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 --> 00:00:07.519 practical ways. 4 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:16.399 Good morning, good morning. We talked the whole night through. 5 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:21.519 Good morning, good morning to you, and and hey, oh 6 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:24.320 thank you, thank you man, good morning. Or if you're 7 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:27.120 listening in the evening, I apologize. 8 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:30.440 Well, everybody's thrilled. Anywaysky, have you ever watched that show 9 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:31.719 in the evening? 10 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:34.200 What show Singing in the Rain? 11 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:34.920 Yeah? 12 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:35.920 But there's context to it. 13 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:37.359 Okay, Yeah, so this. 14 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.399 Seems pretty isolated, right, Okay, it seems like it's not 15 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:41.960 in the context of the movie. 16 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:44.840 It's for for our long time listeners. The context is 17 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:47.840 Chris is showing love to our cont to our listener. 18 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:48.560 Yeah, that's right. 19 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:51.159 Well, actually it started it. Doesn't you realize. 20 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:53.280 That that became a thing because somebody in the Heritage 21 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:58.159 Church lobby and a friend that you know as well, 22 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:01.200 came up to me and she said, I think you 23 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:02.920 ought to sing the good morning song more. 24 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:05.519 Oh yeah, and so and here it is. 25 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:08.519 I started off by singing it and dedicating it sort 26 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:11.079 of to her weekly and then it became like once 27 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:11.560 a week thing. 28 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:15.120 Yeah, or on occasion twice a week. But yes, yeah, 29 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:18.319 maybe tomorrow, who knows. Yeah, man, but you just made 30 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:18.719 our days. 31 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:21.959 Oh well, thank you. And so today we're about to 32 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:26.280 dive into another promise of God's power in a different context. 33 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:30.280 But before we do, we have a segment that is actually, 34 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:31.480 I think the first time we've done this. 35 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:33.560 Yes, that's like we've ever done this one before. 36 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:36.599 So this is called rapid fire Roulette. Jeff will ask 37 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:41.719 a rapid series of unexpected, hilarious questions. No pressure there, 38 00:01:42.200 --> 00:01:45.879 while Chris answers as quickly as possible, within thirty seconds. 39 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:50.000 No repeats, no overthinking. It's about as fast reactions, big laughs, 40 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:53.079 and embracing the chaos. It may be none of those things. 41 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:54.719 It may this may go horribly. 42 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:57.319 I know I'm concerned about it, to be honest with you, 43 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:59.840 right just because no thanks, Well, I'm I'm just reading 44 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:03.879 the Sarva's unfiltered thoughts. I'm just thinking the thing, and 45 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:08.199 I don't know that I can ask amazing questions so much. Okay, 46 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:12.879 she gave us a few. Okay, here we go to 47 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:16.800 be amazing questions. No repeating the answers, she says, no 48 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:18.280 hesitation longer than one second. 49 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:19.280 I'm closing my eyes. 50 00:02:19.319 --> 00:02:20.840 Whatever you say becomes cannon. 51 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:21.360 Yes. 52 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:25.360 Uh, if your elbows suddenly disappeared, what career would you pursue? 53 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:26.479 Uh? 54 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:28.879 Tennis with no elbows? 55 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:29.360 Yep? 56 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:32.479 Okay, which disciple would win in the thumb wrestling tournament? 57 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:33.039 Go? John? 58 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:36.680 What's the most sanctified vegetable? And why is it not salary? 59 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:42.120 It's tomatoes because they're awesome tomatoes a fruit darted. 60 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:47.240 That's even better because Desiree said embracing the can. 61 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:49.719 That's right. You've just been elected Pope of Mars. What's 62 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:50.360 your first law? 63 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.319 Uh? To fly to Venus. 64 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:57.000 If worship leaders were action heroes, what would be their catchphrase? 65 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:01.199 Arrogant men, I don't know. 66 00:03:02.120 --> 00:03:04.960 I don't know why. I just came up. It just 67 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:08.800 came up. The catchphrase would be what happened to my scarf? 68 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.879 What happened to my scarf? Hey? You know what I said? Ergon? 69 00:03:12.919 --> 00:03:16.360 Then I just read an article about worship leaders and 70 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:19.039 they were poking fun of them, and so that's where 71 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:21.240 where my brain went. Okay, yeah, I mean, not not 72 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:23.159 all worship leaders arrogant Obviously. 73 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:25.120 Did you say if you were the Pope of Mars, 74 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:27.000 your first thing would be the flight of Vena. You 75 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.080 told me not to think. Okay, no thinking. Okay, here's 76 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:34.240 another one. If you're if your spiritual gift was interpretive dance, 77 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:36.120 what would your signature move be called. 78 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:42.360 The fly? I don't know which. 79 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:46.919 Minor prophet would win on American Ninja Warrior? Uh Daniel, 80 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:48.400 Oh he's a major prophet. 81 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:49.199 Oh darn it? 82 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.680 How about Back's great? Yeah? Yeah, you must have major problem. 83 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:57.039 You must replace communion bread with any snack. What are 84 00:03:57.039 --> 00:03:58.120 we dipping in the cup? Now? 85 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:00.439 We? Uh? Pudding? 86 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:03.599 Pudding is what we're dipping in the cup. Okay. If 87 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:05.599 King David started a boy band, what would your name be? 88 00:04:07.080 --> 00:04:08.280 The Warriors? 89 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:11.159 The Warriors? Okay? What's the official worship song of house Cats? 90 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:14.520 Meowsing? 91 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.480 What apostible be most likely the prank call pilot? 92 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:22.279 What apostle would be to prank call pilot? 93 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:23.040 Yeah? 94 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:23.600 Again? 95 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:26.720 Okay. If you could baptize people using any liquid except water, 96 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:30.120 what would it be acid? You'd baptize people on acid? 97 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:31.319 You said, don't. 98 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:33.360 Think, wow, I would have been like Coca cola or 99 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:34.759 something that was trying to make something funny. You just 100 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:36.759 got raptured mid bite. What were you eating? 101 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:38.480 Chili? 102 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:41.800 If the friend of the spirit were literal fruit? Which 103 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:43.120 one would taste like disappointment? 104 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:45.680 Oh? Cum quats? 105 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:48.680 Okay, you're starting a Christian roller coaster. What's its name? 106 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:50.720 The high Rise? 107 00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:53.920 What's your end time survival snack of choice? 108 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:57.639 Spam? 109 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:59.800 Which heresy would make the best theme park? 110 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:01.160 Oh? 111 00:05:01.240 --> 00:05:02.040 What word? 112 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:03.079 Philasphemy? 113 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:05.000 Oh? 114 00:05:05.079 --> 00:05:05.360 No? 115 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:07.600 If Noah had a third dove, what would its job be? 116 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:09.759 Uh? Uh? 117 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:12.560 Gee wiz? Uh? 118 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:15.240 What a weird question to eat? 119 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.959 Okay? If if? If? What flavor is glory. 120 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:21.959 Cream? 121 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:28.000 Choose one Bible character to be your uber driver? John? John, Man, 122 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:30.639 it's just John always. John just said you weren't allowed 123 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:34.439 to repeat. Oh, that's right, I know you're okay, all right, 124 00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:36.839 say it again. Choose one Bible character to be your 125 00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:37.399 uber driver? 126 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:39.120 Uh? Thaddeus? 127 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:42.600 In the New Millennium, animals can talk again? Which one 128 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:44.040 delivers your Amazon packages? 129 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:44.560 Monkeys? 130 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:49.439 What's the official clone scent of the Old Testament prophets? Great? 131 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:51.879 If your prayer life had a theme song, what's the title? 132 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:53.480 If my prayer life had a theme song? 133 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:56.240 Oh, by myself, I was gonna say, living on a 134 00:05:56.279 --> 00:05:58.839 prayer Which book of the Bible would you want? Narrated 135 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:02.720 by Morgan Freeman oh, revelation. Oh yeah, that's it. If 136 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:05.040 you get to rename revelation, what's the new title. 137 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:07.079 Revelation. 138 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:11.800 What's the worst possible name for a Christian dating app? 139 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:18.319 Uh? Uh oh g wish. 140 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:19.720 Did you ever see this? Do you ever see the 141 00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:21.959 skit Christian? Christian? Yes, that's what I was trying to 142 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:25.879 think of. MANA had a brand slogan? What would it be? If? 143 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.399 What if MANA had a brand slogan? What would it be? 144 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:29.639 Uh? 145 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:31.959 Nothing, what's it? 146 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:33.959 I know? But but I was gonna say, like I 147 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.399 was thinking of, like this tastes like nothing, like styrophone 148 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:36.759 or something. 149 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:39.040 You are now the Holy Spirit's receptionist. What's the first 150 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:43.560 call you screen from the devil? Okay, very good man, 151 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:46.040 you nailed it. The good job, buddy. 152 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.199 I think seventy five percent of my answers were just 153 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:49.040 laming dumb. 154 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:53.240 That was thirty questions. I just asked you, Wow, yeah, wow, 155 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:56.959 good job man. Well rapid fire, and you only repeated 156 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:58.519 answers on like three of them. Broke the run. 157 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:03.680 Well because I forgot. I forgot because John's my favorite disciple. Okay, 158 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.920 so there's no question about that. He's like mischievous. He's Uh, 159 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:10.959 he's he's he's funny, right, He's the one that tells 160 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:14.399 on Peter, Like, did you ever see that little like 161 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:16.800 I said, an Instagram rail or something where the guy 162 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.279 writes in all the Gospels and he goes and he 163 00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:21.279 goes and it says like mark above him, and he goes, 164 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:24.399 someone cut off Malcous's ear. And then it says Luke, 165 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:26.879 and it says one of the disciples cut off a 166 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:29.800 soldier's ear. Then it says Matthew, and it says someone 167 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:32.800 cut off Malcous's ear. And then it goes to John 168 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:34.439 and it goes it was Peter. 169 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:40.639 He does, yeah, he does. 170 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:42.000 It's it's always John. 171 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:46.040 It's always John in this disciple that Jesus loved. That's me. 172 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:48.560 That's me. Oh yeah, hey John, and Peter ran to 173 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:49.720 the tube, by the way, I won. 174 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:50.560 Yeah. 175 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.480 So I think that there there's this this guy who 176 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:56.800 like constantly tells stuff about John. It is one of 177 00:07:56.839 --> 00:07:59.600 the funniest things. And he just elevates John in this way, 178 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:01.959 and it's so funny. I don't even know who the 179 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:02.319 guy is. 180 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:03.720 I just know that he comes up on my way. 181 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.199 He's a young John is the youngest of the disciples, Right, 182 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:09.399 so he was like a teenager. Yeah, so you can 183 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:15.600 just imagine. Yeah, well, anyways, do you think he was 184 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:17.399 who do you think was stronger? Do you think that 185 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:21.879 Peter was stronger? Or do you think that John was weaker? What? 186 00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:23.560 What kind of question is that? I was just asking 187 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:28.240 that either when I choose which one was weaker, which 188 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:30.560 one was weaker, Peter or John? I think Peter was 189 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:31.600 strong or Peter stronger? 190 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:32.759 Okay, so John was weaker? 191 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:33.159 Yes? 192 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:36.919 Yeah? Did you know in this that Jesus says my 193 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:40.480 power works best in weakness? He did? He did? Yeah, 194 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:45.000 that's what he said. How nine, How convenient. 195 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:46.200 That's the scripture we're. 196 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:48.279 Reading today exactly. So that's where we're going to go 197 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:51.279 the line. Let's just go there TEWO Corinthians, chapter twelve, 198 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:54.039 and uh, we'll just start off with the verse one. 199 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:55.960 It says this boasting will do no good. Let me 200 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:58.720 let me give you some background. Paul is trying to 201 00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:01.159 tell them why he has a thought yep, and why 202 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.639 they should be listening to him. I'm an apostle. And 203 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:05.600 then he goes, you guys are always bragging. All these 204 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:07.720 false apostles are always bragging about all the things they did. 205 00:09:07.960 --> 00:09:10.120 Let me tell you. He starts talking about shipwrecks and 206 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:14.080 beatings and he got stoned almost to death two times, 207 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:16.320 and he names all these things, and then he's like, 208 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:18.720 I feel like you're making me an idiot because I'm 209 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:21.000 bragging so much, and I don't want to keep bragging. 210 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:24.000 But then that's all a chapter eleven. Yeah, there lots 211 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:24.159 of it. 212 00:09:24.200 --> 00:09:27.440 Which, by the way, side note on that claim to 213 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:31.679 be an apostle, it's a rightful claim because only Jesus 214 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:36.240 can choose and commission apostles, right, and Jesus chose the twelve. 215 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:39.559 But then after Jesus died and then went to heaven, 216 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.360 he appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus and 217 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:48.039 actually number nine, and so Jesus basically came back to 218 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:51.320 the earth and chose hand chose Paul. 219 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:51.799 Yeah. 220 00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:53.960 Right, So that's why he has the right to claim 221 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:55.720 to be an apostle and to be equal with Peter 222 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:57.320 and with everybody else. 223 00:09:57.559 --> 00:10:00.399 And so while he's talking trying to explain to them, 224 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:03.799 you know, hey, these other apostles are these fake apostles 225 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:06.960 are out there, you know, making all these claims about 226 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:09.399 how they've suffered for Christ. Let me tell you, and 227 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:11.080 he says, he says, I feel like I sound like 228 00:10:11.080 --> 00:10:13.840 a madman, right, but I've served him far more so. 229 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:16.440 He's kind of embarrassed that he's even putting his resume 230 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:20.840 out there, but he says, I've been put in prison 231 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:24.120 more often. I've worked harder. I've been whipped times without number, 232 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:27.759 faced death again and again five different times. The Jewish 233 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.440 leaders gave me thirty nine lashes. You know why they 234 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:31.320 gave him thirty nine. 235 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:33.120 Lashes because forty was considered lethal. 236 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:35.159 Forty was considered lethal, and so they take it. And 237 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:36.840 five different times they took him to the edge of 238 00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:39.759 death with beatings. Can you imagine his back how bad 239 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:42.320 that would be. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once, 240 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:44.759 I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. Once I 241 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:47.440 spent a whole night and day adrift at sea. I've 242 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:50.120 traveled on many long journeys. I've faced danger from rivers 243 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:53.559 and from robbers, and I've faced danger for my own 244 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:56.639 people as well as from the gentiles. I faced danger 245 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:58.960 in the cities and the deserts on the seas, faced 246 00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:01.120 danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 247 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:03.960 I've worked hard and long and during many sleepless nights, 248 00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:07.000 I've been hungry and thirsty, gone without food. I've shivered 249 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:09.120 in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 250 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:11.480 And then besides this, I have the daily burden of 251 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.519 my concern for all the churches. Right, So that's what 252 00:11:14.519 --> 00:11:17.720 he's talking about, and he gets embarrassed about it, and 253 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:19.600 he's so then well. 254 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.080 And I love how he sort of concludes and says, hey, 255 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:23.720 I'm not going to boast about those things. If I'm 256 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:25.679 gonna boast a boy anying, I'm gonna boast about God. 257 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:28.519 Yeah, in my weakness, my weakness, and he's strong. So 258 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:30.240 then he goes, this boasting will do no good, but 259 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:34.919 I must go on. Is how I'm not done yet. 260 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:38.159 It almost feels like a self brag. Yeah, you know, 261 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.679 it's remember I mentioned the other day how Drag said 262 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:44.039 I'm extraordinarily humble. Yeah, the Guardians of the Galaxy. 263 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:46.039 Well, he's just putting his resume out there, and he's 264 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:49.919 trying to say, listen, whatever, you're amazed by some guy 265 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:53.639 swooping in and pretending like he's some superstar. For Jesus, 266 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:58.360 he has no claims that I can't exceed substantially right, 267 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.360 you're dismissing the word of God because you're listening to 268 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.799 some guy who's a false prophet, right, or a false apostle, 269 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:04.919 so he says. 270 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:07.440 Paul says, I don't mean to flex, but watch that. 271 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:09.120 Yeah, yeah, this boasting I'll do no good, but I 272 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:12.000 must go on right right, it says, I will reluctantly 273 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:15.639 tell you about visions and revelations from the Lord. I 274 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:18.120 was caught up to the Third Heaven fourteen years ago. 275 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:20.360 Whether I was in my body or out of my body, 276 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:23.120 I don't know. Only God knows. Yes, only God knows 277 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:24.679 whether I was in my body aus on my body. 278 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:26.879 But I do know that I was caught up to 279 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:29.919 paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be 280 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:33.480 expressed by in words, things no human is allowed to tell. 281 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.200 That experience is worth boasting about. But I'm not going 282 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:40.559 to do it, right, I will boast only about my weaknesses. 283 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.919 If I wanted to boast, i'd be no fool in 284 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.279 doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But 285 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:48.399 I won't do it because I don't want anyone to 286 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:50.159 give me credit beyond what they can see in my 287 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:52.639 life or hear my message. Even though I've received such 288 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:56.000 wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, 289 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.480 I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger 290 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:01.919 from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 291 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:05.360 Three different times I beg the Lord to take it away, 292 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:08.120 and each time he said, my grace is all you need. 293 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:11.799 Your power or my power works best in your weakness. 294 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:15.360 So now I'm glad to boast about my weaknesses so 295 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:17.679 that the power of Christ can work through me. That's 296 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:19.720 why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the 297 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:22.919 insults and hardships and persecutions and troubles that I suffer 298 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.679 for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 299 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:29.399 I had a friend, Yeah, I had a friend who 300 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:33.080 always used to say, unless you put yourself in a 301 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:38.799 position where if God doesn't show up then your toast right, 302 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:41.320 then then really you have not experienced the power of 303 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:44.039 God in your life. You know, there's a fine line 304 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:49.960 between like what am I trying to think? Like I 305 00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:53.360 don't say the word stupidity, but like unwise thinking and 306 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:55.759 actions right, like things that are from wise sure right, 307 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:59.240 and then things that are not necessarily unwise, but they 308 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:03.919 will take a confidence of God, of knowing like only 309 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:07.000 God can can pull this off. Right. And by the way, 310 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:08.759 as leaders, we constantly walk that line. 311 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:09.320 Right. 312 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:11.399 We don't want to do things that are unwise, but 313 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:13.519 at the same time, we want to do things that 314 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:16.159 inspire people to go out on faith, especially if it's 315 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.639 what we feel like God has called us to do. 316 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:18.080 Right. 317 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.240 So if God says do something big, you know, it's like, okay, 318 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:23.679 we're gonna You know, when you bought this building, When 319 00:14:23.720 --> 00:14:25.879 you bought this building and renovated it, yeah, then you 320 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:28.000 have to double in size within the first six months. 321 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:30.159 We couldn't afford to own it and not be in it, 322 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:32.279 which means we needed to do a three point seventy 323 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:37.000 five million dollar renovation in ninety days, which was impossible. Yeah, 324 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:41.080 but our construction team and our our architect just leaned 325 00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:43.000 in man did whatever it took to pull that off. 326 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.200 We moved in on the ninety first day, and then 327 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:47.519 we couldn't afford to keep it if we didn't double 328 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:50.000 in attendance in three months. Right. 329 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:52.480 So that's what I'm saying, Like that is a that 330 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:55.720 is a calculated risk. It seems like, you know, based 331 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:58.720 on church growth and your growth at the time, and 332 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:00.639 it seems like it's definitely a step of faith because 333 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.159 of lots at risk, but at the same time like 334 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:05.679 it's just one of those things where it's like God 335 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:07.879 can definitely do this, and he's going to and it's 336 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:10.879 a you know, if God didn't show up, you were toasted. 337 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:12.919 Well, one of our So it wasn't just because we 338 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:15.679 wanted to build a bigger building or have a bigger crowd. 339 00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:19.799 It was we were reaching so many lost people that 340 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.600 we were growing. Almost all of our growth at the 341 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:25.840 time was brand new believers. We weren't having people leave 342 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:27.320 your church and come to our church. You know, you 343 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:30.360 were in down right. You guys were the behemoth and 344 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:33.440 they weren't. We were just reaching tons and tons of 345 00:15:33.480 --> 00:15:35.639 lost people. And then all of a sudden, the school 346 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:37.879 we were renting wouldn't let us go to a third service. 347 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:39.799 All of a sudden, we were maxing out the school. 348 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:42.320 We couldn't grow anymore, and so I projected out that 349 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:44.960 we would completely stop growing in less than two years 350 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:47.440 unless we made a change, and so we wound up 351 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:52.759 moving to Heritage, to this new building at almost exactly 352 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:55.399 the two year mark from the day I projected it 353 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:00.440 two years prior, and in talking with the board elders, 354 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:03.759 I said, listen, we're at the point right now where 355 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:05.120 the shoe is going to tell the foot how big 356 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:08.720 it can get. And I'm just not done reaching lost 357 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:12.679 people with the gospel. I'd rather I would rather attempt 358 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:16.960 great things for God and put him in a situation 359 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:19.039 where he either chooses to bless us or shut the 360 00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:22.840 thing down. I'd rather close it than to stop reaching 361 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:25.519 more people for Christ. And I said, I'm not trying 362 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:27.559 to put him in a corner trying to say I 363 00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:29.080 believe God will show up if we give him an 364 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:30.960 opportunity to and I want to put him a situation 365 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:32.480 where he can show up and do a miracle to 366 00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:34.480 see even more people come to faith in Christ. And 367 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:37.399 since that time, we've baptized thousands of new believers. Yeah, right, 368 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:40.600 because this facility and now we've all grown this one. Right, 369 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:45.000 but that was what fifteen years ago. Yeah, we moved 370 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:47.879 in here, and yeah, it was amazing. So I love 371 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:52.120 it because Paul is talking this he's got this thorn 372 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:55.080 in the flesh, which we don't know what it is. 373 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:58.320 We don't know what it is. So some people because 374 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:01.240 he says, it's a thorn in the flesh. Some people 375 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.799 have you know, some the Ellogians who said it might 376 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:07.240 be malaria. Some the Elogians think it might have been 377 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:11.160 some other kind of traveler's sickness because he traveled so much. 378 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.680 You know, have you ever heard the hunchback there, thereal weakness? 379 00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:20.200 No, Yeah, so Paul means like little or something like that, 380 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:23.720 like hunched over, I think is another translation. So people 381 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:26.200 thought that maybe perhaps he had like a hunchback. Some 382 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:27.640 people actually have heard blind. 383 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:30.519 Yeah, he struggled with his eyesight. We know that because 384 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:32.720 when he finishes signing what is it, the Book of 385 00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:34.960 Galatians or whatever, he says, Hey, by the way, I 386 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:36.720 signed this in my own hand. That's why it's so 387 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:40.680 big when he's writing. So we do know he had 388 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:44.759 bad eyesight. That could be it. Others though, And I 389 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:48.160 had a very compelling conversation with somebody one time saying 390 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:53.759 they wondered because of the way that chapters nine and ten, 391 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:57.279 and then as he goes on thirteen, they wonder if 392 00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:59.799 it wasn't temptation. So he was a single man traveling 393 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:03.240 throughout the Greek and Roman world yea, and most of 394 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:07.319 the Greek and Roman worship was very sexual, very out there, 395 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:10.480 and so sometimes I've had people say, you know, I 396 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:13.240 wonder if that thorn in the flesh because he often 397 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:17.119 talked about fighting the flesh, putting the flesh down. So 398 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:19.880 if you're thinking in my body and that's what he 399 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:22.319 means when he talks about flesh, it might be a disease, 400 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:25.200 or it might have been blindness or something. But if 401 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:28.400