God's word offers life, hope j
Lesson Scripture:
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6. 8-12.
Lesson aims: to recognize
that true revival comes from
the word of God. to always
revere God's word, and to
demonstrate the scjue of His
word in our lives. -J
Background: The conse
quences for their sins led them
into captivity by the Babyloni-.
ans. They didn't heed the
prophets, so God allowed that
to happen. The final deporta
tion occurred in 586 B.C. It
was punishment for abandon
ing God. While it wasn't
marked by any unusual suffer
ing (except Daniel and the
Hebrew boys), they were not at
home and that was punishment
enough.
Once the 70-year exile
period ended. Cyrus allowed
the first group to return to
Judah. Led by Zerubbabel and
Jeshua in 538 B.C., they were
to rebuild the temple. It took
some motivation from Haggai
and Zechariah. but they finally
accomplished their aim. Ezra,
a priest and scribe, led the sec
ond group home in 458 B.C.
They were strengthened but
couldn't rebuild the wall
around the city.
Nehemiah brought the third
group of exiles back in 444
B.C. to rebuild that wall.
Despite external opposition
and internal strife, the wall was
rebuilt in 52 days! As gover
nor. Nehemiah re-established
order in the land politically
and religiously (Chapter 7).
Ezra led an earlier revival
before Nehemiah came. Now
the Israelites find themselves
lacking and the lesson begins.
Lesson: When the Bible
refers to months, we must
remember that their calendar
begins in March/April. The
seventh month,
September/October (Tishri),
the people assemble to hear the
word of God. Gathering at the
water gate on the east side of
the city wail, they want a
revival!
"This gate is so named
because the people bring water
from a spring outside the wall"
("NIV Standard Lesson Com
mentary").
Spiritually they are thirsty
and in a desert. You see, the
slightest obstacle discourages,
. their zeal to do God's will
quickly fizzles, and they fall
easily to sin. They've come to
quench their dry places
because only God's word can
bring life and hope.
Preparations are made and
Ezra opens the book (scroll).
The people stand out of respect
for God's word as Ezra begins
to read. Praises go up to a great
God; people lift their hands
and bow their heads.
The Levites (13 of them)
instruct the people. We must
remember that the Hebrew lan
guage has changed in a thou
sand years and most of them
speak Aramaic. The Levites
help them understand. If all
else fails, remember "The Can
terbury Tales" in Old English?
God's word not only gives life
and hope but it also convicts.
Upon understanding the word,
the people weep as they
acknowledge their shortcom
ings.
Nehemiah and Ezra tell
them not to grieve because the
day is sacred and the joy of the
Lord is their strength. Instruc
lion gives people confidence
(joy) to face life's journey.
They are further told to cele
brate their understanding.
Verses 13-18 record the
restoration of the Feast of
Tabernacles (relives the time
of travel through the wilder
ness?!
The revival is going full
steam ahead!
Application: We are in
need of a revival! As an indi
vidual. an ethnic group, and
the nation, we are in dry
places. Our deserts exist
because of sinfulness. We have
few morals left. Our children
don't know who they are, and
the government is corrupt and
arrogant. Even our allies don't
like us unless there is money
involved! Yes, I'd say that a
revival is in order.
While we may not stand as
one man to hear God's word,
we can make a difference. II
Chronicles 7:14 says it all!
Understanding God's word is
key to change. Misunderstand
ing and/or intentional misrep
resentation only leads to fur
ther destruction. Do we rever
ence or trample God's word?
Reverence leads to repentance
and a deeper relationship with
God. The latter maintains the
status quo. Worship should be
real, not entertainment. It
should be life-altering, not just
emotional.
Humbly bow down and
repent because there is life and
hope in God's word. There are
people in the desert who need
to be revived!
Mildred
Peppers
Sunday
School l.esson
Mount Olive Baptist will hold men's luncheon
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Mt. Olive Baptist Church
will sponsor a men's luncheon
July 26 front 11 a.m. to 2:30
p.m. at the church. 1301 E.
Belews Street. The guest
speaker will be Pastor Frank
H. Smith of Mt. Olive Full
Gospel Baptist Church. Salis
bury. N.C. The theme is
"Nehentiah 2:18 - Men We
Will Rise!"
Door prizes will be given.
You mustr have a ticket to
attend. Call 721-1959 or 767
4738 for your free ticket.
Smith is a resident of Win
ston-Salem and received his
formal education in the
Forsyth County School Sys
tem and later at Winston
Salem State University.
He joined St. Stephen Bap
tist Church in 1970 and while
there held various positions.
including youth activities
director, departmental super
intendent of Sunday school,
chorister of the Gospel Choir,
deacon and associate minister.
He accepted God's call to
the ministry and was licensed
by Rev. J.R. Samuels in 1986.
In 1988 he was installed as
pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist
Church in Salisbury, later to
become Mt. Olive Full Gospel
Baptist due to the pastor and
church's affiliation with the'
Full Gospel Baptist Church
Fellowship International.
He was honored as Pastor
of the Year in 2002 by the
N.C. Full Gospel Baptist
Church Fellowship. He cur
rently serves as first assistant
to the overseer of the North
west District.
Smith and his wife of 33
years. Belinda S. Smith, share
in ministry as pastor and co
pastor. He has five children.
Time, experience and his
unfaltering love for God have
caused his roots to grow deep
in his commitment to spread
the Gospel. His method of
preaching a "now word"
backed by life experiences
while using biblical principles
has helped set many a captive
free.
Rev. C.E. Gray is host pas
tor.
Church Yard Sale
Solid Rock Baptist Church
3010 Carver School Rd
Saturday, July 19
7:00 AM until
Pastor Frank Smith
Friendship Baptist Church
will hold youth revival
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Friendship Baptist Church
will hold its annual youth
revival, beginning Sunday,.
July 20. at the 11 a^m. worship
service, and continuing Mpn-_
day through Thursday nights
with services beginning at 7.
The Rev. Walter T.
Richardson, pastor of Sweet
Home Baptist Church in Per
rine, Fla.. will be the guest
evangelist for the week.
Richardson is a professor
of religion at St. Thomas Uni
versity. professor of religion
at South Florida Center for
Theological Studies and chap
lain for the Metro-Dade
Police Department.
He holds memberships and
is affiliated with these organi
zations: West Perrine Christ
ian Association, NAACP (life
member). American Society
of Personnel Administration.
American Association of
?^Christian Counseling fcharter
member). He has received
numerous awards, including:
Outstanding Services.
NAACP. 1993; Outstanding
Contribution to Gospel Music
Award. Dade County Federa
tion of Black Employees.
1992: Outstanding Service in
Religiotu Zeta Phi Beta Soror
ity. I9?3: and the list goes on.
Richardson has emerged in
recent years as a leading voice
in the South Dade community
for social justice. His ability
to equate the black religious
experience with the social
concerns of the black commu
nity has been recognized as a
needed methodology for
change.
Sweet Home Baptist
Church is involved in holistic
healing for the family in that
it offets ministries involving
singles, marriage and peer
counseling at all levels.
He is also nationally
known for his musical talent,
having recorded with several
choirs and artists, including
the Florida Mass Choir as a
vocalist and musician.
He has been a great evan
gelist at Friendship Baptist
Church iri past years.
He is married and has two
children and several grand
children
Friendship Baptist Church
is at 1317 N. Cherry Street.
The Rev. S.E. Tyndall is the
pastor.
The public is invited.
Rev. Richardson
Sermons
front page B5
youth worker.
The Lord led her to
Abyssinia Christ Centered
Ministries in Detroit. Mich.,
where she was taught under
the leadership of Bishop Dr.
lona Lock? for several years.
While under the leadership of
Locke. Leavens was a mem
ber of the Reach Out Ministry
and the College of Priests.
She attended Wayne State
University in Detroit. Mich.,
and is currently pursuing a
degree in nursing.
Hicks is thankful to be the
wife of Anderson Hicks III
and mother of Christshon,
Justin and Mitchell Hicks. She
obtained a bachelor of arts
degree in business administra
tion from Winston-Salem
State University.
She is a faithful member of
Morning Star Baptist Church,
where she has received
teacher and counselor train
ing. as well as attended child
evangelism fellowship and
MACEA workshops.
She serves as a teacher in
Sunday school. Good News
Club and vacation Bible
schopl. She is a deaconess,
counselor and an Intercessory
Prayer Warrior.
For more information call
748-0216. Rev. Donald L. Sal
ley is the pastor.
I
E-mail us at news@wschronicle.com
Happy 58th Birthday
In Heaven
July 14, 1145 - October 27, 2002
A Day Doe mi 7 Go By That I
Don 7 Think About You
Your Wile, Denise C. Hodge
and Family
.eonard Slimpson Hodge
Pentecostal Lighthouse Baptist Church ol VV-S, Inc.
317 Jefferson St.
Kernersville, NC 27284
(336)992-0011
Schedule of Worship Services
Sunday Morning Worship 8:00 a.m.
Sunday Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.
Thursday Children's Choir Rehearsal 6:30 p.m.
"jTo Love, To Know, To Serve and To Grow God's Kingdom!
Or. A. Thomas Griffay. M
Pastor/ Teachar
Mt Olive Baptist Church
1301 E. Hetews Street
\ Winston-Salem, NC 27101
l\ "Let God Be God"
724-5842 or 721-1959
J Sunday Morning Broadcast 6 ? 6:30 AM.
/ ' WUPN 48
' Sunday School 9:30 A.M.
Worship Service II :(K) A.M.
Wednesday 12:00 Noon
R;M? 7-nti pm
| Pastor & Mrs. C. E. Gray j
Macedonia Holiness Church Of Cod
Of The Apostolic Faith, Inc.
Sunday Services
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
M.Y.P.U ,6:30 p.m.
Wednesday Services
Prayer & Bible Study 7:30 p.m.
4111 Whitfield Drive
PKune: 336-767-3700
Fax: 336-767-7006
Bishop R.I.. Wise, Sr.
D.D.; S.T.D. ? Pastor
united Progressive baptist ^?hurch
PASTOR LEWIS E. DEVLIN
Home Tel: (336) 767-7825
Office Tel: (336) 724-1266
At E. 12th & Jackson Avenue
1122 Quincy Caldwell Circle
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
MT. OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTOR C. E. GRAY
tzyl/lsn i ^Lunch sot.
v ' ' VL^7
Z FREE %
/>*,1A . . .riv
Pastor 6. E. Gray I
? FREEJ>
/ A _ k\
Pastor Frank Smith
THEME: NEHEMIAH 2:18
MEN WE WILL RISE!
DOOR PRIZES WILL BE GIVEN
SAT. JULY 26, 2003 11:00 AM TIL 2:30 PM
AT: MT. OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH
1301 E. BELEWS STREET
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.
FOR YOUR FREE TICKET
CALL (336) 721-1959 OR (336) 767-4738
(YOU MUST HAVE A TICKET TO ATTEND)
SPEAKER: PASTOR FRANK SMITH
MT. OLIVE FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH IN
SALISBURY. NC