Robert Stearns // Guest Speaker

Say Yes to the Test __ Robert Stearns

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

god, israel, life, morning, nehemiah, jerusalem, nick, halfway point, wall, years, church, pastor, family, 75th birthday, moment, tobiah, met, stand, day, verse

What What a beautiful time in the Lord's presence and I always love the opportunities that I have to be with the Serbian family. I, I knew Nick and Kim before they were Nick and Kim. When they were Nick and Kim, I knew them then. And it was a joy. To go through Bible college together with them. Kim and I were in the same class, Nick was a year behind us. And then like a pastor Nick just said, after we graduated, I kept in touch with the musical group that we had started together. And those were good years. My my sons have questions for you at lunch today. They want the inside scoop. So I'm gonna have to bribe you before but to see the generations. And you know, I, I knew Nick's amazing father and mother, all the way back to was at Flemington, New Jersey to that town. Pennington, Pennington, New Jersey. And this is this is the first time I'm here. And precious sister Serban is in glory. And we we love you, sir, we honor you, Pastor Serban, senior senior senior senior, you know, you start with the Nick serpents, and there's 19 of them running around so, but Sir, we honor you, we honor the man of God, the patriarch, Patriarch of this family and we we honor the legacy of your precious wife and I miss her hugs and her smile and her laugh. But the Bible tells us she's part of the cloud of witnesses, and that we are not those who live life, only in the dimension of what's known as time and space. But we live also in the dimension of eternity. And we believe that we've got a foot in both worlds, we're in this world, but we're not of it. We're of the world of eternity. Can you say Amen? You're allowed to say, man, you're a Pentecostal church, it is allowed, I promise you. And so we want to live from that perspective. We want to live and walk from that perspective of, we understand the here and now. But we live with eternity in view. And that informs everything we do everything that we are, as pastor Nick has already graciously said, my my three sons are here today, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And guys just stand up so they can meet you properly. And this is Isaac, Michael and Daniel. Isaac is 20 years old, Michael and Daniel are twins, they are 16. All three of them are single and available. So see me at the table afterward and and they're mad. They just, they just they hate that. Michael and Daniel just got back from spending the summer in Israel. 16 years old, they have their own accord found a summer program in Israel, our family is very called to what God's doing in Israel and the nations. And because what God does in Israel affects the nations and vice versa. That's a whole sermon of itself. We can't get into right now. But there is a geographic center to the spiritual universe. Just let that drop in your spirit for a moment. Let me say it one more time. There is a geographic center to the spiritual universe and it's Jerusalem. You know, the Lord's not going to return to the grand old Opry or to Hollywood or to Tokyo, he's coming back to Jerusalem. So if we believe the songs that we sing, if we believe this Bible that we read if it's not just poetry to us, but if it's prophecy, if we really believe everything that we're investing our life and then a part of our heart has to be linked to the purposes of God in Israel. And so, so proud of Michael and Daniel of their own accord, they researched this program. And they went they spent a month in Israel. They did a week in the Israeli army in the Junior ROTC program, lived out in the tents and did the whole thing. So I'm very proud they climbed up Masada. They got up at three in the morning and climbed up beside I take the cable car, I don't climb up, they climbed up Masada. And so it's awesome to be here. Together with you as a family this morning, my dear friends, the Groms are here. Love you both so dearly. And I know God's doing great things in your lives as you've relocated down here more. More folks from the Northeast moving down. That's a trend and so good to see you here this morning. I know there's other friends and partners who are here. I've got a word on my heart that we'll share in just a moment. But before we do, Pastor Nick has referenced our 36 years I don't know how that It's possible. That's scary. But okay, if you say so. And we have walked together a very long time. Your son also came to it. Didn't you come to Israel at this also? Twice? All right, two times. Nick, the fourth also came to Israel with us. I want to thank this church, for being a core partner church with eagle's wings, you have stood with us over the years in an incredible way. And it means the world to us. A lot of people don't understand this thing about Israel. They get a little scared with it, they get a little weirded out. I don't want to bring that Israel thing into the church. I don't want people blowing shofar is in my church, right? You know that? They get a little, little What is this all about? And sometimes I feel too, I feel too Jewish for the Christians and too Christian for the Jews. You know, I mean, I'm kind of stuck in the middle of this conversation. But we're living in a moment church catch this, where for the first time in 2000 years, the followers of Jesus, do we have any followers of Jesus in here this morning, we follow the followers of Jesus and the family of Jesus, who are the family of Jesus, the Jewish people. They're his cousins. They're the family, the biological family of Jesus. And for 2000 years, we've been separated. Now, I don't know about you, but if I if I say that I love Jesus, I, I follow him. I don't want to know listen to me, I don't want to know my idea of Jesus. I want to know who he really is. I wonder who now the way you get to know who somebody really is, is you spend time with their family. You get to know their family. You see them in their context. I know both pastor Nick and Pastor Kim's parents, I know the spiritual legacy that they come from I just was with the Williams is not long ago. And when I was in Boyer town with the Stoker's. You know someone by knowing their family and the Bible tells us, the Bible tells us in the Book of Romans, that we call ourselves Christians, the only reason we are Christians. The only reason you're sitting in this room this morning, is because God's sovereign God made a decision to put a veil. This is the book of Romans chapter 910 11, a veil over the eyes of the Jewish people that they would not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, so that the gospel could go to the Gentiles. Are you glad the gospel went to the Gentiles? Are you glad that we got grafted in to this God of covenant, but the Bible says that veil is for a season for a time and there will come a time when that veil is removed, and all the world will see the true Messiah. How many say, Lord, let that day come quickly, amen. And so we're living in this moment of miracle. It's miraculous. This is nowhere where my sermon is this morning, if I'm not careful, I'm going to start preaching another sermon, but maybe you need a few minutes of it. We've just seen Israel celebrate their 75th anniversary as a nation. What does that mean? Folks? For 2000 years, the Jewish people were scattered to the four corners of the earth. They had no nation they had no language. They had no temple they had no they were they were nothing as a people. We're gonna have lunch after the service. Is there any good ammonite restaurants in town? Any good? Can we get a good Jebusite meal? And he Jebusite restaurants in town? Anybody knows me say restaurant? Are there any good Amalekite restaurants in town? Where all of these people gone? Why? I can't hop down can i I'm a hopper. I can the cameras are. God bless you cameraman. He sees these things. Give me a thumbs up. He's somebody who do. Wear all those. They're gone. Amalekites, Jebusites parasites, Hittites. Amorites, Malik all gone. Why are the Jewish people still here? It makes no sense. It's a sociological miracle. There's nothing. There's no reason except one. That this people are still here. And I want to tell you this morning that God who keeps His promises to Israel is the God who's going to keep his promises to you and to your family and to your situation. The God Who kept his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob generation after generation, all the way up to the moment where it seemed like all hope was lost the Holocaust. And yet God said, even out of that darkness, I'm going to bring forth the people. And so this is our mission. And this is what we're so involved in. In Israel and around the world we leave for Israel in three weeks, goodness gracious relief for Israel. And thank you, Isaac, somebody is on top of things. We'll be bringing our largest group ever we'll be bringing almost 300 People with us to Israel in just three weeks. And Pastor Nick has asked me to announce a full life's trip to Israel. 2024 How many of you are ready to go have pastor Nick baptize you in the Jordan take good care of you. So I want to invite you to come with me right now by video. My sons and I, two months ago, worked with other leaders in the body of Christ. And we wanted to celebrate Israel 75th anniversary and let the children of Israel know that they are not alone. And so we undertook this initiative. This is a video of my son's and I just about six or eight weeks ago in Israel. Thank you, Nick. Happy 75th birthday to the nation of Israel, as we commemorate and celebrate 75 years of the nation state of Israel. Its 75th birthday as a nation Happy Birthday to Israel. The 75th birthday for Israel 75th birthday, the 75th anniversary what an amazing miracle. Happy birthday. Happy birthday Israel. Happy 75th Birthday Happy 75th birthday. Happy birthday to invite all of you to wish all of our friends a wonderful 75th Birthday birthday Israel celebrating with you supernatural miracle happy 75th birthday. Happy birthday. Israel. Okay, eagle's wings family. We are on the way to the presidential palace, where we will be meeting with the President of Israel, Isaac Hertzog. And here is their happy birthday Israel card 1000s and 1000s and 1000s of you from all across the nation all around the world have signed your name pledging your support, pledging your Saddam solidarity, the Eagles Wayne's family coming together as watchmen on the wall. For Zion sake, I love you. I'm so proud of him, that you are making this commitment in a moment where rockets are firing down on this nation from Gaza in a moment where anti semitism is rearing its ugly head. You have decided to make a statement. Happy birthday, Israel. We are standing with you. I am honored to be here as your representative declaring that Israel will never stand alone again. Mr. President, I see you again. Any friends and my three sons Michael. Daniel. Like me, that's a great name. Can you Daniel, Daniel and you, Michael. So you're all from the Bible, right? Before we go, we have a presentation for you Christians around the world who are praying in this moment. And there's a new breed of Christian alive in the earth today, as you know. And those are Christians who say that wherever the Jewish people stand in the State of Israel stands, we stand with you in wholehearted solidarity. Israel will never be alone again. And that is our declaration and our commitment. And I said you brought this message from all these families or close supporters. Absolutely. We've just left the presidential residence here. And of all the times I've been to the president's residence over the many years. I don't think there's ever been a time that I sensed the level of appreciation and connection that I felt this time. As we've been here these days. You've seen it from home. Over 1000 rockets have fallen on Israel. The Jewish people here are feeling alone. They're feeling isolated, they're feeling attacked. And for me to be able to be there on your behalf and bring this message of unconditional friendship and solidarity. And that we stand with this covenantal people and this covenantal land. It just meant so much I, the President was so warm, he was so engaging, he welcomed us all, just with open arms and open hearts. It was a wonderful, wonderful time. And I am so very grateful to you that together, you and I are practically being the watchmen on the wall that are needed for this moment. For Israel. We're not just doing it for this brief period of time, we've been calling the body of Christ to prayer for decades, and for years to come. We are calling the body of Christ to return to Jerusalem centered Christianity, to following Jesus, the Jew, to understanding Him in His biblical, historic spiritual context. And to know that we the wild olive branch have been grafted in to this covenant of God, thank you, for all you do as watchmen on the wall, praying for the peace of Jerusalem, Shalom from Jerusalem. And just before they put that pulpit back up, if you want to say I want to learn more, I want to grow more, I want to connect more. Take a moment real fast, find your phone and scan that QR code. At the back are these two booklets one by my spiritual father, Pastor Jack Hayford, who pastor Nick mentioned, passed away earlier this year. And he has this booklet why stand with Israel today. If you say I'm not sure about all this, I'm trying to figure it out. I'm trying to learn it. This is practical information that will help you in your journey of walking with Jesus, the Jew, there is a Jew who lives in your heart. There is a Jew who seated on the right hand of God. This is what we believe as Christians. It matters, how we respond to that fact. So get that information and stay connected in that way. Thank you, sir. Amen. We're going to look to the word this morning, out of the book of Nehemiah. Pastor Nick has mentioned that my newest book is coming out I'm excited about it. The reason I'm in town is I'm recording the audio book. For my new book that comes out there's a little sheet in the back there. It's called Rise and rebuild. And I want to share the Word this morning from the theme of this book. Let's pray together as we look to the Word. God, I thank you for this sacred moment. I thank you for this consecrated place. God This church has stood for years and served people so well. God, Pastor Nick and Pastor Kim have laid their lives down for your kingdom. Father, they are those who are running to their race so well. And God, they can truly say follow us as we follow Christ. And we see that in their lives. We are experiencing the fruit of their surrender to you. We bless our leaders this morning we bless this time. I pray that as I share this word God it would become life to us in Jesus name. And everybody said amen. None of us escapes life without pain. Every single one of us are faced with situations in our lives that we wish weren't there, or we wish were different. There's not a single person in this room this morning that if we were looking at the book of our life, and God gave us a magic eraser that we wouldn't say hey, I'd like to. I'd like to do away with a couple paragraphs here. I'd like to change a few sentences and chapter five. I'd like to rewrite a little bit of chapter seven. Every single person in life goes through situations that are difficult, unfair, unjust, frustrating, confusing. We hold in our hand this promise of the goodness of God We sense that the universe sings with this promise of the goodness of God. And yet there are facts on the ground that seem to fight against that too many times. We have a dear family friend right now. Wonderful, strong believing man who is fighting for his life, the last stages of cancer. I don't understand that. I don't get it. I do have faith in my heart, that in eternity, we're going to understand that God does all things well. And the things that don't make sense in the moment. That's why it's called folks faith. If it always made sense, if it always was easy, it wouldn't be faith, it would be math. Two plus two equals four. Faith changes the equation when it doesn't make sense. And we say I'm, I'm seeing the same facts. I recognize these facts. However, there's a higher truth that I recognize. And the facts become subordinate to the truth. The children of Israel went through the same difficulties and challenges really is an example for us. And we're going to pick up the story today of Nehemiah. At a time in Israel's life when Israel was an exile, Israel was outside the land of God's promise. Have you ever been outside the land of God's promise? Have you ever felt like God, this this can't be right. These problems in my finances these problems at work these problems with my kids, God, this cannot be what it's supposed to be. I'm outside of where your promise is. For me. That's where Israel was. Outside of the land of God's promise. There's a man named Nehemiah, Nehemiah rose to the top. Even though he was outside the land of God's promise, and he became the Bible says the cup bear, he became the confidant of the king. Why? Because if you walk with God, you can prosper even in bad circumstances. I love the declaration you gave over the offering this morning. I don't know about you, but I've seen God do financial miracles time and time and time again. If you walk in covenant with God, he turns things around. Nehemiah, even in a bad circumstance rose to the top because he was walking in covenant with God. Now we're going to pick up the story in Nehemiah chapter one. If they can, if they have it up there, that's great. If not, no problem. Nehemiah chapter one it came to pass. I was in shoe shine and the palace verse 221 of my brothers came with men from Judah who had escaped. And I asked them about Israel. I asked them about the condition of the city. And they said to me, the survivors who are left from captivity are in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down. And its gates are burned with fire. So Nehemiah is here, he's in the palace of the king. He's outside the land of promise, but he's doing well. He's got a great job. He's got benefits. Health care. 401 K, good food to eat. He's doing great in the palace of the king. He's far from Jerusalem, but he's doing fantastic. He gets a visit from some of his relatives. Do you ever have relatives come to visit his relatives coming to visit? Oh, how's things in Jerusalem? And they say it's terrible. The walls are broken down. It's a disaster. The family is doing terrible it's a mess. I'm here is point one of the story. Don't miss this. Here's what it says. So it was verse four when I heard these words that I sat down and wept, mourned and prayed and fasted for many days Nehemiah successful, safe, abundant, doing fine bye Report. What does he do? I sat down I wept and mourned. I prayed. I fasted. Why? Why didn't he say, oh, oh, that's a shame. I'm sorry to hear that. Why didn't he say, oh, man, that's terrible. Let me let me give you a check. Take it back with him. Why didn't Nehemiah give a surface level response? What was it in the heart of this man that actually cared? Why? Because if we don't understand this, we won't understand the rest of the story. Because most of us would have said, Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm going to add you to our prayer list. We would have given a superficial response. Nehemiah gets down on his knees, fasts, praise, cries out to God. And then does this Oh, listen, then does this. He says, God, I'm willing to be the answer to the prayer that I'm praying. God, I'm willing to be the answer to the prayer that I'm praying. There's probably nobody in this room this morning, who's not looking at America right now. In great concern. Our country is not what we remember that it was. It's not what we know that it can be. Are we going to stand on the sidelines? Or are we going to say, God, put us on the playing field of your solution? God make us part of your solution, your answer God. Something got into the heart of Pastor Nick and Kim Serban years ago, for Nashville, Tennessee. They could have gone other places done other things, something got into their heart, and they said, God, we're not going to just see the need. We're going to sow our life into being part of the answer for this community. We're going to sow our life into being part of the answer. The first challenge that I have to us that we don't understand any of the rest of this, if we don't get this, you have to care. You have to care. Here's a more crass way. I could say that. But this is an Assembly of God church and I won't. You have to care. You have to care enough to change your schedule. Change your time, change your finances, change your priorities and begin to order your life around a higher purpose. Some of you are here this morning. Well, church Yeah, it's okay. I don't, I don't know. I don't know what I really get out of church. Can I tell you some pastor Kim stood up this morning and she invited you to home groups. Proverbs says, in order to have friends, you have to show yourself friendly. You're gonna get out of this church, exactly what you put into it. You're gonna get out of this community of faith exactly what you sow into it. But beloved, we have become such a consumer driven society that just sits around all day long with these demonic idols. Feed me, entertain me distract me. And we wonder why we're living lives that don't have substance and don't make impact. When Nehemiah heard a report, he said, I've got to do something about this I don't know if I'm here for anybody this morning. Maybe I'm here for one person. Maybe I'm here this morning for one person who's gonna remember this service like Pastor Nick remembered the drive back from Worcester, Massachusetts. Maybe I'm here for one person and this morning becomes a turning point in your marriage in your situation in your future. Something happened in EMR. Why? Why? Why am I so passionate about that? Because I just met with the stinking President of Israel. There wouldn't be in Israel if Nehemiah didn't change history. History changes because normal everyday people say yes. Yes to something bigger than themselves greater than themselves, something beyond themselves. They make a decision to not be all about going to the mall and living life but aligning themselves with the purposes of God. So all that, yeah, that's fine for you to say you. You're in ministry you just met with the President that ended up folks. I am bald guy from Buffalo, New York. I didn't go to the right college. I wasn't born to the right family. Nothing in my life. Absolutely nothing qualifies me to do what I'm doing nothing. And I've met with it's just the truth. I've met with many presidents Prime Ministers senators and bass dozens. I went to Valley Forge to be a youth pastor. But I said yes to God. I said yes to God. You know what happened? After I said yes to God, it got harder. Because on the other side of your yes is your test. On the other side of your yes is your test. And Nehemiah began to face this test. A pastor Nick told me I need to be done by 1230. So I gotta go quick. Nehemiah, here we go. He leaves. He leaves the the palace. He leaves the palaces. We're gonna go back to Jerusalem. He got the permission of the cane. He got the blessing of the king. He's going back to Jerusalem. Now, just think about that for a second. Because when you come to Jerusalem with us with Pastor Nick, and Kim and I next year, you're gonna go on a plane, and everything's gonna be fine. We're gonna take care of you. We're gonna have air conditioned buses. There will be Wi Fi on the bus. Yeah, we play him. We're going to take care of you. You have great figure. Nehemiah is going how's he getting the 900 miles? The 900 miles, from Susa to Jerusalem. How's he getting their? Camel? Sweaty, nasty, stinky, insect filled camel, or donkey or horse? Through what a desert, with bandits with thieves. With lions. This is not a pleasure cruise. This is not the four star experience we're going to give you next year. Nehemiah, his trip to the Holy Land was not with eagle's wings. I'll tell you that. We're laughing but here's my point. He was taking his life in his hands. He was taking his he was in the palace. He had every opportunity to say Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. That's sad. And it could have been the end of the Jewish people. My God could have been the end of the Jewish people. It could have been the end of the story. But he stepped into his destiny, he stepped into his calling. He stepped into faith in God and said yes, he makes that journey. He gets back we gotta go fast. He gets back to Israel, things are worse than he could have imagined. Everything is broken down. And he starts to encounter the reality of the situation. And let's fast forward to chapter four. We're going to be introduced to this guy named Sanballat chapter four. It's so happened that Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall. He became furious and indignant, and he mocked the Jews. Now, remember this point. Remember this point. Once you make a decision to do something for God, once you make a decision to get out of your boat to get out of your comfort zone and actually do something with your life. The first person you're going to meet is Sanballat. You're going to meet a voice of doubt, negativity, fear. Lack Sanballat appears on the scene and just begins mocking Nehemiah begins tearing him down begins speaking against him. That voice might be an actual person. That voice might be An inner voice of doubt in your own mind. But you will face when you make a decision to walk out and courage to walk out in strength. You will face doubts, obstructions named Sanballat expected. Here's what I want you to here's the key listen. When you see Sanballat say, Oh, your confirmation that I'm on the right path. Why? Because the enemy doesn't oppose something that doesn't threaten him. So when Sanballat appears when discouragement doubt when things get worse before they get better. Say, I'm doing something right. I am on the right path. Folks, you got to own this. It's nice on Sunday morning and air conditioning and cool lighting and smoke and you got it all gone. But you got to own this when on Thursday night when life is miserable. When when they're not on the keyboard playing when everybody's not around encouraging when life seems miserable. That is when you need to hold on to this principle when Sanballat appears. So I've been expecting you. Your opposition is confirmation that I'm on the right path. Next week we meet another character. Verse three then Tobiah the Ammonite ammonite remember, there's no ammonite restaurants in Nashville. I thought you guys were foodies. There's no an ammonite restaurants. Then Tobiah the Ammonite beside him said whatever they build even if a fox goes on it, he will break down their stone wall. Now Tobiah the big thing now is the Marvel movies right? The Marvel movies that's my kids are all about the Marvel movies. I don't know if I've gone to like a couple of them. But you got the heroes. You got the villains. Every villain in the movie has what? A sidekick. It's the sidekick to the villain. And there's the villain. And then there's the sidekick and the sidekick does nothing except say yeah, yeah, boss. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, boss, whatever you say, Yeah, that's the sidekick. That's Tobiah. Now, why does this matter? Why am I pointing this out? Tobiah does nothing in the story, except agree with sand ballots negativity. It's all he does. Every verse you see Tobiah Sanballat is speaking and Tobiah agrees with negativity. What's the point? What's the point? The power of agreement doesn't only work in the kingdom of God. The power of agreement can work in the demonic realm to build a stronghold. So what I'm telling you full life is this, don't you? You there's going to be a Sanballat that comes around to stop full life to stop the vision. There'll be a Sanballat that comes up. What's what's the point? You make a decision, I am never going to be a Tobiah. I am never going to come into agreement with a negative report. I am never going to come into agreement with an I am going to keep my communication pure, positive uplifting. I'm going to speak a good report Sanballat is going to appear why? Because he's confirmation. But when Tobiah comes you say no. We're not. Whose report are we going to believe not not Tobias. full life. There's a call on this house. There's a call on this church. You have to make a decision. We are not going to come into agreement with the enemy's report. We're going to speak life and we're going to stay unified. Do you know how many churches have split over the stupidest stuff? The drums are too loud. The drums aren't loud enough. Hello churches and I'm having to learn I'm having to flow. I grew up I grew up with pianos in Oregon's I remember sister mittens? That's how we grew up pianos and organs. I love a piano. I don't I can't figure these things out if my life depended on it. They had to come up there they had to push every but if I pushed buttons I would fully expect a cappuccino to appear right? I don't know this is the good this the good ship enterprise. I don't know how to run this thing. But what I've got to adjust why? Because we're going to stay in unity in the body of Christ. We're not going to be a team BaIa? If you haven't been offended, yet, at full life, you're going to have an opportunity to be offended. Why? That's your test. That's your test to see. Am I Am I all in? Or am I just in it for me? Pastor Kim walked right by me in the parking lot. She didn't say anything to me. She just walked right by me. She didn't even acknowledge. Oh, we didn't realize her world revolved around you. If you have not yet been offended here at full life, I want you to call the office tomorrow morning at 930 and schedule your appointment to be offended. Because then we'll know if you're for real or not. Why? Because there ain't no perfect people. No perfect leaders. No perfect worship leaders. No perfect children's. There's no perfect there's no perfect churches. There are broken people serving a glorious God on a journey to glory on a journey to the kingdom together. So full life, I want to say to you make a decision God, put a lock in front of my lips, I will never be a Tobiah I will never come into agreement with the enemy. I've got to go so fast. But that's why you're gonna buy the book, right? You're gonna buy the book and you're gonna leave me an advance review on Amazon. They keep telling me you've got to get advanced reviews on Amazon. Okay, whatever helped me out. So Nehemiah prays chapter four here, so God for were despised turn their reproach back on their heads. Now verse six, we come. I've got two more points. Verse six. So we built the wall. And the entire wall was joined together, up to half its height, would you say half its height. Would you say it one more time. Half its height. Nehemiah and the builders finish the wall to half its height. When God gives you a dream, whatever that dream is, maybe maybe your dream this morning is to have family devotions. Have a family prayer time. God if we could just pray together as a family. That was one of my dreams starting out God if we just could. Oh, it's hard, right? Life gets in the way. And you're this and that. And the other and the kids are Viva Viva viva. God of whatever your dream is. When you start the dream, it's easy. Why? You're motivated. You got the dream, you got the drive, you got the passion. You're making a plan, you're diagramming that you're laying it out. You're excited about whatever it is. This is what I'm gonna this is how I'm going to fix this problem. You're excited when you start when you almost finish a project. I just finished this book. I finished it about eight weeks ago. When you're almost done, it's easy. Listen, I'm going to block off the time. I am 85% done. I need four more days. I'm going to get this done. It's easy. Why? Because the end is in sight. I want to talk to you right now about this. I want to talk to you about the testing ground of the halfway point. The testing ground of the halfway point when you started a long time ago, and the energy that you had for when you started you don't have any more. But you're so far from being done. You think I don't even know if this is worth it anymore. The testing ground of the halfway point Nehemiah and the builders came to that point maybe somebody here this morning is in a testing ground of the halfway point. God sent me here this morning to say this to you. Don't you dare give up. Don't you dare give up. I tried to live a life of faith and example in front of my children fail miserably often. A little bit this morning but you were late. But I'll never forget the day when finally, we crossed the tipping point. And that desire for family devotions. It wasn't in me anymore. My kids now come to me everyday Dad, it's time for family prayer. Every day, when I'm out traveling, they're not with me. They call me dad, it's time for family prayer. Every day, every single day. Why? Because we got past the halfway point. Don't you dare give up if you're at your halfway point. That motivation you had at the beginning. He who began this good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. God is working to purpose in you. And he sent me here to this morning to tell you don't give up. I'm closing. Maybe the brother will come to the piano. Verse 19, Nehemiah says this. Then I said to the nobles, the rulers and the rest of the people, the work is extensive, and we're separated along the wall. Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gathered together there, and our God will fight for us. Nehemiah comes to this moment, and he realizes, you know what, we're over the tipping point, we're past the halfway point. Let me rally the people together, there's still more work to do. But our God is fighting for us. I'm going to position everyone along their place in the wall. I skip that verse. Let me read that that's an important one. Verse 13. So I positioned them behind the lowest parts of the wall at the openings, and I set the people according to their families. And I looked and I said, Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome. And fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses. We read that verse one more time as we close. Do not be afraid of them. I want to declare that to you this morning. I want to declare to you this morning, whatever you're facing, in a room this size people are going through stuff. There's stuff going on. I want to say to you this morning. Do not be afraid. God has this. Remember the Lord can I tell you that's why worship is so important. You know what we're doing and worship. We're remembering the Lord. We're remembering his greatness. We're remembering his faithfulness. We're remembering the times that he came through. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome and then what Fight, fight you got to fight. This is a fight of faith. And Nehemiah built that wall. And eight weeks ago, we were in Jerusalem and I stood at those stones that Nehemiah laid in place. And you're gonna stand there next year on full life's Holy Land trip. What is the point? The point is that God says to you give God your Yes. Nehemiah decided there's something more important than a good job 401 K, and just living and dying. It's living a life of faith. Would you close your eyes and bow your heads with me? All around the room. Heads bowed eyes closed. Most important open your heart. Father I thank you for this family of faith. Thank you for the way this house loves you and serves you father this morning Nehemiah is life is still speaking to us today. We stand on the shoulders of men and women have incredible faith and courage God This morning I want to speak life. Destiny purpose hope into people all across this room people watching online father I declare to them Don't you dare give up at your halfway point with heads about eyes closed if you're here this morning, you just say you know what? I am absolutely. At a halfway point I am. I'm in a season of being overwhelmed. This word is for me. I need. I need that. Yes. In my spirit to be reignited. If that's you this morning, we just slip your hand up and put it down. We're gonna pray for Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Can we all stand the said together this morning