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Dover Assembly of God

2.28.2021 | Nehemiah - Week 11

Locations & Times

4790 Carlisle Rd, Dover, PA 17315, USA

Sunday 10:30 AM

Dover Assembly Online

Sunday 10:30 AM

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Weekly Bulletin

February 28, 2021 Welcome to Dover Assembly! We are so glad you have chosen to attend Dover Assembly this morning. It is not by accident that you are here. We believe that God has allowed you to be here so that you might receive all that He has for you. We pray you are blessed as you allow the Lord to work in your life. THIS WEEK Sunday 9:00 am ~ Coffee & Donut Hour 9:30 am ~ Sunday School 10:30 am ~ Worship Service 10:30 am ~ R.O.C.K. Children’s Ministry 1:00 pm ~ Spanish Service Monday 7:00 pm ~ Deacon Board Meeting Wednesday PRAYER & FAST DAY 6:30 pm ~ Family Night Thursday 6:30 pm ~ Men’s Dinner Saturday 6:30 pm ~ Spanish Service UPCOMING EVENTS Easter Egg Hunt Our annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Palm Sunday, March 28 immediately following the morning service. We are collecting candies that are able to fit inside the plastic eggs. Please place your candy donations in the bucket in the upper foyer. We will be assembling the eggs on Wednesday, March 24. Volunteers appreciated! There is a sign up sheet in the lower foyer to sign up your children and / or their friends. Youth Convention It’s that time again! Instead of a 3 day weekend at the convention center and hotel, this year it will be a one-day event held at Harrisburg 1st A/G. It is open for grades 6th grade through high school. The date is Friday, April 2 and the cost is $40 per student. If your child would like to attend, please sign up in the lower foyer or see Pastor Jeff. Scholarships available. Men's Dinner The Guys will be going to Baker’s Diner in Dillsburg for dinner, this Thursday at 6:30. We’d love to have all the men join us for a great time of fellowship. Bring friends with you! We will take the church van if anyone would like to car-pool! National BGMC Day National BGMC Day will be observed March 7! Bring your Buddy Barrels as we begin our goal for 2021. If you need a barrel, please see Anna! Girls' Night In! Joyce Meyer is planning another in-church conference scheduled for Friday April 16 at 8:00 pm. If you are interested in joining Anna for this event, please sign up at the women’s table in the upper foyer. BODY NEWS Attention Prayer Warriors! On the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm, Pastor Jeff and Anna will have a time of prayer for 30 minutes in the church sanctuary. We will be praying for specific church needs. If you would like to join us, please sign up in the upper foyer! Community Outreach Coming soon! More information will be provided regarding an outreach Dover Assembly will be doing to the community on Carlisle Rd. Stay tuned. . . Vacation Bible School (VBS) We are in the planning stages of our annual VBS. The theme is LEGOS and is scheduled for July 11-14. Before we order curriculum and begin advertising, we need excited volunteers. If you are able to commit to this tremendous outreach opportunity, please sign up in the upper foyer. Congratulations! To the following for having followed the Lord last Sunday in Water Baptism: ~ Nora Ellicott ~ Jalon Johnson ~ Jayden Kelley ~ Makenna Wible To Brody & Laura Witmer and the family on the dedication of Madelyn Mae to the Lord on Sunday, Feb. 14 BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES March 1 ~ Dustin Wible March 3 ~ Reid Vought March 5 ~ Myiah Eaton March 8 ~ Bonnie Portner March 9 ~ Beulah Shellenberger March 13 ~ Xander Wible March 17 ~ Mary Stephens March 18 ~ Angel Landis March 19 ~ Loralei Wible March 19 ~ Sherry Sheely March 20 ~ June Tolbert March 22 ~ Lee Jones March 25 ~ Harry Portner March 25 ~ Todd Miller March 26 ~ Brenda Miller March 30 ~ Gil Tunney March 6 Chad & Angel Landis JOIN US FOR 21 IN ’21! God Answers Prayer 21 Wednesdays of Fasting and Prayer Wed., Jan. 6 ~ Wed., May 26, 2021 We will fast Breakfast and Lunch and take time to pray for: Salvation for our families, friends and community 1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. NIV Health for our families and church body James 5:15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. NIV The Lord’s direction for our property Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. NIV

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Week 11 - February 28, 2021 - Pastor Jeff Bender

Last week in our study in the Book of Nehemiah, we finished 2/3 of chapter 8.

That section showed us that the Israelites had settled into their homes, but were immediately called together to hear from God’s word.

They had their material needs met, now they needed to have their spiritual needs met.

They listened to God’s word being read to them for at least 5 hours and the priests were mingling in the crowd to make sure everyone knew what was being taught.

So after the 5 hours, they people celebrated hearing God’s word by having a feast.

So now, we come to Nehemiah 8:13.

Last week we said that this particular month was a great starting point for the people. It was the new year’s, The Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles all were to be celebrated in this month.

They first met on New Year’s Day.

Nehemiah 8:2

That day was over and now we come to the very next day.

Nehemiah 8:13

Revival meetings used to run from Sunday-Wednesday or maybe even the whole week. And they had services every night. We would attend them and they lasted sometimes for hours for 4-7 days.

These folks were having a revival. They came back the next day to hear more from God’s word. They were hungry!

So what should follow a revival? What should follow every sermon?

Action!

James 1:22

They had listened to God’s word, now it was time to start doing what it said.

And what was the next thing they needed to do?

Nehemiah 8:14-15

This was the 2nd day of the month and this festival was to be celebrated on the 15-21st of the month, so they didn’t have a lot of time to get ready.

They not only had to make the tabernacles (tents), they had to get the word out to everyone that we are going to do this.

Doing what God said is not only for the leaders to do, but it involves everyone.

Everyone is responsible for doing what God says.

What was the Feast of Tabernacles? What did it signify?

They were to build little shelters out of branches and live in them for the week. They were usually set up on the rooves of their homes, but sometimes spilled over into the streets and fields.

It signified 3 things.
~ Looking back
~ Looking around
~ Looking ahead

LOOKING BACK
When they looked back, it was to remind them of the 40 years of wandering in the desert by their ancestors, when the people were homeless and had to live in temporary shelters.

We aren’t obligated to celebrate these feasts now, but it is a good idea to look at their meaning.

Look at where you are as a person, a family and a nation.

Personally:
It is 2021. Where are you now in life? What was your life like years ago? Are you better off today, than 20 years ago? Are you better off than your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents?

Most people would say they are better off. We are healthier, wealthier, smarter. The point is, there was hardship and struggles in our ancestor’s past and those brought us to where we are today.

For these Jews, they were remembering what their ancestors had to endure. They were not supposed to forget the struggles they went thru.

How many of us could live 100 years ago? 200 years ago? 70 years ago?

We who are living today have what we have because of the sacrifices that previous generations made.

The Jews needed to remember and appreciate that and so do we.

Family:
What are some the benefits we have as families today that our ancestors didn’t?

Just think about the modern conveniences we have that they didn’t. And you know what, they survived.

Healthier:
What advances in medicine do we have that we didn’t 50-60-100 years ago?

We should be grateful to God for when we are living. We could have lived back then.

Nationally:
Here is where I think people are going off the rails. They have forgotten what this country has been thru to get where we are today.

We see history being re-written or erased right before our eyes. The problem with erasing history or re-writing it is that we forget where we came from and how we forget how God allowed us to correct all those bad things.

The purpose for the Israelites and for us is that we need to remember all that God has done for us in the past.

LOOKING AROUND

The Jews were to look at the harvest that God had given them and to be grateful for it.

Deuteronomy 8:10

They needed to be thankful to God and not think they did it all themselves.

Now that we looked back at how God brought us to where we are today, we need to look around at the blessings we enjoy because of God.

What do we have that God did not give us?

James 1:17

LOOKING AHEAD

The Jews were to look forward to the kingdom that God promised to them.

Zechariah 14:4

Zechariah 14:9

We look forward to what God has promised to those who love him.

We all know that life here is short and that we all will eventually die.

But what lies beyond the grave is what we look forward to.

John 14:1-3

To the thief on the cross who believed, he said . . .

Luke 23:43

This feast should encourage us to look back at where God brought us from, look at what God has blessed us with today, and be excited for the hope we have for tomorrow.

Nehemiah 8:16

Doing the will of God requires work.

They didn’t just sit around saying amen, preach it Nehemiah.

They got up from the revival and started working. Started doing what they heard preached.

It’s one thing to get revved up at the sermon, but if it doesn’t challenge you to do something, then we have missed the point of God’s word.

Nehemiah 8:17

God’s word is applicable to everyone and everyone was required to be a part.

We are all called to be obedient. Not just listen, but to respond with action.

Nehemiah 8:17

Look at what that verse says: They didn’t celebrate it LIKE THIS!

It doesn’t mean that they didn’t celebrate it at all. Because they did.

2 Chronicles 8:12-13

Ezra 3:4

They key to understanding this lies in those words.

They didn’t celebrate it LIKE THIS!

Like what? Apparently in years gone by not everyone participated and those that did only did it out of duty or a token acknowledgement, not with joy.

But this time, everyone was involved and they were very joyful.

Nehemiah 8:17

It’s easy to go thru the motions of being a Christian. We go to church, we read and pray but we don’t seem to have that joy? Why not?

Part of this celebration involved sending food and gift to those who were needy.

Nehemiah 8:10

Joy comes from hearing God’s word then sharing the blessings of God with others.

They were ministering to others. Not just taking in. They were giving out.

How many of us don’t really have the joy of the Lord? Do we rely on a pain-free life to give us joy? Are we only joyful when everything is going great?

If that’s the case, our joy will be very random and inconsistent.
The feast was meant to not for enjoyment alone, but for enrichment and encouragement.

What did Nehemiah tell them just a few verse ago?

Nehemiah 8:10

The world’s joy is short lived and when it goes, we are left with even greater weakness and discouragement.

We receive the Joy of the Lord, when we are able to minister to others.

When we give out as much as we take in.

If we only receive and receive and receive and never use what God has given us for others, we will never have the joy of the Lord.

Ask anyone doing ministry, yes it’s work, it might even be hard at times, but when you see the effects on the people to whom you minister, that’s when you have the Joy of the Lord.

Why? Because you have tangible evidence that God is working thru you.

Nehemiah 8:18

This revival lasted 7 days. Can you imagine having a revival service going on for a week solid and everyday was a celebration?

Notice the impetus for this revival. People hearing and responding for the first time in a while to God’s word.

For years, the Israelites had simply gone thru the motions of worshipping God. They did the feasts, did the offerings but it meant nothing.

It didn’t change their lives.

But after being in exile for 70 years and finally returning to their hometown, they had a fresh beginning with God. They recognized that they lost out on God’s blessings by being disobedient, but now they’re back.

Right now the church in America I think is ripe for revival.

For years, we have been coasting in the blessings of God. Going thru the motions of worshipping God, but has it really changed our lives?

Right now there are some events happening that is beginning to get our attention.

Maybe we might lose our blessings like Israel did. How many have heard of “The Equality Act”?

Doug Clay-Superintendent of the A/G says: “Represents the single greatest threat to religious liberty in my lifetime.”

There are other things happening that threaten believers, but as we face those things,

The church, like Nehemiah’s people, need to have a sort of tabernacle experience. Not that we have to live in tents, but we need to maybe not just listen to God’s word, but we need to respond in action to it.

Our nation needs prayer. Real knee scraping tear producing prayer.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

God needed to get their attention. And I think he is getting ours right now.

We need revival, but it starts with each one individually.

We are implementing a once a month to start, time of prayer at the church. A half hour, agreeing in prayer for our 21 in 21 our church, and our country.

If we are serious about asking for God’s blessings and for him to heal what’s going on, it is going to need all of us praying together.

For the Israelites, the days of casual worship was over and true Godly work was beginning.

If we truly want revival, that is where we need to be.

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