Transcript [00:04] When we lose God's perspective, we lose [00:07] God's vision. [00:08] >> The problem is [00:09] that that is addictive. [00:12] It's like drugs. [00:14] >> I started to hate everybody who's not a [00:16] Muslim, [music] especially the Jews. [00:20] >> Yeshua taught his disciples to [music] [00:21] pray, "Forgive us our debts as we also [00:25] forgive our debtors." [00:29] >> I'm Dr. [00:30] >> Erez Soref. I was born and raised in the [00:32] heart of Israel, but I never heard the [00:35] gospel message [music] until on a [00:37] journey abroad my eyes were opened to [00:40] the Jewish Messiah. From that point, my [00:43] life has [music] been dedicated to [00:45] bringing this gospel back to my people [00:47] Israel, equipping them to reach Israel [00:50] and the world. [00:52] Together as Jews and Gentiles, [music] [00:54] we are one in Messiah, one for Israel. [01:02] >> [music] [01:08] [music] [01:14] >> Jerusalem is the place where God said he [01:17] would put his name among his people. [01:20] What does that mean? [01:22] It means that his presence is honor and [01:25] his character would be known from this [01:27] city. [01:28] But in Nehemiah's story, we will [music] [01:30] see a time of tension where Israelites [01:33] begin to dishonor God's name by going [01:35] against their values as a people. [01:38] When Israel acted against their values, [01:41] it wasn't just an [music] embarrassment [01:43] to them. It was dishonoring the name of [01:45] God himself. [01:47] In the traditional Middle Eastern world, [01:49] [music] your name was bound up with [01:51] honor. To dishonor your father's name [01:53] through your actions was [music] deeply [01:56] shameful. Through their actions, Israel [01:58] began dishonoring God's name and their [02:01] own name as well. [02:03] Today, we'll see how Nehemiah led the [02:05] people of Israel [music] when he [02:06] identified spiritual compromise. And [02:09] we'll challenge you with the question, [02:11] what is your name [02:13] >> [music] [02:13] >> as we walk the walls with Nehemiah. [02:17] Nehemiah had come from Persia with a [02:19] vision from God to lead the rebuilding [02:22] of the walls of Jerusalem. The walls [02:24] were going up and work was progressing. [02:27] Nehemiah had successfully repelled an [02:29] attack from his enemies. [02:30] But soon, there was a crisis. And some [02:33] of the workers on the wall came to him [02:35] with a problem [music] from within. Many [02:38] of the Jews living in Jerusalem and the [02:40] surrounding area had recently returned [02:42] from exile. They had come home poor [02:45] [music] and had little means to provide [02:46] for themselves. As they worked on the [02:49] wall, many had to borrow money [music] [02:51] from the wealthy Jewish nobles. And the [02:53] ones lending money were looking to their [02:56] own benefit, charging high interest to [02:59] their neighbors. [03:00] When the poor Jews [music] could not pay [03:02] back their debt, some were forced to [03:04] sell themselves or their children into [03:07] slavery. [03:09] Now, of course, you would be appalled at [03:12] the idea of slavery. And no one is [03:14] thrilled by high interest loans, either. [03:16] But for Israel, exacting interest to a [03:19] fellow Israelite actually went directly [03:21] against God's law. In Leviticus, [music] [03:24] it says, [03:25] "If your brothers become poor, you shall [03:27] support him, [music] and he shall live [03:29] with you. Take no interest from him or [03:31] profit, but fear [music] your God." [03:35] It was against their God-given identity [03:38] as a people to take advantage [music] [03:39] of the poor. This went contrary to their [03:42] name. So, the people brought this issue [03:45] to Nehemiah. What was he supposed to do? [03:48] They really needed to finish the [music] [03:50] work to accomplish God's vision. They [03:53] had already slowed down while repelling [03:55] their enemies external attacks. [03:57] Couldn't they just deal with this [03:58] internal issue later? Once the wall was [04:01] done? [04:02] I mean, yes, the nobles were breaking [04:04] God's command, but it's not like they [04:06] were breaking one of the big 10. It [04:08] wasn't idols or murders or [music] [04:10] adultery. [04:12] As leaders running with the vision, [04:14] sometimes the people's needs seem to get [04:16] in the way. [04:18] Some ministries or churches operate like [04:20] machines, like a business or [04:22] corporation. But what happens [music] [04:24] when people inside those machines are [04:27] suffering spiritually or emotionally? [04:29] When they're hurt or taken advantage of? [04:32] Do we have the time to listen? To care [04:35] for the people [music] more than we care [04:37] for the program? [04:38] When we take advantage of the lowly, we [04:40] are [music] acting in opposition to God. [04:43] We cannot build God's kingdom that way. [04:47] Way back in Egypt, the Israelites made [04:49] bricks to build Pharaoh's kingdom as [04:52] slaves. Now, in Nehemiah's time, some of [04:55] the Israelites building with bricks had [04:58] become slaves once again. [05:01] Nehemiah had a choice. Would he attempt [05:04] to build God's kingdom the world's way, [05:07] following in Pharaoh's footsteps, on the [05:10] backs of the oppressed? [05:12] No. Nehemiah made the difficult choice [05:15] and stopped [music] the work. He knew [05:17] his priorities. He would not build for [05:19] the vision and sacrifice his name in the [05:21] process. As [music] long as Nehemiah was [05:24] leading, Israel would be known as the [05:26] ones who would obey God. Spiritual [05:29] compromise is more than just flirting [05:32] with worldly pleasures. It's also [05:34] putting worldly goals, success, and [05:36] ambition above God's priorities and [05:39] God's people. When we lose God's [05:42] perspective, we lose God's vision. When [05:45] we lose God's [music] point of view, we [05:47] lose our view of God. So, Nehemiah began [05:50] to appeal to the fear of God, reverence [05:53] for his name, in order to bring the [05:55] people to repentance. [05:58] If you want to go deeper in Nehemiah's [06:00] story, we're offering a free 31-day [06:03] devotional as a companion to this book. [06:07] Visit the link below to download the [06:09] free devotional. And don't forget to get [06:12] the new book, Walking the Walls with [06:14] Nehemiah. [music] [06:16] It goes deeper into these powerful [06:17] lessons of restoration, prayer, and [06:20] perseverance. Order our new book, [06:23] Walking the Walls with Nehemiah, and [06:25] discover how you can pick up bricks and [06:27] build with God. [06:29] >> For a limited time, get our new book, [06:31] Walking the Walls with Nehemiah, with [06:33] our devotional companion for a gift of [06:35] any amount. Scan the QR code on your [06:37] screen or visit oneforisrael.org/walls. [06:41] Your gift will help us bring the gospel [06:42] [music] back to Israel and equip [06:44] believers in Israel to reach the world. [06:47] Scan the QR code now or visit [06:48] oneforisrael.org/walls. [06:51] And for a gift of any amount, [music] [06:52] receive these free resources. [06:59] >> Nehemiah stopped the work on the wall [07:01] when he realized that some of the richer [07:03] Jewish nobles were [music] taking [07:05] advantage of their poor brothers. He [07:07] gathered the nobles together and said to [07:10] them, [07:11] "You are exacting interest each [music] [07:13] from his brother. [07:15] We, as far as we were able, have bought [07:17] back our Jewish brothers who have been [07:19] sold to the nations. But you even sell [07:22] your brothers that they may [music] be [07:24] sold to us. The thing that you are doing [07:27] is not good. Ought you not to walk in [07:30] the fear of our God?" Nehemiah cut right [07:33] to the heart of the issue. The nobles [07:35] lacked the fear of the Lord. [07:37] The culture of exile was still in the [07:39] hearts [music] and minds. They were [07:41] going along with the world's way of [07:43] doing things rather than God's way. [07:46] When we are carrying out a God-given [07:47] [music] [07:48] vision, we must remember that God's work [07:51] must be carried out in fear and [07:53] reverence with an [music] awareness of [07:55] the one we serve. [07:57] What does it look like to lose the fear [07:59] of the Lord? Excusing your compromises [08:02] or the compromise of others, allowing [08:04] your tongue [music] to go off unchecked. [08:07] It's thinking of God less and therefore [08:10] we think less of God. There's a common [08:12] theme repeated in the book of Judges. [08:15] Israel had no king and everyone did as [08:18] they saw fit. When everyone does what [08:20] they see fit, we move quickly into moral [08:23] decline. Our name, our reputation is [08:26] corrupted. Nehemiah saw the seeds and [08:29] the danger of this [08:30] >> [music] [08:30] >> and jumped in quickly to address it. He [08:33] told the nobles to return the fields, [08:35] houses, and money to their brothers. [08:37] Stop charging interest to fellow [08:39] Israelites. [08:41] Amazingly, they responded to Nehemiah's [08:43] correction. They said, "We will restore [08:46] these and require nothing from them. We [08:49] will do as you say." The miraculous [08:52] thing is that these leaders actually [08:54] listened to Nehemiah and forgave the [08:57] debt. Nehemiah made them take a vow [08:59] before the Lord and they made [music] [09:01] things right. [09:11] >> [music] [09:12] >> Hi, I'm Rabbi Doctor Ahron Ariel Lavi. [09:15] I'm the managing director of the Ohr [09:17] Torah Stone Center. [09:18] We're based in Jerusalem and we work to [09:19] make religion part of the solution. [09:23] Well, Nehemiah led the first what we [09:26] call Shivat Zion, the return to Zion. [09:28] That's actually a biblical term. It's [09:29] not a modern term. The people of Israel [09:31] went on exile in 586 BC. [09:35] Around 40-50 years later, they start [09:37] coming back. Now, those who came back [09:39] were not, unfortunately, the wealthiest [09:42] and the most well-off of the of the [09:44] Jewish people. And many of them [09:45] struggled to survive, struggled to [09:47] reestablish their lives back in the land [09:49] of Israel, and they had to [09:51] borrow money. When you borrow money and [09:53] there's interest, you can get into [09:54] trouble. It's very easy to get into [09:57] borrowing money, it's very difficult to [09:58] get out. And when it's [music] when it's [09:59] a one family, two families, okay, so the [10:01] community can help them. [10:03] But if it's the entire community, [10:05] then the the community has a problem. [10:06] It's actually trapped [music] in that. [10:08] And that's what the Torah was trying to [10:09] solve by using the biblical mechanism of [10:12] debt relief. Why do people charge [10:14] interest? Because they want to use the [10:17] resources they have to make more [10:18] resources. So, I'll lend you money. I'll [10:21] lend you $100 and you pay me back $120, [10:23] so I made $20. Otherwise, what reason do [10:26] I have to give you money, actually? What [10:27] what's called free loans or no interest [10:29] loans, they actually go against the [10:31] basic trait of human nature, of the the [10:34] basic incentive we have to make to [10:36] accumulate more wealth. [10:38] So, in that sense, it tells us something [10:40] about how God views us. It's not only in [10:42] this, we see it in many, many other [10:44] other parts of the Bible. Human human [10:45] nature goes in one direction, but the [10:47] Bible challenges us to actually go not [10:49] in the other direction entirely, but to [10:51] actually, let's say, override our human [10:53] nature. And and be stronger than our [10:56] animal instincts [10:58] to make money, to procreate, to control, [11:00] to rule, to be violent. The Bible [11:02] teaches us to actually overcome this. [11:04] Interest-based loans were pretty common [11:06] in the ancient world, as they are common [11:08] [music] today. [11:09] But what most people don't know is that [11:11] even debt relief mechanisms were pretty [11:13] prevalent in the ancient world. [music] [11:14] This is not a biblical invention. I'll [11:16] tell you what is the biblical invention. [11:17] Shmita and Jubilee, Yovel in Hebrew, [11:20] it's actually part of the constitution. [11:22] So, every 7 years, when the sun sets on [11:24] the last day of the 7th year, all the [11:26] debts are remitted. Injecting this into [11:27] the system as a pre-planned mechanism, [11:30] that's [music] the main innovation. The [11:31] ideas of Shmita and jubilee actually [11:33] challenge the entire system. We talked [11:34] about challenging the human nature. [11:37] Shmita and jubilee challenge social [11:39] social nature. [11:40] Now, what are shmita and jubilee? [11:42] Uh shmita comes from the word lishmot, [11:45] which means to let go in Hebrew. [11:47] It's a sabbatical year, which means that [11:48] [music] every seventh year is a shmita [11:50] year. We don't work the land for 1 year. [11:52] And the other one [music] is that we [11:54] committed that relief at the end of the [11:55] year. [11:56] On top of that, there are there's [11:57] hakhel. After the shmita year, we we [11:59] gather back as a community once every 7 [12:00] years [music] to renew the covenant [12:02] between us and God. [12:04] And there are other uh other components [12:06] that we I will not go into right now. [12:08] Try to imagine this in a society where [12:10] 97% of the people work in farming and [12:12] agriculture. Now, telling a society, not [12:15] a person, a society that once every 7 [12:17] years, you're going to leave the land [12:19] fallow for a whole year [12:21] and [music] trust God that it's going to [12:23] be okay, that's a huge challenge. [12:25] Now, on top of that, [12:27] every seven cycles of shmita, the 50th [12:30] year, [12:31] that's the jubilee year. All the slaves [12:32] are released, no matter how long they've [12:34] been in slavery, all the slaves are [12:35] released. The complete [12:38] uh liberation of everybody. [12:40] And the second thing is that all the [12:41] lands go back to the original owner from [12:43] the beginning of the cycle. As far as we [12:45] know, [12:46] uh shmita was practiced partially. [12:49] The Bible tells us actually not [12:51] practicing the shmita properly was one [12:52] of the reasons for the destruction of [12:54] the first temple, according to Jeremiah. [12:57] Jubilee, as far as we know, was barely [12:58] practiced at all. [13:00] Because it's such a huge huge challenge. [13:01] But still, the idea can serve as a as a [13:04] compass and as an [13:06] give us a a direction for how a [13:08] rectified society should look like. The [13:10] problem is that debt is addictive. [13:12] It's like drugs. [13:14] If you you start with it, then it's very [13:15] hard to get out because you need to take [13:17] more and more loans to cover the [13:18] previous loans, then you just sink [13:20] deeper and deeper. So, taking another [13:22] loan to cover the existing loans [13:24] won't [snorts] help much. [13:25] And the Bible, [13:26] even though [music] it challenges human [13:27] nature, it does not violate human [13:29] nature. [13:30] It inspires us to to overcome some of [13:33] our [13:34] animal instincts. [13:36] What we can hope to achieve and what we [13:38] can and should achieve is an economy [13:39] based on on trust and based on honesty. [13:42] And by the way, here again, [13:44] counterintuitively, [13:46] as opposed to what many people believe, [13:48] that if you cheat more, you you gain [13:49] more, it's the other way around. [13:50] Actually, if you look at the work of [13:51] Professor Robert Aumann, who just won [13:53] who just won the Nobel Peace Prize in [13:54] economics, [13:55] the single most important variable [13:58] determining national economic success, [14:01] it's not the gene pool of the [14:02] population, it's not the geography, it's [14:04] not the climate, it's not the skin [14:05] color. [14:06] It's the culture. Now, to be able to [14:08] innovate, [14:10] you need to be able to find people you [14:11] can trust and work with and to take [14:12] risk. The root cause [14:14] for economic success and well-being [14:17] is culture. It's the mindset, which is [14:20] which is the offspring of religion and [14:22] the Bible. It's all built on the [14:25] presumption of free market, of free [14:27] people in a free country. A biblically [14:28] inspired economy is not a fantasy. [14:32] >> If [music] you want to go deeper in [14:34] Nehemiah's story, we're offering a free [14:37] 31-day devotional as a companion to this [14:40] book. Visit the link below to download [14:43] the free devotional. [14:45] And don't forget to get the new book, [14:47] Walking the Walls with Nehemiah. [14:50] >> It goes deeper into these powerful [14:51] lessons of restoration, [music] [14:53] prayer, and perseverance. [14:55] >> Order our new book, Walking the Walls [14:58] with Nehemiah, and discover how you can [15:00] pick up bricks and [music] build with [15:02] God. [15:03] >> For a limited time, get our new book, [15:05] Walking the Walls with Nehemiah, with [15:07] our devotional [music] companion for a [15:09] gift of any amount. Scan the QR code on [15:11] your screen or visit [15:12] oneforisrael.org/walls. [music] [15:15] Your gift will help us bring the gospel [15:17] back to Israel [15:18] >> [music] [15:18] >> and equip believers in Israel to reach [15:20] the world. Scan the QR code now or visit [15:23] oneforisrael.org/walls [music] [15:25] and for a gift of any amount receive [15:27] these free resources. [15:35] >> Nehemiah had stopped the building of the [15:38] walls as he confronted the crisis. Some [15:41] in Israel were acting against the honor [15:43] of God's name. The rich and nobles were [15:45] taking advantage of poor fellow [15:48] Israelites. Nehemiah urged them to stop [15:50] charging interest and forgive the debts [15:53] of the poor. And amazingly, the nobles [15:56] made a vow right then [music] [15:58] that they would follow God's command and [16:00] make things right. It is so rare for [16:03] someone to accept correction so easily, [16:06] especially if it cost them so much. But [16:09] maybe the reason that these nobles were [16:11] so willing to do what was right and [16:13] forgive the debts was because they saw [16:16] the example of their leader, Nehemiah. [16:19] Remember, [music] Nehemiah wasn't just [16:21] some local self-appointed leader. He was [16:24] a high official in the Persian emperor's [16:27] palace. He had been sent out to [16:29] Jerusalem with official commendation. He [16:32] had been appointed governor over Judea. [16:34] He had the right to free food, [16:36] comfortable housing, and an allowance [16:39] paid for by the people. But Nehemiah had [16:42] not taken any of this. Instead, out of [16:45] his own pocket, he provided food for 150 [16:49] Jewish people [16:50] >> [music] [16:50] >> and even some outsiders. When a man like [16:52] this exhorted the nobles that they [16:55] should follow God's laws and forgive [16:57] debts, there wasn't an ounce of [17:00] hypocrisy there. Hypocrisy [music] [17:01] breaks the work. Example builds it. The [17:05] nobles were convicted because they knew [17:08] that their leader didn't just say the [17:11] right thing. [17:12] He didn't just command the right thing. [17:15] He lived it. In the same way, Yeshua [17:17] taught his disciples to pray. [17:20] Forgive us our debts [music] as we also [17:22] forgive our debtors. Yeshua tells us to [17:25] forgive sins because through him the [17:28] Father has forgiven our sins. He doesn't [17:32] just tell us, he shows us. We have a [17:35] physical human picture of perfect [17:37] forgiveness on the cross. [17:39] Father, forgive them for they know not [17:42] what they do. [17:47] >> Zachariah, he was a nice person. [17:50] He was a decent person. He was very [17:52] smart. He was the only Christian in the [17:56] whole of the school. [17:57] And I hated him. [17:59] And because I thought as a Muslim, I [18:01] must be better than him. [18:02] But he was better than I. [18:04] We start to beat him every single day [18:08] that we come to school. [18:09] >> [music] [18:09] >> And we agreed on that night we need to [18:12] kill him. It was dark. [18:14] It was cold. [18:17] And we went ahead of him. [18:19] And we were five of us. We climbed [18:22] >> [music] [18:22] >> a tree [18:23] and we waited there. [18:25] And from far away [18:27] we saw that the torch coming. [18:30] And the light became bigger and bigger [18:33] as it approaches us. [18:35] And the minute that he just [18:38] went under the tree [18:40] we jumped at him. [18:42] He was crying. He was screaming. [18:45] He was shouting. [18:47] We broke his arm. We broke his leg. [18:50] He start to bleed. And because he [18:52] started to scream [18:53] >> [music] [18:54] >> and begging for help, I put my hand in [18:57] his mouth [18:59] so that no noise will come out of him. [19:01] Similar when you are slaughtering a [19:03] sheep, you know, it's just [19:05] shivering and the others were [19:07] beating him. I felt very proud. You were [19:10] actually doing something for for Allah. [19:13] You know, you want to please him. [19:15] And suddenly [19:17] he could no longer [19:18] breathe [19:19] and we could not hear his voice. [19:22] We left him in [music] the wood [19:25] between life and death. [19:28] We went back. [19:30] You wash yourself. [19:33] And you pray. [19:34] And Zakaria [19:36] never came back. [19:39] Never seen him. [19:42] I was born and raised up in a very very [19:46] fanatic Muslim family. [19:49] When I was a child, my father brought me [19:51] to a Quranic school. [19:53] I was only 8 years old [19:56] and my father [music] just dropped me [19:57] there. [19:58] They shaved my head. [20:01] We sat in a circle. [20:03] The Sheikh sat in the middle of the [20:05] circle and he has a very long whip. I [20:07] was forced to memorize the Quran. [20:11] Every mistake that you do, this whip [20:13] will just come right in the middle [20:16] of your head. [20:18] You're not allowed to [20:20] cry [20:21] because in our culture they tell you men [20:23] never cry. I was crying every single [20:27] night. [20:28] And they told me you belong to the [20:30] Islamic ummah and that's why you fight [20:33] for it. You stay [music] loyal to it. I [20:36] started to hate people. [20:38] To hate everybody who's not a Muslim. [20:42] And I especially used to hate the Jews. [20:45] So, I was preparing myself to go [20:48] and fight for [snorts] Allah in the [20:51] jihad. [20:52] But every night I went to bed [20:55] and when we put the light off [20:58] I did not know [20:59] what will happen with me [21:01] if I die. [21:04] My cousin was severely sick and the [21:06] doctors they said he's going to die. [21:09] They gave him only a couple of days. [21:11] And when they came [music] two people, [21:14] they were Coptic Christians. And one of [21:17] them [music] want to greet me. And then [21:19] I saw here the cross. And then I pulled [21:21] my hand back. I said, "Well, I'm not [21:23] going to touch a hand [music] with a [21:25] cross." [21:26] And then he said to me, "We hear that [21:27] this child is sick. We would like to [21:30] pray for him." And only out of [21:32] politeness, I told them, "Okay." And [21:34] they started to speak to God [21:37] like a person that he speaks to his [21:39] friend. They said, "God, please heal [21:42] this child." The minute that they said, [21:44] [music] "Amen." [21:46] This child opened his eyes for the first [21:49] time [21:50] in 4 weeks. He started to move [21:54] his hands. [21:55] He started to speak. [21:57] He sat down in his bed, and he started [22:00] to walk. [22:02] And one of those two persons who [music] [22:04] prayed [22:06] sat down with me. [22:08] And he said to me, "You know what? [22:10] The real miracle is [22:13] that God want to change [music] [22:15] your heart." [22:17] "Do you believe that Yeshua is alive?" [22:19] [music] [22:21] And I told him, "Yeah." [22:23] Because according to the Islamic [22:24] tradition, God took him to heaven, and [22:27] he's alive, and he will come back one [22:29] day. [22:30] And he said to me, "Because he's alive, [22:33] you can speak to him." That changed my [22:35] [music] entire life. And when I started [22:38] to read the scripture, nobody needed to [22:40] convince [music] me to love the Jewish [22:43] people. The only way [22:46] for Muslims [22:48] to start to love the Jews [22:50] is when they meet Yeshua. [22:54] I loved my family. I loved my father. [22:58] I loved my mother, and I loved my [23:00] community. [23:01] And when I decided to follow Yeshua, [23:05] my grandfather and my father [23:08] said to me, [music] "You are no longer [23:09] one of us." [23:11] They made a funeral. [23:13] They invited [music] [23:14] friends and family. [23:16] They brought a coffin to the cemetery [23:19] and they said, "Our son is dead." [23:22] To be declared dead [23:24] with no family. [23:27] I said to God, [23:28] "Where are you?" [23:30] I hear this voice. [23:32] And this voice told me, [23:34] "You know that [23:36] the grave where your name is written, [23:39] you know that grave is empty. [23:42] And guess what? [23:44] My grave is also empty." [23:48] I went to Egypt for the first time after [23:51] many [music] years and I was in a [23:52] pastoral conference. [23:54] And one of the Sudanese pastors came to [23:56] me. It's an elder man, [23:59] gray hair. [24:00] Start to speak to me and he asked me, [24:02] "Where did you [music] come from?" I [24:04] told him my story. He started to cry. [24:08] And then I asked him, "Why are you [24:10] crying?" [24:11] And he said to me, [music] [24:12] "Do you remember me? [24:14] My name is Zachariah." [24:19] And suddenly [24:21] I remembered him. [24:25] The last [music] time I saw him, it was [24:27] in that dark night. [24:29] I could hear suddenly [24:32] the way that he was screaming even [24:34] though that was 25 [music] years. [24:38] Suddenly I started to see his [24:40] broken arm and broken legs. [24:44] I started to see the scars [24:47] which [24:48] I caused him. [24:51] I started to be full of shame. [24:54] I I a bad person, yeah. [24:57] I was terrible. [24:59] So Zechariah [25:00] looked me straight into the eye again [25:02] and he said to [music] me, "Answer [25:03] because [25:06] you hated me so much. [25:10] I was always praying for you." [25:13] He opened his Bible [25:14] and the minute he opened [music] his [25:16] Bible, [25:17] I saw that my name was written in the [25:20] first page. [25:24] I hated him. [25:26] He prayed for me. [25:29] On that day, [25:31] God confronted me. [25:33] He said to me, "Even before you start to [25:36] think about me, [25:39] I was thinking about you. [25:42] To love [25:43] those who hate you, [25:45] you need someone [25:47] whose name is Yeshua. [25:55] >> Let's be like Nehemiah. [25:57] Lead by example. Let our name be known [26:00] for generosity, stewardship, [26:02] forgiveness, and right living. [26:05] And caring [music] for those who are [26:06] vulnerable and forgotten. [26:08] You can't claim God's vision [music] [26:11] while denying God's character. [26:13] As Yeshua said, "The world will know you [26:16] as my disciples, not by your big [26:19] buildings or successful [music] [26:20] organizations, but by your love for one [26:24] another." [26:25] Even if you're not a leader, you have [26:27] influence on someone in your [music] [26:29] life. [26:30] Lead by building God's kingdom God's [26:33] way. [26:35] Proverbs 22:1 says, [26:38] "A good name is to be chosen [music] [26:40] rather than great riches, and favor is [26:44] better than silver or gold." [26:47] As Nehemiah and the people raced to [26:49] finish the wall, the enemy put up [26:51] increasing threats and obstacles to [26:54] hinder its completion. [26:56] Next time, we'll see how Nehemiah's [26:58] convictions and values defined how he [27:01] met those challenges and finished [27:03] [music] the work. [27:05] What are your values? Let's dive deeper [27:08] on the next episode [music] [27:09] as we walk the walls with Nehemiah.
