1 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:12,800 Well, good morning, Englewood. How about that video that just 2 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:17,880 broke me up. Appreciate you all being here 3 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:19,280 this morning. I know we still have a lot of 4 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,080 folks out with flu and I'm hearing strep and I'm hearing, 5 00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:26,840 you know, the plague. I don't know. 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:34,080 I don't know, I'm telling you what, sometimes I just want to 7 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:36,920 take a snake in a garden and say you messed the whole thing up. 8 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:40,560 Fallen creation. Listen, thank you all so much 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,200 for being here. If you're a guest today, thanks 10 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,800 so much for being here. Listen, as we enter into 2026, I 11 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:51,440 wanted to share a big thank you to you, our happy birthday Jesus 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,720 missions offering. We had a goal of $185,000 and 13 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,520 not only did you blow that away, but you've given the second 14 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,480 highest Happy birthday Jesus offering in the history of this 15 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,920 church. So to be honest with you, I 16 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,480 can't give you the final amount because some of the final 17 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,080 amounts are still coming in, but we know it's well over $200,000. 18 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,000 That's going to really help us to not only support some of our 19 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,520 missions partners, but also start some new projects, some 20 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,360 new church plant partnerships, as well as to be able to give an 21 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,760 abundance to Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong and the City of 22 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,600 Refuge. So thank you so much for that, 23 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:32,160 and I look forward to what God's going to do with that in 2026. 24 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,280 Thank you for being faithful so much. 25 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:35,920 Had a great time with the deacons yesterday. 26 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:37,560 Hope you'll be back tonight. It's going to be a special 27 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:39,560 night. Love those guys. 28 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,760 And you got a great group of deacons, a larger group of 29 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,760 deacons now, and they're ready to serve you and want to do 30 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,760 that. And so we're going to honor them 31 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,840 and recognize them tonight. You have an outline on the back 32 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,480 of your worship guide if you want to use it, and you can also 33 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,160 download notes, but just to be aware of that. 34 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,760 William Butler Yates, it doesn't matter if you know who that is 35 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,520 or not, but he was talking about war, War One in Europe. 36 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,040 Listen to this quote. He was talking about that. 37 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,960 He goes the best. I got to do this slowly because 38 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:12,160 you got to think about this for a minute. 39 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:18,440 The best black all conviction while the worst are full of 40 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,640 passionate intensity. That's often the way our world 41 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:24,360 works. The very best of us, those who 42 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,000 believe, those who are good people, those who are trying to 43 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,320 serve the Lord often, often lack conviction, often lack passion. 44 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:33,920 Sometimes it happens especially in cycles. 45 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,320 While the worst of us, the ones that are the bad out there often 46 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,120 have passionate intensity. So the question of the morning, 47 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,040 as we continue in the book of Nehemiah, if you'll turn to 48 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:49,000 Nehemiah chapter 2, the question of the morning is how does what 49 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,440 you believe determine how you behave? 50 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:55,960 How does what you believe actually determine how you 51 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,600 behave? Does your faith decide your 52 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,160 action? What's the honest relationship 53 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:02,920 between the two? And in this story, we're going 54 00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:06,160 to see an example of this. Is your Christianity 55 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,240 passionately proactive or simply reactive? 56 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,640 In other words, I've done some bad things out here, so now I've 57 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:17,960 got to do some good stuff to offset the bad stuff and somehow 58 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,920 try to maintain balance. Or I believe so strongly in 59 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,920 Jesus Christ and what He's done for me, I'm proactively, 60 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:28,560 intentionally avoiding sin, avoiding the bad. 61 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,960 And when I do stumble every now and then, and we will, we're all 62 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:37,080 sinners, then I depend upon His grace to set me right again. 63 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,560 Listen to what Martin Luther once said about faith. 64 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,520 He said this. He said faith is a living, 65 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:48,920 daring confidence in God's grace. 66 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,800 It is so pure and so sure and certain that a man could stake 67 00:03:54,800 --> 00:04:00,960 his life on it 1000 times. Do you have faith? 68 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,080 So last week we learned that Nehemiah was a man of great 69 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,080 faith. He's also a man of great prayer. 70 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,960 He sought after God's plan for the future of his people. 71 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,960 And we're going to pick up that story because he believed. 72 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,520 And that made all the difference in Nehemiah's life. 73 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,720 He believed in what God wanted him to do. 74 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:22,600 And as we continue to enter into 2026, I want us to think about 75 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,040 not just how God's blessed in 2025. 76 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:26,640 I mean, what an amazing testimony. 77 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,160 And after the first service, we had some folks come forward to 78 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,640 say, I want to be baptized after they saw that video. 79 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,600 I promise you, just give the invitation right now. 80 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:34,960 Pastor Charles. Yeah. 81 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:36,480 And y'all stop it. We got to do a little more. 82 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,360 But he believed. How can I have that type of 83 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:46,440 faith to join God's plan? How can we experience the 84 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:50,520 miracle and mission of what God wants in 2026? 85 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,000 And though I can't guarantee you what God might do, I can show us 86 00:04:55,320 --> 00:05:01,120 how to put ourselves in the best position for His movement, for 87 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,120 His revival, for His restoration. 88 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,400 As we work together, let's all be part of putting God's plan 89 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,240 into action. Look at Nehemiah chapter 2 verse 90 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,800 one in the month of Nissan in the 20th year of King Art 91 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,440 Xerxes, when wine was before him. 92 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:20,200 I took up the wine and gave it to the king. 93 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,000 Now I had not been sad in his presence. 94 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:24,800 Interesting sentence. It doesn't make a lot of sense 95 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:26,600 what that Well that's really important. 96 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,440 Pay attention to that. I had not been sad in his 97 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,760 presence and the king said to me, why is your face sad seeking 98 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,280 seeing that you're not sick? This is nothing but sadness of 99 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:40,040 the heart. Then I was very much afraid, and 100 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,280 I'll explain that why he was in a minute. 101 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:45,960 And I said to the king, Let the king live forever. 102 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,880 Why should not by my face be said, when the city, the place 103 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:54,120 of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been 104 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,880 destroyed by fire? Then the king said to me, What 105 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,320 are you requesting? So I prayed to the God of 106 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:03,760 heaven. Don't miss that last sentence 107 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,000 either. The first thing we're going to 108 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:06,680 see, four things. First thing I just wanted to see 109 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,360 is in order for us to move forward in God's plan to put 110 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,880 that into action in 2026, we must be burdened to engage in 111 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,920 that plan. We must care about it. 112 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,920 Nothing will happen if I don't seek what God wants. 113 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,840 Last week Nehemiah received a report that Jerusalem lay in 114 00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:30,360 ruins, and it broke his heart and it drove him to mourn. 115 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,840 It drove him to pray, it drove him to fast for many, many, many 116 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:37,760 days. A lot of time passes and God 117 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,560 answered his chapter 1 prayer when he prayed that he might 118 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,280 have the opportunity of going before the king of Persia to ask 119 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,960 him for something. So God answers his chapter 1 120 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,640 prayer. And this was no small thing in 121 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,240 this context in culture. You got to understand, Persian 122 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:59,280 royal etiquette in those days was very, very strict and even 123 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:04,400 appearing sad or disappointed in the presence of the king or 124 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:08,200 wearing the wrong dress, wearing the wrong outfit would be 125 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:13,520 interpreted as displeasure in maybe disloyalty to the king and 126 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,800 it could result in punishment or even death. 127 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,240 This was a big deal. So This is why he's afraid of 128 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,120 being sad. So Nehemiah takes his own life 129 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:28,440 into his own hands by displaying this sad face in front of the 130 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:31,240 king. But his burden was just too 131 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,600 great to contain. He couldn't hold it back. 132 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,440 He couldn't not be this way. He was, his heart was broken, 133 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,840 his heart was burdened. As one commentator writes about 134 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,960 this passage, he says it's only the man with the heavy burden 135 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:45,560 that God can trust with his work. 136 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,440 If we do not have hearts that are burdened with conviction, we 137 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,960 will never be fruitful in the service of the Lord. 138 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:58,520 Revival is born out of burden. So Nehemiah reassures the king 139 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:03,040 of his loyalty and the king asks what what is he seeking? 140 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,560 And notice it's interesting in it right up in verse 4. 141 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,920 What are you requesting? And it and it doesn't mean that 142 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,760 Nehemiah starts talking doesn't mean Nehemiah just hops in there 143 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:12,480 with his answer in his quest request. 144 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,040 What does it say? He he says he prayed to the God 145 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,960 of heaven. This was a big moment. 146 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,080 So don't just speak before you think. 147 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:24,400 Sometimes we're guilty of that, aren't we? 148 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,160 But also, don't just think before you speak. 149 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:34,559 Pray, pray in these moments. Be a disciple that abides in 150 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,200 prayer. Nehemiah's focus on prayer was a 151 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,440 key to this whole story. You're going to see it over and 152 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:44,000 over and over again. He was in constant communion and 153 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,120 constant communication with God about what was going on in his 154 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:48,800 life and what God wanted out of his life. 155 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,240 And so his burden and hit the mission to which he knew he was 156 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,040 called was always right there before him, right there in front 157 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:59,720 of him, guiding the way. So how do we respond in the big 158 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,960 scary moments of life? Is abiding in prayer with 159 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,600 dependence and anticipation such a common discipleship essential 160 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,960 for us that it's our first, most natural response? 161 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,480 When crisis or burden or problem hits? 162 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:20,920 Even when your life, even when your career might be at risk, 163 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:28,240 where's your first turn? What do you want so badly as you 164 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:29,880 enter 2026? What? 165 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,760 What is? What is a burden on your heart? 166 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,320 What do you want so badly that you're so burdened and focused 167 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,600 upon it? What would you request of the 168 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,120 King who has the power of life and death? 169 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:47,320 What would lead you to months of prayer and fasting? 170 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:54,120 Is there anything in your life ever, or is there a long list? 171 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,560 Maybe there is. Maybe this is familiar to you 172 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:02,880 for what are you requesting of God for 2026 for your life, the 173 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,120 life of your family. He has the power of life and 174 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,040 death. What is your request to the King 175 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,240 of Kings? I was teaching a PhD seminar at 176 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,120 Southeastern part of this weekend and we were actually 177 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,720 focusing it was a, a seminar on conflict. 178 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,280 I'm a expert on conflict because I cost so much. 179 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:24,760 And so and so we were talking and one of the guys was bringing 180 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:29,120 up a certain passage, James 4/2 and and he kept bringing it up. 181 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,240 We kept talking about it in quite a lot of depth. 182 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:32,440 I don't have time for all of that. 183 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,360 But James 42 reminds us you, many of you know this. 184 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,040 First, you desire and you do not have. 185 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:43,000 So you murder, you covet and cannot obtain. 186 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,640 So you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do 187 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,400 not ask. We're we're not asking with the 188 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,400 right spirit. We're not asking for the right 189 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,000 things. And so in this life, in this 190 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,560 fallen world, we drink from empty wells and then we seem 191 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:00,640 shocked that we're still dying of thirst. 192 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,680 And that's what this world does out there, promises you a drink 193 00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:09,640 of this and a drink of that, but then you're just dying of thirst 194 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,640 because it's not satisfying. It is your prayer life real 195 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:16,240 enough and constant enough to draw you into that living water 196 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:20,600 of abundance. Listen, Nehemiah walked so 197 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,320 closely with God, he knew how to answer his king. 198 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,440 He walked in dependence. He walked in anticipation, like 199 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,440 one of our essentials of discipleship we're teaching 200 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,120 here. He knew how to pray. 201 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,080 He had prayed, He had confessed if you go back to chapter 1, 202 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:36,240 he'd repented of his national sin, of his family sin, of his 203 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:42,760 personal sin, and he was ready to ask the king to join God for 204 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,240 what he wanted him to do. Look at verse 5. 205 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,520 And I said to the king, if it pleases the king, and if your 206 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,240 servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to 207 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:56,680 Judah, to the city of my father's graves, that I may 208 00:11:56,680 --> 00:12:03,280 rebuild it. O King, I want to help restore 209 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:07,160 my people. I want to be used to help them 210 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:11,000 to be God's people again. I want to help save them from 211 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:15,280 these enemies in the land. O King of Kings, I want to be 212 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,640 used to bring restoration to my people. 213 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:26,200 Help us, O King, help us to be the people of God who are used 214 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,120 to save these people from the enemy. 215 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,880 We must be disciples at Inglewood, and we must make 216 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:37,720 disciples at Inglewood who love God with their entire being and 217 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,400 who love one another and including the people out there. 218 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,600 We must love them too, so that we can join God on his mission. 219 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,720 So our prayer must be. Dear Lord, I humbly request that 220 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:53,360 you allow us to join you and what you want to do in 2026 in 221 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:57,520 Rocky Mount and Red Oak in Nashville and this entire area. 222 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:03,800 What can we do, Father, to join you in your movement, in your 223 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:07,480 revival? GK Chesterton, an old 224 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:12,200 theologian, once said this. He was observing about soldiers 225 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:16,440 and he said, listen to this. He said true soldiers fight not 226 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,240 because he hates what's in front of him. 227 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,240 A true soldier fights because he loves what's beside him. 228 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:30,120 He loves what he's protecting. He loves who he's following and 229 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,640 serving with. Look at verse 6. 230 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:36,400 And the king said to me, and the queen sitting beside him, How 231 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,520 long will you be gone, and when will you return? 232 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,120 So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 233 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,160 And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, let letters be 234 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:47,280 given to me, to given me to the governors of the province beyond 235 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,400 the river, that they may let me pass through until I come to 236 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:52,400 Judah. And a letter to Asaph, the 237 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,640 keeper of the King's forest, that he may give me timber to 238 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,440 make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for 239 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,520 the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy. 240 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,480 And the king granted me what I asked for. 241 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,280 The good hand of my God was upon me. 242 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,800 Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river 243 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:12,160 and gave them the King's letters. 244 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:18,680 Now the king had sent with with me officers of the army and the 245 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:21,520 horsemen. So the king didn't just agree to 246 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,720 the request. The king also said, listen, not 247 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:26,840 only can you go, I'm going to empower you to go. 248 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,160 I'm going to resource you to go. I'm going to help you be 249 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,360 successful, Nehemiah. So the king provided Nehemiah 250 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,880 resources from his forest and from his army, from his guard. 251 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:41,120 And Nehemiah went on mission with all the authority and all 252 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:45,200 the power of the king, just like us. 253 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:52,040 Just like us, we engage in a mission under another's 254 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,560 authority. At the end of the service, 255 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,200 you'll hear Skyler or Drew often say to you, they'll quote John 256 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:02,640 2021 and where Jesus said to the disciples, peace be with you as 257 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,640 the Father has sent me, Even so I'm sending you. 258 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:12,080 We are to fulfill God's mission to bring glory to himself and 259 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,440 join Him in redeeming the nations. 260 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,800 And that includes the person across the street. 261 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:26,880 Power, provision, protection, these are the things our King 262 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:31,320 provides when we request it, when we seek him, when we seek 263 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:35,520 to engage in his work, we request to see his hand at work, 264 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,760 to be used by Him, to seek restoration for our people. 265 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:44,920 He'll supply us what we need. Philippians 419, often 266 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,520 misquoted, says this. And my God will supply every 267 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:52,720 need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus, 268 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,080 not according to my ability, not according to my wisdom, not 269 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,920 according to my to my strength, but according to his riches. 270 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:04,400 So make the request to be used by him known, be burdened to 271 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,720 engage. Nehemiah was willing to lay it 272 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,960 all on the line. He was willing to lay it all on 273 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:12,920 the line to be used by his people. 274 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,880 He was willing to give up comfort and power and a 275 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:19,720 wonderful place in the Royal Court to go serve and to 276 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,360 sacrifice. If we will commit all that we 277 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,040 are and all that God has provided for us, there is 278 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:29,520 absolutely no telling how He will bless us in 2026. 279 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,600 So don't simply pray. He'll send and bless others. 280 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:43,480 Pray, Lord, please send me. Send me, Please. 281 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,840 Use me as a catalyst, as the beginning of restoration, as the 282 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:51,800 beginning of revival. Listen, I was so blessed after 283 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,120 the first service. Someone, one of our members, I 284 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,160 won't mention a name, but one came up to me intentionally 285 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,400 wanting me to meet a friend that they had invited, one of our 286 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:04,880 Christmas blessings families that they'd reached out to and 287 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,319 brought. And they were here worshipping 288 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:11,440 with us, celebrating with us. Please use us. 289 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,400 How could I serve our church to move forward in 2026? 290 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,680 How could I help you, pastor, to carry the burden of leadership 291 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:19,880 and service? How could I help and bless my 292 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:23,280 lay leaders and my connect group leaders by lifting my share of 293 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:24,440 the load? How? 294 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:27,640 How could I? How could I be used and to 295 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:32,200 transform burden and belief into action and to join the King's 296 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,600 mission? Nehemiah was sent forth both by 297 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:37,960 his earthly king and by his eternal king. 298 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:39,680 Don't miss that. Look at verse 9 again. 299 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,200 In verse 9, Don't miss this. Then I came to the governors of 300 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,040 the province beyond the river and gave them the King's 301 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,960 letters. Now the king had sent with me 302 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,320 officers of the army and horsemen. 303 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,480 Don't miss this. They wouldn't have missed him. 304 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,480 This would not have been a small thing for him to show up with 305 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,320 this small armed force from the Persian king. 306 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,360 This was a big deal. He's not just out there all by 307 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:04,920 himself. He's bringing a small army with 308 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,880 him, and the enemies would have taken notice. 309 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,280 It would have called attention. He came in the authority of the 310 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,640 king, and so do we. So guess what happens. 311 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,600 Look at verse 11. So I went to Jerusalem and was 312 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,120 there three days. Then I rose in the night, I and 313 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:24,080 a few men with me, and I told no one what my God had put into my 314 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,480 heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but 315 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,600 the one on which I rode. And I went out by night by the 316 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,360 valley gate to the Dragon Spring, what a cool name, Dragon 317 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:38,120 Spring, and to the Dung Gate. And I inspected the walls of 318 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:40,760 Jerusalem that were broken down and it's gates that had been 319 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,040 destroyed by fire. Then I went on to the fountain 320 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:46,440 gate into the King's pool, but there was no room for the animal 321 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,720 that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by 322 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,080 the valley and inspected the wall and turned, and I turned 323 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:53,000 back and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. 324 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:56,480 So not only do we need to be burdened to actually engage in 325 00:18:56,480 --> 00:19:00,880 God's plan, but secondly, we need to appreciate the obstacles 326 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,600 in the way because there going to be some real ones. 327 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,400 This trip would have taken months. 328 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,160 This wasn't like an overnight, overnight jog through the 329 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,560 desert. This would have taken a long 330 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,720 time through dangerous land. So I'm sure when Nehemiah hits 331 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,720 Jerusalem, he needed a couple of days to rest. 332 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,040 But also based upon who Nehemiah is and his character, I bet you 333 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,440 he spent a lot of those three days praying, seeking God's 334 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:24,240 will. What do I do now? 335 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,160 I'm here now. What now? 336 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:30,760 What God, what do I do now? So he spends those three days in 337 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:32,080 Jerusalem. Then in the middle of the night, 338 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,560 while others slept, this man of burden and prayer reviewed the 339 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,400 extent of the work that had to be done. 340 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,600 He focuses his inspection on the southern, western and eastern 341 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,360 portions of the city. The northern walls have been 342 00:19:44,360 --> 00:19:48,520 totally destroyed. And it's so bad at times he's 343 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,200 forced to ride along the Kidron Valley down below the walls 344 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:54,000 because the walls had collapsed so much they blocked the path. 345 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,080 He even had to scramble over the damage because there was no room 346 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:02,800 for his horse. Can you imagine this burden, 347 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:04,520 man? The extent of his grief when he 348 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,480 surveys this utter devastation? The report that he had received 349 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,160 was accurate. Things were in really bad shape. 350 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:18,280 This was real, my friends. Often before a restoring work of 351 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:23,840 God begins, faithful, burdened believers journey in the night 352 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:29,280 to weep over the ruins. And to wrestle in the darkness 353 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,400 through prayer. Nehemiah conducted a very 354 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,160 thorough assessment that ought to sound familiar to some of 355 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,720 you. Assessment never ends. 356 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,600 These last several months, that's what I've been doing. 357 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:48,280 And he carefully considered the extent of what my God has put in 358 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:51,320 my heart to do. God had a plan. 359 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:52,680 He always does. He always knows. 360 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:56,480 He always knows. And so Nehemiah takes an honest 361 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:58,760 look and face the actual need. I mean, it would have been 362 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:00,640 easier to ignore it. It would have been easier to 363 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:02,520 spend the truth. It would have been easier to 364 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,200 talk about how great things were. 365 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:05,960 But it just wouldn't work this time. 366 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:12,000 It was time for the truth so real restoration could be 367 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,600 sought. Now that's the job of a true 368 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,640 leader. Leaders often spend nights in 369 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:19,680 prayer, weeping over the brokenness of their people, 370 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:21,880 seeking the restoration and what their God has put in their 371 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:25,920 hearts to do. Because these walls, these gates 372 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,720 broken down, represented obstacles to the future of His 373 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,560 people and to their ability to serve God and to worship God. 374 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,200 Something had to change. They needed a new normal. 375 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,160 And I was wondering our personal lives, how long has it been? 376 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,560 How long has it been since you spent the night reviewing the 377 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:50,040 walls and gates of your life and whether you have a solid 378 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:52,720 foundation or not? Is your relationship with God, 379 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,920 your relationship with others, the fruit you are producing? 380 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,920 The obstacles to producing that fruit, The number of people you 381 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:02,040 are actively discipling right now? 382 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:09,920 Do you ever stop and ask God? Will you saddle up and honestly 383 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,040 review your life and the lives of those around you? 384 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,200 Will you seriously count the cost of obedience? 385 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,480 And through discipleship? Revival will never begin until 386 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:22,200 we do. We must rebuild first in our own 387 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:23,840 lives. What needs to be rebuilt? 388 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,240 What needs to be repaired? What essential of discipleship 389 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,240 is missing? What needs to be upgraded? 390 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,360 What area do in which I need to grow, do I need to face? 391 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:34,320 Because they face real obstacles. 392 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,760 And so will we. In 2026, we have an enemy who 393 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:41,080 will make sure we do. Look at verse 16. 394 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,000 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was 395 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,440 doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the 396 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,600 nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work. 397 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:55,240 Then I said to them, See the trouble we're in, how Jerusalem 398 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,800 lies in ruins with its gates burned. 399 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:02,000 Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer 400 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,920 suffer derision. And I told them at the hand of 401 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:08,920 my God that had been upon me for good and also of the words that 402 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:12,160 the King had spoken to me. And they said, let us rise up 403 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:14,840 and build. So they strengthened their hands 404 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,160 for the good work. So we got to be burdened to 405 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,400 actually engage in God's plan. In the 1st place, we need to 406 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:21,520 appreciate the obstacles that are in the way. 407 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:24,000 And thirdly, we need to choose to embrace our purpose. 408 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:29,280 It's time to commit to rebuild the walls and gates, which is 409 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,160 going to be a major part of the remaining story. 410 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:35,120 That actual process, not not just getting ready for it, but 411 00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:38,480 what we actually going to do to rebuild the walls and gates 412 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:41,840 within the exposed condition of the city, which constantly 413 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:44,440 invited attack. It constantly invited reproach 414 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,480 from their enemies. So Nehemiah had a calling upon 415 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:51,880 his life, clear calling to be a rebuilder and the hand of God 416 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,400 was on him and he called the other leaders to join him. 417 00:23:55,960 --> 00:24:00,080 But they had to make a decision. Would they embrace the plan of 418 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:05,840 God or continue to cower in the ruins like they had been? 419 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,640 Would they act in the powerful purpose God had for them, or 420 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,960 would they stall and allow the past circumstances to dictate 421 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:19,160 their faith and actions? I know so many people who spend 422 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,640 so much time looking through the rear view mirror they miss 423 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:24,200 what's ahead of them through the windshield. 424 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,880 Would it be too difficult, too big, too much for them? 425 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:34,320 As believers, we have a calling to act in faith and obedience, 426 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,560 to be the agents of revival. But it requires unity, it 427 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,840 requires cooperation. There's no way that one person 428 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:43,200 could do this. They'd have to do this together, 429 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,080 and so must we. There can be no divisive spirit 430 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:50,320 allowed when we're working side by side along the wall facing 431 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:52,520 the enemy. So we got to wrestle together on 432 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,880 our knees against a real enemy, never with one another. 433 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:01,200 We must resolve to act and to move into this next chapter that 434 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,920 God has for us. As Paul exhorts incredible verse 435 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:09,920 Romans 12/11, he says do not be slothful, slothful in zeal. 436 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:11,720 Hard to say that without spitting on somebody. 437 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:17,440 Do not be slothful in zeal. Be fervent in spirit. 438 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:25,640 Serve the Lord. We must believe these leaders 439 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:30,160 had to decide how to respond to Nehemiah, and you got to think 440 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,360 about their context. I mean, who's this new guy? 441 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,680 I mean, here's this new guy telling us what to do when we've 442 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,640 been here, some of us for decades, we've been here, we've 443 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,400 gone through it all. It ought to sound kind of 444 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,600 familiar. I mean, who's this new pastor 445 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,520 guy who talks about new normals who shows up here and talks to 446 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:51,480 us that how dare him talk to us this way? 447 00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:57,640 Verse 18 says, and they said, let us rise up and build. 448 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,000 So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 449 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:06,760 Let us not let you not let me let us. 450 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:12,440 So they set their hands to do this good work this and and you 451 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:13,880 got to think this is no small commitment. 452 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,240 It's a big deal. There's a lot of work. 453 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,080 They had been there and they knew the reality of the extent 454 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,360 of the work that they were facing that and they had to 455 00:26:22,360 --> 00:26:24,880 believe that. And so it would be long and it 456 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:29,280 would be hard and there would be those who oppose them. 457 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:32,640 It's a big part of the story. But they also knew it was time 458 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,520 to rise up and build. So will we struggle with 459 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:40,440 embracing commitment, especially to to something we know up front 460 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:44,120 will be long and will be difficult and will have built in 461 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:47,160 opposition? Because the problem is, in this 462 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,000 culture, we are conditioned as individuals to seek our personal 463 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,000 comfort. We are conditioned to seek our 464 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,840 personal autonomy. We're conditioned to seek our 465 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,600 personal rights. And we often do not know how to 466 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,120 work together. We often don't know how to 467 00:27:02,120 --> 00:27:05,600 commit to a shared mission. We would rather follow our own 468 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:09,080 personal opinions and desires or let our emotional reactions to 469 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,440 something guide us rather than do what God wants. 470 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,080 So we might just need to pay attention to this story. 471 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,680 The hand of God was upon Nehemiah, and he knew he was 472 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,880 called to do this work. He believed in the God who 473 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,840 called him. And the same Spirit called each 474 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:31,480 one of us to join together and to rise up and to build this 475 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:35,320 body of Christ. He is our reason for unity, not 476 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,040 me, not you. He is our reason for unity. 477 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,400 He's our reason for cooperation as we move forward. 478 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:46,400 So we've got to decide to act upon His future for you and for 479 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:50,560 His Church. So decide today to rise up and 480 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:55,120 build together. But we know it's a fact. 481 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:03,560 Until He comes again. Until He comes again, we have an 482 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,600 enemy and He never sleeps. He never relents. 483 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,240 He never gives up. He never grows tired, He never 484 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:12,240 stops. He is an army against us. 485 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:17,840 Look at verse 10. But there's always one of those. 486 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,600 When Sambalit the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite servant 487 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,280 heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to 488 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:28,080 seek the welfare of the people of Israel. 489 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:32,360 They didn't like something new, they didn't like something 490 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:34,720 different. They didn't like something that 491 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:40,040 might challenge them. Verse 19 But when Sambal at the 492 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:42,360 horror night, and Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and guess him, 493 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,280 the Arab heard of it. They jeered at us and despised 494 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,200 us and said, what is this thing that you're doing? 495 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,200 Are you rebelling against the king? 496 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,440 Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, 497 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,760 and we his servants will arise and build. 498 00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:02,960 But you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem. 499 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,360 Be burdened to engage in God's plan. 500 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,440 Appreciate the fact that there are going to be obstacles in the 501 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:10,800 way. Choose to embrace your purpose 502 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,560 and reject. Fourthly, any opposition to 503 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:16,320 obedience. Just reject it. 504 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,920 Rebuke it. Because among those who settled 505 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:22,320 in around Jerusalem during the exile, you got to recognize that 506 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:24,520 several forces moved into the area. 507 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:26,680 One of them is the governor of Samaria. 508 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:29,520 Symbolic. His name in Babylonian actually 509 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,400 means sin, the moon. God has given life. 510 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:33,760 That ought to tell you something about Him. 511 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,360 And then Tobiah, who is probably governor of the Persian 512 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:41,720 controlled Transjordan area and he's going to come into play 513 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,760 dangerously later because he's actually a relative of some of 514 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,040 the Jews in Jerusalem, including some of the priests. 515 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:49,280 He's going to try to pull inside jobs. 516 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:54,680 And then you've got you've got this Arab leader of Gesham who's 517 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:58,520 a leader of a confederacy of non Jewish groups around Palestine 518 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:01,160 and the Sinai. Now these folks normally would 519 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:04,600 be enemies, they'd all be fighting over the control of 520 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:07,600 this region, but now they had a common foe. 521 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,520 So they joined together and they, they were upset because 522 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:15,600 Nehemiah is coming in the power and the provision and under the 523 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:20,080 protection of the Persian king was huge and, and, and, and, and 524 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:22,480 we a public threat to their authority. 525 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:24,400 And, and they weren't happy about it. 526 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:28,720 As the King's personal cupbearer and bodyguard, he had the power 527 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,680 and the provision to fortify the city, which was the largest in 528 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,800 the region, which means they would seize control back of the 529 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,240 entire region. And they didn't like Nehemiah. 530 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:40,520 He wouldn't like the, he wouldn't like one of the 531 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,280 prophets. He wouldn't like these scribes 532 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,440 who'd been here before. They they could be easily 533 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,760 intimidated. These priests who showed up 534 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:50,880 earlier, some of them decades ago, they could be intimidated. 535 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,480 They could be forced to stop. The work took him forever to 536 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,600 build the temple, but this guy wouldn't like that. 537 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:02,200 This man was different and he scared him, but they still try 538 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:03,680 over and over again. We're going to see it. 539 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:05,840 We're going to make up a lot of the future portions of this 540 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:09,120 story because the enemy just will not give up that easily. 541 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,840 You've got to be warned. You've got to understand. 542 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:15,000 They begin mocking him by effort of the effort, and they mock 543 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:16,680 him. They actually threaten him later 544 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,240 with the king. But when? 545 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:22,960 Because when God is about to sweep in with revival, expect 546 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,240 opposition. Count on it. 547 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:29,960 When we move in the power, provision and protection of our 548 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:37,040 King, Satan will take notice. Just see what happens when 549 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:41,320 Christians are serious about their faith and allow it to 550 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:45,040 spill over into a community, into spiritual awakening, and 551 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:47,840 they allow it to truly dictate their actions. 552 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,840 You've got to expect the enemy to make every attempt to 553 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,800 distort, distort that or distract you from that. 554 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:58,000 He will mock, he will criticize what is happening. 555 00:31:58,080 --> 00:31:59,800 He'll seek to discredit our leadership. 556 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:01,960 He'll, he'll, he'll seek to discredit our mission and 557 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:06,440 vision, just as he did when he tempted those to ridicule Christ 558 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,160 when he was on the cross. Just like he did on the day of 559 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:11,400 Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends and he says he people 560 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:15,160 are just drunk, just like he did with the Greek philosophers who 561 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,680 called Paul a babbler. He never gives up. 562 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:24,440 Or, or maybe when he tells you that you're not worth it, or he 563 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:29,600 tells you that they're not these people out here who are lost and 564 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:34,400 sinners are just not worth it. They're not worth my effort. 565 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,200 They're not worth my time. They're not worth it. 566 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,000 Or maybe when he tells you that you can't be forgiven for that 567 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,400 sin that nobody else knows about and and that you're too 568 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:48,040 worthless to be used by God, he'll tell you all kinds of 569 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:49,960 lies. Or that this church cannot be 570 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:54,080 built to become what God really has in his heart for us. 571 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,000 As one commentator writes, Satan's not concerned about a 572 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,000 Christian until he sees him crowning Jesus as Lord and 573 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,320 seeking to glorify Jesus through his life. 574 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:07,520 But here came a man who is different, a man of great faith 575 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:10,080 and a man of prayer. And he walked with God, and 576 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:13,640 God's hand was upon him. So listen to how he responds to 577 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,280 these critics. The God of heaven will make us 578 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:21,000 prosper, and we His servants will arise and build, but you 579 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,840 have no portion or right or claim. 580 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,840 The victory here in 2026 at Inglewood Baptist Church in 581 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,040 Rocky Mountain, North Carolina, United States of America, is the 582 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:37,120 Lord's. Anything that happens, anything 583 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,920 good that happens, he's going to produce the growth. 584 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,520 He's going to produce real transformation. 585 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,120 And I must grow in my faith in the God who has a perfect plan 586 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:49,640 and who's still orchestrating history, the same God 587 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,560 orchestrating history right now in 2026. 588 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,680 He'll lead the way. So Nehemiah rebukes him. 589 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,840 You have no claim. You have no right, You have no 590 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:05,520 place here. And so I just have to say out 591 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:08,840 loud, Satan, you have no portion. 592 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:14,280 You have no right. You have no claim here at 593 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:19,520 Englewood Baptist Church. You are a condemned serpent who 594 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:22,199 will burn forever in the fires of hell. 595 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:25,520 And I say it out loud because I know you're listening. 596 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:31,000 You have no place here. This is the body and bride of 597 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:35,639 Jesus Christ who has crushed your head, and the stage is set 598 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:42,120 and restoration can begin. If, if we as his people are 599 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:47,120 ready for what's next, are we really ready for revival? 600 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:50,600 I've shared this old African proverb with you more than once 601 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,960 in different contexts, but a tribal elder in a class I once 602 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:57,760 taught shared this old Swahili proverb that simply says if you 603 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:01,600 want to move a mountain tomorrow, you must move stones 604 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:05,680 today. What stone is the first stone 605 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,640 that has to be removed? What? 606 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:12,640 What obstacle must be rejected? Is it a hard heart? 607 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,320 Is it a closed mind? Is it a hidden sin? 608 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:18,640 Is it a root of past bitterness? Is it a lazy commitment? 609 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,200 Is it a refusal to serve? Is it a lack of faith? 610 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:30,200 Nehemiah believed so strongly. He believed that he sacrificed 611 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,000 his earthly position. He sacrificed his comfort. 612 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:36,400 He sacrificed his safety to pursue God's plan. 613 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:38,600 I love what Spurgeon once prayed. 614 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:42,120 Spurgeon once prayed. God save us from living in 615 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:45,480 comfort while sinners are sinking into hell. 616 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:50,120 Forgive us, Lord, what will we do? 617 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:55,280 What is the relationship between your faith and your actions? 618 00:35:56,120 --> 00:36:01,560 How What does what you believe determine how you behave? 619 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,640 Mark Twain once wrote the secret of getting ahead, getting 620 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,080 started. So let's go. 621 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:14,560 It's time to rise up and build. So we're going to enter into a 622 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:18,800 time of response and commitment right now, right here. 623 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:22,360 We're going to sing, pastors are going to be here. 624 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,640 Our next steps room is going to be open. 625 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:27,280 I appreciated the fact there's the next steps table out in the 626 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,560 lobby. One of our young lady went right 627 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:32,120 to that table after the first service is talking about getting 628 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,920 baptized. What is God laying on your 629 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:40,480 heart? Salvation recommitment, baptism, 630 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:43,880 church membership, obedience. Prayers are a prayer request. 631 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:47,040 What must you give God this morning? 632 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:54,040 What, what removal must take place and what offering must you 633 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:58,520 bring to his altar? Faith, obedience, belief, 634 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:02,320 action. And as Pastor Charles mentioned, 635 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:05,480 we're also going to begin passing the offering plates as 636 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:07,680 part of our response time. Every single Sunday morning. 637 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:11,040 We have ushers who are going to be ready in just a moment. 638 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,120 In fact, I was talking to a Deacon, but well, actually, a 639 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:14,640 Deacon was talking to me yesterday morning. 640 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:17,720 They had an incredible workshop and and he was talking to me 641 00:37:17,720 --> 00:37:19,320 about this moment. I was sharing this with him and 642 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:20,680 he reminded me of an important truth. 643 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:23,480 This is not simply some transactional time during which 644 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,560 we give something. This is intended to be a true 645 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:30,640 transformational time of worship, of submission, of 646 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:34,000 recognition, of dedication. So when that plate is in your 647 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:38,200 hand, whether you're putting anything in it or not 648 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:42,400 physically, when that plate is in your hand, I want you to 649 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:48,360 think about what is it that I must give God in 2026 in order 650 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:51,920 to be fully obedient members. You can still give online. 651 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:54,360 You can still stick your offering in in boxes around the 652 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:55,520 building. You can still do everything 653 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,600 you've normally done. But if you'd prefer, you can 654 00:37:57,600 --> 00:37:59,920 also start giving every week in the offering plate. 655 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:04,080 But this isn't about the monetary offering you put in the 656 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,160 plate. It's about an act of worship. 657 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:11,520 It's about an act of recognition, the fact that, that 658 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:15,240 the ownership of my life, everything that I am, everything 659 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:17,520 that I possess already belongs to him. 660 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:22,320 And so whether I give a tithe or an offering as a member, it, it 661 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:26,600 needs to be an acknowledgement that that everything is his. 662 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:30,360 And we're just giving back a, a portion of what he's blessed us 663 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:33,160 with out of that complete recognition that he already owns 664 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:35,920 everything. So it's an, it's an act of 665 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:38,920 worship. It's an act of remembrance and 666 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:43,640 thankfulness and a celebration of His ownership. 667 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:46,000 So as the ushers come in, just a moment, we're going to pray 668 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:47,920 about what you can offer to God this morning. 669 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:51,120 Now, if you're our guest this morning, we don't expect you to 670 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:54,080 put any monetary offering in that plate at all. 671 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,800 If you want to put that Next Steps card in there, put prayer 672 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:58,680 requests in there, we'd love to collect them. 673 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:00,560 That way you can still put them in the boxes, give them to one 674 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:02,200 of us. So if you're our guest, just put 675 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:04,640 that card in there. We'd love to contact you and 676 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,240 talk more about what God's doing in your life. 677 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:09,760 So let's stand together right now. 678 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:12,320 Stand up. Our ushers are going to come. 679 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:14,120 I'm going to pray, we're going to sing. 680 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:16,320 Everything else will be like normal. 681 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:20,280 But as that plate's being passed, I just want you to ask 682 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:24,520 God, what can I give you? What part of me am I holding 683 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:32,400 back in 2026? Father, we're so grateful that 684 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:34,800 Father, we don't have to figure this thing called life out by 685 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:37,280 yourself. We don't have to do that, 686 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:39,560 Father. You're, you're, you're in US and 687 00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:41,960 around us, and you want to help us if we know you. 688 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:47,440 So, Father, help us to embrace the plan you have for each of 689 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:51,600 our lives and for this church. I pray, Father, that you'll help 690 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:55,840 us to commit to live out the purpose you have for us. 691 00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:58,680 Now, there may be some in this room right now, Father, some 692 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:04,040 listening online who recognize that they need to give you their 693 00:40:04,040 --> 00:40:07,280 salvation. Father, they're not saved. 694 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:11,120 They've never trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 695 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:12,880 They need to believe this morning. 696 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,080 And I just pray, Father, right now in their heart of hearts, 697 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:19,680 they'll know that this is truth. And Father, they might come and 698 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:23,360 talk to us or someone in the Next Steps room about what it 699 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:26,760 means to be a Christian, what it means to be saved, what it means 700 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:30,440 to be a follower of Christ. Others saw that video, like in 701 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:32,880 the first service, they say I need to be baptized. 702 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:38,360 I just pray, Father, they'll come so we can talk about that. 703 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:39,800 What does it mean to be baptized? 704 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:42,800 What does that mean? Others need to come and 705 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:45,000 rededicate their lives. Others need to come to join the 706 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:46,240 church. Others just need to come and 707 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:48,880 pray. Whatever we need to surrender, 708 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:53,920 whatever we need to remove, help us to embrace your will. 709 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:57,000 Father, I pray that you'll bless this offering, that this 710 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:58,840 offering will be an act of worship. 711 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,480 Father, as we talk about as disciples, we must be good 712 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:04,560 stewards of what you've blessed us with. 713 00:41:05,240 --> 00:41:07,920 I pray, Father, this act of worship will be an honor and 714 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:11,440 blessing to you and Father. It will be used, Father a 715 00:41:11,440 --> 00:41:16,920 promise to further your purpose and your plan to Father be with 716 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:21,640 us now as we worship and we respond in Christ's name, Amen.