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 --> 00:00:13.359 practical ways. Hey, everybody, thanks for tuning in once again, 4 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:16.600 hopefully again because you're returning to the Bible guys. 5 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:18.359 And if you're not returning, this is your first time. 6 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:18.839 Welcome to. 7 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:25.760 Yay, you found it. Finally you found us, You found us. Hey, 8 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:28.519 we are excited to be in a series talking through 9 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:32.920 the beatitudes, which are listed, well, they're included and sort 10 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.119 of define most of the sermon on the Mount. 11 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:35.679 That's right. 12 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:39.679 And before we dive into that, we have a segment 13 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:42.960 that Desiree wrote. She just called it your Start. 14 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:46.479 Your start. Yes, are you gonna start your year? 15 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.240 Yeah? Yeah, yeah, for sure, she says, today. 16 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:49.960 New Year's Day. 17 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:54.000 Well, yeah, this is New Year's Day. Hey, what did 18 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:55.640 you do last night? Did you step up to midnight? 19 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:59.280 Uh? Probably probably? Will we always do, do you? 20 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.759 Yeah, we do too. You know, I've always wondered what 21 00:01:02.759 --> 00:01:04.560 it would be like to be at like Times Square. 22 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:06.560 And my wife doesn't even like to go into a 23 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:10.920 crowded restaurant, so to be in Times Square would be ridiculous. 24 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:13.480 But I think I might be up for it. Yeah, 25 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:17.840 you'd have to wear diapers. I'm not kidding you, legitimately. 26 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:19.599 Do Okay, no, thank you, Yeah, i'll pass. 27 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:21.840 Yeah, you have to wear diapers and just say okay, 28 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:24.519 I can't move, I can't get to a bathroom. So 29 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:25.239 that's what people do. 30 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:25.840 That's rough. 31 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:26.920 That's pretty rough. 32 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:28.719 Okay, that's more information than I wanted to know. 33 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:32.200 That's too much, Chris. Okay, this is called your start. 34 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:35.000 Today's I want to start a diaper. 35 00:01:36.200 --> 00:01:42.040 It's midnight, hang on, hang on, no if it's cold, 36 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:42.799 but now it's warm. 37 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:44.760 Yeah, that's right, all right, here it is okay. 38 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:50.439 Today is New Year's Day, a fresh start, a fresh 39 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:53.239 start and a chance to look ahead. What's one goal 40 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:54.959 that you're excited to work towards, something that you hope 41 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:57.760 for in the new coming year. Or a word you 42 00:01:57.840 --> 00:01:59.480 want to guide you. 43 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:02.560 One goal to work towards or a word to guide you? 44 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:05.519 Yeah, yeah, so you're gonna do either, or I have 45 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:06.040 a word? 46 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:08.759 Okay, what's your word? No? No, no, I wanted to. I 47 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:11.000 wanted to steal your word, and I'm tempted if if 48 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:12.840 you make me do it, I'm gonna steal your word. 49 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:14.280 So I think you should do it. 50 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:15.960 Okay, well, then final I'll do it. I'll go first. 51 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:18.800 So communication, I was actually. 52 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:24.639 Fine. I won't introduce the word. 53 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:28.039 It's communication. That's my word. And I was reminded because 54 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:32.120 I just said what two podcasts ago, that I messed 55 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:36.280 up my entire summer by those weddings. And the bad 56 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:38.680 part is I never communicated any of that to my wife, 57 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:42.680 and so I just had a bad communication. And then 58 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:46.319 there are times I'll be quite honest where my daughter's like, hey, 59 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:49.439 you know, I'm going to Kansas today, right, And I'm 60 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:52.520 like what, And then and my wife goes, we told 61 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:54.400 you this, and I'm like, what, what are you talking about? 62 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:58.639 And you know, because my my daughter's fiance lives in Kansas, 63 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:01.080 and so she'll pop in there when she can, back 64 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:04.680 and forth and until they get married. So bottom line 65 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:07.840 is is uh, I thought to myself that, you know, 66 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:10.439 the wedding stuff reminded me that. But then also in 67 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:14.319 every other aspect of my life. One of our goals 68 00:03:14.360 --> 00:03:17.439 in the new year as a team is to have 69 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:19.919 a teaching team meeting. Right, we're adding which I wanted 70 00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:22.919 to start six months ago. But uh, but but but 71 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:26.479 we're finally doing it. And and uh, and that's going 72 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:29.800 to be just for the purpose of better communication, further 73 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:34.199 and faster all that stuff. And honestly some of that stuff, 74 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:36.879 I want to have better communication with you and with 75 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:41.520 Chad and with with with the teaching teaching team, so 76 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:45.360 everything at work basically. So I think communication is a 77 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:46.280 great word for me. 78 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:48.840 It is. That's a good one. It's funny because I 79 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:51.680 was thinking something along those lines. I didn't think of 80 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:55.280 the word communication, but I was thinking more clarity. Yeah, yeah, 81 00:03:55.599 --> 00:04:00.639 on things, and so that was take clarity. No, no, no, no, 82 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:03.120 I'm going to say. I think for me, my guiding 83 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:08.680 word this year is priorities. So in every area of 84 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.680 my life, I think my temptation is to believe I 85 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:16.519 can do all the things and that I can, you know, 86 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:18.720 pull it off, and we've got a good team. You're 87 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:22.920 a maximizer, right so yeah, yeah, so, and so priorities 88 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:25.439 are important. I always say duties never conflict. That makes 89 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.040 my wife mad, but it's true. There's always one priority 90 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.040 that's more important than the other one. Even if you 91 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:33.959 have two priorities, there's always one that's more important. And 92 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:38.120 so what I've been kind of thinking through over the 93 00:04:38.199 --> 00:04:41.600 last couple of weeks, quite honestly, has been I feel 94 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:45.199 like as I've come to the end of twenty twenty five, 95 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:48.199 I actually took a few days off here heading towards 96 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:52.000 our big Christmas services because I just started feeling really, 97 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:56.199 really thin. I think, you know, we had some stressful things, 98 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.800 but I also had just a lot of stuff going 99 00:04:59.480 --> 00:05:05.519 and so, you know, so personal health, spiritual health, family health, 100 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:09.360 and relational health, healthy at work and just making sure 101 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:12.439 that and you can't have twenty priorities in every area, 102 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:14.879 then nothing's a priority, right, So I have to figure 103 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:16.680 out the two or three most important things in each 104 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:20.839 of those and then be actively working to make sure 105 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:24.480 that they're all a priority. You know that I have 106 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.120 one or two key priorities for my family this year, well, 107 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:29.920 then I have to make sure that I make them 108 00:05:29.959 --> 00:05:32.480 a priority, even though there's other priorities in other areas. 109 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:36.800 I have some a few key priorities in the church 110 00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:39.279 leadership stuff that we're doing and the growth that we 111 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:41.879 have coming up. There's a million things we could be doing, 112 00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:43.279 but I'm going to choose two or three that are 113 00:05:43.319 --> 00:05:45.040 the most important to focus on, at least in the 114 00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:46.759 first half of the year. And that's what I'm trying 115 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:51.319 to do is just kind of streamline a little bit 116 00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:54.120 and maybe even weed out some of the distractions in 117 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:55.920 order to be able to be more effective. 118 00:05:56.120 --> 00:06:00.360 Yeah, that's great. So communication priorities, yes, yeah, and so 119 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:02.600 just make sure that you communicate your priority. 120 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:03.920 It is a priority. It's a priority. 121 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:05.600 That's why communication is a better word. 122 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:07.680 Well, it's a priority to me that we communicate better. 123 00:06:08.199 --> 00:06:11.519 There you go, There you go. So it works both 124 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:14.759 the ways. Yeah, that's great. So, hey, that's that's really good. 125 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.160 So I wonder what your priorities are or what what 126 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:19.920 you uh uh you know, want to set as a goal. 127 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:22.639 So maybe if you haven't thought about it already, considering 128 00:06:22.680 --> 00:06:24.720 this is going to air on New Year's Day, uh, 129 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:26.639 maybe you think of a word. Wouldn't that be cool? 130 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:28.639 Wouldn't it be a cool action step to take away 131 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:31.920 from the Bible Guide. Yeah, So whenever you're listening to this, 132 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:34.959 whether it's by yourself and it's in the morning, and 133 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:37.040 maybe you can think about it all day, come home 134 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:39.240 and just say to your family or loved ones, I 135 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:43.240 have a word. Jeff and Chris inspired me, actually, desiree inspired. 136 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:45.279 This is my word for this year, desiree is the 137 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:46.360 one that inspired us. 138 00:06:46.439 --> 00:06:47.879 Good job to keep up with us. 139 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:51.040 Or maybe perhaps you're listening in the evening and maybe 140 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:54.879 you're listening together as a couple, which many do, and 141 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:57.600 then when the podcast ends, look at each other and say, Okay, 142 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.240 let's come up with a word that'll guide us. That'd 143 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:03.800 be kind of cool. Yeah, So there you go, So 144 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:05.000 talking about a word. 145 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:08.879 Oh yeah, I'm a big fan of the words like 146 00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:12.000 in the Book of Matthew, chapter five, six and seven. Yes, 147 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:14.000 those are good words. 148 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:15.199 I like words. 149 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:17.160 Jesus words. 150 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:20.360 Speaking of words, Jesus spoke. 151 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:22.439 He said a lot of words in Matthew five six 152 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:24.360 and seven. Matter of fact, he said the most words. 153 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:25.759 I was most words, he. 154 00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:27.920 Says, I was going to use. I was going to 155 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:31.519 use the word priority, as is to say, Jesus clearly 156 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:35.360 tells us the priorities of lives, of our lives. In 157 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:36.519 the Servant on the Mount. 158 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:39.040 He does God blesses those who are poor, and realizing 159 00:07:39.079 --> 00:07:41.040 that he tells. 160 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:43.120 Us what's most important, which is sort of like New 161 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:44.040 Year's resolutions. 162 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:46.560 That's good, good, Chris, good job better. 163 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:48.480 Than mine, well, way better than yours. 164 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:52.040 Way better, so much better. As usually speaking. 165 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:53.879 Of a word, Jesus spoke a word. 166 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:57.879 So the first in the in the Beatitudes, the first 167 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:00.240 statement he makes is God blesses those who are poor 168 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:02.920 in spirit and realize their need for Him for the 169 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:04.800 kingdom of heaven is there. 170 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:07.040 Say explain to everybody how many different days we're going 171 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:08.120 to spend on each beatitude. 172 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:10.800 We're gonna spend like three yeah, three three issue yeah. 173 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:14.439 So there's three different things in the last three days 174 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:17.199 that we've talked about that connect just to this first beatitude. 175 00:08:17.399 --> 00:08:23.480 So the first day, Jesus talked about how in Matthew 176 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:27.160 five seventeen through twenty, we talked about how we are 177 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.439 desperate for him because we can't keep the whole law. 178 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:31.399 Well it's technically Tuesday, yeah, yeah. 179 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:34.840 Yeah, but we can't keep the whole law, right, so 180 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:36.720 we're desperate for him or we can't go to heaven 181 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:40.440 at all. And so we realize that we're not rich 182 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:43.240 in our good deeds, we're rich in him. We're poor 183 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:46.720 in our own spirit, right, we need to And then 184 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:51.399 yesterday we talked about this being poor and spirit makes 185 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:54.720 us realize without him we can do nothing, and so 186 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:57.399 it leads us to prayer and it dependence on him. 187 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.360 And then today this is more like the result of 188 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:05.039 that A little bit. In Matthew six twenty five through 189 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:08.279 thirty four, he says, that's why I tell you not 190 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:12.399 to worry about everyday life, whether you have enough food 191 00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:14.919 and drink or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more 192 00:09:14.919 --> 00:09:19.200 than food or your body more than than clothing. Look 193 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:21.399 at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store 194 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:24.480 food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And 195 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:26.679 aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? 196 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:29.639 Can all your worries at a single moment to your life? 197 00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:32.679 And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies 198 00:09:32.679 --> 00:09:34.360 of the field and how they grow. They don't work 199 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:37.240 or make their clothing. Yet Solomon and all his glory 200 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:39.519 was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if 201 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:42.519 God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today 202 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:44.919 and thrown in the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care 203 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:47.519 for you. Why do you have so little faith? So 204 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:50.360 don't worry about these things, saying what we will we eat, 205 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:53.279 what will we drink? What will we wear? These things 206 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:56.960 dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, But your heavenly Father already 207 00:09:57.000 --> 00:09:59.799 knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God a 208 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:03.240 all else, and live righteously, and he will give you 209 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:06.519 everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow 210 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:09.840 bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. 211 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:13.759 Yeah. That is a wonderful, wonderful passage. 212 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:16.360 Just love it. It's one of my favorites. For real, 213 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:17.559 for reality is for real? 214 00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:21.600 Yea, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Well you know it's do 215 00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:23.559 you have a lot of anxiety? You know, you're a 216 00:10:23.559 --> 00:10:25.480 person that doesn't strike me with a lot of anxiety 217 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:27.159 or a lot of worry. 218 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:28.519 Yeah, don't. I don't worry a lot. 219 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:33.200 Yeah, And tell me, is there a time is there 220 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:36.080 something that about the future that fills you with anxiety? 221 00:10:36.279 --> 00:10:40.360 I mean, besides retirement or things like that. Because when 222 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:44.600 you had cancer, you taught on this, Yeah, in November 223 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:46.399 of two thousand and twenty. 224 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:47.600 Yeah, twenty twenty. 225 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:49.480 Yeah, you taught you taught on this exact passage. 226 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:50.039 Yeah. 227 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:53.360 And and what you're really saying is like, hey, you know, 228 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:57.159 I'm not gonna I'm not gonna worry about what could 229 00:10:57.159 --> 00:10:59.960 be because our heavenly Father is in control. 230 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:04.320 Yeah. I think the part of it is faith comes 231 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:06.440 by hearing and hearing by the word of God. This 232 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:10.519 is what romans what Romans eight? Yep, isn't Romans eight? 233 00:11:10.679 --> 00:11:12.200 Oh? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word 234 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:12.440 of God. 235 00:11:12.440 --> 00:11:13.559 Oh yeah, isn't that Romans e. 236 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:15.320 I'm gonna look it up. Yeah, keep going. 237 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:20.200 And anyways, that passage reminds us that God's word builds 238 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:23.559 our faith. So the more God's word, you know. And 239 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.559 this is why why I just commend our listeners for 240 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:28.919 diving in. I've had so many people tell me, Jeff, 241 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:30.639 I feel like I've learned more about the Bible in 242 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:36.519 the last year than I have. Was that rose Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Ten, 243 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:40.120 everyone who calls the name Lord will be saved. This 244 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:42.279 is about how will they hear without a yet yep, yep, 245 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:48.240 that's it right there. Yep. So I've had a lot 246 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.919 of people say, man, i feel like I've learned more 247 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:52.559 about the Bible. I've learned more of the Bible than 248 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:55.879 I ever have. And it's because spending daily time with 249 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:57.279 God's word, taking a little bit and it ta a 250 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:00.480 little bit. Of faith comes by hearing and by the 251 00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:02.879 word of God. So I think a lot of it. 252 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:06.320 I have a high sense of God is going to 253 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:11.240 provide and God's God is trustworthy because I've spent so 254 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:13.440 much time in his word. Even by the time I 255 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:16.799 graduate from high school, I've memorized over fifteen hundred verses 256 00:12:16.919 --> 00:12:19.639 and I knew most of the major Bible doctrines, and 257 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:22.120 it just made sense to me. Either I believe this 258 00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:24.279 or I don't. And so that's a big part of it. 259 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.840 In the good days and the bad days, it's all 260 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:28.879 either he's true and he's good and he's going to 261 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:31.080 keep his promises or not. And then the other one 262 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:34.399 is there's multiple times throughout the Old Testament where like 263 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:37.879 Joshua will lead the people to set up a monument 264 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.840 or something, and he would say, so that when you 265 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:44.120 come back here and you see it, you remember, or 266 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:46.240 so that when your children come by here and they say, 267 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:50.279 why is this here? Then the people remember. And then 268 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:54.440 both Moses and Joshua telling him to rehearse these things. 269 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:58.200 And I think that there's a tremendous advantage when you 270 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:02.080 rehearse and remind and retell the stories of when God 271 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:05.120 showed up last time, you know, Hey, God shows up. 272 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:06.960 God shows up. God shows up. He'll show up on 273 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:10.519 this one too, And I think that those together have 274 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:13.840 you know, I'm constantly rethinking and retelling the stories of 275 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:16.960 when God does show up and does do miracles, and 276 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:21.919 I'm completely convinced that God's promises in God's words are true. 277 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:24.639 And so those two things together, I think build our faith. 278 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:29.480 But in this one, I also think the third piece 279 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:33.679 is seek the Kingdom of God above all else and 280 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:37.559 live rightly. That's what righteously means. And He'll give you 281 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:39.879 everything you need. And so this is why I love 282 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:41.960 this verse. Right, So seek the Kingdom of God above 283 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:44.519 all else. You can have tremendous confidence that everything's going 284 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:47.200 to work out, okay, if you're chasing God's kingdom above 285 00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:51.440 anything else. Right, And what do we mean by God's kingdom? Right? 286 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:54.639 Jesus came, he announced that the Kingdom of God is near, 287 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:58.480 and he was announcing that he had arrived and that 288 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:01.240 salvation by grace through faith is available. And then he 289 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:03.600 sends us on this mission to go and build his kingdom, 290 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:06.639 you know, go everywhere and tell everybody and make new disciples. 291 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.919 And so if that's what we're doing, is we're trying 292 00:14:08.919 --> 00:14:11.039 to build this kingdom. We can have tremendous confidence He's 293 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:11.679 gonna bless that. 294 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.240 And he would define God's kingdom by what the work 295 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:17.919 of the Holy Spirit on earth? Yes, yeah, the work 296 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:19.399 of the Holy Spirit, the movement of God. 297 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:23.039 Yeah, the work of the Holy Spirit moving the Gospel forward. 298 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.200 Yes yeah, yes, and uh and so yeah it's great 299 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:29.279 and uh and I love how he gives practical examples. 300 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.080 So not only does he tell us, you know, not worry, uh, 301 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.559 but he actually says, hey, our heaveny Father, uh, you know, 302 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:38.519 provides for the lilies in the field, for the birds 303 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:40.799 in the air. And then he says, how much more 304 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:43.639 important are you than they? Right? And they don't worry? 305 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:46.960 Yeah, right, right, They're not worried, right, lilies aren't worried. 306 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:48.159 The birds aren't worried. 307 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:50.879 Right right. And I and I love that example because 308 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:55.120 obviously the birds probably aren't worried because you know, we 309 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:58.000 have the best brain don't we. Right, we have more 310 00:14:58.120 --> 00:14:59.879 you know, we have more brain power than lilies. I'll 311 00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:02.679 tell you that that's true, right most of us, yeah, 312 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:03.879 most of us. 313 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:06.559 We do have that one listener and you know who 314 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:07.080 you are. 315 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:12.480 Right, But but the point is is that but what 316 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:14.759 he's really saying, is it's not about that. It's not 317 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:17.519 about being able to reason more or think more than 318 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:20.840 a bird or a lily. It's about him saying, uh 319 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:24.840 that that just like they don't worry. That's how you 320 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:25.399 should be. 321 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:28.720 Right. We're made in God's image. Yeah, so his creation. 322 00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:31.440 He loves his creation and provides for his creation. We're 323 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:34.360 just created in his image. How much more is he 324 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:37.480 going to provide, you know, for the reflection of his image? 325 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:40.720 And so yeah, I think that's that's really powerful. So 326 00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:43.399 he says, So don't worry about these things. But isn't 327 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:49.559 it interesting, he says, can all your worries at a 328 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:51.039 single moment to your life? 329 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:55.879 Well, it's like it reminds me of Jerry Seiphilk. He goes, 330 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:57.639 because people always say I want to save time, and 331 00:15:57.679 --> 00:15:59.080 he goes, they get the end of their lives. There's 332 00:15:59.120 --> 00:15:59.960 no time saved up. 333 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.320 He doesn't save any time. 334 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.840 Yeah, he says, throw the under we're up and catch 335 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:06.559 in your hand. You're saving time, he said. He goes, 336 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:07.399 there's no time to save that. 337 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:10.360 And it's the same right that our all of our 338 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:14.639 worries don't actually accomplish anything. And so this is why 339 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:16.480 he ends it. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow 340 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:19.840 bring its own worries. I've made mention before. I usually 341 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:24.559 don't look at my calendar, you know, way in advance. 342 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:27.559 Very often. I just tomorrow is going to be its 343 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:30.120 own problems. And today I'm just going to shovel and 344 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:34.080 sweep today. And I mentioned that, right, the old Carol 345 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:37.159 Burnett ending to the old show the cartoon, and that 346 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:39.600 guy's just walking behind. There's the elephants in the parade, 347 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:42.960 and then there's a guy behind's pushing that broom. There's 348 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:45.279 gonna be another parade tomorrow, and there's gonna be another 349 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:50.799 mess tomorrow. We'll work on that one tomorrow. But life 350 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:52.919 is hard. I was just talking to some young people 351 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:57.600 about this here recently. Life is hard. It's supposed to 352 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:00.879 be right. So we live in a broken world. It's 353 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:04.359 part of the curse. And so on one side we 354 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:07.920 find the work that God gives us fulfilling and enjoyable, 355 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:10.880 and the other side it's all hard. Everything is just 356 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:15.599 it's harder by the way, Yes, that's right. And so 357 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:20.799 if that's the case, everything worth doing is hard. Everything 358 00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:24.119 worth doing has pressure. Just choose to do things that 359 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:29.240 really matter, right, and then the pressure matters, the stress matters, 360 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:32.160 all those things that it matters. And then if you're 361 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:35.400 aligning with him and you're seeking His kingdom, and those 362 00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:38.079 are the hard things you're deciding to do. And for you, 363 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:42.000 if you're an engineer, you know, lean into that God 364 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:45.359 made you this way. Man. Nobody want to drive a 365 00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:47.680 car I design. I can tell you that much, dude, 366 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:51.119 I can't hardly put to it. I hung up a 367 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:53.319 picture the other day crooked, and I had to put 368 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:56.160 the nails in three times to get it right. Right. 369 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:59.240 You don't want to drive anything I'm designing. So thank 370 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:03.799 God for engineers. But how do you get God's kingdom 371 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:07.319 moving forward in your office? Maybe God's also inviting you 372 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:09.359 to start a Bible study or to reach out and 373 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:11.200 offer to pray. I just was listening to a firefighter 374 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:14.920 talking about this the other day and he said they 375 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:18.240 had a particularly traumatic situation and one of his guys, 376 00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:21.519 he said, Lieutenant, one of his guys was really struggling 377 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:25.119 over the next couple days with PTSD and he said 378 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.359 he was right in the middle of it and it 379 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:29.440 was really hard, and he said, you know, you can 380 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.319 life can begin to pile up, and some people are 381 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:33.319 going to be more susceptible to an event than others 382 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:35.400 whose life's not piling up. At the same moment, he says, so, 383 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:37.240 I can tell you I could see it coming because 384 00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:39.160 he just had all these pressures in his life and 385 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:42.279 then this very traumatic situation that kind of hit close 386 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:46.400 to home costs some PTSD And he said, so, you know, 387 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:48.799 it's not a thing we do, but I you know, 388 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:51.400 And so he said, I have authority, and so I 389 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:53.279 got to be careful with my authority. But he said. 390 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:54.720 I went up to him, said, hey, I believe in prayer. 391 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:57.160 Do you believe in prayer? And the guy goes yeah, 392 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:59.559 He said, can I pray with you? He said, this 393 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:04.880 firefighter just fell apart in that moment, and he prayed, 394 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:09.279 and he said. This began this conversation where he began 395 00:19:09.319 --> 00:19:11.200 to have an opportunity to disciple one of these young 396 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:17.079 firefighters in his unit, because God's kingdom was even more 397 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:19.559 important than the uniform he was wearing in that moment, 398 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:23.079 right that you understand, I am here for a reason. 399 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:26.920 If you're in that engineering department, or you're a school 400 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:30.279 teacher or whatever, you are in that place as God's 401 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:33.680