INSIDE THIS CONNECTING POINT
- Praying And Believing For Big Things
- FRIEND SUNDAY Recap
- Bless Our Schools Sunday (August 16)
- Healing Sunday (August 23)
What’s the biggest challenge you or someone else is facing - and do you believe that the Lord can and will meet that need? I ask that question, because lots of people are facing really big challenges in their lives, or in the lives of people close to them. So, what do we do when we’re facing such challenges? We pray - and believe!
In the beginning verses of the Book of Nehemiah we find Nehemiah distraught because he’d learned about the city of Jerusalem’s devastated condition. He lived a long way from Jerusalem (about a four month journey in those days) and had never visited the city. But he was distraught because Jerusalem and it’s people were in a helpless, hopeless situation. So in Nehemiah 1 we find him praying for the Lord to restore the city of Jerusalem. He concluded that chapter praying and saying: “O Lord, please hear my prayer! . . . Please grant me success now as I go to ask the king for a great favor. Put it on his heart to be kind to me. . . . “ (Nehemiah 1:11). And it seems from studying the book of Nehemiah that he didn’t just pray one time - but he prayed daily and continually for months for the Lord to miraculously provide for Jerusalem’s restoration.
In Nehemiah 2, about six months after Nehemiah started praying for Jerusalem and for the King of Persia’s help, we read these words from Nehemiah.
“I was serving the king his wine. I had never appeared sad in his presence before this time. So the king asked me, ‘Why are you so sad? You aren’t sick are you? You look like a man with deep troubles.’ Then I was badly frightened, but I replied, . . . ‘Why shouldn’t I be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been burned down.’ The king asked, ‘Well, how can I help you?’ With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, ‘If it please Your Majesty and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.’ . . . And the king granted these requests because the gracious hand of God was on me.” (Nehemiah 2:1-8)
When we read the next several chapters of the book of Nehemiah, we see the miraculous hand of God at work in unprecedented ways. Nehemiah was able to go to Jerusalem (with all of the supplies needed sent by King Artaxerxes), and rally the people of that city to join him in the rebuilding effort. Despite facing much opposition, he and his followers were able to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem in only fifty-two days. And we read that a revival of sorts occurred among the people of Jerusalem because of the miraculous work that God performed in and through their lives.
Great results will happen in our lives or in others lives when, like Nehemiah, we: 1) have a great burden for someone or something, 2) are faithful to pray, 3) have vision for what God can do, 4) involve others in the vision and plans God has given us, and 5) have faith and confidence in the Lord. The Lord heard and answered Nehemiah’s prayers, and He will do the same for us when we faithfully pray and believe for the Lord to do great and miraculous works in our lives and others lives!
Speaking of the Lord doing great things, we had great Worship Services this past weekend for our annual FRIEND SUNDAY. 1823 more people attended our services than the previous Sunday, and the Lord’s Spirit was moving in powerful ways to touch and transform people’s lives. 82 people prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior in our worship services, and 12 people took the step of baptism (that’s 605 baptisms in 2026).
I want you to connect back with the friends who came with you to inquire about their thoughts regarding the service they attended, and to encourage them to return to Celebration in the coming weeks. And if you invited friends that didn’t attend, contact them and tell them what they missed. And ask them to come with you in the coming weeks. This coming Sunday’s sermon is titled, Believe Jesus Can Clean Up Our Messes, and a lot of people you know will really benefit from that message.
August 16 is Bless Our Schools Sunday at most Celebration Campuses. In our worship services we will pray for educators, students and other school faculty members - praying for the Lord to protect them, help them and bless them in every way in this school year. So invite Teachers, School Faculty members and Students to come with you this Sunday to Celebration so that we can pray for them and encourage them.
On August 23 we will continue our BELIEVE sermon series with a message from John 5 about Jesus’ ability to heal people. The Bible says in Mark 1:34, “Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases...” So on that Sunday bring people with you who are ill or injured - and we will anoint them with oil and pray for them as the Scriptures tell us to do (James 5:14-16). And we will believe for their healing because, as we learned in the Nehemiah story, our Lord is a great God who responds to the fervent and faithful prayers of His people.
We love and appreciate you at Celebration. If you want to Learn more about Celebration’s ministries, share a Prayer Request with us, or Give to support God’s work, you can do so by going to www.celebrationchurch.org. Lives are being changed, marriages and families are being restored, and people are experiencing the transforming power of Jesus here through the ministry of Celebration Church.
Gratefully yours, Pastor Dennis Watson
Lead Pastor, Celebration Church
dennisw@celebrationchurch.org
dennis.watson.96
