WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to the Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:16.760 practical ways. Well, good morning, good going, we talked through 4 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:22.079 good morning, good morning to you and you and you. 5 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:24.719 You were born for this, yeah little jingle. 6 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:25.440 You know. 7 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:28.000 I can't believe that just became a thing. Yeah, I 8 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:29.760 don't know, it just it just somehow happened. 9 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:33.439 I think that's only second to what made Chris Matt. 10 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:35.799 I don't know what made Chris mad is the top. 11 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.679 People literally wait on the edge of their. 12 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:41.640 Se You're just like Jeff. You're just like Jeff. You're 13 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:44.880 just like kind of puff me up. So hey, uh, well, hey, 14 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:47.280 good morning. We are the Bible guys. This is Wesley. 15 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:50.439 I'm Chris, and today we're your Bible guys. Because Jeff 16 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:55.920 is uh out there, uh actually traveling. Where's he at Mexico? 17 00:00:56.119 --> 00:00:59.320 He no, he well he was, he came back. Now 18 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:00.399 he's in Africa. 19 00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:03.439 Now he's in Africa. Yeah, Holy Christmas. 20 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:05.359 That is just a short flight, you know, a couple 21 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:05.799 of hours. 22 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:08.359 Yeah, just a few yeah, yeah yeah. But he works 23 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:11.920 for also, uh for an organization called the Timothy Initiative, 24 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:15.519 which focuses on planting churches around the world that don't 25 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:18.959 know the gospel. Yeah, they focus on regions that have 26 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:19.640 never heard. 27 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:22.239 Yes, it's pretty unbelievable. Yeah, I think that that's amazing. 28 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:25.200 Yeah. So anyway, so this is two weeks in a 29 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:27.719 row that we have a guest. Uh. But that's okay 30 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:32.680 because Platinum Edition is is People's People's people Love Platum Edition. 31 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:37.079 So hey, today we have a segment that has a jingle. 32 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:40.280 Do you know the jingle with me? It's called mail 33 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:44.159 Bags and mail bags is where people are write in. 34 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:46.200 So if you have a question or something that you 35 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:48.760 want us to talk about, you can always email us 36 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:52.239 at info at the bible guys dot com, or you 37 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:55.959 can always just type in, like on a YouTube comment 38 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:59.040 page or any of your any of your devices. 39 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:03.040 Yeah, so you want you want to? It says what's 40 00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:05.359 something you thought? And this is from Sarah Kay by 41 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:08.000 the way, So Sarah Kay, if you're watching, thank you 42 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:12.039 for this question. What's something you thought was totally normal 43 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:17.159 until someone told you it absolutely wasn't. Yes, do you 44 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:19.319 have anything for that? When I have a small. 45 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:21.120 So many yes, so many? 46 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:24.080 Yeah, yours, so mine is super small. The first thing 47 00:02:24.120 --> 00:02:25.879 that comes to mine is ketchup. 48 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:26.479 Yeah. 49 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:29.360 So when I first got married, Okay, don't judge me, 50 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:31.479 I just want to say this. When I grew up, 51 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:35.199 we put the ketchup just in the cabinet, in the 52 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:37.280 cupboard in the kitchen, after you opened it, after you 53 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:40.199 opened it. Yeah, we never put in the refrigerator. And 54 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.439 when I got married, my wife is like, what are 55 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:45.199 you doing? Are you trying to kill us? This is 56 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:47.039 going to a refrigerator. 57 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:51.120 How are you trying? So good? 58 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.159 But it's like, now, we always just put the mustard 59 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:55.840 in the ketchup, just in the cupboard. That's just what 60 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:58.479 we did. So yeah, I discovered that was not a 61 00:02:58.520 --> 00:02:59.080 normal thing. 62 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:01.680 No, no, after you open it, Yeah, because you can 63 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:03.680 put it in there before we end. Yes, So that 64 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:06.800 is so funny. So I got I got one for you. 65 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:11.400 So I grew up Italian. Uh well, I mean I'm 66 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:16.919 obviously I'm still Italian. Let me clear, Let me clear, 67 00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:21.000 let me clear, let me clarify that statement. My dad's German, 68 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:25.000 my mom is Italian. There was zero German culture in 69 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:29.360 our family. The only culture was Italian. I no longer 70 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:33.919 uh am a part of that culture. In my normal 71 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:37.000 hushole so that makes sense that I said it you 72 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:39.800 up Italian because I'm still Italian. 73 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:42.080 Changed, but it was it was so. 74 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:46.120 Italian in Youngstown, Ohio, and it so is now, right, 75 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:48.159 I mean, just you know. Anyway, the point is is 76 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:50.919 that you know, it was always all Italian all the time. 77 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:55.639 So for consequently, all through the entire city of Youngstown, 78 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:59.439 for Christmas, people make Italian food, and so there's so 79 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:01.759 many Italian it's so normal to say, oh, would you 80 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:04.639 have for Christmas meal? Well, we have ravioli, we had 81 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:06.919 manicotti or no ki, whatever it is, right, Yeah, So 82 00:04:07.319 --> 00:04:09.280 so that was just a normal thing. And then and 83 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:12.599 then I went to college and I remember being, you know, 84 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.759 in Missouri in the Midwest, and I remember somebody saying 85 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.120 something like, oh, yeah, for Christmas, we had like ham 86 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:20.199 and turkey. And I said, what are you talking about this? 87 00:04:21.079 --> 00:04:23.720 I said, that's thanksgivving food. And they said, they said, 88 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:27.279 what do you eat for Christmas? And I said ravioli? 89 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:31.480 And they go what And I was like, doesn't everybody? 90 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:35.199 I was like, but it's because everybody I knew, all 91 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:39.240 my friends, that would be a normal thing, right and uh, 92 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:41.959 and not saying that everybody's Italian from Youngstown because that's 93 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:44.399 not true. But a lot of the Italians hang out 94 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:47.639 with Italians, So for for my group of people, it 95 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:50.839 certainly was right. So anyway, I just I thought it 96 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:53.800 was normal until it wasn't. Yeah, that is hilarious, But 97 00:04:53.800 --> 00:04:55.000 I got a funny one too. 98 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:55.560 It's very quick. 99 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.839 My youth pastor used to sing very famous songs that 100 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:00.759 everybody else crossed the nation knows. You know, in my 101 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:04.199 little youth group growing up, we always have the same jingles, yea, 102 00:05:04.279 --> 00:05:06.040 and most of them how you would sing with kids 103 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:08.639 ministry back then with high school ministry, That's what we 104 00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:11.439 used to do. Like for instance, you ever heard the song, 105 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:15.560 oh you can't get to Heaven on roller skates? You 106 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:18.600 me hear that? No, I'd playing get to Heaven? Okay, 107 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:22.759 en roller skate? So you can't get to heaven on 108 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:26.279 roller skates? Oh you roll right past those pearly gates. 109 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:30.079 All my sins are washed away, Praise the Lord. 110 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:31.639 No, I don't know that one. 111 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.920 So anyway that in my group of church people, they 112 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:39.480 didn't sing that right. So anyway, for some reason, my 113 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:42.720 pastor used to take very popular songs and he would 114 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:46.519 change them how he saw that saying, and there would 115 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:49.360 just be a little bit of change, and so we 116 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:51.800 would would would know them, we would know all the songs, 117 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.519 but the rest of the world knew them like that, 118 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:57.759 they would know the normal way. So this song that 119 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:00.600 I just sang to you has on the third of course, 120 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:03.079 it goes, can't get to have an on there's a pause. 121 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:09.279 Can't get to have an on roller skates is a pause? Right? 122 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:12.879 For some reason, my pastor's saying, oh, you can't get 123 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.120 to heaven on roller skates. Oh, you can't get to 124 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:21.279 heaven on roller skates instead of on roller skate a 125 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:25.360 theatrical with it. Yeah, he's like roller skates. I don't 126 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.560 know why he's just changed it. And apparently I'm the 127 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.959 only human and the people in my church are the 128 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:33.800 only humans who know that song but know that version 129 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:36.240 of that song. So I met Baptist Baba College. We're 130 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:38.600 sitting around with a group of like two hundred people, 131 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:41.759 and he's like, hey, everybody know this one done? Done? Oh, 132 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:43.600 he's going for it, and he goes and you get 133 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:46.720 to that part he goes on roller and everybody pauses. 134 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.439 It's really quiet for a second, and I'm going on 135 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:54.639 roller skates and everybody looks at me like what is 136 00:06:54.680 --> 00:06:55.240 God doing? 137 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:56.560 What is he saying? 138 00:06:56.839 --> 00:07:00.720 Yeah? And by the way, I found doubt that. It's 139 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:04.040 like ten different songs. Yeah, I learned ten different like 140 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:05.319 major songs. Wrong. 141 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:08.480 Yeah, it's like and it's like what and so oh 142 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:10.519 that's I'm singing them with people. 143 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.000 I have to realize. I'm like, yeah, like he did 144 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:14.680 it again. He embarrassed me again. 145 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:16.639 Yeah, oh man, that's good. 146 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:20.639 So changed there it is. So there's there's my thing. 147 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:21.519 That's good. 148 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:24.879 Yeah. That was super embarrassing, all right, and you know, 149 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:27.879 you know what else was embarrassing? What was that this 150 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:32.240 moment where Neamyah had to uh go before the king 151 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:36.160 and ask him this really dangerous thing there there we're 152 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:37.800 going there. 153 00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:40.600 Say it worked, Yeah, it worked. We're reading Neamyah. 154 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:44.040 Yeah, Nemiah, which, by the way, Neamayah is in a 155 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:46.639 lot of ways in a pretty obscure passage for a 156 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:48.879 lot of Christians. Yeah, right, I mean there's not a 157 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:52.000 ton of sermons on Nehemiah. There's not there's not a 158 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:55.120 ton of history. So if you don't know who Neiamiah is, uh, 159 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:57.560 he was a cup barrier to the king. Uh, just 160 00:07:57.560 --> 00:08:00.680 to give you a little bit of context before Wesley reads, So, 161 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:03.480 like Babylon had taken over the world, right, remember the 162 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:06.959 story of Daniel, where where they had stolen all the 163 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:08.920 goods from the temple, and they had taken all the 164 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:11.040 princes and everything, and then they took people all the 165 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:13.839 way up to Babylon, and and and and and so 166 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:16.800 there was like this exile of the Jewish people and 167 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:19.360 and this and this whole captivity thing. Well, well it 168 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:22.240 was it was over. Everything was everything was over. And 169 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:24.399 and so they they had allowed people to go back 170 00:08:24.439 --> 00:08:27.839 to Jerusalem in waves, and some people had gone back, 171 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:31.319 but they had discovered that Jerusalem was in ruins. In fact, 172 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.679 it was the city walls were down, it was unprotected, 173 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:37.000 and of course the city that's unprotected is open for siege. 174 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:39.399 And and and so these people who are trying to 175 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:42.200 rebuild their lives, uh, you know, we're talking like a 176 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:45.679 whole generation or so later, uh, you know, for them 177 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:47.799 trying to get their footing and their culture and their people. 178 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:51.240 And so Neamiyah was a Jew and and and he 179 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:54.440 was he was you know, uh, he knew and remembered 180 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:58.080 as a boy. Uh, you know, his his great city 181 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:01.480 and his father and his family and everything else. And 182 00:09:01.960 --> 00:09:03.879 so now he's an older man and he has favor 183 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:07.279 working for the king as a cupbearer, and he's about 184 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:11.759 to learn something about Jerusalem, and he ends up basically 185 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.720 going to the king saying, will you please allow me 186 00:09:14.279 --> 00:09:17.519 to go back and rebuild the walls around my city? 187 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:19.960 Will you please? Will you please allow me to do that? 188 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:22.919 And so that's the story of Nehemiah. 189 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:26.799 Yeah, that's it. Yeah, let's dive in. That's Nehemiah chapter 190 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:30.639 one versus one through eleven. It says, in late autumn, 191 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:33.399 in the month of Kiss Lev in the twentieth year 192 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:37.120 of King Arta Xerx's reign, I was at the fortress 193 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:40.159 of Susa Hannah, and I one of my brothers came 194 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:42.960 to visit me with some other men who had just 195 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.639 arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who 196 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:49.960 had returned there from captivity and about how things were 197 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:53.320 going in Jerusalem. They said to me, things are not 198 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:56.720 going well for those who return to the province of Judah. 199 00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:59.879 They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of 200 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:02.679 Jerusalem has been torn down and the gates have been 201 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:06.440 destroyed by fire. When I heard this, I set down 202 00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:10.600 and wept. In fact, four days I mourn, fasted and 203 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:14.000 pray to the God of Heaven. Then I said, O, Lord, 204 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:16.919 God of Heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps 205 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:20.240 his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him 206 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:24.240 and obey his commands, listen to my prayer. Look down 207 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:27.840 and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. 208 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:31.200 I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even 209 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:34.720 my own family and I have sinned. We have sinned 210 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:39.399 terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that 211 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:44.080 you gave us through your servant Moses. Please remember that 212 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:47.039 you told your servant Moses, if you are unfaithful to me, 213 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.919 I will scatter you among the nations. But if you 214 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.840 return to me and obey my commands and live by them, 215 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:56.200 then even if you are exiled to the ends of 216 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:58.320 the earth, I will bring you back to the place 217 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:01.639 I have chosen for my name to be honored. Verse ten. 218 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:05.240 The people you rescued by your great power in stronghand 219 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:09.320 are your servants. Oh Lord, please hear my prayer. Listen 220 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:13.759 to the prayers of those who listen to the prayers 221 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:16.919 of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please 222 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:20.840 grant me success today by making the King favorable to me. 223 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:23.320 Put it into his heart to be kind to me. 224 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:26.879 In those days, I was the king's cup bearer. 225 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:30.480 So, first of all, what a great way to start 226 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:35.120 a chapter. Yeah right, I mean, just an unbelievable, you know, 227 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:38.600 epic setup to what is about to unfold. And if 228 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:41.200 you want to go back and read the rest of Nehemiah, 229 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:43.720 what a great story and what a great accomplishment that 230 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:46.000 God has done through Niemiah. Which, by the way, did 231 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:47.960 you know that the Wall of Neemiah is still there today? 232 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:48.679 Yeah? 233 00:11:48.679 --> 00:11:52.360 And they've uncovered this wall and honestly, it it looks 234 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:53.440 like children built it. 235 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:54.039 Yeah. 236 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:56.200 It is not a work of architecture. 237 00:11:56.360 --> 00:11:56.840 Yeah it is. 238 00:11:56.919 --> 00:12:00.679 It is thrown together with like rocks and and and 239 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:03.360 and mortar and and and uh. And it does not 240 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:06.320 look flat or polished. It looks you know, it's like 241 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:08.080 it's like, how is this thing still standing? 242 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:08.559 Yeah? 243 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:11.080 And it has to be that God wants to preserve 244 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:16.639 this unbelievable symbolism. You know what this represents. Yeah, this this, 245 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:18.960 you know, everything done in the Old Testament is a 246 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.840 model for us on how to behave or or it's 247 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:25.200 a foreshadowing of what God wants to do in our lives. 248 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:28.720 And so this, this, this importance of Neamia's wall that 249 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:31.639 he ended up building, uh in such a small amount 250 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:35.480 of time is a great accomplishment. But God still today 251 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:39.600 two thousand and seven hundred something years later. In fact, 252 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:41.840 I think it's even more than that, isn't that? Uh? 253 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:45.519 Neemiah is is a couple of thousand years old, isn't it? 254 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:45.960 Uh? 255 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:50.919 No, No, no, Isaiah namayah. Wait. I don't actually have 256 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:55.600 my SyRI on because because of uh, I want to 257 00:12:55.759 --> 00:13:00.000 I don't want to buzz. Yeah, all right, I'm doing 258 00:13:00.120 --> 00:13:02.519 this in the microphone. Hey, when was the Book of 259 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:03.399 Niamiah written? 260 00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:08.320 Here's an answer from bible hub dot. 261 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:13.399 Com fourty five BC. So two thousand, four hundred years 262 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:14.919 ago ish? Right? 263 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:15.600 Yeah. 264 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.759 So and then that while still there is still there, 265 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:19.840 isn't that amazing? Yeah? 266 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:23.480 Yeah, that's awesome. There are two things early on it 267 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.919 that I want to dissect a little bit as we 268 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:29.519 get into this. In verse five, it says, then I said, O, Lord, 269 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:33.559 God of Heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps 270 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:36.720 his covenant. And I like that line, right, there the 271 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:39.720 fact that God is a god who will do what 272 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:42.399 he said he will do. If God said he will 273 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:45.240 do it, we can take that to the bank. It's certain. 274 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:48.279 It's sure, doesn't matter what it looks like. There have 275 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:51.279 been times in the Old Testament where God it may 276 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:54.879 have told a group of people to take a village 277 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:57.000 or to take a town and they're like, well, God, 278 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:00.000 we're out numbered. If God told you to do it, 279 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:02.960 he will equip you to carry out what he told 280 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:04.960 you to do. So God is a god that will 281 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:07.960 keep his covenant. So when you're reading the Bible, keep 282 00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:10.080 that in mind. I think that's super important to know 283 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:13.960 that if God promises us something in the Bible, he 284 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.039 will do what he said he would do. And that 285 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:18.879 gives me great confidence. But the other thing in there, 286 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:22.399 in verse six, it says, I confess that we have 287 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:27.799 sinned against you, And I absolutely love that. Pastor Kevin 288 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.240 here at Heritage Church where we both attend, he says, 289 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:34.919 when you mess up, fess up, and fess up fast. 290 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:38.120 Don't try to hide it. God saw you when you 291 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:40.440 did it, so there's no hiding it or trying to 292 00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:43.639 put it away or no, that wasn't me. Yeah, everyone knew, 293 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:45.440 All of Heaven knows that it was. 294 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:45.639 You. 295 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:49.080 Just fess up, come clean to God. And if you 296 00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:52.480 confess your sins to him, he is just and faithful 297 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:55.039 to forgive you for your sins and cleanse you from 298 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:58.279 all unrighteousness. Yes, so I love that. 299 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:00.399 That's great for Shohn one nine. Forget first that was 300 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:03.320 ever quoted to me, by the way, by my wife. Never. Nonetheless, 301 00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:07.360 the uh, you know, it's it's some context to us 302 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:09.360 to that prayer as well. So the two things you 303 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:12.159 mentioned in that prayer that were awesome is the fact 304 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.440 the first thing that Neamia said was I want to 305 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:17.399 recognize God that you were God that keeps your covenant. Well, 306 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:24.559 think about the context, So Nea, excuse me. Neemyah is 307 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:27.279 among the group of people that were most likely very 308 00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:31.120 discouraged because their whole people were exiled. We're talking people 309 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:37.960 were captured, kidnapped, slaughtered, killed, imprisoned, chained, I mean just 310 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:40.039 all these different wicked things. 311 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:42.279 Yeah, they've lost everything, they've lost everything. 312 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:47.159 And yet what Neiamiah is acknowledging is his responsibility. And 313 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.519 he's acknowledging that his people's responsibility because he's like he's 314 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:53.320 a God, he's like, yeah, our whole people. Some of 315 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:55.000 them are mad at you. Some of the are mad 316 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:58.320 that you know our lives are so terrible. But understand 317 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:02.919 that I'm recognizing you warned us, right, This is you 318 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:06.440 keeping your covenant. You said that if we dishonored you, 319 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:08.720 that we would be scattered among the nations. And guess 320 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:12.519 what you did. You kept your promises. And then he says, 321 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:16.200 we have sinned, and he's acknowledging his responsibility. And I 322 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:20.120 think that's important because he's the context is he's acknowledging 323 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:23.080 the fact that even his family have their part in 324 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:27.960 dishonoring God. Right, Like, he's responsible part in part for 325 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.759 the exile and the capturing of Jerusalem in the walls 326 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:34.480 being burned down. So when he hears that the city 327 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:37.440 walls are destroyed by fire, he's thinking, I did this. 328 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.919 These are consequences in part to my sin and my 329 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:43.559 family's sin. So he's like, God, even though that you 330 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:46.120 know I can complain, I could look at how bad 331 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:48.679 my life is. We can all do that. We have 332 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:51.480 to acknowledge our part in it. You warned us, we 333 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:55.120 didn't obey, So you're a covenant keeper. You did exactly 334 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:59.240 what you said, and guess what, I own my responsibility. 335 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:01.720 We are sorry for what we've done. And then what 336 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:05.079 does he do is he sort of capitalizes on God's faithfulness. 337 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:08.759 He capitalizes on then God's promises, and he says, God, 338 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:13.960 you said this, but God, guess what you also said this? Yes, right, 339 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:16.079 so you said this is a warning, but you also 340 00:17:16.119 --> 00:17:18.480 said this is a promise. If we came back to you, 341 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:21.359 then you would be with us. Look at me, I'm 342 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:23.359 praying for my people. You see me, You see my 343 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:28.119 earnest prayer, you see my sincerity, my heart. I'm weeping 344 00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:30.799 because I'm broken over this, and I am coming to 345 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:35.160 you and I'm asking you to keep your promises. And 346 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:38.279 so therefore, God, here's my request. And then he goes 347 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:41.440 to God with his request, right, ask the king to 348 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:46.319 be favorable to me. And what an unbelievable request. But 349 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.279 Niamiah backs it up with scripture and he reminds and 350 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:52.119 he reminds himself of God's promises. 351 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:55.440 Yeah, and I would say, Chris, that's super important and 352 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:59.720 it's very subtle. He had to know the promises to 353 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:02.920 the promise is up, that's right, which means that he 354 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:06.400 had to know the scriptures which is why it's so 355 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:09.720 important for us to read the Bible daily, to know 356 00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:12.559 what those promises are, to know what God said he 357 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:15.359 would do, and to know what God said to avoid, 358 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:18.039 because it's yeh, it's good to know what blessings he 359 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:19.880 will give you, but it's also good to know what 360 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:23.039 to avoid, right, But you only get that from reading 361 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:24.920 God's word on a consistent basis. 362 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:27.920 That's right. Yeah, I have a model that I've always 363 00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:30.279 lived by. So my number one spiritual gift is faith, 364 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:33.000 which is odd for a skeptic. I'm a skeptic at heart, 365 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:36.160 but actually it's true when every time I take the 366 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:38.519 spiritual gifts tests. There's a spiritual gift test you can 367 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:42.079 take online. Yeah, actually several versions of it, but you 368 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:43.839 can google it and find a free one. But I 369 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:46.240 took a spiritual gift test actually on and off throughout 370 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:49.480 my whole life, and almost always faith is either number 371 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:54.039 one or number two. But it manifests itself in my 372 00:18:54.119 --> 00:18:58.200 life during struggle. So like whenever I wrestle with something, 373 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:00.680 whenever I'm having a hard time with something, whenever it's 374 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:04.359 something very big is going through my life, faith just 375 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:07.519 rises to the top. And I have a lot of 376 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:09.960 faith and confidence. So God has given me that is 377 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:15.240 my gift. And sometimes it's hard when the struggle is small. 378 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:19.039 When it's bigger, faith seems to be more prominent when 379 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:21.559 it's smaller, I get caught in the weeds. And so 380 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:26.400 yesterday I was actually talking with someone on our staff, 381 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:29.839 and I was very discouraged and disappointed in some things. 382 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:33.680 And I always want to focus on my part whenever 383 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:35.519 I feel like God has called me to do anything. 384 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:38.319 I feel like if I've not done my very best, 385 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:42.559 then I feel like I've let God down, right, And 386 00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:45.400 so I was talking about you know, it doesn't matter, 387 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:48.200 but I was just talking about how I feel like 388 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:50.960 I have not done my best and these are mistakes 389 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:53.720 that were avoidable, and these are mistakes that should not 390 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:55.799 have been made. And I was a part of it. 391 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:58.200 And the person I was talking to, I said, he 392 00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.640 was a part of it, and we were all a 393 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:01.960 part of it and we should have done better and 394 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:04.160 and God asked us to do this and we didn't 395 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:06.279 do our part, you know, And I was just super discouraged, 396 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:07.799 and I'm like, what are we gonna do? What are 397 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:10.240 we gonna do? You know, And just like you said, 398 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:12.400 you have to know the promises, right, You have to 399 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:15.599 know the promises. So last night I went home and 400 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:17.759 I'm praying. I'm like, okay, God, like okay. I vented. 401 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:20.640