00:00 Introduction and Excitement for Upcoming Bible Readings

01:03 Father-Son Outing at The Star

04:02 Listener Questions: Dancing at Weddings

10:13 Navigating Personal Boundaries

10:49 Drawing the Line: A Christian Perspective

12:12 Cultural Sensitivity and Christian Liberty

14:05 Scriptural Guidance and Sensibilities

15:11 Nehemiah's Call to Rebuild Jerusalem

16:23 The Role of Priests and Levites

16:55 Dedication of the Temple and Celebration

18:58 Nehemiah's Return and Reforms

20:59 Psalm 126: A Song of Restoration

21:35 Closing Prayer and Reflections

Hey, everybody.

2

Welcome to Sunday's edition

of the daily Bible podcast.

3

Yep.

4

This is exciting because,

well, yeah, it's exciting.

5

We can say that we're finishing the old

Testament, not today, but tomorrow we

6

have today, we're finishing Nehemiah.

7

And Psalms by the way, cause we

still have one more Psalm left.

8

Uh, yes, we do.

9

And then tomorrow we finished

Malakai and then on Tuesday,

10

we're in the new Testament.

11

We're in Luke and John.

12

It's right around the corner.

13

You made it church, you made

it through, well, almost made

14

it through the old Testament.

15

You ought to be proud of the

progress that you've made.

16

If you've, if you've

stuck with us this long.

17

I mean, we're now well into the next year.

18

You're well over halfway.

19

Yeah.

20

This is a really like a great

place to stop and say, Hey man,

21

thank you, God, this is awesome.

22

Totally.

23

And if you didn't stick

with us, what gives.

24

Where are you?

25

And why are you listening

to this right now?

26

Let's let's send them the podcast and

say, Hey, we, we thought he'd get a day.

27

Right?

28

Why aren't you with us?

29

Speaking of podcasts, man, if anybody has

a cool one point, what $2 billion is that?

30

What it costs that we heard

about on Friday night?

31

I heard so many billions of numbers.

32

Yeah.

33

I kind of lost track.

34

So we went to the star because pastor

had organized a father, son outing

35

at the star, which was awesome.

36

And, uh, Brianna did.

37

So did Kelly.

38

I was there though.

39

Yeah.

40

And I did do a small devotion.

41

It.

42

Might show up.

43

In a, in an opening illustration

of a sermon that's preached.

44

Uh,

45

so, but yeah, if anybody has a cool

1.2 billion, we could have 91 acres

46

and we could build a state of the art

church that has everything that we need.

47

We sell a podcast studio in

there that would do that.

48

We could do this easily in that studio.

49

Most studios probably couldn't

measure up to what we need.

50

That one we could do.

51

Yeah.

52

That we would need to make a few updates.

53

It would be sufficient.

54

Yeah.

55

In the draft, the war room

where they do the draft.

56

There was over a million dollars worth

of technology just in that one room.

57

And the table was shaped like a,

like a, I guess it was, it was.

58

What I thought was a horseshoe shape.

59

What I found out was that it was

actually shaped like a football.

60

The laces on the top.

61

It was really, really cool.

62

Yeah.

63

I mean in that locker room was

so cool and just, it was awesome.

64

It was a cool trip.

65

Yeah, that's fantastic.

66

Yeah.

67

I mean, I wonder.

68

And we got to go out on

the practice field too.

69

Like we were, I mean, it was so much.

70

I enjoyed it much more

than I thought I would.

71

Yeah.

72

I mean, I really found myself

saying, oh, that's a really cool.

73

I just got into it.

74

Yeah.

75

Yeah, I dunno.

76

I got bit by the cowboy bug, I think.

77

Yup.

78

Well, not that I'm probably gonna

watch a game or go out of my way

79

to do anything, but I did enjoy it.

80

If you look for them this weekend,

you're not gonna find them.

81

Cause they already played, uh, they

played on Thursday night and they won.

82

So.

83

Um, but no, it was cool.

84

And then you gave a good charge to

fathers and sons afterwards to a.

85

Act like men act like men.

86

You're strong.

87

Yeah, which.

88

It's a fun text.

89

First Corinthians 16, 13 and 14.

90

Yeah.

91

Encouraging.

92

Good challenge.

93

My son and I went to

in and out afterwards.

94

It was Pac-Man is a manly place to eat.

95

Yeah.

96

So we went to the counter, we

were ordering number 81 and

97

normally in and out, you're like,

okay, you get your order number.

98

You're thinking if, if your

number 81, you're thinking they're

99

probably on 70 at this point.

100

That's a reasonable, we go

sit down and she calls 57.

101

Ooh.

102

That's how many people were there.

103

I think the cams are still there.

104

We saw them walking after us.

105

They were like, they were like number one.

106

No, they were number 14.

107

So it was going to cycle back around

to get to them and they go up to

108

a thousand if I remember, right.

109

Yeah.

110

Yeah.

111

Lillian.

112

If you're listening to this,

I hope eight made it home.

113

If not he's at, in and out

in Frisco with, with his ego.

114

So this he's well fed.

115

Yeah.

116

He's not going to be lacking.

117

I don't know if he's gotten it yet.

118

Well, Yeah, that's true.

119

Yes, you're right.

120

Yeah.

121

Ketchup packets.

122

It's such a good time.

123

It was awesome.

124

And, uh, it was a great event.

125

So well done, student ministry, well

done, Kelly and Brianna for helping

126

with the administrative side, pastor,

rod with the vision of that event.

127

It was great.

128

And we have the gals do well

right now, as we record.

129

Heading over to an escape room to

do some fun mother daughter bonding.

130

Right?

131

Well, A better way to bun then by

locking kids up in a room with their

132

moms and say, Hey, find a way to get out.

133

I love it.

134

Yeah.

135

Yeah.

136

I was asking my daughter was

asking me questions about it.

137

She was like, so how, what does

this, how does this work and what

138

happens if we don't get out in time?

139

It explodes.

140

Yeah.

141

Oh, you didn't hear about AICS.

142

It actually explodes.

143

Yeah.

144

Oh, okay.

145

Okay.

146

Well, you better get out.

147

Yeah.

148

Hopefully they make it.

149

Hey, we got some, uh, some

listener questions submitted.

150

We did well, a listener.

151

Hey listener who has

multiple questions with.

152

And they're really good questions.

153

So here.

154

So let me read them.

155

Okay.

156

Then I'll pitch them to you.

157

And maybe I'll add a little bit

of salt and pepper to flavor

158

them up a little more than what.

159

Jason waterfalls.

160

Go Jay.

161

I don't think that I think that's TLC.

162

TLC.

163

Yeah, that's right.

164

I don't remember selling Pepsi.

165

Try though.

166

I was trying to be cool.

167

The.

168

He only saw.

169

Yep.

170

I know of that they did

is super inappropriate.

171

And I can't even tell.

172

Their most popular song.

173

Yeah.

174

Do you know which one I'm thinking about?

175

I think I do.

176

Yeah.

177

Anyways, don't go

chasing waterfalls folks.

178

GLC stick to the rivers and

the lakes that you're used to.

179

That's.

180

So, how should we, this is the question.

181

How should we approach situations

such as dancing at a wedding?

182

I haven't heard.

183

If it's a salt and pepper

song, you shouldn't be here.

184

It depends on the song.

185

Maybe.

186

They probably have other songs

that are not inappropriate.

187

I've heard that some people

believe dancing at weddings can

188

cause stumbling, but I'm not

referring to inappropriate dancing.

189

I would like to discuss whether

participating in a fun wedding

190

dances, like the Cupid shuffle,

it could be a stumbling block.

191

Should we refrain from

dancing as wedding guests?

192

There's the question?

193

Yeah.

194

So assuming it's.

195

It's appropriate dancing, which I

think is also a subjective category.

196

It is.

197

Um, assuming it's appropriate,

whatever that means.

198

And assuming the music isn't

profane Laden, it's not, it's not

199

dropping F bombs or whatever, right.

200

Uh, should Christians,

could Christians dance.

201

And, and what about in

the worship setting?

202

How do we think about this

pastor PJ, help us all, please.

203

Uh, I'll do my best.

204

Here's the thing.

205

I think if, if we run down the rabbit

trail of the weaker brother, we can find

206

ourselves quickly paralyzed to where

we're really not doing much of anything.

207

I mean, You might think to yourself, okay.

208

If I wear this shirt out in

public, like I'm okay with it.

209

And my spouse is okay with it, but is

it too tight for somebody else's spouse?

210

And is it going to cause

somebody to stumble.

211

Yeah, because I'm wearing something

that in their eyes, they're

212

going to stumble because of this.

213

Right.

214

I mean, right.

215

We can get so far down that rabbit

trail that we literally paralyze

216

ourselves and we're wearing the

long Amish dresses and long.

217

You know, Amish clothes everywhere

we go to somehow avoid that.

218

But then maybe you're going to cause

an Amish person to stumble you.

219

So, what are you going to do then?

220

Um, so I think we have to fall back

into the area of if, if I'm not

221

conscious, Or have a, of another

brothers or sisters weakness.

222

Then I don't necessarily, if this is a

gray area and truly not an area of black

223

and white sin, I don't need to feel

the burden of caring for everybody's

224

conscience in the room when I don't

know what their conscience may be.

225

Now, if somebody comes up to me

and says to me in that moment,

226

Hey, you know, sister, brother.

227

The way that you were

dancing on that last song.

228

Kind of made me stumble, like number

one, most awkward conversation.

229

Every face of the planet.

230

But number two, I think then now

you're aware of the, the, the weaker

231

brother and now you probably are

under the obligation scripturally to

232

consider what the best path forward is.

233

Okay to summarize then if, if I,

if I know that they have a weaker

234

brother or sister who stumbles

over said activity, that's great.

235

That's not righteousness.

236

It's not sin.

237

It's a matter of wisdom and

preference to some degree.

238

I need to honor that preference for them.

239

Who is the weaker brother?

240

Is that.

241

Is that more or less what you're saying?

242

Yeah.

243

Now.

244

Let's take the, the wedding situation.

245

If you're going to be at a wedding

with another couple from the church,

246

maybe, and that couple in the church

has, like, I wonder if there's going

247

to be dancing there and you're like,

yeah, I heard there is going to

248

be dancing and they say, oh, okay.

249

Wow.

250

I am really uncomfortable with that.

251

I don't think Christian should dance.

252

I don't think it's right.

253

I think in that scenario, a way to love

them might be to say, Hey, you know what?

254

I think maybe you'd be,

you'd be better served.

255

No.

256

Well, Yes, but, but couching it this way.

257

Hey, show up at the wedding.

258

Be a part of the reception until the,

you know, the dancing gets going.

259

And maybe the best thing for you

guys at that point would be to leave.

260

Yeah.

261

And to help them see, you know, I think

this may be something that wounds your

262

conscience, that you're sensitive to.

263

I can appreciate that, but I think.

264

You, you also need to have a broader

understanding of the fact that this

265

is not something that everybody shares

the same conviction on in that we

266

can't point to a chapter and verse

that this is black and white sin.

267

And so maybe.

268

In a group, large group setting

like this, you'd be better served by

269

being there for the wedding, showing

up for the reception for part of

270

it that you're comfortable with.

271

And then when you, when the dancing

starts, you know, the, the weaker

272

brother departs, um, word on the compass

street, does that, that's a pastoral

273

council situation when the dancing

starts, the pastor does part sets.

274

Yeah, I believe that was coined by one

lead pastor of one of our church plants.

275

From what I understand.

276

So okay.

277

In and of itself then dancing.

278

If, if you don't have a problem

with that, And you want to jump

279

into, they keep it shuffle or, you

know, whatever else is happening.

280

You see no problem with that.

281

Yeah.

282

As long as it's not suggested suggestive.

283

Right.

284

We know if a suggestive.

285

Well, I think there are body movements

that are culturally suggestive.

286

I think there are things that we

can look at and go, okay, this is,

287

is meant to mimic certain gyrations

and movements that are meant to do

288

something and represent something.

289

I think.

290

You know, even.

291

You spin class dance classes,

exercise classes at the gym.

292

When they're there doing dances there.

293

I think we've got to

be careful about that.

294

Right?

295

Uh, when we are.

296

I went through partners.

297

Seven with somebody earlier today.

298

And it's talking about biblical fellowship

and it talks about, you know, not, not

299

partaking in the works of darkness.

300

And it cites that passage from Ephesians.

301

When it says we are children of lights and

we need to walk as children of light not

302

take, take part in the works of darkness.

303

I think we gotta be careful not to

say, well, well, dancing is allowed.

304

Don't don't tell me I can't dance.

305

That's illegal.

306

Listic.

307

Without acknowledging the fact that there

are sinful forms of that expression, and

308

we need to avoid the simple expressions.

309

I guess my only, my only clarification

that I think a lot of people

310

are probably going to ask is.

311

I would feel the sense of

according to who, because I agree.

312

And I think my, my mental

line is really clear.

313

Like I would say, oh,

that's I would not do that.

314

That's inappropriate.

315

Right?

316

Um, Kristen went to a thing recently

where there's, you know, some young,

317

young ladies cheerleading doing things.

318

And she was like, I felt very

uncomfortable, a few parts.

319

I had to look away.

320

And.

321

Someone choreographed it.

322

Who I'm sure has well-intentioned

ideas and says, Hey, this

323

is, this is totally fine.

324

This.

325

This, this is not a line that is

anyone should be worried about.

326

Cause they did it.

327

They, they choreograph that.

328

So I guess.

329

He'll help us.

330

Okay.

331

Yeah, man.

332

There's another question here.

333

It's really good.

334

Maybe we'll save it for the next one.

335

Because I think this is a

really helpful conversation.

336

How do you know then based on your own

conscience, if, if you're, I mean, maybe

337

we disagree about where that line is.

338

Um, but my sister, she

thinks it's the lines here.

339

I think the lines over here.

340

Now, even the kind of clothing

that you wear when you're doing

341

the thing, does that play a role?

342

And I think maybe, maybe it does.

343

Um, there are certain types of, uh,

you know, Salsa dancing, which has

344

movements that could be suggested.

345

Right?

346

There's um, there's certain dances.

347

That just mean it's really hard.

348

Pastor PG.

349

I add some more clarity to that.

350

There's different lines

for different people.

351

How do we draw the line truly?

352

Yeah, two thoughts.

353

Um, First thought.

354

First that's five 20 to abstain

from every form of evil.

355

Um, we, as Christians are to let there

be no appearance of evil around us.

356

Right.

357

And so I think we need to err

on that side rather than on the

358

side of it's it's the old days.

359

Why people don't dance.

360

Yeah.

361

It's the old dating question

that as a youth pastor, I'm sure

362

you've gotten a million times.

363

Hey, where's the line?

364

How close to the line can I get?

365

Right.

366

And I think we carry that over as

adults into some gray areas where

367

we say, okay, there is an area

where the greater, it becomes black.

368

And how close can I get to that?

369

Before it is that.

370

And I think we just need

to be sensitive to that.

371

And, and, and I.

372

Yes, it's subjective, but not as much

as people hide behind subjectivity.

373

You know, when there are movements

in the body where you're calling

374

attention to certain parts of the

body, that is not a moral thing to do.

375

Like that, that is a, that isn't

to flaunt a form that is to flaunt

376

a part of the body that that is.

377

If there's a you're you're

aware of what you're doing.

378

Now you may be doing it

in a room, in a gym with.

379

You know, 30 other women at the same time

or your, your daughter may be doing it

380

on a stage during a dance competition.

381

I'm sorry.

382

Th th there's you're doing

something with your body.

383

That's meant to be suggestive and, and.

384

Yeah, scent sensual.

385

It's all of those things and that's just.

386

If someone were to say to you, though.

387

Okay.

388

It sounds like you're the weaker

brother here, because I could do that.

389

And my, you know, my daughter

can do that and we're not,

390

we're not trying to be that way.

391

We're not trying to draw to it.

392

And it's, it's part of the, you

know, we're doing a Zumba class or

393

whatever, and we're among ladies

and we're doing these things right.

394

And look, if you, if you struggle with

that and we're sorry that you, you seem

395

to be the weaker brother, maybe you

ought to not come when we're doing the

396

class or something, something like that.

397

I'm not showing up at

women's zoom, Zumba classes.

398

That helps at all.

399

I'm glad we clarified that.

400

But, I mean, if someone were to say, it

seems like there's an interesting dynamic

401

here, is that person, the weaker brother,

or are they actually the stronger brother

402

who has a more well-informed conscience?

403

I mean, how this is getting really

interesting and maybe multilayered.

404

Yeah.

405

Talk to that.

406

I look, I think we go back to

the Genesis of the movement.

407

I think we go back to, if it's to

a song written by an artist who.

408

You know, the, the dances.

409

Is from them or it's mimicking them.

410

W w what's the intention there?

411

What's the heart there.

412

Yeah.

413

Um, I think you go there.

414

You say, what, what was

the intention behind this?

415

Let's not hide behind.

416

I want my Christian Liberty.

417

So back off, you're

just the weaker brother.

418

And let me, I gotta be super

careful cause I'm gonna, I'm gonna

419

say something stupid here, son.

420

Yeah, let's be clear, but not, yeah,

I'm trying to condemn people here.

421

I have to be super careful on that.

422

Um, and it's just, we, let

me just put it this way.

423

We live in a hyper-sexualized culture.

424

Yes, we do.

425

And that has done.

426

Yeah, it's desensitized us

to these things and I think.

427

It's it's I think a lot of.

428

I think a lot of the ladies.

429

I have become blind to the fact

that it's really out there.

430

It's really out there guys.

431

See it in guys.

432

See it.

433

And you are doing things that are causing

guys have thoughts about you that.

434

You don't want them to have.

435

Yeah.

436

And.

437

If you were aware of that, I don't

think you do what you're doing out there

438

and be like, well, this is just fun.

439

So back off.

440

I just, I think, I think there's

so much of a better part of wisdom

441

to say, let me just not do it.

442

There's other things I can do.

443

Okay.

444

So I think one of the most helpful

things that you've alluded to,

445

if you haven't said explicitly,

maybe you didn't, I just missed it.

446

Is our, first of all, our conscience

is need to be shaped by God's word.

447

Um, we need to have that sense of

having our sensibilities calibrated.

448

Not by what the culture says,

but what by scripture says.

449

Yes.

450

A very helpful starting place, because

if we start there and say, okay, let's

451

start with what scripture says, and

then let's work our way from that place.

452

Then I could see.

453

All right, well that does this dance.

454

Uh, convey hope, love beauty.

455

Does it convey the fruit of the spirit?

456

Does it convey something about God?

457

That's that's noble and good, and I think

there's maybe some dances out there.

458

I mean, I don't know about swing dancing.

459

That's fun.

460

I guess there's probably some

suggestive movements in that too.

461

But I think you have to start with, are

my sensibilities shaped by scripture?

462

And if not, then I'm probably going to end

up in the bad place before I even know it

463

because I'm, I'm shaped by something else.

464

To your point, we're

shaped so much by culture.

465

We don't even see the things

is problematic anymore that

466

we probably should see.

467

So I would say that let's

start with scripture and

468

let's make our way from there.

469

And then we have to make a lot

more decisions along the way.

470

Yep.

471

That's good.

472

Let's get, wow, what are we?

473

15 minutes in.

474

No.

475

Yes.

476

Oh, man, maybe this ought to

be a bonus episode and just.

477

No, let's, let's get to it.

478

We're going to do it.

479

All right.

480

Nehemiah 11.

481

All right.

482

So Nehemiah 11, one

Jerusalem needed inhabitants.

483

They needed people to live in there.

484

Um, and so men were drawn by lot

to come and populate the city.

485

People wanted to live in the suburbs

of Jerusalem because Jerusalem was not

486

really in a good state at this point.

487

And so.

488

Uh, they're brought in, they're

brought into populate the city

489

they're brought into live there.

490

Uh, there's a list of them in verses two

through 24 list of those who lived in

491

Jerusalem, and many of them are called

Valiant men or men of valor, mighty men.

492

Uh, in other words, this was not

an easy assignment to be some of

493

the first inhabitants of Jerusalem.

494

As they were in the process

still of rebuilding.

495

This was not a desirable location.

496

And so they needed to, to,

to sacrifice some of their

497

comfort, some of their desires.

498

Remember we talked about it.

499

Um, Uh, help me out here.

500

The paneled walls, prof

prophetic book that is.

501

Yup.

502

Yep.

503

You're living in paneled houses

while the city lies in ruins.

504

Um, Hi.

505

Thank you.

506

Yeah.

507

And so this is the, this

is the call away from that.

508

This is called a say, Hey, leave your

panel houses in the city and come into

509

Jerusalem and help us rebuild in here.

510

And so that's kind of what's

going on in chapter 11.

511

Uh, versus a 25 to 36.

512

There are people living outside

the city in regions though at

513

the same time surrounding Judah.

514

So the whole area is being

repopulated, but Jerusalem

515

needed inhabitants at this point.

516

Chapter 12.

517

Uh, verses one through 26 here, we

get a breakdown of all the priests

518

and the Levites along with some of

their roles and responsibilities.

519

Uh, not all of them, again, dwell in

Jerusalem, but, uh, this is a breakdown

520

of them and what they're there to

do, what their jobs were as they were

521

reinstituting, this whole system,

this was necessary because, uh, 70

522

years of captivity, uh, there were,

there was, uh, an entire generation

523

that had passed by now and there's new

ones coming up and they needed to be

524

reminded again, this is what we do here.

525

This is how this works.

526

This is how this looks

and how we operate things.

527

Uh, Nehemiah.

528

And my 12 then 27, 3 43.

529

You get the dedication of the temple

and here is quite the celebration.

530

The priest had consecrated everyone

meaning to, to set them apart as

531

holy and the wall itself is as well.

532

And then Nehemiah gathered the people

and split them into two great choirs,

533

one for the north and one for the south,

and they sing and rejoice and offer sec.

534

Uh, Thanksgiving and in songs to the

Lord to Yahweh for his kindness to them.

535

And so this is a celebration here.

536

The wall has been done, completed

the Temple's erected completed.

537

We're going to celebrate what God's

doing here and, uh, Then the chapter ends

538

there, the bookends are the chapter ends

rather with the men being appointed to

539

collect the, the offerings as the temple,

uh, sacrifices get instituted again.

540

I would not be a good worship leader

without pointing out something so obvious

541

that you've already said, but I just want

to show the fact that God really loves

542

and his people saying they can't help.

543

And in fact, there were some times

when the words themselves just do

544

not describe the emotion that's

laid in within the heart of the man.

545

And therefore, the only

thing we can do is sing.

546

We have to erupt with joy, and this

is one way that we do that one way

547

that we worship God, we typically call

it the worship part of the service.

548

And that's.

549

Uh, terrible name because

the whole thing is worshiped.

550

Uh, but we're worshiping in song.

551

I know some people it's

just not their thing.

552

Like I don't like the music.

553

It's not my key.

554

It's not my favorite genre or I

don't like this particular song.

555

I know that there was times when

I have sang a song, the song like.

556

Ah, I'm tired of this one, please.

557

Lord, just give me a new song.

558

Doesn't the Bible say that.

559

Uh, but there's times that

we just have to put our say.

560

And probably most of the time we

have to put ourselves aside and say,

561

this is what God wants us to do.

562

It's a good thing.

563

We should sing.

564

It's appropriate.

565

It's wise, it's righteous saying people.

566

Yeah, and, and we've hit on this before,

but just as a reminder to everybody out

567

there, you know, at the end of the day,

our policy is we're going to look at

568

the content of the song is the content

of the song, biblical that is going to

569

guide us above and beyond anything else.

570

There are some other factors that

we take into consideration as song

571

selection, but, um, most of the

time it's going to come down to you.

572

Is the content of the song biblical.

573

And can we sing it with conviction?

574

Uh, that, that scripture backs it up.

575

Does pastor PJ, like it.

576

Uh, that's, that's it, you know?

577

Um, I've got my own

playlist that I oh, okay.

578

You're listening to it

while we're singing worship.

579

Yeah.

580

I mean, not all the

time, but occasionally.

581

Yeah.

582

Uh, so, alright.

583

Chapter 13 then.

584

Uh, Nehemiah 31.

585

This does not follow immediately on

the heels of that dedication of the

586

wall that we're just coming off of.

587

Um, in verses four through

seven, we actually find out that

588

Nehemiah had returned to Seuss.

589

I remember he, when he left, he told.

590

Uh, the, the king there that he would

come back, that he would be back.

591

And so, um, he had gone back there

and while he's back things don't

592

go well, he's back with art exerts.

593

He's probably back as the cup

bearer, at least for a time.

594

And while he's away, this guy

595

Leadership leadership.

596

Uh, had broken the, the commandment

that no Ammonite should be allowed

597

into the temple by giving a room

to evolve people, to buy it.

598

One of the guys, we

just talked about this.

599

Yeah.

600

The guy that was opposing the

rebuilding of Jerusalem, and now they're

601

letting him live inside the temple.

602

Uh, this is clearly not a good thing.

603

And so Nehemiah comes back in returning.

604

He goes off on the people who had so

quickly falling back to their sinful

605

ways and he kicks to buy it out of

the temple restores temple procedures.

606

You confronts the people who were

profaning the Sabbath there, which was

607

another main reason why God charged

them with wrongdoing and sent them.

608

Into exile to begin with.

609

And so he's, he's confronting them.

610

He's doing all these things.

611

He orders the gates shut ousting,

the traders who were coming in on the

612

Sabbath, he keeps them outside the city.

613

He confronts those that

had intermarried again.

614

I mean, there's just so many issues

going on here that, that it's, they.

615

They slid back into there since so easily

here and in all of this Nehemiah's prayer

616

was that the Lord would remember him.

617

Uh, for the way that he was

bringing restoration to the people.

618

They backslide.

619

Yeah, I, yeah.

620

And that's such an interesting.

621

Verbiage isn't it.

622

And we throw that out a lot.

623

Well, I had a period of

backsliding in my life.

624

Is backsliding a biblical

concept that we should.

625

I mean, obviously it's an, it's an, a

scripture, the term is used in there.

626

So maybe we can save that because

we're already 20 minutes in,

627

but it's a, it's something that

you should be thinking about.

628

And as you read your Bible,

Uh, there are times when the

629

scripture talks about backsliding.

630

Yeah.

631

Interestingly and especially

notably, you're not going to

632

find it in the new Testament.

633

Yeah, you will find it in the yield and

it's worth talking about what that means.

634

At some point I would agree.

635

Yeah.

636

But that'll take us on another

long, another 20 minutes.

637

Yeah.

638

All right.

639

Psalm 1 26.

640

Uh, we are dealt with Nehemiah now.

641

Let's finish the Psalms.

642

Not with the last chapter of the

songs, but with Psalm 1 26, Uh, someone

643

26 is just simply, it's a Psalm for

the returned exiles asking for the

644

full restoration of their fortunes.

645

There.

646

Glad to be back in there, verse

four, restore our fortunes or,

647

oh Lord, like the streams in the

Negev, in the wilderness there.

648

Those who sow in tears shall

reap with shouts of joy.

649

And so this is that som of, of

joy and celebration, but also just

650

asking for God's good favor to

continue on the hand of his people.

651

Amen.

652

All right.

653

That's been a big one.

654

Let's pray.

655

And then we'll be done with this episode.

656

God, we thank you for

your, your kindness to us.

657

We thank you for, um, the spirit

that helps us to navigate the

658

waters of gray areas that helps us

to navigate the waters of weaker

659

brothers and sisters in the church.

660

And we want to do all things out

of love for them, even as we're

661

talking about this morning at church,

that we are called to love one

662

another as Christ loved the church.

663

And, uh, we were called to love one

another, rather as Christ has loved us.

664

Uh, Jesus says in John 13 there, and

certainly that means that we have

665

to have a sensitivity towards those

that are in our midst and not do

666

anything to intentionally harm them

or cause them to stumble or fall.

667

Certainly.

668

And yet we want to be a biblicist

at the end of the day, we don't want

669

to be led by our emotions or our.

670

Our particular likes and dislikes.

671

We want all of that to be

informed by the word of God.

672

So help us to be people,

men, and women like that.

673

Who are so saturated by your

word, that that is who we are.

674

And in the meantime, give us wisdom

to navigate these other issues.

675

We pray in Jesus name.

676

Amen.

677

And then are, y'all keeping your

Bibles tonight, tomorrow from Malakai.

678

Mo last one.

679

Yep.

680

Last book of the Bible.

681

Old Testament, Malachi.

682

Last book of Old Testament, Yes.

683

Malachi.

684

Bye.