WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.419 How have you handled crises in the past? 00:00:03.879 --> 00:00:05.100 How do you deal with it? 00:00:05.960 --> 00:00:08.279 How do you approach difficulties, 00:00:08.839 --> 00:00:11.259 especially when change happens 00:00:11.259 --> 00:00:14.400 and the status quo is disrupted? 00:00:15.820 --> 00:00:18.120 And it's maybe not disrupted 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:23.500 in the kind of way that you want it to be disrupted. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:25.019 It's not like things are getting better, 00:00:25.140 --> 00:00:26.820 they might have gotten worse. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:28.760 How do you deal with crises? 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.579 What do you do with the jarring news 00:00:31.579 --> 00:00:34.219 that disrupts your day-to-day? 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:37.719 A loss, a betrayal, a breakup, an accident, 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:39.640 an injustice, a tragedy, 00:00:40.740 --> 00:00:44.359 a misguided moment, 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:46.579 a lapse judgment, something like that. 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:51.060 Any situation that has the effect of paralyzing us 00:00:51.060 --> 00:00:54.439 with fear, sadness, anger, a crisis. 00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:55.460 What do you do? 00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:56.260 How do you deal with it? 00:00:57.359 --> 00:00:58.920 I think it's an important question to ask. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:05.599 In a regular, often that we ask this question, 00:01:05.819 --> 00:01:09.700 often because here in Canada and in the West, 00:01:09.799 --> 00:01:10.480 by and large, 00:01:11.659 --> 00:01:12.340 we have, 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:17.319 we're under an illusion that tragedy doesn't really befall us, 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:20.159 that we live a really good life. 00:01:20.219 --> 00:01:20.780 And so we do. 00:01:20.780 --> 00:01:24.920 Never, never in human history have we had such a good stretch. 00:01:25.079 --> 00:01:27.719 I'll speak for the West, not the world over, but in the West. 00:01:28.099 --> 00:01:31.519 Such a good stretch of bounty and affluence. 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:36.000 This idea that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, 00:01:36.119 --> 00:01:37.899 it's actually, generally speaking, 00:01:37.979 --> 00:01:40.579 the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting richer as well. 00:01:41.539 --> 00:01:44.159 We have, again, in the West, 00:01:44.780 --> 00:01:47.179 the least amount of food insecurity. 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:51.120 People live longer, healthier lives. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:54.219 It's a remarkable time that we live in. 00:01:54.260 --> 00:02:00.680 And I'm not saying that those are the only or the best metrics of what it means to live the good life. 00:02:01.340 --> 00:02:06.359 But what it ends up doing for us is, again, generally speaking, 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:10.240 it causes us to have a delusion that we are invincible, 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:14.560 or that tragedy might skip over us, 00:02:14.659 --> 00:02:17.540 or that we won't experience a type of crises. 00:02:19.500 --> 00:02:23.719 We know that, theoretically, that's not true, 00:02:23.860 --> 00:02:28.520 but just on a gut reaction, a day-to-day experience, 00:02:29.140 --> 00:02:34.439 we have, in a sense, blinders to the reality of life's frailty and fragility. 00:02:37.140 --> 00:02:39.379 So, I'll ask the question again, 00:02:39.379 --> 00:02:42.340 how do we deal with crises? 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:43.620 How do we deal with tragedy? 00:02:44.139 --> 00:02:45.539 How do we deal with difficulties? 00:02:46.460 --> 00:02:48.340 Life is full of them, is it not? 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:53.799 One sickness, one death, one lost job, 00:02:54.719 --> 00:03:00.180 one compromise is all it takes for us to see the reality of this life. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:02.900 And that's not to be like a Debbie Downer, 00:03:03.019 --> 00:03:06.319 life is beautiful, there's wonderful aspects to life, 00:03:06.500 --> 00:03:08.620 but it's fragile, it truly is. 00:03:09.379 --> 00:03:12.799 So, as we continue our series in Ezra and Nehemiah, 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:16.759 remember, Old Testament, it's two separate books, 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:18.719 but traditionally, it is one book, 00:03:19.419 --> 00:03:23.419 really three movements within that one book, 00:03:23.699 --> 00:03:26.120 the first with Zerubbabel, and then with Ezra, 00:03:26.120 --> 00:03:28.900 and now we're on to the third movement with Nehemiah. 00:03:29.860 --> 00:03:31.840 We enter into Nehemiah chapter one, 00:03:32.420 --> 00:03:37.719 and we see Nehemiah, he's an Israelite, but he's in exile, but born in Persia. 00:03:39.879 --> 00:03:46.340 Israel was exiled about a hundred years before Nehemiah comes onto the scene, 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:51.539 and he is serving King Artaxerxes, that same king that we read in the book of Esther. 00:03:52.379 --> 00:03:53.300 And he's the cupbearer. 00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:57.099 And the cupbearer is no small duty, no small position. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:01.580 Yes, he makes sure the wine isn't poisoned, very important, 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:05.400 but he is a confidant of the king. 00:04:06.340 --> 00:04:09.920 And in some, in the ancient world, 00:04:10.100 --> 00:04:13.920 some cupbearers were even so highly elevated that they were, 00:04:14.860 --> 00:04:17.400 really, it's like the king, the prince is the cupbearer, 00:04:17.520 --> 00:04:19.040 like really high authority. 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:23.860 We find Nehemiah, he's the cupbearer to the king, 00:04:23.939 --> 00:04:26.840 he's high ranking, he enjoys great influence, 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:29.159 he enjoys a premium life of wealth, 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:33.719 he serves the greatest king that is existing in the world at the time, 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:36.000 his life is set, and yet, 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:39.639 he hears news of a crisis in Jerusalem. 00:04:40.899 --> 00:04:43.179 Something is not right. 00:04:44.099 --> 00:04:49.319 The rebuilding and restoration of Jerusalem has grinded to a halt, 00:04:49.779 --> 00:04:53.559 and so too has the life of Nehemiah. 00:04:53.679 --> 00:04:54.539 It's grinded to a halt. 00:04:54.540 --> 00:04:59.360 This news has taken him completely off his feet. 00:05:02.620 --> 00:05:06.540 The promised land that God gave to Israel is in great trouble. 00:05:06.640 --> 00:05:07.939 The inhabitants are in peril. 00:05:08.860 --> 00:05:11.060 There's suffering, there's shame, there's enemies, 00:05:11.840 --> 00:05:15.580 and Nehemiah is heartbroken with this news. 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:19.300 For Nehemiah, the remnant of God's people, 00:05:19.300 --> 00:05:24.579 those that remained in Jerusalem, in Judea, 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:27.800 for the remnant, for Nehemiah, 00:05:27.960 --> 00:05:33.259 there couldn't have been a worse situation that could have happened. 00:05:33.840 --> 00:05:35.720 It is a massive problem. 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:40.060 So Nehemiah is going to deal with a serious crisis here. 00:05:40.060 --> 00:05:44.420 And it's very instructive for us this morning to see how he deals with it. 00:05:45.339 --> 00:05:48.600 Because he deals with it actually in a very, very incredible way. 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:51.300 Something that we can learn from. 00:05:51.480 --> 00:05:56.920 But also it points us to who God is, once again, and what he has done. 00:05:57.579 --> 00:06:01.740 So I've broken the text into really two parts. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:05.920 Nehemiah's proper response, and that's going to be the whole of chapter one. 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:09.960 Jeff read just chapter one, but really we're going to be in chapter one and two this morning. 00:06:10.780 --> 00:06:12.540 So the first part, chapter one, 00:06:12.939 --> 00:06:16.199 Nehemiah's proper response to the crisis at hand. 00:06:16.460 --> 00:06:20.640 The second is Nehemiah's courage to act. 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:25.540 So if you have a Bible, it would help me a great deal if you would follow along. 00:06:25.780 --> 00:06:27.000 Don't take my word for it. 00:06:27.340 --> 00:06:28.240 Read along with me. 00:06:28.379 --> 00:06:30.639 At any point, you can get up and get a Bible. 00:06:31.020 --> 00:06:33.960 Don't worry about interrupting me or others. 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:37.079 But follow along if you can. 00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:40.899 So Nehemiah gets us really terrible news. 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:42.739 Verses one to three. 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:47.000 He is, it's like the worst case scenario. 00:06:47.299 --> 00:06:49.939 If you would remember earlier in Ezra, 00:06:50.139 --> 00:06:53.299 there was a contingent that went back to the land to rebuild the altar. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:59.240 With Zerubbabel, Ezra went there to rebuild the temple. 00:06:59.240 --> 00:07:05.220 And in Ezra chapter four, the chronology isn't exactly the same. 00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:10.840 It's like a, in Ezra, it's like a look, like a look ahead in Ezra chapter four. 00:07:11.079 --> 00:07:15.720 But we see that the temple rebuild gets halted for 20 years. 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:20.939 And then it goes, it gets resumed and they build the temple. 00:07:20.939 --> 00:07:24.480 But we're kind of in that Ezra chapter four timeline right now. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:25.439 Okay. 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:29.959 So there's a halting of the rebuild of the temple. 00:07:30.259 --> 00:07:31.560 It's devastating news. 00:07:31.719 --> 00:07:34.839 And look with me in verse four, just the first part of verse four. 00:07:36.019 --> 00:07:41.220 As soon as I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days. 00:07:41.480 --> 00:07:42.139 I'll pause there. 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:44.120 You could easily skip this. 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:50.100 How, how is it that Nehemiah properly responds to the crisis? 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:52.720 We could easily skip over this, but I think it's very important. 00:07:52.840 --> 00:07:53.319 He grieves. 00:07:54.180 --> 00:07:55.040 He's sad. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:01.660 He is, he is devastated and he doesn't move on very quickly. 00:08:01.980 --> 00:08:02.939 He sits in it. 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:06.759 He sits in his pain and his suffering. 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:08.939 He weeps and he mourns. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:11.480 And it's not for a couple minutes or an hour. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:13.100 It says it's for days. 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:23.980 It's a very important thing to grieve well and to embrace sadness, not forever, but for a season. 00:08:24.259 --> 00:08:26.500 It's, it's a sobering thing to do. 00:08:26.620 --> 00:08:30.540 It helps us apart from it being cathartic. 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:36.120 It helps us to have a real perspective that life isn't as it ought to be. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:39.700 The pain is real and it hurts. 00:08:40.060 --> 00:08:41.180 It just, it really does. 00:08:41.179 --> 00:08:54.359 Our temptation, by and large, isn't to avoid grieving by keeping a stiff upper lip, but rather to avoid grieving and sadness through distraction. 00:08:54.360 --> 00:09:03.759 We drown out unwanted feelings with substances or entertainment or pleasure or a combination of all three. 00:09:04.460 --> 00:09:11.919 Maybe I left something off the list, but we distract ourselves with things so that we don't feel as bad. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:20.759 There's a time to be happy and to move on or to get a break or reprieve from our grief and sadness. 00:09:21.299 --> 00:09:29.079 But when it's the initial instinct to push it away as quickly as possible, it's a bit problematic. 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:33.620 The truth is, God has made us with emotions. 00:09:34.660 --> 00:09:42.259 I'll say this and I, believe me, I don't like using, especially my children as sermon illustrations. 00:09:42.800 --> 00:09:44.639 So, they're their own people. 00:09:44.740 --> 00:09:45.920 They're not props for the church. 00:09:46.139 --> 00:09:47.500 So, that's why I say this. 00:09:47.800 --> 00:09:48.460 But I'll just say this. 00:09:48.520 --> 00:09:52.440 An unknown child to you, we have three of them, so maybe you can figure it out. 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:59.800 But the child will remain unknown, has very big emotions, like gargantuan emotions. 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:07.720 That are, she's, he or she are still learning how to figure out. 00:10:08.820 --> 00:10:19.440 And our challenge as parents, and especially for me, is to encourage these God, these beautiful God-given emotions, 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:25.700 but to help her to be in control of the emotions and not the emotions in control of her. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:29.020 And often I, you know, I come in and I go, why do you have big emotions? 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:30.520 And she goes, because you have big emotions. 00:10:30.640 --> 00:10:31.580 And I say, yeah, that's right. 00:10:31.780 --> 00:10:32.540 Let's learn together. 00:10:33.300 --> 00:10:37.620 I bring that up just to say that emotions are not bad. 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:39.660 They are actually very good. 00:10:39.760 --> 00:10:44.980 And we like to hide the maybe embarrassing emotions. 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:51.379 Big fat tears are, I don't know, make people feel uncomfortable. 00:10:51.539 --> 00:10:53.220 And that's okay if you feel uncomfortable with it. 00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:59.980 But we hide emotions as if they are bad, as if they are a chink in our armor. 00:11:00.060 --> 00:11:04.300 When the reality is, is that God has given us emotions. 00:11:04.940 --> 00:11:10.080 So much so that throughout the scriptures, it says that God, he actually grieves himself. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:16.220 He is saddened himself when his people transgress the covenant. 00:11:16.379 --> 00:11:19.780 That relationship with him grieves him. 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:24.240 Now, there's a whole topic of discussion to get into. 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:25.759 How does God feel? 00:11:25.940 --> 00:11:26.660 Does he feel? 00:11:27.040 --> 00:11:29.160 Is this just a way that he is communicating to us? 00:11:29.540 --> 00:11:30.800 It's an important conversation. 00:11:30.920 --> 00:11:33.060 It's not the conversation we're going to have this morning. 00:11:33.059 --> 00:11:36.479 But our emotions are God-given. 00:11:37.019 --> 00:11:44.219 In a very real way, they reflect us as image bearers of God. 00:11:45.339 --> 00:11:46.839 So Nehemiah is sad. 00:11:47.819 --> 00:11:52.299 And it's a very appropriate way to hear this news and how to respond to this news. 00:11:53.539 --> 00:11:55.659 He is a broken man. 00:11:56.679 --> 00:11:57.959 Sadness helps him to cope. 00:11:58.079 --> 00:12:00.159 It helps him also to be empathetic. 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:03.299 It helps him and us to be vulnerable. 00:12:04.100 --> 00:12:08.799 But more than anything else, it helps us to see reality for what it is. 00:12:08.939 --> 00:12:09.579 That it's tough. 00:12:10.259 --> 00:12:11.339 And there's a tough situation. 00:12:11.719 --> 00:12:14.139 And that we ought not to move so quickly away from it. 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:15.519 It's okay to mourn. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:16.620 It's okay to be sad. 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:22.679 Nehemiah's situations, it's difficult for him to comprehend. 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:26.459 Jerusalem is this, it's a promised city. 00:12:26.460 --> 00:12:33.000 Jerusalem is this incredible place in the Israelite psyche. 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:35.440 And now it's under siege. 00:12:35.540 --> 00:12:36.379 It's not being rebuilt. 00:12:36.500 --> 00:12:39.040 Does this mean that God has abandoned his people forever? 00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:43.879 The promises that he made are null and void. 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:44.680 How can this be? 00:12:46.019 --> 00:12:49.780 So Nehemiah grieves, but he doesn't simply stay grieving and mourning. 00:12:50.100 --> 00:12:50.940 He begins to pray. 00:12:50.940 --> 00:12:55.620 And here is where we get to see another proper way Nehemiah responds. 00:12:56.740 --> 00:13:00.480 So look with me, verse 4, but the second part of verse 4. 00:13:01.580 --> 00:13:03.120 This is how he begins his prayer. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:22.620 A few months back we were in a series on our midweek Bible study on the Lord's Prayer. 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:27.620 And we see something very similar with the Lord's Prayer here. 00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:32.060 Nehemiah doesn't simply jump to, God, this is a bad situation. 00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:33.799 You need to help me out. 00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:36.220 We need to strategize, open up doors. 00:13:36.340 --> 00:13:37.360 I'm going to talk to the king. 00:13:38.139 --> 00:13:39.159 Let's get this done. 00:13:39.980 --> 00:13:41.759 Right away he acknowledges who God is. 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:42.580 The God of heaven. 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:49.159 And to say that he prayed to the God of heaven isn't saying that God physically exists up there. 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:54.460 It's saying that God is above and beyond everything that we see. 00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:55.440 He's the creator God. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:56.399 He is all-powerful. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:59.120 He has this recognition of who he is. 00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:09.720 Completely other than, completely sovereign over, completely strong and perfect and all-knowing in every possible way. 00:14:09.779 --> 00:14:10.360 The God of heaven. 00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:12.519 That's how he opens it up. 00:14:13.779 --> 00:14:15.299 Verse 5, he continues on. 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:16.539 He says this, 00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:19.539 Here's the prayer. 00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:19.559 Here's the prayer. 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:26.779 The great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:36.059 Let your ear be attentive, your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel, your servants. 00:14:36.059 --> 00:14:39.879 God, you are lifted high. 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:41.000 There is none like you. 00:14:41.359 --> 00:14:43.359 You are the one who has made covenant with our people. 00:14:44.079 --> 00:14:45.119 Remember our covenant. 00:14:46.599 --> 00:14:47.819 Do not abandon us. 00:14:48.199 --> 00:14:48.839 You are greater. 00:14:49.099 --> 00:14:49.699 You are bigger. 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:51.419 Please hear my prayer. 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:55.259 Say, you know, oh, you're buttering God up. 00:14:55.259 --> 00:14:58.059 Yeah, I mean, if you look at it that way, sure. 00:14:59.299 --> 00:15:02.019 But really, it's giving him the honor and praise he deserves. 00:15:03.939 --> 00:15:08.039 It's very important that there is a sequence to how we come before the Lord. 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:12.679 We lift his name up because he truly is, on one hand, our Father. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:13.519 There's an intimacy. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.019 But he is also our King. 00:15:15.019 --> 00:15:26.939 We don't come into the presence of a King in kind of a haphazard, you know, a non-humble, non-respectful way. 00:15:27.500 --> 00:15:31.259 I mean, the coronation happened a week ago last Saturday, eight days ago. 00:15:32.939 --> 00:15:34.759 The King's a servant, but he's also the King. 00:15:34.939 --> 00:15:38.840 Like, there's a level of respect that he has afforded. 00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:43.740 How much more the King of Kings, the King of the Universe, the Creator of all things. 00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:45.600 This is what Nehemiah is doing. 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:54.060 Recalling who God is and what he has done will always help us to have perspective in terms of life being frail and fragile 00:15:54.060 --> 00:16:01.180 because it reminds us of our current state and how we have no true ability to fix things. 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:09.500 But it also reminds us that God is unchanging and nothing can cause him any sort of harm or pressure. 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:14.059 He cannot be at all messed with. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:15.120 He is strong. 00:16:15.259 --> 00:16:17.000 He is always constant. 00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:18.919 God alone is unchanging. 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:21.240 God alone is all-powerful. 00:16:21.820 --> 00:16:28.700 He is all-knowing, surprised, and never surprised at the infidelity of his people. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:30.840 And yet, he still makes a covenant with them. 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:38.639 He, it's not like God somehow was surprised when Israel went off the rails, found themselves in exile. 00:16:39.680 --> 00:16:50.100 That didn't surprise God or take him, you know, unawares when hundreds of years before he made a covenant with them. 00:16:50.680 --> 00:16:55.840 He knew the frailty and the brokenness and the propensity of sin that people would experience. 00:16:56.800 --> 00:16:59.040 The infidelity that they would have towards him. 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:08.059 So, recalling God's character and covenant, it's an important aspect for perspective, but it also results in soul searching. 00:17:08.639 --> 00:17:11.599 And this is precisely what we see in this next portion of the prayer. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:15.200 In verse 6, and in verse 6 to 8, 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:24.460 Let your ear be attentive, your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant, that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel, your servants, 00:17:24.600 --> 00:17:29.400 confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:32.460 Even I and my father's house have sinned. 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:40.100 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 00:17:40.099 --> 00:17:43.459 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 00:17:44.439 --> 00:17:47.539 If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:50.019 I'll just pause really quickly there. 00:17:52.299 --> 00:17:59.199 If we think of sin as merely missing the mark, which it is a definition of sin. 00:17:59.500 --> 00:18:01.779 You know, you miss the mark, you aim for the target, you miss. 00:18:01.779 --> 00:18:03.099 It's sin. 00:18:03.899 --> 00:18:09.960 Then we're not going to feel the gravity of what sin truly is. 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:15.180 Sin is, it's an infidelity to God. 00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:20.240 It's going after other faiths or philosophies or promises or desires. 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:24.039 Like a husband goes after mistresses. 00:18:26.660 --> 00:18:29.460 There's something deeply grievous about that. 00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:38.120 God has been this God that has initiated time and time and time again with Israel. 00:18:38.620 --> 00:18:47.160 It's not like there's this cosmic dating app that Israel hooked up with God and then they got married and all of that. 00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:48.360 It's God. 00:18:49.120 --> 00:18:50.960 He fashions Israel. 00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:54.860 He brings them into the land. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:57.700 He brings them out of famine into Egypt. 00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:59.660 He brings them out of slavery from Egypt. 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:00.580 He gives them a land. 00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:02.259 He gives them a constitution. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.259 He makes promises. 00:19:03.700 --> 00:19:05.980 It's God, God, God, God, God, God, God. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:10.920 And the relationship that he develops and he makes with his people, 00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:15.019 it is like a husband and a bride. 00:19:15.220 --> 00:19:19.100 And yet, in this case, the bride is constantly unfaithful. 00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:27.899 God forbid this touches anyone in our congregation directly or indirectly, 00:19:28.119 --> 00:19:33.639 but I'm sure we can know or we have known people, 00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:37.679 I mean, this is a deeply personal thing to talk about, 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:40.439 that have suffered infidelity. 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:44.140 And it is devastating to the core. 00:19:46.580 --> 00:19:50.019 This is what sin is described like in the scriptures. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.340 And I think this is the way we ought to look at it. 00:19:53.120 --> 00:19:55.920 Here it says, down in verse 7, 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:59.340 we have acted very corruptly against you. 00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:03.400 There's also an injustice done towards God in sin. 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:08.519 It is a complete relational trust breakdown. 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:13.600 And here, Nehemiah is doing some soul searching. 00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:18.460 So, I'm not suggesting that every crisis that we go through 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:20.380 is a result of our own sin. 00:20:20.380 --> 00:20:27.040 It may be, I mean, if somebody dies suddenly, 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:29.160 it's not your fault because you've sinned, 00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:33.180 like you've put a hex on them or something's, you know, 00:20:33.340 --> 00:20:34.900 bizarre in the spirit world. 00:20:36.300 --> 00:20:39.300 But, we should ask the question, 00:20:40.280 --> 00:20:42.300 have I sinned towards this person? 00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:45.860 Is this loss that I'm experiencing, 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:48.380 not just with a person, but any kind of loss, 00:20:48.380 --> 00:20:50.320 is a result of sin? 00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:51.700 What part have I played? 00:20:53.100 --> 00:20:54.620 God, have I sinned against you? 00:20:54.700 --> 00:20:55.720 Have I acted corruptly? 00:20:55.780 --> 00:20:57.980 Have I trusted in other gods? 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:00.140 Please, please show me. 00:21:01.280 --> 00:21:03.700 And it's an opportunity for us 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:06.020 to get right with God once again 00:21:06.020 --> 00:21:10.260 and to come to him and look for mercy and forgiveness. 00:21:11.040 --> 00:21:12.780 Our hearts drift, they do. 00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:16.359 And in times of crisis, 00:21:16.359 --> 00:21:18.039 when we come to God 00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:20.059 and we're praying, 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:22.940 we are stripped down to nothing. 00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:24.480 We trust nothing else but him. 00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:25.899 Nehemiah's fasting, 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.799 and that's an aspect of fasting as well. 00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:30.079 The things that we look to as comfort 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:31.160 are stripped bare. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.359 And all we have 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:35.859 is us before God 00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:37.680 and we're raw towards him. 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:39.460 It's an opportunity 00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:41.100 to ask God 00:21:41.100 --> 00:21:42.340 if our hearts have drifted, 00:21:42.380 --> 00:21:42.840 and if so, 00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:43.519 how far 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:45.480 and how can we get back to him? 00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:48.940 God is not a vindictive God 00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:51.259 so that every time we 00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:53.960 do something against his laws, 00:21:54.019 --> 00:21:54.700 he's just there, 00:21:54.840 --> 00:21:56.140 ready to smite us. 00:21:56.580 --> 00:21:57.180 But really, 00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:59.279 God is the creator of all good things 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:00.440 and his good design is 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:01.960 for our life. 00:22:02.060 --> 00:22:03.060 There's no substitute 00:22:03.060 --> 00:22:04.680 that will somehow be better. 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:07.440 So after confession, 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:10.120 Nehemiah finally brings 00:22:10.120 --> 00:22:11.680 the request to God. 00:22:11.860 --> 00:22:12.920 Look with me in verse 8. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:16.660 Remember the word 00:22:16.660 --> 00:22:17.600 that you commanded 00:22:17.600 --> 00:22:18.440 your servant Moses, 00:22:18.860 --> 00:22:19.200 saying, 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:21.299 if you are unfaithful, 00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:22.120 I will scatter you 00:22:22.120 --> 00:22:22.740 among the peoples, 00:22:22.840 --> 00:22:23.980 but if you return to me 00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:25.320 and keep my commandments 00:22:25.320 --> 00:22:26.080 and do them, 00:22:26.600 --> 00:22:28.039 though your outcasts 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:29.600 are in the uttermost parts 00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:30.140 of heaven. 00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:31.740 It's another way of saying 00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:33.000 to the ends of the earth. 00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:34.060 From there, 00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:34.919 I will gather them 00:22:34.919 --> 00:22:35.460 and bring them 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:36.099 to the place 00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:36.940 that I have chosen 00:22:36.940 --> 00:22:39.079 to make my name dwell there. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:42.059 They are your servants 00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.779 and your people 00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.960 whom you have redeemed 00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:44.919 by your great power 00:22:44.919 --> 00:22:46.019 and by your strong hand. 00:22:46.119 --> 00:22:46.759 O Lord, 00:22:47.419 --> 00:22:48.960 let your ear be attentive 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:50.879 to the prayer of your servant 00:22:50.879 --> 00:22:52.139 and to the prayer 00:22:52.139 --> 00:22:53.019 of your servants 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:54.960 who delight to fear your name 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:55.759 and give success 00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:56.659 to your servant today 00:22:56.659 --> 00:22:58.159 and grant him mercy 00:22:58.159 --> 00:23:00.000 in the sight of this man. 00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:00.960 He's talking about the king. 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:02.599 Now I was cupbearer 00:23:02.599 --> 00:23:03.079 to the king. 00:23:04.059 --> 00:23:04.659 O Lord, 00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:05.500 will you please remember 00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:05.980 your people? 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:09.159 His name is lifted high. 00:23:11.159 --> 00:23:12.639 There is soul searching done 00:23:12.639 --> 00:23:14.720 and now Nehemiah brings 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.799 the request to the Lord. 00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:16.779 O Lord, 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:18.000 the crisis is too much. 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:19.079 Please stop it. 00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:20.579 I'm the cupbearer 00:23:20.579 --> 00:23:21.059 to the king. 00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:22.179 Give me an opportunity 00:23:22.179 --> 00:23:23.879 to speak to the king. 00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:25.139 Maybe he can help us. 00:23:25.140 --> 00:23:27.320 Friends, 00:23:27.380 --> 00:23:28.420 I'm tempted to ask you 00:23:28.420 --> 00:23:29.220 if you pray, 00:23:30.080 --> 00:23:31.380 but the reality is 00:23:31.380 --> 00:23:34.480 even the most ardent skeptics pray. 00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:37.060 Whether you pray to the universe 00:23:37.060 --> 00:23:39.820 or there's some kind of self-prayer, 00:23:40.820 --> 00:23:42.680 whatever it may be, 00:23:43.040 --> 00:23:43.759 the practice, 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:47.160 the practice of prayer 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:49.600 is an intrinsic thing for humanity 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:51.279 and it matters 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:53.159 how we come before the Lord 00:23:53.159 --> 00:23:54.859 and the things we ask him. 00:23:56.139 --> 00:23:59.240 It matters that we come to the God of scriptures, 00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:01.219 to the God of scripture 00:24:01.219 --> 00:24:05.679 and we ask him to fulfill his word 00:24:05.679 --> 00:24:06.779 and his design. 00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:09.759 And it's hard to pray 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:12.660 in a consistent way, 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:13.660 but we need to remember 00:24:13.660 --> 00:24:15.139 that if we're not praying to the Lord, 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:16.759 we're praying to something else. 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:19.680 Hopefully not someone else. 00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:22.660 Again, our hearts drift. 00:24:24.180 --> 00:24:25.940 Nehemiah here reminds us 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:28.359 to pray to the Lord 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:30.200 and to be fervent in that prayer 00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:32.460 and to bring our requests to him. 00:24:33.139 --> 00:24:34.299 So the real question is, 00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:35.740 who are we praying to 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:36.839 and how are we praying? 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:38.779 Prayer is a practice. 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:43.779 So eloquence isn't a prerequisite to prayer. 00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:45.900 There's a way to pray, 00:24:46.599 --> 00:24:49.200 but it's hard sometimes. 00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:51.039 You know, one of the things that we do here 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:54.079 is we try our best to pray the Bible 00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:55.900 because, I mean, 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:57.720 our words are fine, 00:24:58.120 --> 00:24:59.599 the Bible's words are far better 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:01.539 and they ground us 00:25:01.539 --> 00:25:03.380 in how God wants us to pray 00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:04.299 and approach him. 00:25:04.299 --> 00:25:06.519 So let us pray 00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:10.159 in a very real, honest way, 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:14.720 remembering that God alone 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:16.680 heals, restores, and redeems. 00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:19.299 So here it is. 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:20.380 He prays, 00:25:20.820 --> 00:25:22.160 give me favor with the king. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:23.220 Verse 11. 00:25:25.060 --> 00:25:25.860 And then it says, 00:25:26.100 --> 00:25:27.279 and I was a cupbearer to the king. 00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:27.700 Okay? 00:25:28.560 --> 00:25:29.440 Roll credits, 00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:30.380 scene, 00:25:30.620 --> 00:25:32.400 episode one of the mini-series. 00:25:32.900 --> 00:25:33.680 You're thinking, 00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.820 Nehemiah's next scene, 00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.759 he's in front of the king. 00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:38.200 It's going down. 00:25:38.420 --> 00:25:39.779 Like, God has heard the prayer. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:41.700 The problem is huge. 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:43.279 He's going to, 00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:43.700 you know, 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.600 the next scene, 00:25:44.700 --> 00:25:45.279 the next day, 00:25:45.360 --> 00:25:45.920 the next moment, 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:47.620 he's going to be before the king. 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:48.340 But look with me 00:25:48.340 --> 00:25:50.600 in chapter 2, verse 1. 00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:52.860 And this moves us 00:25:52.860 --> 00:25:55.180 soon to our second part 00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:55.920 where Nehemiah, 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:58.120 his courage to act is incredible. 00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.500 But look with me 00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:00.759 in verse 1 of chapter 2. 00:26:00.980 --> 00:26:01.819 In the month of Nisan, 00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:03.180 in the 12th year 00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:04.180 of King Artaxerxes, 00:26:04.840 --> 00:26:06.059 when wine was before him, 00:26:06.080 --> 00:26:06.900 I took up the wine 00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:07.759 and gave it to the king. 00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:10.019 Now I had been sad 00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:10.720 in his presence. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:12.160 And the king said to me, 00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:13.700 Why is your face sad 00:26:13.700 --> 00:26:14.900 seeing you are not sick? 00:26:15.799 --> 00:26:16.460 This is nothing 00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:18.200 but sadness of the heart. 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:19.299 Okay. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.960 Just pause really quickly there. 00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:23.440 This isn't the next day. 00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:24.559 This is four months later 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.859 that this is happening. 00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:27.299 If you look here 00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:28.500 in chapter 1, 00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.599 if you go back to chapter 1, 00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:30.779 verses, 00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:32.640 chapter 1, verse 1, 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:32.920 it says, 00:26:33.059 --> 00:26:33.460 Now it happened 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.559 in the month of Kislev 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:35.940 in the 20th year. 00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:37.759 chapter 2 starts 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:38.440 in the month of Nisan. 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:40.519 It's about 100 plus days 00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:43.940 between Nehemiah's prayer 00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:44.640 in chapter 1 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:45.900 and what actually goes down 00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:46.580 in chapter 2. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:48.299 Four months of living 00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:48.820 with the fear 00:26:48.820 --> 00:26:49.380 that your people 00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:50.160 may be destroyed. 00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:53.559 Four months of unanswered silence. 00:26:55.960 --> 00:26:56.660 Nehemiah's praying 00:26:56.660 --> 00:26:57.559 day and night, okay? 00:26:57.779 --> 00:27:00.180 He is laboring in prayer. 00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:03.279 God is not answering him. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:04.319 At least it seems like 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:06.059 he's not answering him. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.299 For four months. 00:27:07.399 --> 00:27:08.519 Now, okay, 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.200 in a lifetime, 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:10.240 four months, 00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:11.059 what's four months? 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:13.559 Pray for something now 00:27:13.559 --> 00:27:14.460 that is urgent. 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.660 There is a calamity, 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:16.839 a crisis upon you. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:18.139 Pray that the Lord 00:27:18.139 --> 00:27:18.859 would intervene 00:27:18.859 --> 00:27:20.019 and keep praying 00:27:20.019 --> 00:27:20.859 for four months. 00:27:21.639 --> 00:27:22.680 It's a long time. 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:23.559 It's a difficult 00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:26.879 series of prayers. 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:28.360 Frustrations 00:27:28.360 --> 00:27:30.120 surely mounted. 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:31.160 Four months. 00:27:32.060 --> 00:27:32.780 Will Jerusalem 00:27:32.780 --> 00:27:34.080 be a wasteland 00:27:34.080 --> 00:27:34.820 in four months? 00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:36.640 Four months of silence. 00:27:38.260 --> 00:27:38.740 You know, 00:27:38.840 --> 00:27:39.580 the wonderful thing 00:27:39.580 --> 00:27:40.140 about prayer 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:41.940 is that God answers 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:43.900 in his own timing 00:27:43.900 --> 00:27:44.740 and in his own way. 00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.400 Sometimes it's with a no. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:48.880 Sometimes it's with a yes. 00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:50.200 But God hears 00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:51.960 and he answers his prayers. 00:27:52.340 --> 00:27:52.900 But again, 00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:54.640 in his timing. 00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:55.080 So, 00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:56.900 in this period 00:27:56.900 --> 00:27:57.400 of waiting, 00:27:58.600 --> 00:28:00.160 what happens to Nehemiah? 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:00.340 Well, 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:01.040 we're not sure, 00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:01.900 but what happens 00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:02.259 with us 00:28:02.259 --> 00:28:03.020 when we have to wait? 00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:04.280 It helps us 00:28:04.280 --> 00:28:04.940 to relinquish 00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:05.540 our desire 00:28:05.540 --> 00:28:06.120 and ability 00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:07.080 to control the narrative. 00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:08.740 To fix things 00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:09.720 on our own. 00:28:11.140 --> 00:28:12.120 Nehemiah is powerless 00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:13.140 and he knows it. 00:28:14.060 --> 00:28:15.680 For if he had the power 00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:16.759 to remedy the situation, 00:28:16.900 --> 00:28:17.380 he would have done 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:17.940 so immediately. 00:28:18.060 --> 00:28:18.340 Because, 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.420 how does it end? 00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:20.759 Chapter 1. 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:23.160 At the very end 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:24.620 of verse 15, 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:26.560 and grant him mercy 00:28:26.560 --> 00:28:27.720 in the sight of this man. 00:28:27.800 --> 00:28:27.900 Oh, 00:28:28.120 --> 00:28:28.980 a bit before that, 00:28:29.060 --> 00:28:29.240 sorry. 00:28:31.520 --> 00:28:32.360 Give success 00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:33.259 to your servant today. 00:28:34.300 --> 00:28:34.980 Nehemiah wants 00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:36.200 this solved ASAP 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:37.220 and he has to wait 00:28:37.220 --> 00:28:39.000 four long months. 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:41.880 The temptation 00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:42.840 of the Christian 00:28:42.840 --> 00:28:43.900 to accuse God 00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:44.600 of being absent 00:28:44.600 --> 00:28:45.400 is ever present. 00:28:46.120 --> 00:28:46.540 It is. 00:28:46.580 --> 00:28:47.140 It is present 00:28:47.140 --> 00:28:47.880 in our home. 00:28:48.020 --> 00:28:48.660 It is present, 00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:49.300 I'm sure, 00:28:49.340 --> 00:28:50.380 amongst us 00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:51.080 this morning. 00:28:51.939 --> 00:28:52.679 We have prayed, 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:53.199 we have looked 00:28:53.199 --> 00:28:53.679 to God 00:28:53.679 --> 00:28:54.379 and he has not 00:28:54.379 --> 00:28:55.019 come through. 00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:57.039 At least from our perspective. 00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:58.599 But again, 00:28:58.679 --> 00:28:59.179 God's timing 00:28:59.179 --> 00:28:59.899 is not our timing. 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.339 God knew 00:29:01.339 --> 00:29:02.359 when it would be best 00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:02.980 for Nehemiah 00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.519 to be in front 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:03.939 of the king. 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:06.220 And it wasn't right away. 00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:07.500 It was four months after. 00:29:08.659 --> 00:29:10.399 And I'll just say this 00:29:10.399 --> 00:29:11.139 before we get 00:29:11.139 --> 00:29:11.919 into the next section. 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:14.079 If Nehemiah went 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:15.059 haphazardly in front 00:29:15.059 --> 00:29:15.480 of the king 00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:16.359 as the cupbearer, 00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:18.019 very good possibility 00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:18.799 that he'd be hanging 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:20.159 from the gallows. 00:29:21.199 --> 00:29:22.299 You don't go into 00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:23.539 the king's presence 00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:24.699 with your own agenda 00:29:24.699 --> 00:29:26.339 showing sadness, 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:27.579 especially as a cupbearer. 00:29:27.659 --> 00:29:28.619 You're bringing wine, 00:29:28.719 --> 00:29:29.659 you're bringing happiness, 00:29:30.179 --> 00:29:31.079 you're bringing the party. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:34.619 If Nehemiah went in 00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:35.479 in his own timing 00:29:35.479 --> 00:29:36.279 and his own strength 00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:37.099 with his own strategy, 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:38.379 who knows what would have happened. 00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:40.219 Jerusalem would have been 00:29:40.219 --> 00:29:41.599 potentially laid waste forever. 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:44.079 But God in his timing knew. 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:46.439 God in his timing knew. 00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:47.199 So look with me, 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:49.019 chapter 2, verses 1 to 6. 00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:50.079 And let's see 00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:51.799 Nehemiah's courage to act. 00:29:52.379 --> 00:29:52.819 Number one, 00:29:52.939 --> 00:29:53.879 there's courage right away 00:29:53.879 --> 00:29:55.159 to wait for the Lord. 00:29:55.939 --> 00:29:57.119 It takes a lot of courage. 00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:58.220 It takes a lot of patience. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:00.039 And we see that here. 00:30:00.179 --> 00:30:01.279 Look with me now 00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:02.639 to verse 1 to 6. 00:30:02.939 --> 00:30:03.799 In the month of Nisan, 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:05.439 in the 20th year 00:30:05.439 --> 00:30:06.460 of King Artaxerxes, 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:08.339 when wine was before him, 00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:09.220 I took up the wine 00:30:09.220 --> 00:30:10.079 and gave it to the king. 00:30:10.619 --> 00:30:11.759 Now I had not been sad 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.399 in his presence. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:13.319 And the king said to me, 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:14.679 Why is your face sad 00:30:14.679 --> 00:30:16.379 seeing you are not sick? 00:30:16.939 --> 00:30:17.799 This is nothing but 00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:19.159 sadness of the heart. 00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:21.460 Then I was very much afraid. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:22.939 And that fear is a real fear. 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:25.639 His life hangs in the balance, 00:30:25.859 --> 00:30:26.879 but also Jerusalem 00:30:26.879 --> 00:30:27.740 hangs in the balance. 00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:29.559 And I said to the king, 00:30:29.639 --> 00:30:30.720 Let the king live forever. 00:30:31.679 --> 00:30:33.259 Why should not my face be sad 00:30:33.259 --> 00:30:34.379 when the city, 00:30:34.679 --> 00:30:36.399 the place of my father's graves, 00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:37.899 lies in ruins? 00:30:38.439 --> 00:30:40.220 Its gates have been destroyed by fire. 00:30:40.220 --> 00:30:42.100 Then the king said to me, 00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:43.620 What are you requesting? 00:30:44.259 --> 00:30:46.279 So I prayed to the God of heaven. 00:30:46.700 --> 00:30:47.539 And I said to the king, 00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:48.600 If it pleases the king, 00:30:48.819 --> 00:30:49.779 and if your servant 00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:51.140 has found favor in your sight, 00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:53.360 that you send me to Judah, 00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:55.400 to the city of my father's graves, 00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:57.880 that I may rebuild it. 00:30:58.600 --> 00:30:59.620 And the king said to me, 00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:00.960 the queen sitting beside him, 00:31:01.160 --> 00:31:02.460 How long will you be gone? 00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:03.839 And when will you return? 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:05.759 So it pleased the king to send me 00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:07.700 when I had given him a time. 00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:11.580 Nehemiah is risking life and limb here. 00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:14.580 And in God's timing, 00:31:14.700 --> 00:31:15.220 he has favor. 00:31:16.080 --> 00:31:17.100 God answers his prayers. 00:31:17.880 --> 00:31:18.840 Four months later, 00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:21.400 God answers his prayers. 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:24.519 I mean, if the king was having a bad day, 00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:26.100 if there were bad news, 00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:28.580 also Nehemiah is asking the king, 00:31:28.759 --> 00:31:29.340 in a sense, 00:31:30.180 --> 00:31:33.960 to undo the decree that he gave 00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:34.860 to put a moratorium 00:31:34.860 --> 00:31:36.180 on the building of Jerusalem. 00:31:36.180 --> 00:31:38.200 It could have been very offensive to the king. 00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:41.140 What you did was wrong. 00:31:42.120 --> 00:31:43.240 Please reverse it. 00:31:43.400 --> 00:31:43.799 No. 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:46.019 I mean, that's what gets you, 00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:47.360 you know, to the chopping block. 00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:49.000 But instead, 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:50.240 in God's timing, 00:31:50.360 --> 00:31:51.120 in God's ways, 00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:52.460 bathed in prayer, 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:53.920 looking to God 00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:55.700 for salvation, 00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:56.700 he says, 00:31:57.100 --> 00:31:58.080 Long live the king. 00:31:58.079 --> 00:32:00.139 And he appeals, 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:03.159 not to the rebuilding of Jerusalem 00:32:03.159 --> 00:32:04.379 so much as he does 00:32:04.379 --> 00:32:07.720 to the sense of honoring the dead 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:08.859 that the Persians would have. 00:32:08.939 --> 00:32:09.559 What does he say 00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:11.539 in verse 6? 00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:13.399 He says, 00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:14.899 Let the king live forever. 00:32:15.019 --> 00:32:16.439 Why should not my face be sad 00:32:16.439 --> 00:32:17.159 when the city, 00:32:17.259 --> 00:32:18.980 the place of my father's graves, 00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:20.619 lies in ruins? 00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:22.739 To honor the dead 00:32:22.739 --> 00:32:23.739 was big in Persia. 00:32:23.919 --> 00:32:24.419 And the Lord, 00:32:24.659 --> 00:32:25.419 in his wisdom 00:32:25.419 --> 00:32:26.539 and in his timing, 00:32:27.179 --> 00:32:28.319 helps Nehemiah 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:29.619 to appeal to the king 00:32:29.619 --> 00:32:30.259 in the way 00:32:30.259 --> 00:32:31.559 that the king would understand. 00:32:32.639 --> 00:32:33.599 In his timing. 00:32:34.419 --> 00:32:35.779 And what is the result? 00:32:36.339 --> 00:32:36.739 Favor. 00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:38.559 So, 00:32:38.679 --> 00:32:39.199 look with me, 00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:39.879 continue on 00:32:39.879 --> 00:32:41.899 in verses 7 to 8. 00:32:41.900 --> 00:32:43.240 And I said to the king, 00:32:43.540 --> 00:32:44.519 If it pleases the king, 00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:45.860 let letters be given me 00:32:45.860 --> 00:32:47.940 to the governors of the province 00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:49.080 beyond the river. 00:32:49.100 --> 00:32:50.280 That's a trans-Euphrates, 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:51.980 not like modern-day Iraq, 00:32:52.519 --> 00:32:54.180 that they may let me pass through 00:32:54.180 --> 00:32:55.240 until I come to Judah. 00:32:55.700 --> 00:32:57.519 And a letter to Asaph, 00:32:57.640 --> 00:32:59.460 the keeper of the king's forest, 00:32:59.860 --> 00:33:01.460 that he may give me timber 00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:02.780 to make beams for the gates 00:33:02.780 --> 00:33:04.460 and fortress of the temple 00:33:04.460 --> 00:33:06.320 and for the wall of the city 00:33:06.320 --> 00:33:07.120 and for the house 00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:08.340 that I shall occupy. 00:33:09.120 --> 00:33:10.320 And the king granted me 00:33:10.320 --> 00:33:11.040 what I asked 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:12.500 for the good hand 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:13.440 of my God 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.379 was upon me. 00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:17.519 The king hears him favorably, 00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:18.799 grants him these 00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:20.480 even greater requests 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:22.700 than just put an end 00:33:22.700 --> 00:33:23.659 to the destruction, 00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:24.980 help me to rebuild it. 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:26.639 But here's the big deciding factor 00:33:26.639 --> 00:33:27.319 in all of this. 00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:29.680 Verse 8, 00:33:29.799 --> 00:33:30.740 the second part of verse 8. 00:33:31.059 --> 00:33:31.940 And the king granted me 00:33:31.940 --> 00:33:32.480 what I asked. 00:33:32.579 --> 00:33:32.839 Why? 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:35.500 For the good hand of God 00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:36.159 was upon me. 00:33:36.659 --> 00:33:37.059 That was it. 00:33:37.220 --> 00:33:38.180 We saw this a lot 00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:40.220 in Ezra chapter 7. 00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:42.160 The good hand of the Lord 00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:42.980 was upon me. 00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:44.100 God favored me. 00:33:44.200 --> 00:33:45.100 God was directing 00:33:45.100 --> 00:33:46.920 all of his steps. 00:33:47.799 --> 00:33:48.680 It wasn't the king's decree 00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:49.200 ultimately, 00:33:49.600 --> 00:33:51.319 but the hand of the Lord 00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:52.579 upon him. 00:33:54.360 --> 00:33:55.400 There's more to say 00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:56.039 on this subject, 00:33:56.220 --> 00:33:57.319 but it's really important 00:33:57.319 --> 00:33:58.980 that we understand 00:33:58.980 --> 00:34:00.819 that the hand of the triune God 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:01.700 is guiding history. 00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:03.819 And it's hard to think 00:34:03.819 --> 00:34:04.400 about that, 00:34:04.460 --> 00:34:07.440 especially when there is 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:10.539 mass killings 00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.980 in multiple parts 00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:12.360 of the world 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:13.320 happening right now 00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:14.300 or genocides 00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:17.760 or the ongoing culture 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:19.320 of death in Canada 00:34:19.320 --> 00:34:20.860 with euthanasia 00:34:20.860 --> 00:34:21.480 and abortion. 00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:22.460 You think, 00:34:22.860 --> 00:34:23.720 how on earth 00:34:23.720 --> 00:34:27.000 is God guiding history? 00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:27.639 Like, 00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:28.380 is he guiding it 00:34:28.380 --> 00:34:29.039 towards evil? 00:34:29.619 --> 00:34:30.320 There's a lot to say 00:34:30.320 --> 00:34:30.700 about that. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:32.140 It's a tough question, 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:34.340 but we can trust 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:35.340 that God is working 00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:36.240 all things out 00:34:36.240 --> 00:34:37.760 for his glory 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:38.480 and for the good 00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:39.240 of his people, 00:34:39.820 --> 00:34:41.720 directing all of history 00:34:41.720 --> 00:34:44.240 towards a triumphant end 00:34:44.240 --> 00:34:45.720 where Jesus will come 00:34:45.720 --> 00:34:46.380 and destroy 00:34:46.380 --> 00:34:47.480 all that is evil 00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:48.280 forever, 00:34:48.580 --> 00:34:49.700 that there will be 00:34:49.700 --> 00:34:50.380 no more tears 00:34:50.380 --> 00:34:51.240 of sadness, 00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:53.580 that light 00:34:53.579 --> 00:34:54.719 and life 00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:56.480 will be in abundance 00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:57.400 forever and ever. 00:34:57.920 --> 00:34:58.880 And here 00:34:58.880 --> 00:34:59.779 is an example 00:34:59.779 --> 00:35:00.559 of God 00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:01.579 guiding 00:35:01.579 --> 00:35:02.639 the 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:04.159 guiding history 00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:05.779 by his good hand 00:35:05.779 --> 00:35:07.819 directing the affairs 00:35:07.819 --> 00:35:08.480 of even the king 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:08.920 of Persia. 00:35:10.799 --> 00:35:11.940 You might never be 00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:12.500 in the position 00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:13.259 of Nehemiah 00:35:13.259 --> 00:35:14.059 before a king 00:35:14.059 --> 00:35:14.960 standing in the gap 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.900 for an entire nation, 00:35:16.099 --> 00:35:17.400 but we are faced 00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.019 with decisions 00:35:18.019 --> 00:35:18.860 on the daily 00:35:18.860 --> 00:35:20.119 that require courage 00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:21.539 and God's good hand 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:22.159 upon us. 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:23.539 There are people 00:35:23.539 --> 00:35:24.579 that look to us, 00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:26.379 one person, 00:35:27.239 --> 00:35:28.500 a dozen people, 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:29.699 whether it's 00:35:29.699 --> 00:35:30.960 the employees 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:31.619 under us 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:32.599 or the children 00:35:32.599 --> 00:35:34.819 that God has given us, 00:35:36.359 --> 00:35:36.960 influence, 00:35:37.759 --> 00:35:38.559 the neighbors 00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:39.239 that we influence, 00:35:39.379 --> 00:35:40.119 family members 00:35:40.119 --> 00:35:43.000 that rely upon us, 00:35:43.099 --> 00:35:44.179 whatever it may be, 00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:46.579 we need God's good hand 00:35:46.579 --> 00:35:47.139 upon us 00:35:47.139 --> 00:35:48.619 on the daily 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:49.219 and Nehemiah 00:35:49.219 --> 00:35:50.159 teaches us that 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:53.059 consistent, 00:35:53.799 --> 00:35:54.199 real, 00:35:54.619 --> 00:35:55.000 godly, 00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:55.739 raw prayer 00:35:55.739 --> 00:35:57.480 is at the core 00:35:57.480 --> 00:35:57.819 of that. 00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:03.699 Doing right 00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:04.299 takes courage 00:36:04.299 --> 00:36:05.219 and responding well 00:36:05.219 --> 00:36:06.259 in times of crises 00:36:06.259 --> 00:36:07.699 may require courage. 00:36:08.859 --> 00:36:09.399 And here, 00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:11.000 Nehemiah's act 00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:12.279 of courage 00:36:12.279 --> 00:36:13.940 in the presence 00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:14.460 of a king 00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:16.019 is directly connected 00:36:16.019 --> 00:36:16.960 to his prayer life. 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:18.760 And it is hard 00:36:18.760 --> 00:36:19.139 to pray, 00:36:19.240 --> 00:36:19.639 but friends, 00:36:19.699 --> 00:36:20.059 this is why 00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:20.920 we gather together 00:36:20.920 --> 00:36:21.980 and we pray 00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:23.179 week after week 00:36:23.179 --> 00:36:24.280 and we ask the Lord 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:24.960 to help us, 00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:26.079 to cleanse us 00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:26.800 from our sins, 00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:28.039 to help us 00:36:28.039 --> 00:36:29.119 to live for his glory, 00:36:29.340 --> 00:36:30.420 to build up 00:36:30.420 --> 00:36:31.380 our inner man. 00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:33.099 This is why we pray. 00:36:34.059 --> 00:36:34.539 But remember 00:36:34.539 --> 00:36:35.280 that the courage 00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:35.860 to act 00:36:35.860 --> 00:36:37.559 in, 00:36:37.599 --> 00:36:37.920 in, 00:36:38.059 --> 00:36:39.840 what is it, 00:36:39.880 --> 00:36:40.139 the, 00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:41.300 in the month 00:36:41.300 --> 00:36:41.760 of Nisan, 00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:42.840 it really began 00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:43.980 at the, 00:36:44.039 --> 00:36:44.660 at the first 00:36:44.660 --> 00:36:45.440 of the month 00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:46.039 of Kislev. 00:36:47.700 --> 00:36:49.019 Don't despise 00:36:49.019 --> 00:36:50.160 the daily habits 00:36:50.160 --> 00:36:50.780 of praying. 00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:53.300 But, 00:36:53.460 --> 00:36:54.280 if this was just, 00:36:54.380 --> 00:36:55.880 just pray more sermon, 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:57.820 I think we would be 00:36:57.820 --> 00:36:59.360 improperly served. 00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:01.059 Because ultimately, 00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:02.880 we can't will ourselves 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:04.019 to pray 00:37:04.019 --> 00:37:06.160 and to desire God. 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:07.120 God gives us 00:37:07.120 --> 00:37:07.680 the gift 00:37:07.680 --> 00:37:09.079 that draws us 00:37:09.079 --> 00:37:09.660 to himself. 00:37:09.659 --> 00:37:12.039 and ultimately, 00:37:12.259 --> 00:37:13.259 we see that 00:37:13.259 --> 00:37:14.980 Nehemiah stood 00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:15.379 in the gap 00:37:15.379 --> 00:37:16.000 for his people, 00:37:16.179 --> 00:37:16.699 but really, 00:37:16.980 --> 00:37:18.139 Nehemiah was a picture, 00:37:18.279 --> 00:37:18.819 a shadow 00:37:18.819 --> 00:37:19.859 of Christ 00:37:19.859 --> 00:37:21.420 who was in 00:37:21.420 --> 00:37:22.599 an even greater 00:37:22.599 --> 00:37:23.799 position than Nehemiah. 00:37:25.219 --> 00:37:25.739 The, 00:37:25.739 --> 00:37:26.039 the, 00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:27.239 the king of heaven. 00:37:27.879 --> 00:37:28.899 And what does he do? 00:37:29.639 --> 00:37:30.779 He empties himself, 00:37:30.980 --> 00:37:31.759 he puts his 00:37:31.759 --> 00:37:33.139 life on the line 00:37:33.139 --> 00:37:34.619 to stand in the gap 00:37:34.619 --> 00:37:35.480 for you and me 00:37:35.480 --> 00:37:36.159 because of sin. 00:37:36.319 --> 00:37:37.559 Not just to rebuild 00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:38.739 walls of a city, 00:37:39.119 --> 00:37:39.639 but to rebuild 00:37:39.639 --> 00:37:40.500 the lives 00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:41.179 of people. 00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:43.480 And what does Jesus do? 00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:43.859 He, 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:44.359 he, 00:37:44.440 --> 00:37:45.119 he doesn't just 00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:45.799 get favor 00:37:45.799 --> 00:37:47.039 before a king 00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:48.339 and travel to Jerusalem 00:37:48.339 --> 00:37:49.559 and fix things. 00:37:49.659 --> 00:37:50.920 He travels to Jerusalem 00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:51.579 and dies. 00:37:53.679 --> 00:37:53.920 He, 00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:55.659 he dies completely 00:37:55.659 --> 00:37:57.059 in, 00:37:57.179 --> 00:37:57.519 in, 00:37:57.519 --> 00:37:57.960 in, 00:37:57.960 --> 00:37:58.279 in, 00:37:58.279 --> 00:37:58.779 in, 00:37:58.900 --> 00:37:59.079 in, 00:37:59.079 --> 00:38:00.319 in just way. 00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:01.699 I mean, 00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:02.940 the calamity of calamities 00:38:02.940 --> 00:38:04.239 is Christ on the cross 00:38:04.239 --> 00:38:05.279 and yet through that 00:38:05.279 --> 00:38:05.900 what happens? 00:38:06.579 --> 00:38:08.039 He rebuilds 00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:08.879 a church, 00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:10.140 rebuilds a people 00:38:10.140 --> 00:38:10.920 into a church 00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:12.420 so that you and I, 00:38:12.539 --> 00:38:13.599 the scriptures describe 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:14.800 as living stones. 00:38:16.140 --> 00:38:17.200 It's a remarkable thing. 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:19.180 Jesus is the greater 00:38:19.180 --> 00:38:20.220 Nehemiah 00:38:20.220 --> 00:38:21.559 who is rebuilding 00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:22.320 the temple 00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:22.920 that is called 00:38:22.920 --> 00:38:23.440 the church 00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:24.760 where his spirit resides 00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:26.380 and he teaches us 00:38:26.380 --> 00:38:27.160 to pray. 00:38:28.300 --> 00:38:29.280 And not just that, 00:38:29.320 --> 00:38:30.500 but when he dies 00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:31.360 and rises again 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:32.380 and ascends to heaven, 00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:34.140 he continues 00:38:34.139 --> 00:38:34.839 to intercede 00:38:34.839 --> 00:38:35.639 on our behalf 00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:37.639 so that Jesus' 00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:39.179 prayers help us 00:38:39.179 --> 00:38:40.460 in our day to day. 00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:41.159 His spirit 00:38:41.159 --> 00:38:42.299 aids us 00:38:42.299 --> 00:38:42.779 as we 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:44.079 do the things 00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:44.859 that he has called us 00:38:44.859 --> 00:38:45.119 to do 00:38:45.119 --> 00:38:45.699 and helps us 00:38:45.699 --> 00:38:46.359 to come back 00:38:46.359 --> 00:38:47.279 when our hearts drift. 00:38:49.980 --> 00:38:50.940 Jesus is the true 00:38:50.940 --> 00:38:51.739 advisor to the king. 00:38:51.799 --> 00:38:52.059 In fact, 00:38:52.119 --> 00:38:52.960 he's the king himself. 00:38:53.799 --> 00:38:54.480 He is at the right 00:38:54.480 --> 00:38:55.319 hand of the father 00:38:55.320 --> 00:38:57.640 and he is also 00:38:57.640 --> 00:38:59.380 to all of us 00:38:59.380 --> 00:39:00.340 who have put our faith 00:39:00.340 --> 00:39:01.100 and trust in him, 00:39:01.519 --> 00:39:02.539 has given his 00:39:02.539 --> 00:39:04.200 strong hand, 00:39:04.280 --> 00:39:05.000 his good hand. 00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:06.380 He's given us his favor. 00:39:07.340 --> 00:39:07.880 Let us pray. 00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:09.760 Heavenly Father, 00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:10.360 we thank you 00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:13.340 for this example 00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:14.100 of what prayer 00:39:14.100 --> 00:39:14.680 looks like 00:39:14.680 --> 00:39:15.860 in a time of crisis. 00:39:16.940 --> 00:39:17.380 Lord, 00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:18.039 we thank you 00:39:18.039 --> 00:39:19.580 what action looks like 00:39:19.580 --> 00:39:21.740 in a time of crisis 00:39:21.740 --> 00:39:22.740 and how it takes courage, 00:39:22.840 --> 00:39:23.260 but really 00:39:23.260 --> 00:39:25.300 it takes consistency 00:39:25.300 --> 00:39:28.400 of consistency 00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:29.000 in prayer 00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:30.560 to be on our knees 00:39:30.560 --> 00:39:32.320 seeking your face 00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:33.880 and Lord, 00:39:33.960 --> 00:39:34.580 in the times 00:39:34.580 --> 00:39:35.820 where we do not 00:39:35.820 --> 00:39:36.600 hear from you, 00:39:36.700 --> 00:39:38.039 when you are silent, 00:39:39.120 --> 00:39:39.760 would you please 00:39:39.760 --> 00:39:40.420 reassure us 00:39:40.420 --> 00:39:41.160 by your word, 00:39:41.620 --> 00:39:42.340 by your church, 00:39:42.460 --> 00:39:42.960 by people 00:39:42.960 --> 00:39:44.300 that we call 00:39:44.300 --> 00:39:45.120 brothers and sisters 00:39:45.120 --> 00:39:45.960 to keep going 00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:47.080 and that you do 00:39:47.080 --> 00:39:47.760 hear us 00:39:47.760 --> 00:39:48.420 and that you do 00:39:48.420 --> 00:39:49.300 desire to answer 00:39:49.300 --> 00:39:49.780 our prayers 00:39:49.780 --> 00:39:50.740 and bless us 00:39:50.740 --> 00:39:52.200 and Lord, 00:39:52.300 --> 00:39:53.120 we just ask 00:39:53.120 --> 00:39:53.840 for your patience 00:39:53.840 --> 00:39:55.200 and wisdom 00:39:55.199 --> 00:39:56.319 and perspective 00:39:56.319 --> 00:39:56.859 to know 00:39:56.859 --> 00:39:57.500 that your timing 00:39:57.500 --> 00:39:58.319 is better than ours 00:39:58.319 --> 00:39:59.539 and your answer 00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.379 is always better 00:40:00.379 --> 00:40:00.960 than ours. 00:40:01.899 --> 00:40:02.539 So Lord, 00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:04.699 we go our separate ways 00:40:04.699 --> 00:40:06.000 soon, 00:40:06.699 --> 00:40:08.179 Lord, 00:40:08.299 --> 00:40:09.000 trusting that 00:40:09.000 --> 00:40:10.359 you desire to bless 00:40:10.359 --> 00:40:11.779 and not to curse 00:40:11.779 --> 00:40:12.980 and to continue 00:40:12.980 --> 00:40:14.439 to build up your church 00:40:14.439 --> 00:40:15.639 as a temple 00:40:15.639 --> 00:40:16.539 of the Holy Spirit. 00:40:17.539 --> 00:40:18.079 We thank you 00:40:18.079 --> 00:40:18.619 in Christ's name. 00:40:18.679 --> 00:40:18.839 Amen. 00:40:18.839 --> 00:40:18.939 Amen. 00:40:18.939 --> 00:40:19.239 Amen. 00:40:19.239 --> 00:40:19.500 Amen. 00:40:19.500 --> 00:40:19.519 Amen. 00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:19.559 Amen. 00:40:19.559 --> 00:40:19.619 Amen. 00:40:19.619 --> 00:40:20.059 Amen. 00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:20.079 Amen. 00:40:20.079 --> 00:40:20.159 Amen. 00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:20.179 Amen. 00:40:20.179 --> 00:40:20.199 Amen. 00:40:20.199 --> 00:40:20.219 Amen.