WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:16.280 practical ways. Good morning, good morning. We talked the whole 4 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:20.280 not through good morning, good morning to you and you 5 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:21.399 and you. 6 00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:25.239 You got to get that copyrighted, the Chris Editions Singing 7 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:27.839 in the Rain. I know, but it's it's your version. 8 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:28.519 You own it. 9 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:29.640 I own that version. 10 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:29.920 Yeah. 11 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:32.520 Well, hey, good morning everybody. Whether you're listening morning, noon, 12 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:35.560 or night, who knows. But we are the Bible Guys today. 13 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:38.920 Jeff's out of pocket, so today we have Wesley. 14 00:00:39.159 --> 00:00:40.240 Yeah, good to be here again. 15 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.039 Yes, and you are the Platinum Edition. That this is 16 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:47.640 the Platinum Edition, right, yes, so and you made that 17 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:50.679 joke one time and it just yeah, which is really funny. 18 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:52.200 And by the way, you have no idea how many 19 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:55.960 people have referred to uh when either when you're hearing 20 00:00:56.039 --> 00:00:57.960 Jeff's here or me or you, they always say the 21 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:01.000 Platinum Edition. Yeah, they always refer to it, which is 22 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:01.439 really fun. 23 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:03.840 Catch you on yeah, yeah. 24 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:05.599 So hey. We are in the middle of a series 25 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:10.879 about God's promises in different contexts, and this week's theme 26 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:14.359 is God's promise of wisdom and guidance. So we're gonna 27 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:16.359 be in the Book of James. But before we do. Uh, 28 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:18.480 it says that we have to go to chat GPT. 29 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:21.159 Oh did you know that we didn't even we didn't 30 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:24.760 even look at this segment before it started recording. It says, 31 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:27.359 since it's Thanksgiving week, you have chat GPT on your phone. 32 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:28.799 I can pull it up. 33 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:32.319 Okay. It says, let's see what funny stories, dad jokes are, 34 00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:37.159 random Thanksgiving chaos chat GPT can come up with. So 35 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:40.040 we probably should have done this beforehand. 36 00:01:40.120 --> 00:01:42.000 I'm thinking of what what what will we even type 37 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:42.400 in for that? 38 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:44.560 Like, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm I'm gonna say, 39 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:50.680 I'm gonna say for the Bible Guys segment today, we 40 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:58.480 need to get you to give us Thanksgiving humor or 41 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:05.760 funny story, worries or facts around Thanksgiving period. Give us 42 00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:12.199 at least five minutes worth of material. This is going 43 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:16.479 to be good, all right, Absolutely, here's five minutes of 44 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:20.599 Thanksgiving humor funny stories. Okay. The first Thanksgiving kind of 45 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:25.639 the pilgrims brought bread, the natives brought deer, and someone 46 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:28.319 brought that one side dish that everybody politely avoids, and 47 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.719 nobody knows how to the courage to throw it away 48 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:34.240 because even in sixteen twenty one there was that one 49 00:02:34.360 --> 00:02:36.520 cast a role. That's not bad. 50 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:38.080 Yeah, that's pretty good. 51 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:42.639 The real reason turkey makes you tired because people always 52 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:44.280 blame it on try. 53 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:46.159 The trip to fan. 54 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:50.680 Yeah, trip to fan. Yeah. But science says it's actually 55 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.039 because you eat enough food to feed a small youth group. 56 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:56.639 You've been listening to Uncle Larry by politics since noon, 57 00:02:57.159 --> 00:02:59.199 and you've made the mistake of sitting on the couch 58 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:01.919 after three plates. Let's be honest, you could eat a 59 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:03.840 single cracker and Thanksgiving and still be ready for a 60 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:07.719 three hour nap. The awkward It talks about the awkward prayer. 61 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:10.520 This tret okay, okay, so let me let me go through. 62 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:16.360 There are there no jokes, no jokes. But by the way, 63 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:17.479 I do have a Thanksgiving joke. 64 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:19.120 Okay, you ready, Yeah, I'm ready? 65 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:23.039 Okay. Why did the cranberry. 66 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:26.280 Blush cranberry blush? 67 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:30.240 I don't know, because she saw the turkey dressing. 68 00:03:30.599 --> 00:03:33.840 Oh that is definitely a dad joke. 69 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.800 Yeah right, that's funny though. Right, by the way, that 70 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:40.680 wasn't even a part of the chat. That was just 71 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:43.159 that was just me reading it one, which I thought 72 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:43.639 was great. 73 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:47.719 I just remember from thanks Oh my goodness. 74 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:50.639 No, hang on, hang on, I gotta read this one. 75 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:55.479 The average American consumes how many calaries and Thanksgiving Day. 76 00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:00.680 I mean the old like saying you to be two 77 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:04.319 thousand calories was like average. Yeah, so I'm going to 78 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:06.280 double it four thousand maybe. 79 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:09.800 For thanks four thousand, five hundred calories on Thanksgiving. 80 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:11.719 Yeah, because I could see like doubling it. 81 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:14.159 Yeah, it says this is not a meal. This is 82 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:17.759 a spiritual test. If Thanksgiving we're in the Bible, it replaced, 83 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:20.839 it would replace the Book of Job. Then job arose 84 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:23.879 looked at the empty table and says, surely I've eaten 85 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:27.600 all the stuffing. That's funny. Okay, go ahead, you said, 86 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:27.959 we know. 87 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.600 This wasn't a funny story. I can just it's a 88 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:34.839 memory I have of Thanksgiving with my mom. She would 89 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:39.839 literally start on the Wednesday before in the morning and 90 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:44.360 would literally cook all day long, literally cook all day long. 91 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:47.480 And then the last thing that she would prepare on 92 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:51.279 I think Thanksgiving Day would be like the cakes and pies. 93 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:53.920 That was like the last thing to get made. But yeah, 94 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:55.120 cooked all day long. 95 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:58.160 Yeah. Yeah, hey, there's another one that's pretty decent. It 96 00:04:58.360 --> 00:05:01.560 talks about the weird family tradition. It says everybody, every 97 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:04.399 family has that strange tradition that no one remembers. Starting 98 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:08.199 number one, somebody always burns the rolls, yep. Number two, 99 00:05:08.279 --> 00:05:10.800 somebody always forgets the cranberry sauce and the fridge until 100 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.480 the meal is over. And then somebody always shows up 101 00:05:13.480 --> 00:05:15.560 with a new boyfriend or girlfriend who's told to just 102 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:18.639 act normal and then realizes this family doesn't have an 103 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:20.279 m Yeah. 104 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:23.160 That's pretty good, right, there have been lots of burnt 105 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:24.399 roles on Thanksgiving. 106 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:29.480 Yeah, I can recall, yes for sure. So yeah, yeah, 107 00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:32.959 that wasn't too bad. Yeah, it turned out pretty good. Okay, well, hey, 108 00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:39.160 you know, maybe your tradition is one of those. But 109 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.240 you know what a tradition is that is always good? 110 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:46.199 Reading your Bible. Yeah that's pretty rough. 111 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:50.319 It was pretty rough. Yeah, So, yes, reading your Bible 112 00:05:50.439 --> 00:05:52.199 was good, that transition, was it? 113 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.480 Yeah, Well it should be a tradition. It should be 114 00:05:55.480 --> 00:05:58.160 a tradition to read your Bible. It should be a 115 00:05:58.240 --> 00:05:59.040 daily tradition. 116 00:05:59.240 --> 00:05:59.920 Yes, it should be. 117 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.040 So we're in James chapter one and we're going to 118 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:04.000 read verses one through eighteen. 119 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:08.160 Here we go James, Chapter one n LT New Living Translation. 120 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.879 That's the version. This letter is from James, a slave 121 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:14.680 of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am 122 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:19.639 writing to the twelve Tribes Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings, 123 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.399 dear brothers and sisters. When troubles of any kind come 124 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:27.319 your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For 125 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:30.800 you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance 126 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:33.439 has a chance to grow. So let it grow. For 127 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:36.879 when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect 128 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:41.000 and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our 129 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:43.439 generous God, and he will give it to you. He 130 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.680 will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, 131 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:49.279 be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do 132 00:06:49.399 --> 00:06:53.759 not waiver, for a person with divided loyalty is unsettled 133 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:56.800 as a wave of the sea that is blown and 134 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:00.240 tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to 135 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:04.079 receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between 136 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:07.839 God and the world, and they are unstable in everything 137 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:12.120 they do. Believers who are poor have something to boast about, 138 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:15.279 for God has honored them, and those who are rich 139 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:18.439 should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade 140 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:21.560 away like a little flower in the field. The hot 141 00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:25.399 sun rises and the grass withers. The little flower droops 142 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.959 and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, 143 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:32.759 the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. 144 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:38.680 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward 145 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:41.120 they will receive the crown of life that God has 146 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:44.319 promised to those who love him. And remember, when you 147 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:46.959 are being tempted, do not say God is tempting me. 148 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:50.439 God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never 149 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.879 tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which 150 00:07:56.120 --> 00:08:00.399 entice us and drag us away. These desires give to 151 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.759 sinful actions, and when sin is allowed to grow, it 152 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:07.120 gives birth to death. So don't be mislet, my brothers 153 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:10.879 and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift 154 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:13.879 coming down to us from God, our father, who created 155 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:17.079 all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or 156 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:20.639 casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to 157 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:24.319 us by giving us his true word, and we, out 158 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:29.720 of all creation, become his prized possession. That's good stuff. 159 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:31.800 Then there's a lot in there in there, Yeah, there's 160 00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:34.080 a lot in there. So the verse that we're focusing 161 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:36.600 on is verse number five, because again this is the 162 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:39.519 promise of wisdom and guidance. And so verse five says, 163 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:42.399 if you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he 164 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:44.679 will give it to you. He will not rebuke you 165 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:48.320 for asking. So that's the promise that we're focusing on. 166 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:52.159 You know, it's interesting, we you know, so yesterday we 167 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:55.159 talked about in Psalm it says that wisdom begins with 168 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:59.200 humility and that he will guide those who are humble, 169 00:08:59.240 --> 00:09:01.600 and he'll teach you you the right thing. And then 170 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:05.519 today is again talks about wisdom, and it talks about 171 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:09.639 getting wisdom. But in this case the context is asking 172 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:13.159 for wisdom, and it seems like the context also is 173 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:18.919 trials and tribulations. Yeah, right, because it says, dear brothers, 174 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:21.399 when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for 175 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:22.200 great joy. 176 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:26.639 But I do love how it says when troubles come 177 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:29.799 your way. It doesn't say if troubles or you know, 178 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.799 troubles may or might come your way. If you are 179 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:36.600 living on this planet earth, trouble will come your way. Yes, 180 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:39.440 So it lets us know that so in those times 181 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:41.480 we need to rely on God, don't try to do 182 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:45.399 this thing yourself. So that's why verse five says, if 183 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.720 you need wisdom, ask our generous God. And I love 184 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:50.879 the fact that it lets us know that God is generous. 185 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:54.320 He's not stingy or trying to hold anything back. If 186 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:57.440 we need wisdom, we can ask our generous God and 187 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:01.360 he will give it to you. You not, might not, 188 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:04.799 could not, may he will. How many times it just 189 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:07.080 and I think of my own personal life where I've 190 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:09.639 been at a crossroads. I've got to make a big decision. 191 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:14.399 I ask friends, I ask other people. Maybe you. You 192 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:17.240 look at a magazine, you try to do all these things, 193 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.960 and God is like, hey, I'm over here. If you 194 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:22.240 just ask me, I'll give you the wisdoms you need. 195 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:24.639 So we got to learn to do that. God is 196 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:28.200 ready willing and able to generously give us the wisdom 197 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:30.320 we need in times of trouble. 198 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:34.639 Yeah, he certainly will. And And I love how God 199 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:38.360 says that he'll generously give and he won't get angry 200 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:41.279 if you ask, and and and it just it just 201 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:45.919 it sort of speaks into the idea that like somebody 202 00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:48.440 is obviously struggling, right, I mean, considered it all joy 203 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:51.759 because then your faith is gonna, you know, gain endurance, 204 00:10:51.799 --> 00:10:54.879 and then endurance when it's finished is gonna be perfect 205 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:56.960 and complete, and so you're gonna be able to grow. 206 00:10:57.399 --> 00:10:59.919 And then it says, ask wisdom. So there's there seems 207 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:01.240 to be a sense of like, he's not going to 208 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.799 get angry when you're asking, because there seems to be 209 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:07.279 a sense of asking and frustration. Right, It's like, God, 210 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:10.559 what the heck have you ever been at the point 211 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:13.759 where you're like, I'm going through this trial or this 212 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:17.399 tribulation or this trouble and and you have all these questions. 213 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:20.240 That's what James is doing. He's actually giving us advice 214 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:23.240 and saying, no, no, no, no, no no. Have the perspective that 215 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:26.840 your faith is being sharpened and hardened, and your endurance 216 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.840 and your patience is being refined. And then he's saying 217 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:33.399 and then, you know, go to God. And somebody might say, well, 218 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:35.480 I'm not going to go to God because I'm just 219 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:38.240 so angry at him, I'm frustrated. No, he's not going 220 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:41.039 to get angry if you go to him with all 221 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:44.600 of your you know, complaints, you know, that's one of 222 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:46.960 the reasons why I love you know, we read from 223 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:51.279 yesterday David Psalms. You know, David wasn't afraid to yell 224 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:54.639 at God. David wasn't afraid to say, God, I'm frustrated 225 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:58.320 with you. Have you forgotten me? Have you chosen to 226 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:01.519 ignore me? Or withhold your blessed and and and uh 227 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:02.960 and God wasn't afraid of any. 228 00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:04.919 Of those things. I heard someone say that God has 229 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:07.759 big shoulders. They're like, he can handle it. 230 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:11.159 He's got Yeah, that's right, that's right. Yeah, and and 231 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:14.480 uh and it says that, uh, he'll give generously. You 232 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:19.080 know what, sometimes I think that we think that God 233 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:25.440 is going to sometimes always give us the clear choice, 234 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:28.600 you know, like like sometimes I will say, God, there's choice, 235 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.000 a choice, b I just want you to tell me 236 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:34.039 what to do. And sometimes I think that when we 237 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:37.399 pray choice a choice, be there doesn't seem to be 238 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:41.679 a definitive answer, right. But I think that sometimes what 239 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:43.360 we have to do is we have to just realize 240 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:48.639 God does give us a choice. God's will could be lateral, right, 241 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:51.320 So it could be that if God says, for instance, 242 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:54.279 you know, there's two job offers on the table you pray. God, 243 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:57.080 just just make it clear. You know, I want wisdom. 244 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:00.159 You're praying for wisdom. Give me wisdom, and and and 245 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:03.000 then yet God doesn't make it clear. It's either choice 246 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:05.279 A or choice be. It could be that you could 247 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:07.440 be in God's will in either one of those jobs. 248 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:08.000 Yeah. 249 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:10.080 It could be that God is just giving you the 250 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:15.320 option of which job to choose that's closer to your parents, yeah, 251 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:18.360 Or the one that has better health benefits. Yeah, that's true, 252 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:21.120 or the one that has better weather. You know what 253 00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:26.120 I mean. Because God is giving you wisdom, but he's 254 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:28.639 giving you the opportunity to make your choice based on 255 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:34.200 his character, based on his principles, based on who he is. 256 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:36.240 And if you're in God's will and either one of 257 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.720 these jobs, it could be that he's just giving you 258 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:39.279 the choice. 259 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:41.799 Yeah. That's a good point, Chris, because I think sometimes 260 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:47.200 we look at the choices as being either good or bad. Yeah. 261 00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:48.399 God's one perfect will. 262 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:51.440 Yeah, so there's either a good choice or a bad choice. 263 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:53.320 And I think that's often how we look at it. 264 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:56.120 And it's like, no, they could both be good, and 265 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:58.720 it's just a matter of like you, all the things 266 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:00.759 that you shared as to which when you choose. 267 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:03.759 Yeah, I often try to think of God's will, like, 268 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:07.000 do you ever go bowling? And have you ever used 269 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:08.919 the bumpers? Or they're fun, aren't they? 270 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:09.200 Yeah? 271 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:10.320 Yeah, they're really fun. 272 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:10.600 Yeah. 273 00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:12.879 But I always look at the bumpers like the Holy Spirit, 274 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.360 and it's like, just throw the ball, Just throw it, 275 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:19.039 and it's the Holy Spirit's job to bump you and 276 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:22.600 guide you along the way, you know. And it's like, so, yeah, 277 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:25.200 you're gonna go off the path and the Holy Spirit's 278 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:28.039 gonna go bump, bump, and eventually you're gonna make it 279 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.360 down to the end, right, because the Holy Spirit is 280 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:34.120 going to be your guide as long as you know, 281 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:38.360 every time that we take a step, we're constantly consulting 282 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:40.480 God in the Holy Spirit a lot for a lot. 283 00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:43.320 I think that's the key there. Yeah, for sure. And 284 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:46.440 can we touch on this, Chris. It's down a little 285 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.720 further verse twelve, where it says God blesses those who 286 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:55.039 patiently endure testing and temptation. I know there's someone who 287 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.639 heard that and they're like, I do not like that verse. 288 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:01.639 So I like the fact that God blesses I like 289 00:15:01.720 --> 00:15:04.399 that part, but I do not like the endure testing 290 00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:08.399 and temptation right of that sentence. But the Bible says 291 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:12.600 that that He blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. 292 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:15.200 Yeah, and I memorized that verse in the King James 293 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:18.519 version James on twelve, blessed is the man who endureth temptation, 294 00:15:18.679 --> 00:15:20.399 for when he has tried, he should receive the crown 295 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:22.000 of life, to which the Lord has promised to them 296 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:25.120 that love him. Yeah, and so and I think to myself, 297 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:29.879 you know, listen, that was my motivating verse for every 298 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:32.759 time I was tempted. And I know that it may 299 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:36.519 sound small, but like back in the eighties, you remember 300 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:40.120 Sports Illustrated swimsuit covers. Oh yeah, and they're still around, 301 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:44.480 They're still around. But I had a subscription to Sports 302 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:48.159 Illustrated magazine back then, and and loved you know, all 303 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:50.960 the sports, you know, especially around you know, you know, 304 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:55.200 you know, football season, everything else. But there was always 305 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:59.320 that one magazine, you know that that was going to 306 00:15:59.399 --> 00:16:01.440 come and it was just gonna be a bunch of girls, 307 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:03.799 you know that I just didn't necessarily want to, you know, 308 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:05.679 spend my time looking at I don't want to be 309 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:07.840 looking at all that and and well, I mean, the 310 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:10.120 truth is, I do in my flesh, right, But but 311 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:11.759 I don't want to because I'm gonna be like, you 312 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:13.840 know what, I'm just gonna put that magazine aside. I'm 313 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:15.919 gonna just get rid of this. So the problem is 314 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:18.000 it would come in the mail, right and so, and 315 00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:19.679 it would come with a with a you know, like 316 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.440 a brown sleeve back then, and then you know, I 317 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:24.399 would take it upstairs, and all of a sudden, there 318 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:27.240 it is. And so I would say to myself, you 319 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.360 know what, I'm not going to be tempted to lust 320 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:31.039 and do all these kinds of things. So I'm gonna 321 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:34.080 take this thing and I'm gonna throw it in the trash. Right. 322 00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:36.159 But you know, but but nobody's in there in the 323 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:39.080 doorm with me at college. So is where I was. 324 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.039 So I thought to myself, blessed is the man who 325 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:45.120 endure a temptation, for when he has tried, and when 326 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:47.279 he endures, he shall receive the crown of life. And 327 00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:49.879 so here's what I thought to myself. I thought to myself, 328 00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:52.759 I'm gonna take this magazine and I'm gonna throw it 329 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:55.159 in the trash. And one day there's going to be 330 00:16:55.879 --> 00:17:02.279 a crown for that right to to avoid lusting, you know, 331 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:05.480 after somebody you know, and and and and fulfilling the 332 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:07.559 lust of the flesh. And so I would I would 333 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:09.799 think that. And so that is this one verse has 334 00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:12.640 carried me through. And every time that I've been tempted 335 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:16.079 to lie, or to respond in anger, or to or 336 00:17:16.119 --> 00:17:18.039 to do something that I know I shouldn't be doing, 337 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.559 I think to myself, I want another crown, I want 338 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:23.440 another pinky ring, you know. 339 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:25.680 Not let me throw a curve ball at you, Chris, 340 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:30.240 Could you in those times say well, this is God 341 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.640 who did this to me, This is God tempting me. 342 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.720 Right, Well, that's what it says. 343 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:36.720 That's what it says. Right after that that, and remember 344 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:40.039 when you were being tempted, do not say God is 345 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:40.599 tempting me. 346 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:41.079 That's right. 347 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:43.839 God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never 348 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:45.039 tempts anyone else. 349 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:47.920 Well, you think about it. Even the Book of Job, Right, 350 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:52.200 it was God who gave permission to Satan to test 351 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:55.599 Job for our benefit. Right, so poor Job had to 352 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:58.599 endure for our benefit. But but but it was God 353 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:03.480 who allowed Satan attempt God himself didn't tempt Satan or 354 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:07.400 Job God himself didn't cause the tragedies and everything else 355 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.359 that that came from you know, evil sources, not from God. 356 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:15.839 So yeah, God is never going to you know, bring 357 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:18.079 something your way. And I've heard this. People come into 358 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.480 my office and they've said something about like having an 359 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:24.160 affair or you know, God just wants me to be happy, 360 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.839 and so so maybe God has brought this other person 361 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:30.799 in my life. I'm like, I'm fairly certain that that 362 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:33.960 other person coming into your life and you know that 363 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:36.680 temptation and that discussion that you're having with that person, 364 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:39.000 that's not from God. Right. 365 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:42.839 Well, the Bible tells us that temptation comes from our 366 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:46.640 own desires, that's right, which entices us and drag us away. 367 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:47.200 So it's not. 368 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:50.200 God, right, that's right, that's right. So yeah, God is 369 00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:53.960 never the source of our temptation. God will reward us 370 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.839 for enduring temptation, that much is clear. But yeah, it's 371 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:00.759 it's it's we're tempted because of our own life, our 372 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:04.640 own desires. And by the way, another thing, another little 373 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:06.920 mini sermon that can come out of that those verses 374 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:10.640 is that people always blame the devil, but understand that 375 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:16.200 the devil is limited. The devil is not omnipresent, right. 376 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:19.960 I heard this is true story. There was a lady 377 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:24.400 who had her took her wrint money, went to the casino, 378 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:29.799 lost the money, and said, the devil took my wrint money. 379 00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:31.880 Oh no, oh no, I'm. 380 00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:35.079 Like, ma'am, that was you. That was not the devil 381 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:36.759 that took your wrint money. 382 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.480 Yeah. And and just know that the devil can't be 383 00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:41.599 in two places at once. Yeah, which means the devil, 384 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:43.720 I'm sure is off, you know, trying to. 385 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:45.400 Rear Havoc somewhere. 386 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:49.440 Yeah, Rekavoc, and in the most effective ways that he can. 387 00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:53.920 Uh so. So the devil is not ever present with you, 388 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:57.240 you know, most of the time, just like the Book 389 00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.960 of James says, when you're tempted, you're you're tempted because 390 00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:02.640 of your own brokenness, right, You're tempted because your own 391 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:07.039 fleshly desires, because of the curse of sin, you know, 392 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:10.519 and the havoc of the world we live in, you know. 393 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:13.160 And so and by the way, here's another thing I 394 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:15.920 was going to say earlier that I didn't say. When 395 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:19.200 you were talking about temptation coming your way and trials 396 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:22.880 and tribulations. I once heard a psychologists say that on 397 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:28.599 the average, every human being faces a major crisis on 398 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:32.480 the average every three years. Okay, think about that, Think 399 00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:36.799 about like a crisis of faith, or a crisis of circumstance. 400 00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:38.880 Or crisis of financial burden. 401 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:42.599