{"id":4675,"date":"2013-06-18T17:08:34","date_gmt":"2013-06-18T21:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/?p=4675"},"modified":"2014-07-21T10:08:00","modified_gmt":"2014-07-21T14:08:00","slug":"never-quit-living-out-gods-plan-for-your-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/never-quit-living-out-gods-plan-for-your-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Never Quit: Living Out God\u2019s Plan for Your Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last Sunday I was asked to speak on the historical books (Joshua through Esther) in the worship service [view the sermon<\/a>]. With so much material to cover, in so little time, I had to skip many important ideas.<\/p>\n

Ezra & Nehemiah Faced Obstacles<\/h2>\n

One that did not make the \u201csermon cut\u201d comes from the lives of Nehemiah and Ezra. Both men lived during the time that the nation of Israel was returning to their promised land. Both men were called by God to help restore the covenant between God and His people. In order to accomplish this covenant renewal, there were a few obstacles.<\/p>\n

The most notable of those obstacles were that (1) the city of Jerusalem was demolished and there was no refuge for weary travelers coming to worship the Lord and (2) there was no temple \u2026 it had been destroyed. Nehemiah is charged with the first task while Ezra is responsible for the second.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, however, these men face enormous challenges. They both seriously lack human and financial resources. They both have people who pour cold water on all their ideas, visions, goals and dreams. They both also have enemies \u2026 there are many who do not want to see a restored nation.<\/p>\n

So the question becomes, what to do about all these challenges? Give up? View these obstacles as a series of \u201cclosed doors\u201d and decide it is not the will of God after all? Beg God for His blessing and work as hard as you can?<\/p>\n

Ezra and Nehemiah did the latter. They recognized that they were completely dependent on the Lord to provide for them, protect them from their enemies, strengthen them for the task, and bless them to see it brought to completion … but they also planned, worked, led, and poured their life into the task that they believed God wanted them to do.<\/p>\n

You Face Obstacles<\/h2>\n

I think we give up too easily sometimes. We see an obstacle and it looks large in our eyes \u2026 maybe even daunting. Yet, what God wants us to do is trust Him through it.<\/p>\n