The Power of Confession

We are joined this week by special guest Melody Davenport to discuss Nehemiah Chapter 9 and the themes of confession, praise, remembering God's faithfulness, and making new commitments. We explore how Melody has seen these principles at work in addiction recovery, gaining wisdom from her experience with Temple Recovery.

What is Temple Talk?

Join host, Tuck Choate, and executive pastor, Bennett Holloway, as they discuss Temple Church's Sunday sermons in more detail, explore everyday application of biblical truths, and answer listener questions - all to help you strengthen you in your spiritual walk. Expect meaningful conversations that will encourage you in your faith journey.

Tuck Choate 0:08
Welcome temple family and friends. We're so glad to have you joining us for another episode of Temple talk. This podcast aims to engage our faith community through thoughtful biblical discussions centered on God's word. Our goal is to explore Scripture together to discover the wisdom that has for our lives. In this podcast, we'll be diving deep into God's truths and discussing how they impact our daily living. We're eager to unpack the riches of the Bible with you all our extended church family. And now here's welcome back to another episode of Temple talk. I'm your host, Chuck joined as always by Pastor Bennett Holloway been how's your week been?

Bennett Holloway 0:44
My week has been something very interesting, but excited that it's a new one. I got sick. I think you and I talked about some this last week, got sick, barely had a voice. Last episode, I was having a hard time with sleep. And then we hosted a wedding. Some of our staff members at our church got married this weekend. And so my wife and I got to host their wedding and reception at our home. And so we had a bunch of people come in from out of state, stay with us put on this beautiful wedding. And then they all left. And so last night, I slept better than I have in a long time.

Tuck Choate 1:24
Absolutely.

Bennett Holloway 1:25
What about you? How's your week?

Tuck Choate 1:26
You know, it's been rough. It's been a little rough, a lot of little things kind of compounding on each other. We had kind of an issue with my daughter's floor. So I brought somebody and they said, Yeah, we'll take care of it in a day or so while they were working on that they found mold. So one or two days turn into five.

Bennett Holloway 1:45
Sounds like my personal project. Yeah. And get that done on the weekend, honey, six months later.

Tuck Choate 1:51
Yeah, I got it got big, real quick. We were on our way into church for worship practice. And we got into a car accident, somebody hit us while we were sitting still, which took my car out of commission for longer than it probably needed to. But also the sheriff accidentally gave my information as the app fault. So then I've had to deal with insurance about getting the story straight. So that's been fun. My family got sick as well. It turned into ear infections for the kids and laryngitis for myself. And then one other contractors were working on their third or fourth day, they cut the internet onto our house. And I worked from home. So I was without internet at home for a couple of days. At one point, my wife and I just looked at each other. And I said, You know what? I think the podcast and our small group ministry has gotten Satan's attention, because he's just kind of throwing stuff to try and see what

Bennett Holloway 2:45
sticks. I think it comes a point when so many things go wrong. Like you just got to look at the next one and laugh. Yeah, I think that's really what you get to absolutely know what, here's another one, why not bring it?

Tuck Choate 2:55
Well. And I think it takes the power away. Because you say, hey, look, I can see this. You're trying to wear me down. And I'm going to just take it as a good thing. I think that means we're on the right path somewhere. And overall, looking back on it after a couple of days, versus being in it, you can look back and say I was actually blessed in a lot of ways. We didn't have anything big happen. Nobody got hurt in the accident. We were able to take care of the repairs of everything. So overall, I'd say we were blessed. Even through a crazy week.

Bennett Holloway 3:29
That's good. So this week, we actually have a guest on this episode. And so sitting with us in the room right now is Miss melody Davenport, and she's on staff here at Temple doing multiple things. And a lot of people that have been a part of this church, they have a personal relationship with her. But Mal, we love you, we respect you. You are a woman of the Lord. And so it's an honor to get to be able to have you on this episode. Would you mind just introducing yourself kind of what you do? And what really sets your soul on fire? What are you passionate about? As we get ready to jump into this Nehemiah nine reflection time?

Melody Davenport 4:04
Sure. Thanks for having me. I was so excited when I got the invite personal invite from talk last week while he had laryngitis, would I come home to this episode, if not more, like, Of course I will. I love this. So I am on staff here and I do do multiple things. But probably if you're wanting to talk about my passion, things that I do that I like is I love to equip people to serve in the kingdom of God. I feel like that. That and working in temple recovery are probably the two things that really set me on fire and there are two parts of the job that's connected together here. So being able to take someone who can't see hope in Jesus and can't understand how their lives can be restored and they can actually be more than they ever imagined that they could be and they could be whole again, that is really what just lights my fire to come along and say that you don't have to live the way you're living anymore. There is hope in Jesus, and even for Christians that are walking with the Lord, and they're providing a good pathway for their families just to be able to say to them, are you living out what God intended for you to do? And are you sure of that or you're questioning and there's this whole pathway that we can look at to make sure that you're walking in not missing anything that God prepared for you in advance in his kingdom, that you are serving him to a full capacity more than you can imagine as possible.

Bennett Holloway 5:49
I love it. And one of the main things that I really hear oftentimes through what you just said, and through everyday conversation with you, is this this passion towards holistic discipleship and encouragement towards the good news and the impact that gospel can have on our lives today. Now, whenever you say, Temple recovery, there's a lot of people that may be listening that don't really know what that means. So can you give a little bit of context behind that ministry, and your main demographic that you are caring for and the discipleship process?

Melody Davenport 6:24
Yes. So, in temple recovery, what we are all about is taking people who are struggling with an area of their life, and it may just be a season that they're struggling with this. And that can be anywhere, anything from anxiety and depression to some type of chemical dependency to some type of abuse or self worth. It just covers most anything that's getting in the way of their walk with the Lord today, and how they can live a holistic life. I do love that word, because to me, Temple recovery is a living organic program. It is based on the Word of God, it is based on 12 steps that are backed up with biblical comparisons to prove that the Lord was all about recovery. The gospel is about recovery, it is about restoration of life, and being able to handle the things that may have come along and happen to us in our lives that we don't understand. And we don't know how to let healing occur. So that's what we're all about is to walk through a process of examining our lives, examining things that we've done, or things that were done to us and situations, and being able to see how we can walk home, we don't have to be held in bondage to that any longer. And the Lord has something for us today that we need to be equipped to do only by him.

Bennett Holloway 7:51
Well, I'm really excited to have you on this episode. And I'm excited to see what you can add to it as we navigate and reflect on Dr. York's message last Sunday. So the episode last week. Talk Have you had any feedback on that? Or is there anything that you have heard from people that may have been listening? Or anyone that submitted questions or anything along those lines? Or how did you feel? Was it palpable when you finished?

Tuck Choate 8:17
It was no Absolutely. And I've received a few texts from people just kind of thanking us for starting this up, I think this medium is, is really, now it's so easy to put in a headphone, while you're working around the house, or to put it on while you're driving. Whereas something like a YouTube or something like that is a lot more difficult to kind of sit through. And that's what I heard from a few people of saying, hey, this, this works really well for me to be able to dive a little bit deeper into what we were talking on Sunday.

Bennett Holloway 8:52
Yeah, I heard the same thing. I, one of my friends that I greatly respect reached out to me, and kind of framed the episode that he walked through and just acknowledged how much of a blessing it was. So in terms of how organic it is, and how living it is, I agree, I think it's going to evolve and shift into what we need and where we need it to go. And I think as long as the Lord leads it and guides us in that, and we can walk in humility, I think it's going to be a beautiful thing that the Lord can use. And so I'm excited about it. So so why don't you go and launch us off? Nehemiah nine, go for it.

Tuck Choate 9:27
Yeah. So Nehemiah nine is our lesson from yesterday. And it really focused on the pupils prayer of confession. So we've just finished some restoration. And now the people are ready to confess some things and make some new commitments. So I'm going to kind of turn it over to you. Was there anything that really struck your heart about this passage and Dr. Ewart sermon?

Melody Davenport 9:52
Well, I have really enjoyed this sermon series because to me, it does walk very closely with how I'm, we start in the beginning with our relationships. And we began, especially our relationship with the Lord. And we begin to examine that. And then we come to a point where we are challenged to the fact of what is, what are we going to be confessing? What are we going to be doing what needs to change, and that leads me to explain something a little better. I mentioned a moment ago that in temple recovery, we talk about some steps and some biblical comparison. So step five actually talks about the power of confession. And that just say, states that we admitted to God to ourselves and to another human, the harm we had done to others, and the harm that was done to us. And that biblical comparison is James 516, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. And that just opens up what I consider the process of confession, when I can come to the point that I can confess the things that cannot change the things that have happened to me and the things that I'm grieving over all my own sin, then that starts with a confession to God, I bring it to him. And I confess that to him, and then, knowing me as a human, and knowing that process, I need to bring someone else into that equation. So I bring in someone I trust, and I confess it to them also. And then we began to work together to follow God's word. And I think Nehemiah lays that out very beautifully of how you start to do that process, I have an intimate conversation with the Lord. That does include a lot of fasting and examination and being able to let him come in and speak into my life and start to show me how I can be whole and how I can't carry this any further, I need to leave it with him. And I need to submit to his authority. And when I do that, and I submit to his authority, and I allow him to begin to change my heart and begin to change me through my confession. That's where the power comes from. Then he begins to enable me to be able to be used in his kingdom, and to be able to have freedom that I did not have before confession. But for me, I think the power and confession is freedom. I get freedom in Christ that I didn't have prior to that.

Bennett Holloway 12:20
That's beautiful. Yeah, one of the things that I loved right off the bat in this passage, it was walking through the way in which they fasted, and the clothes that they wore, and the ash on their bodies. And it was an outward display of mourning over their sin. And there's a couple things that I just think are really fun about this stuff. One, a lot of us don't really realize that goat hair, which is which is creates this like black fabric, right. And when the Israelites were displaced from when they were going between Egypt almost to the promised land, and they were wandering, and they were intense. And they had the formation, they had the tabernacle. What was interesting about so much of the tabernacle was white linen cloth was used. And yet, all of the tents, a majority of them were made with goat hair, and they're black. And so the blackness of the people in the very middle with the white tabernacle, the presence of God, and all of it glorified Christ. And so in comparison with the people around what was pure, it parallels with in this where people dressed in this itchy black fabric, and they marked themselves publicly, almost in this position of mourning over their sin. And it was a constant reminder. And so for me, something that I it what challenged me through this message is it brought up this desire again, to intentionally fast to intentionally to mourn over my sin. And where it parallels to me is the Sermon on the Mountain. So Jesus comes he's professing the kingdom. He's explaining this as a different way to live. There are new opportunities, there's freedom that's available, Melody, everything that you're saying. And he describes it as blessing, happy, fulfilled, are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, those that have come to the end of themselves, and realize how badly they need to save theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. I'm one of the believers that blessed are those who mourn that they are broken over the sin in their lives and the fallen state of the world. The promise that they will be comforted is not only through the provision of the Holy Spirit inevitably, but also through the fully sanctified, glorified creation in the presence of the Second Coming of Christ. And so it it almost is It's the sad mourning that takes place, yet with an understood fulfillment that the faithful God will comfort us. And so we see the people of God, at the beginning of this chapter really broken over their sin. And they're being restored. And and then it jumps into this narrative, which pretty much is the storyline of the people of God, and the pursuit of God, and the provision of God and how faithful he is. So for me, right off the bat, it went straight into prayer and fasting, and me asking the Lord, to put a burden on my heart to do that. And so and one of the things that our church, it's been mentioned a couple of times, and it will be more as the month of October goes on. But the the month of November, there's going to be very intentional times of prayer, and fasting and Thanksgiving, that we are going to have available for our church to walk in this process. As we continue to seek first the kingdom of God, as we continue to live out these seven virtues as we continue to worship as we continue to pray, as we continue to serve as we intend to continue to shares. As we continue to do all of these things with intentionality. There is a process where each of us need to own some things as individuals, and as we need to go before the throne. And some we may need to fast, we may need to be fasting as individuals and corporately for this pastor search team. We may need to be fasting, individually and corporately, so that we made to repent and turn from sin. So that we made to be emboldened by the Holy Spirit to confess to see sin rightly, in the impact that it can have, but also to rightly see the resurrection of Christ and the victory that's available today, the freedom that's available today. So when I read Black sock, sack cloths, when I read dirt upon them, it brings me straight to this brokenness of humanity. And blessed are the poor in spirit, bless her those who mourn. And then we get to see a beautiful conversation about the faithfulness of God.

Tuck Choate 17:15
One of the things that I love about Temple is what you've mentioned this that there is there is an emphasis on fasting that I haven't heard that a lot of other places. So that is something that has gotten me a lot stronger in my faith to be able to do that and focus on reading. How does the morning look like in our lives, I don't own sackcloth, I usually don't have ashes. And the thought of putting something uncomfortable on is not something I normally think of is that something that we can do?

Bennett Holloway 17:45
Well, okay, so Jesus speaks about this, in that sermon on the mount, because what it ended up coming down to it, it came down to a heart issue. And so on the outside people were going through the practice of fasting, but they were also some of them self mutilating themselves. They're making themselves look like sufferers before others, because they were trying to they were trying to get the reward of fasting, and the acknowledgement of how good they were, to the eyes of others, when in reality, fasting is something that is to be done, it can be done corporately, but the motive must be privately unto the Lord. And so Jesus kind of describes about when we fast not to do it publicly. And and he describes, honestly, he describes the way that we do it. So that it is something that leads us to seeing things like he does. So let me describe it like this, whenever we mourn, whenever we're broken. And whenever we're, we're, we're fasting from something, we're denying ourselves something so that we may feast in the Lord. So what's important for me to encourage you guys on today that I think is New Covenant fasting, I think is is intentionally not saying notice something in the physical so that you can replace it with something in the spiritual so so denying yourself food in the physical, but feasting on His Word with a higher level of intensity and intentionality. Okay, I think being broken and mourning, over over sin isn't something today that we need to wear our black sackcloth and ash on our heads. But I think it does look at something to where we weep with the Lord. And a good a good vehicle for this I think is beautiful. we'd learned through David and in the psalms as I would I would journal and I would write out and something we referenced last week with a level of unfiltered honesty unto the Lord With what we're going through, and how we're feeling and what we desire him to do. And what will happen is as we mourn as we fast as we wrestle with the Lord, and we do it in a way where our motive is for thy will to be done, he will transform our hearts. And he will shift our perspectives, if you will place in us the desires of his heart, and then therefore provide them as we grow to look more like Him, and to look at things more like him.

Tuck Choate 20:33
One of the first things that Dr. Ewart said in his sermon yesterday, that I wrote down with a quotation was he said, We must learn from the past, even if the past is filled with difficulty. And melody, this is what struck struck me to come and talk to you is that I immediately thought of you both with your personal stories you've shared with us, and the work that you do here in tempo recovery, Does that strike home to you as well?

Melody Davenport 20:59
Sure it does. So that really starts to speak into when we get to the point that we can admit that we're powerless. That means that we're powerless over our life today, as well as our past. So most of the time, people come in to recovery, and they are trying to move forward. They are trying to have the life that they feel like the Lord has for them. But they are having a very hard time walking that out. Because either something going on in their life today or something from their past is stopping them is gripping them and it has them in bondage. And so when they can first say that they don't, they can't manage it on their own, then that starts to open up the door. So that they can see how they can be used and healed and whole. And all of those things are accomplishable, you know, they they are not lost. But when we go back in and examine our past, what that really is, is we do something called an inventory. And that means that we examined the good, the bad, and the things we did or the things that were done to us, because some people have very damaged paths that were not their fault. They didn't cause that to happen. It wasn't right that it did happen. But it is a part of their story. And it's a part of who they are. And God will not waste what happened there. He wants to redeem it and use them to be able to move forward in another way. And so in that way, also do something called a daily inventory. And that daily inventory just kind of keeps me on track with where I am today, I just examined my day at the end of the day to see what I feel like went well, where I missed opportunities, or I messed things up, because sometimes I will mess it up. And I don't accomplish what should have been accomplished that day. But that daily check just keeps me in right relationship with God so that I can walk through the things that he has for me to do.

Tuck Choate 23:07
I think that's so important. Because you know, everything that you're talking about, I'm hearing that I can apply to my life versus you know, I'm not addicted chemically to anything but so much of this, I'm taking inventory confessing are things that I could still do on a daily basis. Absolutely,

Melody Davenport 23:26
you do not have to struggle with chemical dependency for that. Some people will even feel very bad that they struggle with anxiety at a very high level. And that is just something that is goes along with them being born into this broken world. And we all have something that grips us. And so they need to be able to go through the process of healing to learn how to live with that doesn't mean they're never going to feel anxiety again, but that does not exclude them from being used in God's kingdom in a very powerful way. Once they learn how to align that in, in submission to the Lord and let him use what he can use to heal that.

Bennett Holloway 24:06
I think that's one thing that we're trying to make sure we navigate well is overcoming this assumption, that temporal recovery is only for a specific group of people, when in reality, all people need recovery. Right? Right. And so it's overcoming one it's me accepting whether or not I need help. And the other part is acknowledging that it's okay to go to step into a group to be cared for to be loved on to be supported, knowing that it's on a biblical foundation, encouraging us towards growth and maturity, so that we can step out and continue to testify that he is a God that is faithful and and what you're going through in this season, even though it feels like you cannot overcome it. He has a nice day. I had in my life. And let me share that with you. So this hope that comes with the testimony of people that have gone through recovery is one that we have to share. It's one that's blessed me being involved with recovery so much over the last two years, as I'm getting to here and recognize a lot of the things that a majority of us go through every single day, oh, we will be blessed to be disciplined in exercising the teachings and the philosophy of decision making and processing. That temple recovery from Scripture encourages its people to work through. So I think it's a ministry. That is a part. And I think it is something that is available to really anyone and all that would attend would be blessed by it.

Melody Davenport 25:44
Absolutely.

Tuck Choate 25:45
It sounds like a very specific Lee oriented small group.

Bennett Holloway 25:49
Yeah, yes, yeah, there's different ones across the board. I mean, from struggling with pornography, to drugs, to alcohol, to grief, to anxiety, to mixed issues, to generic grooves, with military with PTSD. And the some of these are dealing with abuse. And so some of these are specific to male and female groups. Some of them are mixed, some of them, but all of them work towards really meeting you where you're at, knowing that you're not alone. Recognizing the hope that is found in the Gospel, and freedom that's available today. It doesn't matter what hurt hang up, or habit that you're dealing with the gospel is the answer. And the life that you've experienced up to this point. It can be different if it's lived in the pursuit of Christ. That was beautiful. Thanks, Mel. I learned it from you.

Tuck Choate 26:49
The next thing that really struck me, Nehemiah nine was the celebration of the festival booths, I was the most committed way that they had done in about 1000 years, but now it is over. And that really struck me of getting that spiritual high. Wherever we are in life, you know, I've been to a summer camp VBS being in a recovery group and kind of finishing it, or even just on a daily life delving deeper into the word on her own, but then suddenly, that's over. And how do we deal with then that that vacuum of that spiritual? Hi, how do I continue forwards with that, when that special event is gone?

Bennett Holloway 27:34
Well, for me personally, and this is something that I kind of harp on privately on our staff and our small group. Anyway, I can't. But I'm an advocate for if we want to use some of the same terminology right now, I would take some self inventory post. That spiritual high is what people describe those Matt that mountaintop experience. And so I'd sit there and say, Okay, what were my situation? What was my situation? And what was I consumed by in that season, where I felt like I'd never seen God more clearly. I never heard him more clearly never never better understood what he was saying to me, than in that season. And a majority of the time that we are in these experiences, the vacuum post a mountaintop experience, I bet that a majority of the time that you were in the word often you were worshipping, often, you were you were so you were worshiping God, you were praying continually. You were living by the Bible. You were sharing joyfully, I bet you were meeting together. I bet you were serving others. And I bet you are making Jesus known. I would argue that in that special space, let's say it was VBS. Let's say it was camp, let's say it was a summer it, let's say it's a season, you were fully all in for God to not only be your foundation, but also to be your focus. And you were living out these virtues seeking first the kingdom of God. What happens when you seek the kingdom of God? When you seek Him? You find him because he is there he is everywhere. He is present, and he is persistent. And we're about to step into that I won't get too far. I'm gonna get to preacher too quick. But I think that when we look at the spiritual highs, and we look at these mountaintop experiences, I think that one, give yourself some grace, because we can't be at Camp 365 days a year. Okay. Number two, I want you to recognize that God can move mightily even through a whisper. We saw that through Elijah, even through a whisper it doesn't have to be in the in the fire falling and consuming the altar of bail right after in this depression. He didn't show up in the thunder. He didn't show up in the earthquake. He didn't show up in the fire. He showed up in the gentle whisper. And so recognizing that God says speaks not only through His creation, but also through his community. And he speaks through His word at all times. Okay? That's important. He's not the variable we are. And so when we're outside of those mountaintop experiences, and we're feeling like we're a little bit more disconnected, I just go through a simple process. I personally take self inventory. I say, Bennett, is there any sin in my life right now that I'm choosing? Is there a way of living that is in alignment to lies of the enemy, and not in alignment with what the Word of God says, Am I do I have clean hands and a pure heart in this process, Holy Spirit, Search me, reveal the things that may be in me that is not in alignment with you. It could be that that made me feel this way. Another couldn't quite literally be my choices. And my spiritual disciplines, I could have gotten lazy, I could have decided just to veg the entire season, streaming, right, you could just sit down and you can watch something you get through it. And it cannot, it does not add to you. All it does is distract you. You can do that. Or we can read the word I'm not saying all you are allowed to do is read the word. But if you're experiencing a lack, and you're desiring to step back into a consistent personal relationship with the Lord, then I would search heart for sin, and then choose to develop intentionally with my spiritual disciplines. I would look to the seven virtues, I would look to the kingdom way. And I would sit there and work through this process. Because what's important, is one, I think these this is a pathway that can put us in a healthy spot to allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate in us the character of Christ, and the Holy Spirit actually be the Holy Spirit in our lives and the role he's supposed to be. Right. But the other side of the coin is, we got to make sure that we don't venture off into this legalistic religion, we got to do a bunch of things so that we are in good standing. So we need to know our identity in Christ, we need to know who God is, and His goodness and faithfulness, he loves us more today than he's ever he loves us the same today than he has our entire lives, all of creation, he cannot love us more. And he cannot love us less. There's nothing we can do to follow out of his love. There's nothing we can do to be less valuable to him, it was worth sending His Son, right for us, even in our worst state, knowing how much we'll choose other more than him, he still chose to step down and live as a man and be crucified and rise again. And so understanding who we are as key, don't get me wrong here because I don't want to sit there and tell you guys to do a bunch of things in terms of behavior. But but it needs to be motivated by this receiving the love of God, receiving the gift of His Son, receiving the sending of the Holy Spirit. And then from that place, desiring him to cultivate in us His character. And a platform that we'd like to work through here at our church as we just look at the kingdom way. We'd look at the scriptures, we'd look at these words, and look at the display that Jesus Christ gave. And we want to live like Him and depend on his Holy Spirit throughout the process. So that's really, for me when we talk about mountaintop experiences. And that's my next step. Because, for me, I'm the kind of guy where I want to go mountaintop to mountaintop to mountaintop. And sometimes that requires me to get alone to get honest to get on my knees and to start praying. But the Lord does incredible work in the valley. He does incredible work in the valley and we're not promised mountaintop to mountaintop, right? We're not promised to camp up there the entire life that we have here. And and we're still in a fallen state. We are new creations. But we're still in a fallen world. And so as our temporal bodies wither, Paul says, We mourn and we're so excited for this new body, this new earth, the kingdom of heaven being fully revealed. But if you've got breath in your lungs, at times, not now, so expect storms expect valleys, but also, here's where you're at. When you're in a valley, the only way to look is up to even in the valleys we look up to him. And so as as he grows as He cultivates as he, as he develops us as He empowers us, He reveals His goodness to us, regardless of whether we're on a mountaintop or a valley. He is redeeming and restoring and calling us into life that is in the kingdom now. That is for His glory. And it's a beautiful thing. And so, when I think about the them going from this amazing party with the Lord, out in the festival of booths into, into this this this acknowledgement and repentance and confession of sin. Actually, in my mind, they may look like mountaintops and valleys. But I see God having absolute dominion and authority, and all of them yielding to him. And it looks different. But all of its impactful. And I think sanctifying as a process for the people of Israel, found in Nehemiah.

Tuck Choate 35:36
And in Nehemiah, that kind of the next step for them is creating a new covenant. And as a people, they create a new commitment. What kind of a commitment Do you think God might be calling us to make either personally or as a church?

Melody Davenport 35:52
Well, I think he's definitely calling personally and as a church, to me, there's so much that I have seen recently, especially through this study in Nehemiah where I feel like that we have hit on everything that might seem like a gray area to me. And some of that is when we talk about fasting, that is something that I don't have a lot of experience in. But I feel the call within me to say this is something that you need to examine further that you need to submit to and be able to let me speak to you intimately through that because you know how to surrender things to me. But sometimes I am not great at knowing how to actually just surrender myself to him. I can surrender things, I can surrender an attitude, but to actually abide with Jesus, rather than strive for Jesus is something that I feel like we all as we're looking at being able to connect people through discipleship through spiritual giftedness through just the first do Christians walking through the door. As a church, I just feel like this is a whole time of submission that he is calling us to where we do mourn over some things in our life. And that will look different for each person things that we have always done, we need to unlearn some things we've always done, and see them in a different way, that maybe the way that the Lord has equipped us. And that will be through seasons of learning, unlearning. And I think for me personally, if you're asking me personally, the major thing that I see is really exploring, being able to look at fasting the way that the Lord wants me to fast because obviously, I won't sit around with that quality film. But I do need to be able to enter into that situation and it not be a display, it'd be a personal thing with me and the Lord so he can change what needs to be changed in me. And I think he will change this church and equip it in a way that we haven't seen in a long time.

Bennett Holloway 38:10
Yeah, we're in this historical transition, where we get to just fix our eyes on Him, and the grace that we get to walk in as a church corporately. But man, I'm just praying that the exact same thing melody that you described is the same thing. All of us collectively as a congregation, we do we start with ourselves, our personal commitment unto the Lord. In chapter nine, verse 30, it says, Now because of all this, we are making an agreement in writing, and on the seal document of the names of our leaders, our Levites, and our priests, it comes to this moment where your name is on the dotted line. You said, Lord, You are the one that is over all of this, you are sovereign, you Jesus Christ, you are the cornerstone of this church, God, you are the head, Jesus, you are the head of this church, from the bottom to the top. It's all for your glory. And it's by your power. And And Lord, we are just going to be used in the process. I have no place but we as a group, we are just surrendered to you as individuals. It's not my will. It's thy will. That kind of mentality that we don't only just have for the church, but all that we may have it for our lives for our days. For this moment, right now, as you're listening this idea behind what are things that the Lord is wanting me to just surrender to him? What are some things that he has been in pursuit of that I've been holding on too tightly? What are things that I've been placing above him that he deeply desires to be over? Where is he not really ruling in my life? What are areas I think that I am keeping from from him, right? But the reality is he's just looking at us and he's desiring all of us. He desires that. Why is it because he's a, he's a big controlling God that just wants to rule everything. Now. Now, it's because he is perfect, and he knows what is best, and us with our limited minds are not capable of even creating a world that are an outcome or a pathway. That is anything in comparison to what is perfect and true by the Creator of everything. So as we seek Him, the fruit is we receive that. And so my prayer is that that is our disposition every day, that every day we wake up even in a marriages that we sit there and say, Lord, how can my marriage most reflects the bride? And the groomsmen like Christ and His Church? Lord? How can I edify my spouse? What do you want to say to my spouse today? What do you want to speak into my spouse today? How can I pray for them today? What about my kids? How can I discipline my children in a way that reflects the the heart that you have as as discipline is a form of discipleship, but also to teach them as they're under my care in a way that best prepares them to sit fully under yours, God, right, because they will leave. And inevitably, they will make choices on their own. So this this personal commitment that we can make, we actually do make it every single day. We make it every single day. We do agreements every single day, but it's either to flash is to fear, right, or it's to the Lord. And so my encouragement to all of us is just thinking through this covenant, this reawakening that's taking place in the hearts of the leadership and the hearts of the priests in the hearts of the Levites in the hearts of these people that are mourning over their sin, that are acknowledging the faithfulness and the goodness of God. If you have not read chapter nine, you need to go back and read it. And you need to see the ebbs and the flows, the mountain tops, and then the rejections and the living by sin that the Israelites to yet the one thing that is constant is the love and the grace of a sovereign God, pursuing, forgiving, desiring to redeem and restore. And what was true for them is true for us today. So it doesn't matter what you're going through, it doesn't matter what you've gone through, it doesn't matter what you did this morning, God is the same today for you as he was for them. My encouragement to you is to stop, to pray, to say, Lord, save me, change me, empower me, lead me, today is yours. And I think if all of us do that, in all the areas of our lives every single day, there will be a shift that takes place. And that revival that happens corporately, will be a byproduct of what's happening individually. And what we'll see will impact generationally, as we're raising these families as we're doing this as a church. So that's the personal side, corporately, on the other side of it, there's so much value to being a part of a community of believers, there is value to being a member of a church, we got to shift from this consumer mindset of I go to a place to receive a bunch of stuff to I am ready and willing to be a part of a family of believers in Jesus Christ, and I want God to use my gifting my spiritual gifting, and I want to serve and encourage and perform the ministries of a local body that I'm called to. That's why we have membership. That's why we do that. And so if you're not a member, but you've been here a long time, then my question is, why are you not a member? Do some self inventory there? Ask yourself the tough questions, because I want you to hear it from me that that that, that it's not a great place to stay. It's okay that you're there. Right? It's okay, there's grace, that's fine. It's okay. But but that's not a good place to stay. Don't stay there. Because there's a level of community. And there's a level of a move of God that you are missing out on. There's a level of care and discipleship of Koinonia that you truly do not get to receive and fullness, because of a hesitancy of commitment. So I would encourage you, if you haven't done that, I want you to pray with your family about it. I want you to pray about it. And if you're if you're listening to this and you're not in New Bern, or Eastern Carolina, I strongly encourage you to pray about that in your local community context. I want you to think about the church that you attend. I want you to think about whether or not they're doctrinally sound, whether they align with you theologically or the Christ is the center. I want you to think about the way that they structure themselves and and I don't want you to be passive. I want you to ask these questions and find a church that aligns with the Word of God that teach us the Word of God that can care for you. And then get involved. I don't care if you're there for three years because of a military transition, get involved, because God can do more than three years, and he does it the most people in any one in an entire lifetime. So you're missing out on some incredible relationships, and some important, significant character development that the Lord may be wanting to do. And also, you're missing out on being used by Him, being the hands and feet, getting to be able to testify that God did this. And it was through me, definitely not by me. Some people would say, in spite of me, but God still move. And that is key to me. So if you're not a member, then you need to. One thing that we have coming up, is on October 7, we'll be doing a one on one class. And so we'll be sending some of those invites out to people that have been visiting our church and doing stuff like that. But that one on one course, is really just to say, This is who we are, this is where we've been, this was what God is doing. And and this is where you can be a part of. And so if you guys haven't done that, I strongly encourage you to do that. And I think you can email, Melanie Davenport, even you can do em Davenport at Temple dot church. And she'll be able to respond to you and get you connected with the right people. If you got questions about temple recovery, I think that's also a great route. Because I know that the Lord is really building that and doing something incredible through that ministry here. And so it's been really exciting. But that's my big takeaway on Nehemiah chapter nine. And so it's been a lot of fun covering that with you all. So, so really tuck did we have any questions that came in?

Tuck Choate 46:47
We did have a question come in from an anonymous listener. It says people in the church have recently been discussing the spiritual warfare that we seem to be in at Temple. Can you describe what spiritual warfare is? And how this impacts what's happening in the church? Should we be concerned? And how can we be equipped for this warfare that were caught up in spiritual warfare?

Melody Davenport 47:13
I can agree that there's been moments definitely over the past several weeks that it feels very alive. And well. I do think that we have to recognize that anytime spiritual warfare is going on, the people in our church must be praying, and we must be heading in a good direction. Or why else would this even be an issue? If you know, they, I was kind of always told, if your life's going really good, and nothing's coming up and you don't have any problems, then you're probably missing something, you're probably not exactly where the Lord would have you going. So spiritual warfare, and finding that, you know, we'd need to put on the full armor of God, we just need to go back to the same thing that we've been talking about all along, we need to be examining our personal lives, we need to be doing these daily a session, you know, assessments of where we are, are we missing something? Is there something we need to confess, and we need to move out of the way, we need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and what He has for us. And when you put on the full armor of God, you know, that goes back to the seven virtues that Pastor Bennett was talking about a few moments ago? Are we keeping our worship with him? Are we living by the Bible? are we sharing joyfully? Are we meeting together because we're going to need to fight this battle as a congregation as a church. If it's evident in the church, then it's definitely evident that that's something that we are going to need to come together and address. And when we address something together, we pray over corporately we we meet at head on corporate Liberty, we also have to meet it personally, in our personal lives. And if we don't do that, then we're not equipped to come together and be able to address it at that point. So Unity is going to be something that's very much a part of fighting in spiritual warfare and making sure that we are having that personal assessment time with God that we are sitting quietly before him so that he can talk to us. We're not just coming with our protest and our complaints and our needs and our mornings, but that we give him a chance to answer us we give him a chance to show us where he's going and where he is leading in this and then, you know, we have to be rooted in God's Word so that we know what the Lord's promises are, what His promises are to our church what Christ died for, because he did die for us for the church or the gospel of Jesus Christ to be taken further. And so we've been Just need to be looking to how we also put on. And a lot of people talk about the breastplate of righteousness, you know, we need to be praying over these things, we need to be armored with that. So I think as we look at putting on the full armor of God, you can go back and find that in scripture and it will list out for you actually a way to pray in spiritual warfare. And what that looks like to be able to have the helmet have the the breastplate, have the armor, have all of the things in place that it's gonna take to be able to do this personally and corporately, as a congregation and recognizing that we have spiritual warfare is one of the first things that can begin to enlighten us on how to move forward.

Bennett Holloway 50:51
Yeah, that's, that's an aspect that I think is so key is once you're aware that it's really happening, then you'll see the evidence of it more often. And so to reference the scripture that you were talking to, it's Ephesians chapter six. And let me read to you starting verse 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. And this is key for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers against the world forces of darkness against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so you may be able to resist in the evil day. And having done everything to stand firm, stand firm together, having Gird your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shot your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and listen to all taking up the shield of faith, which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one, and take on the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, then this is key ready, verse 18, with all prayer, and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit. And with this in view, be on the alert, with all perseverance, and petition for all the saints and pray on my behalf, that the utterance may be given to me, and the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness, the mystery of the gospel, this acknowledgement that we see Paul Ryan to the church of Ephesus, of spiritual warfare, it's not against flesh and blood, but it's against the enemy. Right. And so one of the things that you touched on that I would probably try to end on with this question, is one being concerned? No, I don't fear any of it. Because I already know who's won. I'm not scared of the devil. I'm not afraid of his reach. I'm not afraid of the enemy. Of all of the descriptors that were in chapter six of all of these. I'm not they have nothing, because I know how it ends. I know the scoreboard, right? And I'm on the side that wins. Okay, so he cannot take my day, he's got nothing on me. Honestly, he doesn't. Because I'm a new creation, because I've accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Because I've received that deposit that downtime, the Holy Spirit dwells within me, and he empowers me, He sanctifies me. And so because of all of these things, I am not concerned, I do not fear. Okay, so that's key. But the other side of it is, we have to take it seriously. We have to recognize that there's an action of putting on the armor, there's an action and we're driven to a need to pray. We're driven to not attack, what is of the Spirit in the flesh. No, we need to attack it in the Spirit, we need to be praying, we need to be recognizing who's the one that's fighting this battle. It's the Lord that did that is the Lord who sits on the throne and everything is beneath his feet. And so, so praying and fasting and living out these virtues, I think is key. But the other side of it, that I would just really try to encourage us is one don't give the enemy too much credit. Don't give him too much credit. And then the other side of it, let's focus on maybe some things that Jesus also prayed for. And so my last thing that I have talk is, is I just want to read to you guys that of John 17. And this is a prayer that Jesus prayed. And he prayed it, you know, it was last few days. This is right before Judas betrays him, but it's the high priestly prayer and it's broken up into different categories. But John chapter 17, I want you to think about Um, that Jesus coming. And a main priority of his was to pray for the unity of the church. Okay? And the role that we can choose to play in unity, or battling against flesh and blood. All right, so let me read this. It says this in verse 13, and I'm reading the NASB. But now I come to you, and this is Jesus praying, and these things I speak in the world, so that they may, they may have my joy made fool in themselves, I have given them your word, these are the disciples, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world, I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world, Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. for their sakes, I sanctify Myself, that they themselves may be sanctified in truth, I do not ask on behalf of these alone. But for those also who believe in me through their word, whether you realize it or not, that's you and me. followers of Jesus Christ today are referenced in his prayer right there. For those that here because we are benefactors of the disciples. Verse 21, that they may all be one, even as you father are in Me and I in you, they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. Jesus is praying that us and our unity is is is comparable to the unity of the Father, and the Son. And so when we think through warfare, when we think through the fight, when we think through addiction, when we think through these valleys, the shadow, the valley of the shadow of death, when we think through these things that we're going through, I want us to recognize this burden on my heart to make sure that people just under stand, that that Jesus Christ desired. And he created the church, so that we may bear with each other through these times and recognize that the enemy is not here. That the enemy is is is the darkness, it's it's not in flesh and blood, it's in the Spirit. And why don't we we may go through storms and trials and tribulations may why we may give in to temptations. While we may choose, man, we may make wrong decisions or allow things to slip, the grace that we haven't got the riches at Christ's expense that is available to you. And to I is the fact that the Bride of Christ is still standing and is equipped with people that can edify each other that can encourage each other that can share hope with one another if we can just get outside of ourselves and keep fixed on him. So warfare, yes, it's going on 24/7 The devil don't sleep. You know what I'm saying? Like it's going on non stop. Right? Absolutely. But but but he is doing it from a defeated position. And we serve a king and a lord and a savior that rules and rains on high that is promised another coming that will fully sanctify us when he fully reveals himself. And the hope and that alone, that we can stand by one another, even broken and messed up hung up on a bunch of habits and saying things we probably shouldn't say, but we can stand knowing that we needed saving. We've been saved, and the war is against them. And side by side. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and for the sake of the church, we will pursued unity. So for me, when people bring up spiritual warfare, I say yep, but let's also focus on what he's doing and where he's willing to grow us. Let's start personally, let's start privately. Let's talk corporately, and let's talk about the vision that he has in store for our church and what he's wanting to do through us for His glory, and how can we serve and edify others throughout the process? So, to that question, I just want to encourage you in that way, there is hope. hold strong. Recognize that the book of Ephesians is a great book to walk through theatre ology, and and the gospel and foam, but also addressing spiritual warfare and the role that that takes at start in Ephesians. One and work all the way through chapter six. But but that's a great reference point to kind of grow in our understanding of what spiritual warfare is, and how we navigate that as a believer today.

Tuck Choate 1:00:20
Thank you for that. As we wrap up for today, Melody, we want to thank you so much for joining us. Yes. For your wisdom, your insight. For anyone struggling with something bigger than themselves, whether they want to join timber recovery or not, what would you encourage them,

Melody Davenport 1:00:39
I definitely would encourage that they go to a person that they trust that they know is a firm believer rooted in their faith in Christ and ask, ask them for help. Ask them to pour into them and advise them on whether they're going to need to come and be a part of Temple recovery, even if it's only for a season that is available, and they can email or they can be here on Friday nights. That's when we meet, and that person is trusted, so that they can show them the next steps that need to be made. Because it really is about these personal disciple relationships in Christ that will grow us change us and help us to overcome the things that are in our way today.

Tuck Choate 1:01:26
Wonderful. As we wrap up, any takeaways that you'd like to leave us with Ben?

Bennett Holloway 1:01:31
Yeah, the one thing that I would say is just you can jump online and find out more information about recovery at Temple dot church forward slash recovery. And you can get more information and find out who you can reach out to and also watch some content as to what we do, why we do it and the heart behind it. So I would check that out as a resource. And there are other resources available at Temple dot church. We've got Hope Center where we provide counseling. We've got small groups, we're pushing that all the time, you can better understand who we are what we do. We have a downloadable prayer guide. If you haven't gotten that you can look at that. It's on the landing page at Temple dot church, where you can check out the way our churches corporately praying to the month of October, you can download a version or pick up a printed one when you come up here to the church. But I would just strongly encourage you guys to recognize man, every single day, we are choosing and I want to encourage you towards making a decision they did at the end of chapter nine of Nehemiah and choose to serve the Lord. Choose to yield to him. Choose to allow him to rule and to reign and just give it to him in faith. And I promise you you'll never look back and never regret it.

Tuck Choate 1:02:43
Thank you for joining us for another episode of tumble time. We'll be back next week. Thank you for joining us for another episode of Temple talk. We hope that Digging into God's Word together has enriched your perspective and brought encouragement. If you have any questions or topics you'd like to hear discussed on the podcast, feel free to email them at Temple talk at Temple dot church. You can also visit our website at Temple dot church for more resources. We pray God will continue to bless you and your loved ones as you seek Him in Scripture. We'll see you next time on Temple Talk.