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What if God has a place for you in the very work that could change someone else’s eternity? In Nehemiah 2–3, a broken city becomes a shared calling. Nehemiah quietly prepares, calls the people to rise up and build, and watches as ordinary men and women take responsibility for their section of the wall. Together, they become part of a story far greater than themselves. Jesus is still building His church—a people joined together around His Word, filled with His Spirit, and sent to bring His hope to the world. Every prayer, every act of service, and every generous gift can help make room for one more person to encounter Him. That person has a name. They may be your child, your neighbor, or the friend you’ve been praying for. We each have a part to play. As we offer what God has placed in our hands, we trust Jesus to do what only He can do: redeem lives and build His people. There is a section of the wall for you. Let’s rise up and build—and let every life changed point to Jesus.

In Nehemiah 2, four months of prayer lead to a moment that could change everything. Standing before the king, Nehemiah is afraid—but he asks boldly. God has been preparing the way and shaping the man who will walk it. We often want God to open a door before we’ve let Him work in our hearts. Prayer aligns our desires with His, strengthens our character, and prepares us to recognize the opportunities He places before us. When the moment comes, our confidence rests in the God who sends us. Jesus invites us to approach His throne with confidence and promises to go with us. Whatever He is calling you to build, you don’t have to step forward alone. Pray faithfully. Ask boldly. Go knowing you are backed by the King.

Jason Clarke · September 20, 2026 Nehemiah 1 In Nehemiah 1, an ordinary man hears about a city in ruins—and refuses to look away. His compassion becomes a burden, and his burden becomes worship, repentance, and bold, specific prayer. Before Nehemiah ever begins rebuilding the walls, God begins a work in him. We want to see our city changed, but renewal calls for more than buildings and good intentions. It calls for hearts broken for the people around us, churches united around Jesus, and a willingness to trust God with what we cannot control. Jesus entered our brokenness at the cost of His own life. He came near, carried our sin to the cross, and rose again to redeem us. His love is the reason we build—and His presence is what makes it matter. Before we rise up and build, let’s come to the altar. The work begins on our knees. Watch the message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4P7d3IvoWg Sermon page: https://rise.cc/sermon/a-heart-for-a-broken-city

What if the greatest moves of God aren’t just stories behind us—but moments He is inviting us into now? In John 21, Jesus meets Peter on the other side of failure with forgiveness and a renewed calling. The disciple who denied Him becomes a bold witness in Acts—and the transformation that begins in Peter spreads through the church and into the city. We long to see God change our world, but are we willing to let Him begin with us? Revival takes root as we surrender the sin we’ve grown comfortable with, build our homes around Jesus, and step out in faith to share Him with the people already in our lives. You don’t have to wait for the perfect moment to say yes to God. This is your city. These are your people. This is your moment. What if revival begins with a simple prayer: “Jesus, start with me”?

We all want abundant life—but we keep wandering through doors that promise freedom and leave us empty. In John 10, Jesus makes a breathtaking claim: the life your soul was created for is found through Him alone. He is the Door who welcomes you, the Shepherd who knows your name, and the Lamb who gave His life to save yours. When you are lost, He searches for you. When you are too weak to return, He carries you. When every other voice competes for your trust, He keeps calling you home. Jesus is closer than you think—and He is still knocking. Will you open the door?

We spend our lives chasing success, comfort, recognition, and even religious achievement, believing they will produce the life our souls crave. But in John 15, Jesus warns that knowledge, morality, and spiritual activity can look impressive while remaining disconnected from the source of life. Jesus reveals that the evidence of discipleship is fruit: inexhaustible joy and sacrificial love. Yet this fruit isn’t produced by trying harder. A branch cannot manufacture life. It can only remain connected to the vine, allowing the life of Jesus to flow through it. Stop striving to look fruitful. Abide in Jesus—and let His joy and love become the unmistakable fruit of your life.

What if Jesus isn’t waiting for you to get your life together—but simply inviting you to come back? In Mark 2, a group of friends refuses to let a crowded room keep a paralyzed man from Jesus. They tear open the roof and lower their friend into His presence. There, Jesus meets the man with forgiveness, healing, and a grace greater than anything that had kept him separated or ashamed. Many of us carry hidden places we are afraid to surrender. We wonder whether Jesus will receive us as we are, so we build walls and hold tightly to what feels safe. But His invitation is not reserved for people who have already changed. It is extended to every person willing to come near and trust Him with the process. Make room for Jesus. The grace that welcomes you back will become the grace that makes room for others.

What if Christianity isn't primarily about having the right answers—but walking with the One who is the answer? Thomas wants directions. Philip wants understanding. But Jesus offers them something greater than instructions or information: a relationship with Himself. The disciples do not need to solve every mystery about the road ahead. They need to remain close to the One who knows the way. In John 14, Jesus promises that He is preparing a place for His people and will return to bring them home. He is the Way who leads us, the Truth who anchors us, and the Life who transforms us. Following Jesus is not simply adopting a better way to live—it is learning to live every moment with Him. Jesus is not inviting you into an empty religion. He is inviting you into life with Him. The question is: are you merely learning about the Way, or are you walking with Him?

What if Jesus isn't only calling you to life—but calling you to let go of everything that keeps you from living it? In one of the most moving moments in the Gospels, Jesus weeps beside the tomb of Lazarus before demonstrating His power over death itself. He enters humanity's deepest pain, then does what no one else can do: He speaks life where death seemed permanent. John 11 reveals a Savior who is both powerful enough to conquer the grave and compassionate enough to stand beside us in our sorrow. Through His own death and resurrection, Jesus makes new life possible for everyone who believes. But He also calls us to leave our grave clothes behind and walk in the freedom He purchased for us. The voice that called Lazarus out of the tomb is still calling people by name. The question is: will we step into the life only Jesus can give?

What if the life you've been searching for isn't found by following yourself—but by following a Shepherd? In John 10, Jesus makes one of His most beloved declarations: "I am the Good Shepherd." While the religious leaders used their authority to exploit God's people, Jesus reveals Himself as the Shepherd who leads, protects, and willingly lays down His life for His sheep. He doesn't simply point the way to life—He is the source of it. The problem is that Scripture says we're all like sheep. We wander. We chase things that leave us empty. We return to the same destructive patterns over and over, convinced we know what's best for our lives. But the Good Shepherd never stops pursuing His sheep. He calls us by name, gives His life to rescue us, and invites us into the abundant life that can only be found in Him.

What if the greatest darkness in our lives isn’t around us—but within us? In John 9, Jesus encounters a man blind from birth. While the disciples look for someone to blame and the Pharisees defend their traditions, Jesus does what only He can do: He opens the man’s eyes. Yet the deeper miracle unfolds as the man gradually recognizes Jesus—not merely as a healer, but as Lord. John 8–9 reveals that humanity’s greatest problem is spiritual blindness. We don’t simply need better behavior, stronger opinions, or more religious knowledge. We need the Light of the World to help us see. At the cross, darkness appeared to overcome the Light. Three days later, Jesus walked out of the grave. Sin did not win. Death did not have the final word. Jesus still opens blind eyes—and those who see Him clearly can’t help but worship.

We’re all hungry for something—for love, purpose, significance, peace, or acceptance. We spend our lives trying to satisfy those longings with things that never seem to last. In John 6, Jesus meets a crowd searching for another miracle and reveals that their greatest need isn’t more bread—it’s Him. In the first of His great “I Am” statements, Jesus declares, “I am the Bread of Life.” He doesn’t offer another self-improvement strategy or a better way to live. He offers Himself as the only One who can satisfy our souls, reconcile us to God, and give us the life we’ve been searching for all along. Stop settling for what fills you for a moment. Come to the One who satisfies forever.

The world says people never change. Jesus says watch what My grace can do. In a culture that writes people off because of their failures, their reputation, or their past, Scripture introduces us to Saul—a man everyone feared and no one expected God to use. Yet Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and transformed the church’s greatest persecutor into one of its greatest proclaimers. Acts 9 reminds us that grace isn’t earned—it pursues. Jesus still knows our names, still rewrites our stories, and still calls ordinary people to join Him in His work of redemption. Every baptism declared the same truth: no life is too broken for the transforming power of Christ. God isn’t finished writing your story.

The world says masculinity is toxic. God says men are called. In a culture that wants men passive, distracted, and compromised, Scripture issues a different command: Be watchful. Stand firm. Act like men. Be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. This Father’s Day, we’ll look at the high calling God places on men in 1 Corinthians 16—to guard what matters, stand firm when the pressure comes, take responsibility for the people entrusted to them, and love with the sacrificial strength of Jesus. The enemy is real. The stakes are high. Your family needs you awake at your post.

Most of us spend our lives trying to hold everything together. We carry the pressure to succeed, provide, lead, and figure it all out. Yet beneath all that effort is a deeper reality: we were never created to live independently from God. From the beginning, humanity was designed to thrive in His presence, not apart from it. Tune in as we discover how Jesus restores what self-sufficiency has stolen. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are invited into a life of daily dependence, deeper intimacy, and greater purpose. As we learn to pray, listen, and respond to God’s leading, we’ll find that the strongest people in God’s Kingdom aren’t the most capable—they’re the most available.