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 --> 00:00:12.839 practical ways. Hey, everybody, good morning, and welcome to the 4 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:13.359 Bible Guys. 5 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:14.480 Yeah. Good to be your gig. 6 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:16.199 Yeah, how are you feeling about it? This is good? 7 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:17.519 This is day three, Yeah. 8 00:00:17.399 --> 00:00:19.440 Day three, and we're in the middle of this series 9 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.679 called Dangerous Prayers. And then all these prayers this week 10 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:24.920 have the theme of God calling us. 11 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:27.199 Yeah. Yeah, it's been a good week. That's far. 12 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:29.839 Yeah, I agree. So Wesley's there with me. This is 13 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:33.960 the platinum edition, and Jeff's out of town in Egypt 14 00:00:34.039 --> 00:00:37.039 or Africa. Yeah, And isn't that funny. I'm like picking 15 00:00:37.159 --> 00:00:39.679 random countries Egypt, Africa, Mexico. I don't know. 16 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:41.679 Yeah, he may have gone to Egypt. I don't know. 17 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:42.880 He does a lot of traveling. 18 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:44.200 He was in Egypt not too long. 19 00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:46.159 Yeah, so excuse me. 20 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:49.159 So today we're starting with a segment I like these. 21 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:50.719 It's called would you rather? 22 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:51.240 Yes? 23 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:54.960 And so I like them, especially with guests, not guests, 24 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:59.280 but like other than Jeff. Right, So I guess fill 25 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:03.280 ins or whatever. So the reason why is because would 26 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:07.120 you Rather? As a game that focused on the individual. Yes, 27 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:09.519 so it helps us to you know, get to know 28 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:11.840 you and me better. Yeah, especially together. 29 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:14.959 So here we go number one, and this is for you, Chris. 30 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:19.760 Would you rather only speak in veggietails quotes or only 31 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:27.519 communicate through interpretive dance? Okay, so veggietail voice or interpretive dance. 32 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:31.400 First of all, veggietails only has a very limited amount 33 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:34.359 of of tapes. First of all, I say tapes because 34 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:36.840 that's when they came out during tapes VCRs. 35 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:40.799 But there's there's the classic the Bunny, the Bunny. 36 00:01:40.359 --> 00:01:43.879 Right, that's right, that's the Bunny. But but they don't 37 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:46.400 really have a lot of famous quotes. But at the 38 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:49.599 same time, so it's limited communication, not a lot of 39 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:54.560 famous quotes. But interpretive dance is the worst thing ever, 40 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:00.799 don't you agree? Interpretive dances so bad? 41 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:03.480 I think you're going to say interpretive dance has some 42 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:05.959 you know, like good qualities or something. You're like, it's 43 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:06.560 the worst. 44 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:11.400 Come on. I mean now, I mean dancing styles, dancing styles. 45 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:13.240 If you were to tell me you're going to choose 46 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:15.919 a dancing style that that I don't necessarily like, Like I 47 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:17.919 don't really care for ballet. Yeah, but if you're gonna 48 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:19.599 tell me go to ballet, I'll be like, Okay, I 49 00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:22.599 signed up for ballet. Yeah, I enjoy ballet. If I 50 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:23.599 know I'm going to ballet. 51 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:23.919 Yeah. 52 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:26.879 But I think probably one of the worst forms of 53 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:30.280 dance is a free for all. 54 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.000 Based on emotion, right, And there's a lot of there's 55 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:45.759 a lot of waving, a lot of waving type stuff that. 56 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:44.319 Don't you the wavy. 57 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.080 Yeah, it's just it's just like it's like it's like 58 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:49.800 they try to they're trying to be like, oh, yeah, 59 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:52.039 how can I make a movement, you know, based on 60 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:54.280 that sentence? Yeah, or this song. 61 00:02:54.199 --> 00:02:56.759 Leric you have to exaggerate it, yes, and you don't 62 00:02:56.759 --> 00:03:00.520 add more emphasis with your body movement and yeah, so 63 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:01.080 you were not. 64 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:04.039 A fan, I'm not a fan. But I would rather 65 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:06.360 I would rather choose vegetails quotes. 66 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:06.800 Okay. 67 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:09.199 On Star Trek, there was an episode in the Next 68 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:13.840 Generation where where Captain McCard ran into an entire race 69 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:18.240 of civilizations that only us like twenty phrases to communicate 70 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:22.039 anything they wanted to communicate, and these phrases represented from 71 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:25.840 their history, represented like sentiments, and somehow by the end 72 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:27.800 of the episode he was able to figure it out. Okay, 73 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:31.240 and it's like and it was actually a pretty impressive journey. 74 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:34.319 It was actually like it was very intelligent. Yeah, it 75 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:36.960 was intelligently written. So I would rather do that with 76 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:40.240 veggietails than do my life interpretive dancing, So. 77 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:42.840 We will not see you preach and do interpretive dance 78 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:43.599 at the same time. 79 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:47.599 That never happened, No, okay, although I don't mind sometimes 80 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:55.560 interpreted dance during a song that is very loud, like 81 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:59.840 a very like like a screaming song, that's a raging 82 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:02.919 type song that has a lot of a ron emotion. Yeah, 83 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:05.280 if it's a good song, Yeah, I think interpret dance 84 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:06.599 works best in that environment. 85 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:06.960 Yeah. 86 00:04:07.080 --> 00:04:09.360 We spent way too long on the same on this one. 87 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:11.120 It's just hilarious. Number number two. 88 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.080 Number two. Would you rather host a talent show with 89 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:17.680 zero talent or a lip sync battle where everyone takes 90 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:18.879 it way too seriously? 91 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:22.079 Oh? Talent show with no talent? 92 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:23.680 Oh I'm lipstein show. 93 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:26.519 I would do the lip sync thing. I think, Well, yeah. 94 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:29.040 There's a lipsing battle that's on TV. Yeah, that where 95 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:30.639 all the celebrities do it. Yeah, and they take it 96 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:33.199 way too seriously, And those are amazing yeah. 97 00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:35.040 I was going to say the other one would get 98 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:37.600 kind of like, I think, boring after a while. If 99 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:39.000 like the no talent one. 100 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:41.920 I would say painful. Yeah right, I mean no talent 101 00:04:42.040 --> 00:04:42.680 is really bad? 102 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:46.800 Okay? Number three? Would you rather be mentored by Moana 103 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:48.839 or go on a road trip with Oloff? 104 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:52.600 Oh, there's no question. I don't like Mohana and I 105 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:53.240 love Oloff. 106 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:56.240 That's funny, But you don't think Olof is too silly? 107 00:04:56.439 --> 00:04:58.480 Oh? I would? I would. I would be. It would 108 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:01.439 be delighted my entire road trip. 109 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:02.600 It's hilarious. 110 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:06.199 I would. I would think my daughter Tory, it would 111 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:08.480 be her dream. Yeah, to be to be to go 112 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:10.959 on a road trip with Obo, it's funny. Yeah. What's 113 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:13.360 his name? The guy who does the voice? 114 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:16.079 I don't know who does the actual. 115 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:22.759 Yeah, he's he's great. He also did uh uh lafou 116 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:25.319 in the in the live action version of Beauty and 117 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:25.680 the Beasts. 118 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:27.040 Okay, yeah, his name's Jay. 119 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:29.800 There's a j in there somewhere. Everybody listening who knows 120 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:32.639 who he has knows his name. So anyway, buddy, Number 121 00:05:32.759 --> 00:05:36.000 number four, would you rather lead a revival in a 122 00:05:36.040 --> 00:05:42.959 bouncy castle? Word or preach a sermon entirely in pirate voice. 123 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:45.839 Oh man, how do you even that? 124 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:48.079 Is such a random O question? 125 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:51.399 Yeah, like a revival in a bouncy house. 126 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:54.480 Yeah, Josh something. His name's Joshuth. 127 00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:58.079 Oh man, I'm trying to I don't even know what 128 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:01.560 the answer to this one would be. I guess leading 129 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:03.720 a revival, I guess would be the better thing. But 130 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:07.160 in a bouncy house, it's gonna get interesting quick. So 131 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.639 I'm gonna have to go with leading a revival because 132 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:12.519 I want to see lives change, but it's going to 133 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:15.120 happen in a bouncy house. I guess that's how it's happening. 134 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:18.120 I think you're right, yeah, because I would try to 135 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:21.079 take the bouncy house and use it in the sermons illustration, Yeah, 136 00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:24.240 like somehow yeah, but then but then communicate clearly, yeah, 137 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.519 as opposed to pirate voice. 138 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:31.600 Yeah, turn to Matthew Yeah yeah yeah, yeah. God loves you? 139 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:36.040 Yeah yeah, come on, God loves you. Maybe yeah, that's 140 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:38.560 not good. Okay, if I had to look it up, 141 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:40.600 as you know, Josh gad. 142 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:41.120 That's it. 143 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:44.399 I know it was a Joshcott is his name? All right? 144 00:06:44.439 --> 00:06:47.480 And then I think this is me? Yeah, would you 145 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:51.759 rather swap lives with a background character in the Chosen 146 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:54.839 or a main character in high school Musical? 147 00:06:55.160 --> 00:07:00.040 Well, she she wrote that for me. Yeah, so uh swap. 148 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.560 Yeah, you had to swap lives with one either in 149 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:07.319 the Chosen. Okay, I guess so this is in the Chosen. 150 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:09.759 I guess you kind of have to narrow that down, Like, 151 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.000 who am I swapping lives with? 152 00:07:12.120 --> 00:07:15.639 Right? In the Chosen it says background characters, So I'm 153 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:18.759 assuming yeah, probably meaning like part of the crowd who 154 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:20.720 gets to listen to Jesus in person. 155 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:22.920 Yeah, so now that would be cool, right, but like 156 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:25.319 I don't want to be judas, you know what I mean? 157 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.839 But she said back, yeah, but yeah, she did say background. 158 00:07:28.439 --> 00:07:30.920 Yeah, so so so in other words, what you're doing 159 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:34.319 is you're saying the privilege of being a person who 160 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:38.759 heard Jesus live and repented yep, right, and followed him 161 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:40.480 and was a part of the of the early Church 162 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:43.519 in Act chapter two, Yeah, even though it was persecuted, 163 00:07:44.439 --> 00:07:51.879 or to actually be Troy Bolton. 164 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:55.160 But I kind of feel like, and we're getting way 165 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:57.199 too deep with this, but I kind of feel like 166 00:07:57.240 --> 00:08:00.199 you'd get tired of the High School musical thing after 167 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:00.560 a while. 168 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:05.000 Oh, come on, wildcats, they're so crazy. You are so 169 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:09.720 crazy wildcat. Uh you know what, I honestly I think 170 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:12.920 there there's no there's no question here, there's no there's 171 00:08:12.920 --> 00:08:16.120 no no temptation to say I sko musical in any way, 172 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:19.319 shape or form. Right, how could you pass up being 173 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:21.560 a person who had the privilege of seeing God's only 174 00:08:21.639 --> 00:08:27.319 son blve Yeah right, and yeah, I mean come on now, 175 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:30.240 granted you're not you're living in the first century where 176 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:34.600 uh you know, uh, food and water and all you know, 177 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:37.720 indoor plumbing. I mean, all that stuff is just the worst. 178 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:40.919 That existence even is the worst. You know, be under 179 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:45.159 Roman occupation or you know, to be occupied, uh you know, 180 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:47.679 in oppression. That is what I'm trying to say. And 181 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:52.000 all that stuff, Oh, it's just terrible. But you know 182 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:54.039 that over Troy Bolton, how could you choose? How could 183 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:55.960 you be? How could you say I want to I 184 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:59.320 want to sing, yeah, and and go to the University 185 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:04.240 of Utah come on, or listen to Jesus Ye live. Yeah. Yeah. 186 00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:07.200 So and by the way, I know I know way 187 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:09.639 too much about high school musical as you can see. 188 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:13.440 Yeah, you're the musical and movie guy. 189 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:19.120 Well, to be fair, my daughter played Gabrielle Gabriella, which 190 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:22.080 is the lead in high school musical, in her high 191 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:22.559 school play. 192 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:23.120 Oh wow. 193 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:26.120 So on top of that, my both of my daughters 194 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:29.519 and my wife are massive fans. And actually even my 195 00:09:29.559 --> 00:09:32.360 son likes it too by default, and I do too, 196 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.000 but they would watch it over and over and over again. 197 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:36.720 So that's why I know way too much. 198 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:37.080 Yeah. 199 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:41.720 Yeah, so anyway, Yeah, I'm securing my manager to say that, Yeah, 200 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:42.720 all right, let's move on. 201 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:45.000 So we're gonna go to the Book of James. That's 202 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:47.480 where we're reading from today. James the first chapter. 203 00:09:47.639 --> 00:09:51.240 Hey, by the way, that that segment, yeah, had us 204 00:09:51.320 --> 00:09:54.759 made a lot of hard choices. Yeah, and you know what, 205 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:57.559 James encourages us to make hard choices as well. 206 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:01.200 That was good. That was good. Good, good segue. So 207 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:04.639 this is James Chapter one, verses one through eight. I'm 208 00:10:04.679 --> 00:10:06.840 going to read the whole thing. We're going to isolate 209 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:10.480 certain scriptures, certain verses, I should say, but I'm just 210 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:14.080 gonna read the whole thing. So James chapter one, starting 211 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:17.120 at verse one, says, and I love this. This letter 212 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:20.639 is from James. Love how he lets you know, right, 213 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:24.519 off the bath of Yeah a slave of God and 214 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:27.600 of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I'm writing to the Twelve 215 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:33.320 Tribes Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings, dear brothers and sisters. 216 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:36.759 When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it 217 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.000 an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when 218 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:43.440 your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 219 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:47.159 So let it grow. For when your endurance is fully developed, 220 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:51.159 you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. And if 221 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.679 you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he will 222 00:10:54.679 --> 00:10:57.559 give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 223 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:00.600 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith 224 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:04.279 is in God alone. Do not waiver for a person 225 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:07.919 with divide it loyalty is as unsettled as a wave 226 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:11.159 of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 227 00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:14.720 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 228 00:11:15.159 --> 00:11:18.480 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and 229 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:23.320 they are unstable in everything they do. That's James there. 230 00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:24.320 It is chapter one. 231 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:28.480 So wow. So the prayer itself that we're focusing on 232 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:33.399 is asking God for wisdom, Yes, but the context is 233 00:11:34.440 --> 00:11:41.320 just in general, the persecution perseverance connection, right, so in 234 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:47.000 other words, trials, troubles, tribulations, whenever you find yourself, you know, 235 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:50.840 in trouble in that way, consider it an opportunity for 236 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:54.440 great joy, James says. And the reason why is because 237 00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:56.759 it's going to do certain things in your life. Yeah, 238 00:11:56.840 --> 00:12:00.320 that will develop your character and so, and then ask 239 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:06.000 for wisdom in that context. Right, So that's a it 240 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:08.440 could be a dangerous prayer in some ways. Yeah. Yeah. 241 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:10.799 Here's the funny thing about that, Chris. It says like 242 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:13.440 in verse three, for you know that when your faith 243 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:17.080 is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. I 244 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:20.960 can only speak for myself, right, but I like the 245 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:26.080 endurance having a chance to grow. I don't like faith 246 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:26.720 is tested. 247 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:27.279 Right. 248 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:32.039 So oftentimes we want the benefits, but we don't want 249 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:35.240 the things that you have to go through to get 250 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:36.039 to the benefit. 251 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:38.000 Yeah. Oh just look at our diets and our body 252 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:39.320 Yeah right. 253 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.919 Yeah, Well you're going to the gym later. I'm sure 254 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:44.399 you want to live long, you want to be healthy. 255 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:47.879 Do you necessarily want to do fifty push ups? Do 256 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:51.039 you necessarily want to do one hundred jumping jacks? 257 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:51.200 No? 258 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:55.919 But we oftentimes want the end result, but the process 259 00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:58.840 to get there isn't always so fun, right? Yeah? 260 00:12:58.919 --> 00:13:00.679 Yeah. And by the way, that's a lot of times 261 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:03.360 when when our listeners tune in, they always see Jeff 262 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:05.519 and button down shirts. Today you're in a button down 263 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:07.960 shirt and we're in a T shirt because I literally 264 00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:10.759 will go directly from here right over there, directly to 265 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:14.120 the Heritage Fitness Project and work out. I mean literally 266 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:17.919 like five minutes later. So that's oftentimes why I wear 267 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:22.639 T shirts, but depending on when we film. But the 268 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:25.159 bottom line is is, yeah, it's a perfect analogy, isn't 269 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:28.320 that Because we want the benefits without. 270 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:30.080 The price, without the sacrifice. 271 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:32.960 Yeah, without the sacrifice. And if you think about it, 272 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:38.039 anything in this life that's worth doing will cost you something. Anything, 273 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:41.480 and that doesn't That doesn't matter whether it's whether it's practical, 274 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:45.080 whether it's related to your job, whether it's relational in 275 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:48.240 your marriage, It doesn't matter whether it's a you know, 276 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:51.399 in the church, it doesn't matter what field it's in. 277 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:55.200 Anything that's really worth doing is going to cost you something. 278 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:58.080 And I think that that's really what James is saying. 279 00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:01.120 He's saying faith is no different and so think about 280 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:05.399 the upside of struggle. That's what he's saying, he's saying, listen, 281 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:08.600 count of joy whenever you struggle, because just know this, 282 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.240 there's an upside to it. And the upside too it 283 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:13.440 is you're going to build endurance and faith. And he 284 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:16.879 actually says perfect And what he's meaning is he's not 285 00:14:16.919 --> 00:14:24.399 meaning perfect without flaw. He's meaning perfection, you know, heading 286 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:28.320 toward perfection. Right. To be perfected is to be constantly 287 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:32.320 be working on right. So the Baba says that God 288 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:36.799 continues to mold us and continues to shape us into 289 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.679 the perfect image of Jesus Christ. We will never arrive 290 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:46.519 at perfection, but we're being perfected as we're going along, right, 291 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:50.240 And so you know, as you're trying to perfect something 292 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:54.799 and something is being perfected, it is working toward perfection. Now, 293 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:58.200 ultimately that promise is true, because one day we will 294 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:03.639 be perfect. One day in heaven we will arrive physically, spiritually, mentally, 295 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:07.720 emotionally everything. We will have perfect bodies. We would be 296 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:10.480 without sin once again, no more pain, no more pain 297 00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:12.679 will be with our heavenly Father. There will be a 298 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:18.320 perfect existence, a garden of Eden part two. Right, that's 299 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:21.440 what's gonna happen the New Jerusalem. You know, Heaven laid 300 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:24.279 out for all of us. But in the meantime, while 301 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:28.080 on earth, life is hard, right, life is hard. We 302 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:31.399 are under the sin and bondage of decay. The Bible 303 00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:34.559 says in Romans eight, we're under the curse of this world, right, 304 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:38.559 and so the results of sin play out, and life 305 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:43.519 is just difficult. And so therefore we need to lean on, 306 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:47.279 depend on, look to Jesus in God's Holy Spirit's power. 307 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:51.519 But all the while, even though on the outwardly side 308 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:55.039 we're wasting away, how hard I try to fight it, Right, 309 00:15:55.159 --> 00:15:57.960 this body is going down, and so I can try 310 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:00.360 my best to hold it off and make it last longer. 311 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:04.519 But it's going down. But of the inside we're being perfected, 312 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:07.200 you know. And God's going to use us for great 313 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:10.639 things on this earth that'll reverberate into eternity. 314 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:13.720 And Chris, I like how God gave us an out. 315 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:17.879 You talked about how life is difficult. In verse five, 316 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:22.480 it says, if and I'm paraphrasing here, if you're in 317 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:25.600 that difficult spot, if you don't know what to do, 318 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:28.559 if you're at a crossroads in life, if you have 319 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:33.159 to make a big decision, if you need wisdom ask 320 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:37.799 our generous God. He's not a stingy God. Ask our generous. 321 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:41.080 God and he will give it to you. 322 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:44.600 So that lets me know whenever I'm at a point 323 00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:48.000 in my life where I need wisdom, I can ask 324 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:51.360 our generous God and he will give me the direction, 325 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:54.440 give me the guidance, give me the wisdom that I need. 326 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:57.919 Every single time. There is never a time that you 327 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.000 ask God for wisdom and he doesn't give it. Now, 328 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:06.079 sometimes we have an issue with timing. We want things instantly, 329 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:10.359 like Chris, can I have your phone? What took so long? 330 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:15.000 That's literally how we are with God. We literally ask 331 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:19.839 for it and we expect instant you know, answers to everything. 332 00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:23.359 But we do have the guarantee here because we know 333 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:25.480 that God is a faithful God, He's a just God, 334 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:28.920 He's a generous God. If you're at a crossroads where 335 00:17:28.920 --> 00:17:31.720 you you don't know what to do, maybe maybe someone 336 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:35.200 watching right now Chris has a major decision to make. 337 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:38.880 It could be a job decision, a life decision. Whatever 338 00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:43.759 that decision is, ask our generous God and God will 339 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:46.519 give you the wisdom of what to do in that 340 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:47.519 specific situation. 341 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:50.079 You know, what's so funny is actually by the time 342 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:54.240 this podcast airs next week that actually this would be 343 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:59.480 what the fourth day, this should be Thursday or Wednesday. Yes, 344 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:04.079 so this this episode's Wednesday. Uh, we would only be 345 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:08.160 a couple of days away from the from the weekend series, 346 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:10.920 the first week of a series that we're starting called 347 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:13.359 Old School and and it's and it's all and it's 348 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:16.880 all about the Old School disciplines and behaviors that Christians 349 00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:21.240 do and so uh and ironically I'm writing that sermon tonight, 350 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:25.480 and guess what the title is, Finding Wisdom. So I'm 351 00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:30.240 literally thinking, praying and living this right now because because 352 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:33.039 we're we're diving into this, you know, these are things 353 00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:36.480 that Christians do. The series is focused on Christian behaviors 354 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:41.319 and spiritual discipline. So so finding wisdom is what Solomon says, 355 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:45.559 is a thing that you should do above all else, 356 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:50.480 to recognize that wisdom is number one attainable and number 357 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:53.359 two that if you do this, that you've that you've 358 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:57.359 done the most important thing. Because Solomon, of course was 359 00:18:57.359 --> 00:18:59.640 a guy in the Old Testament who he had the 360 00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:02.160 privilege of God saying I'll give you anything you want. 361 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:06.519 And so because he could have asked for rich riches 362 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:10.119 and fame. He decided to say, God, I'll tell you what, 363 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:12.680 give me wisdom above all else. God said, because. 364 00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:15.079 You've done that, which is brilliant. It's brilliant because if 365 00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:18.720 you get the wisdom, you can manufacture more wealth. That's 366 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:20.640 if you have the wisdom of how to do it right. 367 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:22.680 So forget the wealth, give me the wisdom. 368 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:27.519 So consequently he was the wisest and richest man who lived. 369 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:30.400 And what's the best part about it is for me 370 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:35.519 is that God says that because you've asked of this, 371 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:38.240 you know, you asked these of me, you will be 372 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:42.119 the wisest man who ever has ever lived or will 373 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:46.640 ever live. So no human being, no matter how. 374 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:48.680 Smart they are, yeah, will be wiser. 375 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:52.960 Be wiser than Solomon. That is mind blowing. Yeah, think 376 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:55.599 about all the brilliant people in this whole history. 377 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:58.599 Billion think of Einstein and you know, different people when 378 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:01.440 we think of like having smart a thing like that. 379 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:04.240 Yeah, but Solomon wins, which is amazing. 380 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:04.680 Yeah. 381 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:08.000 So yeah, so how do you find wisdom? Well, again 382 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:11.400 you go to number one. God's word is the source 383 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.920 of wisdom, right, So you have to line up if 384 00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:17.400 you're looking for advice as you suggested, right or implied. 385 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:21.079 Then then go to God's word first. You're never gonna 386 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:24.400 be given advice from God or any wisdom that's going 387 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:25.839 to be contradictory to God's word. 388 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:26.279 Yeah. 389 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:29.759 Number two, what am I going to say? Godly counsel? Yeah, right, 390 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:32.119 you got you got to get godly counsel because these 391 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.759 are people who know you. Hopefully they're trusted their Godly 392 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:38.319 so they can speak into your circumstance with intelligence and insight. 393 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:41.000 But at the same time they're also Christians. 394 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:43.359 Now I'm going to be a little blunt here, Chris, 395 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:47.759 make sure when you do what Chris is telling you, 396 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.920 you don't go to people who know no more than you. 397 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.680 That's that's a good point. 398 00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:58.039 So maybe that friend that you normally talk to, depending 399 00:20:58.119 --> 00:21:01.359 on where they are at in their career walk, may 400 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:05.119 not be the best person to talk about this situation. Right, 401 00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:08.279