1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:03,800 You're listening to the Bridgetown Church Podcast with 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,840 Pastor Casey Kendall, where our vision is Jesus, our mission is 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,760 people, and our cause is love. Thanks for tuning in. 4 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:12,960 Let's dive in. We are in the book of First 5 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:14,880 Samuel. If you have your Bible handy. 6 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:21,840 First Samuel 25 and the title of the message is Good Grief, Good 7 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:24,760 Grief. First Samuel 25 verse one. 8 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:30,680 If you have your Bible handy for Samuel chapter 25 verse one the 9 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,560 author writes, then Samuel died. And the. 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:40,000 Israelites gathered together and lamented for him and buried him 11 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:45,320 at his home in Rama. And David arose and went down to 12 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,440 the wilderness of Puran. We're just going to stop there. 13 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,560 And I really want to highlight this one verse, and I want to 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,560 read it to you again. And I just want to read it to 15 00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,720 you a little bit slower because I think this is a place of a 16 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,520 major pivot in the story of first Samuel. 17 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:13,320 Then Samuel died and the Israelites gathered together and 18 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:20,400 they lamented for him, and they buried him at his home in Rama, 19 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,560 and David arose and went down to the wilderness of Puran. 20 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,360 If you could just look at your neighbor and say, as we always 21 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,640 do here, neighbor, my neighbor, good grief. 22 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,240 Just say good grief. I'm going to. 23 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:39,640 Need you a little bit this morning. 24 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,200 Someone was asking me how I'm feeling this morning from last 25 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,360 week. All of you prayed over me and my 26 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,320 healing. I'm still battling Lyme's 27 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:50,680 disease. It is knocking on the door of my 28 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,040 life and it is there knocking today. 29 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,000 And I just want to thank you for your prayers. 30 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,360 But I'm going to need you a little bit this morning to help 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,560 push a pastor along. Is that OK? 32 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,240 All right, so I need you just to repeat after me neighbor, my 33 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,360 neighbor. Good grief. 34 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,120 It was the call that you wish you would have never had. 35 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:21,760 It was the unexpected call that I thought I would not receive in 36 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:28,680 the moment that I was in. It was a call from my dad 37 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:34,320 telling me that my mom was at Kaiser Hospital and while she 38 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,880 was on life support that they were about to pull the life 39 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,480 support off. She only had just a few more 40 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:45,920 moments to live. My mom was the life of the 41 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:54,600 family. This is my mom, Kathy Patricia 42 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,920 Kendall. She, if you knew her, is the 43 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:06,560 sweetest woman. The way she spoke was just 44 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:12,160 filled with kindness. The way she cared over people 45 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:17,080 was filled with life. She would be the one that was 46 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:23,800 constantly sending to people evangelism cards. 47 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:29,320 She, along with my father, placed in me a heart for those 48 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,440 who are marginalized, those who are outcast. 49 00:03:33,640 --> 00:03:39,040 We constantly had people in our home because my mom and my dad 50 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:41,160 wanted to reach people for Jesus. 51 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,160 So much so we hosted a Bible study in our home and we didn't 52 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,960 have a worship team. We just played cassette tapes. 53 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:54,680 We played cassette tapes, cassette tapes like as the deer 54 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,840 panted fours the water. I said, Dad, can we just get a 55 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:00,600 worship leader? And my dad said, this is our 56 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,400 worship leader. And my mom would sit in that 57 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,480 living room and sing her heart out. 58 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,600 And on that day, as we drove to Kaiser Hospital, it was the 59 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:19,200 moment where I put my mom, my ear on my mom's chest for the 60 00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:27,800 the very last time. I watched my mom breathe her 61 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:35,200 last breath on this planet and she stepped right into eternity. 62 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:41,840 Now understand, I really get it that being a pastor, I talk 63 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:46,120 about death all the time. I go and do memorial services 64 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,560 all the time. I sit at the bedside of people 65 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:54,440 all the time, and while I'm in this spot of preaching now I'm 66 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,480 actually experiencing the great pain of loss. 67 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:03,200 I understand as a pastor that it is appointed on to man to die 68 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,120 once, and after this comes the judgement. 69 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,280 I understand as a pastor that for God so loved the world that 70 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:12,800 whoever would believe in him, for God so loved the world that 71 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,080 he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in 72 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,440 him would not perish but have everlasting life. 73 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,560 But I just need to tell you, I wasn't ready. 74 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,280 I wasn't ready. All that I had preached and 75 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:30,640 studied and saturated myself in Scripture, I still wasn't ready. 76 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:33,280 You see, my mom was ready to meet Jesus. 77 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:35,840 I just wasn't ready for my mom to meet Jesus. 78 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,800 My mom passed at Kaiser Hospital breathing her last breath upon 79 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:44,680 this planet and just a. Few weeks. 80 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:49,160 Later, I had found myself walking into a counseling room 81 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:54,240 with a therapist because I just needed to talk to somebody. 82 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,880 And this is what my counselor told me, he said. 83 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,160 Your grief is good. And it kind of. 84 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,640 Threw me off because I never saw those. 2 words. 85 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:13,800 As friends I only saw. Them as enemies and. 86 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,960 As I began to share with him about my life. 87 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,920 And what I was. Feeling I told him when he said 88 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,880 your grief is good. I said it sure doesn't feel good 89 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,720 and this is what he told me that I would never forget that. 90 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,680 I want to deposit this in your heart today as we look at for 91 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,760 Samuel 25 verse one and that is this. 92 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,080 If you don't feel this, you will not heal from this, he said. 93 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:49,360 If you do not feel this, you. Will not heal from this and I 94 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,440 want to ask you a. Question this morning as you've. 95 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,240 Come in and that. Is have you ever been there 96 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:02,600 where you have radically avoided what you need to be, what needed 97 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,600 to be radically? Accepted. 98 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,600 And because it felt so bad, you're wondering, can God really 99 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:14,000 bring any good out of this at this place of grief? 100 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:19,160 Sometimes we view grief as a simple interruption into our 101 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:24,120 lives, rather than an invitation to our lives to grow and go 102 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,960 deeper in the things of the. Lord. 103 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:32,320 I believe as a pastor in in discipleship and I believe in 104 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,160 evangelism and I believe as a. The confession to you. 105 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,040 That I've done many people a disservice in discipleship. 106 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,240 Did you see? I've taught you how to be 107 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:46,120 passionate praisers. I've taught you how to be worthy 108 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:47,960 of a witness. I've taught you how to be 109 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,920 students of scripture. I've taught you how to be 110 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:55,400 unceasing in prayer and devoted to Orthodox doctrine. 111 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,440 But many times, as pastors, we've not taught you how to 112 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,440 grieve well. We don't want to talk. 113 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,520 About grief. It kind of gets a little messy 114 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:08,840 when we talk about. Grief, but the. 115 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:15,160 Bible is full of stories about grief and how God can actually 116 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,440 work through it. Do you see? 117 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:23,640 I have met many, met many people who have majored on theology. 118 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:29,760 I'm talking great theology, Christology, pneumatology, 119 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:35,799 soteriology, anthropology, ecclesiology, eschatology, 120 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:41,919 bibliology, hamarteology, angelology. 121 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,520 We've studied all of these things as majors, but I believe 122 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,360 we've minored on the theology of agony. 123 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:57,240 We really don't want to talk about how to handle hard places 124 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:03,720 and confusing spaces and the agony this morning of not seeing 125 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,680 their face sitting at the Thanksgiving table. 126 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:14,320 That is something we oftentimes don't want to wrestle with in 127 00:09:14,680 --> 00:09:19,040 our lives. But what I want you to know this 128 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,920 morning in whatever loss you might be facing, is that there 129 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:29,200 is a good grief in your life. There is something of the 130 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:34,680 natural process of grief that God can bring healing inside of 131 00:09:34,680 --> 00:09:37,680 your heart. I, I don't want to just quickly 132 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,760 Passover First Samuel chapter 25 verse one. 133 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,240 There is something about this verse that we could just read it 134 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,920 and we can move on. First Samuel chapter 25 verse 135 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:53,480 one is tucked within 43 other verses. 136 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:58,800 And many times this one verse falls in the shadow of the story 137 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:03,880 of Abigail and Nabal with David. And you might remember that 138 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:05,800 story. But I don't want you to miss 139 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:10,960 this important pivot in the story of David's life and in the 140 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:15,640 story of the nation of Israel. And I pray today that this would 141 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,200 be something that you stop ignoring in your life. 142 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:24,560 And that is the way that you grieve over someone that you've 143 00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:28,720 loved. I don't want to just pass by 144 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,960 this. I, I want us to kind of set up 145 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:37,160 a, a tent, if we, if we were to, to camp here a little bit to, to 146 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:42,920 see the view that was around us of what it means to, to know God 147 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:45,640 and walk with God and to see God. 148 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:51,360 I believe that if we're willing to slow down, I believe we will 149 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:56,640 understand that your healing is not in how fast you go, but how 150 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:01,840 faithful you will be. And I think in these moments in 151 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:07,280 our culture, we live within that which is simply fast, that which 152 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,920 can happen quick. I would say that we live in a 153 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:15,640 microwave culture. We are able to post news, read 154 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:22,360 news within seconds, but death and grieving takes time. 155 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,760 But we just don't have. The time. 156 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:32,400 But if we don't take the time to grieve, we will not have the 157 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:37,040 time to heal. And in the shift of this story, 158 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:43,760 we move from this story of David being chased down but not caught 159 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,960 by Saul. And it shifts from David and 160 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:52,360 Saul in First Samuel. And it goes right into the life 161 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,560 of Samuel. And I want you to highlight 162 00:11:56,560 --> 00:11:58,320 this. I I want you just to see the 163 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:03,680 first word in the the verse, then if you could just. 164 00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:07,920 Circle that or highlight that. Or, or just just just pay 165 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:11,560 attention to the word then, because this is something that 166 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:14,360 we could just simply move along quickly. 167 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:18,400 Then then you, you know the story, don't you? 168 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,320 You know the story that that that here in this place, that 169 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:29,680 this was the the then moment the Bible says then Samuel died. 170 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:36,080 Then in an instant things changed in an instant things had 171 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:40,440 moved along it. It's short but but but I just 172 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,480 don't want you to miss this. Then your mom. 173 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:48,920 Died. Then your dad died. 174 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,440 Then your brother died. You fill in the blank. 175 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:56,960 Then you were diagnosed with cancer. 176 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:03,760 Then you lost your job. Then you'd found yourself in a 177 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:09,600 place where your son ran away. Then your marriage started 178 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:13,680 falling apart. Then they committed adultery 179 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:17,040 against you. Then they lied about you. 180 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:21,600 Then you could fill it in. Your son ran away. 181 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:23,800 I was talking to a young girl, she said. 182 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:32,160 Then I saw my brother lifeless and I was the first one to grab 183 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:37,760 his lifeless body. Then is something that pivots so 184 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:42,320 quickly, but we want to run from the vens so quickly. 185 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:46,600 But I don't want you to run so quickly away from the vens 186 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,000 because it's in the ven that God meets you there. 187 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:55,880 And we have to realize that there will be so many Vens in 188 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,760 our lives. There's going to be so many 189 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:04,480 seasons that go and quickly they pivot away from what actually 190 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:09,640 seems normal to us. This is not normal to David. 191 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:17,800 Then Samuel died Samuel, if you would just highlight the life of 192 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,320 Samuel, you know the story in the book of first Samuel that 193 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,520 Samuel was the the the prophet of the nation of Israel, but not 194 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,600 only was he the prophet, he was also their priest. 195 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,480 But not only was he their priest, he was their judge. 196 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:37,160 Samuel came to us in first Sam. First Samuel chapter 1 where his 197 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:41,960 mom Hannah and his dad Elkanah had Elkanah had another wife 198 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,120 named Pinana, but she had children, but Hannah had no 199 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,120 children. And Hannah goes to the altar of 200 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:52,920 God and says, God, I want to have children and Eli Caesar and 201 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,200 Eli says, you must be drunk. And she says, no, I'm sorrowful 202 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,680 of spirit. I'm asking God. 203 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:03,880 And she's he said to her, you will have a son next year. 204 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:08,400 And what God gave to the nation of Israel was a prophet, but 205 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,920 what God? Gave to Hannah was a son. 206 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,400 You know. The Life of Samuel Samuel. 207 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:18,160 Was a man who heard from the. Lord. 208 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:23,560 He was there and he heard God calling him and he runs the 209 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:25,520 Eli's room and he says, was that you? 210 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,240 And he says no. And Eli tells him the high 211 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,400 priest, next time you hear it say, speak, for your servant is 212 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,200 listening, Samuel. Heard from the Lord. 213 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,640 Samuel was brought into this world by the. 214 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:40,640 Power of the Lord Samuel was the man who. 215 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:45,080 Would anoint David to be king of Israel. 216 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:49,240 Samuel was also the man who would anoint Saul to be the king 217 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:52,800 of Israel. Samuel was at the beginning of 218 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:58,120 David's story to us. You remember out of all the 219 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:03,560 brothers, God said Nope, Samuel, don't take the best, tallest, 220 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,440 good looking man. I there's another, there's 221 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,160 another one. Here and Samuel. 222 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,000 Says, do you have any other sons, Jesse? 223 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:15,040 And and he says yes. And here in this moment, God 224 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:19,560 brings Samuel to David, and David anoints him. 225 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,720 Samuel anoints David to be the king of all Israel. 226 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:25,080 Samuel. Was there in the beginning. 227 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:31,360 Of all of this, Samuel not only anointed David, Samuel counseled 228 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:35,200 David and not. Only did Samuel counsel David. 229 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:39,120 Samuel would hide David. He would keep David safe. 230 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:48,160 The life of Samuel and his death is the end of an era, and I 231 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:49,600 don't want you to move from that. 232 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:57,120 The prophet, the priest and the judge is dead, and here in this 233 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:03,880 moment, he is gone. David no longer has Samuel as an 234 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:08,800 encourager and a supporter. He's actually gone in an 235 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:19,119 instant, and here, in this moment, the emotions that must 236 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,000 have been rising from David's soul. 237 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,079 The. Text doesn't tell us of. 238 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:30,720 Of the agony. But read the book of Psalms and 239 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,960 feel what David felt in the midst. 240 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:38,320 Of this I think David must have. Felt like I felt. 241 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:42,600 On my birthday, my wife said what do you want for your 242 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,400 birthday? I said I want to hear my mom's 243 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:51,680 voice one more time. I just want to hear her speak. 244 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:55,760 I just want to hear the sweetness come out. 245 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:03,400 And this must have been David in this moment of grief, that the 246 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:10,280 man that he had looked to and loved was now gone. 247 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,640 I think we have to understand what grief is. 248 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,880 If you take note, grief is the hollow ache where someone or 249 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,040 something once lived in your. Life. 250 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:29,840 Grief again, is the hollow ache where someone or something once 251 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:36,600 lived in your life. How can this be good? 252 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,520 In the midst. Of something that seems so 253 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,840 painful. Because the word. 254 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:46,560 Good means bountiful, suitable and profitable. 255 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,040 Listen, death is painful. It takes your. 256 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:54,480 Breath away when someone dies, it feels like you've been. 257 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:59,040 Socked in the stomach and slapped in the face and pushed 258 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:04,760 down to the ground. Death is cold, it's harsh, it's 259 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:06,120 brutal. But. 260 00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:09,160 You want to know what's? Even more brutal is we begin to 261 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,360 leave believe that the end of their life is the end of our 262 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:15,600 life. That's just as brutal. 263 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:23,000 And here in this moment of this end of the season, it's not the 264 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:27,000 end of your season, the ending of this. 265 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:31,160 Just because our heart is broken, it doesn't mean that it 266 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:37,560 will always stay that way. For I know a God that David said 267 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:41,560 in Psalm 34 verse 8, I know a God that the Lord is close to 268 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,800 the broken hearted. I know a God who saves those who 269 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,040 are crushed in spirit. I know a God, my heart and my 270 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,480 flesh will fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my 271 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:57,040 portion forever. I know a God who heals the 272 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,600 broken hearted and he binds up all their wounds in Isaiah 61. 273 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,320 I know the God who is the God of all comfort, who comforts us in 274 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,640 all of our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who 275 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:14,200 are in any type of trouble. I know a God who who separated 276 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:18,320 the sea for Moses. I know the God who tore down the 277 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:22,000 walls of Joshua, of Jericho for Joshua I. 278 00:20:22,120 --> 00:20:26,280 I know the God who called Noah at 640 years old to build an 279 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,080 ark. Talk about a senior ministry. 280 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:35,600 I know a God who takes the life of Ruth the Moabitus and gives 281 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:41,680 her a husband named Boaz. I know a God who gives sight to 282 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:45,280 the blind and causes the deaf to hear again. 283 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:51,160 I know the God who raises the grave, the dead out of the grave 284 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:56,520 by the name of Lazarus. Isn't it amazing how we can know 285 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:01,120 this God but yet still live in our wounds? 286 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:08,880 I know a God who defeated death and gives life to those who will 287 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:14,720 surrender. I know Jesus, and because we 288 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:20,240 know Jesus, I don't have to live within the wounds of my life. 289 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:25,480 I can live within the scars in which he bore and still bears 290 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:26,880 for all. Of eternity. 291 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,800 Did he see your scars are not what's damaging you your wounds? 292 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:35,000 Are what's? Damaging you and we're 293 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:40,440 constantly feeding the wound rather than letting God heal the 294 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:45,760 wound, turning it into a scar by the way, that we're unwilling to 295 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,880 grieve. And so we might be asking if we 296 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,600 know him, how can we live in this way? 297 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,320 And I just want to submit some things to you now. 298 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,560 Grief is a journey and it feels like it's messy. 299 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:04,480 It feels many times very should I use this strong word 300 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,880 disgusting. The emotions that you feel 301 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,880 within yourself. You're wondering if you're even 302 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:15,600 walking with the Lord. That's what grief does. 303 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:21,040 Grief brings up anger and doubt and questions and sadness. 304 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:25,480 But how do we respond to a season that we've. 305 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:29,160 Loved, but it's debt. How do we respond to a person 306 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,400 that we've loved and they've gone into eternity? 307 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,400 How do we respond? To the. 308 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:37,160 Samuels that have died within our own lives, this is what we 309 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,360 do. Write this down and I want to 310 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:42,400 encourage you to do this with all of your heart. 311 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,280 Number one, I want you to lament. 312 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:49,520 I want you to lament. Notice then Samuel died in the 313 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,080 Israelites. The Israelites are those who are 314 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:58,400 governed by God. They're God's chosen people, the 315 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:01,640 Israelites, those who are governed by God, they've 316 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:03,760 gathered. Together the Bible. 317 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,520 Says and they lamented. For. 318 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:13,600 Him Now this is important that we understand that God's chosen 319 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:21,600 people, God's children, are not immune from suffering and from 320 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,800 death. God's children are not immune 321 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,680 from pain. God's children are not immune 322 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:34,080 from agony. Don't just buy into the the the 323 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,920 lie that just because you started walking with the Lord 324 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:39,320 that it's going to be an easy road ahead of you. 325 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:46,160 God's people suffer. And the rain. 326 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:48,720 Falls on the just. And the unjust? 327 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:55,640 We face death until the. Lord will come again. 328 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:01,360 And that is a very painful. Process to walk through. 329 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:07,360 But the Lord is your shepherd in the valley of the shadow of 330 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:09,760 death. You have to fear no evil, for he 331 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:13,920 is the one who is with you. But notice what the action was 332 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:18,440 when Samuel had died. They gathered together on Sunday 333 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:23,720 morning at Bridgetown and all the people lifted their voices 334 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,560 and they lamented. Now we're not going around using 335 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:30,040 the word lament all the time in Glendora. 336 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,040 I don't hear you in Upland saying did you lament today? 337 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,320 I don't. Hear it in Arcadia or Monrovia 338 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,160 or Duarte or Covina or Laverne or San Dimas. 339 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,200 I'm not in. Old Town Glendora downtown and 340 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,080 people are like, hey, I heard someone lamenting today. 341 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:52,120 That's a word we're not usually bringing up in our vocabulary. 342 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:54,960 But I want you to understand that though this. 343 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:57,880 Is not accustomed. Many times to Western. 344 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,760 Culture, it is what the. Bible normally falls back to 345 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:08,760 when someone is grieving. They begin to. 346 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:15,360 Lament the first time this. Word is ever used is in Genesis 347 00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:23,240 23 verse 2 where it says that. Abraham lamented and mourned for 348 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:30,400 his wife Sarah. The bond of this word, the agony 349 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,760 of this word. I want us to go back to this 350 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,680 place in lament. Now you might be asking, well 351 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,480 what does it mean to lament? The word lament is used. 352 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,600 Again in Genesis 23 verse 2, but this. 353 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:51,240 Word in Hebrew will say it together as sephod, Sephod the 354 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:55,920 word sephod. Is this it means to tear the 355 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,560 hair and beat? The breast. 356 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,360 Listen to this word. To tear the hair, to beat the 357 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:14,120 breast, to wail out loud. Notice their pain. 358 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:19,960 Samuel died. Notice the place. 359 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:25,320 This was not a private place where someone was wailing and 360 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,120 crying and mourning. This place is a public place. 361 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:35,240 They all gathered together and notice this I, I want you to see 362 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:40,040 the people there are all of the Israelites that are joined 363 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,640 together around the death of Samuel. 364 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,640 Now notice verse one says, then Samuel died and the Israelites 365 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:50,080 gathered together and they lamented for him. 366 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,480 And notice so, so many times people say, well, you're not 367 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:57,320 really focusing on God if you lament for that person. 368 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,160 No, no, no, no. Listen. 369 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:06,880 You can lament for them and still stay focused on Jesus just 370 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,640 because. The Bible doesn't. 371 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,560 Say in this text that they look to God. 372 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:18,000 They lamented for him, they lamented for this man that was 373 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,000 in their life who was so. Powerful and. 374 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:27,560 Prominent who was a piece of their story and although they 375 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:32,200 lamented for him, they did this publicly, they did this in their 376 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:38,080 pain, they did this many times lamenting as they sat in ashes 377 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,520 and in dirt. Now, now, Can you imagine if you 378 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,480 came into church and and people were on the ground? 379 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:48,920 And they were throwing dust. On their head and crying out oh 380 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:59,240 God we miss them. Can you imagine that the the 381 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:04,160 agony of these people? I, I want to, I want you to to 382 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:05,720 just. Submit this in your. 383 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,200 Your heart I want to just download this in into you the 384 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,440 best way for you to experience. Peace. 385 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:17,680 Is to express your grief, you hear me? 386 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,280 Please listen the best way for you to experience. 387 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:27,600 Peace is to express. Your grief now we're raised in 388 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,360 a. Culture that oftentimes doesn't. 389 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:34,920 Allow us. To to, to do that and and in 390 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:36,480 this moment. I I. 391 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:38,920 Think it can become very awkward? 392 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:47,000 Just last week I was moved in my life by all of you in my own. 393 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,760 Struggles with this my disease of this Lyme's. 394 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,720 Disease I did not think. Church was going to end the way 395 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,680 that it ended last week. Do you see? 396 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:59,080 Because as a pastor, I set my expectation. 397 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:02,880 That when I come into this room, I'm given all I have for you and 398 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:09,520 for Jesus. And last week I was a little bit 399 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:15,080 embarrassed for myself because I wanted to portray myself strong 400 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:20,240 for you, but what you really needed to see was my weakness in 401 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,800 the moment. And all of you gathered around 402 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:27,680 me and you laid hands on me and you prayed over me and, and God 403 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:31,120 strengthened me. And God moved in my heart and in 404 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:33,240 my life. He didn't heal my disease yet, 405 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:38,880 but God did do something in my spirit and he lifted me up out 406 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:41,800 of that ground and showed me this. 407 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:46,120 God showed me in my life that it wasn't just. 408 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:50,880 Going to be. About me pouring myself out. 409 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:54,520 It is about his power pouring out. 410 00:29:54,600 --> 00:30:03,720 On us, and that can only happen when we are weak. 411 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,360 And this is normally what? Happens is when weakness is. 412 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,280 Confessed God will manifest his. Power. 413 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,840 I believe when you are vulnerable you get a greater 414 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:18,800 vision. I believe that when you are not 415 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:20,160 just. Vulnerable and gaining a. 416 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:24,520 Greater vision that when you get honest in your heart about your 417 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,640 struggle, it is there that Jesus will speak. 418 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,160 I want you to see that Jesus said this. 419 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,320 Come unto me all, you are weary and heavy laden. 420 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,960 I want you to hear what what the life is of Jesus that has given 421 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:43,160 to us in Isaiah 53 that he was despised and rejected. 422 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,760 A man of sorrows and he's acquainted with much grief. 423 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,960 John Chapter 11 says that Jesus wept over Lazarus. 424 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,080 Luke chapter 19 says that when Jesus was walking into the city 425 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,120 that he saw the city and he just wept over it. 426 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,120 So can I encourage you to do this? 427 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:03,880 Start expressing how you're feeling now. 428 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:06,240 This is not an excuse. For you to be rude. 429 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:08,960 This is an experience for you to be righteous. 430 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,840 This is an opportunity for us to to to lament, to to come 431 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:18,160 together and and stop doing this in our lives. 432 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,440 Stop hiding it and holding. It. 433 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:26,000 Stop hiding it and stop. Holding it. 434 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:31,320 When I'm hiding and I'm holding. What I'm grieving about. 435 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:33,720 It. Leads to harshness, not 436 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,400 holiness. And I don't know if you've ever 437 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:41,240 met someone that's just harsh. Many times in our lives we're 438 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,760 holding things that God is. Telling us not to hold. 439 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:49,040 On to and So what we need to do, what God gave us as a pathway 440 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:53,440 for that healing is to lament. It's to lament. 441 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:55,760 I love what Pete's Gazero wrote. He said. 442 00:31:55,760 --> 00:32:00,160 When we deny our pain, losses and feelings year after year, we 443 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:05,440 become less and less human. We transform slowly into empty 444 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,520 shells with smiley faces painted on them. 445 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:12,600 Sad to say, that is the fruit of much of our discipleship in our 446 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,960 churches. But when I began to allow myself 447 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:21,080 to feel a wider range of emotions, including sadness, 448 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:26,440 depression, fear and anger, a revolution in my spirituality 449 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:30,160 was unleashed in Christ. I soon realized that I failure 450 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:34,840 to appreciate the biblical place of feelings within our larger 451 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:40,280 Christian lives has done extensive damage keeping free 452 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:46,040 people in Christ. In slavery, the people lamented. 453 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:48,840 They cried out to God. And I. 454 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:53,080 Want to encourage you and maybe in your. 455 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:58,520 The way you were raised, it's weakness for you to sob. 456 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:09,880 You were the problem because you were too emotional and so. 457 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:13,200 Because you were the problem. Because you were too emotional. 458 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:18,320 You've learned how. To live in secrecy. 459 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:21,120 But not in step with the Holy Spirit. 460 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:26,320 And so because you're too. Emotional and because you 461 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,320 cannot. Express the way that you're. 462 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:34,280 Feeling it's not many times. An issue with your heart? 463 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:41,680 But the person who can't handle caring another person's emotion 464 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:45,240 now when I. Say that again, Understand. 465 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,200 That this is not an issue for you to start going around stores 466 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,320 and because you're grieving, you're just mad at everybody. 467 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,600 This is not for you to be driving on the freeway and 468 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,360 you're like, I'm grieving and you're a jerk to everybody. 469 00:33:59,080 --> 00:34:03,080 I'm not saying that what I am saying is coming into a safe 470 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:07,280 space into these people and say I'm hurting. 471 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:14,719 I'm hurting. This is honest reflection and 472 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:17,520 this is where transformation begins. 473 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:22,159 They lamented. And as they lamented, notice 474 00:34:22,159 --> 00:34:24,280 what they did next. If you would just write this 475 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:29,239 down, They buried. They buried, they come to the 476 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:32,440 life of Samuel and they. Do this they. 477 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:36,280 Lament for him, and then. They buried him at his. 478 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:41,639 Home in Rama Rama was the. Center figure of the life. 479 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:46,639 Of Samuel Rama was the place where his mom would go back to 480 00:34:46,639 --> 00:34:47,920 and he would. Have his. 481 00:34:48,159 --> 00:34:51,920 Prophetic ministry birth out of We know that Eli. 482 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:54,920 Was in in Shiloh as the high priest. 483 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,120 In the the the Tabernacle this. Worship place was in. 484 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:04,840 Shiloh, but Samuel, his home town was in Rama. 485 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:10,520 And there they buried him. Notice they buried him. 486 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:16,000 They didn't burn or cremate him like the Philistines would to 487 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:22,200 desecrate people's bodies, but they buried him to honor him. 488 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,640 And I submit this to you this morning, and that is this. 489 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:32,480 You can honor your past, but you don't have to live in your past. 490 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:38,040 You can still. Bury things and be. 491 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:43,200 Honoring in what you're burying so we can grieve. 492 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:46,640 Over our past. We can honor our past, but we 493 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:52,920 don't have to live in the past. What this takes from people is a 494 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:58,200 healthy reflection of the hurt. And the. 495 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:01,960 Pain and the agony. Of what you're feeling this. 496 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:06,880 Is a deliberate expectation of the hope that you have that 497 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:09,760 you're willing to bury. What was old that had? 498 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:15,880 Wounded you and now you're looking forward to what is 499 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:17,520 coming. Now I want you to. 500 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,760 I want to submit this to you. Just because it's blurry right 501 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:23,120 now doesn't mean you're not healing right. 502 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,080 Now. You don't get the full picture 503 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:30,280 of of how all of this is going to work out, but just because it 504 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:36,840 doesn't seem as clear doesn't mean that you're not going to be 505 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:40,640 healing in your life. So I wrote down some things 506 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:45,160 about burying our past or our hurts. 507 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,280 Or our wounds. And those things that have died 508 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:51,760 in our season that we often find ourselves in because it's going 509 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:55,120 to be important that you lament. But the second portion is that 510 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:58,840 you bury. We can honor it, but we don't 511 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:03,320 have to live in it. And this is what I do to live in 512 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:06,760 that type of honor. I choose to live life. 513 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:11,000 One day at a time. I just choose to. 514 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,920 Live life. One day at a time, I'm going to 515 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:15,720 be. Thankful for the moment that I'm 516 00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:22,040 in, not the future I wish I had. Can you remember this? 517 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:27,200 Enjoy the blessing in life today to its fullest. 518 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:31,240 The people that are sitting around you are a. 519 00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:33,720 Blessing to you. Just look. 520 00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:39,200 Around you right now, your dad, your mom, your sister, your your 521 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:43,040 your friend at church. That the, the blessing that God 522 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:44,880 has given to you. You're like, they're not really 523 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:47,160 a blessing, Casey. You don't, you don't understand 524 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:49,480 what they've put me through. No, no, no, listen, they're a 525 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,560 blessing to you. Your kids are a blessing to you. 526 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:56,120 I don't know why three moms just said Amen. 527 00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:00,600 Your kids are a blessing to you, wives. 528 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:02,040 Your husband is a blessing to you. 529 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:08,520 Come on, wives, we we need you. Your husband's a blessing to 530 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:11,920 you, husbands. Your wife is a blessing to you. 531 00:38:19,170 --> 00:38:21,250 Church people are a blessing to you. 532 00:38:21,250 --> 00:38:25,050 You're like, I don't know about that one, Pastor Casey. 533 00:38:25,720 --> 00:38:29,760 You know, isn't it messy? It is messy. 534 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:31,720 It's awkward sometimes. It's weird. 535 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:38,480 Oh, man. I receive that. 536 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:44,960 Receive the blessing. Now here's where I fall many 537 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:48,440 times is you don't believe you're worthy of the blessing 538 00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:53,760 because you've placed yourself back in your identity in the 539 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:57,640 past of what people said you were, and you always had to 540 00:38:57,640 --> 00:39:01,920 perform for it and work for it and you had to earn it. 541 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:05,240 And now because you didn't earn this blessing, you have a hard 542 00:39:05,240 --> 00:39:09,120 time receiving this blessing. I want to encourage you, don't 543 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:12,200 focus on the fear of the what ifs in bearing. 544 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:15,200 Don't focus on the fears of the what ifs. 545 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:19,680 What if things change because of Samuel being gone? 546 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,400 What if this happens? Can I encourage you to write 547 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:27,600 down what you're grateful for? Write down what you're grateful 548 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:30,520 for, especially as you enter into November. 549 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:35,600 It'll be stronger than a Turkey, more powerful than the gravy. 550 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:42,840 It will be your gratefulness. Can can you write this down? 551 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:44,600 If we're going to bury, we're going to have to capture 552 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:47,800 thoughts. We're going to have to capture 553 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:52,360 our thoughts. Don't let your mind become a 554 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,880 playground. It's a battleground. 555 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:59,040 Capture your thoughts. And can you remember this 556 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,000 please? The end of something means the 557 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:05,480 beginning of something new. The end of something means the 558 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:10,280 beginning of something new. So they lament, they bury, and 559 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:12,040 this is what happens. Check this out. 560 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:16,200 The Bible says and David arose and went down to the wilderness 561 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:22,240 of Quran. David did what he arose. 562 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:25,480 The last thing I want to encourage you to do is rise. 563 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:29,240 If you're going to move forward, you're actually going to have to 564 00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:32,400 stand up first and you're going to have to arise. 565 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:40,000 Now, this is sometimes the the false idea of what we preach. 566 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:44,880 Sometimes is just because you arose, you're actually going to 567 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:50,320 start feeling better. It's not based on how you're 568 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:54,400 feeling in that moment. You just need to rise because 569 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:57,120 David was led into the wilderness of Piran. 570 00:40:57,560 --> 00:41:02,200 Now the wilderness of Piran actually looks like this in the 571 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:05,680 story that the the wilderness. I don't know if you guys can get 572 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:08,760 a good picture of that. I don't know if we could turn 573 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:11,520 these lights off so you can kind of see the wilderness of Piran. 574 00:41:11,840 --> 00:41:16,600 But this this is not like the Sequoia National Forest. 575 00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:23,760 This is not like you coming in and going how everything's now 576 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:25,840 filled with life and it looks good. 577 00:41:26,680 --> 00:41:31,760 This is where David went. It's dirty. 578 00:41:32,480 --> 00:41:39,480 It's dry, it's parched. Victorville. 579 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:44,000 Wow. OK, I guess it does have, it 580 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:52,280 does have a lot of similarities. Just because you face death and 581 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:56,840 you do what's right doesn't mean that you're walking into this 582 00:41:56,880 --> 00:42:00,960 beach scenario. Sometimes you're walking right 583 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:08,640 back into a desert and that's even more confusing because how 584 00:42:08,640 --> 00:42:13,520 can a God be so good, keep you in the wilderness for so long? 585 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:19,400 He does it because He's forming greatness in you. 586 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:24,920 He does it so when you are dry and you know what it's like to 587 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:28,520 be dry, that He brings you to people who feel dry and you've 588 00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:31,120 received the living water that you can give them something. 589 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:34,800 This is what I want to encourage you to do, and that's rice. 590 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:37,880 Some of you are going to have to stand, some of you are going to 591 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:40,000 have to be honest. Some of you are just going to 592 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:43,480 say, I don't understand why I'm in this spot in my life at this 593 00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:45,760 time in my life. But what I am going to do is I'm 594 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:49,000 just going to rise. And then when you rise, God 595 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:50,840 sends you right back into the wilderness. 596 00:42:52,520 --> 00:43:02,760 It was all part of the plan. God's sovereignty LED David back 597 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:07,880 into the wilderness. Now there's a greater king that 598 00:43:07,880 --> 00:43:14,120 David pointed us to. It is the king named Jesus, and 599 00:43:14,120 --> 00:43:17,680 that Jesus is baptism and being filled with the Spirit of God, 600 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:26,480 He was led into the wilderness. You see, God does something in 601 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:32,440 the wilderness, and that is he strengthens your heart for the 602 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:37,080 season that you are in and the people you're about to face. 603 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:41,920 And that's what God does. So I want you to know that your 604 00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:44,640 grief can be good today. Some of you are not weeping 605 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:47,720 because someone's dying. You're weeping because you feel 606 00:43:47,720 --> 00:43:51,520 like your marriage is dying. Some of you, you're not weeping 607 00:43:51,520 --> 00:43:55,400 because you feel like, wow, they're gone, but because you're 608 00:43:55,400 --> 00:43:58,800 single. Some of you are weeping because 609 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:03,760 the school that you had to move away from now is now something 610 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:06,640 you didn't expect in your life, the job. 611 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:08,440 That you thought you had. Is gone. 612 00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:14,000 It's the Lord. Is leading you through the. 613 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:17,840 Wilderness and as you're wandering. 614 00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:22,640 He turns you into a. Worshipper who lives in wonder 615 00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:26,720 because when you. Walk out of that wilderness. 616 00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:31,640 You have a greater perspective of who God is, and I just want 617 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:34,560 to encourage you today that your grief is good. 618 00:44:36,560 --> 00:44:40,240 Be willing to cry. Be willing now to bear. 619 00:44:40,920 --> 00:44:46,760 Be willing now to rise and take your first step forward. 620 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:50,960 We hope you enjoyed this message and we'd love for you to join us 621 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:53,120 in person every Sunday at 10:30 AM. 622 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:55,520 For more information and updates, visit 623 00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:58,160 wearebridgetown.com. Thanks for tuning in and we'll 624 00:44:58,160 --> 00:44:59,000 see you next week.