1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,040 Hey everybody, this is Pastor John Ewart from Inglewood 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:05,920 Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, NC. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Thank you so much for tuning in to our podcast. 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,320 You're going to hear from God today as we share from his word 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,120 about important issues facing your life that can guide you 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:22,040 according to the Bible. Well, good morning, Englewood. 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,760 Listen, I hope that you're safe and sound and warm right now. 8 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,040 Thank you so much for tuning in and watching us here online. 9 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,800 And just continue to pray for the weather. 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,520 Continue to pray for those who might be out in it, those who 11 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:39,280 are working in it, and pray that you're doing well where you are 12 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,400 safe and sound. Listen, I've got a couple of 13 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,600 things to share with you before we dive into Nehemiah Chapter 4. 14 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,600 First of all, you can download a worship guide if you want to off 15 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:50,680 of our website. Go to that resource page. 16 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:52,920 You ought to see a banner, I think on the homepage and you'll 17 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:54,440 be able to click on that and find that. 18 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,240 Pay attention to some of those things in the worship guide. 19 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,440 There's several signups coming up right now. 20 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,239 You've got the kids camp, you've got the the Valentine's weekend 21 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,800 marriage conference. Don't forget about Prime Timers 22 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,360 Valentine's dinner as well. Also the 252 weekend for 23 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,280 students that you've heard Dylan talk about. 24 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,600 And then also the East Coast Men's Bible Conference. 25 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,760 A lot of things to sign up for right now. 26 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,560 And so I would download that worship guide, really pay 27 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,840 attention to that and then and then sign up for the things that 28 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,240 you need to be a part of. Also, we have a couple of 29 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,400 mission trips coming up in March and I'm looking for about 3 more 30 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,520 people to go on both of these trips. 31 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,120 We have teams, they're going to go the trips, OK, But just to 32 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:43,080 beef up the teams a little bit, we have a trip to Armenia that 33 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,520 we would love to have folks go to that. 34 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,080 I think we have that one about full. 35 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,320 But here are the 2 that are really probably need some help 36 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,160 with Uganda, which happens March 21st through 30th. 37 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,040 It's going to be a great trip. You're going to go down to the 38 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:58,520 edge of the Congo. You're going to work with kids, 39 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,720 their opportunities to teach. There's humanitarian as well as 40 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,800 a lot of evangelism. Great opportunity. 41 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,760 Going to work with one of my dearest friends, former student 42 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,320 of mine. So if you're interested in that, 43 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,680 you need to contact Cassidy or me at the church and we can get 44 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,120 you information. Then a little bit later, April 45 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,960 24th through May 2nd, there's a trip to the Middle East. 46 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:19,960 Don't let that worry. It's a safe place, but it's 47 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:24,040 incredible work with people who've been displaced and also 48 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:28,360 refugees from another country, Evangelism, counseling, 49 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,520 humanitarian aid. Once again, it's an incredible 50 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,320 trip working with some of our partners there. 51 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,160 Both of these trips will be so much fun, so, so profitable. 52 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,800 So if you're interested in either one of those, about three 53 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:40,560 people on each of those trips would be great. 54 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,000 More, more than there now. And, and if money is the big 55 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,160 issue, come and talk to me. Come and talk to me about that 56 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:49,560 and let's see if we can get you ready to go for that. 57 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,680 And then don't forget midweek. Right now we're scheduled to 58 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,640 have midweek and so we'll obviously let you know if 59 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:58,240 something changes. But this week we're talking 60 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,920 about engaging the Bible. Had a great crowd last time. 61 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,520 And this week at midweek on Wednesday night at 6:30, I'm 62 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,120 going to talk about how do we actually interpret the Bible in 63 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,040 my personal Bible study as I'm reading the Bible, how do I 64 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,120 interpret that when I'm I'm there engaging with that? 65 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,000 It's going to be a really, really important study. 66 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,080 So I hope that you'll be there. And thank you again so much for 67 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,400 tuning in. Listen, pray for next week's 68 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:22,720 weather. I don't know if you've been 69 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:27,480 watching it or not there, some projections are showing snow for 70 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,400 next weekend. So hopefully, hopefully that'll 71 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,320 move away or we'll get it some of the time. 72 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,640 Some pretty smug snow during the week would be great. 73 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,480 And maybe let us be clear on a Sunday so we can get back 74 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,080 together again. That would be fantastic. 75 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,160 Listen, Nehemiah, Chapter 4, you turn there. 76 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,760 Let me catch up to you. This is a really important study 77 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,480 and I'm so thankful that we've been able to walk through this 78 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:53,120 incredible book together. Teresa and I grew up in eastern 79 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,800 Oklahoma in a, in an area that sometimes people when they think 80 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,560 of Oklahoma, don't think of this, but it's a lot of lakes 81 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,680 and a lot of rivers, hills and trees. 82 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,320 And, and one of the rivers that flows through there's the 83 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,440 Illinois River. And you, and I've mentioned this 84 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,680 to some of you before, but, but we used to do what were called 85 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,360 float trips. Now, now some of you might do 86 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,280 whitewater rafting. We've done that too. 87 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,200 We've gone to Colorado and we've been to Tennessee and different 88 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,720 places to do, to do whitewater rafting. 89 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,240 This is different. A float trip is using a canoe or 90 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,960 an inner tube and you're literally just floating down the 91 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,000 river. In fact, at times you're 92 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,920 probably getting out of your canoe and dragging it across a 93 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,120 sandbar because the river's so low. 94 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,720 So it's, it's not a, it's not a, it's not a dangerous, exciting 95 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:38,760 kind of thing. It's a relaxing kind of float 96 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,320 trip down the river as compared to say whitewater rafting. 97 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:45,800 And, and I always think of that when I think about a couple of 98 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,960 things that sometimes churches struggle with, frankly. 99 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,920 So. So when people or organizations, 100 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:56,880 including churches, lose their focus along the way or sometimes 101 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,840 chase after the wrong goals, they enter into what we call 102 00:05:00,840 --> 00:05:04,400 mission drift. Or I also talk about mission 103 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,240 distraction. Mission drift drifting is 104 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,200 passive. It's like the Illinois River 105 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:10,640 float trip. You don't have to do a whole 106 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:11,640 lot. Yeah, yeah. 107 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,520 You know, your, your, your, your paddle goes in the water every 108 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,560 now and then to steer you along with the flow. 109 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,800 But there's really not a whole lot going on. 110 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,640 It's kind of just an unintended relaxing, floating down the 111 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,200 river thing. And sometimes you have to even 112 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,000 drag the bottom and pull yourself across the sandbar. 113 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,040 So mission drift take a lot of effort. 114 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,400 It didn't take, it didn't take any effort at all to drift. 115 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,400 Mission distraction is different. 116 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,280 That's when you're chasing after the wrong things, where you 117 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:39,920 intentionally pursue something. It's kind of like squirrel, 118 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,200 squirrel, squirrel. It's that kind of thing where 119 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,480 you're going after stuff that they're not really the most 120 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:48,360 important things. So often OK things or even good 121 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:53,120 things may maybe even self perceived vitally important 122 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,040 things. Sometimes they take the 123 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,240 priority. But what happens is, is they 124 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,600 siphon off the clear focus and best energy from the highest, 125 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,440 most important goals and priorities that an organization 126 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,600 ought to be achieving. Sometimes this happens in the 127 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:13,240 church and, and it's a deception or a deceptive temptation from 128 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,720 our enemy to lure us into this, into this distracting chase. 129 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,520 And it's very common. And so it's something that, 130 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,480 that, that we're always aware of and something we want to defend 131 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,880 against, make sure proactively we're not following into either 132 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:31,760 drift or distraction, frankly. And so we, we accomplish our 133 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:33,280 mission. Sometimes in mission 134 00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:36,240 distraction, when we're chasing after what we want, we may 135 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,880 accomplish our mission, but we miss God's mission along the 136 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,920 way. We, we, we seek our agenda, but 137 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,960 not his power and we miss out. So we chase after bumper cars 138 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,400 instead of building a train. So, So here at Inglewood, This 139 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,280 is why we're so trying to be focused, so engaged in an 140 00:06:55,280 --> 00:07:00,120 intentional vision to fulfill the mission of God, to bring him 141 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,760 great glory, to join him in redeeming the nation's and doing 142 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,160 so by by making disciples, multiplying fruit, producing 143 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,440 disciples who love him, love one another. 144 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,160 And, and we want to help each of you and your families to become 145 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,720 more like Jesus. And one of the reasons and one 146 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,160 of the ways we're doing that is by defining discipleship, by 147 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,880 talking about what we call the seven essentials of 148 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,880 discipleship. And we want 100% participation 149 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,600 in this effort. So, so this, this must have 150 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,720 clear and understood value. Do you understand it? 151 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,160 Do you have a clear understanding and value of that 152 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,520 pursuit? Not only for us, but that's also 153 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,480 what our community needs. This massively lost community 154 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,960 around us needs us to be that laser focused. 155 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,240 And, and I just wanted to say this to you. 156 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,840 You're doing very well now. I, I listen, I mean it, you all 157 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,360 are awesome. And I'm not just saying that 158 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,080 Teresa even bought me a shirt the other day. 159 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:00,720 I almost wore it. I should have wore it. 160 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,160 I should have wore it to be to be recorded here. 161 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,000 But but even she bought me a shirt the other day that says 162 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:10,480 this pastor has an awesome congregation because we believe 163 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:14,360 that and we mean that. And I just wanted to say thank 164 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,760 you. You're doing very well. 165 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,080 And I mean that. I know I've been pushing you a 166 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,800 little hard and I know that I've been leaning on you a little bit 167 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,680 in this Nehemiah series maybe. But I and, and I know some 168 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,360 things are changing and sometimes that's hard for some 169 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,440 people. But I just want to say thank you 170 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,600 for your willingness. Thank you for your willingness 171 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,159 to listen and to respond and to follow. 172 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,559 And friends, God is blessing us and we're making great progress. 173 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,799 And I hope you're aware of that. And I hope you stop and thank 174 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:45,920 him for that because not a lot of people get to be in churches 175 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,920 that are growing and churches that are really reaching and 176 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,440 seeing things happen. In fact, we have baptism 177 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,480 scheduled now and this weather is just kind of making this kind 178 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:55,640 of keep putting that off a little bit. 179 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,400 But we have multiple people who are ready to be baptized with 180 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,560 multiple people who are ready to join our church and to join us 181 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,240 as we move forward. So thank you so much for that. 182 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,040 And so I'm just, so I'm so thankful for what he's doing. 183 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,600 If you're sitting with somebody wherever you are right now, turn 184 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,000 to them and say way to go and give them a high 5 or a pat on 185 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:13,720 the back. And if you're all by yourself 186 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,600 where you're listing, give yourself a pat on the back. 187 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,480 And thank you so much for being a part of this To God obviously 188 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,240 be all the glory. He's the one doing this. 189 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,840 But for us to continue to that, for us to continue to take these 190 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,520 next best steps with God that he has for us. 191 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,520 We're leaning and learning from Nehemiah, leaning on and 192 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,800 learning from him. We're we're learning how from 193 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:36,760 Nehemiah to build his future. We're learning about 194 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,880 restoration. So what does restoration really 195 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:41,880 mean? And, and the only way we're 196 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,720 going to move forward. Last time we talked about 197 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:46,720 building together. Now we're talking about standing 198 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,960 together. The only way we can move forward 199 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,360 is if we stand together. So, you know, the Holy Spirit 200 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,800 changing lives, the Holy Spirit's savings people, the 201 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,280 Holy Spirit's seeing people commit to church membership and 202 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,880 involvement in service, that that should result in a huge 203 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,360 celebration. And we want to always be careful 204 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,160 to celebrate it. We've also got to be careful and 205 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:14,000 we need to beware because frankly, as his revival occurs, 206 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,720 there are also things that come with that. 207 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:22,800 Sin is also exposed. Truth is taught, the darkness is 208 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,240 pushed back, and his light will shine so brightly that it 209 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,880 reveals reality. And for some people, it's going 210 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,680 to be a difficult moment in their personal lives where 211 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,280 they're they're, they're convicted and they realize I'm 212 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,280 not walking with God the way I should. 213 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,240 And so when revival comes, when restoration really hits, it can 214 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,480 also be kind of a difficult time for people, people, people are 215 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,160 going to fall on their faces before God in repentance and 216 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:49,480 brokenness. And in the sense of total 217 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:54,600 dependency, in this realization that I can't lead my life by my 218 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:58,520 own power, that I'm dependent upon Him, this clear awareness 219 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:03,120 that I must constantly and passionately abide in and with 220 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,680 my Creator and Savior and let him take over. 221 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,680 So there can there's this interesting combination when God 222 00:11:09,680 --> 00:11:13,800 works, interesting combination of both a deep sense of burden, 223 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:18,160 a deep sense of, of even guilt or forgiveness, but also of hope 224 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:22,080 and of peace and of love and joy all at the same time. 225 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,560 So to so to be burdened and joyful at the same moment is an 226 00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:27,680 interesting combination. And sometimes that's the way 227 00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:30,640 revival is. And, and I'll just be frank with 228 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:35,280 you, when God moves this way and God begins to move his people 229 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,640 and they're responding and you all are responding, we also have 230 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:43,320 to beware because this makes the devil and his followers furious. 231 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,280 So we, we've got to be aware of this. 232 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,080 They know when it's real. They know when it's more 233 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,000 powerful than they are. They know when it's jerking 234 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:55,160 humanity out of their grasp, and they will tempt others and 235 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:59,560 frankly us to try to stop it or to be distracted or to drift 236 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,480 along some other way instead of remaining focused, Right. 237 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:07,600 In fact, out in this world, anger and confusion are the 238 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,840 world's response to God's work. I mean, you can just listen to 239 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:16,240 the news lately and the anger, the rage, the wrath, the 240 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:20,000 protesting, the, the, the, the confusion that's out there. 241 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,600 That's the world's response to God's work as well. 242 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,800 Because he challenges their worldview. 243 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,040 I mean, if he's real, they can't believe what they want to 244 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:29,960 believe. They got to believe in him and, 245 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,320 and, and challenges their values because they can't control him. 246 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,480 They can't cancel the Holy Spirit in his power. 247 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,120 And so when God is truly at work, he will not be ignored. 248 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,840 He will not be stopped, and he cannot be denied. 249 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,120 In fact, when God really works, we read in Scripture. 250 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,440 When God really works, demons will be cast into herds of swine 251 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,640 who will charge off a Cliff. Sides and whole villages will 252 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,640 know it. But the Bible also tells us that 253 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:58,000 that doesn't necessarily mean they're all going to believe. 254 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,800 Not everybody will like it. You just wasted my pigs. 255 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:05,240 That's almost the attitude of some people when they see that, 256 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,200 you know, I've read the end of the book and the book's clear. 257 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,920 Not everybody's going to believe, not everybody's going 258 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:13,840 to get on board. So man's going to fight God to 259 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:17,360 the very bitter end, and enemies are going to challenge major 260 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:21,560 movements of God. Charles Spurgeon once said God 261 00:13:21,560 --> 00:13:24,120 had one sin, one son. Let me say that right? 262 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,880 God had one son without sin, but He never had a son without a 263 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,680 trial. And so God can use these trials. 264 00:13:32,680 --> 00:13:35,720 God can use these challenges to bring out the very best of us. 265 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:37,600 And in Nehemiah 4, we're going to see that. 266 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,880 So in Nehemiah 4 chapter, chapter 4, verse one, it says 267 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,840 this. Now when Sambalat heard that we 268 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:48,120 were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged. 269 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,200 See that phrase? Greatly enraged. 270 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,840 And he jeered at the Jews and he said in the presence of his 271 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,920 brothers into the army of Samaria, what are these feeble 272 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,360 Jews doing? Will they restore it for 273 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,680 themselves? Will they sacrifice? 274 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:06,160 Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out 275 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,200 of the heaps of rubbish and burned ones at that. 276 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:11,840 And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him. 277 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,240 And he says, yes, what they're building, if a fox goes up on 278 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,000 it, he'll break down their their Stonewall. 279 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:23,040 So as we take our next best steps here in 2026, and I'm 280 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:25,960 telling you it, it's been in between flu and weather, it's 281 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,240 been issuing to get started here in 26, isn't it? 282 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,360 But as we take our next best steps, we need to be aware of a 283 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:32,960 few things. Let me just share a few of those 284 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,600 things and and you follow along. There's an outline with your 285 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,480 worship guide if you want that. The first thing we just got to 286 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,400 be aware of is opposition and conflict. 287 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,200 So when Nehemiah and the people were serious about God's will 288 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,280 and they really got going in God's will, their enemies became 289 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,920 very serious as well. So Sanballat, who's the governor 290 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:56,360 of Samaria, was it says it was angry and greatly enraged, or 291 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,880 another translation would say he was furious and very indignant. 292 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:04,040 The original words mean to become hot. 293 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:06,200 I mean, in other words, it's to be angry. 294 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,960 But it's not just any anger. This is a high intensity of 295 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:11,880 anger. This isn't just a normal. 296 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:16,080 He wasn't just a little upset. He is raging mad. 297 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:20,520 So he seeks to humiliate, to discourage and to cause doubt. 298 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,120 What are these feeble Jews doing? 299 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,520 So he mockingly, mockingly questions what they were doing 300 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:30,400 or why they should even try. I mean, listen to the voice. 301 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,640 You're too feeble. You're not good enough. 302 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,880 You'll never succeed. Look around you. 303 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,520 All is hopeless. You can't revive a pile of 304 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:43,800 burned rubbish, so just give up. You, you can't restore your 305 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:44,720 purpose. You. 306 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:46,440 You're never going to find your peace. 307 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,840 So there's not even any use trying, can't you? 308 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,120 That's the voice they're just trying to shout at God's people 309 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:56,040 and Tobiah the Ammonite joined in by saying even the weight of 310 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,000 a little old fox would smash their little walls. 311 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,920 It's weak, you're weak. All your work is weak. 312 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:06,640 It's all going to fall and fail. It's interesting historically 313 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,400 and archaeologically, they actually in a dig they had, they 314 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,040 found the foundations of Nehemiah's walls. 315 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,040 I mean, this isn't some made-up story. 316 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,680 This is real. And they found the foundations 317 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,560 of Nehemiah's walls. And they were about 9 feet 318 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,760 thick. And so that would that would 319 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,600 have taken one big old fat fox to break that down. 320 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,000 But, but do we, you know, sometimes in your life, maybe 321 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:32,320 you hear those voices, maybe you hear those voices inside, or you 322 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:36,080 hear those voices from others or people in your life who, who 323 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,720 don't want to follow Christ and, and, and you hear that you 324 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:44,400 can't, you're worthless, you're unlovable, you're unforgivable, 325 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,760 you're of no use. You can never do it. 326 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,640 You'll fail. There's no way you can be used 327 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,160 by God. So just quit trying. 328 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:56,800 And that the enemy will shout that voice. 329 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,120 The world might shout that voice at you sometimes, but let me 330 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,560 encourage you. In fact, let me invite you to 331 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:07,000 come and stand together with us here at Inglewood. 332 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:14,079 Because God is at work and he wants to use us in this work, 333 00:17:14,079 --> 00:17:16,680 and he's doing so. And the people here are 334 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:18,839 responding. You have great value. 335 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,319 God has a grand purpose for you and for us together. 336 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:24,560 And we welcome you to be part of that effort. 337 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,079 We welcome you. Just like folks who are going to 338 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:30,040 be joining our church very soon. People getting baptized, people 339 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:32,360 are going through, new member present, people are joining us. 340 00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:36,120 They're getting on board. So shut out those voices and 341 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:39,080 join God's people and their future. 342 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:44,200 So, you know, I used to be bothered in my younger days. 343 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,320 I used to be bothered. Can you believe it or not? 344 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,920 I was younger once. I used to be bothered by 345 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:54,080 unbiblical unchrist like opposition criticism. 346 00:17:54,920 --> 00:18:00,160 And then frankly, I grew up and and understood that what it was 347 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,800 and where it came from. I recognized when God doesn't 348 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,320 work, I have to expect it. I can't be naive. 349 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:13,960 The enemy will work to try to stop God and the enemy will lie 350 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:16,720 to us. He'll tell us how weak we are, 351 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,960 how unworthy our effort is, and attempt to force us to believe 352 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,320 that the task before us, it's just impossible. 353 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,800 It's too big, it's impossible. But my friends, I'm here to tell 354 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,960 you I believe in the God of the impossible. 355 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:34,080 I believe in the God of gigantic things, who wants to do 356 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,320 something, hear his voice, hear his voice of truth and grace 357 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,320 instead. So these former enemies, it's 358 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,720 fascinating when you understand the backdrop here, these former 359 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:47,680 enemies and competitors who should be fighting one another 360 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:51,120 over control of the region, Instead they join forces. 361 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,440 People like Sambalit and Tobiah they hate would have hated each 362 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,360 other in any other context because if Jerusalem's 363 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:01,800 fortified, if it's re fortified, they're going to lose control 364 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,080 over the whole region and they know that. 365 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:09,160 So they had to try to stop it. So this common thread, a threat, 366 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:13,400 this common danger to them, and this is true in life, often 367 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:17,400 brings together strange teammates who will join together 368 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:21,480 against God and His work. It's kind of like Herod and 369 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:26,240 Pilate in the trial of Jesus. Luke 23 shares a verse, verse 370 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,720 12, and it says this. And Herod and Pilate became 371 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:32,320 friends with each other that very day, for before this they 372 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,120 had been at enmity with each other. 373 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:38,800 So, so the perfect life of Jesus and what they saw and what they 374 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,920 were trying to do to stop him 'cause his enemies to unite. 375 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:48,680 And so sometimes I wonder, are we living enough like Jesus to 376 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,840 even catch, to even catch Satan's attention? 377 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:57,480 Are we worthy of his opposition as he seeks to stop it because 378 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,280 he knows God is at work at Inglewood? 379 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,920 Winston Churchill once said historically he said you have 380 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:05,120 enemies. Good. 381 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,320 That meant you stood up for something sometime in your life. 382 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,040 So let's look at Nehemiah's response to these, this mocking 383 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:18,000 this, these accusations. Look at verse 4 here, O here, O 384 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,440 our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their 385 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,280 own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they 386 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,000 are captives. Do not cover their guilt. 387 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:33,120 And let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they 388 00:20:33,120 --> 00:20:37,320 have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. 389 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,400 Wow, what a response from the leader. 390 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:44,280 I mean, going to God in prayer was Nehemiah's primary weapon. 391 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:45,800 You're just going to. It's going to be consistent 392 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:49,040 throughout the whole story, from the first chapter to the end. 393 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,000 Nehemiah asked God to fight for them. 394 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,640 Now, one of the things that we're trying to teach here. 395 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,640 In fact, I'll be doing a whole midweek series about this later. 396 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:02,040 Is is that we believe one of the most important essentials of 397 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:05,880 discipleship is that we abide in prayer with dependence and 398 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,560 anticipation that we actually are are are are dependent upon 399 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,840 God and anticipate him working when we talk to him. 400 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:14,800 And so Nehemiah, it's interesting here. 401 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:19,640 He left justice to the Lord, didn't he he he asked God to 402 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:24,400 remember his enemies. He also asked God not to forgive 403 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,160 or to forget their sins. And that's an interesting 404 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,640 question for us today. The New Testament commands us to 405 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,600 personally love and forgive our enemies. 406 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:40,400 But listen, that doesn't mean that we still don't seek and 407 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,800 anticipate God's justice one day. 408 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:47,480 We know that. The reason I am free and, and, 409 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:52,120 and able to, to move past what some enemy might do to me or 410 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,320 what's, how somebody might offend me or somebody hurt my 411 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,120 feelings. The one of the reasons I can 412 00:21:57,120 --> 00:22:00,160 move past that is because I live in Christ and, and I know that 413 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,640 that I can forgive them because Christ has forgiven me. 414 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,080 But that doesn't mean that they won't be held accountable. 415 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,800 One day God will remember those who oppose him. 416 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:12,920 And so I don't have to try to reap revenge. 417 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,480 I don't have to try to do that because I promise you God's 418 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:21,200 keeping track and, and, and when man fails or opposes you, not 419 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,200 not if, but when. Trust in God. 420 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:28,920 Let prayer be that first reflex. Let that be your first response. 421 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:31,400 Go to God, ask God to deal with them. 422 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:35,280 Ask God to take care of that and, and, and give you the 423 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,480 freedom to just keep focused, to stay focused, to keep moving 424 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,200 forward. I'm going to take the next best 425 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,840 steps with you, God, I'm going to trust you to take care of 426 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:44,560 this. I'm going to trust you to deal 427 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:46,400 with this. And I promise you he's keeping 428 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:47,960 track. Look at verse 6. 429 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,040 So we built the wall. You can just go see that see 430 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:52,720 that response? We prayed. 431 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:54,680 So we so and we're just going to move on. 432 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:56,840 We're not stopping. Sorry, son ballot. 433 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,560 Sorry Tobiah. We're just going to keep moving 434 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,400 forward. So we built the wall and all the 435 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,440 wall was joined together to have its height. 436 00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:05,920 But the people had a mind to work. 437 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:09,000 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites 438 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,000 and the Ashedites, it's an old group. 439 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:12,240 We're going to talk about them in a minute. 440 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,200 Heard that the the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going 441 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,400 forward and that the breeches were beginning to be closed. 442 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:23,320 They were very angry and they all plotted together to come and 443 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,760 fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 444 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,560 So Nehemiah and the people, they, they, they just kept 445 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:31,280 working. They kept focusing on the 446 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,120 rebuilding. This is what God has called us 447 00:23:33,120 --> 00:23:34,520 to do. This is what God has called us 448 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:35,760 to. This is what God has called us 449 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:37,400 to do. We're going to join his mission. 450 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,240 We're going to make disciples. They're not going to waste time 451 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,320 responding to ungodly distractions. 452 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:47,280 So Satan may want us to focus on the obstacles instead of God's 453 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:50,840 power and promises. But, but, but my God, our God, 454 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,120 the God leading us overcomes obstacles. 455 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,040 So Nehemiah wouldn't fall for it. 456 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,480 And so he focuses on finishing the primary objective. 457 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:03,000 The gaps in the wall were being closed due to their 458 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,000 intentionality, due to their mind and their spirit to work. 459 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:09,040 And so they're, they're halfway, they're halfway to its height 460 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,120 already. And of course, this alarms the 461 00:24:11,120 --> 00:24:13,560 enemies even more. This makes them panic. 462 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:17,000 And so it's interesting because it's interesting because in the 463 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,600 passage in verse 7, they reach out to the Ashdodites. 464 00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:23,320 Now, who are these people? Well, if you remember your Old 465 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:27,520 Testament, Ashdod was the capital of the old enemies, the 466 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,360 Philistines. So they reach out to the 467 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,120 Philistines. These old enemies might even 468 00:24:32,120 --> 00:24:33,920 rise up. People from the past might even 469 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:35,720 rise up. You never know out of the come 470 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,360 out of the woodwork when you least expect them, because some 471 00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:40,280 people just won't let old grudges go. 472 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,240 Some people just won't forgive. They won't forget. 473 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,640 They won't move on. And they water and they nurture 474 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,560 these seeds of bitterness, these roots of bitterness in their 475 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:52,880 life and resentment in their life. 476 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:57,160 And, and they, they can't see God's future because they're so 477 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:02,000 hurt from the past and, and something from back there is, is 478 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,360 right in their line of vision right now. 479 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:06,960 And that's all they can see. They're clouded. 480 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,600 They're blinded to what God might want for them. 481 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,280 I feel for those people. I, I, I hurt for those people, 482 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,760 but also can't let those people stop what God wants to do. 483 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,080 So the Hebrews were surrounded by old enemies, new enemies with 484 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,440 danger from the over, I mean, real danger from the armies of 485 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:25,800 Samaria and the armies of Philistia. 486 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,000 And so these enemies plotted together and it actually says 487 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,600 they divide, they're devising a strategy is what they're doing 488 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:34,040 to attack and to create even more problems. 489 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,320 So what was Nehemiah's response to this? 490 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:42,840 And this, this, this is serious. It's more prayer, more 491 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:44,320 preparation. Look at verse 9. 492 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,640 The Bible says, so we gave up and went home. 493 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,640 We quit, we ran back to Babylon. Is that what it's not doesn't 494 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,800 say that. It says and we prayed to our God 495 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,240 and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. 496 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,720 I mean, here's a great recipe for moving forward. 497 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:05,120 You see, you seek the Lord and you take wise practical action 498 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,120 to deal with the issues and you move forward. 499 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:12,640 So the the threat drove him closer to God, drove him closer 500 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,480 to his work. But they're also watching. 501 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,680 They're also guarding, they're protecting. 502 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:19,560 This is going to require non-stop effort. 503 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:23,480 We need vigilant warriors who are watching and guarding 504 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:25,640 against the enemy. I mean, this is how to be a 505 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,520 picture of the church protecting the flock while actively, 506 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,960 intentionally with great focus, obeying and pursuing God's 507 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,840 mission. But a new problem arose. 508 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:41,080 A new problem arose. Look at verse 10. 509 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:46,880 In Judah, it was said the strength of those who bear the 510 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,800 burdens is failing. There's too much rubble. 511 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,640 By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall. 512 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,880 And our enemies said they will not know or see till we come 513 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:05,200 among them and kill them and stop the work at that time the 514 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,240 Jews who live near them. In other words, the enemies came 515 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:13,640 from all directions and said to us ten times, you must return to 516 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:17,000 us. So as we take the next best 517 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:21,360 steps in God's plan, we expect opposition and conflict That 518 00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:24,000 that's, that's just part of it. Whenever God works, the enemy is 519 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,640 going to work. But we also need to expect, 520 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,120 secondly, some weariness and doubt. 521 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,840 The hard work and the added tension of this opposition begin 522 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,840 to take a toll on the people. It says they were failing is 523 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:42,840 what it says in verse 10. That word failing means to 524 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:48,320 stumble or or to or to totter. The image here is of a worker 525 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,440 carrying weight on his shoulders and he's following under the 526 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:54,240 load. He can't bear the load. 527 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:55,760 It's too much and he's following. 528 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:57,520 Oh, there's just too much rubbish. 529 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,680 Nehemiah. The ruins are too great to be 530 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:03,480 cleared. They were tired and they were 531 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,800 about to give up hope. And then those living near the 532 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:11,200 enemies were constantly telling them of the threat. 533 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:12,880 They're going to come get you, they're going to come get you, 534 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,960 they're going to come get you. They they would speak non-stop 535 00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:20,360 to those who are trying to focus on the good work, trying to get 536 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:21,920 the work done. All they can do is talk about 537 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,560 the gloom and doom. So these enemies were probably 538 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:28,680 telling them their lies and threats, knowing that they were 539 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:30,800 going to run to tell everybody back in Jerusalem. 540 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,600 See, so they're probably planting this and, and sometimes 541 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,400 this happens, I mean, when your own people begin to gossip, when 542 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:40,400 your own people begin to talk nonstop about fear or failure or 543 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,280 believe in inaccurate information, this can really 544 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:47,200 lead to discouragement. In fact, maybe some of these 545 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:52,200 people were more aware of the opposition than they were of 546 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,600 what God was seeking from them. In fact, maybe some of these 547 00:28:55,600 --> 00:29:00,120 people lived a little too close and listened a little bit too 548 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:04,480 much to the enemy. If all you hear and all you 549 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:09,200 believe are negative lies and threats, your focus will shift 550 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:13,280 to doubt and fear. In fact, verse 12 again, it says 551 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,040 from whatever place you turn, they'll be upon us. 552 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:18,000 You can't escape. They're going to come. 553 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:21,960 No hope, no faith in God's ability, no no seeking his face. 554 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,400 Just the enemy. All they could see was the enemy 555 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:27,440 and all that's bad and everything that'll go wrong. 556 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:30,320 I don't know if you know people like that in your life. 557 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,640 I do. Some seem to almost enjoy living 558 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:38,320 in the negative. Some people enjoy being cynical. 559 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,440 Some people seem to enjoy spreading inaccurate information 560 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,000 and even criticism. It it it. 561 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,200 I often describe it this way. They refill and live in a 562 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:53,120 dumpster full of rubbish rather than allowing that rubbish to be 563 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:58,280 hauled away by a gracious God. They they choose this toxicity 564 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,000 and they seek to tear down others rather than to roll up 565 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,400 their sleeves and help build up what God wants. 566 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,080 Well, I, I, I hope you're not one of those folks. 567 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:11,320 I hope you don't have relatives like that. 568 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,040 I hope you don't know church members like that. 569 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,600 Frankly, I hope you don't have to work with people at work that 570 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:17,680 way. My fear is, is that some of us 571 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:20,600 do, and I have an ancient word for them. 572 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,360 An ancient word. It's called shush. 573 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:30,400 Be quiet, Just shush. Hard work and hard words can 574 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:35,320 create real stress that force people to break under the 575 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:36,680 pressure if something's not done. 576 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,040 So it would have been so easy for Nehemiah to just throw up 577 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,000 his hands and say, you know what? 578 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,840 I'm kind of tired of you people. That's it. 579 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,320 I quit. I'm heading back home to Persia. 580 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:47,840 I'm going to go live in the palace. 581 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:49,520 I'm going to go taste the King's wine. 582 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:51,680 I mean, he had a pretty good job back there. 583 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:56,120 But what? But what if we did that and we 584 00:30:56,120 --> 00:31:02,320 truly miss a historic movement of God that's just beginning. 585 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:07,680 We can't build on the rubbish. Those ruins that they were 586 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,800 dealing with represented past defeats and historic wrong loves 587 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,720 and fears and they had to be removed. 588 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:18,680 They had to be replaced with the proper love and the proper fear 589 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,040 of God. If not, they were just going to 590 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,920 build on a pile of rubbish. Same thing is true in our life. 591 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:28,960 We can enter into a never ending cycle of sin and constant 592 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:33,600 collapse and we work hard sometimes to stay there. 593 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:37,960 What we really need to do is work harder to excavate the sin, 594 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:41,960 the sinful ruins out of our lives so that we can move on 595 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:48,560 because God wants to do something very, very special in 596 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:52,360 your life. So Nehemiah, once again, he 597 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,760 didn't run, he didn't shy away, he didn't give up. 598 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:59,560 He took both spiritual and practical steps. 599 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:01,680 What a leader. Look at verse 13. 600 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,760 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open 601 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:09,280 places, I stationed the people by their clans with their 602 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:12,080 swords, their Spears and their bows. 603 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:14,960 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the 604 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,560 officials and to the rest of the people, do not be afraid of 605 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,120 them. Remember the Lord who is great 606 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,360 and awesome and fight for your brothers, your sons, your 607 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,200 daughters, your wives in your homes. 608 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:30,360 So here's this man of prayer, this man of action, this man 609 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:32,160 who's both spiritual and practical. 610 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:34,680 More go more guards need to be posted. 611 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:39,680 Let's arm them with swords and Spears and bows and we're going 612 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,240 to carefully place them. We're going to carefully equip 613 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,640 them. Everybody needs to understand 614 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:48,480 and value the specific role, the specific position that you need 615 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,400 to be put in because you have a very important job to do. 616 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:55,120 And they were well equipped. They were equipped with weapons 617 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,680 for both long range and hand to hand combat. 618 00:32:58,200 --> 00:32:59,920 They're ready for attack from any angle. 619 00:32:59,920 --> 00:33:03,000 They're ready to deal with the enemy coming their way. 620 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,720 And then Nehemiah inspires them by appealing to their faith in 621 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:11,600 God and their desire to protect and to love their families. 622 00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:19,160 Our great and awesome God works and fights on our behalf. 623 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:24,840 We must stand together, well equipped, specifically placed in 624 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:28,480 service and ministry, well equipped and ready to go, to 625 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:32,600 encourage one another to stand together, to respond in faith, 626 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,840 Paul wrote to the Galatians a verse that would fit right in. 627 00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:42,480 In Galatians 69, he said, And let us not grow weary of doing 628 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:47,120 good, for in due season we will reap if we don't give up. 629 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,960 We have to persevere. God has a plan. 630 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:56,680 Look at Nehemiah 4:15 When our enemies heard that, it was known 631 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,960 to us. Now look at this Ness phrase and 632 00:33:59,960 --> 00:34:02,480 that God had frustrated their plan. 633 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:06,760 We all returned to the wall, each to His work. 634 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,960 So as we take these next best steps, we get into 2026. 635 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:15,199 If we take this next best steps with God, we got to expect some 636 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:17,040 opposition and we got to expect some conflict. 637 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,320 We're also going to expect some weariness and doubt along the 638 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,639 way. But we must respond in a certain 639 00:34:22,639 --> 00:34:24,880 way. And the best way to respond #3 640 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:29,639 is faithfulness and commitment. God frustrated their plan. 641 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:31,960 Another translation would read this way. 642 00:34:32,199 --> 00:34:35,920 God. God had brought their plot to 643 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:41,280 nothing, so God had brought their plot to nothing. 644 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:44,920 God fought on their behalf just like he does for us. 645 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:49,480 Nothing's changed. And Nehemiah and the people were 646 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:52,440 used by him. Well armed, well prepared, well 647 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:56,360 positioned people who can remain focused, who can remain 648 00:34:56,360 --> 00:35:00,200 faithful, who understand their role and are fulfilling it. 649 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:04,520 So God is going to be faithful to his commitment to his own 650 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:05,720 mission. We can count on it. 651 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:08,920 We can, we can bank on that. Then we must faithfully be 652 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:12,200 committed and stand together in his mission as well. 653 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:15,600 So they were all in they all. It says we all return to the 654 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:17,480 wall. Guess what percentage of that is 655 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,000 100%? Didn't think you were going to 656 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:21,400 escape this morning without it, did you? 657 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:25,680 100% They all returned to the work. 658 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:29,360 They were in their proper spots. They were being well equipped. 659 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:32,280 They knew what they were supposed to do, encouraged, 660 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:36,240 empowered by their faith in God and in God's commitment to to 661 00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:38,800 them. So let's, let's see how this 662 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,080 goes. Verse 16. 663 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:45,320 Then from that day on, half my servants worked on construction 664 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:49,800 and half held the Spears, Shields, bowls, bowls, bows, 665 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,880 sorry, bows. Those are bows and arrows and 666 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:56,520 coats of mail. And the leader stood behind the 667 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,600 whole House of Judah, who were building on the wall. 668 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,000 Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each 669 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,400 labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with 670 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,480 the other, and each of the builders had a sword strapped to 671 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,640 his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet 672 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:16,040 was beside me, and I said to the nobles and to the officials and 673 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:19,000 to the rest of the people, the work is great and widely spread. 674 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:22,520 We're separated on the wall, far from one another, so in the 675 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:25,200 place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us 676 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:31,200 there our God will fight for us. So we labored at the work, and 677 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:33,320 half of them held the Spears from the break of dawn until the 678 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:35,960 stars came out. And I also said to the people at 679 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,920 that time, let every man and his servant pass the night within 680 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:43,080 Jerusalem that they may be a guard for us by night and they 681 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:46,080 labor by day. So they, they had a very 682 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,040 specific plan. We would call it a vision 683 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:50,400 excuse. Yeah, we would call it our 684 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:53,040 vision plan. The vision to fulfill the 685 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:56,040 mission of God. And so Nehemiah assigned half of 686 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:59,240 the workforce to military duty and equipped them with weapons 687 00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:02,600 and armor, a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other, the 688 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,040 sword and the trial. I mean, that's a great image for 689 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:08,240 us. Different jobs, different 690 00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:13,240 positions, but every one of them vital and 100% of the people 691 00:37:13,240 --> 00:37:19,640 engaged in the core work. Worship Connect group, midweek 692 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:25,720 stewardship service. They even established an 693 00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:28,560 emergency response system. If you you read closely enough 694 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:30,720 at the sound of the trumpet, they were supposed to all 695 00:37:30,720 --> 00:37:32,920 assemble wherever they were for battle. 696 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:35,080 Right there they were ready to support one another when 697 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:36,720 somebody was in trouble. We're going to come to your aid. 698 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:38,120 We're all going to rush to your aid. 699 00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:39,520 We're going to fight for one another. 700 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:41,720 We're going to stand for one other because we're united, 701 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:48,040 because we're focused on a, on a known, understood, valued 702 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:52,960 direction and destination. Kind of like a set of train 703 00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:56,600 tracks. And they were reminded that our 704 00:37:56,600 --> 00:38:01,680 God will fight for us. So constant readiness, 705 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:07,520 intentional sacrifice, surrender of self, we're all required for 706 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:12,160 their next steps and for ours. In fact, if you read toward the 707 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:14,680 end there, no one involved in the rebuilding was even allowed 708 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:16,480 to go home at night. They couldn't even leave the 709 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:19,680 city. They performed night watch duty 710 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:22,360 along with daytime labor, and they were so intensely 711 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:23,480 committed. Notice this. 712 00:38:23,600 --> 00:38:26,160 They didn't even take time to regularly wash and change their 713 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:28,640 clothes. Look at verse 23. 714 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:32,960 So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of 715 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,680 the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes. 716 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:38,680 Each kept his weapon at his right hand. 717 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:41,880 Another translation says it this way. 718 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,000 So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the 719 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,880 guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that 720 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:49,560 everyone took them off for washing. 721 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:51,880 So they did a little washing every now and then, it seems 722 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:54,520 like. And, and these, these words are 723 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:56,680 actually kind of hard to translate into English. 724 00:38:56,680 --> 00:39:01,320 The Hebrew has deeper meaning. So, So a very literal reading 725 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:03,640 would be each man, his weapon, the water. 726 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,920 And So what it means is there was a constant preparedness. 727 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:11,280 There was a constant readiness. There was a constant alertness. 728 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:14,240 They were ready to build. They were willing to persist. 729 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:18,080 They were willing to overcome no matter what the sacrifice. 730 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:23,280 And I think about that word sacrifice, I think about a lot. 731 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:28,280 I think about how difficult that word is in our culture today, 732 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:33,640 sometimes even in the church. So many in the church want it to 733 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:37,880 be about me. They, they wanted to be about 734 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:42,520 self. And it's a tough word and, and 735 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:45,360 part of my life experience. And I've alluded to some of 736 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:47,760 these people and stories with you already. 737 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:50,760 I'll tell you more down the road, I'm assuming maybe help 738 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:52,920 you meet some of them. Go on these mission trips and 739 00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:54,040 you'll meet some of these people. 740 00:39:55,600 --> 00:40:00,600 But over the years, I've been so blessed to be taught. 741 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:06,440 By brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who have 742 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:09,520 experienced incredibly great sacrifice for the Kingdom. 743 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:14,640 I've been taught by those who are living through genocide in 744 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:18,840 the world's largest refugee camp, sharing Christ, and I've 745 00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:20,640 seen them. I've been there, watching them 746 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:24,760 volunteer to go plant churches in places where they're probably 747 00:40:24,760 --> 00:40:28,040 going to get killed and fighting one another for the privilege of 748 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:30,560 going there to do that and to die. 749 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:34,520 I've been taught by those who live on the edge of the Congo, 750 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:38,200 who train leaders and children while ministering to victims and 751 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:43,040 orphans of war and disease. I've been trained by those who 752 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,360 are leading relief work, training and church planting in 753 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:49,240 Ukraine, even after their own homes and their own churches 754 00:40:49,240 --> 00:40:52,440 were destroyed, bulldozed by the enemy. 755 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:57,320 I I I've been blessed and taught by those who operate massive 756 00:40:57,320 --> 00:41:01,360 underground house church networks in Asia amid incredible 757 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:05,760 persecution and imprisonment. I I I have dear brothers who 758 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:08,840 have survived prison while being threatened with their own lives 759 00:41:08,840 --> 00:41:12,040 and those lives of their family if they wouldn't recant their 760 00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:14,040 faith, but they refused to budget. 761 00:41:15,240 --> 00:41:18,840 I, I I've been taught by those who praised Jesus after losing 762 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:23,120 part of their feet while being forced to build railroads in the 763 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:26,240 snow and Siberian work camps because of their faith. 764 00:41:27,880 --> 00:41:30,880 I know people who work with lepers disowned by family and 765 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:35,080 society, and many, many more of these teachers and these 766 00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:38,760 examples. And I think about some of the 767 00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:43,600 experiences my own life. I've watched God work. 768 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:47,320 I've watched him work while I was helping law enforcement in a 769 00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:52,200 major US city, mediating conflict between national level 770 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,400 urban street gangs. I remember him working in a 771 00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:59,680 situation when I was facing a mob of 40 men armed with 772 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:03,600 machetes who wanted to steal our supplies just to feed their 773 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:07,400 families. I remember staring in the hollow 774 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:11,320 eyes of a mother holding a dying baby due to malnutrition. 775 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:15,360 I remember living under dictatorial martial law and 776 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:19,080 having loaded M sixteens pointed right at my chest while being 777 00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:24,040 robbed of our food or or while taking cover under my dining 778 00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:28,200 room table when a revolutionary firefight was taking place right 779 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:34,000 outside of my front yard. I've watched God spare me when 780 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:36,560 I've been robbed multiple times by weapon point. 781 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:40,960 I've been beaten, I've been stabbed, I've been shot at, and 782 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:43,080 I've seen God work in these situations. 783 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:48,600 And yet I don't believe I have sacrificed anywhere as much as 784 00:42:48,600 --> 00:42:54,280 these dear brothers and sisters. I've seen our God work in the 785 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:59,680 dramatic, but sometimes it might even be more special because I 786 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:01,560 watch Him working the day-to-day. 787 00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:05,400 Sometimes the little things are just as special. 788 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:10,760 Seeing a child learning about Christ because their family 789 00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:14,440 brings them to church and our children's ministry or our 790 00:43:14,440 --> 00:43:17,920 preschool ministries teaching them, watching students making 791 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:23,160 life decisions about serving the Lord, watching adults saved and 792 00:43:23,160 --> 00:43:27,680 families joining and people binding together to serve Him 793 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:30,360 together. Nothing amazes me more still 794 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:32,640 today than when somebody is saved or when somebody is 795 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:35,880 baptized or someone commits to serve in a new way. 796 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:39,360 So here we are in Nash County, North Carolina right now. 797 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:43,240 God's brought us together at this moment, at this time for a 798 00:43:43,240 --> 00:43:46,520 reason. What an opportunity to engage in 799 00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:48,360 the work. God is assigned to us right 800 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:50,040 here. We have an assignment. 801 00:43:51,240 --> 00:43:54,400 And part of that is to make disciples who produce fruit and 802 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:57,960 multiply, but also to reach this population around us. 803 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:02,880 And I want to see God work. I want to see God work in you 804 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:06,720 this morning. So what is your next best step 805 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:11,360 to being his disciple? I, I like college football. 806 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:14,960 Some of you do too. I know I won't bore you with too 807 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:19,000 many Sports Illustrations, I hope over the years, but but I 808 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:22,440 was listening to the the head coach of Indiana who just won 809 00:44:22,440 --> 00:44:28,120 the national championship, Curt Cignetti, and he had a famous 810 00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:29,840 saying that he used to teach his team. 811 00:44:30,560 --> 00:44:37,000 And he says you have or you get, you get freedom of choice, but 812 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:42,360 not freedom of consequence. We have the opportunity to 813 00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:46,880 choose who we're going to be, how we're going to serve, how 814 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:51,920 I'm going to plug in with 100%. And we also will reap the 815 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:55,800 consequence. We will reap what we sow God 816 00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:57,920 will bless us. God will work in us. 817 00:44:58,120 --> 00:45:02,240 God will take our our faith and multiply it and we'll see him do 818 00:45:02,240 --> 00:45:06,280 miracles. If you refuse to work, if you're 819 00:45:06,280 --> 00:45:09,760 the enemy, if you're that negative, cynical, critical, 820 00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:12,320 critical person, God's also going to remember that. 821 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:19,240 What is your next best step in discipleship that you need to 822 00:45:19,240 --> 00:45:22,000 take? And I pray that as you sit there 823 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:25,560 today, maybe in the cold surroundings of what this 824 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:30,080 weather has brought to us, that maybe maybe the stillness of 825 00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:34,320 that, maybe the quietness enough when you're not in the big room 826 00:45:34,320 --> 00:45:38,200 with a big crowd, maybe you can focus right now. 827 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:41,680 Talk to him. Ask God, what do you want from 828 00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:45,280 me? How can I be who you want me to 829 00:45:45,280 --> 00:45:49,280 be? What's my next step of growing 830 00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:51,920 as a disciple? Let's pray together. 831 00:45:52,880 --> 00:45:56,760 Father, we're so grateful. We're so grateful that Father, 832 00:45:56,760 --> 00:46:01,920 you have designed, you have assigned, you have created a 833 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:06,640 specific purpose for us. And Father, I pray that we will 834 00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:11,280 join together, stand together. I pray, Father, that we will 835 00:46:11,280 --> 00:46:13,480 rejoice together. We'll celebrate together. 836 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:17,840 Thank you for allowing me to be the pastor of such an awesome 837 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,160 congregation. I mean that that's not just a 838 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:24,480 T-shirt. But Father, because of that, 839 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:27,840 you've also given us an awesome responsibility and opportunity. 840 00:46:28,840 --> 00:46:31,520 So Father, I pray right now if there's someone listening to me 841 00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:35,040 who's never prayed and asked Jesus Christ to be their Lord 842 00:46:35,040 --> 00:46:37,600 and Savior, that they'll listen very closely, maybe pray 843 00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:40,400 something like this. They need to pray and recognize 844 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:45,440 that they are a Sinner. And, and I pray that they would 845 00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:48,080 honestly be able to say I'm sorry for my sin. 846 00:46:49,480 --> 00:46:52,040 I want to repent, I want to turn for my sin. 847 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:57,120 So I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart to save me because 848 00:46:57,120 --> 00:46:59,800 I believe He's the only one who can because of who He is. 849 00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:05,720 And so I accept Jesus as my Lord and my Savior. 850 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:09,640 I want to live for him. I want to commit to service in 851 00:47:09,640 --> 00:47:11,960 His church. I want to help others to grow in 852 00:47:11,960 --> 00:47:16,520 Him. Maybe someone is making that 853 00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:20,960 decision, that choice that that response to God's calling in 854 00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:22,560 their life for the very first time. 855 00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:26,040 Others maybe say I I need to be bad. 856 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:27,840 Others are lining up for baptism. 857 00:47:27,840 --> 00:47:29,760 Maybe I need to be baptized. I want to be a member. 858 00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:31,160 What do I need to do to learn about that? 859 00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:35,520 And they need to contact us. I need prayer. 860 00:47:36,720 --> 00:47:39,960 Reach out to us, help us to know how we can pray for you. 861 00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:44,720 So Father, I just pray, Lord, that you will bless everybody 862 00:47:44,720 --> 00:47:48,080 listening right now, wherever they are, you'll draw them to 863 00:47:48,080 --> 00:47:54,640 you, Draw them to the next best steps to walk with you. 864 00:47:55,520 --> 00:47:59,120 Thank you, Father, in Christ's name, Amen. 865 00:47:59,960 --> 00:48:05,400 I just want to say thank you so much for joining me today and 866 00:48:05,400 --> 00:48:07,880 listening to this. And, and if you have any 867 00:48:07,880 --> 00:48:13,000 response, any need that you would, you would contact us, you 868 00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:17,120 would let us know so that we might be able to reach out to 869 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:19,880 you and to help you along the way. 870 00:48:19,880 --> 00:48:22,480 Don't forget, we plan on being here for midweek. 871 00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:26,080 I hope to see you then. But thank you so much for 872 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:30,360 joining us. God bless you, Englewood, your 873 00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:34,960 scent. Thank you so much for listening 874 00:48:34,960 --> 00:48:36,600 today. And I also hope that you'll go 875 00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:38,800 to ourwebsite@englewoodbaptist.com 876 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:41,880 as well as our app and find many other resources that will bless 877 00:48:41,880 --> 00:48:44,040 you and your families. Thank you once again.