16).

• Examine what is      broken     .   Romans 3:23
• Evaluate what to do      next     .  Acts 3:19

Ask others to help:

“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace’”

(Nehemiah 2:17).

          1.       Review the      past     .  Romans 8:31

2.       Recognize people who have      influenced      your life.  Romans 13:8

Advance together toward a common Goal:

“I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me.  They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’  So they began this good work.  (Nehemiah 2:18).

There are Four Kinds of People:

              1.           Those who      add     .     Romans 1:8

              2.           Those who      subtract     .  Matthew 25:24

              3.           Those who      multiply     .  John 1:40-42

              4.           Those who      divide     .  Romans 16:17

“Few have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.” — Robert F. Kennedy

Closing Challenge:  With God’s help I will actively seek to improve and where necessary restore my relationship with the family and friends that God has graciously given to me.