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 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:14.160 Chris, Jeff, it's a big day. 5 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:18.079 It's Friday. That's right, Friday, Friday. 6 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.879 It's it's the day after the day after New Year's 7 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:24.480 is it? Yeah? I thought that was two days ago, 8 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:26.239 So I said, it's the day after the day after 9 00:00:26.280 --> 00:00:26.760 New Year's. 10 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.039 Oh, I thought you were like stumbling. Yeah, you're stumbling, 11 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:33.479 and you thought it's the day after day after New Year's. Hey, 12 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:35.039 so when we get to Monday, it'll be the day 13 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:36.759 after the day after the day after the day after 14 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:37.600 the day afternoon years. 15 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:40.240 Yeah, yeah, very very much. This is this is our 16 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:44.240 poor listeners and sixty five more of those Oh yeah wow. Okay, 17 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:47.679 So anyways, the reason why I wanted to highlight that 18 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:49.399 is not only is it the day after the day 19 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:54.479 after New Year's, but it's also the most important day 20 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:58.520 of the week. Yeah, because this is it's the. 21 00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:02.200 First one of the year, one the year of the year. 22 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:07.040 With what made Chris mad this week dumb the most 23 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:08.159 important segment we did. 24 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:11.599 Yes, it's very important. People. People must log this away 25 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:12.280 in their brains. 26 00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:13.719 So what made Chris mad. 27 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:17.120 Well, I have to tell you, Jeff, it happened yesterday. 28 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:21.400 I have one ready to go. So we're coming out 29 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:22.200 of the Christmas season. 30 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:24.239 By the way, I've noticed most of the things that 31 00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:28.079 make you make you mad this week are very fresh. Yeah, 32 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:29.400 you have a lot of that. You have a lot 33 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:31.840 of things. I mean, it's it's it's always fresh wounds. 34 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:36.159 Well, you know what it is. People are just dumb, Jeff. 35 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:37.280 And that's what makes you mad. 36 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:41.040 Yeah, okay, there's just no shortage of dumb people. 37 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:42.239 You're right, You're right, you know. 38 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:44.400 And by the way, you mean that with all the 39 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:44.959 love you can. 40 00:01:45.480 --> 00:01:47.760 By the way, by the way, the last time I shared, 41 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:51.719 we got Chris mad. I shared the guy with hanging 42 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:54.159 the lights right, and I said something I didn't want 43 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:54.760 to say. 44 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:57.000 Oh yeah, you got Yeah, don't say it again. 45 00:01:57.159 --> 00:01:58.840 I'm not gonna say it again. Okay, but but I 46 00:01:58.879 --> 00:01:59.680 remember I said. 47 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:02.200 Oh, we should be record that people and then and 48 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:04.400 then you were like oh no, no, no, no, They loaned it. 49 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:05.280 They loved it. 50 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:08.000 I didn't have a single person that didn't come up 51 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:09.400 to me and say, oh, you shouldn't done that. 52 00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:11.120 They all came up and be like, oh my gosh, 53 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:13.800 that was so funny. But I felt so bad. 54 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.240 Because I was like, I was in the church lobby 55 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:18.360 after a service and I got like twenty five comments 56 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:21.280 of people saying stuff, and you know you sort of 57 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:23.120 want to say, wow, that message that you just gave 58 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:25.520 was really powerful, right, No, no. 59 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:27.080 No, didn't want to talk about what makers mean. 60 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:32.919 Said about that guy, And I was like, okay, all right. 61 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:36.599 Anyways, anyways, so here's the thing. We have no shortage 62 00:02:36.599 --> 00:02:39.599 of done people. I were coming out of the Christmas season. 63 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:43.319 I made a significant purchase. Okay, it wasn't like over 64 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:45.960 the top significant, but it was pretty significant. 65 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:46.120 Especially for me. 66 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:47.879 It was your biggest gift this year by far. 67 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:51.039 Yes, and uh and so and and and so. What 68 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:55.360 I discovered through the I'm trying to get non specific here, 69 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:59.840 but what I discovered was is that the salesman sold 70 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:03.520 me things that I did not need. Clearly he upsold 71 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:06.240 he sold you and and so. 72 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:08.280 I mean, hey, the best salesman are taught to upsell. 73 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:12.759 Yes, but looking back, it was all careless, Like he 74 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:14.599 sold me the wrong things, Jeff. 75 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.719 So not only the upsell you stuff where it costs 76 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:20.280 you more, he sold anything wrong stuff. 77 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:23.319 Is the things that did not work did not work. 78 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:26.719 They did that work got he got a Christmas bonus 79 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:27.120 because of you. 80 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:30.919 Well he did, because I have I know for a 81 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.280 fact that the more you sell, the more you get 82 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:35.240 in that particular job. 83 00:03:35.319 --> 00:03:37.400 Right. So anyway, so yeah, he's. 84 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.319 Like, oh yeah, add this at this, ad this, and 85 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:41.199 you could you could get this special little thing. 86 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.280 It's so cool. It'll be like, you know, mounted and 87 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:43.520 all this. 88 00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:46.199 So so anyway, he sells me this mount that doesn't 89 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:49.520 even work, doesn't didn't even check. And so basically I 90 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:53.319 look back and I thought to myself, I now know 91 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:56.599 what he did, which was and I hate say it 92 00:03:56.599 --> 00:03:58.199 this way, but I do believe it, so I'm going 93 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:01.000 to say it. He was not thinking of me in 94 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.159 those moments. He was thinking of him, yes, And so 95 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:05.240 that made me mad. 96 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:07.919 He had he had a he had a live whale 97 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:10.680 on the hook and he's reeling him in. That's all 98 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:10.919 they do. 99 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:12.000 And now I. 100 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:14.840 Have yet still, because I have thirty days, I have 101 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:17.639 yet still to go back. And now I have to 102 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:20.519 like take this, you know, this box that was opened, 103 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:23.000 it was pulled apart, that is now taped shut, and 104 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:25.279 it's like bulging because I can't fit everything. 105 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:27.639 Back in the box right and I got you know, I. 106 00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:29.399 Couldn't even you know, And that makes me mad all 107 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:32.560 by itself. Yes, affect it now it's another trip. Yes, 108 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:35.959 And you're lugging this stuff. Yes, And now you're hoping 109 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:37.399 and it'll take it back. 110 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:40.079 And I'm almost positive he won't get a deduction, He'll 111 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:42.319 still get that sale, which makes me even more mad. 112 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:45.360 But here's a flip side to this sharing, okay, okay, 113 00:04:45.560 --> 00:04:47.319 is that I have had a lot of sales jobs, 114 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.720 and I mean a lot. I mean a lot, and 115 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:51.879 I only got sales jobs in college, and I had 116 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:55.839 just a tremendous amount of variety sales jobs, more than 117 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:59.040 any one person should have. And I am guilty of 118 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:01.800 doing what this man has done. I've done the same 119 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:04.800 thing in fact when I was and almost so. 120 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.199 Is this kind of a what goes around comes around? 121 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:08.600 It could be. 122 00:05:08.759 --> 00:05:12.839 I think what I'm doing is I'm humanizing cathartic confession. 123 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:16.199 I'm humanizing this man. I'm humbling myself. I'm confessing and 124 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:16.879 I'm saying. 125 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:18.839 With some confession with Chris Sarbo. 126 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:20.639 I'm saying that what he has done that made me 127 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:24.360 mad I am definitely guilty of doing as a salesman 128 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:26.399 in the past. In the past, Oh yeah, of course, 129 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:28.399 in the past. Yeah, a long time past. Yeah, when 130 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:31.399 I was a college kids, right and so and so 131 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:35.759 I understand it, like really well, because I've done it, 132 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:39.560 and now I feel extra bad about the things that 133 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:41.279 I did to people now that I'm. 134 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:42.079 On the receiving end of it. 135 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:43.120 Oh well, so. 136 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:49.639 You learned, well, you know, that's right. That's right. So anyway, 137 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:50.759 I've done the same thing. 138 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.439 I remember one time there was an older woman who 139 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:57.040 I knew very well as a part of my church, 140 00:05:57.079 --> 00:05:59.639 and I was working at a selling used cars. I 141 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:02.759 actually quit the job of that church, went to another church, 142 00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:06.959 quit that job, and then worked at this place selling 143 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:09.439 used vehicles before I moved to Michigan. And so I 144 00:06:09.480 --> 00:06:11.800 worked there for like nine months. I was selling used cars, 145 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:15.519 and I know that the lady from my first church, 146 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:17.959 she was like literally like eighty something years old, and 147 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:20.680 she's like, yeah, I want this car, and I'm like, oh, 148 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.480 here's all the extras you want. And I gave her 149 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:26.480 so many extras that she didn't need it. I knew 150 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:28.959 she didn't need it, and she called me back out 151 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:33.199 and said, I don't need this this side steps. It's 152 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:35.399 actually in the way getting into this car. It's not 153 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:37.439 high off the ground. I have this side step, it's 154 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.360 too low. I can't believe you sold me the side step. 155 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:43.160 Oh I don't know. I don't have to tell you. 156 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.360 Go back in and try to get your money back. 157 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.160 But I knew she didn't need that. 158 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:50.279 I knew it. But it was a lot of money 159 00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:50.519 for me. 160 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:51.240 Well, there you go. 161 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:54.279 I feel bad. So even saying it, Miss Peggy Brown. 162 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:57.560 So what do we do, she said, us, those that 163 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:02.639 are uninformed consumers. What should we do when people are 164 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:03.319 upselling us? 165 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:09.439 Probably just assume that the salesman doesn't necessarily have your 166 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:12.519 best interest at heart, which means, guess who's the Guess 167 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:15.160 who's the person to trust the most when you're buying something. 168 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:16.000 It's yourself. 169 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.480 It's you. Yeah, yeah, Do you buy? Do you buy 170 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:19.519 the warranties and stuff? 171 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:20.920 Uh, extra warranties? 172 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:26.240 No? I almost never do because the manufacturing warranty covers 173 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.839 most of what you're going to need. And I've learned 174 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.959 over the years that they make a tremendous amount of money. 175 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:35.160 We well piles of money with the extended warranties. 176 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:38.079 Yeah. I feel like if you never buy an extended warranty, 177 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:39.959 you're going to get ahead of the game. Yes, so 178 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:41.560 at some point you're going to get burned. You have 179 00:07:41.639 --> 00:07:43.480 to buy something, you have to pay for something. But 180 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:46.519 over the life of all of the opportunities at home 181 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:50.399 Depot and Walmart and best Buy, best Buy and all 182 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:53.319 those places want to upsell you warranties, at a point 183 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:54.879 you're going to save money if you don't buy them 184 00:07:54.920 --> 00:07:57.680 all correct, I agree? Oh good, Well see, there you go. 185 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:02.040 So learn it from from the resident salesman scammer. Don't 186 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:03.600 buy the warranties. Is that what you're saying. 187 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:06.759 Yes, thank you for calling me the resident sales reformer, 188 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:12.439 the reformed he's the reform she wow. 189 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:14.160 Yeah, okay, all right. 190 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:21.079 Ecclesiast, Chapter eleven. Oh speaking of speaking of people who, 191 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:23.040 dang it. 192 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:26.040 Do dumb things when they're young. Oh, here you go, 193 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.720 I have some advice for the old. 194 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:32.679 Speaking of learning things when you're old, Solomon is about 195 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:34.799 to give advice for both young and old. 196 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:36.080 There you go, there you go. 197 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:37.840 That's that was the kind of transition I was going 198 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:39.039 to do better. 199 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.960 Job you made off the cuff. 200 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:45.799 You made it. Yeah, Okay, So we're gonna read Ecclesiastes 201 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:47.759 chapter eleven, and we're gonna start off in verse seven. 202 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:52.159 And here's what it says. Light is sweet, How pleasant 203 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:55.679 to see a new day dawning. When people live to 204 00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:58.279 be very old. Let them rejoice in every day of life. 205 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.120 But let them also remember there will be many dark days. 206 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:08.440 Everything still to come is meaningless. Well, thanks Solomon. Young people, 207 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:11.000 it's wonderful to be young. Enjoy every minute of it. 208 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:13.120 Do everything you want to do, take it all in, 209 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:15.320 but remember that you must give an account to God 210 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.720 for everything you do. There it is so Refuse to 211 00:09:17.799 --> 00:09:21.759 worry and keep your body healthy, but remember that youth, 212 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:26.000 with a whole life before you, is meaningless. Again, Thanks Solomon, 213 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:29.000 Back and forth. Don't let the excitement of youth cause 214 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:31.639 you to forget your creator. Honor him and your youth. 215 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.320 Before you grow old and say life is not pleasant anymore, 216 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:38.840 remember him. Before the light of the sun, the moon, 217 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:40.879 and the stars is dim to your old eyes, and 218 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:44.679 rain clouds continually darken your sky, remember him before your 219 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:47.519 legs the guards of your house start to tremble, and 220 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:51.360 before your shoulders the strong men stoop. Remember him before 221 00:09:51.399 --> 00:09:54.960 your teeth your few remaining servants stop grinding, and before 222 00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:57.440 your eyes the women looking through the windows see dimly. 223 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:01.639 Remember him before the door to life's opportunities is closed 224 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:04.600 and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at 225 00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:06.720 the first chirping of the birds, but then all their 226 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:10.399 sounds will grow faint. Remember him before you become fearful 227 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:13.720 of falling and worry about danger in the streets, Before 228 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:15.960 your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, 229 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:19.360 and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, 230 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:23.639 and the caper berry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember 231 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:26.840 him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when 232 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:29.879 the mourners will weep at your funeral. Yes, remember your 233 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:32.600 Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord 234 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:35.559 of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't 235 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.879 wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring 236 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:40.120 and the pulley is broken at the well, For then 237 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.559 the dust will return to the earth and the spirit 238 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:46.240 will return to God who gave it. He is absolutely 239 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:48.879 miserable writing this chapter. 240 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:51.759 But at the same time he's talking about remembering your 241 00:10:51.799 --> 00:10:54.000 creator over and over and over and over. 242 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:57.399 Yeah, yeah, so it talk about going back and forth. 243 00:10:57.679 --> 00:10:59.159 I mean, think about it. 244 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:04.039 In verse nine through eleven, just in those two No. 245 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:07.759 Nine and ten, he says, hey, do everything you want 246 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:11.120 to do, take it all in, which is which sounds 247 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:13.960 pretty careless. But then he says, but remember you must 248 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:15.799 give an account to God for everything you do. 249 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:16.679 You know what that reminds me. 250 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:19.759 Of, By the way, Jamestown's motto when they came and 251 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:22.320 settled in the United States. You know what James Town's 252 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:27.960 motto was. It says, love God and do what you want. Oh, 253 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.440 isn't that wonderful? And so it says, love God and 254 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:33.879 then do what you want. So if the prerequisite is 255 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:36.080 loving God, then you'll want. 256 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.759 To do all the good things, do the right things, 257 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:39.240 do the right things. Right. 258 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:43.720 So Jamestown's motto is wonderful, right, and I love it. 259 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:46.360 And so it's almost like what he says is he 260 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:48.960 says the opposite. He says, do what you want, but 261 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:50.320 remember love God first. 262 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:52.440 Right, you're gonna we're going to give an account. 263 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:55.039 Which was great. And then he says, so refuse to worry. 264 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:58.320 But remember that youth and the whole life before you 265 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.799 is meaningless. He goes, he goes wamp womp, and then 266 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:04.919 he goes, oh, that's really and then wamp again, and 267 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:07.679 then he goes back and then says, but remember your creator. 268 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:11.600 And now do you still think that he is writing 269 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:14.639 this meaning you're going to give an account to God 270 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:15.519 in this life? 271 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:17.440 Okay? You don't think it's yeah? 272 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:20.080 Yeah, because he keeps flipping back and forth with the 273 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:22.600 idea that when you obey God, good things happen in 274 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:26.200 your life or should right, and yeah, I think this 275 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:28.879 is purely that you give an account so while your 276 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:30.679 judgment is coming in while you're living. 277 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:30.960 Yeah. 278 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:33.480 He doesn't seem to have any sense of eternity in 279 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:37.440 his writings here, So I think about this my dad. 280 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:41.320 I can remember reading through Ecclesiastes with my family one 281 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:44.480 time when I was a kid, and my dad grew 282 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.679 up in a good Christian home. They went to the 283 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:50.200 that we lived in. They lived in Elba, Michigan. My 284 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:53.480 dad grew up on a farm about three mile two 285 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:56.159 miles from the house I grew up in, right so 286 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:00.279 right around the corner, same community, small farming community. All 287 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:02.519 of the families there was only one church in the area. 288 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:05.279 All the families went to this little Methodist church like 289 00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:09.799 a block from my house. So they all did. They'd 290 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:12.639 all come in every Sunday, all the teenagers, all the parents, 291 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:15.000 all the farmers, all the men would stand around and 292 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:17.879 they would make plans for the next year, whatever, for 293 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:19.960 the next season, all the women. It was always some 294 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:22.279 kind of you know, Sunday dinner after church kind of 295 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:24.639 a thing they did all the time. And they had 296 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.279 a really good community. They worked together, they helped each 297 00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:30.480 other out, they bailed each other out, all those kinds 298 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:33.759 of things, everything you can imagine a small, rural, tight 299 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:37.519 knit community would do. And so my dad grew up 300 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:40.039 going to church, singing the songs, you know, being a 301 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:44.399 good boy. And he turns eighteen and immediately leaves everything 302 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:46.960 that has to do with Christianity. Now, his father died 303 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.120 when he was a junior in high school. Fell over, 304 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:50.759 had a heart attack out in the field and just died. 305 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:53.600 So part of that was there was a bitterness and 306 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:56.080 anger and I'm going to just do what Solomon says. 307 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:58.720 I'm going to live footloose and fancy free while I'm alive, 308 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.440 because you don't live long. He expected to die when 309 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.559 he was forty nine too. That was kind of his idea. 310 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:08.320 So he went for so long not serving God. Then 311 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:13.600 he marries my mom, and you know, he was forty 312 00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:18.200 when he came to faith in Christ. My grandmother said 313 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.720 she prayed for my dad every single day for forty years, 314 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:23.879 that he'd become a Christian, every single day. And she 315 00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:26.639 lived on the property we lived. We had, We had 316 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:29.080 some acreage. We had a little tiny eight hundred square 317 00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:31.240 foot house, and then right behind we had like a 318 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:33.320 six hundred square foot house. Right behind it. My grandmother 319 00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:35.759 lived in that little little apartment, one bedroom, little house. 320 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:38.600 And so you know, she's only one hundred feet from us. 321 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.279 And so I was around my grandmother times, sneak and 322 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:43.399 snacks in the middle of day. I go have lunch 323 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:44.960 at my house and then go have lunch at my 324 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:48.200 grandmother's house, you know, and whatever. She always had little 325 00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:52.440 uh butterscotches. Yes, always have butterscotch. 326 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:53.759 It's so funny. 327 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:57.759 I think every grandma had butterscotches from our generation. 328 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:01.000 Yeah, And she always listened to Christian radio singing amazing Grace. 329 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:03.600 She'd always be making something in the house and she 330 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:06.080 made all kinds. She canned a lot. So she's always 331 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:09.080 canning peaches or canning, you know something. And she always 332 00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:13.279 had freezer jam from you know, the strawberries we grew, 333 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:17.240 so go get a freezer jam sandwhich whatever. So anyways, 334 00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:19.679 I can remember my grandmother saying, I prayed every single 335 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:21.720 day for your dad for forty years. But I can 336 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:24.120 remember my dad early on as a Christian. We read 337 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:26.559 the Bible every morning and every night. You remember, my 338 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:29.799 dad would tear up sometimes when we would read passages 339 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:33.080 like these, and he would say, I wasted so much 340 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:34.600 of my life because he thought he would die when 341 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:37.879 he was forty nine. His dad did, right, So he's like, hey, 342 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:39.600 my people don't live very long. I didn't even give 343 00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:42.080 my life to Christ till I was forty. He's still living, right, yeah, yeah, 344 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:42.879 he's eighty six now. 345 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:43.440 Yeah. 346 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:48.159 So but I can remember in those days in his forties, 347 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:49.960 and then as he went into his fifties, him feeling 348 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:51.519 like he'd wasted his life. And so you know what 349 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:53.840 he did, Instead of wallowing in the fact he wasted 350 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:57.360 his life, his perspective on eternity was, I don't want 351 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:00.440 to waste the last years of my life, right, So, man, 352 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:03.840 my dad got on fire. He'd read through the entire 353 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:06.679 Bible every year, at least once, sometimes twice a year. 354 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:09.039 He was studying, he was learning, but he was also 355 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:11.360 learning how to share his faith. I can't remember my dad. 356 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:14.480 I've seen my dad personally, seen my dad lead two 357 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:17.799 or three dozen people to Christ. Strangers. Then my dad 358 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:20.519 just sit down, you know, my mom's out shopping something, 359 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:22.919 my dad sitting at the mall, sit on the bench, 360 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:24.960 and just start sharing the gospel. Some guy lead some 361 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.120 guy to Christ. You know, I can remember going door 362 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:29.759 to door. My dad would say, hey, Jeff, let's go. 363 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.960 We're gonna go. Thursday nights, we go knock on doors 364 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:34.600 and just say hey, we're from you know, the church 365 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:37.639 that we went to in Flint, Michigan. And hey, if 366 00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:39.000 you died to day or one hundred percent, share, you 367 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:40.279 go to heaven. You know, I don't know if it's 368 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:42.080 a most delicate way to do it, but my dad 369 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:43.279 just wanted to lead people to jails. 370 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.080 Back then, people were definitely more open to it. 371 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:49.120 And I've seen him share the gospel so many times. 372 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:51.960 And then he was outrageously generous. And you know, I 373 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.240 grew up poor, but then my dad became pretty successful. 374 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:57.399 He started a business and he was very generous to 375 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:00.600 the church, but he was generous to people struggled and 376 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:07.279 were poor. He did everything good. So now my dad 377 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:11.559 has been a believer longer than he wasn't right, right, 378 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:14.119 So it was forty years not being a believer, wasting 379 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:16.920 his life. And he said, listen, I lived for the 380 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.440 devil with all my heart. He said, I wasn't thinking 381 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.079 about the devil. I was thinking about myself. He said. 382 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:24.119 I lived for myself with all my heart for forty years. 383 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:26.720 So if God gives me forty more, I'm going to 384 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:29.400 give him everything I've got. And so I look at 385 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:31.400 my dad's life now, and my brothers, you know, we're 386 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:33.000 all in ministry. We look at our dad and we go, 387 00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:35.720 that was a life well lived. Sure he wasted a 388 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:37.240 few years, but he got it right. 389 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:37.839 Yeah. 390 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:41.960 And so the difference between Solomon and my dad is Solomon, 391 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.559 I don't believe, had an eternal view, and so I 392 00:17:44.599 --> 00:17:45.960 just wasted my life. And now I'm at the end 393 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:48.039 of that. I don't have anything. Whereas my dad saw, 394 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:50.640 from this moment forward, I'm going to lay up treasures 395 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:52.680 in heaven. I'm going to do everything I know to do. 396 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:55.279 He became a holy man. He became a student of 397 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:57.839 the Bible, he became a sole winner sharing the gospel. 398 00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:00.880 He became generous all those things. He raised a family well. 399 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:03.680 And so I would say, if you're kind of reading 400 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:06.279 Solomon and going maybe I've wasted some time. Okay, while 401 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:08.480