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Just like those people that say sammich.

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So our volunteer of the week, this week

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is,

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Daniel. Daniel is part of our ministry team.

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He just was usher right here.

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He's all around great guy. Likes cool walks

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in the moonlight.

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Somebody that you want to get to know.

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Do you like walks in the moonlight, Daniel?

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You don't walk on the moon?

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Okay. He doesn't hear real well. So

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so,

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some some

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pretty amazing stuff still happening,

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in in Israel and Lebanon.

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Israel this week took out Nasrallah.

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He is the he is the head of

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all Hezbollah.

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Tier leadership of Hezbollah has

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now been eliminated. Guys, eve the Lebanese people

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are coming out in the streets by the

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1,000

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with signs and cheers and all kinds of

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things saying,

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thank you Israel for getting rid of Hezbollah.

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Hezbollah is a terrorist organization.

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They have been persecuting

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the,

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the Lebanese people just like Hamas was harassing

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all the people in Gaza and all that

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kind of stuff.

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Terrorist or terrorist, it doesn't matter where they

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live, what they do,

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they're terrorists. And and this was

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this was, pretty amazing. In the process, also,

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he's the IRGC.

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The

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the revolutionary guard, IRGC is Iran's elite soldiers.

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Their guy that was over

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the RGC over Lebanon,

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was also eliminated with the same,

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bunker busting bomb.

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And, but our but Iran keeps saying they

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don't they have nothing to do with this.

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They're not connected at all. With the, terrorist

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and was killed by the same bomb.

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So continue to pray for the Jewish people.

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This really is a fight for their existence.

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You know, when you hear people

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goofy, stupid college students

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that are marching around shouting

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from the river to the sea,

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Most of them don't even know what that

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means. They don't know what river. They don't

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know what sea. But what that statement means

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is

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every Jewish person will be slaughtered,

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killed and eradicated from the face of the

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earth. That's what it means.

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Responsibility

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to pray for the people of Israel. But

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second, we have a humanitarian responsibility. These are

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our people somebody's not allowed to just say

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you don't get to exist anymore. It doesn't

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even make sense. And so,

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it's not

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It it doesn't even make sense. And so,

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our our youth this morning is at retreat

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up in the mountains. This is their fall

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retreat. They just every year it's very very

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powerful, very impactful

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for teenagers. And I was I was asked

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by

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a church. It was the church that I

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pastored before I came here. I was asked

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by the church to come speak at, a

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retreat that they

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were holding.

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And,

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so

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that was last night I I went to

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speak at the retreat. It's in the exact

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same places where our youth group is having

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their retreat.

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So I ignored them. I acted like I

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didn't know them

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the whole time.

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Like, one time, Josh started walking over to

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me, and his turn around and walked away

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real quick.

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I don't play that game.

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Same way I used to tell my kids

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when they were growing up, don't ever call

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me dad in public.

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It was a good retreat though. My wife

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is in Utah.

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So I'll let you know this is is,

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the news. And I'm sure she'll

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explain this a little bit more detail, but

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she is in Utah.

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So she's she's a district Christian ministries director.

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She co,

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does this with with another guy named Sean

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at our district office. Our district is Colorado

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and Utah. This is for the Assemblies of

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God.

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And, she so she does all ministries for

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churches for the 2 states. And so,

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she's also

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been the women's director for our district for

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years years years. She was our girls ministries

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director for years years.

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She is telling the

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Utah women

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today

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that she is resigning from this position. She's

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been doing it for 21 years.

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And,

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she's resigning from this

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position,

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and,

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she's gonna tell the Colorado women in 2

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weeks during,

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that retreat.

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But, this is something she's been praying about

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for a long time. She started talking to

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me about about 6 minutes ago. What do

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you think about this? That kind of thing.

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And, it's

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just where she is,

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in life with this. She feels like God

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is telling her to not do that anymore.

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And then she's going to be spending more

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time at the church, and she's going to

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be helping me politically more.

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And by that, I mean making me do

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this. And

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so so I just thought I'd let you

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know that we also have transition here.

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At the church,

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Richard,

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our admin, he is going to be taking

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a ministry

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I don't want to necessarily

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say where it is because I don't think

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it's official yet. I don't really know that,

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but I don't want to be the one

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to announce this to that church also. So,

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ministry

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position. We know he's called in the ministry.

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We wish we had a ministry position here

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for him. He has definitely called the ministry.

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He's got God's hand on him, very strongly

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with this.

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And so he's leaving the admin position.

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Beth Gray is going to take the admin

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position here at the church. She's the one

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who works in the

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the coffee shop in case you don't know

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who she is. So,

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give her a couple of weeks. Be nice

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to her for a couple of weeks, and

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after that, I don't care. But

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but be nice to her for at least

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a couple of weeks because she's going to

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be getting to know this. Richard's been training

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her the last couple of weeks. And, and

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this is actually a fairly big job,

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being the admin for the church. And so

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praying for her, help her out, whatever the

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case is, I don't know what that means.

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But, but and then we'll let you know

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when it's official. Is Richard in the

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room?

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I was going to say, is it official

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yet? But we'll just assume that it's not

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and I won't say anything. So

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But we're excited for him. We definitely don't

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want him to leave here. And I did

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tell the person that is that is going

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to be hiring him that,

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the first moment that we can steal him

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back, we will do that.

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So

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just because we like to keep good solidarity

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relationships with other churches. So,

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so I want I want to talk about,

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something this morning. I hit on this every

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now and then, kind of, but I want

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to I want to really focus in on

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this. This is something that

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that I think

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I think the church actually has the opposite

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view than what we're supposed to on this.

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Not not in a negative way. I don't

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think we're walking in rebellion against God or

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whatever with this. But I think that this

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has been so much a part of church

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thinking and church teaching in different ways, different

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levels, different intensities,

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that that we have

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a wrong view of of what it means

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to go through difficult things,

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to go through different times of,

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trials, tribulations,

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different levels of suffering, those kind of things.

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Years ago, a long time ago, in the

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mid,

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the mid 19 nineties, I was a youth

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pastor of a church in Texas. And this

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it was a great church. The pastor was

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my pastor from then on. He just passed

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away a couple years ago in his nineties.

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He was my pastor

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and

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and just an amazing man of God. Spent

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many hours every day in prayer.

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Really taught very strongly on faith that God

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wants us to,

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to trust and believe in him and that

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God can do anything, and God wants to

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do this stuff, and we have to have

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faith.

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And, and we saw a lot of people

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healed in that church. A lot of miracles

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happen on a regular basis, just constantly happening

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there. And I know it was because of

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the teaching,

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in coordination with the prayer.

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The teaching alone doesn't get you there. You

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gotta have the prayer. You gotta really seek

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God. You gotta really go after God. But

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what also happened there was

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the the church

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kept leaning toward and this was

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because of people

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that would come in and kind of pull

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it this way. Because because the pastor really

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had such a strong

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faith teaching, they pulled it more to a

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to a prosperity gospel kind of mentality,

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right?

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Hyper faith mentality

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that

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that God wants you to be blessed at

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all times, that God wants you to be

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wealthy,

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that Jesus died on the cross so that

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you can have stuff.

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I don't know if that's exactly the way

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it would have been said, but but but

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I I kind of got caught up in

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this at the time as a young man,

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early mid twenties.

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And and it and it kind of makes

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sense when you really understand the faith side

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of things.

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It's easy to start making that about you.

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Start making it about what you get,

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how you gain. And and when when you

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know that God is doing stuff

262
00:10:00,634 --> 00:10:02,955
and you see that faith really is the

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key,

264
00:10:04,554 --> 00:10:06,014
one of, if not the most,

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key ingredient in that,

266
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is really trusting the Lord, expecting God to

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do things, praying for this stuff. It's easy

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then to say, well, maybe God does want

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00:10:15,580 --> 00:10:17,419
me to be a millionaire. Maybe the reason

270
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Jesus died on the cross is so I

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can drive a new Cadillac. I mean, that

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00:10:21,660 --> 00:10:22,940
it it it,

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it

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00:10:24,779 --> 00:10:27,519
it feeds into human nature pretty easily.

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And then over the next couple years after

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that, I really began to analyze this and

277
00:10:31,884 --> 00:10:33,884
go into scripture and realize, yes, God is

278
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a miracle worker and he does bless us.

279
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That is consistently through scripture.

280
00:10:37,804 --> 00:10:39,964
But the idea that somehow, which is attached

281
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to this, that somehow if bad things happen

282
00:10:42,379 --> 00:10:44,860
to you, it's because God's you're not really

283
00:10:44,860 --> 00:10:45,839
walking God.

284
00:10:47,019 --> 00:10:48,860
That if that if bad things happen to

285
00:10:48,860 --> 00:10:50,960
you that your faith is not strong enough.

286
00:10:51,259 --> 00:10:53,519
Because that's that's very unhealthy thinking.

287
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I've mentioned this

288
00:10:56,195 --> 00:10:58,274
before. I'll just I won't tell the whole

289
00:10:58,274 --> 00:10:59,735
story, just say this part.

290
00:11:00,434 --> 00:11:02,835
But when when Linda and I lost our

291
00:11:02,835 --> 00:11:03,735
3rd child,

292
00:11:04,195 --> 00:11:07,174
we had a prosperity preacher person

293
00:11:07,610 --> 00:11:09,591
probably the reason we lost a child is

294
00:11:09,591 --> 00:11:11,482
because we didn't have enough faith in God.

295
00:11:11,482 --> 00:11:13,373
Now, we were young and I kind of

296
00:11:13,373 --> 00:11:14,430
knew that wasn't true,

297
00:11:22,465 --> 00:11:23,605
what did I do wrong?

298
00:11:37,199 --> 00:11:39,279
And he also said, well, it's obviously a

299
00:11:39,279 --> 00:11:40,259
sin in your life,

300
00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:44,179
which I yeah, I guess,

301
00:11:45,199 --> 00:11:46,259
but not actively.

302
00:11:47,199 --> 00:11:50,154
I wasn't actively pursuing sin. I'm sure This

303
00:11:50,154 --> 00:11:50,654
mentality

304
00:11:51,595 --> 00:11:52,345
that somehow

305
00:12:03,009 --> 00:12:05,009
when you become a Christian, everything is going

306
00:12:05,009 --> 00:12:06,069
to work out perfectly.

307
00:12:06,370 --> 00:12:08,449
You're going to be blessed. Everything is going

308
00:12:08,449 --> 00:12:09,190
to be blessed.

309
00:12:09,649 --> 00:12:12,129
Guys, I cannot I cannot tell you all

310
00:12:12,129 --> 00:12:13,730
the times that God has blessed me over

311
00:12:13,730 --> 00:12:14,309
the years.

312
00:12:14,850 --> 00:12:17,845
I'm a very blessed individual. Right now, I

313
00:12:17,845 --> 00:12:18,904
have to think This

314
00:12:19,605 --> 00:12:19,812
may not If you don't have grandchildren or

315
00:12:19,812 --> 00:12:20,164
Stan, I got 2 grandkids that just shout

316
00:12:20,164 --> 00:12:22,424
out, God loves me a lot. Right? We're

317
00:12:22,485 --> 00:12:23,384
having a third one in

318
00:12:33,549 --> 00:12:36,049
I'm a blessed individual, but I also know

319
00:12:36,269 --> 00:12:38,269
that the understanding that we have to have

320
00:12:38,269 --> 00:12:40,509
as Christians is you are gonna go through

321
00:12:40,509 --> 00:12:41,490
difficult things.

322
00:12:42,190 --> 00:12:43,409
You're going to.

323
00:12:44,429 --> 00:12:47,570
God is gonna take you into difficult things.

324
00:12:48,375 --> 00:12:51,195
It's necessary that you go through these things.

325
00:12:51,735 --> 00:12:53,115
Because without this,

326
00:12:53,654 --> 00:12:56,695
you don't usually mature the way you're supposed

327
00:12:56,695 --> 00:12:57,195
to.

328
00:12:57,975 --> 00:13:01,014
Human beings, we're bad about this. We don't

329
00:13:01,014 --> 00:13:03,839
mature the way we're supposed to when things

330
00:13:03,839 --> 00:13:05,059
are going well.

331
00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,799
We can. In fact, I've actually worked at

332
00:13:08,799 --> 00:13:11,139
this over at least the last 15 years,

333
00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,159
really praying, okay, God. If there is a

334
00:13:14,159 --> 00:13:16,480
way that I can grow and mature without

335
00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,320
going through difficult things, I would like to

336
00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:19,335
know what it is.

337
00:13:20,934 --> 00:13:23,175
And you can. It's it's getting in scripture

338
00:13:23,175 --> 00:13:25,975
and going after God, regardless whether something is

339
00:13:25,975 --> 00:13:28,075
happening in your life. You can mature.

340
00:13:28,855 --> 00:13:30,955
But but most of the

341
00:13:31,335 --> 00:13:33,335
the the bigger changes in the things that

342
00:13:33,335 --> 00:13:36,110
we do in our life come from external

343
00:13:36,250 --> 00:13:38,169
forces pushing against us in a way that

344
00:13:38,169 --> 00:13:38,829
are uncomfortable

345
00:13:40,089 --> 00:13:40,829
through suffering,

346
00:13:41,209 --> 00:13:42,829
tribulation, those kind of things.

347
00:13:43,529 --> 00:13:45,149
But we have kind of an

348
00:13:45,610 --> 00:13:46,829
an innate thought

349
00:13:47,355 --> 00:13:50,475
process in Christianity, in Western Christianity. It doesn't

350
00:13:50,475 --> 00:13:51,615
exist in other places

351
00:13:51,995 --> 00:13:53,134
around the world. But

352
00:13:53,674 --> 00:13:55,855
in Western Christianity, we have this idea

353
00:13:56,634 --> 00:13:58,575
that if bad things are happening,

354
00:13:59,674 --> 00:14:01,294
it's it's probably

355
00:14:01,995 --> 00:14:02,495
satan.

356
00:14:03,149 --> 00:14:04,338
Could have been avoided. And so what we

357
00:14:04,338 --> 00:14:05,064
do is we become risk adverse within Christianity

358
00:14:05,064 --> 00:14:06,449
without even trying to,

359
00:14:15,794 --> 00:14:17,495
we just kind of sidestep

360
00:14:17,875 --> 00:14:19,575
all of the things or we avoid

361
00:14:20,434 --> 00:14:23,014
the more difficult things in life,

362
00:14:23,554 --> 00:14:25,495
in in in, community,

363
00:14:25,875 --> 00:14:26,615
in public,

364
00:14:27,075 --> 00:14:29,414
at work, in marriage, in family.

365
00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:31,879
We avoid the more difficult things. Why? Because

366
00:14:31,879 --> 00:14:35,639
human nature automatically likes it when we are

367
00:14:35,799 --> 00:14:37,259
when the easiest path.

368
00:14:37,639 --> 00:14:39,340
We prefer the easiest path.

369
00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:40,940
The problem with that

370
00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,720
is that's not how we're supposed to be

371
00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:45,500
approaching our spiritual walk.

372
00:14:45,865 --> 00:14:48,004
Life on this earth is boot camp for

373
00:14:48,465 --> 00:14:48,838
what God has planned for us. It's not

374
00:14:48,838 --> 00:14:51,125
the it's not the real service. That's

375
00:14:51,665 --> 00:14:52,165
eternity,

376
00:14:59,330 --> 00:15:00,850
Right? That's if you go back to the

377
00:15:00,850 --> 00:15:03,490
garden, that's that's what God had planned, and

378
00:15:03,490 --> 00:15:05,430
we messed that all up. And so now

379
00:15:05,730 --> 00:15:08,950
we're in this time frame and and you,

380
00:15:09,330 --> 00:15:11,490
me, we have about 70 to 80 years

381
00:15:11,490 --> 00:15:13,430
according to Psalms on this earth.

382
00:15:13,774 --> 00:15:16,674
And that's training, it's maturation, it's development.

383
00:15:17,455 --> 00:15:19,934
It's, it's God seeing what you're made of

384
00:15:19,934 --> 00:15:21,615
and if you can make it through, and

385
00:15:21,615 --> 00:15:23,855
he's also giving you things that you need,

386
00:15:23,855 --> 00:15:26,254
not just on this earth. That's actually small

387
00:15:26,254 --> 00:15:28,769
in comparison to the big picture. He's actually

388
00:15:28,769 --> 00:15:30,870
developing you for stuff in eternity.

389
00:15:33,169 --> 00:15:35,350
And and I I went to boot camp

390
00:15:35,889 --> 00:15:36,710
in the navy.

391
00:15:37,490 --> 00:15:39,730
And, and it was amazing to me to

392
00:15:39,730 --> 00:15:40,230
watch.

393
00:15:41,714 --> 00:15:43,955
So the the thing that the military tries

394
00:15:43,955 --> 00:15:45,714
to do is they try to physically break

395
00:15:45,714 --> 00:15:47,554
you down so that they can do a

396
00:15:47,554 --> 00:15:49,794
couple basic things. Really, the one big thing

397
00:15:49,794 --> 00:15:51,575
is they want you to be one force.

398
00:15:52,034 --> 00:15:54,115
They want you to be one group, not

399
00:15:54,115 --> 00:15:54,615
individuals.

400
00:15:55,075 --> 00:15:55,575
K?

401
00:15:56,370 --> 00:15:57,970
And so they physically try to break you

402
00:15:57,970 --> 00:15:59,809
down. They mentally try to go at you

403
00:15:59,809 --> 00:16:02,230
so that so that which makes sense because

404
00:16:02,450 --> 00:16:03,970
if you can be broke down in boot

405
00:16:03,970 --> 00:16:05,730
camp, it's better than waiting till you get

406
00:16:05,730 --> 00:16:08,690
to to to to a war when somebody's

407
00:16:08,690 --> 00:16:10,210
shooting at you and that's when you fall

408
00:16:10,210 --> 00:16:10,710
apart.

409
00:16:11,834 --> 00:16:13,195
So they do all this kind of stuff,

410
00:16:13,195 --> 00:16:15,274
but my dad had prepared me prepared me

411
00:16:15,274 --> 00:16:15,774
ahead.

412
00:16:16,394 --> 00:16:17,534
He'd been in the army,

413
00:16:17,995 --> 00:16:18,495
and

414
00:16:19,195 --> 00:16:20,875
he'd been telling me little things all my

415
00:16:20,875 --> 00:16:22,475
life. But then I signed up for the

416
00:16:22,475 --> 00:16:24,315
navy, and about 6 months later, I I

417
00:16:24,315 --> 00:16:26,414
left the day after I graduated high school.

418
00:16:26,779 --> 00:16:28,300
And, and he had been telling me, this

419
00:16:28,300 --> 00:16:29,420
is what's going to happen. They're going to

420
00:16:29,420 --> 00:16:30,700
do this. They're going to say this. Don't

421
00:16:30,700 --> 00:16:33,179
volunteer. Don't don't stand out. Just be the

422
00:16:33,179 --> 00:16:34,540
guy in the middle. Just, you know, all

423
00:16:34,540 --> 00:16:36,540
these things. And and it was almost like

424
00:16:36,540 --> 00:16:39,205
frantic from him. Don't do this. Yeah. And

425
00:16:39,205 --> 00:16:40,565
so by the time I actually got to

426
00:16:40,565 --> 00:16:41,225
boot camp,

427
00:16:41,764 --> 00:16:42,745
it was easy.

428
00:16:43,684 --> 00:16:45,125
I don't like to say that because people

429
00:16:45,125 --> 00:16:47,445
think that that sounds a little arrogant, but

430
00:16:47,445 --> 00:16:48,345
I was expecting

431
00:16:48,644 --> 00:16:49,544
way worse.

432
00:16:49,924 --> 00:16:51,445
I was doing push ups every day. I

433
00:16:51,445 --> 00:16:54,004
was doing a 150, 200 push ups every

434
00:16:54,004 --> 00:16:56,269
day. I'm running. I'm in shape. I'm doing

435
00:16:56,269 --> 00:16:57,710
all the stuff. I get to boot camp

436
00:16:57,710 --> 00:16:59,309
and I'm like, this is not that big

437
00:16:59,309 --> 00:16:59,970
of a deal.

438
00:17:01,389 --> 00:17:01,889
And

439
00:17:02,350 --> 00:17:04,829
my parents had played mind games with me

440
00:17:04,829 --> 00:17:06,589
all my life. I was prepared for that

441
00:17:06,589 --> 00:17:07,089
too.

442
00:17:09,704 --> 00:17:11,404
Right? Can I get an amen? So

443
00:17:15,865 --> 00:17:17,464
Yeah. You know, you know my daddy's here.

444
00:17:17,464 --> 00:17:17,964
So,

445
00:17:18,904 --> 00:17:20,664
but but here's the thing that that I

446
00:17:20,664 --> 00:17:21,884
found over the years

447
00:17:22,190 --> 00:17:23,730
situation, suffering trials, tribulations, all that

448
00:17:24,269 --> 00:17:24,590
stuff, if we won't try to avoid them

449
00:17:24,590 --> 00:17:26,509
and we'll meet them head on, it's amazing

450
00:17:26,509 --> 00:17:28,429
what God does through that. Don't try to

451
00:17:28,429 --> 00:17:29,789
run from what God is trying to do

452
00:17:29,789 --> 00:17:31,329
with you. Don't try to

453
00:17:36,115 --> 00:17:38,034
to run from what he's calling you to,

454
00:17:38,034 --> 00:17:40,674
or are pushing you toward, or developing you

455
00:17:40,674 --> 00:17:42,595
for. Don't run from it. Don't don't try

456
00:17:42,595 --> 00:17:43,575
to avoid it.

457
00:17:44,115 --> 00:17:45,714
I know this is not this is very

458
00:17:45,714 --> 00:17:47,394
simple what I'm gonna say today, but it

459
00:17:47,394 --> 00:17:49,654
is not easy. And I get that.

460
00:17:50,034 --> 00:17:51,335
But I believe it's necessary.

461
00:17:52,890 --> 00:17:54,830
In 2nd Corinthians chapter 4

462
00:17:55,690 --> 00:17:56,590
verse 8,

463
00:17:57,210 --> 00:17:58,970
Paul says, we are pressed on every side

464
00:17:58,970 --> 00:17:59,710
by troubles.

465
00:18:00,090 --> 00:18:01,150
We're not crushed.

466
00:18:02,170 --> 00:18:02,990
We're perplexed.

467
00:18:03,450 --> 00:18:05,930
We're not driven to despair. See how he's

468
00:18:05,930 --> 00:18:07,390
balancing these off.

469
00:18:08,144 --> 00:18:10,384
We are hunted down, but never abandoned by

470
00:18:10,384 --> 00:18:10,884
God.

471
00:18:11,184 --> 00:18:12,785
We get knocked down, but we are not

472
00:18:12,785 --> 00:18:13,285
destroyed.

473
00:18:14,384 --> 00:18:14,884
Through

474
00:18:15,424 --> 00:18:15,924
suffering,

475
00:18:17,265 --> 00:18:19,184
our bodies continue to share in the death

476
00:18:19,184 --> 00:18:19,845
of Jesus.

477
00:18:20,269 --> 00:18:22,190
So that the life of Jesus may also

478
00:18:22,190 --> 00:18:24,369
be seen in our bodies. Through suffering,

479
00:18:24,909 --> 00:18:26,690
people see Jesus.

480
00:18:28,029 --> 00:18:30,509
When we go to the difficult times and

481
00:18:30,509 --> 00:18:31,569
we make it through,

482
00:18:31,950 --> 00:18:33,169
we come out strong.

483
00:18:33,789 --> 00:18:35,654
They get to see Jesus through that.

484
00:18:36,055 --> 00:18:37,734
And you do too. You'll you'll see that

485
00:18:37,734 --> 00:18:39,894
as we unpack this. Verse 11. Yes. We

486
00:18:39,894 --> 00:18:42,615
live under constant danger of death because we

487
00:18:42,615 --> 00:18:44,455
serve Jesus so that the life of Jesus

488
00:18:44,455 --> 00:18:46,615
will be evident in our dying bodies. So

489
00:18:46,615 --> 00:18:48,295
we live in the face of death, but

490
00:18:48,295 --> 00:18:49,275
this has resulted

491
00:18:49,809 --> 00:18:51,730
in eternal life for you. Now this is

492
00:18:51,890 --> 00:18:53,830
but the reason that I'm that I'm,

493
00:18:54,450 --> 00:18:55,730
speaking about this, if you if you go

494
00:18:55,730 --> 00:18:57,250
back over the last handful of weeks, you

495
00:18:57,250 --> 00:18:59,349
see how these are kinda tied together. But

496
00:18:59,809 --> 00:19:02,289
but but the reason that I'm addressing this

497
00:19:02,289 --> 00:19:04,230
this morning is I believe that that

498
00:19:04,875 --> 00:19:07,994
we have very, very difficult roads ahead of

499
00:19:07,994 --> 00:19:08,494
us.

500
00:19:09,115 --> 00:19:11,035
Very challenging roads ahead of us as a

501
00:19:11,035 --> 00:19:13,295
country. I I keep saying this and

502
00:19:14,555 --> 00:19:16,634
I know everybody hears this a little differently,

503
00:19:16,634 --> 00:19:18,555
but I'd there's no way that they're gonna

504
00:19:18,555 --> 00:19:19,740
let Trump in the White House.

505
00:19:20,779 --> 00:19:21,440
They're not.

506
00:19:22,299 --> 00:19:23,039
They can't.

507
00:19:24,059 --> 00:19:25,119
He will burn

508
00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:26,880
that place down

509
00:19:27,819 --> 00:19:30,000
and needs to be, by the way.

510
00:19:31,179 --> 00:19:32,619
They're not gonna let him in the White

511
00:19:32,619 --> 00:19:33,679
House. But

512
00:19:34,304 --> 00:19:35,825
still gonna be the peaceful transition of power.

513
00:19:35,825 --> 00:19:35,952
That is not going to happen. K. I

514
00:19:35,952 --> 00:19:36,784
don't know exactly how this is on gonna

515
00:19:36,784 --> 00:19:39,585
unfold. I don't think we're gonna have a

516
00:19:39,585 --> 00:19:40,964
legitimate election first. I

517
00:19:41,904 --> 00:19:43,764
don't think we're gonna have election unless legitimate.

518
00:19:50,089 --> 00:19:52,009
But if that happens and Trump does get

519
00:19:52,009 --> 00:19:54,750
the election, between that election inauguration,

520
00:19:55,529 --> 00:19:57,470
they're not letting him in the White House.

521
00:19:57,690 --> 00:20:00,109
BLM has already given their plans.

522
00:20:00,410 --> 00:20:02,329
They're gonna they're gonna burn our country down

523
00:20:02,329 --> 00:20:04,015
in the process. And we say, oh, that'll

524
00:20:04,015 --> 00:20:06,434
never happen. Where were you 4 years ago?

525
00:20:07,214 --> 00:20:09,154
They've done this all over our country.

526
00:20:10,815 --> 00:20:12,894
Antifa is gonna do this. And there's and

527
00:20:12,894 --> 00:20:14,195
this is very coordinated.

528
00:20:14,654 --> 00:20:16,355
It's very paid for.

529
00:20:17,470 --> 00:20:18,589
Okay. I I don't know if you were

530
00:20:18,589 --> 00:20:20,990
paying attention 4 years ago, but there would

531
00:20:20,990 --> 00:20:22,369
be pallets of bricks

532
00:20:22,750 --> 00:20:24,929
magically appear in communities

533
00:20:25,309 --> 00:20:27,490
that were gonna be ransacked by BLM.

534
00:20:30,269 --> 00:20:30,769
Later,

535
00:20:31,625 --> 00:20:34,524
found out that George Soros was paying for

536
00:20:34,524 --> 00:20:36,664
that. Now, why am I saying all of

537
00:20:36,664 --> 00:20:39,384
this? Guys, even so so there's no way

538
00:20:39,384 --> 00:20:42,444
that it works. So so Kamala gets elected.

539
00:20:43,079 --> 00:20:43,980
Say, well,

540
00:20:44,599 --> 00:20:45,050
I'm sure that was a fair election. Let's

541
00:20:45,050 --> 00:20:45,960
just move on. Because day 1, she's already

542
00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:47,819
said she's taken everybody's guns by

543
00:20:48,679 --> 00:20:50,279
executive action. So so no matter which way

544
00:20:50,279 --> 00:20:52,779
this turns out, this is not gonna go

545
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:53,500
good.

546
00:20:57,154 --> 00:20:58,965
I think that we have some very difficult

547
00:20:58,965 --> 00:20:59,807
days ahead of us and I think the

548
00:20:59,807 --> 00:21:00,649
church has some extremely difficult days ahead. And

549
00:21:00,649 --> 00:21:02,994
because part of the thing is we're gonna

550
00:21:02,994 --> 00:21:04,134
have to decide. There's

551
00:21:04,755 --> 00:21:07,894
2 churches right now in America.

552
00:21:12,430 --> 00:21:14,509
I've been in China. I've seen this. There's

553
00:21:14,509 --> 00:21:16,269
the underground church in China and there's what's

554
00:21:16,269 --> 00:21:18,349
called the 3 self church in China, which

555
00:21:18,349 --> 00:21:21,230
is the politically accepted, the governmentally accepted church

556
00:21:21,230 --> 00:21:22,049
in China.

557
00:21:22,750 --> 00:21:24,670
We are already developing a form of that

558
00:21:24,670 --> 00:21:25,330
in America.

559
00:21:26,349 --> 00:21:26,849
Right?

560
00:21:28,035 --> 00:21:30,275
So the church has some very difficult days

561
00:21:30,275 --> 00:21:32,434
ahead. And this is why I'm speaking about

562
00:21:32,434 --> 00:21:35,255
this this morning as we better be ready

563
00:21:35,875 --> 00:21:36,615
to suffer.

564
00:21:37,715 --> 00:21:40,134
We better be ready to to understand

565
00:21:40,914 --> 00:21:41,414
trouble,

566
00:21:41,795 --> 00:21:42,295
tribulation.

567
00:21:43,019 --> 00:21:45,259
We better be ready to meet this head

568
00:21:45,259 --> 00:21:47,500
on because the way the church looks at

569
00:21:47,500 --> 00:21:49,500
this right now is to try to avoid

570
00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:51,599
it and everything is just good.

571
00:21:52,940 --> 00:21:56,059
We make everything nice and polite. We've got

572
00:21:56,059 --> 00:21:58,400
a lot of whipped cream and sprinkles

573
00:21:58,994 --> 00:22:00,775
for people that are not winners

574
00:22:01,795 --> 00:22:02,934
all over the country.

575
00:22:03,555 --> 00:22:05,555
That's how we look at church right now.

576
00:22:05,555 --> 00:22:07,795
We're not really getting into the issues in

577
00:22:07,795 --> 00:22:08,535
the subjects.

578
00:22:09,875 --> 00:22:11,795
It's it's amazing to me how we do

579
00:22:11,795 --> 00:22:12,295
this.

580
00:22:12,809 --> 00:22:14,730
And and I'm constantly so you guys know

581
00:22:14,730 --> 00:22:16,329
I'm going all over the state talking to

582
00:22:16,329 --> 00:22:16,829
pastors

583
00:22:17,450 --> 00:22:19,210
and and our church leaders and things about

584
00:22:19,210 --> 00:22:20,589
we've got to step up.

585
00:22:20,890 --> 00:22:22,569
One of the main things that I constantly

586
00:22:22,569 --> 00:22:24,490
hear in fact, we've had it here many

587
00:22:24,490 --> 00:22:24,914
times

588
00:22:25,315 --> 00:22:27,394
where where and some of you here work

589
00:22:27,394 --> 00:22:28,615
for the groups that do

590
00:22:28,914 --> 00:22:31,234
this, where we'll do some kind of, petition

591
00:22:31,234 --> 00:22:31,894
to get,

592
00:22:33,075 --> 00:22:36,115
constitutional change about abortion on the on the

593
00:22:36,115 --> 00:22:36,615
ballot.

594
00:22:37,789 --> 00:22:40,269
So there's at least at least 4 groups

595
00:22:40,269 --> 00:22:41,809
in here right now that I know.

596
00:22:42,429 --> 00:22:44,029
So we'll try to do that. And you'll

597
00:22:44,029 --> 00:22:45,630
say, okay, can we do the petitions? Yes.

598
00:22:45,630 --> 00:22:47,309
We will definitely put those on the table

599
00:22:47,309 --> 00:22:48,929
and let people sign and we'll do whatever.

600
00:22:49,815 --> 00:22:50,554
And then

601
00:22:51,974 --> 00:22:53,034
come back to me.

602
00:22:53,894 --> 00:22:55,174
There are people in the room that have

603
00:22:55,174 --> 00:22:56,134
done this. Well, they come back to me

604
00:22:56,134 --> 00:22:57,255
and say, well, when I went to these

605
00:22:57,255 --> 00:22:59,255
10 churches this week, none of them will

606
00:22:59,255 --> 00:23:01,014
let us do this because they say, we're

607
00:23:01,014 --> 00:23:02,634
not going to get involved in politics.

608
00:23:03,890 --> 00:23:05,990
Because murdering babies is not politics.

609
00:23:06,849 --> 00:23:08,230
It's murdering babies.

610
00:23:09,329 --> 00:23:10,309
It's not politics.

611
00:23:11,569 --> 00:23:14,069
The church better wake up about this.

612
00:23:14,690 --> 00:23:16,769
God is not okay with this and just

613
00:23:16,769 --> 00:23:19,484
because the church tries to stay silent, they're

614
00:23:19,484 --> 00:23:22,125
actually being complicit and God is not okay

615
00:23:22,125 --> 00:23:22,865
with that.

616
00:23:24,444 --> 00:23:26,944
The idea that we've got to push forward

617
00:23:27,005 --> 00:23:29,085
and the church has got to step up,

618
00:23:29,085 --> 00:23:30,545
we're not doing it,

619
00:23:31,325 --> 00:23:32,704
but we've got to.

620
00:23:33,990 --> 00:23:36,490
That starts with you and I realizing

621
00:23:36,869 --> 00:23:38,970
it's going to cause some

622
00:23:39,269 --> 00:23:40,650
difficulty in our life.

623
00:23:42,470 --> 00:23:44,869
Paul says here that they're in constant danger

624
00:23:44,869 --> 00:23:46,470
of death. We're not in constant danger of

625
00:23:46,470 --> 00:23:48,525
death. I do believe that's on the horizon,

626
00:23:48,585 --> 00:23:50,664
but we're not in constant danger of death

627
00:23:50,664 --> 00:23:51,404
in America.

628
00:23:52,184 --> 00:23:53,945
I go to places around the world that

629
00:23:53,945 --> 00:23:54,445
are.

630
00:23:55,545 --> 00:23:57,865
I'm constantly our pastor in India, I'm constantly

631
00:23:57,865 --> 00:23:58,765
having that conversation.

632
00:23:59,089 --> 00:24:01,570
Well, in this area, the riots are erupted

633
00:24:01,570 --> 00:24:03,890
and 12 people were killed. How close is

634
00:24:03,890 --> 00:24:05,650
that to you? Is it coming to your

635
00:24:05,650 --> 00:24:06,150
area?

636
00:24:06,930 --> 00:24:08,450
The area that our church is in there

637
00:24:08,450 --> 00:24:09,109
in India

638
00:24:09,410 --> 00:24:11,509
has been fairly safe from this stuff.

639
00:24:12,515 --> 00:24:14,835
But all over India, India is not known

640
00:24:14,835 --> 00:24:16,934
as a violent religious country

641
00:24:17,234 --> 00:24:18,694
until the last 10 years.

642
00:24:19,474 --> 00:24:20,615
And now it is.

643
00:24:22,994 --> 00:24:25,394
This this is coming to America but we're

644
00:24:25,394 --> 00:24:26,774
not in danger of death.

645
00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:30,880
We're in danger of somebody saying something bad

646
00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:32,019
about us on Facebook.

647
00:24:34,159 --> 00:24:35,380
Oh, the horror.

648
00:24:37,919 --> 00:24:39,839
First thing here, suffering is part of being

649
00:24:39,839 --> 00:24:40,500
a Christian.

650
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,815
Matthew chapter 5 verse 10. This is the

651
00:24:43,815 --> 00:24:45,414
beatitudes, and this is the last part of

652
00:24:45,414 --> 00:24:46,075
the beatitudes.

653
00:24:46,934 --> 00:24:49,734
Says, God blesses those who are persecuted for

654
00:24:49,734 --> 00:24:50,234
doing

655
00:24:50,535 --> 00:24:51,035
right.

656
00:24:52,694 --> 00:24:54,474
Persecuted for doing right

657
00:24:55,509 --> 00:24:58,410
and standing up for unborn babies is right.

658
00:24:59,990 --> 00:25:02,069
We've got to do this stuff. Are we

659
00:25:02,069 --> 00:25:03,769
gonna be persecuted for it? Yes.

660
00:25:04,549 --> 00:25:05,690
We're gonna be persecuted.

661
00:25:06,230 --> 00:25:07,829
The last 2 years, I brought a pro

662
00:25:07,829 --> 00:25:09,990
life 2 pro life bills in in each

663
00:25:09,990 --> 00:25:12,365
session. I'm gonna bring another one this this

664
00:25:12,365 --> 00:25:13,825
next year in the next session.

665
00:25:14,365 --> 00:25:16,684
And they they deride me. They make fun

666
00:25:16,684 --> 00:25:18,924
of me. The news will do reports about

667
00:25:18,924 --> 00:25:20,444
me. Someone will just yell at me and

668
00:25:20,444 --> 00:25:21,265
attack me.

669
00:25:22,044 --> 00:25:22,944
I don't care.

670
00:25:24,070 --> 00:25:25,769
I don't care. These are babies.

671
00:25:27,109 --> 00:25:28,170
These are babies.

672
00:25:29,509 --> 00:25:31,029
If if they wanna go to blows over

673
00:25:31,029 --> 00:25:33,529
this, I'll I'll physically fight for the babies.

674
00:25:33,990 --> 00:25:34,970
These are babies.

675
00:25:36,884 --> 00:25:38,485
I'm gonna do what's right. Am I gonna

676
00:25:38,485 --> 00:25:40,085
be persecuted? Yeah. But I don't even think

677
00:25:40,085 --> 00:25:42,424
what happens to me is really being persecuted.

678
00:25:42,725 --> 00:25:44,585
So so some crazy liberal

679
00:25:45,285 --> 00:25:45,785
is

680
00:25:46,325 --> 00:25:47,545
is deriding me.

681
00:25:48,559 --> 00:25:50,240
I had one of them just kept kept

682
00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:51,679
getting in my face. This was at the

683
00:25:51,679 --> 00:25:53,039
committee because they don't let it get out

684
00:25:53,039 --> 00:25:54,640
of committee. Kept getting in my face. You're

685
00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,980
telling me that you think abortion is evil.

686
00:25:57,839 --> 00:25:58,900
Yes. Yes.

687
00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,704
I said, explain to me a people that

688
00:26:02,704 --> 00:26:05,365
murders their own children not being evil.

689
00:26:06,224 --> 00:26:07,904
And he could he was yelling at me.

690
00:26:07,904 --> 00:26:09,365
You're saying this is evil.

691
00:26:09,984 --> 00:26:11,505
Yes. I don't know how else to say

692
00:26:11,505 --> 00:26:13,924
it. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

693
00:26:14,545 --> 00:26:15,605
This is evil.

694
00:26:17,150 --> 00:26:19,069
But so what if that guy doesn't like

695
00:26:19,069 --> 00:26:21,650
it or doesn't like me? I don't care.

696
00:26:21,869 --> 00:26:23,950
These are babies. I don't think that's being

697
00:26:23,950 --> 00:26:24,450
persecuted.

698
00:26:26,349 --> 00:26:27,869
And I and I appreciate I really do

699
00:26:27,869 --> 00:26:29,309
appreciate when you guys come to me and

700
00:26:29,309 --> 00:26:31,554
say, hey, thanks for standing up. Thanks for

701
00:26:31,554 --> 00:26:33,554
doing this. You know, you know, fighting the

702
00:26:33,554 --> 00:26:35,394
fight. I I I appreciate when you say

703
00:26:35,394 --> 00:26:37,815
that, but I really don't think this is

704
00:26:38,595 --> 00:26:40,375
I don't think I'm being persecuted.

705
00:26:43,769 --> 00:26:46,029
So some goofball calls me names.

706
00:26:47,609 --> 00:26:48,109
Whatever.

707
00:26:49,850 --> 00:26:51,529
I can get that at Starbucks. Just go

708
00:26:51,529 --> 00:26:52,809
in and tell them my name. They're not

709
00:26:52,809 --> 00:26:53,710
going to get it

710
00:26:54,410 --> 00:26:56,090
right. They're going to call me Scooter or

711
00:26:56,090 --> 00:26:57,150
something like that.

712
00:26:57,974 --> 00:26:59,194
I don't take it personal.

713
00:27:00,214 --> 00:27:01,355
Sometimes I do.

714
00:27:03,095 --> 00:27:05,255
So God blesses those who are persecuted for

715
00:27:05,255 --> 00:27:06,075
doing right.

716
00:27:06,934 --> 00:27:08,714
For the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

717
00:27:09,734 --> 00:27:11,815
Guys, the kingdom of heaven is ours when

718
00:27:11,815 --> 00:27:13,434
we stand up for Jesus,

719
00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,039
when we stand up for what's right. God

720
00:27:16,039 --> 00:27:18,759
blesses you when people mock you, and persecute

721
00:27:18,759 --> 00:27:20,619
you, and lie about you.

722
00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:22,940
I constantly have

723
00:27:23,559 --> 00:27:25,980
TV reporters, newspaper reporters

724
00:27:26,524 --> 00:27:28,524
that they will do a thing. I didn't

725
00:27:28,524 --> 00:27:30,164
even know when channel 9 did the one

726
00:27:30,164 --> 00:27:31,644
a few weeks ago about me. I didn't

727
00:27:31,644 --> 00:27:32,845
even know they had done it. Some of

728
00:27:32,845 --> 00:27:34,044
you sent it to me. Hey, dude. You

729
00:27:34,044 --> 00:27:35,884
know you're on the news? And then they

730
00:27:35,884 --> 00:27:36,704
quote me.

731
00:27:38,299 --> 00:27:40,380
I'm like, I don't know who this person

732
00:27:40,380 --> 00:27:40,880
is.

733
00:27:41,419 --> 00:27:43,440
I never did an interview with them.

734
00:27:44,460 --> 00:27:46,000
How are they quoting me?

735
00:27:46,460 --> 00:27:48,960
Linda always makes a she thinks it's hilarious.

736
00:27:49,019 --> 00:27:50,859
Oh, did you say that? No, I didn't

737
00:27:50,859 --> 00:27:52,940
say that. They're lying about me. I don't

738
00:27:52,940 --> 00:27:54,934
know. They said, you said it. TV doesn't

739
00:27:55,234 --> 00:27:57,174
lie. Like, I think you're lying.

740
00:27:57,954 --> 00:27:59,255
They didn't ask me.

741
00:28:00,274 --> 00:28:01,474
But they do it all the time. They

742
00:28:01,474 --> 00:28:03,234
don't care. They'll put things in print. Just

743
00:28:03,234 --> 00:28:05,794
lie. Just blatantly lie. And people say, really?

744
00:28:05,794 --> 00:28:07,974
Just completely make stuff up? Yes.

745
00:28:08,859 --> 00:28:10,480
Completely make stuff up.

746
00:28:11,019 --> 00:28:12,779
And somehow and I know this is more

747
00:28:12,779 --> 00:28:15,099
of an older generation thing. But somehow we

748
00:28:15,099 --> 00:28:17,259
struggle believing that the news will actually just

749
00:28:17,259 --> 00:28:20,700
blatantly lie, knowingly, blatantly make something up and

750
00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:21,134
lie.

751
00:28:21,615 --> 00:28:22,674
Let me help you.

752
00:28:23,055 --> 00:28:23,795
They do.

753
00:28:25,295 --> 00:28:26,115
All the time.

754
00:28:27,055 --> 00:28:27,555
All

755
00:28:28,015 --> 00:28:28,674
the time.

756
00:28:29,855 --> 00:28:31,474
Okay. But look what he says.

757
00:28:32,255 --> 00:28:34,575
People mock you, persecute you, lie about you,

758
00:28:34,575 --> 00:28:36,660
say all sorts of evil things against you

759
00:28:36,740 --> 00:28:38,073
because I'm following Jesus. They don't they don't

760
00:28:38,073 --> 00:28:39,160
care about me. I'm not important in in

761
00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:40,820
the process. I I have I have been

762
00:28:40,820 --> 00:28:42,279
pastoring in Colorado

763
00:28:42,580 --> 00:28:43,240
since 1996.

764
00:28:50,924 --> 00:28:52,705
At least since the year 2000,

765
00:28:53,085 --> 00:28:54,845
all of my sermons in my last church

766
00:28:54,845 --> 00:28:56,845
and all the sermons here have all been

767
00:28:56,845 --> 00:28:58,305
recorded and are online.

768
00:29:00,924 --> 00:29:02,924
They can find anything they want to believe

769
00:29:02,924 --> 00:29:03,745
about me.

770
00:29:05,090 --> 00:29:06,309
25 years,

771
00:29:06,850 --> 00:29:10,130
24 years, 25 years, you think I haven't

772
00:29:10,130 --> 00:29:12,230
said things that they can use against me?

773
00:29:12,450 --> 00:29:14,070
Why don't they go find that

774
00:29:14,529 --> 00:29:17,009
instead of just make something up? Reason, they're

775
00:29:17,009 --> 00:29:17,509
lazy.

776
00:29:18,714 --> 00:29:19,371
If your coworker says something about you? Well,

777
00:29:19,371 --> 00:29:19,925
it hurts. It doesn't have to. You can

778
00:29:19,925 --> 00:29:20,654
just not care.

779
00:29:31,170 --> 00:29:33,350
Yeah. But it it hurts.

780
00:29:34,210 --> 00:29:35,670
They said this on Facebook.

781
00:29:36,690 --> 00:29:38,070
You cannot care.

782
00:29:39,250 --> 00:29:40,769
You can I used to tell my kids

783
00:29:40,769 --> 00:29:42,610
this? We we need to have this conversation

784
00:29:42,610 --> 00:29:44,174
more as adults. But I used to tell

785
00:29:44,174 --> 00:29:46,034
my kids they would come home from school,

786
00:29:46,815 --> 00:29:48,835
especially the daughter, you know, girls are.

787
00:29:49,615 --> 00:29:51,375
So come home from school, they said this

788
00:29:51,375 --> 00:29:53,375
about me. They sent this about me. They

789
00:29:53,375 --> 00:29:55,134
sent and they they sent them a poopy

790
00:29:55,134 --> 00:29:55,634
head.

791
00:29:56,575 --> 00:29:58,274
I'm like, are you a poopy head?

792
00:29:58,654 --> 00:29:59,154
No.

793
00:30:08,380 --> 00:30:10,079
Maybe you should get different friends.

794
00:30:11,355 --> 00:30:12,394
That and they just can't fathom that. But

795
00:30:12,394 --> 00:30:14,154
they said on Facebook they put on Twitter.

796
00:30:14,154 --> 00:30:15,694
You know what they said about me?

797
00:30:25,799 --> 00:30:27,500
No. Because I don't go on Twitter.

798
00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:30,220
You don't have to either.

799
00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:32,299
You don't have to go on Facebook.

800
00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:35,000
Why do you why do you have to

801
00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:35,900
do that stuff?

802
00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:37,640
You know why I go on Facebook? See

803
00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:39,420
my grandkids and look at jeeps.

804
00:30:42,115 --> 00:30:42,333
Have parts. But that's what I do. I

805
00:30:42,333 --> 00:30:42,446
don't care I don't care what everything is

806
00:30:42,446 --> 00:30:44,640
going on on Facebook. You don't either have

807
00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:45,575
to. You don't

808
00:30:46,035 --> 00:30:47,894
have to watch the news.

809
00:30:55,359 --> 00:30:57,119
And some of you are addicted to Fox

810
00:30:57,119 --> 00:30:58,960
News and some of this other stuff. Guys,

811
00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:00,559
Fox News is just as bad as all

812
00:31:00,559 --> 00:31:01,539
the rest of them.

813
00:31:02,639 --> 00:31:03,460
They lie.

814
00:31:03,839 --> 00:31:05,599
They are not in the in the benefit

815
00:31:05,599 --> 00:31:06,799
of the people. You know, one of the

816
00:31:06,799 --> 00:31:08,799
biggest things that Fox News will not talk

817
00:31:08,799 --> 00:31:10,179
about, will not address

818
00:31:10,845 --> 00:31:12,845
is anything to do with child trafficking and

819
00:31:12,845 --> 00:31:13,345
pedophilia.

820
00:31:13,964 --> 00:31:15,105
Do you know why?

821
00:31:16,044 --> 00:31:17,984
Because they're involved in it too.

822
00:31:18,605 --> 00:31:20,204
At the very highest level, do you This

823
00:31:20,204 --> 00:31:22,285
is a guy that went on there was

824
00:31:22,285 --> 00:31:24,044
explaining this online the other day that they

825
00:31:24,044 --> 00:31:25,484
gave him a list of rules. We will

826
00:31:25,484 --> 00:31:26,220
not talk about

827
00:31:28,220 --> 00:31:29,200
these issues. Pedophilia,

828
00:31:29,740 --> 00:31:30,640
child trafficking.

829
00:31:31,740 --> 00:31:33,599
If it comes up, we'll shut you off.

830
00:31:34,140 --> 00:31:36,940
That's that's pretty commonly known in the in

831
00:31:36,940 --> 00:31:38,505
the people that get interviewed there.

832
00:31:40,424 --> 00:31:41,625
Why why do you have to watch it?

833
00:31:41,625 --> 00:31:42,765
You don't have to.

834
00:31:43,704 --> 00:31:45,384
Well, how am I gonna know the news?

835
00:31:45,384 --> 00:31:47,144
There's a lot better ways to find what's

836
00:31:47,144 --> 00:31:49,384
actually going on in the world than than

837
00:31:49,384 --> 00:31:51,964
CNN or Fox News or whatever.

838
00:31:53,210 --> 00:31:55,049
Guys, we we're letting this stuff control us

839
00:31:55,049 --> 00:31:56,809
and then what it happens is it beats

840
00:31:56,809 --> 00:31:58,809
us down, and then we start listening to

841
00:31:58,809 --> 00:32:01,210
all the stuff and we internalize it. Look

842
00:32:01,210 --> 00:32:02,269
what he says again.

843
00:32:02,570 --> 00:32:04,570
That that they can say all these evil

844
00:32:04,570 --> 00:32:06,670
things against you because you're my followers.

845
00:32:07,065 --> 00:32:09,404
Be careful because when people persecute

846
00:32:10,024 --> 00:32:12,505
you because you're a jerk, that's different. But

847
00:32:12,505 --> 00:32:14,744
when they persecute you because you are following

848
00:32:14,744 --> 00:32:15,244
Jesus,

849
00:32:15,865 --> 00:32:17,244
he's got your back.

850
00:32:18,424 --> 00:32:20,524
Completely, he's got your back.

851
00:32:21,089 --> 00:32:23,250
He's gonna take care of you. Verse 12,

852
00:32:23,250 --> 00:32:25,429
Be happy about it. Be glad.

853
00:32:26,690 --> 00:32:28,950
The very first article that I had done

854
00:32:29,009 --> 00:32:30,929
about me here in Colorado Springs right after

855
00:32:30,929 --> 00:32:32,529
I started running 2 years ago, I went

856
00:32:32,529 --> 00:32:34,390
and did a thing down at a fire

857
00:32:34,609 --> 00:32:35,910
station down south

858
00:32:36,484 --> 00:32:38,164
and there was a reporter there. And this

859
00:32:38,164 --> 00:32:40,724
reporter follows me all I thought I thought

860
00:32:40,724 --> 00:32:42,724
he lived here in Springs, but he doesn't.

861
00:32:42,724 --> 00:32:44,085
I just found out, like, last week he

862
00:32:44,085 --> 00:32:46,244
lives in Castle Rock, I think is what

863
00:32:46,244 --> 00:32:48,164
it said, or something like that. But he

864
00:32:48,164 --> 00:32:50,644
goes to every event I do. Every single

865
00:32:50,644 --> 00:32:52,700
event that I do, he goes to reports

866
00:32:52,700 --> 00:32:53,900
on it and he says mean things about

867
00:32:53,900 --> 00:32:56,559
me. The very first time he did that,

868
00:32:57,980 --> 00:33:00,460
I it was actually in paper print, and

869
00:33:00,460 --> 00:33:02,539
it was also online. I I took the

870
00:33:02,539 --> 00:33:04,539
online version, I printed it out, and I

871
00:33:04,539 --> 00:33:05,599
put it on my wall.

872
00:33:08,144 --> 00:33:09,525
I'm big time now.

873
00:33:12,465 --> 00:33:14,565
Some transgender guy hates me.

874
00:33:15,585 --> 00:33:16,644
I'm big time.

875
00:33:17,985 --> 00:33:18,485
So

876
00:33:19,599 --> 00:33:21,539
be happy about it. Be very glad

877
00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:24,720
for a great award awaits you in heaven.

878
00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,359
And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in

879
00:33:27,359 --> 00:33:29,279
the same way is we're going to go

880
00:33:29,279 --> 00:33:31,359
through difficult things if you stand up for

881
00:33:31,359 --> 00:33:33,519
the lord. And it's becoming more and more

882
00:33:33,519 --> 00:33:35,424
that way. Right? When when I was a

883
00:33:35,424 --> 00:33:36,945
kid, standing up for the Lord didn't get

884
00:33:36,945 --> 00:33:38,545
you yelled at and screamed and all that

885
00:33:38,545 --> 00:33:40,244
kind of stuff. Nowadays, it will.

886
00:33:40,945 --> 00:33:42,705
You'll get attacked for being a Christian. I

887
00:33:42,705 --> 00:33:44,225
get that all the time in the capital.

888
00:33:44,225 --> 00:33:46,884
I literally get attacked by people. Not physically,

889
00:33:47,460 --> 00:33:49,159
but verbally because I'm a Christian.

890
00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:50,200
Whatever.

891
00:33:51,460 --> 00:33:52,279
Who cares?

892
00:33:53,299 --> 00:33:55,539
I serve Jesus. That's the one I care

893
00:33:55,539 --> 00:33:56,039
about.

894
00:33:56,980 --> 00:33:58,980
I don't I don't care what so and

895
00:33:58,980 --> 00:34:00,855
so thinks. I care what Jesus thinks.

896
00:34:01,894 --> 00:34:03,255
Well, that's the way we gotta think. That's

897
00:34:03,255 --> 00:34:05,015
the way we gotta be. The second thing,

898
00:34:05,015 --> 00:34:06,954
suffering builds our faith and resolve.

899
00:34:08,054 --> 00:34:10,295
Romans chapter 5 verse 3. We can rejoice

900
00:34:10,295 --> 00:34:12,315
too when we run into problems and trials.

901
00:34:12,454 --> 00:34:14,855
It doesn't mean get excited and and pumped

902
00:34:14,855 --> 00:34:17,099
up about it, but taking joy in this,

903
00:34:17,099 --> 00:34:19,900
actually rejoicing when we know that, we're doing

904
00:34:19,900 --> 00:34:21,420
what Jesus said. I hear this all the

905
00:34:21,420 --> 00:34:21,920
time.

906
00:34:22,219 --> 00:34:23,980
The reason they're picking on you, and and

907
00:34:23,980 --> 00:34:24,940
this really is,

908
00:34:25,739 --> 00:34:27,994
more of a spiritual side, not people. But

909
00:34:27,994 --> 00:34:30,315
the reason you're being picked on is because

910
00:34:30,315 --> 00:34:32,255
you're actually doing something.

911
00:34:33,434 --> 00:34:35,914
That's pretty important in the process. The reason

912
00:34:35,914 --> 00:34:38,715
that that all of a sudden, Satan cares

913
00:34:38,715 --> 00:34:41,195
about you is because you're doing something to

914
00:34:41,195 --> 00:34:42,175
cause him problems.

915
00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:45,380
The the reason that

916
00:34:47,359 --> 00:34:48,739
that that bad people,

917
00:34:49,199 --> 00:34:51,519
evil people all of a sudden care about

918
00:34:51,519 --> 00:34:52,019
you

919
00:34:52,559 --> 00:34:54,960
is because you're doing something to upset their

920
00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:55,780
apple cart.

921
00:34:56,815 --> 00:34:59,155
They're being uncomfortable around you.

922
00:35:00,175 --> 00:35:02,094
Now again, not because you're being a jerk,

923
00:35:02,094 --> 00:35:04,175
but because the Holy Spirit is making them

924
00:35:04,175 --> 00:35:06,735
uncomfortable. The Holy Spirit in you is making

925
00:35:06,735 --> 00:35:07,474
them uncomfortable.

926
00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,599
Says, we rejoice when we run into problems

927
00:35:10,599 --> 00:35:12,760
and trials, for we know that they help

928
00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,800
us develop endurance, and endurance is staying for

929
00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:16,699
the long haul.

930
00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:19,739
I'm I'm I'm in this for the duration.

931
00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:21,960
Now look what happens here. He says, and

932
00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:24,654
endurance, staying in for the long haul, develop

933
00:35:24,654 --> 00:35:25,875
strength of character.

934
00:35:27,775 --> 00:35:28,514
When you

935
00:35:30,414 --> 00:35:32,514
when you stick in there,

936
00:35:32,974 --> 00:35:36,255
you begin to learn that you can do

937
00:35:36,255 --> 00:35:36,755
this.

938
00:35:38,079 --> 00:35:40,099
And when you learn you can do this,

939
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:41,859
that builds your character.

940
00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:44,559
All of a sudden, you come out on

941
00:35:44,559 --> 00:35:45,940
the other end of something

942
00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:48,719
realizing that you can handle more than you

943
00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:49,619
thought you could,

944
00:35:50,224 --> 00:35:52,304
That you can do better in this situation

945
00:35:52,304 --> 00:35:54,144
than you thought you could. And so your

946
00:35:54,144 --> 00:35:57,025
character is being strengthened by what? Just sticking

947
00:35:57,025 --> 00:35:57,684
in there.

948
00:35:58,945 --> 00:36:00,465
This this is one of the things, guys,

949
00:36:00,465 --> 00:36:01,125
that even

950
00:36:01,585 --> 00:36:02,724
works for marriage.

951
00:36:03,739 --> 00:36:06,539
When when your marriage is not exciting or

952
00:36:06,539 --> 00:36:08,800
is whatever you thought it was gonna be,

953
00:36:09,179 --> 00:36:11,659
stick in there. Why? Because you're a person

954
00:36:11,659 --> 00:36:12,480
of your word.

955
00:36:12,940 --> 00:36:14,319
You're a person of integrity.

956
00:36:14,780 --> 00:36:16,380
And so you stick in there and guess

957
00:36:16,380 --> 00:36:18,775
what happens? The longer you stick in there,

958
00:36:18,775 --> 00:36:20,135
and there's good times and bad. I'm not

959
00:36:20,135 --> 00:36:21,894
saying it's like the horrible thing all the

960
00:36:21,894 --> 00:36:22,394
time.

961
00:36:22,695 --> 00:36:24,135
But the longer you stick in there, the

962
00:36:24,135 --> 00:36:26,375
more that builds character that says, I can

963
00:36:26,375 --> 00:36:27,035
do this.

964
00:36:27,494 --> 00:36:29,414
I can actually talk to that person. We

965
00:36:29,414 --> 00:36:31,255
might can work something out here. We might

966
00:36:31,255 --> 00:36:32,795
can figure out how to be married.

967
00:36:33,619 --> 00:36:34,680
It builds character.

968
00:36:35,380 --> 00:36:37,480
Why? Because you're just stuck in there.

969
00:36:37,940 --> 00:36:38,840
You didn't quit.

970
00:36:39,699 --> 00:36:41,539
You didn't give up. This is this is

971
00:36:41,539 --> 00:36:43,460
the the like the biggest thing that I

972
00:36:43,460 --> 00:36:45,380
pushed to my kids for when they're in

973
00:36:45,380 --> 00:36:46,119
their childhood

974
00:36:49,034 --> 00:36:50,255
was we don't quit.

975
00:36:51,114 --> 00:36:52,815
Doesn't matter what it is, you don't quit.

976
00:36:53,114 --> 00:36:55,034
Like if you start if you if you

977
00:36:55,034 --> 00:36:55,835
want to play,

978
00:36:56,235 --> 00:36:58,795
baseball, and you start the season, you don't

979
00:36:58,795 --> 00:37:00,635
get to quit halfway through because a coach

980
00:37:00,635 --> 00:37:01,695
doesn't play you.

981
00:37:02,579 --> 00:37:04,420
You made a commitment and you're gonna stick

982
00:37:04,420 --> 00:37:05,000
in there.

983
00:37:06,099 --> 00:37:08,180
Because why? You're a person of your word.

984
00:37:08,180 --> 00:37:09,000
You're not

985
00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:09,960
a quitter.

986
00:37:11,059 --> 00:37:12,420
I used to say this all the time

987
00:37:12,420 --> 00:37:14,119
to our kids. I can tell you this.

988
00:37:14,684 --> 00:37:16,224
Bottoms don't quit.

989
00:37:17,485 --> 00:37:18,625
That was our mantra.

990
00:37:20,525 --> 00:37:21,985
Just sticking in there

991
00:37:22,605 --> 00:37:23,744
is half the battle.

992
00:37:25,005 --> 00:37:26,364
And when you know you're gonna go through

993
00:37:26,364 --> 00:37:27,690
difficult stuff and then he says,

994
00:37:43,824 --> 00:37:46,085
don't you think there's a bigger picture involved?

995
00:37:47,824 --> 00:37:49,285
That he's got a bigger plan

996
00:37:50,465 --> 00:37:52,864
and that he's he is going to to

997
00:37:52,864 --> 00:37:53,364
rescue

998
00:37:54,465 --> 00:37:56,864
us. I mean, we may die before he

999
00:37:56,864 --> 00:37:58,804
comes back. That's not what I'm saying. But

1000
00:37:59,219 --> 00:38:00,934
He's with us on this earth that builds

1001
00:38:00,934 --> 00:38:02,206
our character and that gives us this confidence,

1002
00:38:02,206 --> 00:38:02,820
this hope of our salvation that it's gonna

1003
00:38:02,820 --> 00:38:03,960
it's gonna work out.

1004
00:38:12,375 --> 00:38:12,875
Right?

1005
00:38:13,255 --> 00:38:15,175
This hope will not lead to disappointment for

1006
00:38:15,175 --> 00:38:17,414
we know how dearly God loves us because

1007
00:38:17,414 --> 00:38:19,034
he has given us the Holy Spirit

1008
00:38:19,335 --> 00:38:20,934
to fill our hearts with his love. And

1009
00:38:20,934 --> 00:38:22,775
it also says in in Romans chapter 8

1010
00:38:22,775 --> 00:38:24,635
that he's given us that the Holy Spirit,

1011
00:38:25,559 --> 00:38:27,719
speaks directly to us, bears witness with our

1012
00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:29,500
spirit that we belong to God.

1013
00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,019
That's that's a pretty good,

1014
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:35,820
confidence builder for us.

1015
00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:38,519
Holy Spirit will make sure you know you

1016
00:38:38,519 --> 00:38:39,500
belong to God.

1017
00:38:40,519 --> 00:38:42,835
Right? First Peter chapter 4

1018
00:38:44,494 --> 00:38:45,234
verse 12.

1019
00:38:46,414 --> 00:38:48,815
Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery

1020
00:38:48,815 --> 00:38:50,275
trials you are going through

1021
00:38:50,574 --> 00:38:53,234
as if something strange was happening to you.

1022
00:38:55,130 --> 00:38:56,650
This this one gets me a little bit

1023
00:38:56,650 --> 00:38:58,349
because I see this a lot.

1024
00:38:58,730 --> 00:39:00,570
And not just within Christianity, but I see

1025
00:39:00,570 --> 00:39:01,390
it in general.

1026
00:39:01,849 --> 00:39:04,269
After after the presidential debate,

1027
00:39:04,570 --> 00:39:07,289
and, everybody was saying, could you believe she

1028
00:39:07,289 --> 00:39:08,030
said this?

1029
00:39:08,885 --> 00:39:09,385
Yes.

1030
00:39:10,484 --> 00:39:11,464
Where were you?

1031
00:39:11,925 --> 00:39:13,864
Where have you been the last 4 years?

1032
00:39:15,605 --> 00:39:18,025
And I've been saying this about the pandemic

1033
00:39:18,085 --> 00:39:20,585
mentality. There is another pandemic coming.

1034
00:39:20,940 --> 00:39:23,019
We're not gonna close down this time any

1035
00:39:23,019 --> 00:39:24,859
more than we closed down last time because

1036
00:39:24,859 --> 00:39:26,480
we're not buying this stuff.

1037
00:39:27,179 --> 00:39:30,000
But there's another pandemic. They opened a office

1038
00:39:30,059 --> 00:39:31,039
of pandemics

1039
00:39:31,579 --> 00:39:32,400
in Washington.

1040
00:39:35,195 --> 00:39:36,655
Why? I don't know.

1041
00:39:37,594 --> 00:39:39,515
I can't come up with a reason. Well,

1042
00:39:39,515 --> 00:39:41,855
here's one. They've got more coming.

1043
00:39:44,394 --> 00:39:46,397
This is the thing with this is when

1044
00:39:46,397 --> 00:39:48,030
people say, I didn't see that coming. I

1045
00:39:48,030 --> 00:39:49,329
didn't see that coming.

1046
00:39:53,150 --> 00:39:54,210
Open your eyes.

1047
00:39:55,469 --> 00:39:56,829
And this is what he's saying about our

1048
00:39:56,829 --> 00:39:59,809
Christian walk, that if if if you're surprised

1049
00:40:00,349 --> 00:40:02,289
when things come to you, if you're surprised

1050
00:40:02,349 --> 00:40:04,324
by these trials, if you're surprised that they're

1051
00:40:04,324 --> 00:40:05,944
coming, you're not paying attention.

1052
00:40:06,724 --> 00:40:09,045
You're not looking. The whole Bible is stories

1053
00:40:09,045 --> 00:40:11,525
about this. The entire Bible is times when

1054
00:40:11,525 --> 00:40:13,944
people were were presented with the challenge,

1055
00:40:14,244 --> 00:40:16,405
and either they they stepped up or they

1056
00:40:16,405 --> 00:40:17,828
didn't. Bible is is full of is this

1057
00:40:17,828 --> 00:40:18,019
stuff. Guys, to think somehow we're gonna escape

1058
00:40:18,019 --> 00:40:18,599
all this.

1059
00:40:30,664 --> 00:40:32,664
Why do we think that in in Western

1060
00:40:32,664 --> 00:40:34,585
Christianity? Why do we think that we're that

1061
00:40:34,585 --> 00:40:35,945
our lives are not gonna have to go

1062
00:40:35,945 --> 00:40:37,945
through the same things as they did in

1063
00:40:37,945 --> 00:40:39,565
the Old Testament and the New Testament?

1064
00:40:40,505 --> 00:40:41,965
It doesn't really make sense.

1065
00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:44,300
We're going to go through this stuff.

1066
00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:46,460
We're gonna go through the difficulties.

1067
00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:48,140
Okay.

1068
00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:51,559
He says, instead, be very glad for these

1069
00:40:51,559 --> 00:40:53,739
trials make you partners with Christ

1070
00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:55,099
in his suffering.

1071
00:40:56,085 --> 00:40:57,844
So that you will have the wonderful joy

1072
00:40:57,844 --> 00:40:59,065
of seeing his glory

1073
00:40:59,364 --> 00:41:01,204
when it is revealed to all the world.

1074
00:41:01,204 --> 00:41:02,804
And you get to see his glory when

1075
00:41:02,804 --> 00:41:04,324
it's revealed to you in the middle of

1076
00:41:04,324 --> 00:41:04,984
the situation.

1077
00:41:06,484 --> 00:41:07,704
There's there's nothing

1078
00:41:08,109 --> 00:41:10,349
as powerful and amazing as when you see

1079
00:41:10,349 --> 00:41:13,170
God supernaturally work something out in your life.

1080
00:41:14,589 --> 00:41:15,089
Supernaturally

1081
00:41:15,389 --> 00:41:16,449
work something out.

1082
00:41:17,230 --> 00:41:17,730
Is

1083
00:41:18,349 --> 00:41:19,409
is Nick here?

1084
00:41:19,869 --> 00:41:22,135
Yeah. I I was gonna have this conversation

1085
00:41:22,275 --> 00:41:23,715
privately with Nick, but I think we'll have

1086
00:41:23,715 --> 00:41:24,454
it right now.

1087
00:41:26,914 --> 00:41:27,715
So I was,

1088
00:41:28,275 --> 00:41:30,454
I was driving to this retreat yesterday.

1089
00:41:31,875 --> 00:41:34,514
And, my my jeep started overheating. I couldn't

1090
00:41:34,514 --> 00:41:36,369
figure out why and whatever. And I have

1091
00:41:36,369 --> 00:41:37,750
a leak, small leak. So

1092
00:41:38,130 --> 00:41:39,889
so my jeep is overheating, and I realized,

1093
00:41:39,889 --> 00:41:41,010
I mean, it goes all the way red

1094
00:41:41,010 --> 00:41:42,869
line, it beeps, the jeep shuts off.

1095
00:41:44,210 --> 00:41:46,929
Well, I had I had smelled antifreeze earlier,

1096
00:41:46,929 --> 00:41:48,050
so when I had stopped to get gas

1097
00:41:48,050 --> 00:41:49,570
about 10 minutes before that, I bought some

1098
00:41:49,570 --> 00:41:50,070
antifreeze

1099
00:41:50,635 --> 00:41:52,795
because I thought, something's not right, and I'm

1100
00:41:52,795 --> 00:41:54,095
a mechanic. So

1101
00:41:54,875 --> 00:41:56,974
I stopped, got some antifreeze.

1102
00:41:57,355 --> 00:41:59,114
So I'm sitting there about 15, 20 minutes

1103
00:41:59,114 --> 00:42:00,394
trying to figure out how to get the

1104
00:42:00,394 --> 00:42:02,474
jeep to cool down. Jeeps run very, very

1105
00:42:02,474 --> 00:42:04,840
hot. You can literally fry eggs on jeep

1106
00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:06,539
motors. They show this all the time.

1107
00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:08,679
So so I'm thinking, I gotta do this.

1108
00:42:08,679 --> 00:42:10,280
So I I gotta get to the retreat.

1109
00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:10,780
So

1110
00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:13,579
this is this is literally at 11:45.

1111
00:42:15,494 --> 00:42:17,335
And I pray, God, I need to open

1112
00:42:17,335 --> 00:42:19,414
this radiator. Please help it not blow up

1113
00:42:19,414 --> 00:42:19,994
on me

1114
00:42:20,375 --> 00:42:21,835
and melt my skin.

1115
00:42:22,855 --> 00:42:24,775
Please, Lord, I need I need you to

1116
00:42:24,775 --> 00:42:25,994
do this right now.

1117
00:42:28,134 --> 00:42:29,960
So I do get the water in there.

1118
00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:31,880
Everything works out just fine. It doesn't blow

1119
00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:32,839
up on me. I mean, you know what

1120
00:42:32,839 --> 00:42:33,739
I'm saying, spew.

1121
00:42:34,679 --> 00:42:36,039
So I get it all and I and

1122
00:42:36,039 --> 00:42:37,960
I head to the retreat. When I get

1123
00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:39,960
there, I look at my phone. Nick had

1124
00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:41,739
text me at 11:45.

1125
00:42:42,855 --> 00:42:44,295
Said, pastor, I'm just thinking about you and

1126
00:42:44,295 --> 00:42:45,735
praying about you right now. Do you need

1127
00:42:45,735 --> 00:42:46,235
anything?

1128
00:42:48,375 --> 00:42:50,235
I was like, I love that Nick guy.

1129
00:42:53,894 --> 00:42:55,574
And I so I told him later, I

1130
00:42:55,574 --> 00:42:56,695
just text back. I said, no, I'll tell

1131
00:42:56,695 --> 00:42:57,894
you the story. So I'm telling you right

1132
00:42:57,894 --> 00:42:59,010
now, Nick. That's what happened.

1133
00:43:01,309 --> 00:43:03,010
Guys, you you don't know.

1134
00:43:03,950 --> 00:43:05,489
You don't know what's happening.

1135
00:43:06,349 --> 00:43:08,430
You don't know the the moment, but it's

1136
00:43:08,430 --> 00:43:10,510
amazing when God works something out for you,

1137
00:43:10,510 --> 00:43:12,769
you can tell that's what he was doing.

1138
00:43:15,125 --> 00:43:17,204
Right? Nick's never text me that before. This

1139
00:43:17,204 --> 00:43:19,784
is not a daily text he sends me.

1140
00:43:21,445 --> 00:43:23,684
But I think God told him, hey, pray

1141
00:43:23,684 --> 00:43:25,625
for pastor. He's about to do something stupid.

1142
00:43:29,150 --> 00:43:31,309
Right? It's it's amazing when we see God

1143
00:43:31,309 --> 00:43:33,230
carry us through a situation. And he does

1144
00:43:33,390 --> 00:43:34,670
it didn't seem like a big deal or

1145
00:43:34,670 --> 00:43:37,170
whatever, but but my my father-in-law

1146
00:43:37,710 --> 00:43:39,950
had his skin melted by the exact same

1147
00:43:39,950 --> 00:43:40,450
thing.

1148
00:43:41,070 --> 00:43:43,605
And it it always bothers me a little

1149
00:43:43,605 --> 00:43:44,105
bit.

1150
00:43:45,925 --> 00:43:48,105
3rd thing here, suffering is temporary.

1151
00:43:48,724 --> 00:43:50,085
Now, this is the part where we have

1152
00:43:50,085 --> 00:43:51,385
to throw this in here because,

1153
00:43:52,485 --> 00:43:54,265
when we're in the middle of the difficulties,

1154
00:43:54,485 --> 00:43:56,724
sometimes it's hard to keep our head above

1155
00:43:56,724 --> 00:43:57,224
water.

1156
00:43:58,130 --> 00:43:59,910
One of the things that helps you

1157
00:44:00,449 --> 00:44:02,309
is that this truly is temporary.

1158
00:44:03,730 --> 00:44:05,570
It it's it's only going to be for

1159
00:44:05,570 --> 00:44:06,469
a little while.

1160
00:44:07,250 --> 00:44:08,930
And even if that is a long time

1161
00:44:08,930 --> 00:44:09,910
on this earth,

1162
00:44:10,585 --> 00:44:12,445
in this physical body,

1163
00:44:12,905 --> 00:44:14,925
it still is temporary in the big picture.

1164
00:44:15,785 --> 00:44:17,385
And if and if our eyes really are

1165
00:44:17,385 --> 00:44:18,125
on Jesus,

1166
00:44:18,905 --> 00:44:19,405
then

1167
00:44:19,785 --> 00:44:22,684
that's what we're supposed to be living toward.

1168
00:44:23,210 --> 00:44:23,710
Whatever

1169
00:44:24,809 --> 00:44:25,587
I I have to go through, 1st Peter

1170
00:44:25,587 --> 00:44:25,836
chapter 5 verse 10, in his kindness, God

1171
00:44:25,836 --> 00:44:27,369
called you to share in his eternal glory

1172
00:44:27,369 --> 00:44:28,589
by means of Jesus Christ.

1173
00:44:35,954 --> 00:44:36,855
You see how he's explaining

1174
00:44:37,635 --> 00:44:39,414
the the eternal part first?

1175
00:44:40,675 --> 00:44:42,675
You're gonna get to spend eternity with the

1176
00:44:42,675 --> 00:44:43,175
Lord.

1177
00:44:44,114 --> 00:44:45,255
And then he says,

1178
00:44:45,555 --> 00:44:48,375
so after you have suffered a little while,

1179
00:44:49,559 --> 00:44:52,059
you're gonna spend eternity with Jesus. But after

1180
00:44:52,519 --> 00:44:54,680
you get through what you're going through right

1181
00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:55,180
now,

1182
00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:56,700
he will restore,

1183
00:44:57,320 --> 00:44:57,820
support,

1184
00:44:58,440 --> 00:44:59,260
and strengthen

1185
00:44:59,719 --> 00:45:00,219
you,

1186
00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:02,280
and he will place you on a firm

1187
00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:02,780
foundation.

1188
00:45:04,954 --> 00:45:05,454
This

1189
00:45:06,635 --> 00:45:08,255
this stuff that we go through,

1190
00:45:08,715 --> 00:45:10,715
let it build you and grow you. Let

1191
00:45:10,715 --> 00:45:12,094
it develop you,

1192
00:45:13,835 --> 00:45:15,534
not not tear you down.

1193
00:45:16,409 --> 00:45:18,030
You're the one who decides that.

1194
00:45:18,809 --> 00:45:20,489
You you hear me say that statement about

1195
00:45:20,489 --> 00:45:22,010
a lot of things. You're the one that

1196
00:45:22,010 --> 00:45:22,989
decides that.

1197
00:45:23,609 --> 00:45:25,130
You're the one that decides whether this is

1198
00:45:25,130 --> 00:45:26,889
gonna build you up or tear you down.

1199
00:45:26,889 --> 00:45:28,969
You know, the the the statement, if it

1200
00:45:28,969 --> 00:45:30,804
if it doesn't kill you, it makes you

1201
00:45:30,804 --> 00:45:32,744
stronger. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

1202
00:45:33,445 --> 00:45:35,445
I I think that's true. Now, I did

1203
00:45:35,445 --> 00:45:37,284
see a very important meme this week that

1204
00:45:37,284 --> 00:45:37,864
I think

1205
00:45:38,324 --> 00:45:39,465
some words of wisdom.

1206
00:45:41,284 --> 00:45:44,244
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except

1207
00:45:44,244 --> 00:45:45,750
bears, they will kill you.

1208
00:45:47,110 --> 00:45:47,849
I was like,

1209
00:45:50,230 --> 00:45:52,230
Guys, this stuff, it strengthens us. It it

1210
00:45:52,230 --> 00:45:55,289
builds us. Let it do that rather than

1211
00:45:55,590 --> 00:45:57,349
letting it tear you down and pull you

1212
00:45:57,349 --> 00:45:59,655
away. We've all been there where it starts

1213
00:45:59,655 --> 00:46:01,574
to pull us away from the Lord. Don't

1214
00:46:01,574 --> 00:46:02,715
let it do that.

1215
00:46:03,255 --> 00:46:05,414
It doesn't have to. Just because you're upset

1216
00:46:05,414 --> 00:46:07,255
at God about something, which can be very

1217
00:46:07,255 --> 00:46:09,655
legitimate sometimes, it doesn't mean he's done something

1218
00:46:09,655 --> 00:46:12,074
wrong. It's just because we're limited humans.

1219
00:46:13,039 --> 00:46:14,639
And if you're upset at God, okay, talk

1220
00:46:14,639 --> 00:46:15,920
to God about it. But don't let it

1221
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:17,539
pull you away from God.

1222
00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:20,400
If you're if you're feel like you've been

1223
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:22,719
wronged by God, you're hurt by God, okay,

1224
00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:24,159
talk to God about it. But don't let

1225
00:46:24,159 --> 00:46:25,885
it pull you away from God. When you're

1226
00:46:25,885 --> 00:46:28,545
going through the difficult stuff, let it strengthen

1227
00:46:28,605 --> 00:46:29,105
you

1228
00:46:29,885 --> 00:46:31,105
not tear you down.

1229
00:46:31,724 --> 00:46:33,184
Let it build you up.

1230
00:46:33,805 --> 00:46:35,805
The 4th thing, the Lord walks us through

1231
00:46:35,805 --> 00:46:36,545
this suffering.

1232
00:46:36,925 --> 00:46:38,785
Isaiah 43 verse 2.

1233
00:46:39,289 --> 00:46:40,969
When you go through deep waters, it doesn't

1234
00:46:40,969 --> 00:46:43,070
say you will not go through deep waters.

1235
00:46:43,210 --> 00:46:44,510
It says, when

1236
00:46:44,809 --> 00:46:46,809
you go through deep waters, I will be

1237
00:46:46,809 --> 00:46:47,469
with you.

1238
00:46:48,010 --> 00:46:49,869
When you go through rivers of difficulty,

1239
00:46:50,409 --> 00:46:52,170
you will not drown. You know why he

1240
00:46:52,170 --> 00:46:54,525
specifically says you will not drown? Because you

1241
00:46:54,525 --> 00:46:55,824
feel like you're drowning.

1242
00:46:57,405 --> 00:46:58,625
But God, I am drowning.

1243
00:46:59,405 --> 00:47:00,545
No. I got you.

1244
00:47:01,244 --> 00:47:02,764
Yeah. I know it feels like that, but

1245
00:47:02,764 --> 00:47:04,924
I've got you. I know this seems like

1246
00:47:04,924 --> 00:47:07,565
it's gonna just completely destroy everything in your

1247
00:47:07,565 --> 00:47:09,424
existence, but I got you.

1248
00:47:11,190 --> 00:47:13,050
When you walk through the fire of oppression,

1249
00:47:14,230 --> 00:47:16,070
you will not be burned up. The flames

1250
00:47:16,070 --> 00:47:17,530
will not consume you.

1251
00:47:18,469 --> 00:47:20,070
You know, the the one of the coolest

1252
00:47:20,070 --> 00:47:21,269
things we sang the song. One of the

1253
00:47:21,269 --> 00:47:23,429
coolest things about the story of Shadrach, Meshach

1254
00:47:23,429 --> 00:47:24,090
and Abednego

1255
00:47:24,594 --> 00:47:26,355
is if they didn't end up in the

1256
00:47:26,355 --> 00:47:28,434
fire, they would have never seen Jesus face

1257
00:47:28,434 --> 00:47:29,094
to face.

1258
00:47:30,594 --> 00:47:31,655
That's powerful.

1259
00:47:32,675 --> 00:47:34,755
We wanna see Jesus when everything is going

1260
00:47:34,755 --> 00:47:35,894
perfect and great.

1261
00:47:38,369 --> 00:47:40,150
And and he does show up,

1262
00:47:40,529 --> 00:47:42,449
but oftentimes, it's when things are the most

1263
00:47:42,449 --> 00:47:42,949
difficult.

1264
00:47:45,889 --> 00:47:47,409
Yeah. For I am the Lord your God,

1265
00:47:47,409 --> 00:47:49,429
the Holy one of Israel, your savior.

1266
00:47:51,414 --> 00:47:53,574
Philippians chapter 3 verse 10, this is where

1267
00:47:53,574 --> 00:47:55,734
I wanna end it on. And, and I

1268
00:47:55,734 --> 00:47:58,074
think this is to me, this is the,

1269
00:47:59,974 --> 00:48:02,394
this is the direction. This is my heart

1270
00:48:05,719 --> 00:48:07,799
With this and I'm and I'm pushing this

1271
00:48:07,799 --> 00:48:09,079
because I want it to be I want

1272
00:48:09,079 --> 00:48:10,139
us all to say,

1273
00:48:10,440 --> 00:48:10,940
yeah.

1274
00:48:11,559 --> 00:48:12,780
That's my heart too.

1275
00:48:14,440 --> 00:48:15,900
Because I wanna know Christ.

1276
00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:18,920
That's the that's the starting point for everything.

1277
00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:19,980
I wanna know Christ.

1278
00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,525
Yeah. What about I just wanna know Jesus.

1279
00:48:23,224 --> 00:48:25,244
What about this? I wanna know Jesus.

1280
00:48:26,025 --> 00:48:28,424
I wanna know Christ and experience the mighty

1281
00:48:28,424 --> 00:48:30,664
power that raised him from the dead. He

1282
00:48:30,664 --> 00:48:32,264
tells us that the Holy Spirit that rose

1283
00:48:32,264 --> 00:48:34,025
him from the dead will actually quicken us

1284
00:48:34,025 --> 00:48:36,940
physically, will actually strengthen us physically, which

1285
00:48:37,239 --> 00:48:38,699
also includes mental and emotional,

1286
00:48:39,319 --> 00:48:39,819
spiritual

1287
00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:42,380
the holy spirit will strengthen us.

1288
00:48:43,079 --> 00:48:45,159
And the holy spirit is the same one

1289
00:48:45,159 --> 00:48:46,679
that rose Jesus from the dead. So he's

1290
00:48:46,679 --> 00:48:47,500
good at this.

1291
00:48:48,585 --> 00:48:49,885
He knows what he's doing,

1292
00:48:50,905 --> 00:48:52,525
and he's gonna strengthen us.

1293
00:48:52,984 --> 00:48:54,824
And then he says, I wanna suffer with

1294
00:48:54,824 --> 00:48:55,324
him.

1295
00:48:56,905 --> 00:48:58,125
What better statement

1296
00:48:59,065 --> 00:49:01,164
can there be? I wanna suffer with Jesus.

1297
00:49:01,659 --> 00:49:03,980
You're not chasing after suffering. That's not the

1298
00:49:03,980 --> 00:49:04,639
same thing.

1299
00:49:05,579 --> 00:49:07,340
I want my life to be miserable. That's

1300
00:49:07,340 --> 00:49:08,400
not what he's saying.

1301
00:49:09,179 --> 00:49:11,420
But if you are following Jesus and you're

1302
00:49:11,420 --> 00:49:14,139
following the footsteps that he that he has

1303
00:49:14,139 --> 00:49:16,505
laid out for you, it is going to

1304
00:49:16,505 --> 00:49:17,565
involve suffering.

1305
00:49:18,664 --> 00:49:20,425
He says, I wanna suffer with him, sharing

1306
00:49:20,425 --> 00:49:22,505
in his death, so that one way or

1307
00:49:22,505 --> 00:49:24,744
another I will experience a resurrection from the

1308
00:49:24,744 --> 00:49:25,244
dead.

1309
00:49:25,864 --> 00:49:27,565
I wanna follow Jesus

1310
00:49:28,184 --> 00:49:29,164
into everything.

1311
00:49:30,599 --> 00:49:32,360
Romans 12, I'm gonna crawl up on that

1312
00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:33,820
altar. I'm gonna voluntarily

1313
00:49:34,119 --> 00:49:35,960
crawl up on the altar and sacrifice my

1314
00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:36,940
life to Jesus.

1315
00:49:37,720 --> 00:49:39,160
One of the things that irritates me is

1316
00:49:39,160 --> 00:49:39,820
when I

1317
00:49:40,119 --> 00:49:42,119
when I hear people use a couple statements

1318
00:49:42,119 --> 00:49:42,619
together.

1319
00:49:42,920 --> 00:49:45,265
And they'll say, well, salvation is, you know,

1320
00:49:45,265 --> 00:49:46,864
it's a free gift of salvation. That's a

1321
00:49:46,864 --> 00:49:47,525
true statement.

1322
00:49:48,065 --> 00:49:50,144
You can't do anything to buy salvation, earn

1323
00:49:50,144 --> 00:49:52,625
salvation, or whatever. You don't deserve salvation. And

1324
00:49:52,625 --> 00:49:54,465
so when Jesus, by his grace and his

1325
00:49:54,465 --> 00:49:56,085
mercy, because of his love,

1326
00:49:56,739 --> 00:49:58,980
gives you the opportunity to be forgiven and

1327
00:49:58,980 --> 00:50:02,599
saved, it truly is this amazing free gift.

1328
00:50:02,660 --> 00:50:04,739
But then we usually tie in the next

1329
00:50:04,739 --> 00:50:07,860
part that says, and it doesn't demand anything

1330
00:50:07,860 --> 00:50:08,599
from you.

1331
00:50:09,220 --> 00:50:11,640
Or it will cost you nothing.

1332
00:50:13,594 --> 00:50:16,175
That is the opposite of truth.

1333
00:50:18,074 --> 00:50:18,574
Salvation

1334
00:50:18,875 --> 00:50:20,494
costs you everything

1335
00:50:22,074 --> 00:50:23,855
because it costs you your life.

1336
00:50:24,554 --> 00:50:26,094
It's no longer your life.

1337
00:50:26,529 --> 00:50:28,309
He's made you a new person

1338
00:50:29,250 --> 00:50:30,869
in Christ Jesus

1339
00:50:31,170 --> 00:50:31,670
in

1340
00:50:32,049 --> 00:50:32,549
him.

1341
00:50:34,529 --> 00:50:36,549
It's not your life anymore. It's his.

1342
00:50:37,329 --> 00:50:38,389
And he expects

1343
00:50:39,089 --> 00:50:39,589
everything

1344
00:50:40,049 --> 00:50:40,869
about us.

1345
00:50:41,295 --> 00:50:43,875
But see, we've designed a Christianity that says,

1346
00:50:44,094 --> 00:50:45,255
I can give him a little bit here

1347
00:50:45,255 --> 00:50:46,494
and there. Go to church every now and

1348
00:50:46,494 --> 00:50:47,554
then. I think it'd be good.

1349
00:50:48,734 --> 00:50:50,514
Yeah. Except there was 10 virgins.

1350
00:50:51,454 --> 00:50:52,514
5 of them

1351
00:50:53,135 --> 00:50:54,194
did not pursue

1352
00:50:55,010 --> 00:50:55,989
their groom.

1353
00:50:56,289 --> 00:50:57,750
5 of them did.

1354
00:50:58,449 --> 00:51:00,230
Those 5 ended up with the groom.

1355
00:51:01,170 --> 00:51:03,030
If you're not pursuing the groom

1356
00:51:04,050 --> 00:51:06,609
with everything a bride should pursue the groom

1357
00:51:06,609 --> 00:51:08,469
with, you're not going with Jesus.

1358
00:51:09,284 --> 00:51:12,105
He's not gonna make you be his bride.

1359
00:51:13,364 --> 00:51:14,424
Think about that.

1360
00:51:14,964 --> 00:51:16,644
So let me finish it with this question

1361
00:51:16,644 --> 00:51:17,304
or 2.

1362
00:51:18,964 --> 00:51:21,284
I ask my I ask my boys this

1363
00:51:21,284 --> 00:51:22,964
question on a regular basis. They

1364
00:51:23,760 --> 00:51:25,119
so about a month ago, we did that

1365
00:51:25,119 --> 00:51:26,340
100 mile bike ride.

1366
00:51:27,039 --> 00:51:27,480
And,

1367
00:51:27,920 --> 00:51:30,400
specifically, my oldest son down in Texas, but

1368
00:51:30,400 --> 00:51:31,920
Isaac here too, he's like, I said, you

1369
00:51:31,920 --> 00:51:33,780
should ride with us some year. He's like,

1370
00:51:33,840 --> 00:51:34,340
never?

1371
00:51:35,519 --> 00:51:36,019
And,

1372
00:51:36,554 --> 00:51:39,034
my old older son my oldest son, he

1373
00:51:39,034 --> 00:51:41,194
he does it different. He he's like, dad,

1374
00:51:41,194 --> 00:51:43,375
that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

1375
00:51:44,554 --> 00:51:46,315
Why would you get on a bicycle and

1376
00:51:46,315 --> 00:51:47,694
ride for a 100 miles?

1377
00:51:49,289 --> 00:51:51,050
And so I asked them and I wanna

1378
00:51:51,050 --> 00:51:52,269
ask you the same question.

1379
00:51:54,489 --> 00:51:55,869
Isn't there something

1380
00:51:56,969 --> 00:51:58,030
in your life

1381
00:51:58,890 --> 00:52:00,030
that you voluntarily

1382
00:52:00,570 --> 00:52:03,324
challenge yourself with something that you

1383
00:52:03,944 --> 00:52:05,164
push yourself?

1384
00:52:15,019 --> 00:52:16,320
Isn't there something?

1385
00:52:16,780 --> 00:52:18,300
This is the whole reason I I did

1386
00:52:18,300 --> 00:52:20,139
the education that I do. You guys know

1387
00:52:20,139 --> 00:52:21,500
some of you here don't even know I

1388
00:52:21,500 --> 00:52:23,260
have a doctorate because I don't talk about

1389
00:52:23,260 --> 00:52:24,859
it. I'm not talking about it right now,

1390
00:52:24,859 --> 00:52:26,699
but I I don't talk about it. Why?

1391
00:52:26,699 --> 00:52:28,219
Because I didn't get it for the letters

1392
00:52:28,219 --> 00:52:29,199
after my name.

1393
00:52:29,655 --> 00:52:31,414
Now it irritates my wife sometimes when I

1394
00:52:31,414 --> 00:52:33,655
get introduced at different places. She says, they

1395
00:52:33,655 --> 00:52:34,795
need to call you doctor.

1396
00:52:35,255 --> 00:52:37,574
We earned this doctor. I'm like, weeee sounds

1397
00:52:37,574 --> 00:52:37,894
a little

1398
00:52:45,469 --> 00:52:46,829
guys, you know, I did it because I

1399
00:52:46,829 --> 00:52:49,150
wanted to be challenged. And and doing those

1400
00:52:49,150 --> 00:52:49,889
kind of things

1401
00:52:50,510 --> 00:52:52,349
challenges you in ways that you will not

1402
00:52:52,349 --> 00:52:53,569
ever challenge yourself.

1403
00:52:54,589 --> 00:52:56,589
You're not gonna make yourself read those things

1404
00:52:56,589 --> 00:52:58,315
or do that or write that stuff. And

1405
00:52:58,315 --> 00:52:59,835
and I and I I look for things

1406
00:52:59,835 --> 00:53:01,535
in my life, not all the time,

1407
00:53:01,994 --> 00:53:03,275
but I look for things in my life

1408
00:53:03,275 --> 00:53:04,494
to challenge myself.

1409
00:53:05,434 --> 00:53:07,114
The reason I I do mountain biking is

1410
00:53:07,114 --> 00:53:07,775
because I

1411
00:53:08,235 --> 00:53:10,074
I I don't wanna be that fat old

1412
00:53:10,074 --> 00:53:12,494
grandpa that can't ever play with their grandkids.

1413
00:53:13,980 --> 00:53:16,460
I want my grandkids to realize grandpa is

1414
00:53:16,460 --> 00:53:17,840
gonna beat you at everything.

1415
00:53:21,420 --> 00:53:21,920
Right?

1416
00:53:22,699 --> 00:53:24,159
Grandpas unite. So

1417
00:53:25,545 --> 00:53:27,385
but but here's the thing with me guys,

1418
00:53:27,385 --> 00:53:28,905
is there anything in your life right now

1419
00:53:28,905 --> 00:53:30,684
that you're saying, I'm gonna challenge myself

1420
00:53:31,704 --> 00:53:33,385
because I need to do this. Or here's

1421
00:53:33,385 --> 00:53:35,065
the bigger thing, God has called you to

1422
00:53:35,065 --> 00:53:35,724
do something

1423
00:53:36,425 --> 00:53:37,885
and you're avoiding it.

1424
00:53:38,905 --> 00:53:40,045
That's not okay.

1425
00:53:41,230 --> 00:53:42,289
Stop doing that.

1426
00:53:42,989 --> 00:53:45,150
Meet that challenge head on and go at

1427
00:53:45,150 --> 00:53:45,650
it.

1428
00:53:46,510 --> 00:53:47,329
I will

1429
00:53:47,789 --> 00:53:49,010
not avoid

1430
00:53:49,469 --> 00:53:49,969
suffering.

1431
00:53:50,269 --> 00:53:51,489
I will not avoid

1432
00:53:52,269 --> 00:53:54,190
the situations that the Lord puts in my

1433
00:53:54,190 --> 00:53:56,050
life because it's just easier.

1434
00:53:57,394 --> 00:53:59,735
I'm gonna go I'm gonna go after it.

1435
00:54:00,914 --> 00:54:02,135
I'm gonna go after it.

1436
00:54:02,514 --> 00:54:04,054
I want you to stand with me.

1437
00:54:07,474 --> 00:54:09,574
I had this conversation with somebody recently

1438
00:54:10,195 --> 00:54:10,695
about

1439
00:54:12,829 --> 00:54:14,510
being the spiritual leader. And they were talking

1440
00:54:14,510 --> 00:54:16,449
about being the spiritual leader in their home,

1441
00:54:17,789 --> 00:54:19,150
as a guy and was talking about being

1442
00:54:19,150 --> 00:54:21,150
the spiritual leader. Okay. Well, let me broaden

1443
00:54:21,150 --> 00:54:22,769
that statement out a little bit.

1444
00:54:23,644 --> 00:54:25,164
See, it dawned on me because I I

1445
00:54:25,164 --> 00:54:27,244
don't guess I'd ever really process this this

1446
00:54:27,244 --> 00:54:27,744
way.

1447
00:54:28,204 --> 00:54:29,425
But it dawned on me,

1448
00:54:30,125 --> 00:54:32,444
my goal is I'm gonna be the spiritual

1449
00:54:32,444 --> 00:54:32,944
leader

1450
00:54:33,244 --> 00:54:34,784
everywhere I put my foot.

1451
00:54:35,405 --> 00:54:37,324
Everywhere I step, I'm gonna be a spiritual

1452
00:54:37,324 --> 00:54:39,220
leader. Doesn't matter it doesn't mean people are

1453
00:54:39,220 --> 00:54:41,300
following me or respect me or like me

1454
00:54:41,300 --> 00:54:43,460
or even care, but I know who I

1455
00:54:43,460 --> 00:54:45,240
am and I will not compromise.

1456
00:54:45,780 --> 00:54:48,119
I am going to lead spiritually

1457
00:54:48,900 --> 00:54:51,079
everywhere I go. I'm not gonna be somebody

1458
00:54:51,220 --> 00:54:51,720
different

1459
00:54:52,585 --> 00:54:53,724
in in workplace

1460
00:54:54,184 --> 00:54:56,664
or at home or this has always been

1461
00:54:56,664 --> 00:54:57,805
a big deal for me.

1462
00:54:58,265 --> 00:54:59,565
I'm gonna be the same.

1463
00:55:00,344 --> 00:55:01,805
I'm gonna I'm gonna lead

1464
00:55:02,585 --> 00:55:03,085
spiritually

1465
00:55:04,985 --> 00:55:05,805
in a community,

1466
00:55:07,199 --> 00:55:07,940
at a restaurant,

1467
00:55:09,440 --> 00:55:10,179
in the capital,

1468
00:55:11,920 --> 00:55:14,639
because why? I'm not gonna avoid the difficult

1469
00:55:14,639 --> 00:55:15,139
stuff.

1470
00:55:16,559 --> 00:55:18,735
As we can make that decision right now,

1471
00:55:19,295 --> 00:55:20,454
We can make that decision. I want you

1472
00:55:20,454 --> 00:55:21,954
to pray with me. Lord, we submit

1473
00:55:22,655 --> 00:55:24,434
our minds, our hearts to you.

1474
00:55:24,894 --> 00:55:27,394
Lord, we submit our lives, our physical bodies,

1475
00:55:28,414 --> 00:55:31,260
our existence, our workplace, who we are. We

1476
00:55:31,420 --> 00:55:33,360
we submit that to you right now.

1477
00:55:33,900 --> 00:55:35,280
And, Lord, I I pray

1478
00:55:35,820 --> 00:55:37,739
for me. I pray for everyone in this

1479
00:55:37,739 --> 00:55:38,480
room, Lord,

1480
00:55:39,820 --> 00:55:42,139
that that we we know we're going to

1481
00:55:42,139 --> 00:55:43,679
be presented with difficulties.

1482
00:55:44,699 --> 00:55:46,539
Lord, help us to not shy away from

1483
00:55:46,539 --> 00:55:47,025
them.

1484
00:55:48,625 --> 00:55:50,224
Help us to not try to take the

1485
00:55:50,224 --> 00:55:52,804
easiest path just because it's an option.

1486
00:55:55,344 --> 00:55:56,964
Lord, help us to to

1487
00:55:57,904 --> 00:55:59,489
to truly just step up

1488
00:56:00,449 --> 00:56:02,389
and be who you've called us to be.

1489
00:56:03,090 --> 00:56:04,769
God, I believe all through this room that

1490
00:56:04,769 --> 00:56:06,530
there are people that you have you have

1491
00:56:06,530 --> 00:56:08,230
specifically said things to them.

1492
00:56:08,610 --> 00:56:11,010
You've you've led them a direction. You've called

1493
00:56:11,010 --> 00:56:13,250
them to a to a direction in their

1494
00:56:13,250 --> 00:56:15,805
life. Lord, help them to step up and

1495
00:56:15,805 --> 00:56:16,625
do that.

1496
00:56:19,485 --> 00:56:21,244
Lord, help them to fight with everything in

1497
00:56:21,244 --> 00:56:22,625
them. Help them to fight

1498
00:56:23,085 --> 00:56:24,785
just backing off,

1499
00:56:26,285 --> 00:56:27,505
assuming they can't.

1500
00:56:31,139 --> 00:56:33,059
Holy spirit put within their mind and their

1501
00:56:33,059 --> 00:56:35,139
spirit right now that they belong to the

1502
00:56:35,139 --> 00:56:35,639
king,

1503
00:56:36,980 --> 00:56:38,280
and they can do it.

1504
00:56:38,739 --> 00:56:39,960
They can do it.

1505
00:56:41,635 --> 00:56:42,855
Lord, help us not

1506
00:56:43,235 --> 00:56:45,335
to to shy away from the challenges,

1507
00:56:46,595 --> 00:56:48,375
but to step into them.

1508
00:56:50,914 --> 00:56:52,515
And then, lord, we get to see you

1509
00:56:52,515 --> 00:56:54,695
do stuff that we never thought possible.

1510
00:57:01,650 --> 00:57:02,789
So, lord, I pray

1511
00:57:03,650 --> 00:57:04,469
for me.

1512
00:57:05,809 --> 00:57:06,630
Lord, I

1513
00:57:08,369 --> 00:57:10,550
I I say to you, I will not

1514
00:57:10,610 --> 00:57:11,110
avoid

1515
00:57:11,730 --> 00:57:12,230
difficulties.

1516
00:57:14,305 --> 00:57:15,445
I will not avoid

1517
00:57:16,144 --> 00:57:16,644
persecution.

1518
00:57:18,625 --> 00:57:19,844
I will not

1519
00:57:20,224 --> 00:57:20,724
avoid

1520
00:57:22,144 --> 00:57:22,644
trials,

1521
00:57:22,945 --> 00:57:23,445
tribulations.

1522
00:57:28,320 --> 00:57:30,239
Lord, I believe that you can grow me

1523
00:57:30,239 --> 00:57:31,139
through the suffering,

1524
00:57:32,159 --> 00:57:33,460
even if I don't like it.

1525
00:57:34,480 --> 00:57:36,179
And, Lord, I've seen you do it.

1526
00:57:37,920 --> 00:57:39,519
God, I pray that for every one of

1527
00:57:39,519 --> 00:57:40,019
us.

1528
00:57:41,575 --> 00:57:43,515
Just just tell him in your own words,

1529
00:57:43,735 --> 00:57:45,494
tell him the same thing. Lord, I will

1530
00:57:45,494 --> 00:57:47,175
I will do what you've called me to

1531
00:57:47,175 --> 00:57:49,735
do. I will step up. I will not

1532
00:57:49,735 --> 00:57:51,195
run away from this.

1533
00:57:52,055 --> 00:57:53,835
I will not take the easiest

1534
00:57:54,135 --> 00:57:54,635
path.

1535
00:58:05,449 --> 00:58:06,429
And I pray this

1536
00:58:07,610 --> 00:58:09,469
ultimately so that you get glory.

1537
00:58:11,375 --> 00:58:13,295
I don't even think it's really about us

1538
00:58:13,295 --> 00:58:14,034
long term.

1539
00:58:14,815 --> 00:58:15,875
It's about you.

1540
00:58:20,894 --> 00:58:22,034
In Jesus name,

1541
00:58:23,454 --> 00:58:23,954
amen.

1542
00:58:25,369 --> 00:58:26,750
I wanna leave you with this.

1543
00:58:30,170 --> 00:58:32,030
This is like the homework, I guess.

1544
00:58:33,050 --> 00:58:34,030
Because you understand,

1545
00:58:36,170 --> 00:58:38,090
you you're gonna be tested this week in

1546
00:58:38,090 --> 00:58:38,590
this.

1547
00:58:39,449 --> 00:58:39,949
Right?

1548
00:58:41,414 --> 00:58:43,195
You know you know how Satan works.

1549
00:58:43,494 --> 00:58:45,575
You say, god, I'm gonna do this, and

1550
00:58:45,575 --> 00:58:47,434
Satan's gonna be, I don't think you are.

1551
00:58:48,934 --> 00:58:49,835
But but

1552
00:58:50,215 --> 00:58:51,914
greater is he that's in you

1553
00:58:53,119 --> 00:58:53,940
than anything

1554
00:58:54,239 --> 00:58:56,000
in the world that Satan can throw at

1555
00:58:56,000 --> 00:58:56,500
you.

1556
00:58:57,679 --> 00:58:59,539
So when you're presented with the moment,

1557
00:59:00,400 --> 00:59:01,219
step up.

1558
00:59:01,760 --> 00:59:03,840
Let it happen this week, because it probably

1559
00:59:03,840 --> 00:59:04,340
will.

1560
00:59:05,835 --> 00:59:06,574
Step up.

1561
00:59:06,954 --> 00:59:08,795
Before noon tomorrow, God's gonna give you the

1562
00:59:08,795 --> 00:59:09,295
chance

1563
00:59:09,914 --> 00:59:12,315
to let somebody know Jesus loves them. Do

1564
00:59:12,315 --> 00:59:13,934
the best you can. Take the opportunity.

1565
00:59:14,474 --> 00:59:15,295
Step up,

1566
00:59:15,835 --> 00:59:17,755
and, you can change their life, and it

1567
00:59:17,755 --> 00:59:18,894
will change your life.

1568
00:59:19,820 --> 00:59:21,420
So do the best you can. Tell somebody

1569
00:59:21,420 --> 00:59:23,340
about Jesus, and God will honor that. It's

1570
00:59:23,340 --> 00:59:25,900
a guarantee. So shake somebody's hand. Tell them

1571
00:59:25,900 --> 00:59:27,840
how glad you are that they are here

1572
00:59:28,300 --> 00:59:30,480
and, that we are finally in fall,

1573
00:59:31,063 --> 00:59:31,543
And,

1574
00:59:31,864 --> 00:59:33,623
and we will see you Wednesday night. Have

1575
00:59:33,623 --> 00:59:35,164
a great rest of your afternoon.