Nehemiah's progress in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem demonstrates how pain can lead to praise and peculiarity can lead to power. Facing economic hardship among the people, Nehemiah rebuked the nobles and rulers for usury and called for restitution, which led to the people's praise and restoration. He also exemplified a peculiar, selfless leadership by not taking provisions from the people, trusting God for his needs, which empowered him to stand firm against enemies who attacked both his message and his person. Ultimately, Nehemiah's perseverance in the face of opposition, coupled with prayer, led to the completion of the wall and deliverance.
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For the benefit of the Greensboro Christians, though, we do have Keith and Jerry Currie, who used to fellowship with us in Greensboro. They're now in Abingdon, Virginia. They're here tonight, and I know you'll want to see them. And any others who are visiting from the area, we're delighted to have you. Now for our message this evening, our brother Stan Ford from England. Brother Ford. Thank you. I wonder if we may turn to the fifth chapter of the Book of Nehemiah. for our further studies in this very wonderful book. Nehemiah chapter five, and I will read a few verses there, and then a few verses in chapter six. I'm going to ask your permission to go rather quickly this evening.
I don't mean necessarily in my talk, you're always telling me I do that, but to go through the chapter. We won't be able to consider all that's in these chapters, but nevertheless, we will do our best. Chapter five, please. And I would like to read in verse one. And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives and their brethren, the Jews. For there were that said, we are sons and our daughters and many. Therefore, we take up corn for them. that we may eat and live. Some also there were that said we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards and houses, that we might buy corn because of the dirt.
And then he is in verse nine. Also I said it is not good that ye do, ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen, our enemies, I likewise, and my brethren and my servants, might expect of them money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye expect of this. Then, said they, we will restore this.
Then if we may go into chapter six, please. Now it came to pass when St. Ballant and Tobiah and Gersham, the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had filled in the wall, and that there was no breach left therein, though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gate, that St. Ballant and Gersham stood unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Odo, but they thought to do me mischief. Verse nine, for they all made us with praise, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done.
Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. Now the Lord will add his blessing, I'm sure, to be rather jumbled, and yet I think you will see in a moment what's on my heart, the rather jumbled first. I wonder if I may just say what I said the first evening as we introduce together this wonderful book of Nehemiah. I reminded you that Nehemiah was not a preacher, that Nehemiah was not a priest. that Nehemiah was not a prophet. I reminded you that when God wanted a work done that would last, it was not to a priest or a preacher or a prophet, he went, but to the type of man that we would call today a Christian businessman, a man like most of the men and women that I am talking to this evening, men and women who have a task to do, a job to perform, men and women whose lives are spent most of the hours of the day in a task which they have turned to.
And yet when a man does a task well for himself or for his employer, that's the sort of man that God looks to and for to do his work. We have been challenging our hearts evening by evening and morning by morning, as we have realized that there's much to be built for God. And I have used this expression again and again, and I would like to use it tonight, that I believe that the world is looking at the puppet when Christ is looking at the pew. Christ wants you, young man. Christ wants you, young woman. Christ wants you, my brother, my sister, to labor in the work of building for him.
And if the outcome of the ministry in the epistle, or rather the book of Nehemiah, if the outcome of the ministry is nothing more than it sends us forth, realizing there's a work for Jesus for me to do, then I will have felt that I have succeeded a little in what I said. We have considered together Nehemiah the person. We talk of Nehemiah and his problems. we considered something of Nehemiah and his plan. This evening I would like us to look in these two chapters at Nehemiah and his progress. We're going to read words before we come to a close that tell us that the walls have been built.
Isn't it grand to see progress in the things of God? And yet that progress was filled with constant problems. As we look at chapter five, I'm going to draw your attention, if I may please, to a pain that led to praise. We started, as we read that chapter, with these tremendous words. And there was a great cry of the people. There was pain among God's hope, for those hunting was being built from God. But the wonder is this. that that pain led indeed to praise.
And we came to us, our team which said, And all the congregation said, Amen. And they praised the Lord. You know, I could hardly find words nearer my heart than those words. But all the people said, Amen, and praise the Lord. Isn't it wonderful when crying turns to crazy? Isn't it wonderful when tears turn to joy? And we'll see in a moment how this happens. But then we will notice not only how pain leads to pain, but then we will see in this chapter how peculiarity leads to power.
How peculiar were the things that Nehemiah did, and what a peculiar person he was. And yet, praise God, that peculiarity led to power. And we find that the man that Pope looked at, the man who indeed they gazed at and wondered whatever it was he did the thing he did, was the man that was filled with the power of God. First of all, may I draw your attention to the fact that here is the story that tells us of pain that leads to pain. Now, we know something of the general background of this chapter.
I have made reference to it in previous ages, sufficient to remind you that there had come amongst God's hope kinds of dire poverty. There were times when there was not enough food to feed their children. There were not enough clothes to clothe their children. There was not enough money to pay the very mortgages that they had taken out that they might indeed live. Gentlemen, sisters, I'm going to suggest something to you this evening, and I believe it needs to be found in the day in which we live. I don't know very much of your country, but I do know something of my own.
And if I read newspapers or write, I believe I'm saying it to your country as well, that we are living in a day when there are many Christians who are seeking to build something for God, just like these people were, and yet they are facing great difficulties and problems in history. In my land at this present moment, We are facing a desperate, desperate kind of trade depression. There is more unemployment in my land today than there has been for many, many long years. Some of us who were brought up in those hundred years when there was dire poverty and when there was so much anxiety, we're wondering whether those days are not coming back again.
I believe I'm right in saying it, the few weeks I've been in your land are true, that there are many Christians in America today who are in business chasing problems the length of which they've not seen for years. May I ask you something? What are we as a church doing about this? What are we as a church doing about this? Oh, no, no, please. I'm not asking you, are you putting your hand in your pocket? Are you making contributions that these people might be cared for? But what I am asking you is simply this. What are you doing about it? I have been thrilled at the prayer meeting these last two weeks.
It has been a joy, night by night, to hear one after another, one after another of our brethren stand at their feet and plead to God for so many things. But it has almost become evident by the fact that it has never been mentioned that few of us have talked towards those that are facing problems in business. I wonder if I may ask this. Do we not all agree that if we are brethren, if we are in the body of Christ, if we are in church fellowship, that for our brethren that face these problems, we should be constantly in prayer.
My Bible says, pray ye one for another. And when Nehemiah saw the people that were in desperate faith, He did something about it. Would you notice what he did? This chapter tells me, first of all, the story of a man who was rebuking. Verse seven, I consulted with myself. I like that, don't you? You know, that's the sort of committee I agree with. A committee of one. Oh, he didn't consult with one another. He consulted with himself. President, let's grasp this truth.
If something is going to be done for God, it's got to start with a committee of one. It's got to start with me. Let me say I'm going to do something for God. Well, he started with his familiar words, and so there was no one to argue with it. No one to say, well, brother, I think we'll do it this way, or that way. He consulted with himself, and then, we read verse seven, he rebuked the nobles and the rulers. He went to the very source of the problem and spoke to them. Now I know this. that it's not possible for you and I to go to the source of economic economic problems today the difficulty is it depends our political outlook doesn't it as to who we go to some of you might go to a man who bears my name nothing to do with me nothing to do with me in my country they might go to other men No, I'm not thinking of that, but what I am thinking is the fact that if there be in our fellowship that which would disunite us, that which indeed would
bring discord and not harmony, that some of God's folk will be perishing for the bread of life when it should be given to them, then let us rebuke that which is wrong, and that which would hinder any blessing among all. Let's pray for the temple need of man. But in the spiritual need, let's be Nehemiah. And let's seek to rebuke that which is war. Then you will notice that there is not only rebuke in this chapter, but restoring the seven. The four I pay you to them, even this day. For twelve, we will restore them, even this day.
So we see them restoring. I believe that God's people are willing to listen to a word of correctness. I do not believe that we are living in such a low spiritual place that when there are things that are hindering to the church of God, if a godly man comes and speaks to us, that we will not listen. But let the man who comes to speak to us be a godly man I mean, I wouldn't mind Nehemiah speaking to me, would you? Oh, I have little doubt he might be a bit rough. He might be a bit rough.
We'll see to my night that he was the man who said, if you do so again, I'll lay my hands on you. Oh, but we wouldn't mind listening to him, would we? Because he was a man who lived it out himself. He was watching himself. He was laboring himself. And when those that need to be rebuked were rebuked, it was Nehemiah that did it. And they listened, brethren, sisters, when a godless sister or brother comes and counsels you in the things of God, whatever else we do, don't take a thank. It is wrong to give a thank that I suggest to you it equally as wrong to take effect let's realize God has something to save us and here we find them a people who indeed who were crying but their crying turned to praying because there was that rebuking and that restoring and praying God it led to that rejoicing why the party and
all the people said Amen! Amen! And, and praise the Lord. You know, those were the people that not only had the things restored to them, but those were the people that gave them the things as well. You know, when you did something for God, it makes you glad. it is wonderful when indeed you had something that you thought very much of and yet suddenly you realize the Lord wants that but it's that giving that brings joy to thine heart joy and blessing to the assembly of God's people are here crying that leads to praising all that we might be able to say amen and praise the Lord But in chapter five tells me of pain that leads to craving.
Why, it also tells me of peculiarity that leads to power. Now, whatever you may say about Nehemiah, I think you all acknowledge this, that he was a very peculiar man. I mean, whatever way you look at him, he was a very peculiar man. Would you notice how verses fourteen and fifteen tell us something of his peculiarity? The governors that had governed over Jerusalem before, we are told, are governors, the former governors, were chargeable unto the people. They had taken their bread and their wine and their silver.
But notice verse fifteen, so did I. not. You know, I wish I could put that in inverted commas. I wish I could underline that. What a peculiar governor. All the governors before have been chargeable to the people. They have taken taxes. They said, if I'm going to govern you, I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to demand from you enough that I might live in the exalted position as the governor. Old Nehemiah said, I will take a penny from you. I put you there.
Do you know, brethren, if there is one thing that thrills my heart about the testimony of God's voice, it's this, that in all the years I have preached amongst them, I have never preached in a gospel service where they've taken out to collect it. I thank God for that, and I let you know a secret. If you were to do it, I'd walk off the platform. I am glad that the gospel is chargeable to no one, and we may be peculiar folks, but I tell you this, I'm glad we're peculiar folks. I pray that day will never dawn when we suggest that we aren't chargeable to the people.
Thank God for a God who has promised indeed to supply our every need. And I'll let you into a secret. In thirty years of daily trusting him, he's never failed us. As a matter of fact, he supplied so much for the last week's fight had to be on a diet. You know, what a God we've got. What a God we've got. I am glad that I will teach and be tangible to no man. But blessed God, he never failed us. Never failed us. My wife, dear, you come and have a word with her afterwards.
She'll tell you that in times might have been difficult. But blessed God, he's never failed and never will. I say, I said to you, But if you find this governor as a peculiar person, well, surely, surely you will grant me this, that this is the mark of a believer. When I turn and talk away to that wonderful epistle of Titus, do you remember the fourteen-first of the second chapter? This is that which is written, who gave himself for us? All the wonder of it. who gave himself to us that he might redeem us from all inequity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, a fellow of good work.
Away in the county of Essex in my country, if you were cycling down the country lane, there's every chance that in almost every Essex village you would see a chapel building. And outside of the chapel building, you would see this notice, the meeting room of the peculiar brethren. Ooh. I say that's not a bad idea, is it? The meeting room of the peculiar brethren. Now please, when Titus receives this letter, He is not saying peculiar ha ha.
Oh, no. I'll tell you what it means to be peculiar. I'll tell you what it means. You come with me back into the Old Testament, will you? For the story of a young man. Are you young fellows listening? Are you listening now? Come on. Pick up your ears a minute. Here was a young fellow. He got told of the slave into the home of Potiphar. And one day the wicked woman that was part of her wife, he came to this young man and tempted him to sin. But he was a peculiar fellow. You know, he said, I'd rather go to prison than do that.
You know, that's the sort of peculiar hope God wants. Hope them will look at sin and say, I won't. I'll tell you what it means to be peculiar. Why? There were three young men. Golden Nebuchadnezzar erected a golden image. And he said, when the band played, you must bow the knee and worship it. And do you know what these two young men said? Listen, we're not going to bow our knee to your golden image. If you don't, you'll be cast into the fire. Where? our God is able to deliver us, and he will, but just you understand this, Mr.
Nebuchadnezzar, if he doesn't, he won't know I need you, or you're in it. Oh, friend, this is wonderful when you meet peculiar folks like that, who will look at sin and say, although it appears to be a passive, not me, not me, We used to sing an old, cranky, moody hymn. You don't sing it over here. But we still use the cranky, moody hymn book, you know. And we used to sing an old, cranky, moody hymn. Have courage, my boy, to say... No, that's on G.
You don't know the hymn. Have courage, my boy, to say no. Isn't it grand when you meet some man like... the three young men in the story of Daniel, like Joseph, like Nehemiah, men who indeed are prepared to say to that which is evil, we won't. We will not be chargeable to any people. We will not place a burden on the shoulders of God's hope. We will not hinder them in laboring in the what? Oh, what a peculiar concept. But that peculiarity led to real power.
And this is just it. Whenever you find a man who's prepared to walk with God and obey God, that man is a man filled with power. And do you remember why he said he would not be chargeable to the people? Here it is. Just you ask and rest this thing. Because of the fear of the Lord. So did not I because of fear of the Lord. You know, brethren, I still think that Proverbs one and seven is a rather good verse, don't you? Don't you? The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge.
Oh, Nehemiah needed the knowledge to see God's hope, bearing witness for him. and he feared the Lord and the fear of the Lord was the beginning of knowledge and because he feared God old young man young woman my older brother and sister do we and I speak to myself do we fear the Lord do we fear the Lord oh no please please not are we frightened of the Lord but do we fear him As you know, I've two children. I've got one of every sort you can have. Even the Queen of England has a lot more sorts than we've got.
But you know, we've got only two children. We've got four grandchildren. And I hope my children fear Mary and myself. I hope our grandchildren fear Mary and myself. Now they have never shown any sign of ever being frightened of us. But I do trust that they fear us enough not to do anything that would bring disgrace to our name. Love us enough. Love us enough to seek to do those things that are pleasing to us. This is the fear of God, the fear of God that spring of knowledge.
Not just the fear of being cast into the lake of fire, fear that we have that ever we would do or say anything that would make men and women put their finger at our God. They retort you, say, folks, and sanctify them and strengthen them. Look at that man. Look at that woman. But he feared all. And because he feared God, he wouldn't take anything off anyone. He just trusted the Lord to meet his needs. but then would you notice something more would you notice indeed that here this peculiar man with what power he had with what power indeed he labored and would you not please permit me just to remind you or maybe tell you for most of you were not here that the first evening of this conference when I came I saw about my head those words he must increase but I must decrease and so the first evening before we started our studies in one
Timothy I opened my Bible with the brethren and sisters that were here the first week of the conference and I read those three verses Galatians two and twenty I read one Corinthians fifteen and ten I read one Corinthians seven and ten And I reminded those that gathered with us that first evening that I lived yet not I. Christ liveth in me. I reminded them in the words of one Corinthians fifteen, I labored more abundant than they all, yet not I. But the grace of God that was with me, I reminded them in the glorious words of one Corinthians seven and ten.
I come on, yet not I, the Lord. And I suggested the first evening that I would hear, if ever that text would be true in our experience, it would be so when we were prepared to say, not I for Christ, not I for the grace of the Lord, not I for the Lord. And Nehemiah has reached that day. before Paul ever existed he feared the Lord and fearing to do anything that would be misleading to him or bring disgrace to his name oh what power he had what mighty power because of the fear of the Lord I did not do that thing but when we come to chapter six we find ourselves now not looking at pain that leads to pain, not looking at peculiarity that leads to power.
But when we come to chapter six, it seems to me that we have fought before us again the dangers that are front of us. How remarkable, right through the chapter, as Nehemiah was seeking to labor, right through the story that we've been considering. There were always the enemies of the Lord. They seemed to open their mouths and speak in every chapter. They seemed to walk as if I are marked right through every chapter. If I have learned anything when a man tries to labor for God and God is blessing him, I've learned this, that the old devil is interested in that as well.
Brethren, when difficulties arise in our assembly and problems seem to surround us, let's remember this. If we were no good for God, the devil wouldn't be a bit, he said to you. Not a bit. He'd say, by there, I'm not going to wake them up. Let them sleep off. Sleep on, beloved. Sleep off. At the moment a man or a woman does something for God, it seems to show the process of hell. will lift up their hand and try and withstand it. And in chapter six, first of all, we see the dangers that confront us. But praise God, we see the deliverance that's available for us.
The dangers that confront us. Would you notice verse two, please? They thought to do us mischief. Would you notice verse nineteen? Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear. Oh, I say, what dangers are front of us? First of all, there were those dangers that came from these men who sought to do the mischief, dangers that came to letters that were sent that Nehemiah and the people of God might be made fearful.
Now, I don't know about you, but it seems to me, as I read this chapter, that the dangers that appointed Nehemiah and the people of God in their building, it seems to me that they were twofold. First, there was an attack on the message, and then there was an attack on the men. First, an attack on the message. Would you turn please to verse seven? I think it is the most interesting verse. And thou hast also appointed prophet to preach to thee Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah, and thou shalt be reported to the king according to these words.
Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together. they attacked the message but the tragedy was this they did what all people do to attack the message of the Christian faith they twisted it Nehemiah was not standing in Jerusalem and saying there is a king in Judah he was not saying that he never said that he was laboring in the building of the walls He was laboring in the hanging of the gate. He was laboring in the care of the people. He was not leading a rebellious against others.
But there are these enemies of the Lord. They tried to trick the message of the Lord. And brother, sister, it's not this apparent that men and women are doing this today. Whenever there is found... a preacher of the gospel whom God is honoring. There are men and women who will come and take the message that he teaches and preach it. There are many people that have come from America to my land for which we have been extremely thankful.
Of course, there are some who we wish to have never come. But of all the men that have come to my country from your country in the past year, I do not hesitate at all in saying that the man that brought more blessing to my land was Billy Graham. Now folks can say what they will, and they can argue what they will, and they can point out things they wouldn't do. I only know this, that as I travel up and down Great Britain, I am coming now, not then, but now, across literally scores and scores of men and women at that time in the fellowship of God's folks who were going on for jobs and serving God, who were led to the Lord under the ministry of Billy Grace.
Now, as far as I'm concerned, brethren, I would not permit any one of you to say anything against it. Because God has blessed us. And I am extremely thankful for what God did to us. I only know this, that when he first came for the services in Harringdale, an old boxing stadium that I fought in many a time, he came to preach in it. And you know, he came over on your great boat, the United States. And he was met before the boat got. almost all the newspaper reporters.
Why, they got in a boat and out they went to meet the United States and they clambered aboard and they wanted to see this Billy Graham. Oh, they had some questions to answer. And some of the dirty underhanded questions some of those press reporters are. I don't think I need say very much about press reporters in America. Almost the first question one of them asked him was a look into it face and said, Mr. Graham, are you a servant of Jesus Christ? Billy Graham very courteously said, I trust I am. Well, Jesus Christ walked everywhere. Why do you travel for a class?
What a dirty trick. Was it lovely that he could look at him and say, I travel first class, sir, because the owners of this boat paid my patty and gave me a free ticket to come. But what I have is this, that the greatest of God's purpose has the face again and again attacked by the enemy. And it's then that God has used the face attacks like that. then we must face them, mustn't we? We must expect to face them. And Nehemiah face them. Why, I say, they sought to join this year.
They sent letters to put it in here. They attacked the message. They said, Why, this man, this man is preaching that there's a king in Judah. And yet he dared to answer them by saying, There is no such thing done as thou sayest. And then he went straight off. I like that, don't you? He didn't spend time arguing with them. As a matter of fact, we'll see later on, as a matter of fact, this is what he said. Later on, he dared to say, Lord, sing upon these men. I like that, don't you? I like that. In other words, he's saying, I'm not even at a given time to think about them.
and let you think about them, God. And brethren, when there are difficulties and problems, arise from without, let's praise God and blot on, blot on, seeking the Son of the Lord. And then would you notice they not only attacked the message, but they attacked the man. First hand, why they said, they will come to slay thee. They were trying to get old Nehemiah to go into the temple and hide, you know. They said, Come on, Nehemiah. You come in the temple and hide from these people. Why, he dared to say this concerning them. He dared to say, Should a man like I flee?
I'm not going to run and hide. I'm going to label for God. Oh, brethren, God make us men and women like that. men and women who will not please, but will say by the works and labor for God, even if it means, even if it means that death has to stare us in the face. May I please remind you of the most wonderful words that have been said in the two weeks of this conference. May I repeat that, and my friend Mr. Phillips won't mind me saying it, because they weren't said by him. and they weren't said by Mr.
Morgan, and they weren't said by that fellow called poor. But the most wonderful words that had been said in two weeks of this conference were said by Fred Lattender. When in the first week speaking of missionary work, he told of the little girl that challenged my heart more than any person I've ever met. Very creepy, a way younger in Angola. He told how the brethren had written her. Some of the desperate trials of Angola today went so many of being murdered and killed. They let her know that if necessary funds were available to bring her out.
And her only answer was this. If some of these African Christians have to die, then I don't mind dying with them. Please, I don't know how old Betty is. I've got a strong feeling to be in her forty. I don't know. I wonder if I may ask you, forty-year-old Peter, how many of you have appeared to say, if God's folk have to die, I don't mind dying with them. Now this is not some mystical story of the days indeed that have long passed.
This is nineteen seventy times in our day of John's youth commended to the work of God. Thank God for men like Nehemiah. Are you listening? Thank God for sisters who have the character of Nehemiah. who when the enemy says, we will kill thee, will dare look back and say, should such a man, should such a woman as I, please? I'm going to work for God. God should I go back to our homes, our assemblies, to work right there.
I must come quickly to a close. I said there were dangers that have come to us, but there's deliverance that's available to us. And that deliverance is seen in two ways. It's seen first in prayer, verse nine. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. All have been men and women of prayer. Would you notice, verse fourteen, that I've already referred to. My God, since upon Tobiah and Sam Barrett, You know, it's the old prayer I was telling them about last week of a dear old sister away in San Quail during the war who gathered every day with the rest of these folks and prayed when she said, Lord, bless General Eisenhower.
Lord, bless General Montgomery. Lord, bless Mr. Churchill. Lord, and she went to a long list of the generals and, indeed, admirals of the Navy. Then she came to the end of her prayer and she said, And now, Lord, there's that man Hitler. You can do what you like with him. I say, Oh, God, think on Tobias and Sandalus. Think on Tobias. Lord, I'm not going to even think about them. You think on them. I can leave them in your hands. Isaiah said, Isn't it wonderful that the source of our deliverance is prayer?
And not only is that deliverance available when we pray, but that deliverance is available when we keep going on with God. Our perseverance brings deliverance. When we go back to verse three, why should the work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you? Verse thirteen, so the wall was finished. When we come to the first two verses of chapter seven, We read indeed, now it came to pass when the war was built, and I have set up the doors, and the porters, and the singers, and the Levites were appointed. Oh, this is it.
This is where deliverance comes. When we pray and persevere in the work of God, then, bless God, there will be found the porters, those who work. There will be found the singer. Those who witness. Oh, Mr. Preacher, what do you mean, singers, those who witness? Well, what did this choir do for night? They didn't stand up there to entertain us, did they? I'm sure of this, that our good choir master and every member of the choir, they wouldn't have stood there.