0054S Nehemiah 2 Walls and Watchmen

A late start turned into a necessary reset: we faced a hard weekend head-on and traced a path from fear to prayer, from prayer to planning, and from planning to courageous action. Anchored in Nehemiah 2, we explored how a servant under authority asked boldly, prepared wisely, and moved with conviction—then translated that pattern into our homes, churches, and streets so we can guard the vulnerable without losing our warmth.

We unpack how providence animates planning, not replaces it: Nehemiah’s letters become our lawful steps—permits, policies, and a simple 911 script. His timber becomes our tools and infrastructure—medical kits with tourniquets and Dechokers, reliable comms, door and window hardening, and clear SOPs for carry, storage, and dry practice. His night recon becomes our family walk-throughs—entries and exits, safe room selection, rally points, and a realistic map of local legal constraints. Along the way, we keep two rails in view: spiritual and kinetic. We pray by name for neighbors and leaders, dedicate the threshold with Scripture, and then schedule training, book a class, and run micro-drills that build competence without stoking fear.

Opposition predictably jeers, just as Sanballat did. So we answer briefly, set boundaries, and get back to work—online and offline. We rally builders at home with a short family council, share a testimony of God’s provision, and restate a simple mission: protect, provide, proclaim Christ. Hospitality remains our quiet strategy against despair; a warm table paired with wise watchfulness changes a block more than a rant ever will. By the end, you’ll have a checklist across faith, family, fitness, finances, fundamentals, fellowship, and fidelity—small steps that move from the heart to the hands and push darkness back on your street.

If this helped you steady your heart and strengthen your hands, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who needs a plan, and leave a review with the one habit you’ll start this week. Your ground zero begins at your address—let’s build there together.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Late Start, Mission Reset
• 2:57 Announcements and Training Vision
• 5:47 The Seven Battlefields Framework
• 9:12 Catechism Commission and Prayer
• 12:07 Lord’s Prayer and Its Pattern
• 14:22 Responding to Church Attacks
• 19:10 Why Nehemiah for These Times
• 22:25 Neh 2:1–4 Fear Turns to Prayer
• 26:05 Spiritual vs Kinetic Applications
• 29:05 Neh 2:5–8 Planning with Providence
• 33:10 Lawful Preparedness: Permits and Policies
• 37:40 Home SOPs and Legal Readiness
• 41:25 Tools, Timber, and Medical Staging
• 45:00 Comms, Hardening, and Safe Storage
• 48:25 People: Training and Dry Practice
• 51:50 Micro-Drills for the Week
• 54:15 Neh 2:9–16 Night Recon and OPSEC

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:27

Hello everyone. I'm a little bit later than normal. I'm almost like a Catholic doing uh midnight mass, but um I'm gonna try to keep this one shorter than normal because of the late hour. Just things got away from me today. And uh wife and kids are out of town and the active shooter and everything else. Um it's no excuse, but so I apologize for being late. Just um trying to block out what I preach. So um I ended up changing the entire sermon. So um so let's get to it. All right, so again, happy Lord's Day to you. Welcome to Christian Warrior Mission, uh, home church, farm, ministry, community, um forges Christian Warriors for today's challenges. We advance on every front, every day, no excuse, no retreat. All right, some announcements. Reformation day is gonna be here um in Johnson City at the house at um on Friday, October 31st. We'll post a time for that. I got dogs that are being very needy now that there's no one else around. Um we are, I know I said we were gonna announce training days this week, but Lauren ended up having to go out of town and we weren't prepared for that. So we're gonna have that discussion this week. I'll have it planned out and we will have training, particularly after today's events. Um, my calendar is filling up, and I want to make sure that we have local events and we are taking care of our local people as well as people who want to travel. Okay. We will cover in our guardian training uh for SHIELD Brothers and SHIELD Maidens, uh, godly discipling, combatives, striking and grappling, pistol, rifle, pt fundamentals, situational awareness, and biblical relationships. Okay, we pursue the seven battlefields. We we fight in the seven battlefields. Okay, those are faith, fight for a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by studying his word prayer catechism. We also do this every day in the Bible study, Monday through Friday. Okay. Family, we fight for your family, for our families and friends, neighbors, and even strangers by deliberately pursuing a relationship with them. Fitness, we fight to be functional. You don't have to win a best body contest, you don't have a six-pack, but you better know how to hit and you better be able to move. Okay. Um, if you're couch bound, you're no good to anyone. Okay. So again, fit to fight, fit to farm and finish the race. Glorify God with your body. Finances, fit to rule the war chest. Do not become a slave to debt or materialism. Fundamentals, fight to be an asset to yourself, your family, fellowship, and community. Fellowship, fight for godly relationships, lock shields, no warrior fights alone. Fidelity, fight to be faithful to both Jesus Christ and our spouses with our minds, bodies, minds, and bodies. Hold the line of purity, no quarter to lust. So we are on week eight of Catechism. Okay, week eight. Warrior, what is your commission? Answer to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey every command of Christ and to stand firm against sin. Warrior, what is your commission? To make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey every command of Christ and to stand firm against sin. One more time. Warrior, what is your commission to make disciples of every of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey every command of Christ and to stand firm against sin? All right. Let's go ahead and go to prayer. Lord Jesus, warrior king and captain of our salvation, we rally under your banner. Thank you for your breath, bread, and the blood that bought us. Form us into a shield wall, humble, joyful, unbreakable in your strength. Set holy sentries over our minds, post watchmen at our doors, and make our homes and gatherings a fortress of welcome and a workshop of readiness. Forge our hearts in your word. Place the sword of the Spirit in our hands with wisdom and restraint. Grant us Nehemiah's courage, Ethers, Esers, Esther's, oh my God, mine tongue lately, uh, timing and the psalmist praise. Under your good hand, establish the work for our tan, our hands, for your glory and our neighbors' good. Make us builders who keep watch, worshipers who stand our posts, and guardians who protect, bind wounds, and speak peace. In your mighty name we pray. Amen. All right. We're not going to teach the Lord prayer just for expedience tonight, but we will go over it. So if again, that what I just prayed this in was an elaborate prayer that we wrote that I wrote out here. This is what Jesus, when his disciples asked, How should we pray? This is how God Himself, God in the flesh, the Son of God, Jesus, taught, said, This is how they pray. Okay, how we should pray. So here we go. It's in Matthew 6, 9 through 13. Pray then in this way. Our Father is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. All right. So some some big things happened today. We had an active shooter this weekend. We had an active shooter in North Carolina on like a boat drive-by. I don't know much about that one. And then the horrific, I mean, they're all horrific, but the attack against the Mormon church, um, and I want to talk about that. So we grieve over the pattern of violence and intimidation against churches. Christians and families. Sorry, there. We grieve over the pattern of violence and intimidation against churches, Christians and families. Whatever the ideology behind a given attack, violence against image bearers of God is evil and must be named as such. We also acknowledge today the attack in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan against the Latter-day Saints congregation. We mourn with them and pray for the wounded, the bereaved, the responders in the community. Yet we refuse despair. We answer darkness with prayer, compassion, and wise preparedness. We will honor the fallen by protecting the living, calmly, lawfully, courageously, right where we are. Father of mercies, come for those who mourn, heal the wounded, steady the first responders and medical teams, frustrate evil plans, and make your church a refuge. Warm, welcoming, and well prepared through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. So we're going to be in Nehemiah 2. You know, I chose the book of Nehemiah because of the times we're in with Charlie Kirk and everything. And I also want to mention that Vodhi Bacham passed. Um, I believe it was of natural causes. I think it was a I think it was a heart. I know he had a history of heart problems, but I don't know if that's been put out yet or if that's known. I got to meet Bodhi once. He was very nice. He was a gentleman. He was a mighty man of God. He wouldn't want to be called that, but he was to me. And just about everything I learned, most of the things I learned about raising a family in a Christian way, I learned from his books. And then also from one of my mentors, um, Ken Graves, who is the best disciple I've ever met. Um or seen. So between those two is where we are now, you know, stretching, trying, um, fighting for our families to raise our kids, you know, in a way that we deem and that we believe the Bible says to. So we're in Nehemiah 2, which is a book on a modern or an ancient book on basically living amongst and getting taking back your kingdom, rebuilding the ruins in an occupied land where you're surrounded by your enemies. So the timeline, so we went through you know Nehemiah 1 last week. The timeline is in the month of Nisan, in the 20th year of our taxarces, March, April, 445 BC. So this is four months have passed since Nehemiah's mourning in Kislev when he was told about the situation. Nehemiah practiced long obedience and prayer before decisive action. He was fasting and praying. Nehemiah the cupbearer is a trusted official, almost felt like a bodyguard, close to power, yet under it, appearing sad before the king risks his life. He's got a good deal. Other than if somebody tries to kill the king and he's gonna taste it first. Uh, that would be a bad one. But no, he's in a very respected position. Um, and and obviously he has a great relationship with this king, as you'll see. The terrain is Jerusalem's walls and gates lie in ruins, security failure and covenant shame. Rebuilding is both theological, God's name among the nations, and tactical, safety, order, and hospitality for the peace of citizens. So, what we're gonna see here, the big idea is prayer births planning, planning meets providence, providence fuels participation, participation provokes pushback, and God's servants keep building. So let's now go to Nehemiah 2. I'm gonna be reading onto the ESV. Nehemiah sent to Judah in the month of Nisan, in the 20th year of King Artaxerces, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, Why is your face sad? Seeing you are not sick, this is nothing but sadness of the heart. Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, Let the king live forever. Why should not my why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Then the king said to me, What are you requesting? So I prayed to the God of heaven. Okay, those are the first four verses. Let's dig into them. The king notices Nehemiah's sorrow while he is serving wine. Showing grief before a Persian king was dangerous. Nehemiah admits I was very much afraid. Between the king's question and his reply, Nehemiah offers a swift, silent prayer. So I prayed to the God of the heaven, of heaven, and then makes a respectful, truthful appeal about the city of his father's graves. Public office under pagan authority. Nehemiah serves a Gentile king without compromise, seeking the good of God's city through lawful channels. His fear becomes prayer, becomes action. This sequence matters. He does not deny fear, he consecrated and acts. Truthful framing. He names the problem in terms the king can understand: honor, shame, of ancestral grades, not in inflammatory language. God governs kings. We see this in Proverbs 21:1. Lawful, respectful petitions are a means God uses to advance his purposes. Courage under authority means acting boldly within the bounds of law and conscience. So warrior application. Ask God for favor with authorities, okay? Spiritually. We're going to break everything down today in spiritual versus kinetic. Okay. I'm doing this and I'm going to unpack a lot of things that most people don't talk about in church. Because what I've come to understand is, as again, what pays the bills for me is I am a security consultant, active shooter, trainer, emergency preparedness guy for Christian organizations, but I'll work with anybody who wants to protect their people. And more often than not, they they just don't care. They test the Lord over trusting the Lord. So I am going to do for you what I believe, what I do for my family. Okay. No one is going to protect your family but you. Not the police, not the firemen, not the government.

SPEAKER_01: 15:00

They've all got other problems they're dealing with. Okay.

SPEAKER_00: 15:07

No one cares about you and your family like you do. All right. So after each lesson in the Bible, we're going to have a spiritual application, right? After we go through exegesis and break down what the Bible said, and then we'll have a kinetic tactical version, okay, on what you should be doing in your own life. So spiritually, ask God for favor with authorities, wisdom in speech, and integrity in all preparations. Okay. Kinetic, keep your approach lawful and respectful. All right. Work within the laws. Okay, work within the laws.

SPEAKER_01: 17:10

Let's go to verse five.

SPEAKER_00: 17:18

And I said to the king, if it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my father's graves, that I may rebuild it. And the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, How long will you be gone? And when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me to the governors of the providence beyond the river, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah. And a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy. And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me. Okay, so obviously God moved this king, but I think that there was also, you know, Nehemiah must have been. I mean, obviously, he's a man of upstanding character. He is one of the great leaders of the Bible, uh, a shining example of what leadership is. And obviously, he had the light of God in him that this king would send all these resources and people and his trusted bodyguard, cupbearer, to Flowerway Judah.

SPEAKER_01: 18:46

So here we go.

SPEAKER_00: 18:51

Nehemiah asked the king for one time away from the court, two, letters to governors for safe passage and to ASAP for materials, and three, timber to rebuild the gates, wall, and his residence. He records the source, the source of success. The good hand of my God was upon me. So time, legitimate authority grants legitimate leave. Nehemiah seeks a defined period, accountable, not open-ended. He doesn't ask to just go for an unlimited amount of time. That's unreasonable. He sets a time limit, which is why he probably, probably one of the reasons why he works so darn hard when he gets there. Letters. So Nehemiah is obviously a strategist and and you know, probably an educated guy who, when you see how he does his tactics later on in the chapter and everything else, this guy is pretty incredible. But he's thinking things through. So written authorized travel father, um, I'm sorry, written authorized travels farther than good intentions. So he is bringing mandates from the king that they give these rather than just going and saying the king said it. So he's going with orders. These function as permits, credentials, and hostile or ambiguous jurisdictions. Timber, real materials for real work. Naming ASAP shows Nehemiah has done his homework. He knows which steward, which forest, which gates. Providence and planning, providence plus planning. Nehemiah's plan is specific because his prayer life was specific. Providence does not replace process, it animates it. For our doctrine, we see faith prays, wisdom plans, providence propels, faithful planning. Christians pursue lawful means, write things down, and acquire the right resources for the task. The warrior application. Spiritual and kinetic. Spiritual. Ask God for favor with authorities and clarity in speech. Kinetic, and here we go. Concealed carry status. Obtain your concealed carry permit if required. If permitless carry, verify governing rules, age, locations, vehicle, home, posted property. Okay, these are things that we need to do to protect our people.

SPEAKER_01: 21:31

How many more kids and people are we gonna lose? So if we don't do it, no one else is gonna do it.

SPEAKER_00: 21:42

The church isn't gonna do it for us, the schools aren't gonna do it for us, the cops aren't gonna do it for us, the firefighters aren't gonna do it for us, the government is not gonna be able to do this for us. Only we are at the point we're standing on the ground we're on. We are the tip of the spear everywhere we go. Wherever we are standing, we are the tip of the spear. Why? Because no one else can stand when we're standing. So get your CCW legally, understand the rules. Property policies. If you attend a church or you're going to a school, private or public, or you're in a building that you don't own, learn the landlord/slash church policy on firearms and signage, particularly government buildings. Pursue written permission when appropriate. Some states you got to get written permission from the pastor or from the elders to carry. Home policy. Write a one-page family defense, safety policy, and SOPs. Who carries? What condition do they carry? How do they stage their firearms? Where do they store them? And what are dry fire rules in the house? Okay, and then we also need to know our miners and boundaries. This is okay when you have young kids, that's real easy, but what happens when you're starting to equip your teenagers and you're bringing other people on your property, and other people want to shoot on your property. I got 44 acres. I want people that want to, people want to shoot on my property all the time. People ask me to hunt my property, which I always say no. Um, not that I got nothing against hunting, but those are my preps back there, right? So, and I've got too many animals and too many kids running around here to have you know the people that have asked me about it. All right, having that, who does what? What happens when a kid goes missing? Or what happens when someone gets injured? Or what happens? Uh, you know, we live in a place where there's bears and coyotes and bad dogs. We've had dogs kill our turkeys, we've had dogs kill our chickens. I mean, you know, a lot can go wrong on the farm. Okay, so knowing SOPs, let knowing that, you know, if someone my if someone's watching the kids, we don't let the kids hang out on the street. Doesn't matter we have or close to the street, doesn't matter we have a privacy fence, doesn't matter we have gates, those make it better, but anyone could like try to lure them over there with a puppy or whatever and do it. They really like meeting, you know, the package guys because sometimes it's stuff for them. And we have to back them way off, and they're not allowed to go get that stuff unless we're out there with them. Okay. Next thing you should have is a status packet. Prince Savior states use of force, defense of habitation, defense of others, duty to retreat versus stand your ground, brandishing versus menacing, and prohibited places for firearms. Okay, have that and know it. So the good guy doesn't end up in jail. Okay. Have a good communication policy. I recommend, you know, you know what if there's ever a shooting in your house that you have a 911 script, and you know, you know who's going to speak to the officers when they arrive and where and meet them at the curb so they're not coming in the house with guns blazing. All right. Now, so that was the letters, okay, that we talked about here. Lawful permission and policies. Now we're into timber, tools, and infrastructure. Dedicate your threshold spiritually, your house, dedicate it to the Lord, pray over it, walk it, use anointing oil. Ask God to come into your home and take and be the king of your property, okay? Um, kinetic, medical, you should have a med kit with a tourniquet, pressure bandages, you should have a dechoker, one for small kids, one for adults. That thing saves lives like crazy. Clothes, tape, shares, airway, recovery, no, and know-how, staged and visible. Everyone's gonna know where the dechoker is, everyone's gonna know what the tourniquets are. Okay. Lighting and numbers, exterior lighting, fixed weeds. So, you know, part of the things we look at when we're looking at properties and trying and doing security set assessments, and we're you know, we're looking at the lighting, we're looking at obstructions, we're looking at overgrowth. Can people hide there? Does it should get, you know, like does it look like it's neglected? If it's neglected, that can mean laziness, that can mean that that you're not disciplined, which opens up doors for targets of opportunity as well as places for people to hide. Carrying storage. When you're at home, when you're carrying, just like when you're carrying out of school, or you're carrying as you know, as a teacher or as a security guard, or anywhere have a quality holster, a reliable handgun, okay? Reliable pistol, rifle, and shotgun. Um, that as long as it's lawful where you live. Have quick access safes, make sure the batteries are charged and uh your standardized condition of carry. Is there one in the chamber? I recommend you have one in the chamber all the time. And if it's not on you, then don't have one in the chamber. Okay, because leave one laying around with one in the chamber, particularly a Glock or a gun without a safety kick comes up, you know, because you had a lax in judgment, or he knocked over something and it knocked it off, and now you have a catastrophe, okay? Uh comms, charge phones, post address at the door. That's for guests. Okay. Family radios. We got 44 acres here. Everyone here is carrying a radio. Okay. We have radios, so we have comms. It's the easiest way to get a hold of us. Boom, instantly. There's no calling, there's no nothing. We got them cranked. If one of the girls is in trouble, the whole house knows there's also an alarm button on them, and it's very loud, and we come running. Okay. Um, hardening, door hardware, you know, uh, striker plates, screws, wedges, simple cameras, doorbells, and budget, you know, doorbells, cameras, camera doorbells, um, the whole works, right? And you're in your windows. You know, make your house a fortress. It should be. Okay. People. Okay, this is the third part that we're talking about. Spiritual, commission your household with Ephesians 6, 10 through 18. Kinetic, have a training plan. Schedule reputable instruction, safe handling, marksmanship, shoot, no-shoot decision making, movement instructures, trauma care, de-escalation, right? All these things. Now, when I'm lucky, I can train every single one of those for my family. All right, some people can as well, but others can't. So you're gonna have to rely and cross-train with each other. Dry practice regimen. Weekly, do 10 to 15 minutes a day or a few times a day, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Unloaded, verified, clear, draw, stroke, site picture, trigger, press, pair with verbal commands and practices. Okay. It's the easiest, cheapest way to learn how to shoot well and build good habits. And then, and then some micro drills for the week. For letters, start submit your CCDW paperwork. You can still precary paperwork this week. Write it on your one-page family defense safety policy and SOPs. For timber, stage your medical kit and dechokers med kit. Fix one visible item, light bulb, you know, uh, or or weed wax, something that just is obstruction, obstructing, and that somebody might be there or cut, or you know, it's fall time. Trim your hedges. People, book one training class or at a minimum, schedule some dry practice blocks, minimum, or go to the range with your family and and dial it in. Make sure you get your stop the bleed or some type of trauma training as well. Back to Nehemiah, verse nine. Then I came to the governors of the province beyond the river and gave them the king's letter. Now the king had sent me with officers of the army and horsemen. So the king went all in. But when Sanbalad the Haronite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. Picking it up in verse eleven. So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. Then I arose. In the night. So she even see my so good. I rose in the night, I and a few men with me, and I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one which I rode. I went out by night by the valley gate to the dragon spring and the dung gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down, and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. Then I went on to the fountain gig in the king's pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall. And I turned back and entered by the way of the valley gate, and so returned. And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing. And I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were going to do the work. So this is brilliant. He goes and he does a surprise inspection that no one sees. He goes out there invisible at night to look at it at its worst. Right? He goes out there to see, okay, how vulnerable is the city? What do I got to get done? And he looks at it at its most vulnerable and worst. Okay. Nehemiah travels by night with a small team, keeping OPSEC, operational security. He inspects the actual terrain, gates burned, walls broken. And after and only after seeing the truth does he speak to the people. Restrictive night recalm reduces attention and reveals real weakness. Broken gates, impassable rubble. Limited disclosure. Nehemiah told no one what God had put in his heart. Timing and need to know. Okay. By we we sometimes broadcast too loudly, which gets to our enemies and they start working against us. Concrete data, not hearsay. He moves gate to gate, cataloging specific damage. Leadership is sight-driven, not rumor-driven. How does this apply in our doctrine? God's people practice truth and love, not panic, not denial. That's what we're seeing a lot in the church right now and in this country. We deny that we have a problem and that we don't need to do something different. Look before you lead. Wisdom counts costs with eyes wide open. Okay, Proverbs 27, 23 is a good example of this. Okay, let's look at family application now for a recon plan. Okay, I'm dealing with families right now, and I'm only talking about families because everyone who's watching this as a family is gonna have a family or is a part of a family. I that's the smallest unit I can deal with, right? That I can work with. All right. Getting anything beyond a family requires committees and everything else to get involved. So I am coming to you so you can be can take care of yourself and your family. Spiritual, ask the Lord for clear eyes and quiet courage. Pray Psalm 27 as you begin. Kinetic. Route and permanent, walk your home day and night. Note entries and exits, sight lines, lines, lines of drift, how visitors approach, exterior lighting, camera coverage, if any. Can you see straight in your bedroom? Can the neighbors watching your wife and your daughter shower?

SPEAKER_01: 35:31

Like get out there and look.

SPEAKER_00: 35:38

Okay, safe room and family rally points. Choose a room with a solid core door and lots of furniture, and and and you know, particularly in and sell service. Set a rally phrase. This is a pass passphrase, whatever you want it to be. This means that if you don't say that and you come to the door, it means that you the bad guy's got you and you're not saying the right word, and they know that on the other side of the door. And have a regroup spot, a rally point if you must exit. Tell them, hey, um, let's say, you know, bad guy at home, somebody's trying to kick in your front door, you know, and you say, hey, you know, we're in your room, and the kids end up getting out, just say you're gonna meet him a certain place that they'll know. Okay, usually a trusted neighbor, but some of us, our neighbors are pretty far away, right? Medical staging, place a visible medical kit, returniquet, pressure vantage, glove, shears, tape, as well as dechoker, um, and teach um you know, first aid. Okay. Comms check, confirm cell signal and key rooms, right? There are some places uh in some houses I've been to where there's no cell service, and there's ones and others. Don't make that again. That's not where you're gonna want to go when you're on the phone with 911. Keep a charged phone on the nightstand, post emergency numbers and a lot and on larger properties, use radios. Legal map. This is huge. Identify places that you can't carry or you'll get in trouble around you and see if they're places you go. Okay, schools, posted properties, know your state's defense of habitation and duty to retreat versus staying your ground. Okay, some places posting a no firearm sign or a no-smoking sign with a firearm on it is literally powerless. It is your uniform policy. Okay, it's like no shirt, no shoes, no service, right? That's basically what it is. Okay, in other places it's a felony if you disobey them. All right. Deconfliction plan, draft a two-sentence, 911 script, who, what, when, what, why? Uh lawful homeowner will holster and show hands when officers arrive. That type of stuff. All right. Um so here's some more micro drills that you can do this week. Three things, perimeter audit at night, list three fixes, burnt out light bulbs, fix blinds, trim hedges, vegetation, uh, comply, complete one immediately. Curb to couch walkthrough, start of the street, or so curb. Here we go. Make your property godly from the front curb all the way to the back property line. That is your identity. Okay. Safe room rehearsal. Move the family to a chosen room, lock in place. So this is practicing barricading. Okay. We do this, we teach this in all of our active shooter courses, and all of our women's self-defense courses. Barricading is a skill that everyone should know. You should know how to do this. No, some houses, like our houses like this, everyone's down one hallway. In some houses, it's split living. Master bedroom, and then all the kids. And in the middle is the entryway. So if someone's kicking in the front door, the parents are gonna have to go all the way to the kids, cross that space to get to the kids, or the kids, if you're gonna barricade in the parents' room, are gonna have to come across that danger zone. You get a lot of hard decisions you're gonna make, and you're gonna train your kids to be um to be self-sufficient as they get older.

SPEAKER_01: 39:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_00: 39:41

Verse 17. Then I said to them, You see the troubles we are in now. How Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision. And I told them at the hand of my that the sorry, I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

SPEAKER_01: 40:13

All right, cast vision and rally builders, reality call.

SPEAKER_00: 40:25

Nehemiah names present shame, broken walls, okay, and future duty rebuilt. He ties the call to God's providence, the king's favor, and the scripture-shaped purpose, the good hand of God. Okay, he also, you know, derision, right? I'm sure that city was not safe. I'm sure there was rape and murder and plunder and crime and everything else, okay? And here you have this guy show up from a faraway land with supplies from the king and motive to do this, and he's one of you, right? Ownership language. We, us, he turns spectators into stakeholders by giving them a part in God's work. That's huge, man. He's such a great leader, such a great leader. Um, strength in hands. The Hebrew idiom pictures resolved, resolving moving from heart to hands. Vision becomes work from heart to effort. The doctrine, testimony of providence plus clear mission produces obedience. Vision is not vibes, it is a call to ordered labor under God's hands. Warrior application for the family unit, rally plan, spiritual, kinetic. Spiritual, read Nehemiah 218 aloud as a family. Share one providence testimony, how God helped you this week. Pray for unity and courage. Kinetic. Family council, 10 to 15 minutes this week. State the mission: protect, provide, proclaim Christ. That's what we do. Train and rehearse your family defense, safety plans, and SOPs. Hospitality is warfare. We need to start bringing more people around our table and showing them how we live. There is no better testimony than seeing a Christian family in action if you're doing it right. You're the light of the world. Okay. Invite someone this week. Verse 19. But when Sembalat, the Huronite, and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and uh the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king? Then I replied to them, The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem. This is none of your business. So part five is answer mockers, mockers, don't feed them. Okay, with social media, this is hard. So we see Sandbalat, Tobiah, and Geshem mock and accuse. Are you rebelling against the king, trying to sow strife? Nehemiah replies briefly and theologically, the God of heaven will make us prosper, and we, his servants, will arise and build. But you have no portion or right or memorial in Jerusalem. Then he returns to work. So the first thing you notice the false framing. The enemies recast obedience as sedition. Who does that sound like today, Democrat Party? Nehemiah does not accept their frame. He answers on God's authority and the people's lawful calling. Saying marriage is between a man and a woman, one man and one woman, is the same thing. Saying there are only two genders is the same thing. God's authority, not insanity. Boundaries, no portion, right, memorial, draws a jurisdictional line. They have no standing in the covenant and work. Brevity with backbone. He neither debates nor rants. He gives a principled answer and resumes building. Expect scorn and suspicion. Wisdom discerns when to answer. See this in Proverbs 26, 4 through 5. Set lawful boundaries and refuses to be mission distracted by mockery. Okay, warrior application, family unit, boundaries, law, and witness, spiritual and kinetic. Spiritual, pray for discernment. When to answer, when to be silent, and for gentleness with backbone. Kinetic, jurisdictional posting, clearly mark your property boundaries with lawful, no trespassing, or no soliciting, no weapon signage as you deem wise. Okay, I wouldn't do the no weapon thing, but depending on the laws, where you're at, you may have to for whatever reason. Know your state signage and trespass rules. Landlord HOA dialogue. If questions about carry cameras or lighting, reply like Leonel, like Nehemiah. Brief, lawful, documented. Keep copies of policy permits and statutes. Escalate respectfully in writing. Recording and reporting. Know your state's recording laws. One party versus all party consent. This is filming. Okay, document harassment. File a report when thresholds are met. Online mockers, do not argue. Post once if needed. Truthful, brief, charitable. Then mute, limit, and get back to work. Avoid screenshot flame wars. Church and neighbor relations. Keep a peacemaker posture. Okay? We're really here to be peacemakers. We shouldn't be trying to inflame tensions. We'd be trying to put them out. That doesn't mean we let our guard down. It doesn't mean we're not ready to defend. It doesn't mean that we are always prepared to go if we have to go.

SPEAKER_01: 46:37

But we shouldn't be dumping gasoline on anything. Two sentence family response.

SPEAKER_00: 46:47

Here it is. Write this and rehearse it. We belong to Jesus. We worship, disciple, and guard the vulnerable in love. We act lawfully and respectfully. That's what we do. That's why we carry. That's why we do all the training we do, everything. All right, so tie in honoring the moment with godly action. Far too often we see tragedies like Charlie Kirk or a school shooting or a church shooting, and everybody's up in arms for a little bit and then they drift back to whatever, and no one takes any action. Their action is your social media posts. We're gonna get you to act on ground zero. Ground zero is where you're standing. Start where you live, act at your family's ground zero. Your address, your street, your nearest neighbors, while interceding for others. Order matters, spiritual to kinetic, spiritual, local intercession. Pray by name for your family members, pastors, elders, and for two families on your block. If you know them, say their names to the Lord. Kinetic, local contact, text your family members, pastor of one neighbor. You prayed for. We prayed for you by by name. Anything specific we can lift up, right? But also, hey, we're we're going shooting. You want to come? Or hey, we're gonna we're processing chickens or a pig or whatever. You want to come learn a new skill? You want to come over for dinner? You know, do you wanna get a full gym? You want to work out again? Doing it where we're at with people that are here. Dedicate the threshold. Read Psalm 127.1 at your front door. Ask God to make your home a house of peace and protection. Kinetic. Firm up your window and door hardware this week. Stage a visible family medical kit. Okay. Spiritual, commission the household. Pray Ephesians 6, 10 through 18 over dad, mom, and the kids by name. Okay. Spiritual prayer, walk the property. Walk your entire property day and night praying. Psalm 27 over your property. Kinetic. Update your sex offender binder and share with your family. I have a sex offender binder where I have a picture of every sex offender in my neighborhood, and I update it monthly. Okay, and that binder is by the front door. It's a red binder. So our nanny knows it, anyone who babysit knows it. That if these people come around here, they should not be around and we have kids and to let us know. And the kids are to do no go nowhere near them. And we're to call 911 if they're even seen near us.

SPEAKER_01: 49:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_00: 49:51

Five. Ask the Lord for one open door this week on your block to share the gospel. Kinetic hospitality for you. As a family, like I said, this is a repeat. Um, as a family, invite the neighbor to a meal or a fire pit or go to the range, or how can we pray for you? And write it on the fridge. Put it on a card on the fridge. These are the acts, these are acts of love, not fear. We keep a warm, welcoming table and we quietly guard the flock on our street. Okay. This is how it starts. Starts with you, then your house, right? Then you, your house, and your neighbors, you, your house, your neighbors' street, and then it just keeps going from there. Okay. So this week's battle plans, all seven battlefields. Faith, spiritual to kinetic, pray near my two daily, memorize two, 18 through 20. Share one verse with a friend that you prayed for. Family, spiritual to kinetic, family prayer of commissioning. Write and post the house SOPs on the fridge. Fitness, spiritual kinetic. Thank God for the body that he gave you. Ask for diligence. Do two prayer walks a day and at least three strength sessions this week. Okay, fundamentals. Pray for wisdom and peace. Stage medical kit and practice dry firing from concealed position. Finances, ask the Lord for stewardship zeal. Purchase one needed item, tourniquet, flashlight, etc., within budget. Okay. Spiritual fellowship and kinetic. Pray for the gut for gospel hospitality. Invite a neighbor or church family to your table or training. Fidelity, witness, okay, spiritual and kinetic. Make your house look godly from the curb to the back of the property. Okay. So let's go ahead and pray. Lord Jesus, warrior king and captain of our salvation, plant our feet, steal our hearts under your banner. We lock shields. First, sanctify our hearts, cleanse us from fear, pride, and bitterness, fill us with your spirit, truth, and love, then strengthen our hands. Teach us to rise and build, to watch and pray, to welcome and wisely guard. Make our ground zero, make our ground zero our homes, a lighthouse of peace, a garrison of mercy, set sentries over our minds, post watchmen at our doors, and knit us together as a shield wall for the weak. Train our hands for what is righteous and lawful. Make us wise as serpents, innocent as doves, give us courage to bind wounds, patience to forgive, resolve to tell the truth, and readiness to act in love to protect the vulnerable. By your good hand establish the work of our hands. Forge us into builders who keep watch, guardians who serve, and witnesses who shine. Until the walls are raised, the gates are hung, and the darkness is pushed back on our street. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen. All right, everyone, because of the late hour, we're gonna end it there. God bless you and give you the blessing. May the God of heaven whose good hands steady Nehemiah steady you. Under Christ's banner, may your hearts be bold, your hands strengthen to watch and to work, your homes bright and welcoming, and wise with watchfulness. May he establish the work of your hands at your ground zero, your address, your table, your street. So that darkness is pushed back and the vulnerable are kept. Go in peace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ as builders who keep watch, guardians who serve, and witnesses who shine. Amen. God bless you. Go to bed.

unknown: 53:48

Bye.