52 Days of Miraculous Grit | Nehemiah 6:1 - 7:3

You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a

couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in

practical ways.

Hey, everybody, good morning. We are the Bible Guys.

Good morning.

Yes. And if you're wondering.

Why Jeff looks different he's better looking and younger and smaller, it's.

Because this is this is my friend Jeff, this is yeah,

that's right, that's right. Well, you know that's the nature

of mine and Jeff's relationship.

I love that for you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So this is Kyle doab Meyer and Jeff is out

of the country with his lovely life wife Bonnie, serving

the TTI organization, the Timothy Initiative, which is awesome, and

so Kyle's filling in. So we're just thrilled on both fronts. So, hey,

we have an incredible chapter. We're in the story of Nehemiah,

who is a Jewish person who is requested from King

art of Xerxes, as he was a prominent cup bearer

to leave his job, which was a cushy job, and

to go back and to organize the rebuilding of the

wall surrounding the city of Jerusalem. And so we're in

the middle of that story. But Before we get to that,

we're gonna do a very strange segment.

To me, I've never seen this segment.

Yeah, last week Wesley and Jeff apparently or last week

they did do this and so okay, and then the

viewers liked it a lot.

So this is called guest versus AI. We played this

game with Wesley, Desiree.

Writes, and it was a hit. So let's see how

things go with Kyle.

Chris will ask Kyle the question, let Kyle answer, and

then ask Chet Gpt the same question. Compare answers and

vote on who wins, Kyle or Ai. Okay, dude, how

the world can you ever compete with Ai? Now, I'm

gonna lose, so, but you're but you're.

Gonna You're gonna do well.

We'll see, yeah, we'll see.

So. And by the way, I've decided to, uh, you

gotta climb up hill for this one, buddy.

Okay, are you ready?

Sure?

We go?

Yeah? I'm nervous about what's in your brain?

Now, Kyle?

What is it?

Kyle? It's not a big deal. Just it is not

a deal, very simple question.

But it's just me versa that's the problem.

Okay, Ready, what is the meaning of life?

Oh my gosh, nothing yet, nothing hard at all.

It's probably one of the hardest questions.

What is the meaning of life? Okay?

If you go biblical you can no, no, no, no no,

But I'm gonna try to do it.

Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna say one sentence. Okay, So

we asked you have on your phone? Yes, okay, you

got to ask for one sentence. Okay, that way I

asked it, what is the meaning of life?

Shoot? How long is this? Is it like a paragraph?

Though? It gave me four points?

Okay? Points?

All right?

I would say the meaning of life is to live

for a purpose that is greater than yourself period.

Okay, So no four points?

What God, I'm not yea. If I get one of

the four, I'll be happy.

Okay. Well, hey, listen.

It could be that these four answers are sort of

summarized by your one statement. So here's what it says

from a Christian Biblical perspective. The meaning of life is

to know, love, and glorify God and enjoy a relationship.

With Him forever. Okay. Number which, by the way, what's

purpose greater than yourself? Number one?

We were created for God's glory and then it gives

me Isaiah forty three. Our existence is not random. We

were made to reflect God's glory and character. Number two,

Life's purpose is found there's purpose. Life's purpose is found

in knowing God. John seventeen three. Now this is eternal life.

That they know you and the only true God, Jesus Christ,

from you've sent true life. Eternal life is not just

about existence, but about a relationship with God. Point number three.

We are called to love God and others Matthew twenty

two thirty seven. The greatest commandment love God and others.

Jesus something of the purpose of life in terms of love,

love for God, love for people.

And then finally, the fourth one is our lives are

meant to bear fruit that lasts.

God desires that our lives have eternal impact through love, service,

and obedience.

Okay, let me defend myself against AI for a moment.

He no, no, no, no, no no no.

I listen.

When I was seeking, When I was seeking this question,

I was thinking like if if anybody in the world

Christian non Christian, would ask, what is the meaning of life?

I thought to myself to live for a purpose that

he was greater than myself as a Christian? What is

that purpose, right Jesus Christ right here? That that purpose

right there is to do everything you can to glorify

God and live for Jesus. But that was like that

obviously is such a better that what they just.

Described, way better, dude.

I am completely with you.

I have the same mindset as you almost always in

terms of like like like. For instance, my mind always

goes for the person who doesn't know God.

Right.

Your statement is a statement that would bring somebody who

is clueless about the meaning of life, yes, and you'd

say no, No, it's to live something greater than yourself.

That is a transition statement that brings that person into

a Biblical perspective. And then for the Christian who already

has the Biblical perspective, your statement then completely points that

Christian to God.

Yes, because he has a Biblical perspective exactly.

So basically what I just heard is the Bible guy

said that I beat Ai.

I like your answers better because it includes all of humanity.

Whereas whereas AI immediately went for the Biblical perspective.

And by the way, yeah, I do think it's a

purpose of a Christian don't you think digging deeper? The

purpose of a Christian is to glorify God, yes, and

to lead others to christ serve Him.

Right, there's all those things. Those are the purpose of

a Christian. But just the meaning of life's that's what I.

Was going for. Yeah, well here, let me just be clear.

Let me be clear. AI got it right? A, I

got it right?

Okay? His or her answer there? Their answer they them

just kidding? That was terrible their answer.

Yes, their answer is definitely the right answer.

Right. But what I'm saying is I personally vote for

your answer because your answer meets people right where they're at.

Whereas the person who's let's just say, like an atheist

who's sitting, you know, in disbelief and angry at God.

This answer is so on point speaking Christianese, that person

is going to shut this answer out. Your answer will

intrigue people enough to consider.

What's next or what's next?

And what do you what do you mean bigger than myself? Right? Which,

again I think your answer summarizes all.

Well, especially because the meaning of life oftentimes aren't most

people searching for the meaning of life within themselves. Most

people are thinking, if only I was happier. If that's

this is the meaning of life?

Is a family? Those are all great components of life,

but they aren't the meaning of life.

So and by the way, just like Ai, you know,

chet GPT is a good friend of mine. Yeah, and

this is what they say. It says the meaning of life.

I'm sorry. In summary, it says, in short, at the end,

the meaning of life, according to the Bible is to

be in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, to

live for his glory, and to love others as a

reflection of His love for us. And doing so we

find not only purpose, but deep joy and fulfillment. And

then it says, if you're asking this for a sermon

or for a teaching, I can help you build it

out with points, stories and scriptures.

Are you kidding me? Yes? Please do that?

Send message notes to Kdobbenmeier at Heritage Church dot com.

Yeah, no, kidding. What is the meaning of life from

a Christian?

Oh?

My goodness, are you kidding me? Right now? Look what

it says. I didn't even ask you to do this.

Look at look what it says't I won't read you

the sermon, but look at it says here's a sermon

outline on the topic, what is the meaning of life

from a Christian perspective? Styled similarly to Chris Zarba relatable

and engaging scriptures, centered and practical.

Does it tell a story about your brother?

Says?

Look, it says introduction hook start with humor. There are

two great questions, people asking life.

What's for dinner? And why am I here? Oh? My,

oh my, it does know me.

Illustration a smartphone doesn't find asad This is hilarious, given.

Dude, it really does know me. It knows me.

It's funny.

It's goodness, gracious, I'm going to become obsolete.

What are we doing?

I write sermons?

What are we doing here?

I write sermons and I'm becoming obsolete? Oh my gosh,

it's our time.

That's our time.

No, it's our time for saying hey.

By the way, I've realized that I the first three

podcasts of this week I forgot to do a horrible transition.

So so I'm gonna I'm just gonna say, uh, speaking

of sermons, Uh, Nehemiah is living. He's a living sermon, Kyle.

Isn't that a terrible transition?

That's all right?

I like it this sermon he's living. We're going to

talk about Neamiah chapter six.

We've got some verses to get through here today, so

I'll get right into it.

Chapter six.

Sambalot, Tobaya, Gesham, the Arab and the rest of our

enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall

and that no gaps remained, so we had not yet

set up the doors and the gates. So sam Blot

and Gasham sent a message asking me to meet them

at one of the villages in the plan and the

plane of O No. But I realized they were plotting

to harm me, so I replied by sending this message

of them, I am engaged in a great work, so

I can't come. Why should I stop working to come

and meet with you? Four times they sent the same message,

and each time I gave the same reply. The fifth time,

Sambalot's servant came with an open letter, a letter in

his hand, and this is what it said. There's a

rumor among the surrounding nations. And Gashem tells me it's

true that you and the Jews are planning to rebel,

and that is and that is why you are building

the wall. According to his reports you planned to be their.

He also reports that you have a point of prophets

in Jerusalem to proclaim about you. Look, there's a king

in Judah. You can be very sure that this report

will get back to the king. So I suggest that

you come and talk it over with me. Neemia says

I replied, there is no truth in any part of

your story. You are making up the whole thing. They

were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could

discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the

work with even greater determination. Later I went to visit Shemaiah,

son of the Leah and grandson of Mehetabel, who was

confined to his home. He said, let us meet together

inside the Temple of God and bolt the door shut.

Your enemies are coming to kill you tonight. But I replied,

should someone in my position run from danger, should someone

in my position enter the temple to save his life?

No, I won't do it.

I realized that God has not spoken to him, but

that he had uttered hit this prophecy against me because

Tobiah and san Balot had hired him. They were hoping

to intimidate me and make me sin. Then they would

be able to accuse and discredit me. Remember, oh, my God,

all the evil things that Tobia and Sambalott have done.

And remember Noah Daiah the prophet and all the prophets

like her who have tried to intimidate me. Going into

the next section is called the builders complete the Wall.

So in October second the wall was finished, just fifty

two days after we'd begun. When our enemies and the

surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated.

They realized this work had been done with the help

of our God. During those fifty two days, many letters

went back and forth between Tobia and the nobles of

Judah for many and Judah had sworn allegiance to him

because of his father in law with Sheknaiah, son of Era,

and his son Jehannin was married to the daughter of Meshalem,

son of Brekia. They kept telling me about Tobia's good deeds,

and then they told him everything I said, and Tobia

kept sending threading.

Letters to intimidate me. That's funny.

After the wall was finished and I had set up

the doors and the gates, the gay cap keeper, singers

and Levites were appointed. I gave the responsibility of governing

Jerusalem to my brother Hen and I along with Hen

and Ayah the commander of the fortress, for he was

a faithful man who feared God.

The most last verse here.

Says I said to them, do not leave the gates

open during the hottest part of the day, and even

while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and

bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act

as guards. Everyone is on a regular watch. Some will

serve at sentry posts and some in front of their

own homes.

Wow.

Yeah, So first of all, fifty two days. Can we

just revel in the fact that, you know, they said

that the reason why their enemies and the surrounding areas

knew that this was a work of God is because

it is incredible that such a feat should be accomplished

in less than two months.

Less than two months, right, that is incredible.

And so obviously if it ended on October second, right,

that would have been what August, September October, right, so

it had been August tenth ish something like that, you know,

first week of August. So think about it. They're they're

starting in the heat of the day, I don't know

about you, but I went to Israel, and I went

in the summer of nine and we actually were in

there doing a great work with well a lot of things.

Actually we were meeting with Bethley and Baba College. We

were trying to understand the whole reconciliation ministry between Palestinians

and Israelites. There was a there was a there was

a ministry that we were part of that tried to

bridge the gap. And then also we were actually going

to do a vacation Bittle School with Bethley and Baba

College in the center of Palestine.

Now, for those of you who.

Don't know, Palestine is recognized as their own region in

the middle of Israel.

So Israel is both called a state.

And a and so Israel is obviously filled with Jewish

people and Palestines Palestinians.

Are in the middle. And there is this great.

Wall and I'm talking like the wall is so high

that it blocks out the sun. It has to be

I don't even know, but I want to say at

least twenty to thirty feet.

High, and it is thick, and it is huge.

And this wall goes all around almost the center a

region of Palestine, and there's a lot of talk about it,

but anyway, it's an occupied territory. Palestinians live in occupied territory.

So you know, the Jewish War in the forties, the

Israelites were able to take.

Control back over.

So consequently there's actually Israelite guards at every city gate.

So whenever you enter in through the Palestinian borders, you

have to go through the gates with these people who

are literally boarding your bus. So we had like this

bus of seventeen people and this girl walks on and

she's a the Israelite army and she's got this you know,

AK forty seven rifle and she's walking.

Up and down.

I mean, it's just it's incredibly intimidating, right, And most

people when they enter in through this, they only do

so for one reason, and that is they go in

to see Bethlehem. Okay, So if you think about it,

the way that the Palestinian walls are the only tourist

site for Christians is Bethlehem, and it's literally right inside

the city wall.

I'm talking like, you go.

Through the gate and it's right there because it's so

close to Jerusalem, and so that's what people do they

go to Jerusalem, then they enter in through this gate,

they go to Bethlehem and they come back out, and

that's it. People do not go up and travel into,

for the most part, the city of Palestine. So we

decided to go to the very center of Palestine. Hours

of driving right and we went up into right near

the big city of Jeanine, and we went to zabab De.

And zabab De had the most Christians of any city

in Palestine. And guess what, the percentage of Christians was

one percent and that was the most.

So we held a vacation. Yeah that's right, yeah, Muslim.

And so we held a vacation Bible school and we

had one hundred and twenty kids and they were most.

Of them, almost all of them were Muslim.

And we told them we were preaching about Jesus and

they said okay, and they left their kids. Well, they

put me in charge of outdoor games. And so I'm

outside in the summer. I was like July and it

was one hundred and twenty degrees one and twenty degrees.

I couldn't breathe. I could not breathe. It was unbelievable.

The difference between shade and sun was life and death.

And I originally I had planned like soccer and things

with kids, and I realized I'm just to get water

and just squirt everybody because that's all they wanted.

Yeah, water games, water games.

It was all water games, right, all that to say this,

that was a long way to say that it was grueling.

Though.

They built the wall in the summer, right, we're talking

over a hundred degrees heat, and he mobilized all.

The city villagers. So imagine this.

Imagine he's saying, hey, don't let don't let your guard down,

even on the hottest days, right, and he's telling them

to basically work through exhausting conditions. Right, Sometimes that's what

God calls us to do.

I know, it is pretty wild because you think about this, like,

you know, it's easy for us to read this twenty

five hundred years later and completely almost because here we

are an air conditioned you know, a place where we're

reading this from and.

Actually forgetting you you you brought.

Me to one hundred and twenty degrees for that moment there,

but we're not working, you know, to work sun up

to sundown and to do that for fifty.

Fifty well a minute ago you said the studio was hot.

It's hot, yeah, probably what is it like cool? Seventy

degrees and a year the lights? Yeah, I was complaining

about the heat in this room. And it's crazy because

they work from some up to sundown fifty two days

straight and then they're on guard the entire time. And

then not to mention that, then Neamiah's got to deal

with all this opposition along the way. And then and

then you know these rumors. The sam Blott servant comes

with an open letder, creating a rumor essentially, you know,

even that is pretty crazy that he essentially starting this

rumor that hey, supposedly you want to become king.

And I'm gonna let the king know.

And now all of a sudden, you got to imagine

Neamayah is probably got all kinds of challenges internally mentally

that he's battling now thinking, oh, man, like, is this

going to get to the king? Am I gonna let

is it gonna he's Is he gonna think I'm letting

him down?

Is he gonna think?

Like?

You just imagine that that guy not only you know,

had a rough go as far as physically the obstacles

he had to go through. But imagine he didn't sleep

very well, Like could you just imagine trying to sleep?

I mean, he's probably exhausted.

But other than that, well, I mean knowing that your

enemies are constantly trying to get you.

You know, Neiamiah was so wise as a leader.

He was so far above and beyond what you would

ever expect from a cup bearer. Right.

Uh So, so think about it.

They're trying to They're trying to defeat Nehemiah and his

group of people at every turn.

So what do they do.

They try to mock them, They try to deflate their spirits.

At the beginning, they try to tell them it's an

impossible task with discouragement, and then what do they do

as they recognize that everything is up. It says that

they had plans to attack them. Ne andm Iah found

out and posted guards at the lowest parts of the wall.

And once they.

Had learned that ne Andmiah knew of their plans, they

got discouraged, and God discouraged them, and so all along

the way. And then what happens once the walls are built.

Now they're going, okay, how do we still get to them.

Let's try to destroy his reputation. Let's try to spread

a rumor that he's building the wall to be king,

so that, you know, so that somebody else could come

in and take care of it. And then then then

all of a sudden, Nemiah gets advice from somebody that says, hey,

let's retreat inside the temple because there's there's a hitman

squad coming for you. And Nemiah says, no, you're going

to use that to use that as a bad reputation

to accuse me and discredit me.

So I'm not doing it.

So Neamia shows courage then, right, so you know, because

it could have been true, there could have been an

assassination squad coming after him.

But what does he do?

He says, no, I'm not going to do such a thing.

Why should I do that? So every step of the

way me and Iah is understanding. There's two sermons that

I'm talking about in my mind. Here's the one I'm

talking about currently, and that is there's some wisdom in

being aware that some people are just going to be

out to get you the whole time. It's sort of

a pessimistic, depressing kind of reality, but the Bible does

say that we do have enemies. Right, the Bible says

that there're gonna be people that oppose to us because

of our faith.

There's gonna be people opposed to us and reject us

and mock us and want us to fall.

And you know what there is obviously we are to

act as Christians with compassion and love. But there's some

wisdom here in being prudent and wise and cunning enough

to know that there are just some people in this

world who, like you, want to believe the best of

who they are and their value of what their soul

is worth. But at the same time, don't ever underestimate

that God says there will be people who will oppose you.

And this is, by the way, this was a and

still is a very very very hard lesson for me

to learn, because my counselor after years, tells me that

one of my downfalls is believing the best in people.

And I'm like, how could that be a downfall? How

could loving people and believing the best of them?

How could it be?

And he says, well, you're confusing it for compassion, this

is my counsel. You're confusing it for compassion. You're looking

on the Christian side, the compassion the love side of it,

saying how's it downfall? But what you're neglecting is the

wisdom side. Right, Listen, there are clues. There are clues

that Chris, you should have caught on to that should

have dictated you walking in wisdom. But instead here you say, oh,

I believe the best in this person, and you walk

right into you know, treachery, enemy, enemy territory, not even

realizing that God says that there's going to be enemies

of your soul or enemies of your of your person.

So so it's a very very hard lesson for me

to learn. The other lesson, The other sermon that I

was alluding to before is, you know, one hundred and

twenty degree heat. Thing is that sometimes God calls you

to work that is tumultuous, sometimes it's excruciating. Sometimes God

asks us to be faithful in things that are just

not fun at all. But think about it, Think about

everything that was at stake for me, Am I to

be faithful? Right, So he's asking his people, hey, you know,

stand by the wall on the hottest days when it's

one hundred and twenty degrees in the sun, and don't

let your guard down and stand by your homes. And

you know, think about the individual person who's tasked at

the dung gate for instance, Right, and he's just sitting.

There going what am I doing?

Not realizing that his faithfulness is connected to future generations

of God rebuilding that area, restoring his people, building his

nation once again, ultimately leading Jesus to Jerusalem, right.

Where salvation is going to happen for the world. Right.

I mean this guy at the gate, you know, his

name's Bob. Okay, Bob's a part of that, right, and

he doesn't even know it. It's what you said last podcast.

You know, you talked about your friend who's said they

want to go back to work for the bigger picture

of God. Well, sometimes we have to realize God asks

us to do the faithful things because he has a

bigger picture in mind and there's more at stake than

we'll ever know. Yeah, and so and so be faithful

even when God asks you to do something that's discouraging.

Yeah, and would also say, when you are stepping into

God's plan for your life, and hey, it goes back

to the meaning of life, which is to glorify Him.

Look at that circle and leading people to Jesus. You

are going to be met with opposition. There are going

to be challenges, They're going to be enemies, they are

going to be internal opposition. Be prep for it, and

so beyond guard, be praying, be watchful, and then also

pray for others in leadership. Whenever somebody will tell them,

like I have people tell me like, hey, just you know, ky,

I pray for you every day. I'm like, wow, like

it's legitimately, Like like it doesn't that I don't know.

I'm sure you get that to some like that is

such a good thing to be prayed for it and

we should continue to pray over others in authority as well,

knowing that they're under attack all the time as well.

Hey, I want to give a shout out to some

who I know probably is not listening, But there was

a girl on my previous two churches ago. I've only

worked at four churches for any length of time, but

two churches ago, when I lived in Georgia, I was

doing college ministry and there was a girl named Kelly.

And Kelly met her husband there at my college group

and married James.

And they went into full time ministry.

But Kelly, before she was even married, she came to

me one day and she said, God asked me.

And by the way, she's so.

Eccentric and quirky and wonderful, and she's one of these

kinds of people where if she says something, everybody believes it,

like she's going to do it no matter what. And

she came to me and said, God asked me to

pray for you every day for the rest of my life.

And I said, what did you just say. She's like

twenty one. I said, what did you just say? She said,

and she looked at me with confidence and said, I

commit to you and promise you that I will pray

for you every single day for the rest of my

life and you will always be in my prayers. And

she said, I feel like this is what God wants

me to do for you. And so anyway, she bought

me a ball but for my Christmas tree. One year

long story, but I remember every once in a while,

every couple of Christmases, I'll text her and I'll send

her a picture of a ball and I'll say, hey,

we still got your ball.

That's so beautiful this Christmas ball.

And she says, I pray for you every single day still,

and it's been twenty years since I've left that church,

and so for twenty years she's told me she prays

for me every day.

Dude, Kelly legend right there, Legend, legendary moment, legend.

So that's awesome.

Well, hey, that is our time for sure, and so

hopefully we will see you next time on the Bible guys.

F