1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker: That king actually came more or less by himself. 2 00:00:04,290 --> 00:00:08,220 So his has a privileged position in this setting. 3 00:00:08,850 --> 00:00:13,110 Uh, we need to remember that as this story, this account, what happens 4 00:00:13,110 --> 00:00:17,250 to Nehemiah that he writes begins there are many things that God 5 00:00:17,250 --> 00:00:19,200 has already put in place, right? 6 00:00:19,230 --> 00:00:23,490 We don't know how all these things came to be, but it is God who has established 7 00:00:23,790 --> 00:00:27,660 like everything that's come before this, so that what we hear about next. 8 00:00:28,590 --> 00:00:29,459 May happen. 9 00:00:29,490 --> 00:00:29,700 Okay. 10 00:00:29,700 --> 00:00:32,189 So the setting is a serious one. 11 00:00:32,339 --> 00:00:33,510 It's an intimidating one. 12 00:00:34,019 --> 00:00:38,010 Uh, this is not a, a light role that Nehemiah has and the things 13 00:00:38,010 --> 00:00:41,280 that are gonna come after this, we need to remember what that's like. 14 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:44,790 If you've read the book of Esther, uh, the book of Esther gives a lot 15 00:00:44,790 --> 00:00:47,190 of detail to how this might look. 16 00:00:47,190 --> 00:00:51,599 Granted, Esther happens effectively a generation earlier, but you can remember 17 00:00:51,599 --> 00:00:55,285 from that account many of the things that will be helpful to inform your. 18 00:00:55,995 --> 00:00:59,025 Uh, imagination as it were, as we think about this. 19 00:00:59,025 --> 00:01:01,515 So that's where Nehemiah is. 20 00:01:02,444 --> 00:01:07,245 Well, Hannah and I comes from Judah, and in verse three, uh, he 21 00:01:07,455 --> 00:01:11,685 tells Nehemiah what has happened. 22 00:01:12,015 --> 00:01:13,304 Read with me in verse three. 23 00:01:14,505 --> 00:01:18,615 And they said to me, so Ken and I and his compatriots, they say to me, the 24 00:01:18,615 --> 00:01:24,735 remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble. 25 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:26,520 And shame. 26 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:33,539 The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire. 27 00:01:34,650 --> 00:01:38,700 Notice what Nehemiah asks about, like Nehemiah's first question, and I imagine 28 00:01:38,700 --> 00:01:42,750 he probably asked other questions, but his first question, the thing that sits 29 00:01:42,750 --> 00:01:46,080 most heavily on his part is God's plan. 30 00:01:46,710 --> 00:01:50,170 God's people, the city of Jerusalem is important to him. 31 00:01:50,865 --> 00:01:55,425 If it were not, he wouldn't have asked, and if it were not, he would be concerned 32 00:01:55,425 --> 00:01:57,675 with his privileged role as a cup bearer. 33 00:01:57,854 --> 00:02:02,415 He'd be concerned with increasing his status into his present surroundings, 34 00:02:02,445 --> 00:02:08,085 but he is demonstrating that he has a heart on the onset with his concern 35 00:02:08,115 --> 00:02:11,565 about God's plan and about God's people. 36 00:02:12,105 --> 00:02:13,605 What is he talking about exactly? 37 00:02:13,605 --> 00:02:17,775 What are these, these, these guys talking about as they talk about Jerusalem? 38 00:02:17,775 --> 00:02:21,285 Well, one might think it's related to the original exile, right? 39 00:02:21,285 --> 00:02:24,015 The original exile of the people of Israel. 40 00:02:24,255 --> 00:02:29,505 That would've happened, uh, probably between 6 0 5 and 5 86, so that would've 41 00:02:29,505 --> 00:02:32,050 been significantly before this account. 42 00:02:32,670 --> 00:02:36,990 And I think it's more likely that what is being referred here is 43 00:02:37,020 --> 00:02:39,180 what occurs in the Book of Ezra. 44 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,829 The book of Ezra talks about a number of the attempts and I trust, again, 45 00:02:43,829 --> 00:02:46,560 you've read that before, but just to refresh your, remember, it talks 46 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,820 about a number of the attempts of the people of Israel to, to reestablish. 47 00:02:51,165 --> 00:02:55,965 They're kingdom, uh, of course under the greater kingdom that they are 48 00:02:55,965 --> 00:03:00,825 still in some sense subject to, but they seek to rebuild the temple and 49 00:03:00,825 --> 00:03:05,475 in fact, they seek to rebuild the walls, but not with a ton of success. 50 00:03:05,475 --> 00:03:08,085 Ezra chapter four, verse 23 says, then. 51 00:03:08,595 --> 00:03:12,735 And this is just an example for you to recall what is going on since then. 52 00:03:12,735 --> 00:03:18,555 When the copy of King Art's letter was read before Rainbow and Hai described 53 00:03:18,735 --> 00:03:22,725 and their associates, they went and pasted to the Jews at Jerusalem, and 54 00:03:22,725 --> 00:03:26,775 by force and power made them cease. 55 00:03:26,865 --> 00:03:27,825 They made them see. 56 00:03:27,825 --> 00:03:32,115 So there are political oppositions, there are, uh, even threats. 57 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,829 Uh, there are threats of military, a action. 58 00:03:34,829 --> 00:03:39,630 There's threats of Raiders, and, and there is also King Arteris 59 00:03:40,590 --> 00:03:43,109 who is, uh, calling them to cease. 60 00:03:43,380 --> 00:03:47,910 And granted, I'm not gonna go into all the details of the timeline here, but it goes 61 00:03:47,910 --> 00:03:51,269 on and answer and says, then the work of the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem 62 00:03:51,269 --> 00:03:56,430 stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the raid of Darius King Persia. 63 00:03:56,460 --> 00:03:57,644 So all that to be said. 64 00:03:58,275 --> 00:04:00,525 This situation is, is not good. 65 00:04:00,585 --> 00:04:03,255 This is not a good situation for the people of Israel. 66 00:04:03,585 --> 00:04:10,215 And we see them in what Hannah and I says, okay, what does Nehemiah do? 67 00:04:10,755 --> 00:04:12,615 What does ne Nehemiah do? 68 00:04:13,995 --> 00:04:16,784 He has, in some sense, every right to sprinkle to action. 69 00:04:17,144 --> 00:04:21,915 He hears this news, and it might be right for him to say, I gotta solve this. 70 00:04:22,034 --> 00:04:23,445 I need to go to the king right away. 71 00:04:23,895 --> 00:04:26,890 I need to travel to Jerusalem to solve this problem, to help with this. 72 00:04:27,705 --> 00:04:30,915 I need to talk to Hannah and I and and some patriots and say, you guys need to 73 00:04:30,915 --> 00:04:32,235 do this and that and the other thing. 74 00:04:32,715 --> 00:04:35,534 And in some sense, he would be right to do that. 75 00:04:35,570 --> 00:04:36,315 In some sense. 76 00:04:36,315 --> 00:04:39,790 He would be right to do that, but he doesn't do that. 77 00:04:40,010 --> 00:04:40,784 He doesn't do that. 78 00:04:40,784 --> 00:04:44,295 At least he doesn't spring into action in the way that our flesh 79 00:04:44,475 --> 00:04:46,335 might suggest that we should. 80 00:04:46,665 --> 00:04:47,865 He does spring into action. 81 00:04:48,075 --> 00:04:52,845 He does spring into action, and he does that by turning to the Lord in prayer. 82 00:04:53,085 --> 00:04:54,435 And that's our first 0.4 83 00:04:54,435 --> 00:04:55,605 this morning, which is. 84 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,060 Point number one, pray when life hits hard. 85 00:05:00,539 --> 00:05:04,349 Nehemiah cared about a situation in Israel, cared about what was 86 00:05:04,349 --> 00:05:09,570 going on in Jerusalem, and he could have done many things, but he chose 87 00:05:09,780 --> 00:05:14,250 to spring into action as it were by turning to the Lord in prayer. 88 00:05:14,310 --> 00:05:21,570 When this news hits hard, verse four of Nehemiah one says this, 89 00:05:21,630 --> 00:05:22,890 put down at your Bibles with me. 90 00:05:24,195 --> 00:05:32,025 As soon as I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for 91 00:05:32,025 --> 00:05:39,525 days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 92 00:05:40,335 --> 00:05:42,885 As soon as I heard these words, I prayed. 93 00:05:44,580 --> 00:05:47,430 Our flesh often says that we need to do things immediately. 94 00:05:47,460 --> 00:05:50,760 We need to respond to things with our own solutions and our own strength 95 00:05:50,790 --> 00:05:52,170 and our own power right away. 96 00:05:52,170 --> 00:05:53,130 Especially as men. 97 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:54,270 Especially as men. 98 00:05:54,270 --> 00:05:55,830 We want to solve the problems. 99 00:05:55,860 --> 00:05:59,820 We want to be the solution to the things that we fix. 100 00:06:00,540 --> 00:06:05,190 You know, maybe you have a kid who you're trying to raise and you're struggling 101 00:06:05,190 --> 00:06:09,915 with obedience, that you struggle with them being humble and hearing you. 102 00:06:10,815 --> 00:06:13,575 It might be tempting to immediately spread into action. 103 00:06:13,995 --> 00:06:15,734 And in some sense it's good. 104 00:06:15,734 --> 00:06:19,215 I'm not, don't hear me saying all of this is necessarily bad, but if we are 105 00:06:19,215 --> 00:06:22,820 relying on our own strength, we might turn and say, okay, what are we going to do? 106 00:06:22,820 --> 00:06:26,835 What are the three steps that we're gonna do to solve this issue of disobedience? 107 00:06:27,674 --> 00:06:31,755 We need to do that this then, but it needs to be proceeded by court. 108 00:06:32,685 --> 00:06:35,205 Maybe you have a difficult job situation. 109 00:06:35,700 --> 00:06:37,320 Maybe your boss is difficult. 110 00:06:37,530 --> 00:06:40,385 Maybe you have a coworker who's difficult it. 111 00:06:40,590 --> 00:06:43,140 It might be that he say, I know how to solve this. 112 00:06:43,140 --> 00:06:44,970 I'm gonna go to my boss and I'm gonna talk to him. 113 00:06:44,970 --> 00:06:47,880 I'm gonna tell him these four things that are wrong, and it's gonna solve the 114 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,080 problem because he's gonna intervene. 115 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:50,820 Or maybe I'm gonna go to hr. 116 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:51,720 I'm gonna go to hr. 117 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:53,970 I'm gonna tell them, here's the violations. 118 00:06:54,180 --> 00:06:55,620 You need to do something about this. 119 00:06:55,620 --> 00:06:55,860 Right? 120 00:06:56,130 --> 00:06:58,080 Or maybe say, I'm done. 121 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:58,770 I'm gonna quit. 122 00:06:58,950 --> 00:07:00,390 I'm gonna go find another job. 123 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:01,110 I'm done. 124 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:06,659 Not that any of those things are necessarily bad because we have a 125 00:07:06,659 --> 00:07:11,250 heart that thinks and believes that we can solve those problems ourself, 126 00:07:11,250 --> 00:07:13,349 and that's the end all, be all. 127 00:07:13,590 --> 00:07:14,520 We're gonna be in trouble. 128 00:07:15,664 --> 00:07:20,580 Or maybe you have a, a wife who is struggling with anxiety or pain or 129 00:07:21,780 --> 00:07:24,330 depression, and it eats it here. 130 00:07:24,750 --> 00:07:27,330 It, it's difficult for you to watch. 131 00:07:27,630 --> 00:07:28,860 It's painful for you. 132 00:07:30,060 --> 00:07:33,990 You might be inclined to turn right away to solve your problems, 133 00:07:34,409 --> 00:07:38,159 to suggest things, to bring up solutions, to do all sorts of things. 134 00:07:38,375 --> 00:07:41,370 And, and again, we need to do those things as end, right? 135 00:07:41,370 --> 00:07:47,070 You need to love your wives with action, but have you ever we dealing with 136 00:07:47,070 --> 00:07:53,790 those things turn to the Lord in prayer and mourning and weeping for days. 137 00:07:55,245 --> 00:08:01,275 The many of us have not, but Nehemiah is an example of how we ought to do that. 138 00:08:01,335 --> 00:08:04,395 Well, here's a, here's a silly illustration. 139 00:08:04,575 --> 00:08:07,845 I've flown quite a bit less than the number of past number of 140 00:08:07,845 --> 00:08:09,075 years, but I've flown quite a bit. 141 00:08:09,735 --> 00:08:14,445 And I remember our flight sequence, I believe it was from San Jose to Phoenix 142 00:08:14,445 --> 00:08:18,495 to Albuquerque, and I'm on my flight from San Jose to Phoenix, and I'm. 143 00:08:19,155 --> 00:08:19,995 Taxiing up to the gate. 144 00:08:20,025 --> 00:08:25,034 I'm not flying in the plane, taxiing up to the gate and I look at my phone 145 00:08:25,034 --> 00:08:28,815 and I realize my connecting flight is like three hours late and I go, 146 00:08:28,844 --> 00:08:30,375 okay, I'm gonna solve this problem. 147 00:08:30,794 --> 00:08:33,525 I'm gonna solve this problem right here, right now. 148 00:08:33,525 --> 00:08:34,784 I'm gonna go up to the counter. 149 00:08:35,054 --> 00:08:40,005 There is another flight to Albuquerque that's actually leaving before my 150 00:08:40,063 --> 00:08:43,823 original flight, so I can get on that and I can get home and not waste my time. 151 00:08:44,850 --> 00:08:47,160 So I confidently walk up to the desk. 152 00:08:47,339 --> 00:08:50,850 You know, I stand behind somebody who I don't know is, is in tears because their 153 00:08:50,850 --> 00:08:52,860 bag is, you know, four inches too big. 154 00:08:52,860 --> 00:08:53,850 It doesn't fit in the thing. 155 00:08:54,180 --> 00:08:55,530 Wait for that to be resolved. 156 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,709 And I talk to the person, I say, look, this is my flight's late. 157 00:08:59,130 --> 00:09:00,329 I want to get home. 158 00:09:00,390 --> 00:09:01,560 Can I get on this other flight? 159 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:02,610 I don't know. 160 00:09:03,615 --> 00:09:04,185 Let me see. 161 00:09:04,215 --> 00:09:06,885 And then she, you know, begins typing and I don't know what they're doing. 162 00:09:06,885 --> 00:09:09,074 Are they sending messages to their kids? 163 00:09:09,074 --> 00:09:12,555 Like, like they're typing way too long to solve a problem that I think could 164 00:09:12,555 --> 00:09:14,085 be solved with just a few key plates. 165 00:09:14,085 --> 00:09:16,155 But, you know, typing, typing, typing, typing. 166 00:09:16,485 --> 00:09:18,165 She finally goes, yes, we can get you on that flight. 167 00:09:18,435 --> 00:09:18,915 Well, great. 168 00:09:19,694 --> 00:09:25,545 I get on that flight, arrive, Albert walk to the bag, claim, and 169 00:09:25,545 --> 00:09:28,380 I stand by bag claim in my bag. 170 00:09:29,505 --> 00:09:30,944 He's in Clayton, I can't play yet. 171 00:09:30,944 --> 00:09:31,725 Stop there. 172 00:09:32,295 --> 00:09:37,305 I was able to change my flight, but I wasn't able to change my bags flight. 173 00:09:37,935 --> 00:09:42,285 So like sat on the other side of security for like two hours waiting 174 00:09:42,285 --> 00:09:44,235 for my bags to show up on the carousel. 175 00:09:44,475 --> 00:09:48,975 All my clever solutions, all my creative things that I told the 176 00:09:48,975 --> 00:09:51,495 person at the desk to try and convince her to change my flight. 177 00:09:52,095 --> 00:09:52,905 Or meaningless. 178 00:09:52,965 --> 00:09:57,495 Or meaningless, of course, that's a silly example, but often in our life 179 00:09:57,495 --> 00:10:00,885 when we seek to solve problems, uh, we. 180 00:10:01,305 --> 00:10:07,515 Find ourselves not really able to do it, not fully able to solve the problems. 181 00:10:07,515 --> 00:10:10,785 God certainly has called us to, to act and we'll get to them. 182 00:10:11,595 --> 00:10:14,025 But why do we turn to prayer? 183 00:10:14,565 --> 00:10:20,385 Because we're turning to God who is indeed able to solve problems. 184 00:10:20,540 --> 00:10:23,955 He's able to solve them, and he's able to solve them in a fine, 185 00:10:24,165 --> 00:10:30,350 complete way without the silliness of ending up in a situation like I was. 186 00:10:33,900 --> 00:10:36,449 I want to mention that he prays for days. 187 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,100 I think that's worth observant. 188 00:10:38,730 --> 00:10:40,770 I don't think in 2026. 189 00:10:40,980 --> 00:10:45,000 Most of us pray for days and some of that is practical reasons. 190 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:46,230 There's practical reasons for that. 191 00:10:47,579 --> 00:10:48,089 Certainly. 192 00:10:48,300 --> 00:10:52,530 Uh, Paul calls us in first, IANS five 16 through 18. 193 00:10:52,530 --> 00:10:55,170 That passage there that we are to pray without ceasing, right? 194 00:10:55,170 --> 00:10:57,540 That is an important aspect of the Christian life. 195 00:10:58,155 --> 00:11:01,005 Uh, that's something that we should strive for, but I also think we need 196 00:11:01,005 --> 00:11:04,155 to recognize that there's plenty of places in scripture that call us to 197 00:11:04,155 --> 00:11:07,275 pray for a long time, to pray at length. 198 00:11:07,935 --> 00:11:10,335 And Nehemiah doesn't pray for a minute. 199 00:11:10,665 --> 00:11:11,805 He doesn't pray for an hour. 200 00:11:12,165 --> 00:11:13,575 He prays for days. 201 00:11:13,845 --> 00:11:14,925 He prays overnight. 202 00:11:15,345 --> 00:11:16,575 He prays at length. 203 00:11:16,575 --> 00:11:20,445 And one of the things that I think we should pursue in our Christian 204 00:11:20,445 --> 00:11:25,305 life is yes, praying without ceasing, but also when there are serious 205 00:11:25,305 --> 00:11:26,805 things that require our prayer. 206 00:11:27,765 --> 00:11:30,645 Praying for days that could look like a lot of different things. 207 00:11:30,824 --> 00:11:34,125 Again, I know that's not necessarily possible for all of our work schedules 208 00:11:34,125 --> 00:11:39,555 and, and, and the life that we may live, but have we ever taken time off to pray? 209 00:11:40,245 --> 00:11:44,535 Have you ever said, I'm gonna take a PTO day so that I can pray for my kids? 210 00:11:45,194 --> 00:11:49,605 Have you ever spent a night maybe praying for your, your job situation, right? 211 00:11:50,055 --> 00:11:53,655 Giving up the rest that you probably dearly need? 212 00:11:54,075 --> 00:11:57,285 So that you can pray for that situation so that you can pray for your boss, so 213 00:11:57,285 --> 00:11:58,995 that you can pray for your coworkers. 214 00:11:59,625 --> 00:12:04,545 Have you ever, uh, spent days praying for your wife as she 215 00:12:04,545 --> 00:12:06,465 struggles with something serious? 216 00:12:06,675 --> 00:12:08,745 Have you ever wept up for her as you pray? 217 00:12:08,745 --> 00:12:09,765 Have you ever mourned? 218 00:12:10,155 --> 00:12:11,295 Have you ever fasted? 219 00:12:11,745 --> 00:12:15,615 While you pray, the Bible often talks about fasting and prayer together, 220 00:12:15,615 --> 00:12:17,265 and that's nonetheless true here. 221 00:12:17,535 --> 00:12:17,655 Right? 222 00:12:17,775 --> 00:12:18,615 What is he doing? 223 00:12:18,615 --> 00:12:20,715 He is fasting and praying. 224 00:12:20,715 --> 00:12:25,155 In fact, fasting even comes, at least in terms of word order before praying. 225 00:12:25,725 --> 00:12:26,564 Do you fast? 226 00:12:26,595 --> 00:12:29,955 I, I'm not gonna go into on the technicalities of fasting, but if 227 00:12:29,955 --> 00:12:34,185 that is something that God is calling you to do in a spiritual sense, not 228 00:12:34,185 --> 00:12:37,064 necessarily just in a health sense, which I know we like to talk about a lot. 229 00:12:37,545 --> 00:12:38,445 And there's nothing wrong with that. 230 00:12:38,445 --> 00:12:41,205 But if he's following you to spiritually fast and the Bible makes 231 00:12:41,205 --> 00:12:44,895 it clear that Christian's fast, I would commend to you, uh, Dr. 232 00:12:44,895 --> 00:12:49,365 Donald Whitney's chapter on fasting from a book called Spiritual Discipline. 233 00:12:49,365 --> 00:12:52,815 So if that's something that you feel called to do, uh, indeed, 234 00:12:52,815 --> 00:12:55,065 that's a helpful place to go. 235 00:12:55,935 --> 00:12:57,525 So, are you facing something hard? 236 00:12:57,735 --> 00:13:02,025 Is there something in your life that you know God cares about? 237 00:13:03,285 --> 00:13:05,295 Is there something you know that God has? 238 00:13:05,685 --> 00:13:09,855 Clearly made, prevalent, not just in your mind, but through 239 00:13:09,855 --> 00:13:11,655 scripture that you are facing. 240 00:13:11,745 --> 00:13:12,405 That's difficult. 241 00:13:12,410 --> 00:13:16,275 It it, it comes in practical ways and I mentioned kids and job and 242 00:13:16,335 --> 00:13:17,805 wife, but it might be something else. 243 00:13:17,835 --> 00:13:22,545 It might be a legal situation, it might be a health situation that you're facing. 244 00:13:23,175 --> 00:13:27,345 I would encourage you, even this very week, to seek an opportunity 245 00:13:27,525 --> 00:13:29,655 to pray a long time about it. 246 00:13:29,895 --> 00:13:32,265 You may not be able to do it like Nehemiah, you may not be 247 00:13:32,265 --> 00:13:33,435 able to take days to do it. 248 00:13:33,855 --> 00:13:39,195 But I would suggest to you even this very week set it to aside a significant 249 00:13:39,195 --> 00:13:43,905 portion of time, an amount that your schedule allows to pray for that thing 250 00:13:43,935 --> 00:13:47,685 that's in your mind right now that you are facing, that is difficult, that 251 00:13:47,685 --> 00:13:53,295 is challenging, that emulates Nehemiah in that way, even this very week. 252 00:13:54,030 --> 00:13:56,130 Well, we've talked about the method. 253 00:13:56,580 --> 00:13:59,850 We've talked about the method that Nehemiah uses, but it's also important 254 00:13:59,850 --> 00:14:04,890 that we examine the content of his prayers, the content of his prayers. 255 00:14:05,130 --> 00:14:09,990 And thankfully, Nehemiah gives us the content of his prayers Granted, he prays 256 00:14:09,990 --> 00:14:14,400 for many days, and so I think what we see here is a summary, a faithful summary. 257 00:14:14,675 --> 00:14:17,885 Of his prayers and, and perhaps he did pray these specific words at 258 00:14:17,885 --> 00:14:21,755 a time, uh, but this is, this is an encapsulation of his prayers. 259 00:14:21,755 --> 00:14:24,905 So read with me, uh, in verse five. 260 00:14:24,965 --> 00:14:26,795 So we're still chapter one in verse five. 261 00:14:27,065 --> 00:14:30,665 I'm gonna read a little bit longer than maybe normal, but I think it's 262 00:14:30,665 --> 00:14:33,995 important that we hear the whole thing all at once and then we will 263 00:14:34,025 --> 00:14:37,204 digest it together, verse 5 cents. 264 00:14:37,235 --> 00:14:39,020 And I said, oh Lord of heaven. 265 00:14:40,260 --> 00:14:45,210 The great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those 266 00:14:45,390 --> 00:14:47,670 who love him and keep his commandments. 267 00:14:48,750 --> 00:14:53,790 Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant 268 00:14:54,180 --> 00:14:59,610 that I now pray before you dig in night for the people of Israel, your servants 269 00:14:59,910 --> 00:15:04,380 confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. 270 00:15:05,250 --> 00:15:08,790 Even I and my father's house have sinned. 271 00:15:09,405 --> 00:15:14,325 We have acted very abruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, 272 00:15:14,355 --> 00:15:19,665 the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant, Moses. 273 00:15:20,175 --> 00:15:24,945 Remember the word that you commanded Your servant Moses saying, if you are faithful, 274 00:15:25,035 --> 00:15:27,045 I will scatter you among the peoples. 275 00:15:27,135 --> 00:15:30,765 But if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them 276 00:15:31,185 --> 00:15:34,575 though, your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heaven. 277 00:15:34,965 --> 00:15:38,564 From there, I will gather them and bring them to the place that I 278 00:15:38,564 --> 00:15:41,475 have chosen to make my name dwell. 279 00:15:41,475 --> 00:15:47,715 There they are your servants and your people whom you have redeemed by your 280 00:15:47,715 --> 00:15:50,745 great power and by your strong hand. 281 00:15:51,810 --> 00:15:52,320 Oh Lord. 282 00:15:52,380 --> 00:15:57,690 Let your dear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your 283 00:15:57,690 --> 00:16:02,730 servants who delight to fear your name and give success to your servant today. 284 00:16:03,030 --> 00:16:06,180 And grant him mercy in the sight of this man. 285 00:16:06,630 --> 00:16:06,930 Excuse me. 286 00:16:08,010 --> 00:16:10,050 Now, I was a copier to the king. 287 00:16:11,340 --> 00:16:13,170 What do we see in Nehemiah's prayer? 288 00:16:13,230 --> 00:16:17,970 We see him praying for things that only God can do and specifically our second 289 00:16:17,970 --> 00:16:24,689 point for this morning is praying for what God alone can restore, pray alone, 290 00:16:24,780 --> 00:16:27,870 or praying for what God alone can restore. 291 00:16:28,500 --> 00:16:32,610 Let's break this prayer down 'cause I think this is a helpful template for us, 292 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,260 for our prayers and specifically for our prayers of confession before the Lord. 293 00:16:37,785 --> 00:16:41,055 He could just begin to begin to saying, I'm Ty Young. 294 00:16:41,325 --> 00:16:42,675 I have broken your rules. 295 00:16:42,885 --> 00:16:45,735 And there might be times in our life where it's appropriate for 296 00:16:45,885 --> 00:16:48,015 us to pray like that in a moment. 297 00:16:48,585 --> 00:16:52,455 If we're gonna commit ourselves to lengthy prayer about something, it 298 00:16:52,455 --> 00:16:54,135 is helpful to follow this template. 299 00:16:54,345 --> 00:16:55,755 And what does Nehemiah begin? 300 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,760 He begins with who God is. 301 00:17:00,089 --> 00:17:02,160 But look at verse uh, look at verse five. 302 00:17:02,579 --> 00:17:05,848 He begins by telling God, not because God doesn't know these things. 303 00:17:06,270 --> 00:17:10,409 Begins by telling God that he's the great and awesome God. 304 00:17:10,470 --> 00:17:13,740 He describes him and he also talks about what he does. 305 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:14,878 You are the God, right? 306 00:17:14,970 --> 00:17:19,290 Who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him 307 00:17:19,290 --> 00:17:20,670 and keep his commandments. 308 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,878 So he began this by recognizing who God is. 309 00:17:25,050 --> 00:17:29,010 Makes me think of one John one five and that this is a section on a 310 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:31,680 confession if you are familiar with it. 311 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:31,889 Right? 312 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:33,990 And what does John begin this section of? 313 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:34,740 Right. 314 00:17:34,740 --> 00:17:38,190 He begins one John one five by saying this is the message that we have heard 315 00:17:38,190 --> 00:17:45,480 from him and proclaimed to you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 316 00:17:46,020 --> 00:17:49,560 It is right and it's good and fitting for us to begin prayers 317 00:17:49,710 --> 00:17:51,840 by acknowledging who God is. 318 00:17:52,350 --> 00:17:55,800 It's right for us to declare things that are true about him. 319 00:17:56,490 --> 00:18:01,290 That sets the context, that sets the pretense for the confession that we say 320 00:18:01,590 --> 00:18:03,450 for the requests that we make to him. 321 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,240 And Nehemiah does that well. 322 00:18:07,485 --> 00:18:12,255 Also, even again, before getting to any requests or to his confession, 323 00:18:12,255 --> 00:18:15,855 he makes another specific, another specific set of statements. 324 00:18:15,855 --> 00:18:19,695 Again, not that God doesn't know these things or that he has to save them 325 00:18:19,695 --> 00:18:24,815 in order for God to be willing to do it, but he recognizes that God is a. 326 00:18:24,855 --> 00:18:25,815 Who listens. 327 00:18:26,625 --> 00:18:33,195 In verse six, it says, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear 328 00:18:33,225 --> 00:18:38,205 the prayer of your servant that are now praying for you day and night for 329 00:18:38,205 --> 00:18:40,065 the people of Israel, your servants. 330 00:18:40,995 --> 00:18:45,195 He recognizes and, and reminds God, not in the sense that God just forgotten, 331 00:18:45,195 --> 00:18:48,075 but ramani God of his promise to listen. 332 00:18:48,405 --> 00:18:49,700 Isn't it amazing that you. 333 00:18:50,385 --> 00:18:54,105 This very warning can go before God in prayer. 334 00:18:54,645 --> 00:18:56,115 You have a God who listens. 335 00:18:56,385 --> 00:19:00,405 You have a God who has his ears open, as it were, his eyes open, 336 00:19:00,465 --> 00:19:02,505 as it were to your problems. 337 00:19:02,565 --> 00:19:07,575 And as you pray this, it will set up in your mind as you pray, uh, 338 00:19:07,635 --> 00:19:11,955 the right setting, the right context again for the confession, for the 339 00:19:11,955 --> 00:19:14,445 requests that you might make to God. 340 00:19:15,285 --> 00:19:17,715 And then Nehemiah gets to his confession. 341 00:19:18,495 --> 00:19:18,645 Right. 342 00:19:18,825 --> 00:19:23,565 He says, even I, even I and my father's house have sinned. 343 00:19:24,375 --> 00:19:26,865 He makes a very specific consent confession. 344 00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:30,825 I, I think it's fair to suggest that he probably spoke at length 345 00:19:30,825 --> 00:19:31,875 about each of these things, right? 346 00:19:31,875 --> 00:19:35,775 He talks about, uh, the, the acts of corruption, right? 347 00:19:35,775 --> 00:19:39,345 That he's not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that 348 00:19:39,345 --> 00:19:40,995 you've commanded your servant, Moses. 349 00:19:41,010 --> 00:19:45,615 And we see him later in, or Nehemiah specifically addressing those s and those 350 00:19:45,660 --> 00:19:47,340 instructions, and he knows them well. 351 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,220 So he confesses in a specific way. 352 00:19:50,550 --> 00:19:54,300 Uh, there is an aspect here in which he's confessing for the people of Israel. 353 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:59,190 He, he confesses the sin of the corporate body of Israel, and he 354 00:19:59,250 --> 00:20:02,129 also confesses his individual sins. 355 00:20:02,850 --> 00:20:06,930 You as a New Testament believer, are not gonna be confessing the sins of Israel. 356 00:20:07,350 --> 00:20:11,220 It is possible that there would be a time and place for it to be appropriate 357 00:20:11,340 --> 00:20:15,750 to confess the sentence of a corporate group and specifically perhaps the church. 358 00:20:16,140 --> 00:20:20,190 I think that is less common because of the way God has set up the 359 00:20:20,190 --> 00:20:22,890 church as opposed to the way that he set up the people of Israel. 360 00:20:23,264 --> 00:20:26,745 There may be a place for that, but I wanna focus on the fact 361 00:20:26,745 --> 00:20:31,274 that we need to be specific in our confessions about our sins. 362 00:20:31,605 --> 00:20:35,655 And that is something that each and every one of us, including myself, even this 363 00:20:35,655 --> 00:20:38,655 very morning, need to be bringing to God. 364 00:20:38,685 --> 00:20:43,635 We need to be bringing specific confessions about how we have not kept 365 00:20:43,635 --> 00:20:47,745 his commandments, how we have not loved him, how we have not done as we should. 366 00:20:48,585 --> 00:20:49,545 It's worth saying, right? 367 00:20:49,545 --> 00:20:54,015 That it's not the, that's not the method by which we receive forgiveness. 368 00:20:54,015 --> 00:20:54,225 Right. 369 00:20:54,225 --> 00:20:57,495 And it is, if we die and we haven't confessed all our, of our sins, we don't 370 00:20:57,495 --> 00:20:59,865 end up in purgatory or somewhere else. 371 00:21:00,165 --> 00:21:00,435 Speaker 2: Uh, 372 00:21:00,615 --> 00:21:05,025 Speaker: but it is a good and natural and healthy thing for us to be in 373 00:21:05,025 --> 00:21:07,395 regular confession of specific sins. 374 00:21:07,765 --> 00:21:12,750 Uh, following Theand of Nehemiah, but that's not the end of his prayer. 375 00:21:12,810 --> 00:21:13,950 That's not the end of his prayer. 376 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,280 There's two more really big elements that kind of go together. 377 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:24,960 One is he reminds the people or he reminds himself rather, of god's, of his promises 378 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:30,810 to judge the people, and he reminds himself and he reminds God, as it were, 379 00:21:31,170 --> 00:21:33,435 of God's promises to redeem his people. 380 00:21:34,379 --> 00:21:40,260 So he says, right, and he's referencing Deuteronomy 30, and as he phrased 381 00:21:40,260 --> 00:21:45,060 this, he says, reminding himself of the commandments that God gave to Moses. 382 00:21:45,060 --> 00:21:50,879 He says, if you are unfaithful, I'm gonna scatter you among the peoples, but if 383 00:21:50,879 --> 00:21:56,610 you return to me and keep my commandments and do them though your outs are in the 384 00:21:56,670 --> 00:22:00,149 uttermost parts of the heaven from there and will gather them and bring them. 385 00:22:00,450 --> 00:22:04,710 To the place that I have chosen to make my name dwell there. 386 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:09,540 So Nehemiah is turning back to the promises that God has already 387 00:22:09,570 --> 00:22:13,110 given him, that God has already given to the people of Israel. 388 00:22:13,260 --> 00:22:15,840 He's acknowledging that God is right to have judged the 389 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,670 people to send them into exile. 390 00:22:18,150 --> 00:22:21,450 He's acknowledging that they have broken the commandments and that it was right 391 00:22:21,450 --> 00:22:25,530 for God to bring about that judgment, but he's also praying that God would 392 00:22:25,530 --> 00:22:29,400 redeem his people, that God would keep his promise to restore his people. 393 00:22:30,990 --> 00:22:36,629 You don't see him pray specifically, God let the king notice my 394 00:22:36,629 --> 00:22:40,139 sadness, and therefore I'll have an opportunity to talk to him, which 395 00:22:40,139 --> 00:22:41,610 is what we're gonna see happens. 396 00:22:42,030 --> 00:22:49,470 But we do see him reminding himself, reminding God in prayer of his promises. 397 00:22:50,399 --> 00:22:52,050 He does have a specific request. 398 00:22:52,425 --> 00:22:58,065 In the sense of a, a sort of general request that he may be part of God's plan. 399 00:22:58,125 --> 00:23:02,295 And he says this, give success to your servant today and bring him 400 00:23:02,295 --> 00:23:04,755 mercy in the sight of this man. 401 00:23:05,475 --> 00:23:08,055 And then again, now I was, come bear to the king. 402 00:23:08,985 --> 00:23:10,515 We need to, we need to pray like this. 403 00:23:10,515 --> 00:23:10,845 Right? 404 00:23:10,845 --> 00:23:13,275 I already mentioned, I already mentioned perhaps your kids. 405 00:23:13,275 --> 00:23:15,855 I've already mentioned perhaps your, your wife. 406 00:23:15,885 --> 00:23:17,260 Maybe there's something else that comes to mind, but. 407 00:23:18,090 --> 00:23:20,669 We need to pray like this, and I'm not gonna pray for days. 408 00:23:20,669 --> 00:23:21,030 Don't worry. 409 00:23:21,030 --> 00:23:24,870 I'm not starting a day long prayer here to demonstrate this, but a 410 00:23:24,870 --> 00:23:29,370 prayer for us might look something like this as it relates to our 411 00:23:29,370 --> 00:23:31,530 job, as it relates to our work. 412 00:23:31,950 --> 00:23:35,129 I say something like this, God, you are the provider. 413 00:23:35,820 --> 00:23:37,710 You are the one who has created everything. 414 00:23:38,460 --> 00:23:41,879 You are the one who has created me and my family. 415 00:23:42,419 --> 00:23:47,340 You are the God who is kind to me and has provided for me already in my life. 416 00:23:48,825 --> 00:23:52,034 You might say, God, you are the one who hears all of the conversations 417 00:23:52,034 --> 00:23:52,995 that happen in my workplace. 418 00:23:53,085 --> 00:23:57,555 You have heard every conversation, every argument, every discussion that's happened 419 00:23:57,555 --> 00:24:02,024 between me and my boss, and in fact, you have heard all of the conversations that 420 00:24:02,024 --> 00:24:03,764 were had behind closed doors without me. 421 00:24:04,425 --> 00:24:09,165 But Lord, you are a great God who is willing to hear my prayers or my hand. 422 00:24:09,975 --> 00:24:14,385 I, I am coming before you speaking to me, asking me for things, and 423 00:24:14,385 --> 00:24:16,695 that is an amazing and good thing. 424 00:24:17,355 --> 00:24:21,705 And even as you may think that your boss is causing issues or your 425 00:24:21,705 --> 00:24:26,475 coworkers causing issues, it is right for you to confess and say, Lord, I 426 00:24:26,475 --> 00:24:28,635 have harbor bitterness in my heart. 427 00:24:29,415 --> 00:24:33,855 I have been upset with my boss in ways that are not appropriate and 428 00:24:33,855 --> 00:24:37,695 know what I call my boss when I was talking to my wife about his 429 00:24:37,995 --> 00:24:41,055 last night, or forgive me for that. 430 00:24:41,205 --> 00:24:42,765 Forgive me for the laziness that I. 431 00:24:43,544 --> 00:24:43,965 Carry that. 432 00:24:44,504 --> 00:24:48,885 Forgive me for the times when, when I've been belligerent and difficult 433 00:24:49,125 --> 00:24:55,034 and yes, Lord, he, I do believe in good faith is causing issues, but also I 434 00:24:55,034 --> 00:25:01,485 recognize that I have been unfaithful at moments and at times you say, God, 435 00:25:01,485 --> 00:25:04,429 I recognize that you are a God who says that he will judge the wicked. 436 00:25:05,024 --> 00:25:05,985 I don't want to be the witness. 437 00:25:06,254 --> 00:25:10,395 I, I'm turning to Christ as my holy hope for righteousness. 438 00:25:10,530 --> 00:25:12,195 I, I can't do this perfectly. 439 00:25:12,675 --> 00:25:14,504 I can't be a perfect employee. 440 00:25:14,804 --> 00:25:15,764 I need your help. 441 00:25:16,155 --> 00:25:16,875 I need your help. 442 00:25:17,324 --> 00:25:18,705 Bend the cross. 443 00:25:19,004 --> 00:25:23,264 I need your help through the Holy Spirit on a day in and day out basis. 444 00:25:24,044 --> 00:25:27,344 But God, you are the one who says that you will reconcile everything. 445 00:25:27,375 --> 00:25:28,635 You will judge everything. 446 00:25:28,995 --> 00:25:33,524 You'll make everything right, I recognize, and I'm asking for that to be possible. 447 00:25:33,870 --> 00:25:34,770 Right now. 448 00:25:34,980 --> 00:25:39,210 But I also see that it may not be, it may not end the way that I 449 00:25:39,210 --> 00:25:43,649 see it, but you are a God who will make all things right At the end. 450 00:25:44,189 --> 00:25:47,370 You will reconcile all of the accounts. 451 00:25:48,120 --> 00:25:49,649 So your firm may like look like that. 452 00:25:49,649 --> 00:25:53,129 And again, this is just an example that's this, a sample of what it may be. 453 00:25:53,129 --> 00:25:56,820 And again, if we're gonna follow the example of Nehemiah, I think it would 454 00:25:56,820 --> 00:26:03,179 be significantly longer, at least as we pursue this particular example. 455 00:26:04,110 --> 00:26:07,830 If we turn to a God who restores, God is the one who 456 00:26:07,830 --> 00:26:09,510 can solve these problems, right? 457 00:26:09,750 --> 00:26:12,390 Our ability to solve problems is limited. 458 00:26:12,780 --> 00:26:13,680 It is finite. 459 00:26:14,070 --> 00:26:17,550 It's not that we are not called to act, and we're gonna get to that in a second, 460 00:26:17,850 --> 00:26:22,140 but we need to begin by recognizing that we have a God who is able to perfectly 461 00:26:22,140 --> 00:26:26,850 act, who has already sovereignly, set forth all of human history. 462 00:26:27,764 --> 00:26:31,665 And we can come to him in prayer because he is the one who can solve 463 00:26:31,665 --> 00:26:34,965 the problems that we may face. 464 00:26:35,805 --> 00:26:37,995 And ultimately that is a recognition. 465 00:26:37,995 --> 00:26:42,795 And I think even Nehemiah is beginning to understand this of the fact that 466 00:26:42,795 --> 00:26:47,955 we need Christ, we need him to be the one who solves the problems we face. 467 00:26:48,015 --> 00:26:51,675 Uh, we're not gonna be able to build walls that solve our problems. 468 00:26:51,675 --> 00:26:54,285 We're not gonna be able to build, uh, armies that are gonna 469 00:26:54,285 --> 00:26:55,455 be able to solve our problems. 470 00:26:55,635 --> 00:26:58,605 We need to turn to Christ as the ultimate solution. 471 00:26:59,775 --> 00:27:00,045 Okay? 472 00:27:00,045 --> 00:27:01,185 So he's brave. 473 00:27:01,785 --> 00:27:03,645 He's brave, and we've spent most of our time here. 474 00:27:03,645 --> 00:27:04,725 But that doesn't end, right. 475 00:27:04,725 --> 00:27:08,535 It is not just a, okay, I pray and now I'm done. 476 00:27:09,405 --> 00:27:09,525 Right? 477 00:27:09,555 --> 00:27:11,085 That is true of the Christian life. 478 00:27:11,145 --> 00:27:14,445 We pray and then we go out and we do our jobs. 479 00:27:15,254 --> 00:27:16,305 We love our families. 480 00:27:16,605 --> 00:27:20,445 We do the things in life, and that requires action. 481 00:27:20,745 --> 00:27:25,635 That requires us to be active, as it were, and let's see how 482 00:27:25,695 --> 00:27:28,245 that plays out in Nehemiah. 483 00:27:28,425 --> 00:27:31,395 So let's look at verse one of chapter two together. 484 00:27:31,395 --> 00:27:34,635 If you look down at your Bibles with me, I think again, it's helpful 485 00:27:34,635 --> 00:27:38,295 to read a little bit more that we'll break this passage down. 486 00:27:38,955 --> 00:27:42,225 In Nehemiah chapter two verse one, it says, in the month, Nissan in 487 00:27:42,225 --> 00:27:43,965 the 20th year of King are Xes. 488 00:27:43,965 --> 00:27:47,895 When wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. 489 00:27:49,275 --> 00:27:55,305 Now, I had been sad in his presence and the king says to me, why is your face sad? 490 00:27:55,545 --> 00:27:57,645 See, you are not sick. 491 00:27:58,125 --> 00:28:00,165 This is nothing but sadness of heart. 492 00:28:00,885 --> 00:28:03,195 Then I was very much afraid. 493 00:28:03,855 --> 00:28:08,025 I was very much afraid, and I said to the king, love the king lives forever. 494 00:28:08,429 --> 00:28:13,409 Why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father's 495 00:28:13,409 --> 00:28:17,580 grace lies and ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire? 496 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:22,560 Then the king said to me, what are you requesting and what is Nehemiah? 497 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:22,800 Dear? 498 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:24,360 He prays again. 499 00:28:24,689 --> 00:28:27,060 He says, so I pray you to the God of heaven. 500 00:28:27,929 --> 00:28:31,260 And I said to the king, if it pleases the key, and if your servant has 501 00:28:31,709 --> 00:28:36,090 found favor in your sight, and you send me to Judah, to the city of my 502 00:28:36,090 --> 00:28:37,264 father's Graves, not the ability. 503 00:28:38,190 --> 00:28:40,830 And the king said to me, the queen was sitting beside him. 504 00:28:41,220 --> 00:28:45,300 How long will you be gone and when will you return? 505 00:28:45,630 --> 00:28:50,220 So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him the time. 506 00:28:51,420 --> 00:28:54,600 Notice a few things here, I guess before we do, but we need to 507 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:56,880 recognize that, uh, we have to act. 508 00:28:57,915 --> 00:29:01,725 There is part of a Christian life, whether we like it or not, where we need 509 00:29:01,815 --> 00:29:04,695 to act and we need to act in obedience. 510 00:29:05,115 --> 00:29:09,435 Um, but that action is never separated from prayer, right? 511 00:29:09,435 --> 00:29:15,075 The foundation of what Nehemiah does is days of prayer, we be mourning. 512 00:29:15,885 --> 00:29:20,685 He also prays in the moment, right, as the king says, what are you requesting? 513 00:29:20,685 --> 00:29:21,405 What does he do? 514 00:29:21,645 --> 00:29:24,585 He prays in the moment, and that's our third point for this morning. 515 00:29:24,945 --> 00:29:26,805 Which is pray as you obey. 516 00:29:27,225 --> 00:29:28,730 Pray as you obey the Lord. 517 00:29:29,865 --> 00:29:32,955 Remember that he is in great fear, right? 518 00:29:33,764 --> 00:29:36,045 This situation is not an easy one for him. 519 00:29:36,570 --> 00:29:37,995 I, I think in Esther, right? 520 00:29:38,565 --> 00:29:43,035 And I trust that you know that story well, as Esther plans to go before 521 00:29:43,485 --> 00:29:48,795 the king, she recognizes that it may in fact result in her death, right? 522 00:29:48,855 --> 00:29:52,305 That is the same again, it was a generation earlier, but it's the same 523 00:29:52,305 --> 00:29:53,610 context that we're working in here. 524 00:29:54,315 --> 00:29:57,525 She recognizes that going before the king is a serious matter. 525 00:29:57,525 --> 00:30:00,885 And granted, the situation of Nehemiah is different, right? 526 00:30:00,885 --> 00:30:05,655 The king asks him the question, but this is no laughing matter. 527 00:30:05,715 --> 00:30:08,595 This is, this could indeed result in death. 528 00:30:08,895 --> 00:30:10,215 We don't experience that today. 529 00:30:10,215 --> 00:30:15,315 We don't go before, uh, city council and prosper and risk dying at the hand of the 530 00:30:15,315 --> 00:30:20,565 mayor, but that is in fact a reality in the situation, and he faces great fear. 531 00:30:20,805 --> 00:30:23,445 I think there's an aspect in which he is afraid of the king. 532 00:30:23,925 --> 00:30:26,115 Or the king poses a threat to him. 533 00:30:26,835 --> 00:30:31,605 But I also think that part of the fear he's experiencing is a fear of God. 534 00:30:32,265 --> 00:30:35,955 And the reason I would suggest that is because of what he does. 535 00:30:36,315 --> 00:30:41,445 If he was afraid of man, if he was afraid of man exclusively, then what would he do? 536 00:30:41,595 --> 00:30:42,735 He would say, I don't have anything. 537 00:30:42,735 --> 00:30:45,675 Say I'm gonna go keep my job as a cup bearer. 538 00:30:45,855 --> 00:30:50,295 I'm gonna keep this privilege position and I'm not gonna get in any danger. 539 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:52,199 But what does he do? 540 00:30:52,530 --> 00:30:58,169 I think he's fearing the Lord and he is responding to the situation, 541 00:30:58,500 --> 00:30:59,969 uh, as he oughts to right. 542 00:31:00,389 --> 00:31:05,189 Instead of fearing man, he fears the Lord and makes his request known to the 543 00:31:05,189 --> 00:31:08,459 king at even great risk of his own life. 544 00:31:09,300 --> 00:31:10,469 So that's begins it. 545 00:31:10,469 --> 00:31:15,419 Uh, but also notice that he prays in the moment. 546 00:31:16,050 --> 00:31:18,300 He prays in the moment, and maybe you've done this right. 547 00:31:18,300 --> 00:31:20,910 Maybe there's something that happens and you go, God, please help me, 548 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:22,380 and that's a good thing to do. 549 00:31:22,860 --> 00:31:28,050 But it's far better for those prayers in the moment to be built on a foundation 550 00:31:28,050 --> 00:31:32,310 of many days and maybe many years of praying that preceded it, right? 551 00:31:32,310 --> 00:31:35,460 His prayer as he prays, we don't know what he prayed for. 552 00:31:35,460 --> 00:31:41,790 The Lord is built on those days of morning and weeping. 553 00:31:42,435 --> 00:31:47,775 And care for God's promises and God's people, and that makes it possible. 554 00:31:47,775 --> 00:31:48,945 That makes it effective. 555 00:31:49,515 --> 00:31:52,695 But that is a good thing that might not have happened otherwise. 556 00:31:52,695 --> 00:31:52,875 Right? 557 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,625 I, I know that there's many times in my life where things have happened that have 558 00:31:56,625 --> 00:32:01,485 gotten bad or I can tell are going bad and my response is often not to pray. 559 00:32:02,205 --> 00:32:05,955 But that's because I haven't been praying about the situation leading up to that. 560 00:32:07,139 --> 00:32:10,590 I think we see Nehemiah praying diligently about it and then ready 561 00:32:10,590 --> 00:32:12,270 and able to pray in the moment. 562 00:32:13,230 --> 00:32:16,830 It is a habit of a sorts that he has developed, and I think it's one that 563 00:32:16,860 --> 00:32:18,660 we should develop as well, right? 564 00:32:19,379 --> 00:32:22,950 We should have our prayer list that has those deep concerns on it and 565 00:32:22,950 --> 00:32:26,550 that we're praying day in and day out for, or perhaps for many days for it. 566 00:32:26,970 --> 00:32:30,629 But then we need to also pray for things in the moment. 567 00:32:30,930 --> 00:32:31,710 How do we do that? 568 00:32:32,190 --> 00:32:35,595 Especially as men, it's so easy to be single-minded, focused on something. 569 00:32:36,254 --> 00:32:39,885 And when you know that the email you're gonna open up is a problem, 570 00:32:40,064 --> 00:32:42,764 or when you know your boss is walking in the door, if it's not 571 00:32:42,764 --> 00:32:45,104 gonna go well, what's your response? 572 00:32:45,764 --> 00:32:50,115 We need to build a habit in those moments to respond in prayer 573 00:32:50,175 --> 00:32:51,705 before anything else happens. 574 00:32:51,975 --> 00:32:54,645 Let me suggest to you, and I said this on the podcast, so maybe I, 575 00:32:54,645 --> 00:32:56,534 you know, maybe you already heard it and you're gonna be bored. 576 00:32:56,534 --> 00:33:02,655 But I think responding to the emotional swells that we have in our life. 577 00:33:03,090 --> 00:33:06,060 Is a great way to trigger us to pray, to cause us to pray. 578 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:07,320 And I know we're men. 579 00:33:07,410 --> 00:33:08,580 I know we don't have any emotions. 580 00:33:08,580 --> 00:33:12,960 I know nothing faces us ever, but those rare times, I'm kidding. 581 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:17,700 Of course, those rare times when we feel those emotions on an hourly basis, 582 00:33:17,730 --> 00:33:22,710 I think is a helpful time for us to train ourselves to respond in prayer. 583 00:33:22,830 --> 00:33:26,580 I know many people will pray when they arrive in the driveway, right? 584 00:33:26,610 --> 00:33:28,020 Or maybe they're going up the elevator. 585 00:33:28,020 --> 00:33:30,300 They'll use those sort of physical moments, and that's a 586 00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:32,310 great way to practice prayer. 587 00:33:32,639 --> 00:33:35,850 But if we're gonna be like Nehemiah, and when somebody asks us something like the 588 00:33:35,850 --> 00:33:40,620 king asked Nehemiah, how are we gonna be trained to pray in those moments? 589 00:33:40,949 --> 00:33:44,850 And I'm gonna suggest one way that he may do that is to feel that emotion. 590 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:49,199 Nehemiah felt great fear and he responds in prayer before 591 00:33:49,199 --> 00:33:51,330 saying anything to the king. 592 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:53,639 Well, his prayer is answered. 593 00:33:54,209 --> 00:33:57,629 His prayer is answered, and it's answered in two different senses. 594 00:33:58,500 --> 00:34:00,300 It is answered in an immediate sense. 595 00:34:00,645 --> 00:34:04,035 Right, and we don't have time to go through the whole book of Nehemiah, but 596 00:34:04,035 --> 00:34:06,495 his prayer is that the king will hear him. 597 00:34:06,855 --> 00:34:15,735 The king will allow him to go forward and go to Jerusalem and eventually rebuild the 598 00:34:15,735 --> 00:34:18,705 wall, which he is successfully able to do. 599 00:34:19,215 --> 00:34:22,635 He made a specific request of of God, right, that he would find 600 00:34:22,635 --> 00:34:26,175 favor in the eyes of the king, and God answered that specific prayer. 601 00:34:26,565 --> 00:34:28,725 God is a gun who answers prayers. 602 00:34:29,100 --> 00:34:29,609 Like that. 603 00:34:29,699 --> 00:34:33,540 And so there's an immediate answer to that, but I also wanna make sure 604 00:34:33,540 --> 00:34:36,929 that we don't miss that there is a long-term answer to that prayer 605 00:34:37,199 --> 00:34:39,299 that doesn't get answered fully. 606 00:34:39,569 --> 00:34:40,620 It doesn't get answered fully. 607 00:34:40,708 --> 00:34:45,600 Yes, Nehemiah is able to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. 608 00:34:45,870 --> 00:34:47,639 He's able to do that with God's hope. 609 00:34:48,179 --> 00:34:51,629 But what is Meyer really asking for in his prayer? 610 00:34:52,155 --> 00:34:57,585 As he prays the prayer of Deuteronomy referencing Deuteronomy 30, he's asking 611 00:34:57,585 --> 00:35:00,135 for the restoration of people of Israel. 612 00:35:00,435 --> 00:35:03,675 And yes, there's a physical aspect to that, but there's 613 00:35:03,675 --> 00:35:05,565 also a spiritual aspect to that. 614 00:35:06,015 --> 00:35:10,215 Nehemiah gets to participate in that, and you can see that later in the book, 615 00:35:10,275 --> 00:35:14,595 in the restoration of the, the spiritual practices, the people of Israel. 616 00:35:15,045 --> 00:35:16,215 But it's not complete. 617 00:35:16,335 --> 00:35:17,235 It's not complete. 618 00:35:18,285 --> 00:35:21,195 And even, even at the end of chapter two. 619 00:35:21,870 --> 00:35:24,810 If you will turn or, or look down at verse 19. 620 00:35:26,370 --> 00:35:31,050 Halfway through there it says, they jered at us and despised us and said, 621 00:35:31,110 --> 00:35:32,850 what is this thing that you are doing? 622 00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:35,070 Are you rebelling against the king? 623 00:35:35,850 --> 00:35:39,540 So even in the long term, he still faces opposition. 624 00:35:39,870 --> 00:35:44,945 God did not answer fully in the sense that there's perfect restoration at this point. 625 00:35:45,605 --> 00:35:46,665 Not fully answer. 626 00:35:47,195 --> 00:35:48,360 Nehemiah's rear, right? 627 00:35:48,450 --> 00:35:50,310 There are still those who. 628 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:52,140 Challenging. 629 00:35:52,830 --> 00:35:56,880 There are still those who cause obstacles to it, even at the very 630 00:35:56,970 --> 00:35:58,410 last chapter of Nehemiah, right? 631 00:35:58,410 --> 00:36:05,520 We see AYA causing continued problems and, and there is need for restoration. 632 00:36:05,730 --> 00:36:09,509 So in our own lives, we need to look for both of those things. 633 00:36:09,810 --> 00:36:12,815 We need to look for the specific answers to praise. 634 00:36:13,455 --> 00:36:15,435 And we can see those if we are faithful. 635 00:36:15,670 --> 00:36:18,825 I, I spoke at the NAC conference about prayer journaling, and I find 636 00:36:18,825 --> 00:36:22,095 that prayer journaling is a really helpful way for us to remember how 637 00:36:22,095 --> 00:36:24,134 God has answered those prayers. 638 00:36:24,585 --> 00:36:28,125 But we also need to know and recognize that God answers our prayers in ways that 639 00:36:28,125 --> 00:36:36,165 are far more complex and in far more long term, long reaching ways than we may like. 640 00:36:36,645 --> 00:36:40,395 Uh, we need to look for those things and be encouraged, and be thankful for when 641 00:36:40,395 --> 00:36:41,895 the answers are prayers in that way. 642 00:36:42,690 --> 00:36:46,255 Uh, but also recognize that Nehemiah acted. 643 00:36:46,815 --> 00:36:49,410 Nehemiah acted in this moment, right? 644 00:36:49,410 --> 00:36:54,810 He prays to God, and then he says what you have to say, that action, 645 00:36:55,410 --> 00:37:00,030 that courage, that resolve, that Nehemiah demonstrates to ask. 646 00:37:00,030 --> 00:37:04,200 The king is a product of his prayers. 647 00:37:04,230 --> 00:37:06,720 It's a product of him remembering who God is. 648 00:37:06,750 --> 00:37:09,210 It's a product of him remembering. 649 00:37:09,645 --> 00:37:11,835 That God cares for him, that God listens to him. 650 00:37:11,924 --> 00:37:16,154 It's a product of him recalling the promises that God has made to his 651 00:37:16,154 --> 00:37:21,975 people, the promises that God has made to him, and it allows him to act. 652 00:37:22,154 --> 00:37:24,765 It allows him to be courageous. 653 00:37:25,845 --> 00:37:27,285 Remember, remember the tank man. 654 00:37:28,065 --> 00:37:29,384 We don't know who he is. 655 00:37:29,444 --> 00:37:35,444 We don't know who he is, but what did we know was gonna happen because of 656 00:37:35,685 --> 00:37:36,899 his willingness to lay down his life? 657 00:37:38,399 --> 00:37:43,710 If those tanks were to run over, he had no guarantee that things would end well. 658 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:49,230 He had no promise that his sacrifice would be meaningful. 659 00:37:50,339 --> 00:37:53,370 He had no idea what was gonna happen. 660 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:56,310 Yet he was willing to do that. 661 00:37:56,399 --> 00:37:58,770 He had the courage and the resolve to do that. 662 00:37:59,850 --> 00:38:05,910 How much more us as Christians who have the sure promises of God. 663 00:38:06,495 --> 00:38:07,365 Who know what is done. 664 00:38:08,205 --> 00:38:11,775 Yes, we may not know what this week holds, but we know that 665 00:38:11,775 --> 00:38:13,245 God is going to care for us. 666 00:38:13,245 --> 00:38:15,525 We know that God is going to save us. 667 00:38:16,215 --> 00:38:19,365 We know that God is going to restore the heavens and the earth. 668 00:38:19,575 --> 00:38:24,375 We know that we will dwell with him as sons forever. 669 00:38:25,365 --> 00:38:29,295 With those assurances, with those confidences, then we 670 00:38:29,295 --> 00:38:31,065 can come to him in prayer. 671 00:38:31,755 --> 00:38:33,270 We can come to him in confession. 672 00:38:34,095 --> 00:38:37,004 We can come to him in reliance and in trust. 673 00:38:38,654 --> 00:38:40,785 The difference is, is we know He the end. 674 00:38:41,174 --> 00:38:42,134 We know the end. 675 00:38:42,345 --> 00:38:45,765 And so we can come to God this week. 676 00:38:45,884 --> 00:38:49,694 I encourage you to, to get on your knees, to pray to the Lord. 677 00:38:49,875 --> 00:38:54,134 Ask him for help, confess your sins to them so that when the moment comes 678 00:38:54,134 --> 00:38:58,065 when you need to act, encourage and resolve that you will be able to 679 00:38:58,065 --> 00:39:00,225 do that faithfully for the Lord. 680 00:39:00,674 --> 00:39:00,794 Amen. 681 00:39:00,794 --> 00:39:01,665 Let me pray for us. 682 00:39:02,145 --> 00:39:04,154 And then we would like to small groups. 683 00:39:05,475 --> 00:39:06,735 Lord, thank you for this morning. 684 00:39:07,305 --> 00:39:08,625 I'm thankful for for men. 685 00:39:08,625 --> 00:39:15,015 I pray that you will help us, help us to be courageous men who are resolved, and I 686 00:39:15,015 --> 00:39:20,384 pray that we will follow the example, the footsteps of me in room, that we will turn 687 00:39:20,384 --> 00:39:22,424 to you as a God who is able to do that. 688 00:39:22,485 --> 00:39:25,815 We are not able to solve those problems, but you're a God who is. 689 00:39:26,505 --> 00:39:29,565 Whatever problems we face in our life, you are a God who cares about them. 690 00:39:30,930 --> 00:39:32,310 And ultimately it will resolve them. 691 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:37,380 Help us to be people who trust in that so that we can go about our lives acting 692 00:39:37,380 --> 00:39:43,890 in confidence, going before key or bosses or whoever it may be, with confidence 693 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:47,640 in you and trusting in your promises. 694 00:39:47,730 --> 00:39:51,030 I pray for our small group time that it'll be beneficial and profitable 695 00:39:51,150 --> 00:39:52,260 in your son's name and right. 696 00:39:52,410 --> 00:39:52,800 Amen. 697 00:39:54,839 --> 00:39:59,520 We have smaller time, so I think most of you have been here before. 698 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:00,095 If you haven't written.