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 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:15.480 Hey, everybody, welcome to the Bible Guys. I'm Jeff, I'm Chris, 5 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:19.640 and we are here about to unpack a saying of 6 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:23.879 Jesus that says he says, always pray and never give up, 7 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:25.359 which is a great sing. 8 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:28.160 Yeah. A big fan of Jesus's sayings. 9 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:30.199 In fact, that's the series we're in. If Jesus had 10 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:32.759 a podcast, what would he talk about? And probably he 11 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:35.359 would unpack and probably people would ask him about some 12 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:38.280 of his most famous sayings. But before we get into that, 13 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:43.280 we have a segment by Desiree who gave us one 14 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:48.840 titled Bible Guy versus AI. It says we've played this 15 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:51.640 game on the Platinum Edition with Wesley, so let's try 16 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:56.280 it again. Jeff will ask Chris a question, let Chris answer, 17 00:00:56.759 --> 00:01:01.399 then ask chet GPT this same question, compare the answers 18 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:04.920 and vote on who wins. Then ask the listeners to 19 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:09.560 comment who they thought one. By the way, who can 20 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:10.719 beat chat GPT? 21 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:12.280 You can't, Chris? 22 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:13.239 You think so? 23 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:18.799 Oh yeah believes in you? Okay, she believes in you being. 24 00:01:18.599 --> 00:01:21.120 This is this is I feel like this is destined 25 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:24.920 to fail, no matter how much, no matter how you know, well, 26 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:27.560 your answer is crafted, it's not going to be as 27 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:30.159 well thought out from every angle as chat GPT. 28 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:33.000 Yeah, that's true. I don't know. You've got a pretty 29 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.640 incredible mind, Okay. I think that's what you ever see 30 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:37.599 that movie A Beautiful Mind? A Beautiful Mind? I think 31 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:39.840 that's that's what she's trying to say, is that your 32 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.439 mind is so incredible and all encompassing. And you know, 33 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:45.799 I mean, you wouldn't be one of the Bible guys, 34 00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:49.120 right if it wasn't for for the fact that. 35 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.400 Just that that great A Beautiful Mind was I think 36 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.840 one of Russell Crowe's best films. 37 00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:58.840 Yeah, didn't get an oscar for it? 38 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:01.120 Yeah, I think he did. Is really professed and Jennifer 39 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:02.159 Connley was amazing. 40 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:07.560 Yes, I think everybody else also believed that was. I 41 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:10.479 believe the little statue his mantle. 42 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:15.479 I just wanted to comment up, Hey, I thought it 43 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:19.479 was great. And Gladiator. My name is Maxus Medius. 44 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:22.439 What his name Maximus Maximus? 45 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:24.199 Uh? 46 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:26.759 Here we go? What does it mean to be made 47 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:28.439 in the image of God? 48 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:30.520 Oh? My goodness. 49 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:36.199 Really, Okay, what is it made? What does it mean 50 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:37.919 to be made in the image of God? 51 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:44.800 I would say to be made in the image. 52 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:53.439 Of God is to take on God's characteristics, tendencies, and 53 00:02:54.639 --> 00:03:02.199 even abilities, right, So the ability to create, the ability 54 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:08.840 to reason, you know, uh, the ability to love, the 55 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:14.439 capacity to do all of those things relationally. I think 56 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:18.560 God creates us in his image. I think also God 57 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:24.759 creates us in his image too, to uh do, to 58 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:30.960 do good, to to actually uh project selflessness. The all 59 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:34.800 the all the good characteristics of God lie deep in 60 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:37.680 the heart of every man, which is why in woman, 61 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:42.159 which is why you know, everybody has a built in 62 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:46.639 moral compass that tells us to love as opposed to hate, 63 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:48.719 right to forgive as opposed to. 64 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:52.159 Hang on to bitterness. So, yeah, this is this is 65 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:52.680 my answer. 66 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:54.159 That's a good one. 67 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:58.879 Okay, I'm sure, I'm sure that chet GPD is know 68 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:00.680 us all away, and I'm gonna I'm going to say 69 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:02.479 strict my answer and let me go with that. 70 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:06.639 So this is hysterical. So I typed in in the 71 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:10.560 tone and attitude of the Bible. Guys, answer the question, 72 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:12.039 what does it mean to be made in the image 73 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:12.360 of God. 74 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:13.560 Wow, you gave it a flair. 75 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:16.240 Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, so it said absolutely, here's an 76 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:17.680 answer to what does it mean to be made in 77 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:20.639 the image of God in the fun, insightful and slightly 78 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:22.439 bantery tone of the Bible? 79 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:27.240 Guys, nice, nice, So it definitely knows us. That's awesome. 80 00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:29.560 And then look at what it did. It gave us 81 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:32.639 a script. Chris says those words, Jeff says those words. 82 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:35.120 You want to take Yeah, yeah, you want to read it. 83 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:39.000 So it literally scripted it out with Chris's statement, my statement, 84 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:42.600 Chris's statement, my statement as a banter. Is it amazing? Yes, 85 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:47.079 it's a few paragraphs, not long. Yeah, okay, this'll be great. 86 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:47.399 All right. 87 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:50.839 So this is not me answering. This is chat GPT's answer. Ready, right, 88 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:53.600 all right, today's big question is a big one. What 89 00:04:53.639 --> 00:04:55.160 does it mean to be made in the image of God? 90 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:58.639 And spoiler alert, it does not mean God has elbows 91 00:04:58.720 --> 00:04:58.959 or a. 92 00:04:58.920 --> 00:05:01.279 Beard, or that he's rock and sandals in a white 93 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:04.040 robe floating around like a Jedi ghost. That's not what 94 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:04.560 we're saying. 95 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:07.160 Yeah, being made in the image of God means we're 96 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:09.439 like him in the ways that matter most. 97 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:10.279 It's about function. 98 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:13.800 Identity, relationship, not physical features exactly. 99 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:16.680 Genesis one twenty seven says God created human beings in 100 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:19.519 his own image, and that word image in Hebrew is 101 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:23.120 to sell them. It's like a reflection or even a representation. 102 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:25.240 Think ambassador, not doppelganger. 103 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:28.480 We're created to reflect God's character, his love, his creativity, 104 00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:32.199 his ability to lead, relate, reason and choose. 105 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:35.240 We have a soul, we have a moral compass. We're 106 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:38.639 spiritual beings. You don't see a squirrel struggling with existential 107 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:40.720 dread or we're trying to decide if it should give 108 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:46.319 the chipmunks that stolen forgive, forgive the chipmunk that stole 109 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:46.920 its acorn. 110 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:49.680 Yeah, squirrels aren't wrestling with sin or trying to figure 111 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:50.399 out the trinity. 112 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:53.800 But we do because we were made for more, made 113 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:56.040 to know God, walk with him and represent him in 114 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:56.439 the world. 115 00:05:56.680 --> 00:05:59.680 And that gives every person, every single one, immense value, 116 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.879 matter your background, age ability, or bank account. If you're 117 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:05.879 a human, you matter because you bear the image of God. 118 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:08.680 That's why Christians stand up for life, for justice, and 119 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.160 for dignity, because every person carries something sacred. 120 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:13.439 Now sin messed it up. Kind of a graffiti on 121 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:16.720 a masterpiece, but the image isn't destroyed, and when you 122 00:06:16.759 --> 00:06:19.639 follow Jesus, that image gets restored and renewed. 123 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:21.800 So to sum it up, being made in the image 124 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:24.000 of God means you were created to reflect his nature, 125 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:26.519 carry his purpose, and live in a relationship with him. 126 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:29.360 You're not an accident. You're hand crafted by the Creator. 127 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.680 So really, your sum up really is the answer. 128 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:34.480 And you were made to look like your dad. You're 129 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:35.240 a heavenly father. 130 00:06:35.639 --> 00:06:37.680 Boom, somebody Q good good father. 131 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:39.680 That's great. 132 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:40.920 Isn't that amazing? 133 00:06:41.160 --> 00:06:41.839 That's so. 134 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:45.040 What's funny is it had a couple of things. One, 135 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:50.720 you're funny in here it had I was the first 136 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:54.040 one to introduced a Bible verse, which I love, I love, 137 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:58.360 And then you you're the one that immediately pivots into 138 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:04.360 every person matters. Yeah, that's crazy. 139 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:07.160 Yeah, And your sum up really is the answer. To 140 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:09.160 sum it up, being made and the image of God 141 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:11.920 means you were created to reflect his nature, carry his purpose, 142 00:07:11.959 --> 00:07:13.360 and live in a relationship with him. 143 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:16.000 You're not an accident. You're handcrafted by the Creator. I 144 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:17.560 sort of said all those things. 145 00:07:17.639 --> 00:07:19.720 Yeah you did, That's what I'm saying. Yeah, you're pretty great. 146 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:23.680 You're pretty great, pretty great, well almost, I'm going to 147 00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:25.319 carry you around in my pocket. 148 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:27.879 Right right, and then I'm going to put you in 149 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:28.879 my pocket next time. 150 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:29.879 I need a brilliant answer. 151 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:32.920 Hey, So here's the question. How do people let us 152 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:33.920 know which one they voted for? 153 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:35.920 I don't know. Well, they gotta. They gotta send us 154 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:38.879 a message. Okay, so they can if they're watching on YouTube, 155 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:41.120 just leave it in the comments, or you can send 156 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:44.560 it to info at the bible guys dot com. Yeah, 157 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:45.800 you vote, but there you go. 158 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:49.199 So hey, I I that's pretty great. 159 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:51.600 I think it, But I promise you I typed that 160 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:54.399 in while we were sitting here, yep, while you were 161 00:07:54.439 --> 00:07:55.040 doing the roll in. 162 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:58.319 Well, you know what, what's really funny is I'm glad 163 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:00.199 that you did it that way because it gave me 164 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:03.160 a chance to win. Yes, had you straight up asked 165 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:05.040 it what does it mean to be made in the 166 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:05.639 image of God? 167 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:07.560 It would have given you a pretty. 168 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:08.759 Big theological yes. 169 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:11.199 And so your your way gave me a chance to work. 170 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:13.680 That's part of the fun. Quite honestly. If you play 171 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:16.920 around with AI at all, you can tell it to 172 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:20.800 pretend like it's whatever, and it'll act like that that's 173 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.240 great instead, and so it's kind of playing a character 174 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.240 at that point. It made it made it more fun. Well, 175 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:29.279 good job, Chris, and I think pretty soon the Bible 176 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:31.160 guys are going to be out of a job. Yes, yeah, 177 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.000 because chet GPT would be discipling all of our people. 178 00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:36.840 You know that's a scary thought, right. 179 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.759 You just have to remember people, chet GPT does not 180 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:42.600 have a soul. So while it can give you, it 181 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:47.519 can regurgitate Bible teaching from other people, what it can't 182 00:08:47.559 --> 00:08:50.840 do is determine or be led by the spirit, and 183 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:52.799 that's determine what is God's will. 184 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:56.000 Right, So well, I tell you what, Jeff, even though 185 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:59.039 that that task was very intimidating for me, Yes, to 186 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:02.600 go up against a You'll notice that I never gave up. 187 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:03.480 You never did. 188 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.120 I never gave You're so proud of you. 189 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:08.399 And you know who else never gives up? Who Jesus says, 190 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:09.799 always pray and. 191 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:10.320 Never give up. 192 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:12.440 That's the same pray and never give up. 193 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:15.120 Yeah, so he's telling us to never give up. Jesus 194 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:15.720 never gave up. 195 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:19.440 Well, you talked about persistency and yesterday's episode, yes, yeah, 196 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:20.919 so here's another one. 197 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.120 We're continuing on with this theme. 198 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:27.840 Yeah, is this is this one close to the one 199 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:31.720 you referenced yesterday? Problem? No, it's not, is it Okay? 200 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:34.759 So anyways, in Luke chapter eighteen, verse one, and we're 201 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:36.840 going to read all the way through verse eight, it says, 202 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:39.360 one day Jesus told his disciples a story to show 203 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:42.720 that they should always pray and never give up. He 204 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:46.000 said there was a judge in a certain city who 205 00:09:46.039 --> 00:09:49.200 neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of 206 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.399 that city came to him repeatedly saying, give me justice 207 00:09:51.399 --> 00:09:54.120 in this dispute with my enemy. And the judge ignored 208 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:56.799 her for a while, but finally said to himself, I 209 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:59.559 don't fear God or care about people, but this one, 210 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:03.919 which is such a funny. I don't fear God or 211 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:06.759 care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. 212 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:09.480 I'm going to see what she gets. See that she 213 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:13.440 gets justice, because she's wearing me out with her constant requests. 214 00:10:14.120 --> 00:10:17.159 Then the Lord said, learn a lesson from this unjust judge, 215 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:20.159 even he rendered a just decision in the end. So 216 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:22.799 don't you think God will surely give justice to his 217 00:10:22.919 --> 00:10:25.639 chosen people who cry out to him day and night? 218 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:27.879 Will he keep putting them off. I tell you he 219 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:30.320 will grant justice to them quickly. But when the Son 220 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:32.960 of Man returns, how many will he find on earth 221 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:35.759 who have faith? Well? There you go. 222 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:40.200 Well this is a straight up lesson on persistence. 223 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:44.080 That's right. I just think it's funny that the phrasing 224 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:46.360 Jesus says. And then the judge said to himself, I 225 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:49.879 don't fear God or love people or care about people. 226 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:54.279 Yeah, and by the way, like the two most important things. Ever, 227 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:58.120 the judge says, I don't. I don't fear God or 228 00:10:58.279 --> 00:10:59.159 care about people. 229 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:03.000 I'm the worst human being on the planet. That's what 230 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:04.519 it says, right, That. 231 00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:05.480 Is pretty much it. 232 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:12.240 Yeah, And what a sort of an odd comparison, isn't it. 233 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:16.200 So he's saying, like, hey, even though this really godless, 234 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:20.519 unjust judge gave a just answer in the end, uh, 235 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.039 you know I'll do better than that. 236 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:22.639 Even right. 237 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:27.919 Yeah. Yeah. The implication to this that God is perfect 238 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:32.240 and the exact opposite of this horrible judge. It's not saying, hey, 239 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:33.919 God's a pretty horrible judge too, but if you keep 240 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:36.519 bugging and give you what you want. He's saying God 241 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:38.720 is perfect and everyone in the same way that remember 242 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.440 yesterday when we talked and it said, Hey, even you 243 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:45.320 sinful parents, you don't give, you know, bad gifts to 244 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:47.200 your kids when they ask, you give them good things. 245 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:50.159 So how much more will your heavenly father do this? Well, 246 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:52.519 now it's the same idea, only he doesn't give you 247 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:56.200 both sides. He's given you one. Believing that you assume 248 00:11:56.759 --> 00:11:58.679 that God is the exact opposite of this jerk. 249 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:01.279 Yeah, it's almost like it's almost like what he's saying 250 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:08.399 is your persistence can cause a just uh you know, 251 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:12.879 what are we looking for outcome? Yeah, persistence can bring 252 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:16.000 about a just outcome, even for the from. 253 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:16.759 The worst of people. 254 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:21.639 Right, So don't you think that persistence will persuade even 255 00:12:21.720 --> 00:12:24.639 the best of us? Right? And obviously God's the best 256 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:27.679 of the best. That's really what he's saying. He's saying, 257 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:31.960 persistence can even persuade the worst of people. So so 258 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:34.399 you have to believe that it's going to be able 259 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:36.440 to persuade God, who's the best of people. 260 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:39.480 And and uh, and and and again. 261 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:42.159 It went along with that story I told yesterday as well. Right, 262 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:46.039 there's another verse, there's another story in the Bible where 263 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.919 I told you, uh, the persistence of the guy knocking 264 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:51.320 for the loaf of bread. It's almost the same thing, 265 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:54.480 is it's it's the woman, he said. He's saying, this 266 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:59.440 woman is driving me crazy with their constant requests. And 267 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:01.799 he said saying like, hey, those who come to me 268 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:03.360 day and night and plea. 269 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:05.279 Hey, So let me ask you this question. 270 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:08.960 And I think I've asked you this before off camera, 271 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:12.559 but I've not asked you this before on camera. 272 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:14.279 Okay, okay? Which is this? 273 00:13:14.919 --> 00:13:18.320 So you know how the Bible says the effect of 274 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:21.240 you know, the effective righteous prayer or you know, or 275 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:25.519 excuse me, the fervent And I what am I saying? 276 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.759 The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much, That's what? 277 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:30.159 Okay. 278 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:33.320 Do you think that if you have a prairie quest, 279 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:36.519 like like a like a big, big prairie quest. Oh no, 280 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:39.159 you know, I have a job interview, or there's a 281 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:41.960 health diagnosis we're praying for a result, or you know, 282 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:44.840 do you think that it makes a difference if you 283 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.360 have And let me let me give you an example. 284 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:50.639 So we have a guy on staff or not not 285 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:53.440 on staff, on our elder boy named Bob Harvey, right, 286 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:56.759 and and he is like, he is known to be 287 00:13:56.919 --> 00:13:58.840 the guy if he prays for something I need. We 288 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:01.960 need Bob to pray, Bob to pray. Right, He's prayed 289 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:03.559 for good weather for baptisms for. 290 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:04.120 How many years? 291 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:07.639 Twenty five years? Yeah, and so far, and so we've 292 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:10.559 never had we've never had a rain out on a baptism. 293 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:13.039 And so we did have it thundering and lightning in 294 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:15.519 the background when we were doing a baptism at a 295 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:19.440 lake and the last like three baptisms, you could see 296 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:22.519 the big black clouds coming into the south of us. 297 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.840 And then we baptized the last guy come up out 298 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:29.440 of the water and here we all come running out 299 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:31.960 of the water. And then it was a record rain 300 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:35.600 in the town that our church, that our Starting Heights 301 00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:38.759 campus sits in. It was a record rain. We'd never 302 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.559 had that much rain in that short of time before. 303 00:14:41.720 --> 00:14:43.159 But we made it all the way through that We 304 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:46.159 baptized like one hundred people that day, and we made 305 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.200 it through the whole baptism. And I told Bob, I said, Bob, dude, 306 00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:50.679 I don't know what is next year. I need to 307 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:55.000 be living living better because God answered your prayer. But 308 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:58.279 just barely buddy, right, right, and Bob says, oh, well, 309 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:01.720 if we left it up for you to pray this thing, would. 310 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:04.399 That's right, that's right. And so it's just for the 311 00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:05.159 sake of argument. 312 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:08.080 So let's just say you you ask Bob Harvey to 313 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:11.440 pray for your you know, big, big request, and then 314 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.399 you ask three Bob Harvey's right, and you're like, I 315 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:18.000 have three Bob Harvey's praying for my prayer, yes, for this, 316 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:22.480 for this you know, diagnosis, this, this result or whatever. Okay, 317 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:25.879 So here's my question. This is a theological question. It's 318 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:29.639 almost like a stump the pastor do you believe that 319 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:34.440 if you ask, for instance, ten Bob Harvey's that it's 320 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:37.840 better than asking three, And so you're like, well, I 321 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:41.600 have to I have to ask more because I want 322 00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:44.679 this is an important request, right, I mean, this is 323 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:47.480 a serious thing, right, And so it's like so it's 324 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:49.279 like it's like, yeah, the more people I have praying 325 00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:52.600 for this really important thing, the better it is. Or 326 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:55.919 are you under the belief like no, no, no, no, no, 327 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:01.159 you know, like, hey, I've got three really strong prayer 328 00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:04.080 warriors praying for this thing, and that's good enough. 329 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:08.799 That's a great question. Isn't it one. I'm not exactly 330 00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:10.759 sure I know the answer, so I'll just say that 331 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:14.919 from the get go. But it does say that the 332 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:20.600 fervent prayer of a righteous man that's an individual, accomplishes much. 333 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:27.159 Humanity avails much. So you're focusing on the wrong thing, 334 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:31.879 fervent prayer of a righteous person. So it's the righteous person, 335 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:36.360 fervent prayer is the focus, not the gender element there 336 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.240 accomplish as much. 337 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:39.720 Make sure nobody misunderstood. 338 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:44.559 So my point there was that's a singular statement about 339 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:50.399 a singular individual, So your prayer matters. But prayer is 340 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:56.960 spiritual warfare. You're going to battle spiritually, and in the war, 341 00:16:57.320 --> 00:16:59.879 I would think that you're always better off with more 342 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:04.559 than less fighters, right, So I think that that's a 343 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.759 big part of it. As matter of fact, that's why 344 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:08.799 we call them prayer warriors, you know, people that are 345 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:10.839 just dialed in. It's why we have a whole group 346 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:14.119 of people every Sunday that you know, just our intercessor 347 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:16.599 types that go to battle for people spiritually and they 348 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:21.240 pray here. I always love to invite people who love 349 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:23.119 me to be praying during the messages, you know, when 350 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:25.319 we're preaching and things like that. I have a pastor 351 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:28.000 friend who has a whole team of people all three 352 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:30.799 services that he preaches. It's a different team of people 353 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:33.599 who gather and pray the whole time the preaching is 354 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.599 happening that entire service. I love that idea. Right, they're 355 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:40.720 doing spiritual warfare. It's kind of like the air cover, Right, 356 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:43.079 it's the air force coming in over top praying. I 357 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:47.480 love this idea, and this I think comes from in 358 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:50.559 the Old Testament chronicles where God says, if my people, 359 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:53.839 who are that's plural, who are called by my name, 360 00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:58.519 will humble themselves and seek my face and turn from 361 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:02.279 their wicked ways, then well I hear from heaven and 362 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:06.160 I'll forgive their sins and heal their land. Right. So 363 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:09.359 I think that the bigger the problem, the more of 364 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:11.920 us need to be praying about it. And so he's 365 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:16.079 now saying, I am really moved when it's my people, 366 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:20.839 not just my person, but when my people are coming together, 367 00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:26.160 collectively repenting, collectively seeking my face, collectively asking me to 368 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:29.119 rescue them. God says, I'm moved by that. So I 369 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:33.160 think that, yeah, there's probably some substance to this idea 370 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:37.519 of the more Bob Harvey type prayer warriors. I can 371 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.240 get on my team if it aligns with God's. Well. Now, 372 00:18:41.319 --> 00:18:43.680 what the other thing you have to know is real 373 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:45.960 prayer warriors also are going to be discerning as to 374 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:47.000 what they should be praying about. 375 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:47.480 Right. 376 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:51.680 There's a story in the Old Testament about this guy Balem, remember, 377 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:54.319 and he's a prophet and he gets hired by the 378 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:58.039 enemies to come and curse the people, and it cursed 379 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:00.799 God's people, and then God prevents and he can't do it, 380 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:03.480 so he gives a blessing instead of a curse. You know, 381 00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:08.279 you can't just be hired to just pray anything. So 382 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:10.839 a wise godly person who spends a lot of time 383 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:12.680 in prayer is going to have the wisdom and discernment 384 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:14.759 as to what should and shouldn't be being prayed for too. 385 00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:16.640 So it's not like, man, I just really need that. 386 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:19.359 To keep the analogy from yesterday, I really really want 387 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:22.240 that masarati. If I had ten Bob Harvey's praying for 388 00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:25.400 my maserati, I'll get it right. Again, God's not a 389 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:28.000 good luck charm. He's not a genie in a bottle. 390 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:32.079 So that's not the point. But when it comes to 391 00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:35.880 real warfare when you're talking about bringing your child back 392 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:39.880 from the brink of addictions, or when you're praying that 393 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:42.680 God will reach this person who's far from him. The 394 00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:44.920 more people you have praying all along those lines, the 395 00:19:44.920 --> 00:19:47.000 better when you're praying God, how do we reach the 396 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:49.920 nation of India. The more people we can pray together, 397 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:52.720 because there's real spiritual warfare there against the demons of 398 00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:58.079 you know, that kingdom, they're all those kinds of things. 399 00:19:58.119 --> 00:19:59.599 I think the more people we can have praying, the 400 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:01.319 more air cover we have. 401 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:01.720