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 --> 00:00:15.160 practical ways. Well, Wesley, good morning, good. 4 00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:20.960 Morning, we talk good morning to you. 5 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:23.839 Actually I think I was off key there, so hey, 6 00:00:23.879 --> 00:00:26.320 good morning everybody, or good evening if you're listening in 7 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:26.640 the evening. 8 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:27.239 My name is Chris. 9 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:29.920 This is Wesley. He's filling in for Jeff, and today 10 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:31.160 we are the Bible Guys. 11 00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:35.719 Yes, so that is our title improved. 12 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:39.600 That's it, younger, handsomer, right, more charming. 13 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:41.920 Jeff's not listening, so we can say we can. 14 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:46.359 Just go on the line, right, Gee. Is that's so funny? 15 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:48.399 So hey, we're gonna start out with a segment that 16 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:52.240 Desiree has given to us. And I'm telling you it's 17 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:55.520 only because, as Jeff always says, we are committed to 18 00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:57.359 give the best news. 19 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:58.920 Yes, just the only yes. 20 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:01.560 And of course, if you don't know, Babylon b is 21 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:06.079 a satire site, So this article that's posted here is 22 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:07.719 actually the title of. 23 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:08.519 It is so funny. 24 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:12.120 I love these, by the way, sophisticated humor because it 25 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:13.239 reads like it's supposed to be, you. 26 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:15.319 Know, I think it's so good. 27 00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:20.400 So the title is Facebook renamed more accurate Keeping Track 28 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:21.680 of People's Birthdays book? 29 00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:26.680 Okay, so it says this US. Facebook is currently undergoing 30 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.640 a change a name change. 31 00:01:28.359 --> 00:01:30.480 To bring its brand more in line with. 32 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:34.760 Its sole purpose remaining use reminding people of upcoming birthdays. 33 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:37.799 The new name, Keeping Track of People's Birthdays Book was 34 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:41.280 announced by Meta during a quarterly earnings call. People use 35 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.840 Facebook because they all they've always used it, But no 36 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:47.439 one's interacting with friends and loved ones on our horrible, clunky, 37 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:52.719 ad infested app. They're just checking birthdays. Founder, Facebook founder 38 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:57.719 and Meta CEO Mark Zuerberg explained, just call a spade 39 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.120 a spade. Okay, oh hey, it's my mom's birth that 40 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:02.959 he added, before abruptly ending the call. Short and a 41 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:06.719 survey of its users, Meta determined that everyone thought Facebook 42 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:09.000 was a built in calendar app on their phone and 43 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:10.919 didn't know that you could post pictures in common on 44 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:13.800 your day with it. Wait, this is a social media network, 45 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.240 said one user, who had been using social media network 46 00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:20.159 for over ten years. At publishing time, Meta announced it 47 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:22.280 was renaming Instagram. 48 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:26.680 To Facebook with extra steps. Graham, that's hilarious, is it? 49 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:29.159 Yeah? I was going to say, birthdays and. 50 00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:31.439 Cats birthdays and cats that's it. 51 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:32.800 And puppy videos. 52 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:36.080 Well, you know what's so funny is that, you know, 53 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:39.520 it's definitely a generational thing, right, so those who grew 54 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:44.520 up with Facebook like me, where Facebook was actually sort 55 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:45.599 of the only thing, right. 56 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:46.840 Do you remember my Space? 57 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:52.000 So I remember MySpace. I wasn't on MySpace, so that 58 00:02:52.039 --> 00:02:54.319 would have been I'm trying to think, would I have 59 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:57.439 been in high school. I might have been in college 60 00:02:57.479 --> 00:02:59.919 when my Space came up, but yeah, I was never 61 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:01.240 on it, never on that one. 62 00:03:01.319 --> 00:03:03.039 So that would have been my kids kind of thing. 63 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:05.759 So, like, I remember I was never on MySpace, but 64 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.960 my kids actually you know, had a MySpace and I 65 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:10.680 was like, I was like, what is happening? 66 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:11.759 This? This is crazy? 67 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:15.319 And then and then Facebook, you know obviously you know, 68 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:19.439 skyrocketed and and it you know, and still by the way, 69 00:03:19.479 --> 00:03:24.759 the most popular, uh downloaded that. But I think people today, uh, 70 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:29.240 anybody my age and younger. Yeah, I honestly think that 71 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:32.560 people just have Facebook because they feel like they have to, don't. 72 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:35.879 You Sometimes people send out like invites to the events, yes, 73 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.400 via Facebook and things like that. 74 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:40.199 Yeah, and so people you can always tell by the 75 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:41.639 photos yeah. 76 00:03:41.719 --> 00:03:43.400 Right, so if they don't have a lot of photos, 77 00:03:43.639 --> 00:03:44.840 they don't really care about Facebook. 78 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:47.120 Yeah, I just want to let you know about this 79 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:48.960 rs VP, right right. 80 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:53.240 So yeah, but that's pretty funny though. So how many 81 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:54.439 friends do you have on Facebook? 82 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.639 I'm not on Facebook as much as I used to be. 83 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:01.639 If I had to guess, like seven hundred, seven hundred 84 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:05.400 a lot of prints, yeah, I've got you probably have 85 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:06.039 two jillion. 86 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.319 Yeah, well it is. It's maxed out on Facebook. 87 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:11.639 But it's only because I was a part of a 88 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:14.439 large church, right, so you know, you know when you 89 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:17.120 have when you have a church of four thousand people 90 00:04:17.160 --> 00:04:19.920 on a Sunday morning, uh, you know, eventually you're just 91 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:22.439 gonna fill that suckle up, right. And then our church 92 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:25.240 was much bigger at the time. And then I came 93 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:28.079 over to Heritage, and I thought about canceling my old 94 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:30.519 Facebook and opening up like a corporate account because it's 95 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:33.680 unlimited like a business account. But I thought, nah, because 96 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:37.160 it won't grow like that again. Right, So anyway, so. 97 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:39.360 But surely I had to go in because your limits 98 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:39.839 five thousand. 99 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:41.279 Yeah, so you have to go in and you sort 100 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:43.680 of have to delete people, and so you know, I'm 101 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:46.199 sort of slowly adding new church people. 102 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:47.959 And so were you're going through. Yeah, I never liked 103 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:48.759 that person. 104 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:52.480 To be honest. It's not that, it's more like, I 105 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:53.439 don't know who this is. 106 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:56.480 I have no idea what ninety percent of who these 107 00:04:56.519 --> 00:04:58.839 people are, right, So I always say five thousand of 108 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:02.680 my closest friends. Yeah, it's our nobody, right. 109 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.240 Yeah, So anyway, that's great. 110 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:08.680 Well, hey, listen, if you were here last time, then 111 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:12.920 you heard Wesley Reid from First Samuel and we talked 112 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:16.920 about how excuse me, how God anointed or God, you know, 113 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:20.360 asked Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel. 114 00:05:20.759 --> 00:05:23.600 And today we're going to see that Samuel, as the 115 00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:27.160 last judge of Israel, is going to give his farewell 116 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:30.600 speech and he's going to say goodbye. He was old, 117 00:05:30.680 --> 00:05:36.560 he's retiring. You know, God had judges for over three 118 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:41.079 hundred plus years, and Samuel is the last of those. 119 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:42.680 And there's like eight or nine of them. 120 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:45.279 I can't remember how many, but but you know some 121 00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:46.519 of them were very significant. 122 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:46.839 Yea. 123 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:50.519 And so Samuel is going to basically bow out, and 124 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:53.319 then we're going to start the reign of kings, and 125 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:55.439 then we all know that after kings, well some of 126 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:58.439 us know that after the Ring, the reign of King 127 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:01.639 Saul is going to be King David, and so God's 128 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:05.040 going to use this and so, you know, an overall 129 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:08.160 sort of thing that we'll eventually get to is, even 130 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.360 though that it wasn't God's idea to have a king 131 00:06:10.519 --> 00:06:11.519 of Israel. 132 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:14.920 At least, you know, an earthly king, we're going to 133 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:15.399 see that. 134 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:19.839 God takes even our worst ideas and somehow still uses 135 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:21.000 them for something good. 136 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:23.759 Yeah. Well, how that scripture talks about how God will 137 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:27.160 work out things for your good. He doesn't cause the 138 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:30.360 bad things, but he can take the mess sometimes that 139 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:34.319 we create and work something out for our good out 140 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:34.879 of that thing. 141 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:37.240 Yeah that's great. Yeah, yeah, it's an old song that 142 00:06:37.240 --> 00:06:40.600 I was saying. He brings beauty from ashes, right, grace 143 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:41.040 from fear. 144 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:42.199 Anyway. 145 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:45.519 So, first Samuel, chapter twelve, verses one through twenty five. 146 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.439 For those of you who have been with us week 147 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:51.600 after week, we're reading out of the New Living Translation, 148 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:55.439 and it says, then Samuel addressed, all Israel, I have 149 00:06:55.560 --> 00:06:57.839 done as you have asked and given you a king. 150 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:01.439 Your king is now your leader. I stand here before 151 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:04.720 you an old gray haired man, and my sons serve you. 152 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:07.839 I have served as your leader from the time I 153 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:11.360 was a boy to this very day. Now testify against 154 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:13.639 me in the presence of the Lord and before his 155 00:07:13.720 --> 00:07:17.199 anointed One. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have 156 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:19.959 I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? 157 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:23.800 Have I ever taken a bribe in perverted justice? Tell me, 158 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:26.279 and I will make right whatever I have done wrong 159 00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:29.839 verse four. No, they replied, you have never cheated or 160 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:33.439 oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bride. 161 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:37.160 The Lord and his anointed One are my witnesses today. 162 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:41.279 Samuel declared that my hands are clean. Yes, he is 163 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:44.560 a witness. They replied. It was the Lord who appointed 164 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:48.680 Moses and Aaron. Samuel continued, he brought his ancestors out 165 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:51.959 of the land of Egypt. Now stand here quietly before 166 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:54.560 the Lord. Is I remind you of all the great 167 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:57.720 things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors. 168 00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:01.560 When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to 169 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:04.920 the Lord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them 170 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:08.399 from Egypt and to bring them into this land. But 171 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:11.600 the people soon forgot about the Lord. Their God. So 172 00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:15.959 he handed them over to Cicera, the commander of Hazor's army, 173 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:19.199 and also to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab, 174 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:22.959 who fought against them Verse ten. Then they cried to 175 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:26.079 the Lord again and confessed, we have sinned by turning 176 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:29.360 away from the Lord and worshiping the images of bel 177 00:08:29.560 --> 00:08:33.759 and Ash death. But we will worship you and you alone, 178 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:36.879 and you will rescue us from our enemies. Then the 179 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:42.159 Lord sent and Gideon bedon Jephthah and Samuel to save you, 180 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:45.720 and you lived in safety. But when you were afraid 181 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:48.720 of Nahash, the king of Amen, you came to me 182 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:51.320 and said that you wanted a king to reign over you. 183 00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:54.679 And even though the Lord, your God, was already your king. 184 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:57.960 All right, here is the king you have chosen. You 185 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:00.759 asked for him, and the Lord has granted your request. 186 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:03.360 I actually love that line right there, you asked for 187 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:06.960 it verse fourteen. Now, if you fear and worship the 188 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:09.360 Lord and listen to his voice, and if you do 189 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:12.720 not rebel against the Lord's commands, then both you and 190 00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:15.960 your king will show that you recognize the Lord as 191 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:18.919 your god. But if you rebel against the Lord's commands, 192 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:21.720 and refuse to listen to him. Then his hand will 193 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.519 be as heavy upon you as it was upon your 194 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:28.320 ancestors verse sixteen. Now stand here and see the great 195 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.279 thing the Lord is about to do. You know that 196 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:33.679 it does not reign at this time of the year, 197 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:36.240 during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to 198 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:39.639 sin thunder and reign today. Then you will realize how 199 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:42.559 wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king. 200 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:45.480 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent 201 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:48.559 thunder and reign that day. All the people were terrified 202 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:51.200 of the Lord and of Samuel. Pray to the Lord, 203 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:53.559 your God for us, or we will die, they all 204 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:56.399 said to Samuel, for now we have added to our 205 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:59.679 sins by asking for a king Verse twenty. Don't be 206 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:03.080 a free Samuel. Reassure them you have certainly done wrong. 207 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:05.960 But make sure now that you worship the Lord with 208 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:08.879 all your heart, and don't turn your back on him. 209 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:13.399 Don't go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help 210 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:17.399 or rescue you. They are totally useless. The Lord will 211 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:21.320 not abandon his people, because that will dishonor his great name. 212 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:23.879 For it has pleased the Lord to make you his 213 00:10:24.120 --> 00:10:27.320 very own people Verse twenty three. As for me, I 214 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:30.240 will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my 215 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:33.120 prayers for you, and I will continue to teach you 216 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.120 what is good and right. But be sure to fear 217 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:39.120 the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the 218 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:41.759 wonderful things he has done for you. But if you 219 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:45.480 continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away. 220 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:46.879 Woo. 221 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:48.559 There is a lot there. 222 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:53.000 Hey, So Samuel's farewell address comes with it a lot 223 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:53.440 of things. 224 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:53.759 Yep. 225 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:59.360 I love how at the very beginning he tries to 226 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:05.399 sort of remind people. At first glance, it may seem 227 00:11:05.399 --> 00:11:07.840 like he's tooting his own horn, right, He's like, Hey, 228 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:09.440 at the end of my career, check me out. 229 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:13.320 I'm faithful, I've not done a single thing. I am awesome. 230 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:14.840 But that is not what he's doing. 231 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:19.039 I believe what he's doing is he's establishing credibility for 232 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:23.200 what's about to happen. Right, He's reminding the people that, like, Hey, 233 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:25.320 I have something really important to tell you. This is 234 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:28.559 my last speech, this is my last farewell address, and 235 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:30.960 I'm going to prove to you that you have sinned 236 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:34.679 by calling you know, announcing that you know. Here comes rain, 237 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:37.360 here comes thunder that you already know is impossible during 238 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:39.080 this time of the year. But I'm going to tell 239 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.759 you just to prove to you that what I'm telling 240 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:44.440 you is true. I've told you all along you've sinned 241 00:11:44.440 --> 00:11:46.200 by asking for a king. So I think what he's 242 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:49.519 doing is at the very beginning, he's probably doing multiple things, 243 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:55.480 but I think he's establishing credibility of saying, can I 244 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:58.559 remind you who's talking to you? Can I remind you that, 245 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:01.120 even though you're enamored with what you're about to get, 246 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:03.600 that I want to remind you who I am and 247 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:07.360 who you've had, right, because he's like, hey, listen, He's like, 248 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:09.720 don't you remember that when you when you did well, 249 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:12.519 everything was great when you did when you when you sinned. 250 00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:15.399 Your ancestors have sin your you know, your mothers, your fathers, 251 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:16.080 your grandfathers. 252 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:17.559 You remember those guys and. 253 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:20.080 When they sinned and they were worshiping bail, don't you 254 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:21.039 remember what happened? 255 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:22.799 Right? And then they sent for you. 256 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:25.919 All these people, including myself get in and those other 257 00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:28.799 guys and myself were the ones that that that God 258 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:31.679 used to rescue you. And so you understand that I've 259 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:34.440 been faithful, and so they said, yes, you've been faithful. 260 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:37.600 He said, Okay, now now that you recognize just who 261 00:12:37.639 --> 00:12:40.039 it is that's talking to you, let me tell you 262 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:42.840 something about yourselves. I think that's what's happening here. 263 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:46.559 I think, Chris, there's something to be said about reflecting 264 00:12:46.679 --> 00:12:49.720 back on what God has done for us. I think 265 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:53.519 oftentimes as we move forward in life and we're facing 266 00:12:53.559 --> 00:12:57.639 different issues, the enemy will try to make us think 267 00:12:57.639 --> 00:12:59.679 that God won't do what he said he would do. 268 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:02.480 The enemy will try to wear us down and make 269 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:05.279 us think that God is and faithful. God won't answer 270 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:08.120 that prayer. And I think it's in times like that 271 00:13:08.120 --> 00:13:11.039 that we have to reach back and remember, yeah, God 272 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.879 did bring me out last time. Yeah God did bless 273 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:16.720 my family. Yeah God did answer that prayer. So I 274 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:18.879 think that's a really important thing to do for us 275 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:21.960 to not forget, because I think it's easy to just 276 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:24.799 look forward and you can sometimes forget all the things 277 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:25.759 that God did for you. 278 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:26.240 Right right. 279 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:30.799 Yeah, Well, it's no different than you know, being confident 280 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:33.519 and just about anything. You know, when something is faithful 281 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:36.080 in the past, you know, and something always comes through that, 282 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:38.360 it gives us more confidence in the future, you know, 283 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:40.799 in that same scenario. And that could be true for 284 00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:44.879 a personality, it could be true for quite honestly anything, right. 285 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:49.399 But but yeah, when God continues to be faithful, it 286 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:53.759 hopefully will propel us to trust them for greater things. 287 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:56.039 Yeah, right, and so and. 288 00:13:56.039 --> 00:14:00.200 So there will be seasons when things look bleak. But 289 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:02.360 that's why the Bible says we walk by faith. So 290 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:05.320 we walk by our confidence and belief in God's word, 291 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.399 not what we see. So there will be seasons where 292 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:10.480 things are going to look rough, things are going to 293 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:12.440 look bad, and you've got to reach back to some 294 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:14.840 of those old things to sustain you. 295 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:15.200 Right. 296 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:17.440 Another thing that it sticks out to me in this 297 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:24.000 passage in this speech is there's probably not too many uh, 298 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:26.679 you know, leaders that could be able to make the 299 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:28.120 claim that Samuel made. 300 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:30.440 He's like, he's like, name me one time. 301 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:34.120 Yeah, right. It's basically like he's saying, call me out once, yes, 302 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:35.159 just throw it out there. 303 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:38.360 He's like, I dare anybody to come up with a 304 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:40.679 single incident, and by the way, if you do, then 305 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:42.960 I'll make it right, right, because you know, he definitely 306 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:45.200 wants to be humble about what he's saying. So he's like, hey, 307 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:47.759 if you if you can find one, I'll make it right. 308 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:50.279 So he's not you know, that's how you can see 309 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:52.360 his humility. But what he's really doing here is he's 310 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:55.960 saying like, hey, I've been faithful, and so think. 311 00:14:55.799 --> 00:14:57.440 About it when we get to the end of our lives. 312 00:14:57.799 --> 00:15:00.200 This is one of the greatest things that can ever 313 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:03.360 be said at our funerals, right, think about this did 314 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:04.720 every day at the time that I went to the 315 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:11.600 Promise Keepers conference. So you know, remember Promise Keepers. Yeah, 316 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:13.440 so Promise Keepers was a pretty big movement. 317 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:13.720 You know. 318 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:17.960 It was the men's conference, you know, focusing on you know, 319 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:20.080 the promise that we keep and all these kinds of things. 320 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.679 And so anyway, I was in Atlanta, Georgia in the 321 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:28.480 Georgia Dome and it was sixty thousand people. So just 322 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:30.519 like I mean, think about Ford Field, right, just being 323 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:34.840 completely filled up. And anyway, so the coach was the leader, 324 00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:36.440 you know, of the Promise Keepers. He's up on the 325 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:38.600 stage and he says, I want you to exercise. I 326 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:41.279 want everybody to stand up and get in groups of 327 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:43.519 you know, three or four whatever, and he goes, I 328 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:45.759 want you to share with people at the end of 329 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:47.080 your life, what do you want to be known for? 330 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:49.519 And I was with my little tiny church staff at 331 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:51.440 the time, and we all stood up and we were talking, 332 00:15:51.799 --> 00:15:55.360 and we went around the room, and my pastor that 333 00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:57.039 I worked for said, you know what, at the end 334 00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:58.960 of my life, I want to be known as an evangelist. 335 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:02.120 And I was like, well, that's that's great, that's a 336 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:03.600 good thing, you know, but it didn't just seem it 337 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:06.039 didn't seem big enough. He was like, you know, I mean, 338 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:09.320 being evangelist is great, but we're talking about the thing 339 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.200 that you want to be known for for your entire life, 340 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:13.600 you know how, And that's a pretty hard thing to choose. 341 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:15.919 And then the worship leader says, well, I want to 342 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:18.000 be known as a guy who worships, you know, has 343 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:20.320 a great worship. And I was like, well, that's good too, 344 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:22.399 you know, but it just didn't seem big enough. And 345 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:24.159 I was trying to think, God, give me a word 346 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:27.279 that's that's encapsulating. And then and then I said, I 347 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.960 got it. I said, I want to be known as 348 00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:34.799 somebody who's faithful, because faithfulness encapsulates everything. I want to 349 00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:37.399 be faithful in my marriage right because I grew up 350 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:40.679 in a household where nobody practically was faithful in their marriage. Right, 351 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:41.840 I want to be I want to be a guy 352 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:43.679 that gets to the end of my marriage and says, 353 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:46.879 you know, I've been faithful to my wife. Right, that's 354 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:49.200 a that's a goal. I want to be faithful to God. 355 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:51.440 I want to be faithful in ministry. I want to 356 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:55.000 be faithful. You know, faithfulness encapsulates everything. And so I 357 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:57.480 was I was really happy with that answer, and they 358 00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:59.240 were like huh. They shook their head, you know, they 359 00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:01.879 were like, yeah, that's good. And then we all did 360 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:04.400 our exercise, get done, and then we looked up and 361 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.759 then coach says, hey, I want to let you know 362 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:09.119 that we got a hold of Billy Graham because the 363 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:11.160 back then he was still alive. And we said, we're 364 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:13.920 going to listen to what Billy's answer was. And then 365 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:16.079 they played the video and Billy says, you know, at 366 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:16.559 the end of my. 367 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:20.079 Life, I want to be faithful. Y'all want to be 368 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:22.960 found faithful. And I was like, yes, I was like, 369 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:26.440 I did it. I think the same answer as Billy Graham. 370 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:26.720 You know. 371 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:28.160 I was like, that's it. 372 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:32.200 And honestly, I think that has stuck with me for 373 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:35.640 thirty years because I think it's one of the best 374 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:39.680 things that could ever be said at anybody's funeral. And 375 00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:42.680 if you think about it, that is exactly what Samuel's saying. 376 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:46.359 He's saying, name me a time where I've broken my faithfulness, 377 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:49.359 and they're saying, Nope, you've done it. You know, I 378 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:51.440 think that's just an incredible goal for all. 379 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:54.759 Of us to drill down even a little further. Verse four. 380 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:57.240 This is related to what you're talking about. It says no, 381 00:17:57.319 --> 00:18:00.359 they replied, you have never cheated or oppressed us, and 382 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:04.039 you have never taken even a single bribe. Yes, I 383 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:06.680 think about our own lives. You know. Maybe there are 384 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:09.839 some listeners who work in a corporate environment. Maybe you 385 00:18:09.880 --> 00:18:12.480 do real estate, maybe you work in a factory. You 386 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:15.200 can work in lots of different areas. Can it be 387 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:19.759 said in your workplace that you never cheated or oppressed 388 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:23.279 others or have never taken a single bride yea, even 389 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:27.039 when let's say it's culturally acceptable. You know, let's say 390 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:33.480 that you work in an environment where it's okay. I 391 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:36.599 won't say okay, but people will look the other direction 392 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:39.559 if you kind of shave off the edges a little bit. 393 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:41.559 You know, as long as we meet our sales quota, 394 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.599 as long as we you know, we're profitable, and yeah, 395 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:47.960 we'll kind of look the other way. Are you still faithful? 396 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:51.319 Are you still honest? Are you still all of those truthful? 397 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:55.799 Even when culturally it might be acceptable. I think that's 398 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:57.000 something for us to think about. 399 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:00.160 Yeah, it reminds me of that movie Family Man where 400 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:03.079 Nicholas Cage. It's almost like it's a Wonderful life type 401 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:06.359