WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:03.919 Morning to Nehemiah chapter 5. 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:08.560 The big wall builder's theme. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:11.839 Building the walls. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:22.960 And anytime there's a task to be built by God, you can be assured that there'll be opposition every time. 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:24.480 Not sometimes. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:26.800 Just like in building a home. 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:30.480 I can promise you, I have been. 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:34.240 Bob, how many years have you been married? 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:39.520 So Susan and I've been married 39. 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:40.159 Right? 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:40.799 Okay. 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:42.799 That's the way I remember it. 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.200 If Bob wasn't here, I'd be in a mess. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:52.640 Don't get so complicated. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:53.280 Okay. 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:55.119 But 30. 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:58.399 39 November the 14th. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:00:58.880 Okay. 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:01.600 Well, by soul, honey, I'm close. 00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:06.000 But anyway, tell me, Paul, I'm close, right? 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:23.519 But now listen, how many of us that have been married for at least five years or more know that it is a job, it's a task of building a marriage and a home. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:27.760 And then when children come, it gets a little tougher. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:32.400 Shhere. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:36.560 Okay. 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:40.959 What I'm saying is there's opposition. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:46.799 How many people have been married five years or more and never had any opposition? 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:49.040 Never had any opposition? 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:51.519 Oh, oh, okay. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:54.640 There's not a hand that was raised. 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:56.400 You know why? 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:06.400 Because there's always going to be opposition when you start to build something that will honor and glorify God. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:14.319 And he even says in Psalms 127, verse 1, except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:26.080 So I can apply that same verse to the church, except the Lord build the church, they labor in vain that build it. 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:43.919 So we've been looking at Nehemiah chapter 5, or we're going to today, but we've been looking at Nehemiah as he had this tremendous calling of God to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls and Jerusalem itself. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:50.719 And eventually he ended up becoming the governor of the whole region for at least 12 years. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:54.879 Now we don't know if that happened before he came to Jerusalem. 00:02:55.039 --> 00:03:04.639 I kind of have an idea that it happened after he came and rebuilt the walls and went back to the king for a little short period of time. 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:06.719 Then the king sent him back to be the governor. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:08.080 Now that's kind of my thinking. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:11.360 But either way, he ended up being the governor, and we're going to see that. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:13.759 It explains that in this chapter. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:20.800 But today we're dealing with the title of the message, Resolving Problems Within. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:29.199 I don't care if you have a home, you have a business, you have a church, hey, there will be problems from within. 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:40.960 Now you got to realize, I was read this article the other day, and a man had his uh heard his daughter and some of her friends outside arguing. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:46.400 So he went out and he reprimanded her and said, Honey, what in the world are you doing? 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:49.840 People, our neighbors can hear you fussing and fighting. 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:54.240 She said, Well, Dad, I'm sorry, we just play in church. 00:03:57.199 --> 00:03:58.000 Ouch. 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:00.159 Kind of hurts. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:08.560 And then I read another article that said that, sadly to say, there's two things that go on in a church. 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:16.079 You have fellowship, which is loving and great and awesome, and that's why you come to church. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:17.680 We need, can I say this right now? 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:19.120 I want you to say this with me. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:20.480 We need each other. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:22.160 We need each other. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:25.040 We need each other in the good times. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:29.519 And we specially need each other in the bad times. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:34.160 Paul says that we laugh together and we cried together. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.040 That is the purpose of the church. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:38.319 Well, hey, Digra. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:41.519 Out of town Brown's back. 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:43.839 Good to have you. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.000 I always love your smiling face. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:46.480 All right. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:47.759 Now watch this. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:49.680 Now here it goes. 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:55.199 The other elf is fractions. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:13.600 Sadly to say, we see fractions in the church sometimes that we hate and we don't like, and it breaks our hearts because it does nothing but try to bring division and destruction. 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:27.279 So we can't be caught by surprised when things, fractions, come in. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:32.399 Jesus put it this way in Matthew 12, 25 in our introduction. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:35.519 And by the way, does everybody have an outline? 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:37.680 Everybody, anyone needs an outline? 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:38.959 Everybody got one? 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:40.000 Good. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:50.480 So Jesus said, every kingdom divided against itself will be brought to desolation. 00:05:50.720 --> 00:06:01.279 Then he went on to say, in every hey, city, every house, every home that is divided against itself cannot stand. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:10.319 So it's very important that we understand that we're going to have fellowships and sometimes you're going to have factions. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:23.120 And here's the key the way we handle those factions determines the success of the project that you're building. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:45.199 So with that said, we shouldn't be caught off guard when we realize that ever since the beginning of the church, there have always been and always will be those who try to bring destructive heresies, false doctrine into the church, as well as evil into the church. 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:49.279 And we see that in 2 Peter chapter 2, that whole chapter. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:07:04.720 And then we also see it in Titus chapter 1, verses 9 through 16, where the leaders of the church are to confront those that try to bring in destructive heresies or destructed evil into the church. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:14.240 It's our job and as members to take them head on in a loving, compassionate, confrontational way, but deal with it. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:16.160 We have to. 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:33.920 In fact, I'm convinced if there's anyone that's been in church more than 10 years, brought up in church, many of you have had the unpleasant thing of going through a split in a church. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:36.800 How many's ever gone through a split in a church? 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:37.839 Yeah, see? 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:38.480 See? 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:40.399 All the hands. 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:42.160 It's horrible. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.079 It's hurting. 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:46.399 It's destructive. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.959 And it's not joyful. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:53.120 And the whole time Satan's laughing. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:56.000 Just laughing his head off. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:08.800 In fact, I read another article and it said, in the history of the church, we've seen that when the devil could not destroy the church by persecution, he would just join it. 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:11.199 Join the church. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:14.240 And destroy it from within. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:23.360 So, no matter what the cause of the disunity, we should work at resolving conflicts in the church in a biblical manner. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:24.959 Can I get an amen? 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:30.639 But let me say these conflicts deal with your home, your business, whatever you're involved in. 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:42.720 This is going to be a fantastic message, one you hear very seldom preach, that you can use in everyday life, in your home. 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:45.120 These principles are so powerful. 00:08:45.440 --> 00:09:00.399 But let me remind you, Paul exhorts in Ephesians 4, 3 in your outline, to endeavor and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, that we are to do everything we can to keep peace. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:02.240 That's what it means, endeavoring. 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:10.879 Go to extreme lengths to whatever you have to do to try to keep the unity in the church, in the home, in the business. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:12.720 Can I get an amen? 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:17.279 And also in Romans 14, 9, listen to what he says. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:18.399 Pursue. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:22.399 And that word pursue in the Greek means with everything you have. 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:27.120 The things which make for peace and building up one another. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:28.080 Amen. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:34.240 We come to church to love on each other and build each other up and help each other through trying to. 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:53.919 There's several things going on in a lot of our people's lives right now through our church, over 300 people strong, that we're involved with and praying with and encouraging them to be there for them and stand by them, whether it's sickness or personal problems, financial problems, whatever. 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:55.360 We're here. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:56.960 We're one. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:00.639 And Satan can't stand it when he sees that kind of unity. 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:06.639 Peter says in 1 Peter 3.11, we must seek peace and pursue it. 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.759 We must pursue peace in a godly manner. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:10.960 Now watch. 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:17.440 Without compromising, and we must do it in holiness. 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:27.120 In other words, we've got to keep the unity, and one of the ways we keep the unity is the false prophecy out and the sinful living out. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:29.279 That's powerful. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.919 Like I said, you won't hear that preach much. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:38.639 And we saw last week, Nehemiah did not have smooth sailing in trying to rebuild the walls. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:48.159 In fact, what we see is in chapters four and six how he faces the opposition from without. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:55.840 And then we see in chapter five, he shows us how to deal with conflict from within. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:02.000 And next week, chapter six, we're going to be looking at resisting Satan's traps. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:04.639 Do you know Satan sets traps for you? 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:08.799 Some of you don't, you maybe have never heard that. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:14.720 Do you realize every day Pastor Danny gets up, there's traps set for me? 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:21.759 Do you know every day you get up, there's traps as a Christian set for you? 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:31.679 That's why you must not leave your building, your home, your study, your bedroom until you put on the armor of God. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.120 Ephesians chapter 6. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:41.679 That may be what I do in a short in between this series and Christmas messages. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:42.240 We'll see. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:52.080 I may just take Ephesians 6 and let's look at the six pieces of armor that one chapter during like four messages right before the Christmas messages. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.720 Because it's so important to what we're dealing with right here. 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:56.320 And that'd be a good transition. 00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:57.360 But now watch. 00:11:57.519 --> 00:11:58.720 Watch right here. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:02.639 We have a problem, and it's a bad problem. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:04.960 Chapter 5, verse 1 through 5. 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:06.320 And listen to what he says. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:15.919 And I'm going to read this from the New Living Testament because it really gives it a little bit better application. 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:24.000 And it says, about this time some of the men and their wives raised a cry of protest against their fellow Jews. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:25.039 Here's the setting. 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:28.080 We got the rich Jews against the poor Jews. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:33.679 They were saying, we have such large families. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.080 We need more food to survive. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:44.480 Others said, verse 3, we have mortgaged our fields, our vineyards, our homes to get food during this famine. 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:51.360 And others said, we have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:56.240 We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:59.039 In other words, we're God's chosen race. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.919 And our children are just like theirs. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:07.600 Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:10.639 In other words, they're putting their children up for collateral. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:20.000 We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and our vineyards are already mortgaged to others. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:23.200 And those others being the rich Jews. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:27.200 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:30.320 Now this tease Nehemiah off. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:32.960 I mean, he gets boiling. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:38.559 I meant same word, cura of anger that we looked at last week. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:40.159 So here's the setting. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:41.360 Here's the problem. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:44.480 First of all, there's a lot of people that need to be fed. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.840 Secondly, there's a famine going on, verse 3. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:55.200 And thirdly, they're having to pay unbelievable taxes, and they're having to pay mortgages with interest. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:14:04.639 In fact, it was 1% per month, which meant 12% a year, when you read the rest of the chapter and see the figures there. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:09.919 So they are having undue interest on their mortgages. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.519 They don't have enough food. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:19.759 There's a famine in the land, and yet they are working, hey, as hard as they can to build this wall and restore the city. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:26.559 I meant it is now becoming internally a severe situation. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.360 A severe situation. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:33.120 Serious. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:43.759 So serious that Nehemiah realizes that he's going to have to stop the project for a little bit and take care of this problem. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:50.799 Now, a lot of leaders could have said, well, I'm going to wait, we're going to finish the project, then I'll deal with the problem. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:57.360 But the cry out was so bad, and the word cry there means they were, they were almost to the point. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:00.080 We got to do something, we got to go, or we get, we can't do. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:04.000 I mean, it was, it had reached a pretty serious level. 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:07.759 So, Nehemiah. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:10.480 He does what any great leader will do. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:20.559 In fact, in order to do the Lord's work, we must resolve conflicts in the church and in our homes, in our businesses, in biblical manners. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:23.759 And there's three principles here that we're going to look at this morning. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:29.679 Three principles here, two of which involve the people, and one which involves the leaders. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:31.679 So let's look at number one. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:35.519 To resolve the conflict biblically, here we go. 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:41.039 People, all of us, people must air complaints to the proper people. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:43.360 Can I get an amen? 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:48.320 You need to air the complaint to the people that can do something about it. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.919 Can I hear an amen? 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:54.720 You don't need to go air your complaints to everybody and anyone. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:16:00.720 You need to air your complaints to the one that can solve the problem. 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.320 Can I get an amen? 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:05.120 Now, very few of us do that. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:12.080 Because we say, oh, well, Pastor, I just need to express myself. 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:17.919 Oh, if I don't let it out, I'm gonna bust. 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:19.519 Bust. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:27.120 Or I want to know if what other people are feeling. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:31.440 Well, they're probably not feeling anything until you start them to feel. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:36.720 You've heard all those excuses. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:38.240 I've used them. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:39.679 I've used them. 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:41.519 But that's not what happened here. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:45.120 In fact, look at what Matthew 18, 15 says. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:55.360 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him, now watch, his foe between you and him alone. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:56.320 Hello. 00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:07.599 You, if you got a complaint, if somebody's wronged you, you've something's happened, you go to the person, hey, personally, and deal with them. 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.319 Share it in a loving way. 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:26.319 If the church ever could really do this, this is so rarely done, Lord, we would have our even, and even in your own home, when your husband, when I offend Susan, or Susan offends me very little. 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:28.559 But I offend her very much. 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:32.079 I mean, we talk to each other. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:39.839 She doesn't run to Candy or Heather or let me tell you what the preacher did. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:46.880 No, she just says, hey, straighten up or I'm gonna jock your jaws. 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:47.519 No. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:52.160 But no, we sit down and we talk it out. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:55.599 She comes to me when I hurt her feelings. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:58.079 We talk it out. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:01.119 Guess who's the one that I caused the problem? 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:05.039 Well, y'all have gotten quiet as a mouth. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.160 They're nervous, they don't know where this is going. 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.279 I understand. 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:15.759 Hey, but really, hey, she comes to me, I'm the only one that can fix it. 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:18.720 I'm the one that had my feelings on my shoulders. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:22.400 I'm the one that had the bad attitude. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.799 Grumpy, feed him. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.079 Give me a donut. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:28.559 Boy, I'd change my attitude real quick. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:40.319 But hey, but seriously, go to the person that, and it notice what he says, and him alone, if he hears you, you've gained a brother. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:42.240 In other words, you've solved the problem. 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:43.039 It's over. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:48.559 You don't have to tell Sister Fluffyhead, who gets on the phone and tells everybody. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:54.000 That's the way you do it. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:59.440 Yeah, Facebook's not a good place to air your laundry. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:02.960 I'm not joking. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:10.160 So, and by the way, Matthew 5 says, bring your offering. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:19.839 If you bring your offering to the altar, when we give our offerings, and you got all the people in here, leave the offering at the altar, go make it right, then come back and worship. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:22.640 That's important, folks. 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:24.480 This is what Jesus said. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:34.720 So, I'm amazed at how often people air their complaints to everyone except the people that can solve the problem. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:38.720 I just need to air my feeling. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:41.759 Well, maybe you need to change your feelings. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:43.359 Hello? 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:44.880 You okay out there? 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:46.640 I know I do. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:51.440 And boy, we get defensive, don't we? 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:54.640 If someone comes to you with a complaint, now watch this. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:20:00.880 Ask if, first of all, he's gone to the person that he's about to complain about. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:07.359 Secondly, ask them, have you gone to the pastors? 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.440 If we're talking about a problem in the church. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.599 Those are the two things you ask. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:15.440 Have you gone to the person first? 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:19.119 Secondly, have you gone to the pastor? 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:21.519 Because guess what? 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:25.759 Those are the two people that can do something to help solve the problem. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.200 Can I get an amen? 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:30.240 As far as it needs to go. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:33.599 As far as it needs to go. 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:39.039 Talk to the person who can do something about the complaint. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:40.160 Can I get an amen? 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.519 Are you with me? 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:43.599 That will change. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:48.240 Now, I had one person when I shared that with them, they said, Well, I don't want to do that. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.960 I said, Why? 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:54.559 Why don't you want to do that? 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.000 I'm worried about what they may think. 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:02.880 You're worried about what they may think. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:05.200 Well, you're going around gossiping. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:11.039 You might be shocked, like Nehemiah. 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:18.079 I mean, he went right to the nobles, right to the rich Jews, and he laid it right in their laps. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:19.359 And guess what? 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:24.160 They ended up repenting and paying back everything and taking care of the problem. 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:26.079 Hello. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:30.720 Now that's the punchline. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:33.440 But there's a lot more stuff before we get there. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:35.759 That brings me to number two. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:46.640 To resolve conflicts biblically, now this deals with the leaders in the church or the leaders in the business, the leader in the home, and that's men, that's you. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.599 All right, now what watch what he says. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:52.960 We must deal with complaints in a biblical manner. 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:55.680 And look at, man, I had never seen this before. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:22:03.599 And I actually wrote a chapter on Nehemiah in my book of That I co-authored with on the Good Book of Leadership with Dr. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.559 Towns and Dr. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.200 Bort. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:07.839 And I really miss this. 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:13.279 And as I was going back exergetically through this, I said, wow, wow. 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:14.400 Look at here. 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:19.920 Five things in this passage right here that a leader has to do. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:24.880 Or if we follow his biblical example, a godly leadership. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:27.759 Look, first of all, verse 6, he got angry. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.160 He got angry. 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:35.200 I don't have a blank for you to fill these in, so just find your place. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:37.920 Because again, like I said, I'd already turned in the outline. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:41.119 And I started looking at this, I said, this is great. 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.720 He got angry. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:50.640 Now, the Bible clearly teaches that most anger is sinful, but that some anger is righteous. 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:54.720 In fact, he says in Ephesians 4.26, be angry and sin not. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:57.279 Do not let the sun go down upon your wrath. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:07.519 And then we also see in Mark 3.5, Jesus got angry at the hard heart of the Pharisees when he ended up healing the hand of the withered man. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.920 Because there was no compassion. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:12.480 He didn't sin, but he got angry at them. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:13.359 Same word. 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:25.359 Righteous anger has to deal with knowing something is wrong and it shouldn't be happening, and that you are willing to do something about it. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:27.039 Can I get an amen? 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:30.720 That's righteous anger. 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:34.799 That you want to help solve this situation. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:39.680 You want to help really bring a solution to this situation. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:50.319 It's not that you're Nehemiah, by the way, let me just tell you, Nehemiah wasn't really angry at the rich Jews for really what? 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:54.000 Not listening to him, and some of them weren't even helping on the wall. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.359 He wasn't angry at that. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:56.799 You know what he's angry about? 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:17.599 He was angry at the rich Jews because, one, they were not keeping the word of God, and we'll see that in a moment, because the word of God literally told the Jews, when you lend money to the poor, he's talking to the rich Jews, when you lend in Exodus 22, when you lend money to the Jews, you do not charge them interest. 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:24.640 So they were taking advantage of the poor Jews. 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:28.400 They were exploiting them, giving them high interest. 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:37.519 So he was mad at the rich Jews for one, not keeping God's word, and two, not caring for the people. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.519 That was righteous anger. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:46.559 And that's a great, great example. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:50.400 Number two, he exercised self-control. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.319 Look at verse 7. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:59.759 Before Nehemiah contended with the ones guilty of exploiting the poor, notice what he did in verse 7. 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:01.759 He consulted with himself. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:02.559 Wow. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:04.079 Now that's significant. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:05.119 Look at it. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:08.400 He didn't go off in rage to blast those who were wrong. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:15.680 He stopped, cooled off, thought, and prayed things through, and only then took action. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:26.960 Is that not a great example for us that are in leadership positions when we're dealing with conflicts and problems in our situation? 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:29.839 Say, that's good, preacher. 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:36.400 I've been guilty of not doing that in my early ministry. 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:39.119 Oh my goodness. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:44.079 Woo! I'd hear something going on in our church. 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:46.799 I'd say, All right, Joe, get in this car. 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:47.920 He says, Where are we going? 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:49.200 I said, we're going to handle a problem. 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:50.319 He'd say, uh oh. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:55.119 And I'd just go in there with a machine gun blasting. 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:01.279 That's not the right thing to do. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:11.599 What I did learn, and Joe used to be kind of cute about this, he'd say, especially when he knew I was hot. 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:14.079 He'd say, preacher. 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:20.799 We got and get a cup of coffee and pray about this before we go over there. 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:27.119 And I'd be honest. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:31.279 No! Don't want to pray. 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:32.720 Don't want any coffee. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:34.400 I'm going to take the oath something. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:34.880 No. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.759 I just read it. 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:42.559 You know, I was boy, I'd boiled over. 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:44.880 That's what the word chora means. 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:47.039 So, he cooled off. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:50.079 Proverbs 16, 32 says, He who is slow to anger. 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:50.720 Now, watch that. 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:51.359 Ooh, this. 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:54.880 Y'all know, anybody in here besides me got a temper? 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:59.200 Okay, I'm amazed. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:01.440 What are you looking at, Daniel? 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:07.119 Hey, I've got a temper. 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:07.680 Okay? 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:12.960 This verse has helped me more in my ministry than any other verse. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:15.039 Well, there's another one, James 1.19. 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:16.799 But notice what it says. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:18.559 He, I love it. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:22.319 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:27.200 And he who rules his spirit than he who captures a city. 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:37.359 It's better to have control over your temper, over your attitude, over your mouth, over all those things, than to be a general to go in and capture a city. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:41.839 You're a stronger person than that general taking the city. 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:44.240 That's powerful. 00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:47.680 And the other one is James 1.19. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:54.000 Hey, swift to hear, slow to speak. 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:56.000 Oh, that's hard on me. 00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:00.079 Slow to wrath. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.759 Slow to anger. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:10.400 Anytime I'm sitting in a volatile, I used to do this as a president of the university of Tennessee Temple. 00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:13.599 I had that verse written out in big letters. 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:17.039 And it was kind of a folded card. 00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:18.240 And I kept it in my desk. 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:21.599 When I was going to meet with somebody, I knew it was going to be heated. 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:22.640 I'd put that on. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:25.759 I'd take it out and put it right there, staring me right in the face. 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:31.279 Especially when they'd say something which I knew, ooh, I just want to, oof. 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:33.359 Holy Spirit. 00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:36.880 I don't want to be slow. 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:38.400 Quiet. 00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:40.000 I don't want to be quiet. 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:42.079 Peaceful. 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:43.680 I don't want to be peaceful. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:45.759 I don't want to fight. 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:49.440 Bam! No? 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:54.240 You'd lose your testimony, lose your president, lose everything else. 00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:56.799 Oh yeah, I forgot about that. 00:28:58.559 --> 00:29:00.880 Your testimony means you mean the most. 00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:01.759 Amen. 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:04.960 What would Jesus do? 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:06.799 Remember those bracelets? 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.000 What would Jesus do? 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.839 That's why I wear Jesus Awesome. 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:20.799 When I start feeling like that, and I see Jesus is awesome, I say, oh, oh, that means I can't do, I gotta control myself. 00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:22.240 Amen. 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:26.480 Some of y'all are quiet, don't many. 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:28.000 Number three. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:34.079 He followed the principles of biblical confrontation. 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:37.119 First, verse 7, watch. 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:42.079 He privately confronted those guilty of mistreating the poor. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:43.599