The Nehemiah Code: It's Never Too Late for a New Beginning (The Code Series)

Hawkins, O. S.

ISBN 10: 0718091388 ISBN 13: 9780718091385

Verlag: Thomas Nelson, 2018

Inhaltsangabe

Who isn't in need of a new beginning? Bestselling author O. S. Hawkins knows that whether it be broken relationships, integrity missteps, or loss, most of us will spend some or much of the next year trying to restore something. The good news is . . . it’s never too late for a new beginning.

Hawkins, with more than 550,000 books sold, now turns his eye to another biblical hero in The Nehemiah Code. Nehemiah was a civil servant from 2,500 years ago who applied principles found in the Bible for insight during hard times, help to start again, and encouragement to rebuild a life.

The Nehemiah Code dives into a theme that will resonate deeply with a wide variety of readers -  insight during hard times, help to start again, and encouragement to rebuild a life. Topics include: 

• Taking personal responsibility
• Moving out of your comfort zone
• Rebuilding team spirit
• Holding those around you accountable
• Doing what is right
• Finishing strong

All author royalties go toward Mission:Dignity, an organization that supports retired pastors and their spouses living near the poverty level.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

O. S. Hawkins, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, is a graduate of Texas Christian University (BBA) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv, PhD). He is Chancellor and Senior Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the former pastor of the historic First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, and is President Emeritus of GuideStone Financial Resources, the world's largest Christian-screened mutual fund serving 250,000 church workers and Christian university personnel with an asset base exceeding twenty billion dollars, where he served as President/CEO from 1997 to 2022.

Dr. Hawkins is the author of more than 50 books including the bestselling "Code Series" with over two million in print, including The Joshua Code: 52 Scripture Verses Every Believer Should Know, The Bible Code: Finding Jesus in Every Book in the Bible, The Christmas Code: Daily Devotionals Celebrating the Advent Season, and The Easter Code: A 40-Day Journey to the Cross.

He preaches in churches and conferences across the nation. He is married to Susie and has two daughters, two sons-in-law, and six grandchildren. Visit him at OSHawkins.com and follow him on X @OSHawkins.

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The Nehemiah Code

It's Never Too Late for a New Beginning

By O. S. Hawkins

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2018 O. S. Hawkins
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-7180-9138-5

Contents

Introduction: The Nehemiah Code, 1, 
Part One: Rebuilders Get Started Right, 
Chapter 1: Make an Honest Evaluation, 11, 
Chapter 2: Identify with the Need, 17, 
Chapter 3: Take Personal Responsibility, 21, 
Chapter 4: Move Out of Your Comfort Zone, 25, 
Part Two: Rebuilders Build a Team Spirit, 
Chapter 5: Start with Your Goal in Mind, 37, 
Chapter 6: Seize Your Opportunities, 41, 
Chapter 7: Make a Careful Analysis of Your Situation, 47, 
Chapter 8: Motivate Your People to Get off Dead Center, 53, 
Chapter 9: Stay on Track, 61, 
Part Three: Rebuilders Let Go Without Letting Up, 
Chapter 10: Set Clear Objectives with Specific Tasks, 77, 
Chapter 11: Pick the Right Person for the Right Job, 81, 
Chapter 12: Be an Example Yourself, 85, 
Chapter 18: Rally the Troops, 129, 
Part Five: Rebuilders Never Cut What They Can Untie, 
Chapter 19: There Is a Time to Back Off, 143, 
Chapter 20: There Is a Time to Stand Up, 149, 
Chapter 21: There Is a Time to Give In, 153, 
Chapter 22: There Is a Time to Reach Out, 159, 
Part Six: Rebuilders Finish Strong, 
Chapter 23: Stay Off the Side Streets: Keep Focused, 177, 
Chapter 24: Stay Off the Sidelines: Keep Faithful, 185, 
Epilogue, 195, 
Appendix: Nehemiah 1–6, 199, 
Mission: Dignity, 211, 
About the Author, 212, 

CHAPTER 1

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire."

— NEHEMIAH 1:1–3

Nehemiah opened his memoirs with the news of a report he received from distant Jerusalem. Hearing of someone who had recently returned from a visit, Nehemiah inquired about the status of the Jewish people and the condition of the Holy City itself. The report was not what he had hoped to hear: "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire" (Nehemiah 1:3).

If Nehemiah was to get started right in his task of rebuilding, his first step was to make an honest evaluation of the condition of Jerusalem. Although a remnant of the Jews had returned to their homeland and the temple was in place, there was only a semblance of normalcy. The wall of the city was still broken down from the destruction years earlier when the Babylonians had devastated the city. The gates were still unhinged, burned with fire. Those who had returned had dishonored God with their lifestyles and neglect of the temple, and they found themselves mired in deep "distress."

It was time to face the facts. First, the broken wall was in need of being rebuilt to provide safety and security for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And, second, as long as the gates were burned, the enemy would have easy access to the city.

Many of us falter and fail in the rebuilding process at this very point — we don't take the time to make a thorough and careful enough evaluation of our circumstances and situation. For some, it is hard to get to the place of admitting our need, of admitting that some of our own walls are broken and some of our own gates are burned. I know men and women who have met premature death because they would not face the warning signs of pain in their bodies. We all know those who waited too long to go to a physician to get an honest evaluation of their situation. The same can often be said regarding relationships, or, for that matter, anything else that needs to be rebuilt. If we are ever going to rebuild, we must first get started right. And we will never get started right until we make our own honest evaluation of the situation.

There are at least three approaches people take when seeking to rebuild something that is broken in their lives. One is the way of the "superficial optimist." The emphasis here is on the word superficial. This is a cosmetic approach that deals only with surface issues. These are people who are constantly in the process of trying to put a positive spin on difficult situations, often pretending a problem does not even exist. The superficial optimist will resist making any semblance of an honest evaluation, wishfully thinking that if he or she just waits long enough or hunkers down deep enough then everything will eventually be made right. The ancient prophet Jeremiah had this person in mind when he said there were some who say, "'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace" (Jeremiah 8:11).

Then, there are others who approach the process of rebuilding as "busy optimists." That is, they admit there is a problem, but they attack it by trying to get everyone around them to be as busy as they can be. These people set up new structures and new organizational charts. They acquire new personnel. They develop new slogans and motivate the troops with all types of positive-thinking techniques. But they never get around to honestly evaluating and addressing the situation. And all the new policies, new people, new plans, and new procedures in the world can't keep a ship afloat if it has holes in the hull.

Finally, there are those like Nehemiah, who make an honest evaluation of the situation right from the beginning. They have the courage to face the root problems and deal with them directly. We might refer to them as "honest optimists." They have the strength and patience, as well as the wisdom and understanding, to address the systemic issues and actually work to correct them. Those who make such honest evaluations are not afraid of offending others or making enemies. They are not intimidated by threats, and they cannot be formed and fashioned into someone else's mold. Such a person is our man, Nehemiah. He got started right by making an honest evaluation of his situation.

There may be many reading these words who are in need of rebuilding — perhaps it's a relationship, self-confidence, or even a life — but they have never arrived at the place of admitting it. Perhaps you take the superficial optimist's approach, simply dealing with surface issues and ever saying "'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace." Or it may be that you more closely identify with the busy optimist. Instead of honestly evaluating your situation, you busily cover up the problems by moving on to new people and new projects. Learn from Nehemiah, the "honest optimist." Look at him. Listen to him. He made an honest evaluation. He inquired. He learned. Then he admitted that, not only was the wall broken down and the gates burned off their hinges, but the people were in distress. And, as if that were not bad enough, they had become a reproach to their God.

Is there any unfinished business in your life? Are there any walls that need rebuilding? Those who win at the game of life always finish what they start. But, before that can happen, they get a good start by making an honest evaluation of the problem. Rebuilders who go through the painful process of accurately assessing...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Thomas Nelson
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2018
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0718091388
• ISBN 13: 9780718091385
• Einband: Kunstledereinband
• Anzahl der Seiten: 224
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Thomas Nelson; https://www.thomasnelson.com/about-us/; ; Damson Lane; Hull; East Yorkshire; HU8 7DS; Vereinigtes Königreich
• Verantwortliche Person: HarperCollins Publishers Ireland; enquiries@harpercollins.ie; ; Macken House 39/40 Mayor Street Upper; Dublin 1; D01 C9W8; Irland