05 Jan Nehemiah | Part 1 “Prayers That Get Heard and Change the World” – All Locations
Check the Events Page for What is Happening (not everything is listed here) (waterschurch.org/events)
All Locations:
Please check your email for a Life Group Leader Challenge that was sent out on October 29. This challenge is for you to offer any member of your group that you feel should be leading a group.
This challenge is two-fold as it will help leaders understand and navigate the apprenticeship process and it will encourage members to step out in faith knowing that they will have concrete tools to guide them as they lead their group.
NEW ENGLAND: CHECK OUT THE EVENTS PAGE FOR TWO FUNDRAISERS TO HELP WATERS YOUNG ADULTS GO TO PERU ON A MISSIONS TRIP!
FAMILY SKATE NIGHT – JANUARY 30
FUN DRIVE – PARTNERING WITH SAVERS – JAN 12 – JAN 16
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NEW*** UNSPOKEN CONCERT COMING TO NORTH ATTLEBORO ON FEBRUARY 21, 2025
Waters Church North Attleboro campus will be hosting recording artists Unspoken for a concert on Friday, February 21st (special guest – The Band Jaren). Tickets are available at: https://events.humanitix.com/unspoken-with-special-guest-the-band-jaren-water-s-church
NEW ENGLAND: UPCOMING CONCERT – TAYA (of Hillsong UNITED, singer of Oceans (Where Feet May Fall))
EVENT INFO:
Join TAYA on May 4th at North Attleboro for the Come Into The Light Tour, a transformative worship experience featuring her latest single by the same name, as well as other new songs from her upcoming record. “This tour is something I felt God drop in my heart over 2 years ago to do here in the United States, but for different reasons, it never eventuated…until now. I believe God’s timing and His alignment is perfect — and without either, I wouldn’t be walking into these nights with the stories and songs I now am.” Each night will be an invitation to pause and lay your life before God — every good, messy, broken, and sweet piece — and allow Him to have it all. You won’t want to miss these powerful nights of surrender in the Presence of Jesus, where we can Come Into The Light together and rediscover that He truly is everything He promised to be.
VIP Doors — 5:15pm
Q&A Begins — 5:30pm
Early Entry Doors — 6:00pm
General Admission Doors — 6:15pm
Show Start — 7:00pm
Reminders:
✳ Please regularly check your Planning Center profiles for requests to join your life groups, remove members from the list that no longer attend, or add members not listed. Please ensure that you have added no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and encourage your members to do so as well. This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site. Thank you!
Waters Class Schedule:
- 1st Sunday: Discover Waters – after 1st service
- 2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES
- 3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service
- 4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service
Waters Help: Need marriage and family care or have a group member in need of marriage and family care? Click here: help resources page or visit waterschurch.org/help
Location Text Alerts:
| North Attleboro | Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300 | |
| Norwood | Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357 | |
| Apollo Beach | Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979 | |
| Woonsocket | Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837 | |
| Southcoast | Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490 | |
Key Verse: Nehemiah 1
Prayers that Get Heard and Change the World
Ice Breaker Question: If you could build anything in the world without limits, what would you build and why?
Opening Prayer: Lord, thank You for bringing us together today. We invite Your presence in this discussion. Open our hearts and minds to receive Your Word. Teach us to pray prayers that move Your heart and align our lives with Your purposes. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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January 1st is often referred to as a beginning. But it’s a RE-beginning. You’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting over with scratches and wounds from the years before.
You can’t TRULY start NEW.
BUT… You can experience RE-NEWAL.
That’s what Nehemiah is about: a RE-BEGINNING.
Nehemiah’s story BEGAN when he started BUILDING for God.
Three areas God wants us to build:
- My LIFE
- His KINGDOM
- Other PEOPLE
Building with God begins with PRAYER.
Prayers that Get Heard and Change the World:
- Begin with WORSHIP.
Nehemiah 1:5 ESV
Nehemiah was distraught (verse 4), but he was still worshipping.
Nehemiah knows the Lord.
He’s a covenant-keeping God.
He’s a faithful and loving God.
He blesses those who obey Him.
Matthew 6:9 ESV
Jesus taught us to pray by opening with WORSHIP.
Worship opens the DOORS of HEAVEN.
Lamentations 3:19-23 ESV
Q. How does worship shift our focus from our problems to God’s power?
Practical Application: This week, begin your daily prayer time with 5 minutes of worship, whether through singing, praising God out loud, or reflecting on His goodness.
2. Continue with CONFESSION.
Nehemiah 1:6-7 ESV
Confession of sins is the key that opens the doors to heaven’s resources.
Matthew 6:12 ESV
Psalm 66:18 ESV
Loving sin stops prayers from being heard.
1 John 1:8-9 ESV
Prayer leads us to confession and repentance.
2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV
Q. How does personal confession create a deeper connection with God and open the way for His blessings in our lives?
Q. How can unconfessed sin become a barrier that keeps our prayers from being heard?
Practical Application: During your prayer time each day, confess any known sins and ask for God’s forgiveness, trusting His promise to cleanse and restore you.
3. Claim God’s PROMISES.
Nehemiah 1:8-9 ESV
Scripture teaches us that we need to remind God of what He said and that we need to know what He said.
Isaiah 62:6-7 ESV
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV
Romans 8:28 ESV
Q. How have God’s promises given you confidence in difficult situations?
Practical Application: Identify one promise from Scripture and write it on a card. Place it where you will see it daily as a reminder to trust God’s faithfulness.
4. Identify MYSELF as God’s SERVANT.
Nehemiah 1:10-11 ESV
Nehemiah ties it all together in this closing prayer. He asks God to do something for them and signs up to serve as part of the process.
You cannot sit idly by; you need to activate. Don’t just come and watch, but get involved in church.
This is not a show; it is a movement. Are you moving in the purposes of God?
Q. What does it mean to you personally to be God’s servant in your daily life?
Practical Application: Find one way to serve someone in your community or small group this week as an expression of being God’s servant.
Sermon in a sentence:
Build your life with God through prayer, starting in worship, continuing in confession, claiming the promises, and being ready to serve and change the world.
Key Takeaways:
- Worship opens the doors of heaven and sets our hearts on God.
- Confession brings cleansing and keeps our hearts aligned with God’s will.
- Claiming God’s promises gives us faith and courage to trust Him.
Scripture for Meditation: Nehemiah 1:11 ESV
O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
Closing Prayer: Lord, thank You for teaching us through Nehemiah’s example. Help us to build our lives with You through worship, confession, claiming Your promises, and serving others. May our prayers make a difference in our lives and our world around us. Empower us to be faithful servants who honor You in all we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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