1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,160 I've titled our sermon this morning. 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:07,000 Don't give in to threats and Distractions. 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,640 Think with me a little story that I just made-up to 4 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:18,960 illustrate this point. On a nice summer warm summer 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:24,840 Saturday morning, Jack went out to go and cut the grass before 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,560 the sun got too hot. He left the house to go to the 7 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,680 shed to get his lawnmower. As he got to the shed, he opened 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:33,560 the shed door and found it was hard to open. 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:37,120 And he remembered, Oh yeah, that hinge at the bottom there is not 10 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:38,680 working properly. It's just binding. 11 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,040 I was, I meant to fix it last week. 12 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,360 Haven't got to it yet. So he decided, well, I can still 13 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:47,760 get that done before I cut the grass. 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,560 Standing there looking at the hinge, he decided how to do it. 15 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:52,960 He goes to the garage. He's going to get that hinge 16 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,560 fixed right now. He goes to the garage to get his 17 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,480 tools and walks into the garage and there he sees his 18 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,480 neighbour's nail gun that he had borrowed a month ago to do some 19 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,440 little bit of renovation, renovation work down in the 20 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,080 basement. Oh, oh, yeah. 21 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,000 I was meaning to bring that back the other day. 22 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,400 Had forgotten he had, he got distracted. 23 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,840 Well, he's he saw his neighbor in his backyard this morning 24 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,760 when he walked out. And so he's I'm going to do it 25 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:15,960 right now. I'm going to bring the nail gun 26 00:01:15,960 --> 00:01:18,560 right now. He picks up the nail gun, walks 27 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,640 over to his neighbor and hands it to him and says sorry for not 28 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:22,560 bringing it back sooner, and they start chatting. 29 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,600 The morning minutes roll by and his neighbor says, hey, Jack, 30 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,320 want to go for a game of golf? That's a perfect day for 31 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:30,160 golfing. Yeah, let's do that. 32 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:32,600 Off they help. They go to the golf course and 33 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:34,720 have a great after great morning with golfing. 34 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:39,080 Late noon, they come back and the Jack pulls into the 35 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,960 driveway. He knows the raindrops on his 36 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:43,920 windshield. And Oh yeah, they called for 37 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:45,760 afternoon showers today, didn't they? 38 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,160 The rain starts to pour. He had not cut the grass. 39 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,880 He had not fixed the hinge. He had a game of golf. 40 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,280 His distractions had kept him from what he set out to do when 41 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:56,760 he left the house to cut the grass. 42 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:59,600 Not much lost. And that kind of a distraction 43 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:01,080 is there. It's not wrong, even. 44 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,120 Who really cares a whole lot? Got a good game of golfing, 45 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,400 maybe. But there's a place in life we 46 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,920 can't afford this kind of stuff. It's maybe OK for one little 47 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:14,200 project in the yard, in the grass, whatever it's it's not, 48 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:15,760 it's not bad. It's not wrong. 49 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,440 But what about in the soul, in the hearts of the. 50 00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:20,960 I didn't do my devotions today. I got distracted. 51 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:25,840 You know what? I'm going to put that off till 52 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,680 tomorrow, and I'm guilty. We, I think we all are in some 53 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,520 level. And this, this is all of life. 54 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,160 I meant to, I was gonna, I had it in mind. 55 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,040 I was intentional and life passes us by. 56 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:44,920 The failing grade. Well, I meant to study for my 57 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:47,440 exam. I was going to, but then I got 58 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,200 this phone call. I was going to be a be to work 59 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:55,920 on time. But good intentions are not 60 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,840 enough. They have to be followed with 61 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,960 action. Single minded devotion and 62 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,480 commitment is what gets us where we need to be. 63 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,520 And distractions, interruptions are everywhere. 64 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,560 Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. 65 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,520 Satan succeeded 1 Distraction, a temptation, but it was a 66 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,200 distraction too. We don't know how much time we 67 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,560 have. Just this last week we had a 68 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:23,120 funeral here from a young woman who was too young and and I are 69 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,840 heading out for another one, her sister, she died also too young. 70 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:30,320 We don't know how much time we got. 71 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,400 How untracked are we? How committed are we? 72 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,560 How single minded are we? How devoted are we? 73 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,720 This morning we were continuing our sermon series in Nehemiah. 74 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,160 Initially he had a great in Babylon. 75 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,040 He didn't need to go to Judea and take on a job of rebuilding 76 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,120 a wall from a fallen down city. Nobody twisted his arm to do 77 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,240 that. He had a good job with the king, 78 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,480 the cupbearer no less. He heard the story from 79 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:01,920 Jerusalem. What's going on there? 80 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,400 He's deeply troubled. He started praying and fasting 81 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,080 many days. It tells us the king notices and 82 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:08,640 shares with the king what's going on. 83 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,320 The king gives him permission and actually supports him to go 84 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,080 and rebuild the wall. And then and he meets the 85 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,959 people, he scopes the job, meets the people, and they get 86 00:04:17,959 --> 00:04:20,600 together and they start this huge, tremendous task of 87 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:22,480 rebuilding the wall. And it's going well. 88 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,320 And one would think that was all that was visible on the outside. 89 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:30,640 It was just a well functioning, harmonious organized project. 90 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,120 And to some extent, most of most of it was. 91 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,520 But as we heard last Sunday, there were problems in in the 92 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,160 group. There was financial struggles 93 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,360 and people were mistreating each other and financially and so on. 94 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,120 There was a lack of unity and people taking advantage of each 95 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:46,400 other. And so Nehemiah had to deal with 96 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:47,200 that. But you know what? 97 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,600 That was a distraction. He had to deal with it, but he 98 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,680 could not let that derail the project he was doing. 99 00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:57,960 His hands were more than full. Projects like that take a huge 100 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,120 toll. The internal conflict with the 101 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,960 people, the disunity he had to wrestle with. 102 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,520 Today we come to a section of the story where we. 103 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:08,800 OK now it's going to get better, right? 104 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:10,840 No, it's going to get worse before it gets better, But it's 105 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:14,520 going to get better, Yes. Nehemiah had the project of 106 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,840 building the wall to look after, yet there's some internal stuff 107 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:20,160 to work out among the Jews. First of all, that was not 108 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,760 enough. Today we see in Nehemiah how 109 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,720 he's distract there. He he's tempted to be 110 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,480 distracted. Actually, he's threatened. 111 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:31,560 I want us to read Nehemiah chapter 6. 112 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:35,640 It's a powerful little story. Nehemiah Chapter 6 is that now 113 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:40,720 it happened when Sambal Sambalat to buy a Gersh from the Arab and 114 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,400 the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and 115 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:44,800 that there were no breaks left in it. 116 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,520 Though at the time I had not hung the doors in the gates that 117 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,560 Sambalot and Ghesham sent to me saying, Come, let us meet 118 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,400 together among the villages in the plain of Ano. 119 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,880 But they thought to do me harm, so I sent messages to them 120 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,440 saying I'm doing a great work so that I cannot come down. 121 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,920 Why should the work cease which I leave while I leave it, and go 122 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,240 down to you? But they sent me this message 4 123 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,320 times, and I answered them in the same manner that San Balot 124 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,240 sent his servant to me as before the 5th time, with an open 125 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:15,800 letter in his hand, and it was read. 126 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,160 It is reported among the nations, and Gesham says that 127 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:23,000 you and the Jews plan to rebel. Therefore, according to these 128 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,560 rumors, you are rebuilding the wall that you may be their king. 129 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,080 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning 130 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,200 you at Jerusalem, saying there is a king in Judah. 131 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:34,840 Now these matters will be reported to the king. 132 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,360 So come therefore and let us consult together. 133 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,640 Then I said to him, no. Then I said to him, no. 134 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,080 Such things are as you say, are being done, but you invent them 135 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,200 in your own heart. For they all were trying to make 136 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,720 us afraid, saying their hands will be weakened in the work and 137 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:53,320 it will not be done now. Therefore, O God, strengthen my 138 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,680 hands. Afterward I came to the House of 139 00:06:55,840 --> 00:06:59,280 Shami Aya, the son of Dali Aya, the son of Mahatma Bal, which 140 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:02,000 was who was a secret informer. And he said, let us meet 141 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:03,960 together in the House of God within the temple. 142 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:05,880 Let's close the doors of the temple, for they're coming to 143 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:07,360 kill you. Indeed, at night they will come 144 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,600 to kill you. And I said, should such a man as 145 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,760 I flee, and who's there, such as I, who would go into the temple 146 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:15,720 to save his life, I will not go in. 147 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,840 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he 148 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,400 had pronounced this prophecy against me, because Dubai and 149 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,840 Sanbalot had hired him. For this reason. 150 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:29,480 He was hired that I should be afraid and act the way and act 151 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,800 that way and sin so that they might have cause for an evil 152 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,200 report, that they might reproach me. 153 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,920 My God, remember to buy in San Balat according to these their 154 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,760 works and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who 155 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,600 would have made me afraid. So the wall was finished on the 156 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:50,080 25th day of Elal in in 52 days. And it happened when our enemies 157 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,400 heard of it and all the nations around saw these things, that 158 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,000 they were very disheartened in their own eyes, for they 159 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,600 perceived that this work was done by their God. 160 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,120 Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to 161 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,760 Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. 162 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,680 For many in Judah were pledged to him because he was the 163 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:12,040 son-in-law of Shekinah, the son of Era, and his son Johanna. 164 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,880 Nan had married the daughter of Mashuaam, the son of Barakaya. 165 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,000 Also. They reported his good deeds 166 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,040 before me and reported my words to him. 167 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,960 Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. 168 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:31,240 Nehemiah was strong, committed, it was a single minded devotion 169 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,720 and dedication to the work that kept him focused and that none 170 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:38,640 of this stuck, that he wasn't derailed, he was not deterred. 171 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,320 So let's look a little bit this morning at what he experienced 172 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,120 and how he responded to the threats against him and then 173 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,120 let's see how this applies to us today. 174 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,840 Well, first there was the attack of deception. 175 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:57,160 They had heard that the wall was in progress, had been rebuilt. 176 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,080 Not quite done yet, not quite finished. 177 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:00,360 Some work was still left to be done. 178 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:03,600 But the brakes in the wall, they'd been closed. 179 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:09,240 The intimidation tactics previously used against Nehemiah 180 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,880 hadn't worked. Nehemiah had stayed on track 181 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:13,400 with his work of building the wall. 182 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,680 He had armed the people to defend themselves themselves, 183 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:18,400 but at no point had the work ever stopped. 184 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,560 We heard of the rich oppressing the poor of last Sunday 185 00:09:21,560 --> 00:09:24,600 passenger mentioned how the how they said one thing or lived one 186 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,720 way and and said something else. They were they were hurting each 187 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,160 other. Nehemiah stepped up took care of 188 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:33,280 it, never stopping to build the the project on the wall. 189 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,240 But we see now enemies don't tire easy. 190 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,080 They don't just give up like that. 191 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:40,760 They just come up with a different plan. 192 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,040 Threatening Nehemiah had so far not worked. 193 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,840 So now they decide to put their heads together and pretend to be 194 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:53,400 his friends, make him, make him believe we're friends, trap him 195 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:57,960 that way. And verse 2 Sambalat and Ghesham 196 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,280 sent saying, come, let's meet together among the village in 197 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,840 the plain of Ano. Not after at this time an 198 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,680 invitation. You know what, let's meet 199 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:10,520 together. These were not ordinary men. 200 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:12,280 They were men of power, influence. 201 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:13,680 There were leaders in the community. 202 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,480 They didn't like what the Jews were doing. 203 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:17,520 They're building the wall. They wanted to stop. 204 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,760 And this was one way they're going to do it. 205 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,400 This place. The villages in the plain of Ono 206 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,480 were quite a long ways away from Jerusalem. 207 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,320 Some commentators suggest that about maybe 40 kilometers 208 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,760 distant. That's quite, a quite a jog if 209 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:37,440 you want to cover that on foot. But Nehemiah saw right through 210 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,600 the lies of these men and he refused to come. 211 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,880 He told him I got an important job to do. 212 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:46,160 I can't come. Well, it's true he couldn't 213 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:50,520 come, but also he wouldn't come. It would have been foolish to 214 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,440 stop the project at the wall. Why he was there was to build a 215 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,840 wall, not to go off to some meetings that had nothing to do 216 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,640 with it. Some guys who know threat had 217 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,720 first threatened him, now trying to butter him up. 218 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:08,480 There are people in our lives we should not engage because they 219 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,040 have I'll intent. And I'm not saying we have 220 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,000 neighbors like that perhaps, but there are people, our 221 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,480 communities, we know they're up to no good. 222 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:17,960 And I say this to young people, to older people. 223 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:22,640 Maybe it's a business venture. Don't get involved because they 224 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:24,960 have don't have good intentions. Maybe it's a young person. 225 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,280 Join us in this crowd. Let's do these things. 226 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:29,600 What's it about? It's a distraction. 227 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,680 They're always people we should not engage with, people who want 228 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:36,760 to take us away from what God has called us. 229 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:43,280 And these men don't give up easy. 4 * 4 times they sent this 230 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,640 message in verse four. He answered them the same time 231 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:47,680 every time. They're persistent, determined. 232 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,000 They have to find a way to lure him, to distract him and 233 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,880 hopefully get rid of him. They wanted to kill him. 234 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,720 Nehemiah was what we could say. He was the brains behind the 235 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:04,680 whole project, and if they could get him, the project would 236 00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:08,240 falter. And of course, you know God's 237 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,240 behind it. He wanted to see it come to 238 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:14,360 fruition, to see it finished. God was leading it, but He used 239 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,240 Nehemiah and it depended on Nehemiah. 240 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,120 Nehemiah was committed. He wasn't going to give up. 241 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,200 In our world today, we often are tempted with distractions and 242 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,040 it's hard to say no the first time. 243 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,680 And it's, it means it's easy to say no the first time. 244 00:12:28,680 --> 00:12:30,280 The second time, maybe not quite so easy. 245 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,320 And the third time it's a bit harder to say no on the 4th. 246 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,520 Eventually, just whatever, just just let's do it already. 247 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:37,360 I've said no so many times, you know, just. 248 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:42,440 And so we, we become weak, we become soft, we become 249 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,080 distracted. Nehemiah very fortunately 250 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:49,320 didn't. What are some things that you 251 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:51,680 and I have changed? Our convictions on that we at 252 00:12:51,680 --> 00:12:55,000 one point in time were very clear and very strong based on 253 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,480 biblical principle, we would not budget. 254 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:06,270 And now we have, we all have those struggles. 255 00:13:06,350 --> 00:13:11,470 I do too. Nehemiah would have had thought, 256 00:13:11,670 --> 00:13:14,230 could have thought, you know what, maybe we can do something 257 00:13:14,230 --> 00:13:16,470 together. But he's so single minded, so 258 00:13:16,470 --> 00:13:19,470 focused, so committed, he won't budget an inch. 259 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,160 Well, this temptation to well, let's see if we can get him as a 260 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,320 friend and then we'll destroy him from with from that way. 261 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:27,600 That did not work. They kept trying. 262 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,000 Well, they tried again, the attack of fear, intimidation. 263 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:36,400 well-being a friend won't work. Sanbelot sends a letter, verse 264 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,200 5, and he says it's a it's an open letter, verse 6. 265 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,720 It says that it's reported among the Jews. 266 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,680 He says that you and the Jews, you're planning to rebel. 267 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,640 It's an accusation and you're rebuilding the wall. 268 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,880 You want to be their king. You've already got prophets who 269 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,040 are going to preach. Judah has a king. 270 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,040 The king will hear about this. So let's get together. 271 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,800 We got to deal with this. Nehemiah wisely says, Nope, it's 272 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:01,360 not happening. You're just dreaming this up in 273 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,800 your own heart. And he says they're trying to 274 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:05,400 make us afraid. He's writing that. 275 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:11,040 Then he's praise and verse 90, God, strengthen my hands. 276 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:18,240 He's appealing to God. This was an open attack on 277 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,240 Nehemiah to strike fear in his heart. 278 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:22,800 If the friendship distraction didn't work, maybe the fear 279 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,120 distraction might. He's accused of wanting to make 280 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,000 a name for himself to grab power and rebel against the king. 281 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:32,240 Let's just think about that for a second. 282 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,440 When people really want to gain power and control, they would 283 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,520 not be doing what Nehemiah was doing. 284 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:40,840 As I said before, he had no need to be there to begin with. 285 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,400 He could have stayed home in Babylon, continued his job 286 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,520 there. He was only here on in a 287 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,160 sacrificial way because he wanted to Jerusalem to be 288 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:50,840 rebuilt, because God put it in his heart to do so. 289 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,040 He had no desire for control or power at all. 290 00:14:55,000 --> 00:15:03,000 And Sand Ballot says it's they Sand Ballot was one of the 291 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:07,000 people who just wanted to find one way or another, seeing if he 292 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:12,280 could distract Nehemiah. He was the one he was playing it 293 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,320 safe in a sense, saying, you know what, let's, let's talk 294 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:15,640 about this. Let's, let's, let's solve this 295 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:16,720 problem before it gets out of hand. 296 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:18,800 Nehemiah says, what problem? There is no problem. 297 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,600 It won't become before they came because it doesn't exist. 298 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,160 And back in those days, letters didn't travel the way they 299 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,440 traveled today, like e-mail, it's instant or texting is 300 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,720 faster. And that day, it would have 301 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,160 taken X number of days for letters to go back and forth, 302 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:36,840 giving Nehemiah a lot of things to ponder and meditate on this 303 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:41,360 and maybe chew it, chew on it. We don't find that Nehemiah ever 304 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:43,560 once became distracted from the work he did. 305 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:47,600 He stayed completely focused on his call and continued what he'd 306 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:52,960 been called to do. And verse 8, no such things are, 307 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,160 as you say, are being done. You're inventing of your own 308 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:58,880 heart. He calls him Samblot, a liar. 309 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:01,040 You're inventing this on your own. 310 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,560 There's a place in time to call people out, to simply say, look, 311 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,200 what you're doing is wrong. You know it, and it's wrong. 312 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,720 It's sometimes hard to discern what the time that is, and I'm 313 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,240 not here to say when it is. We can err on the side of saying 314 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:16,600 something too soon, even too much. 315 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,360 But silence is not always golden. 316 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,440 There's a time to speak up when someone's continually pressuring 317 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:30,080 and pushing and eroding and compromising, trying to get you 318 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,200 as a person to do the things you know are evil, are sinful, or 319 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:34,720 disobedient. Speak up. 320 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,520 Just say no. I can't and I won't. 321 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:43,680 Nehemiah did that and so he prays to God to strengthen him. 322 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,480 He doesn't attack this guy back or anything like that. 323 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,080 He just won't go. These guys, they wanted to just 324 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:54,840 stall it and then destroy it and make sure it would end, but it 325 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,760 doesn't work. So the friendship or the 326 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,600 deception of buttering him up doesn't work. 327 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:05,880 That attack doesn't work. The fierce threats doesn't work. 328 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:10,359 But he's not finished. Sambalat and these guys, they 329 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:13,440 have another one, the religious attack. 330 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:17,240 You know, that's the one, right? If you can, if you can attack 331 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,800 somebody where their faith is what the core of their 332 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:24,880 convictions and belief are, then you have a much better chance of 333 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,400 getting at least a response. That's that's where the 334 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,200 connections are. And verse 10, afterward, he came 335 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,840 to the I came, he goes there for some reason to the House of 336 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,400 Shami Aya, the son of Delhi, Aya, the son of Mahatabal, who 337 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:43,240 was a secret informer there. And he said, let, he said, Shami 338 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,160 Aya, let us meet together in the House of God within the temple. 339 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:48,160 Let's close the doors of the temple for they're coming to 340 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:52,200 kill you. That's where you can be safe. 341 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:56,320 Nehemiah, go to the temple. Well, this was a difficult one 342 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,160 to navigate. It's carefully disguised. 343 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,360 I'm reminded of what Jesus did when he was in the desert, 344 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:07,400 tempted by the devil. He was tempted three times. 345 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,680 First it was to turn stones into bread. 346 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,680 He refused. He quoted scripture second, it 347 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:16,320 was to jump down from the temple and God would take care of him. 348 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,080 He quoted scripture and 3rd it was if you fall down and worship 349 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,600 me. Jesus as a man refused each 350 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:22,560 time. He's the Son of God. 351 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:23,680 We know that and understand that. 352 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,600 But as a man He was put through these temptations to understand 353 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,920 how humanity works or for us to do so that he would also 354 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,480 experience temptation as we do now. 355 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,840 We know He's the Son of God, but he still experienced this. 356 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,360 Distraction from Satan is a temptation, but also 357 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:41,320 distraction. And Shami Aya says to Neha, this 358 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,360 is to protect you. This is this is to for your 359 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:45,400 benefit. That's not true. 360 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,280 When Satan tempted Jesus, that was not true. 361 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,480 When Satan tempted Eve, that was not true. 362 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,400 What does Nehemiah say to this? He sees right through it again. 363 00:18:54,400 --> 00:19:00,080 He said, should such a man as I flee, I'm not joining, I'm not 364 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:04,760 coming, I'm not going along. He realized the real plan. 365 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,120 There was no protection for him in the temple. 366 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,440 He was actually not allowed by law to go into the temple. 367 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:14,200 He was not a Levite. Only Levites was were allowed to 368 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,560 go into the temple and the priests into the holy places. 369 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:19,400 Nehemiah could not go there. Well, let's go to the temple, 370 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,120 lock the doors and then let's talk. 371 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,280 And so Nehemiah says, I, I realized God hadn't sent this 372 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:29,240 guy. He says Tobiah and Sambalot had 373 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,400 hired him. Tobiah and Sambalot had hired 374 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:37,920 him. That I should be afraid to act 375 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,520 that way in sin. He knew it would be sin what he 376 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:45,280 did. Sandra had given this guy the 377 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,040 job, hired him to do it, maybe even be a hitman. 378 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:52,880 We don't know. If they could get Nehemiah to 379 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,720 sin, that would give them a foothold in his life that would 380 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,160 destabilize him. Once they achieved that, 381 00:19:58,160 --> 00:19:59,920 there'll be no telling what they could do next. 382 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,760 Is he the big? The big failures often start 383 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,800 with little tiny compromises, but Nehemiah prayed again, he 384 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:12,720 says in verse 14, he says my God remember to by ensemble out 385 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,760 according to these their works and the prophetess no Adiah and 386 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:19,080 the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid. 387 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,720 There was not just one man to contend with or two men to 388 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,080 contend with. There was many and even this 389 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,520 this woman prophetess, no Adiah don't know what she all said. 390 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:35,560 And the rest of the prophets, He had a lot of opposition and yet 391 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:39,560 he faithfully built the wall. He knew what was going on. 392 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:46,880 I can just try to imagine the immense and heavy emotional 393 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:51,120 strain that must have caused this man, in spite of all their, 394 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,520 the obstacles that threw at him, the the hard work that he 395 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,040 endured, the economic disparity between the, the, the, the 396 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,880 congregation of Israel, all that stuff going on and these 397 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:03,520 repeated attacks one after another in different waves, just 398 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:09,880 coming and coming and coming. He stuck it out. 399 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,920 He stuck it out. God allowed these attacks for a 400 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,880 divine purpose, which he didn't tell Nehemiah, but I believe 401 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,120 they were there to show the people this is what God can do. 402 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:28,320 And every attack on him failed. In the end, he was vindicated. 403 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,600 So the wall was finished. Verse 15, on the 15th day of 404 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:37,000 Ilal, the fit in 52 days. That's a short time and it 405 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:38,680 happened. All our enemies heard of it and 406 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:40,080 all the nations around us saw these things. 407 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,200 They were very disheartened in their own eyes, for they 408 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,400 perceive that this work was done by our God. 409 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,240 When God makes a statement, people can't refuse it. 410 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,880 There's value and lasting benefit to staying the course, 411 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,920 to not pay attention to distractions, to derail 1's 412 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:01,280 focus and ministry. For Nehemiah, this was one whole 413 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:05,000 complete victory. But for his opponents, what a 414 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,840 waste of energy, what a waste of time. 415 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,280 They failed completely and totally. 416 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:17,360 Now they had to acknowledge, they had to admit, this was a 417 00:22:17,360 --> 00:22:20,800 work of God. The wall was completed in record 418 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:23,200 time, not just the finished wall. 419 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,160 It was a complete and total victory, much more than just 420 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:27,640 bricks and stones around the city. 421 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:32,840 This had a much bigger emphasis, a much bigger message, and 422 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,440 everybody around them knew it. Everyone who saw it knew it. 423 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,400 This is not normal. This does not just happen. 424 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,680 The effect of the completion of the wall was where it became 425 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,760 evident God's power again was recognized. 426 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,240 Think for a moment what would have happened, What could have 427 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,640 happened if Nehemiah had gotten distracted? 428 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,640 Little bit of here and a little bit of there and a little bit of 429 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,480 that. Maybe we can all be friends and 430 00:22:57,480 --> 00:22:59,560 maybe we can all just get along and this guy doesn't want God 431 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:00,840 here and this guy wants the wall to stay. 432 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:02,560 Now maybe we can compromise on that too. 433 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:09,360 Yet what would have happened? His single minded, committed 434 00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:14,320 devotion was what God used to complete this job and spread the 435 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:16,080 message. This is the God of Israel. 436 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:21,480 You see a lot of people in life start out good, but then life 437 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:27,200 happens and fatigue sets in and troubles come and distractions 438 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:31,400 rise, and once great ideas and great decisions and time fade 439 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:35,400 into the dust, there's nothing left but distant memories. 440 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,080 It would be nice to the passage like this, just to close it and 441 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:49,000 with a sigh of relief and go like, yeah, well, must have been 442 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,200 nice to have that victory. Must have been good. 443 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,240 I'm sure it was nice. It's not how the story ends. 444 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,800 The battle's never over. The battle's never finished. 445 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,880 Nehemiah had not just survived, he had thrived, and he was ever 446 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,280 more prepared than he ever was. This, this grew him, it 447 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:14,560 strengthened him. But the problems kept on coming, 448 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,440 it says. And also in those days were 17. 449 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,800 The nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah. 450 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:22,280 The letters of Tobiah came to them. 451 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:26,880 For many in Judah were pledged to him because he was the son of 452 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,240 Shakhana Anaya, the son of Arah, the son of Johanna, who had 453 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,440 married the daughter of Mashulam, the son of Bakarat. 454 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:39,320 Anak goes all the compromisers, all the distractors, they were 455 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,240 still out there. Nehemiah was the leader. 456 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:46,640 What was with these nobles of Judah were 17. 457 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,800 What was with them? They were the ones who followed 458 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:54,520 their distractions. The compromisers, the Jews in 459 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,600 the Judea had committed connections with these people 460 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:59,160 like Tobiah and now they cause problems. 461 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:02,800 They were not single minded committed. 462 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,480 They were multiple minded, desire, whatever they desired 463 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,200 they did. Says Tobias was liked by many of 464 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,880 the Jews, but he was a dangerous man and so he did some good 465 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,120 deeds they brought before Nehemiah. 466 00:25:15,120 --> 00:25:18,240 And it says in verse 19, they reported his good deeds before 467 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,240 me and reported my words to him. Not a good thing. 468 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:23,320 Tobias sent letters to frighten him. 469 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:32,980 It went on and our passage ends with a sober note that says 470 00:25:32,980 --> 00:25:34,540 Tobias sent letters to frighten Nehemiah. 471 00:25:34,540 --> 00:25:37,420 His journey wasn't over, but he stayed the course. 472 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,360 He wouldn't allow the distractions to change him, to 473 00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:49,160 frighten him or derail him. And yet it existed. 1 commentary 474 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:50,560 put it to this. Put it this way, he said these 475 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,160 Jewish brothers of Nehemiah could not see what was so plain 476 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:55,480 to Nehemiah. Perhaps they did not see much of 477 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,960 the evil work to buy a first hand, so they had a hard time 478 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,160 believing it. We imagine them saying he's 479 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,760 always been nice to us, look at all the good he's done. 480 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:05,920 Or it's a is it possible? Maybe they just didn't have the 481 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:07,880 shepherd's heart that Nehemiah had. 482 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,400 Nehemiah was called to protect God's people, do God's work. 483 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:13,760 He was watching and guard all the time. 484 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:16,840 These nobles, there was self-interest. 485 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,160 They had financial dealings with the Tobiah, with this man 486 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:20,600 Tobiah, and they wanted to protect him. 487 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,200 They were pledged to him. As difficult as it was for 488 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,320 Nehemiah, he succeeded because he remained at his task and he 489 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,160 stayed faithful to his calling. So what difference does it make 490 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,600 for Unite Today when we were together here this morning? 491 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,840 In a church like this, it's easy to not be distracted at least 492 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,400 for an hour or so, right? But what about when we leave? 493 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:44,920 What about when we go home? And these distractions come in 494 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,720 many shapes and forms, folks. One that comes to mind is worry. 495 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:53,720 Worry is a powerful distraction, a powerful distraction. 496 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,920 Another one is fear, powerful distraction. 497 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:03,080 All things Jesus said, don't do them, don't have them, and then 498 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:10,840 there are others, pleasure, enjoyment, ease and comfort and 499 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,240 security. All these are distractions. 500 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,080 Isaiah 29 verse 13, the prophet writes. 501 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:21,760 Therefore the Lord said in as much as these people draw near 502 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,080 me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have 503 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,160 removed their hearts far from me and their fear toward me is 504 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:31,480 taught by the commandment of men and the message Eugene Peterson 505 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:33,840 wrote it this. We said these people make a big 506 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:37,080 show of saying the right thing, but their hearts aren't in it 507 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,760 because they act like they're worshiping me but don't mean it. 508 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:43,920 The men of Judah benefited from the work of Nehemiah, but they 509 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,440 had a divided hearts, their hearts with Tobiah. 510 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,280 Anyone can make you the promise and for a while keep it, but 511 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,120 then distraction said in and it goes. 512 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:58,440 Staying the course isn't easy. We have to be alert, awake on 513 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:00,960 the ball, and always be on guard. 514 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:03,360 There's never a time to let go of the wheel. 515 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,400 Course correction happens all the time in our own strength. 516 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,160 We cannot live like Nehemiah did here. 517 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:13,520 It takes the power of God in our lives to do so. 518 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,960 The question do we have it? What is it that's driving us? 519 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,160 When Jesus walked this earth, there were initially a lot of 520 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,800 people who wanted to follow him. Didn't last long. 521 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:26,120 When Jesus spoke of suffering, carrying a cross, that didn't 522 00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:27,760 sound appealing, and most of them left. 523 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,160 Jesus is calling you and I today to come to Him, to repent, to 524 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,960 follow him and be his disciples, and then to walk with Him. 525 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,720 We're invited today to receive His grace and every day to put 526 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:42,240 our focus and trust in Him. And as we give our lives to 527 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:45,760 Jesus, we will experience this freedom, this peace, and this 528 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:49,720 joy in our hearts that nothing, no temptation, and no 529 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:54,120 distraction can take us from. Let us pray, but thank you for 530 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:57,400 Your grace to us and how Your Word teaches us to live. 531 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:01,200 We know in this world we face many temptations and many 532 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,120 distractions and it happens so easily. 533 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,440 Help us to repent where we fall. I pray you'll give us your 534 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,280 Spirit. Your this church. 535 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,320 Your this church is your body. Give us wisdom and courage to 536 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:14,320 walk with you regardless of what our culture around us does and 537 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,920 how it tempts us. We pray we'll walk in humility 538 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,040 before you in obedience and joining me, pray. 539 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:19,640 Amen.