February 21, 2021     Rev. Thomas M. Cox

RESTORATION, CONT’D. #2 NEHEMIAH finds favor

NEHEMIAH 2:1-8

A) INTRODUCTION

B) NOTES ON THE PASSAGE

• F______ Factor (vss. 1-2)

• Short form and L______ form P__________ (vss. 3-4)

• B______ Requests (vss. 5-8a)

• The real R__________ for the positive response (vs. 8b)

C) BIBLICAL ELABORATIONS & APPLICATIONS

1. P______ for favor before kings and those in authority.  Proverbs 21:1

2, Check your M____________.  James 4:3

3. Draw near with C__________________.  Hebrews 4:14-16

4. P________________ in prayer and A____ for the grace of the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:9-13

Nehemiah 2:1-8 (ESV)

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.

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James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Hebrews 4:14-16  Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Luke 11:9-13 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for[d] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”