Calvary Albuquerque with Skip Heitzig Audio Podcast

Complaining is draining! It only takes away energy from today and never solves problems for tomorrow. And what’s more, a complaining tongue reveals an ungrateful heart. Here in Nehemiah 5, we see that tension was growing among God’s people as complainers voiced their grievances. Some of these complaints were legitimate, but Nehemiah set out to fix the issues and stop the protests.I. The Local Condition (vv. 1-5)II. The Leader’s Reaction (vv. 6-7)III. The Loving Solution (vv. 7-19)Talk with God: Meditate on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the situations in your life that you are more prone to complain about than to pray about.Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer to hold you accountable to pray and give thanks in everything as you “follow the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) this week.Talk with kids: How does Jesus save us from God’s judgment of sin?

In life, you don’t get to choose between building and battling—you’re called to do both. In Nehemiah 4, we discover how to keep building the future while fighting off the fear, distraction, and opposition that threaten to stop us. Whether it’s clearing the rubble of your past, guarding the vulnerable places in your life, or learning to trust God as your ultimate defender, we are called to stay strong in the fight and faithful in the work. Don’t drop your shovel. Don’t sheathe your sword. The wall goes up when you show up.I. Buried in the Rubble (v. 10)II. Threats in the Shadows (vv. 11-12)III. Guard the Gaps (vv. 13-18)IV. Backup on the Battlefield (vv. 19-23)Talk with God: Meditate on Hebrews 4:12 and ask the Lord for the discipline and courage to take up your sword—the Word—as you step onto the battlefield each day.Talk with others: Go to battle in prayer for your Connect Group or circle of believers and ask them how you can guard the gaps and provide backup for them this week.Talk with kids: How do the Com

Being a Christian can be hard in the current climate of hostility—where believers worldwide face physical oppression and persecution. In our own culture, the church is labeled archaic and irrelevant in its stance on modern issues. Today we will consider a few reasons for the opposition we face as Christians and how we can face it victoriously.I. Opposition is NormalII. Opposition is VerbalIII. Opposition is ContinualIV. Opposition is ConquerableTalk with God: Ask the Lord for the courage to stand firm in Christ, despite opposition.Talk with others: Encourage a believer or family member who’s been struggling this week and remind them that their “labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).Talk with kids: Why did Moses need help leading the people?

One of the greatest coaches of all time, Vince Lombardi, said, “Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Nehemiah 3 records the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls by individuals committed to this group effort. Here we can learn several practical and spiritual principles.I. God's Work Should Be OrderlyII. There's a Place for EveryoneIII. Your Service Should Fit YouIV. Some Work Harder Than OthersV. Work Should Be Tied to PurposeTalk with God: Meditate on Proverbs 3:5-6 this week and ask the Lord to “show you which path to take” (NLT) as you seek His will in every area of your life.Talk with others: If you’re struggling with brokenness in your life—spiritually, mentally, or physically—ask a mentor or trusted fellow believer to stand with you as you start rebuilding.Talk with kids: Why can we trust God to provide for our needs?

Nehemiah had come to Jerusalem to fix a problem. The city’s ancient, protective walls were in ruins, the entrances still had scorch marks from almost 200 years before, and the people had gotten used to the deplorable conditions. Let’s consider five ingredients we can apply to fix any problem.I. Go the DistanceII. Assess the NeedIII. Get a GroupIV. Expect a FightV. Take a StandTalk with God: Meditate on Psalm 147:1-6 this week and rest in the knowledge that the God who calls the stars by name also “heals the brokenhearted” (v. 3).Talk with others: Encourage your believing friends and family to “not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9) and go to battle for them in prayer this week.Talk with kids: Why is faith in Jesus the only way to be saved?

Your life is not an accident. You were made on purpose and for a purpose. Finding that purpose is the most important discovery you could ever make. There were four distinct elements that confirmed Nehemiah’s calling and purpose in life. These four essentials will help you find your purpose.I. TimingII. TrustingIII. TestingIV. TensionTalk with God: Ask the Lord to reveal the relationships and areas of your life that need to be rebuilt or strengthened.Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer to hold you accountable to spend time in prayer and the Word each day throughout this series.Talk with kids: What were the ten plagues God sent to Egypt?

Author Margaret Atwood’s book The Handmaid’s Tale includes a character who says, “The fact is that I hate this city. I’ve hated it so long I can hardly remember feeling any other way about it.” For some people, this is a daily reality. But Nehemiah loved his city—Jerusalem—though it was a city in shambles. How can we, by God’s grace, learn to love our city for God’s glory?I. Loving Your City Begins by Asking the Right QuestionsII. Loving Your City Includes Feeling the Right EmotionIII. Loving Your City Means Having the Right ReactionIV. Loving Your City Involves Doing the Right ActionsTalk with God: Meditate on verses 10-11 and ask the Lord to give you His heart for the people of our city.Talk with others: Ask your Connect Group or believing friends how you can lock shields with them in their daily walk with the Lord and as they serve Him in their community.Talk with kids: How did God save Moses when he was a baby?

Does your family have any Easter traditions? Allow me to give you a few more. These are the instructions that a heavenly messenger gave to the women who came to the tomb early that first Easter morning: Come, See, Go, Tell! Today we’ll discover what these instructions mean.Talk with God: Meditate on today’s passage and ask the Lord to fill you with a joyful desire to fulfill the Great Commission (vv. 18-20).Talk with others: Practice sharing the gospel message with your Connect Group or a believing friend or family member so you will “always be ready” (1 Peter 3:15).Talk with kids: How did the resurrection impact our lives as followers of Jesus?

I. The AttributeII. The ActionIII. The Audience

Jeremiah J. Johnston, PhD is a New Testament scholar, pastor, author, nationally syndicated radio host, Bible teacher, and apologist, and he ministers internationally as president of Christian Thinkers Society. Jeremiah loves the local church and serves as pastor of apologetics and cultural engagement at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas. Jeremiah’s passion is working with churches and pastors in equipping Christians to giveintellectually informed reasons for what they believe.I. Serious Scholars and Experts Believe the Shroud is AuthenticII. Science Today Still Cannot Explain How the Image is in the ClothIII. The Evidence Most Powerfully Points to One Conclusion: Jesus is the Man of the ShroudTalk with God: Read John’s account of the Passion (chapters 18-20) and meditate on God’s love for you as you prepare your heart for Easter this week.

Frank Turek is a dynamic speaker, TV program host, podcaster, and award-winning author. As president of CrossExamined.org, he presents powerful and entertaining evidence for Christianity.I. Does Evil Disprove God?II. What's the Purpose of Evil?III. What's God's Solution to Evil?Talk with God: Meditate on Ephesians 3:16 this week and ask the Lord to renew and strengthen you as you walk with Him.Talk with others: Ask your Connect Group, friends, or family how you can support them in focusing on “the eternal weight of glory” (v. 17) through the struggles they may be facing.Talk with kids: What did Jesus teach when He was on Earth?