1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:06,900 Awesome across in church. How are you doing today? 2 00:00:07,100 --> 00:00:10,300 Yeah, come on, now. Look out there, John. 3 00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:12,300 It's beautiful. So good to be in the house. 4 00:00:12,300 --> 00:00:15,500 The Lord, with the, with a people of the Lord experience in 5 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:19,400 the presence of the Lord. And we welcome, you welcome all 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,500 of our campuses that are joining all across this region, how good 7 00:00:23,500 --> 00:00:26,900 it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity. 8 00:00:26,900 --> 00:00:31,800 There is nothing quite like it and really Joy in the series 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,100 that we've been in better how to win at home. 10 00:00:35,100 --> 00:00:38,100 And I know that there's been a lot of really good things that 11 00:00:38,100 --> 00:00:42,300 have come out of that, that you guys are personally doing in 12 00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:45,100 your own lives. And it's translating all the way 13 00:00:45,100 --> 00:00:48,600 across the board and your families and and that's awesome. 14 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,800 It's just awesome when great things are going on. 15 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,100 There's great things going on inside and online to. 16 00:00:56,100 --> 00:00:59,600 So, thankful for each and every one of you being a part along 17 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,400 with all of our local Locations. And it is an awesome time to be 18 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,200 part of the family of Believers got Easter coming up in a couple 19 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:12,300 of weeks, going to be a big day. It's going to be awesome. 20 00:01:12,300 --> 00:01:16,700 Can't wait for that last week. Just incredible being able to 21 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:19,400 preach with Andre. Did he bring the word or not? 22 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,700 But you know, Lawson how he brought the word. 23 00:01:23,100 --> 00:01:29,700 So I was there, you know, after the, the preaching time was over 24 00:01:29,700 --> 00:01:32,700 and sit in the front and enjoying the worship and 25 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:35,900 participate in the worship, like everybody else. 26 00:01:35,900 --> 00:01:39,900 And I'm thinking about what's coming, I'm thinking about the 27 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,000 Next week. And and we're going to be 28 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,400 talking about balance today and what that means. 29 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:51,500 And so in my mind I'm thinking, you know, I need a, I need an 30 00:01:51,500 --> 00:01:56,100 example for balance. I need some way of a detaching 31 00:01:56,100 --> 00:02:01,900 that and who would do I know that really lives out a balanced 32 00:02:01,900 --> 00:02:03,200 life. I want you to think about that 33 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,700 yourself right now who do, you know, that's around you that you 34 00:02:06,700 --> 00:02:08,900 have a pretty close relationship with it. 35 00:02:08,900 --> 00:02:14,200 You could say that person really lives a balanced life and maybe 36 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,700 you don't know exactly what I'm saying. 37 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:21,600 But but I'm talking about a christ-centered balanced life. 38 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,200 Who do you know like that? So I'm thinking about that and 39 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,400 realized while I was thinking that in worship, but I was 40 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:32,100 staring right at the guy. Because this is John, I mean, I 41 00:02:32,100 --> 00:02:36,300 know that John actually lives that and I'm not saying that 42 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:40,300 just to Puff you up that I've known you for 16 years in this 43 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:42,100 role. I've actually knew before that 44 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,700 but on staff at The Crossing for 16 years and it's been an 45 00:02:46,700 --> 00:02:51,000 amazing ride. He has great parents that raised 46 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,100 him up that had a lot to do with balance in your life. 47 00:02:54,100 --> 00:02:57,900 He is always had this really deep love for the church and the 48 00:02:57,900 --> 00:02:59,700 church can be difficult sometimes. 49 00:02:59,700 --> 00:03:02,900 And I know you've experienced some difficulty there but you've 50 00:03:02,900 --> 00:03:04,400 loved the church all the way through that. 51 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,400 He went to Bible College and then he served he served at 52 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,000 9:29. Can I hear it for 929? 53 00:03:12,700 --> 00:03:15,300 He served at Lima? Can I heard for a while? 54 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,500 He served at 48th Street, you know, he's dead. 55 00:03:20,500 --> 00:03:25,200 Yeah, he's been the campus pastor at 9:29. 56 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,500 And now he leads worship and media Ministries for all of our 57 00:03:29,500 --> 00:03:33,400 campuses all of our locations. So if you want to know like 58 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,800 where I began on this idea of balance, there's really this is, 59 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,300 this is really how I judge you more than anything else. 60 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:43,700 He married way way over his head, pretty. 61 00:03:43,700 --> 00:03:48,600 Okay, this like I got on even know, you know, Gary Shawna his 62 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:53,300 wife came from a great Christ committed, family parents and 63 00:03:53,300 --> 00:03:56,600 they were both committed to sexual Purity from the beginning 64 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,700 of their relationship with started when they were like two 65 00:03:58,700 --> 00:03:59,600 or something. I don't remember. 66 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,400 It's like been a while. And, and, and I remember I was 67 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,000 at their wedding and part of their wedding, ceremony was 68 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,100 white roses and it was white roses commemorating that sexual 69 00:04:11,100 --> 00:04:13,800 Purity. And after the wedding, I mean, 70 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,800 that impressed me. And after the wedding, they had 71 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,100 all these white White roses and they didn't know what they were 72 00:04:19,100 --> 00:04:22,300 going to do with them and I was going to preach a sermon and I 73 00:04:22,300 --> 00:04:27,000 decided that I would use those as an illustration of sexual 74 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,000 Purity. People that wanted to take that, 75 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:34,200 that step that day and say, I want to commit myself to sexual 76 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,400 Purity and we started handing out those white roses for that 77 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,900 and that was so well, received so many people wanted to commit 78 00:04:42,900 --> 00:04:46,900 to that, that I had to quit giving roses and what I ended up 79 00:04:46,900 --> 00:04:49,000 doing. We ended up tearing the white 80 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,400 petals off and we were giving everyone white petals. 81 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,400 That was that we're making that commitment and me think about 82 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,700 the power of that. The value of that, well, John's 83 00:05:00,700 --> 00:05:03,100 a committed to cycler. If you don't believe me, just go 84 00:05:03,100 --> 00:05:05,300 to Qdoba Tuesday. Thursday. 85 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,600 Yeah. And and you'll see him. 86 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,500 There was somebody pouring into somebody being in relationship. 87 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:15,200 He's a he loves discipleship. He's a fierce friend, sometimes 88 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,300 even more Fierce than I like. Because He will fight for 89 00:05:18,300 --> 00:05:21,200 relationship to The Bitter End. I mean, he just won't give up 90 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,500 and I see him in those environments, regularly, they 91 00:05:25,500 --> 00:05:29,200 opened their home to people that have a need for a place to stay. 92 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:33,000 They've done that multiple times and he and Shauna are no 93 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:39,600 strangers to hardship, pain and Challenge and you're going to 94 00:05:39,608 --> 00:05:44,800 hear about their twins today. Because that was about what 12 95 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,800 years ago. And a lot of You don't know that 96 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:51,900 they have four children here on Earth. 97 00:05:51,900 --> 00:05:56,000 They have three in heaven. And I've seen their balance 98 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,900 tested and tried, and it's endured enough to say that when 99 00:06:00,900 --> 00:06:06,100 we worship with John that there's no guile in him, I mean, 100 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:09,600 he's not trying to fake you out. That's really how he feels. 101 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:15,100 And it's and that it's that Honesty that I think captures 102 00:06:15,500 --> 00:06:19,200 many of our hearts, in our Our scripture today that we're going 103 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:23,300 to be referring to there's a section about following good 104 00:06:23,300 --> 00:06:27,000 examples. And I just want to tell you, I'm 105 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:32,100 excited to be up here with John because John is a good example. 106 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:39,400 Give my welcome. Well, to be honest, I had a 107 00:06:39,500 --> 00:06:42,800 slightly jaded view of what I think of the word balance and 108 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,300 when it's associated with the church growing up, I've been in 109 00:06:46,308 --> 00:06:48,900 part of different conversations and balance. 110 00:06:48,900 --> 00:06:51,700 The conversation went like this, they would come talk to me and 111 00:06:51,700 --> 00:06:56,200 they would say, well I have this career, I have these Hobbies, I 112 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,300 have this relationship here and I have this, and I have this. 113 00:06:59,300 --> 00:07:02,200 And then another piece was I have my relationship with 114 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,300 Christ. And to me, when we were talking 115 00:07:04,300 --> 00:07:08,200 about, It was more like fitting pieces into a pie and trying to 116 00:07:08,207 --> 00:07:11,900 balance all those things. Just balance them and then when 117 00:07:11,900 --> 00:07:14,600 something would happen such as a career move, someone would climb 118 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,500 the ladder and a career, or maybe their relationship with 119 00:07:17,500 --> 00:07:20,000 their girlfriend or boyfriend would get more serious. 120 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:24,400 What would happen was the pie, the balance would shift and all 121 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,100 sudden they. Usually the first thing to go 122 00:07:26,100 --> 00:07:30,700 would be the Peace of Jesus. And so I've always had a jaded 123 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:33,400 view because I'm thinking about the church and balance, there 124 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,500 really is no balance. When you talk about your 125 00:07:35,500 --> 00:07:39,200 relationship with Christ, but I'm thankful to say today that's 126 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:40,700 not the balance. We're talking about, we're 127 00:07:40,700 --> 00:07:44,800 talking about the balance of contentment, the one in the 128 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:50,300 peace, in the midst of Life, the type of balance you and I want 129 00:07:50,300 --> 00:07:53,800 for my family, you have goals, you have desires for your life 130 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,100 and family, but sometimes we struggle to see a path to get 131 00:07:57,100 --> 00:08:00,200 there. We're hope the book of 132 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,400 Philippians. Does this a good job of kind of 133 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,600 giving us insight and direction towards that? 134 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:06,900 So if you have your Bibles with you, open up to Philippians, 135 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,200 chapter 4, if you don't, that's all right, we're going to have 136 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,500 it on the screen. I'm going to read it along 137 00:08:11,700 --> 00:08:14,800 rejoice in the lord. Always, I will say it again. 138 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:19,700 Rejoice, let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near. 139 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,200 Do not be anxious about anything. 140 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,700 But in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, 141 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,400 present your requests to God and the Peace of God, which 142 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,500 transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your 143 00:08:32,500 --> 00:08:35,799 minds in Christ. Jesus, finally, brothers and 144 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:37,100 sisters. Whatever is true. 145 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,100 Whatever is Noble, whatever is pure, whatever is right? 146 00:08:40,100 --> 00:08:42,700 Whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is 147 00:08:42,700 --> 00:08:46,200 excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things, whatever you 148 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,100 have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, 149 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,600 put into practice and the God of Peace will be with you. 150 00:08:53,300 --> 00:08:55,800 I Rejoice greatly in the Lord that at the last year, renewed 151 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,600 your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned CERN, 152 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:00,300 but you had no opportunity to show it. 153 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:02,900 I'm not saying this because I am in need for. 154 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:05,900 I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances, I 155 00:09:05,908 --> 00:09:08,700 know what it is to be in, need, I know what it is to have 156 00:09:08,700 --> 00:09:12,100 plenty, I've learned the secret of being content in any and 157 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:15,800 every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in 158 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,900 plenty or in one you know this I can do all this through him who 159 00:09:20,900 --> 00:09:23,800 gives me strength. Now let's break that down so we 160 00:09:23,808 --> 00:09:26,500 can get a grip on what God is teaching us through Paul and 161 00:09:26,500 --> 00:09:30,900 maybe we can find that And our lives and our families will be 162 00:09:30,900 --> 00:09:35,700 better for it. Balance requires an attitude. 163 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,100 An attitude begins with a choice. 164 00:09:40,700 --> 00:09:44,300 You know, Joshua said in the Old Testament as they were taking 165 00:09:44,300 --> 00:09:48,800 the promised land as for me and my house, we will serve the 166 00:09:48,808 --> 00:09:51,100 Lord. What's Joshua saying? 167 00:09:51,100 --> 00:09:54,400 They're he's saying I'm making a choice, I'm making a choice for 168 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,600 myself and I'm making a choice for my family that we are better 169 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:04,900 better because we're going to let Christ or God in the Old 170 00:10:04,900 --> 00:10:10,400 Testament be at the very center place of my my home. 171 00:10:10,500 --> 00:10:15,500 My life, you know, Jesus said this in Matthew 6:33 said, but 172 00:10:15,500 --> 00:10:18,800 seek first, his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these 173 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,400 things will be given to you as well. 174 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:27,000 Same thing all of our decisions in life need to flow out of that 175 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,200 truth. And so our attitude in the 176 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,800 choices we make for that, attitude are critical to this. 177 00:10:33,500 --> 00:10:37,800 So, let me say it this way, just with a slogan, okay. 178 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,200 Direction determines Owens destination. 179 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:47,500 The direction you said in your life will determine where you 180 00:10:47,500 --> 00:10:49,500 end up the destination of your life. 181 00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:52,100 Let's say it together. Ready Direction? 182 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:57,100 Determines destination. So, Paul at in the scripture in 183 00:10:57,100 --> 00:11:01,600 Philippians 4, He commands us, it's in the imperative He 184 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:08,100 commands us to Rejoice because to Rejoice is a choice. 185 00:11:08,700 --> 00:11:11,400 Really, it is. Now, I know that a lot of us we 186 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,900 just want to be carried along. We just want to be in an 187 00:11:13,900 --> 00:11:17,600 environment circumstances, everything around just just kind 188 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:21,200 of forces it out of us, but that's not what Paul is saying 189 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,300 here. He's saying to Rejoice is a 190 00:11:23,300 --> 00:11:26,600 choice. How many times have you been in 191 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,600 an environment like a church environment and you're supposed 192 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,400 to be praising and worshipping? And you just don't feel like it, 193 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,100 come on moment of honesty. How many of you would times 194 00:11:36,100 --> 00:11:37,500 you've done it. You just don't feel like it in 195 00:11:37,500 --> 00:11:42,800 the rest of you are lying lying. That's what these steps are. 196 00:11:42,900 --> 00:11:50,600 For later on how many times are you called on to rejoice and you 197 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:56,500 sing the words but you really feel like you're forcing it. 198 00:11:56,500 --> 00:11:59,200 How about that? You feel like you're forcing it? 199 00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:01,500 Yeah. Why is that? 200 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:05,500 Well, because rejoicing is a discipline. 201 00:12:06,700 --> 00:12:09,300 It really is. You have to make a choice to 202 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:12,700 Rejoice, you know, there's a lot of things in life that we either 203 00:12:12,700 --> 00:12:17,100 do, or don't do we, because we'd rather do something else. 204 00:12:17,500 --> 00:12:21,400 That doesn't make this fake. It doesn't make rejoicing fake. 205 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:24,400 You're just admitting that. It's a choice. 206 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,500 You're making a choice. And you got to decide whether or 207 00:12:28,508 --> 00:12:31,100 not you're going to do that many years ago. 208 00:12:31,300 --> 00:12:34,900 I was in a quartet men's quartet. 209 00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:40,200 And we were asked to sing. And I was asked to preach at the 210 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:43,700 Indiana State Farm, which is a prison. 211 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,300 And so we went in there and they had a praise band. 212 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,300 And these guys were actually very good and then we got up and 213 00:12:52,300 --> 00:12:55,100 we did our stuff. And then when they were does 214 00:12:55,100 --> 00:13:00,700 about 500 inmates, In that in that room and when they were 215 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:04,100 done, everybody clears off the stage and and I come up on the 216 00:13:04,100 --> 00:13:10,200 stage to preach except for one guy and he was a big big guy. 217 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:16,600 He was over 7 foot tall, he just towered over me and he was as 218 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,800 wide as he was tall. He was just a big dude and he 219 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:22,500 didn't leave. The state's matter of fact, he 220 00:13:22,500 --> 00:13:28,200 brought out a stool and sat it behind me and Sat down on it. 221 00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:34,000 So I start preaching my sermon. Let me tell you, it was weird. 222 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,900 It was intimidating that I had this giant man behind me sitting 223 00:13:37,900 --> 00:13:41,600 on a stool while I was preaching. 224 00:13:42,700 --> 00:13:47,100 So I start preaching and I'm talking and I said something 225 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:52,000 that obviously agreed with him because he went, mmm. 226 00:13:54,700 --> 00:13:58,400 Mmm. It's making sure everything's. 227 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:04,200 Okay, kept going priest. Little bit more. 228 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,400 He went. Mmm. 229 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:10,100 Like, he just had a bite of dessert. 230 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:16,000 And without really recognizing it, I started to feel better. 231 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:21,400 I started to feel good and the more I preach, the more he would 232 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,400 respond as matter. Of fact, I found out the whole 233 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:28,100 reason he was there up. There was to encourage me that 234 00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:33,200 was his gift to just encourage me and he was mmm, you know, and 235 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:37,600 so I mean I'm giving it more. I'm starting to sweat, you know, 236 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,000 a little bit and I'm preaching harder because he's encouraging 237 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,500 me and a little bit further into it. 238 00:14:43,500 --> 00:14:47,300 I said something, I remember what I said but he knows Say it 239 00:14:47,300 --> 00:14:50,800 again. I went. 240 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:55,200 I said it again. Anyway, then he went. 241 00:14:55,200 --> 00:15:00,600 Mmm well a little further in the sermon and I said something 242 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:05,700 else, he goes say it again and I go I'm gonna say it again. 243 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,700 But that time I'm screaming, the sermon sweats pouring down my 244 00:15:11,700 --> 00:15:17,500 face, and it felt so good. You know, he was making a 245 00:15:17,500 --> 00:15:22,500 choice, he was making a choice to Rejoice. 246 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:27,800 He was making a choice and he was helping me to make a choice 247 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,600 as well. And it makes all the difference 248 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:34,700 in your attitude. John, it does, I want to talk 249 00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:36,600 afterwards about joining a quartet with you. 250 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:37,600 I think that would be a great idea. 251 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:38,800 Okay. Yeah, right. 252 00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:43,500 You can be my Jerry tone. You guys got that, right? 253 00:15:43,500 --> 00:15:45,000 Baritones. You're okay, that's good. 254 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,200 Alright we got something later. Go say it again. 255 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,400 I will Mi jere tone. I'll just be the big guy. 256 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,600 You're my tiny. That's right. 257 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,800 People who are happy. Especially those who are happy 258 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:00,900 in the Lord are not apt to either give offense or take 259 00:16:00,900 --> 00:16:02,800 offense. And you know the people that I'm 260 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,300 talking about, right? Those who just walk with a nice 261 00:16:06,300 --> 00:16:10,100 steady Pace. Those always have a smile upon 262 00:16:10,100 --> 00:16:12,300 them. Those always have, Good 263 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:15,000 encouragement. They give you those that know 264 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,000 that their life. Even when people try to knock 265 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,000 them off balance, they just stay steady. 266 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,000 Their life is just one. Beautiful balance. 267 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:26,100 Walk, those are the people, those our minds, our minds are 268 00:16:26,100 --> 00:16:29,300 sweetly occupied with higher things and they're not easily 269 00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:31,900 distracted by the little troubles, which naturally arise 270 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,400 in such imperfect creatures like us, right. 271 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,800 Joy in the Lord is the cure for disc whom say it again. 272 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,500 John, say it again. Brother joy, and the Lord is 273 00:16:44,500 --> 00:16:46,600 cure for Discord. Can I get a witness? 274 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:48,000 Amen. Amen. 275 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,200 I believe it. I believe it's joy and the Lord 276 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,600 can cure all kinds of things. Then it goes on to say this, 277 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,700 that let your gentleness be evident to all. 278 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,100 Evident means what it needs to be seen, right? 279 00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:04,300 Like this gentleness, that's inside of you. 280 00:17:04,500 --> 00:17:07,099 This attribute of God. Isn't something that just stays 281 00:17:07,099 --> 00:17:10,200 in here, know, like when you go to work, like people should say, 282 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,300 there's gentleness about you, At home, they should recognize your 283 00:17:14,300 --> 00:17:17,000 gentleness or wherever you go especially at Walmart, they 284 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,400 should have recognized your gentleness, right? 285 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:22,900 This isn't something that we just keep inside. 286 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,599 Right. Man, I think of other words like 287 00:17:26,599 --> 00:17:30,600 this, I think of mildness. I think of patients, I think of 288 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,100 Mercy. I think of moderation, I think 289 00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:36,300 of the unwillingness to litigator can't end like this 290 00:17:36,300 --> 00:17:40,100 describes, the heart of a person who will let the Lord fight his 291 00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:41,700 battles, right? It's right. 292 00:17:41,700 --> 00:17:45,200 Romans 12:19 says this, he knows that vengeance. 293 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,000 Is mine says the Lord. It describes a person who is 294 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,400 really free to let go of his anxieties and the things that 295 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:54,600 caused some stress because he knows the Lord, Take up his 296 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:58,300 cause. Then it says, the Lord is near 297 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,000 and I love. It's kind of twofold for me. 298 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,000 It says, the Lord is near the Lord is coming back soon. 299 00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:06,400 Jesus Christ, one day, we'll come back soon. 300 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:10,100 And at that time, he will take care of all the injustices, he 301 00:18:10,100 --> 00:18:14,100 will make every wrong. He will make right Cummings, let 302 00:18:14,100 --> 00:18:17,200 him fight the battles. It also says this Lord is near 303 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:18,300 right. So, he's with us. 304 00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:23,000 He's watching us, this part can fix me because my wife would 305 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,100 probably say I'm a gentle person to a lot of people, but around 306 00:18:26,100 --> 00:18:29,900 9:00, Night, my gentleness goes, when the kids are trying to go 307 00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:34,100 to bed, right? So when you look at your spouse, 308 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:37,400 what do they see? Do they see gentleness as a part 309 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:38,600 of, you forget the rest of the world. 310 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,000 Maybe just start in your home. Does your spouse recognize this 311 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,100 gentleness? Do your kids, recognize this 312 00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:49,300 gentleness students kids, do your parents recognize this 313 00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:51,900 gentleness of knowledge. You so what have we talked 314 00:18:51,900 --> 00:18:53,400 about? We talked about rejoicing, 315 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:57,700 right? Say it again, rejoice We've 316 00:18:57,700 --> 00:19:00,600 talked about gentleness. How are you doing? 317 00:19:01,900 --> 00:19:05,200 How are you doing, honestly? Because I can tell you right 318 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:09,000 now, I'm not doing very well. It's easy for me to stand up 319 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,700 here and tell you how to be. But listen, I struggle with 320 00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:13,700 this. I struggle. 321 00:19:13,700 --> 00:19:15,400 Sometimes I just don't feel like it sometimes. 322 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,300 I don't want to do it sometimes. I don't want I want to fake it. 323 00:19:18,300 --> 00:19:20,500 Here are you are you? Are you agreeing with me? 324 00:19:20,500 --> 00:19:22,600 Here? Is there some truth in that? 325 00:19:22,700 --> 00:19:27,800 Sometimes I'm not. You could use a lot of different 326 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,300 pronouns but gentle Jerry probably not. 327 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,700 No. You know, and that's something 328 00:19:34,700 --> 00:19:38,400 to be proud of because my gentleness is supposed to be 329 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:42,100 evident to all. So maybe like me, you're feeling 330 00:19:42,100 --> 00:19:45,400 a little defeated right now. You're saying, why did I come 331 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,800 here to hear this? Because this is not encouraging. 332 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,600 Listen to me, you're not alone. If you have Jesus Christ in your 333 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,700 heart, you have the holy spirit to guide you and you're never 334 00:19:54,700 --> 00:19:57,200 alone in men. He's going to be there with you. 335 00:19:57,500 --> 00:20:01,000 He's going to help you, he's going to strengthen you, he's 336 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,600 going to uphold you, he's there, and he's not just there for the 337 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:07,600 victories. He's not just there when the 338 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,700 weather's good, he's there for every failure. 339 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,100 He's there for every hardship. He's there for every difficulty. 340 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,700 So balance requires a joyful attitude and it requires a 341 00:20:18,700 --> 00:20:22,600 gentle disposition. So great, that's true. 342 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,800 How do I actually make that happen in my life? 343 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:30,400 Let me give you one way that that really happens and that is 344 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:36,800 praying being a person who prays a person who talks to the Lord, 345 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,400 you're not alone and what prayer is there to for you to do is to 346 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,300 have a talk with Jesus have a conversation. 347 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:47,700 With God to be reminded. Remember, it's not there to 348 00:20:47,700 --> 00:20:50,800 change God's mind prayers. Never been there to change, 349 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:55,200 God's mind, it's there to change hours and make our minds more 350 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:57,900 like his. And when we, when we talked to 351 00:20:57,900 --> 00:21:04,300 the Lord, that begins to happen and you need to, you need to 352 00:21:04,300 --> 00:21:07,400 because, how many of us are struggling with anxiety right 353 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,100 now? The challenges that you face in 354 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:14,200 life, they can shred us on the inside. 355 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:15,400 Right? Right. 356 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,400 And that's what that is. That's that's anxiety. 357 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:22,000 And some of those challenges they seem overwhelming but Jesus 358 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:28,400 is never overwhelmed. If the cross couldn't overwhelm 359 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:32,400 Jesus, then your problems won't overwhelm Jesus. 360 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:33,300 Amen! Amen. 361 00:21:33,700 --> 00:21:38,200 He'll give you a piece. Now, the Apostle, Paul said a 362 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,700 peace, that passes understanding, you know what 363 00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:43,800 that means means a piece. That makes no sense. 364 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:48,000 That isn't based on the circumstances, right? 365 00:21:48,300 --> 00:21:52,200 And that piece, he said, will guard your hearts and your minds 366 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,000 in Christ Jesus. And if you're saying heart, 367 00:21:55,100 --> 00:21:57,500 that's emotions. If you're saying mine, that's 368 00:21:57,500 --> 00:21:59,900 thoughts your emotions and your thoughts. 369 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,500 Let me ask you a question. Where does your anxiety come 370 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:05,000 from? If it doesn't come from your 371 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:09,900 emotions and your thoughts and he says, balance comes from 372 00:22:09,900 --> 00:22:13,300 peace. Balance comes from peace. 373 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:17,600 Now, the kind of Peace he's talking about it passes 374 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:21,900 understanding, which means does it make sense, which means it 375 00:22:21,900 --> 00:22:26,400 isn't based on how good your life is the circumstances of 376 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:28,000 your life? It's not the absence of 377 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:33,000 difficulty but he's giving you peace right in the middle of 378 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,400 difficulty. John talk to us some more about 379 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:36,800 that. So if our hearts and our minds 380 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,800 are being emptied of these things of anxiety, and stress, 381 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,900 and what do we fill them with? God's word tells us, right? 382 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,800 It says true things Noble things. 383 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,600 Right things pure things, lovely things. 384 00:22:49,100 --> 00:22:51,400 Excellent and praiseworthy things. 385 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,900 Just pause there for a moment. If those things were to fill 386 00:22:56,900 --> 00:23:00,300 your mind, if you were to think only of true pure and lovely 387 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:01,800 things. Excellent, and praiseworthy 388 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:02,800 things. What would your life? 389 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:07,000 What would your day look like? I'd be hard to find it a tad. 390 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,900 Be filled with chaos. I bet there'd be a lot more 391 00:23:08,900 --> 00:23:12,500 peace and balance in your life. Well, how do you, how do you get 392 00:23:12,500 --> 00:23:14,700 some of those things? How do you, how do you see 393 00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:17,100 lovely things in pure? Well, it's the examples around 394 00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:18,800 you. Who are you putting yourself 395 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:20,900 around? Do you have good examples in 396 00:23:20,900 --> 00:23:23,600 your life are the examples in your life? 397 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,700 Good ones? That are bringing these things 398 00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:31,000 or are they once filling of chaos and maybe unbalanced do 399 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,700 your kids do your spouse? Do they have these circles are 400 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:36,800 they? In close proximity. 72, these 401 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:39,400 good environments where they're seeing these lovely things. 402 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,300 He's praiseworthy and excellent things. 403 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,800 How about your example to the people you care about most? 404 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,600 Are you being this to them? See, right now many of you like 405 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,000 me are feeling the burden of how far are you away from anything 406 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,300 that could be called balance, but Paul talks about what it's 407 00:23:54,300 --> 00:23:58,200 like knowing, knowing in the best of circumstances and the 408 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:03,500 worst of circumstances. Our first pregnancy was awesome 409 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,300 to say the least. It was, it was interesting. 410 00:24:06,900 --> 00:24:09,900 We'd been trying for several years and we found out that we 411 00:24:09,900 --> 00:24:11,400 were pregnant. We were thrilled. 412 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,000 We are excited. Not only to find out that we 413 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,900 were pregnant with one but two Then to find out that they were 414 00:24:18,900 --> 00:24:24,100 in the same sack, okay? They're not defined that just 415 00:24:24,100 --> 00:24:26,800 that but also that they are conjoined at the belly. 416 00:24:27,900 --> 00:24:32,800 Okay, excited. Yes, nervous. 417 00:24:32,900 --> 00:24:36,900 You better believe it. Through this, through this 418 00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:39,800 pregnancy we came up right from the very beginning after finding 419 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,000 out all this news in a matter of couple weeks. 420 00:24:42,300 --> 00:24:44,600 We decided to vary from the beginning this motto for the 421 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:48,600 glory of God like no matter what throughout the whole pregnancy 422 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,100 that for the glory of God, whatever may happen for God's 423 00:24:52,100 --> 00:24:55,900 glory. I remember a specific prayer 424 00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:57,600 now. There were many, many prayers 425 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,000 lifted to the heavens, but I remember this one specific. 426 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,200 It was in their Nursery as we were prepping for the nursery I 427 00:25:03,500 --> 00:25:06,900 got down on my knees during the day and I remember crying out to 428 00:25:06,900 --> 00:25:09,100 God. God this would be awesome for 429 00:25:09,100 --> 00:25:13,300 you. God, do a miracle, this would be 430 00:25:13,300 --> 00:25:15,600 great for your kingdom. This would be great if they were 431 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:19,500 to live and be separated what a testimony that they would have 432 00:25:19,700 --> 00:25:21,100 do the things that they would tell. 433 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,000 God, how do you receive so much lower? 434 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,000 Your kingdom would continue to advance an incredible things 435 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,400 would happen. All For Your Glory, God. 436 00:25:31,900 --> 00:25:35,300 Also think of all the people during during this time the 437 00:25:35,300 --> 00:25:38,400 church family, they're a beautiful thing. 438 00:25:38,900 --> 00:25:42,100 The bride of Christ, how they came along and send up prayer 439 00:25:42,100 --> 00:25:44,900 after a prayer petitions after petitions that people would 440 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:48,600 Journey as they fasted and pray for our twins that they lifted 441 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:50,900 up for are saying God, let a miracle happen. 442 00:25:50,900 --> 00:25:54,000 Let incredible things happen. Now throughout the months 443 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,000 because it was such a high-risk surgery. 444 00:25:57,100 --> 00:25:59,700 We had been part of many ultrasounds, we would be in 445 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:02,800 there for hours upon hours, they want You know every angle, 446 00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:05,600 everything about our boys, they wanted to make sure that they 447 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,500 knew before the surgery. What they were going into and 448 00:26:08,500 --> 00:26:10,800 what they knew how to do that, what to do to separate it. 449 00:26:10,900 --> 00:26:15,000 So we knew what an ultrasound was all about at 32 weeks. 450 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,400 We headed out to Philadelphia. That was where they have great 451 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,700 success and separating conjoined twins. 452 00:26:20,700 --> 00:26:22,300 So we wanted nothing but the best. 453 00:26:22,300 --> 00:26:26,000 So we flew out to Philadelphia and we're going to stay there 454 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,800 till the duration. Well, I remember being a Monday 455 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,100 morning and we had another doctor's appointment. 456 00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:34,300 We went it to it just like all the rest of them went to the 457 00:26:34,300 --> 00:26:38,000 South into the room and started take the ultrasound. 458 00:26:40,500 --> 00:26:43,900 Except this one was different. Instead of seeing all the 459 00:26:43,900 --> 00:26:46,000 colors, the blues and the Reds, and the beeps, and the 460 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:50,000 movements, we find ourselves staring at a black and white 461 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,800 screen. The nurse left to go, get the 462 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:57,100 doctor only to come back in confirming. 463 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:58,700 What Shawn? I already knew. 464 00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:03,600 That the boys were gone. That it was over. 465 00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:08,000 I remember them taking us to another room where we had to 466 00:27:08,008 --> 00:27:11,700 call our parents and our close friends and explained that it 467 00:27:11,700 --> 00:27:17,700 was over the boys were gone. For the glory of God. 468 00:27:19,700 --> 00:27:23,700 Only a week later being in this room celebrating their life and 469 00:27:23,700 --> 00:27:27,200 then burying them all in a week's time. 470 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:33,700 I don't know if I will ever have on this side of Heaven. 471 00:27:33,700 --> 00:27:37,300 The answer that I'm looking for or even when I get to heaven, if 472 00:27:37,300 --> 00:27:39,700 I will get the answer for. Why? 473 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:42,500 Because still to this day, I think they would have an 474 00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:45,900 incredible testimony. My 12 year old boys will be 475 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:52,000 preaching, Jesus left and right. I have wonders. 476 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:53,500 I have wise. I have concerns. 477 00:27:53,500 --> 00:27:56,500 I still have doubts, why? It had to be this way. 478 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,900 I'm here to tell you this, my God is good, hmm, he's faithful. 479 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,900 Yes, I jesus never left me, nor forsake me in the best of 480 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:12,000 circumstances, he is with me, but in the lowest of lows of my 481 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,500 life, I had a piece that passed it past. 482 00:28:15,500 --> 00:28:18,200 All understanding Jesus was my strength. 483 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,300 He was my wife and I strength during that time. 484 00:28:22,300 --> 00:28:24,600 All praise be to Jesus for the glory of God. 485 00:28:24,700 --> 00:28:27,900 See, sometimes we misunderstand what Paul means when he says he 486 00:28:27,900 --> 00:28:30,800 can do. All things strength is me 487 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,300 through Christ, Jesus. He isn't saying how hard you can 488 00:28:34,300 --> 00:28:38,300 hit. But how hard you can be hit and 489 00:28:38,300 --> 00:28:44,800 still keep moving forward. Because the direction determines 490 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:51,100 destination, it's the choice. You make about your attitude. 491 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:55,700 And not just what, but who you're putting your trust in. 492 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,600 I know that what John just shared with you about his life 493 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:07,300 overlays A lot of challenges that you all are facing it all 494 00:29:07,300 --> 00:29:12,000 of our locations in your life. And so this idea of balance is a 495 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,200 critical idea. How do I do it? 496 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:21,900 How do I put Christ first in my life, even when I don't have all 497 00:29:21,900 --> 00:29:25,700 the answers and I feel all that frustration, what what we want 498 00:29:25,700 --> 00:29:29,500 to do in This Bitter series, John and I want to give you some 499 00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:33,500 practical ways that you can Embrace today. 500 00:29:33,500 --> 00:29:37,600 So that you can move forward. In those challenges, one of them 501 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,800 being this are this gen team, the kit, the The staff that 502 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:43,500 pours into our kids week in and week out. 503 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,600 They do a great job of teaching. Our kids scripture coming 504 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,000 alongside us as parents and grandparents and showing them 505 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,100 what it is to love. Jesus to learn scripture. 506 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,900 One of those things they give us a resource because I know 507 00:29:53,900 --> 00:29:56,800 sometimes when we leave here, we maybe can feel a little bit 508 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:58,800 inadequate. Like, how do I actually do this? 509 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:00,800 That, you guys do a great job, but how do I actually have 510 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,300 conversations with my kids? Or how do I teach some 511 00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:05,100 scripture? Well, let me show you this. 512 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,500 It's called the parent Q app. And this is an awesome resource 513 00:30:08,500 --> 00:30:10,500 that I love. Like I have all my Kids on your 514 00:30:10,500 --> 00:30:14,300 Thea, Jadwin Clark and Milo. What this does, is it a 515 00:30:14,308 --> 00:30:15,900 resource? So now I know what fee is 516 00:30:15,900 --> 00:30:18,200 learning back there. She's learning about hope she's 517 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:22,000 learning about scripture, John 16:33 and what was he died was 518 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:24,700 opening this app last week and I was talking about the scripture. 519 00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:27,300 And as I was saying the scripture, she finished it for 520 00:30:27,300 --> 00:30:29,300 me. Mmm, how encouraging that is, it 521 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:33,300 shows what we can do during morning, X Dr. X mealtimes, and 522 00:30:33,300 --> 00:30:36,200 even bedtime. So as a parent, this is a great 523 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,000 resource that helps come alongside me and helps equip me 524 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,400 and gives me the right. Things to say and hopefully lock 525 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:43,600 in with what they're teaching them in the back and I can 526 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,500 continue to reinforce that here. So I want to encourage you if 527 00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:48,800 you don't have this app and you have a child back to or 528 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,800 grandchild, download this app, go to this QR code here, 529 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:56,300 download the app or if you can't get the qr-code parent, Q dot 530 00:30:56,300 --> 00:31:00,100 org, /the app, and let that be a great resource for you with 531 00:31:00,100 --> 00:31:02,600 regard to prayer. Some of you may remember I 532 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:04,800 preached a sermon a while back and I said, I have a 533 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,000 prescription. I take every day, one in the 534 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,400 morning and one in the evening, not a pill, but a Spiritual 535 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,600 prescription. I called it my to 92s from Psalm 536 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:17,700 92. And what it says in Psalm 92 is 537 00:31:17,700 --> 00:31:21,600 I Proclaim your love and the morning and your faithfulness at 538 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:24,200 night. What I'd like to do is establish 539 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,400 a discipline in my life where every morning before I really 540 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:32,300 get started with my day, I Proclaim his love like 541 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,400 regardless of what happens regardless of what I faced 542 00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:39,800 circumstances situations? I know if God. 543 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,100 Keeps his word and he always does. 544 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:47,600 He loves me, amen. He loves me, and it'll never 545 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:49,800 change. I need to be reminded of that, 546 00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:52,300 every day. It changes my attitude. 547 00:31:52,300 --> 00:31:55,900 It's a choice. I make in the evening, I take 548 00:31:55,900 --> 00:32:00,000 the second one, which is, and his faithfulness at night. 549 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:05,000 So when I look at the day I evaluate the day, I think about 550 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:09,000 the day was God, Faithful the answers. 551 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:12,300 Yes. He was faithful that day and I'm 552 00:32:12,300 --> 00:32:17,600 reminded that my God not only loves me but he is faithful to 553 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,900 me install that as part of your prayer time, it makes a 554 00:32:21,900 --> 00:32:25,200 difference. The other one is this is have 555 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:28,500 good examples. I believe I have the life that I 556 00:32:28,508 --> 00:32:30,900 have now because of the men and women that I've surrounded 557 00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:33,600 myself with. It's so important that we have 558 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:36,600 good examples and I encourage each of us to have those people 559 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,800 that you can learn from people that you can walk this life with 560 00:32:40,100 --> 00:32:42,500 maybe you don't have anybody look around you. 561 00:32:42,500 --> 00:32:45,600 If you see someone a lady or a gentleman in this church that 562 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:49,000 you admire, you think, man, they just always seem to walk and it 563 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:50,600 look like to have a balanced life. 564 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:53,000 How about you go up to them and say let's go get some coffee 565 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,500 sometime. Commit to follow them, commit to 566 00:32:55,500 --> 00:32:59,800 learn from commit to do life with, I can think of 10 men, I 567 00:32:59,808 --> 00:33:02,900 can call right now and they would stop whatever they're 568 00:33:02,900 --> 00:33:07,800 doing and they would help me. How important it is to know that 569 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:09,400 you don't have to Journey this life alone. 570 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:13,000 Maybe you're a couple or a family you need to other other 571 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,200 influences with you that had maybe have kids with you. 572 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:18,900 I encourage you to join a life group do life with them get into 573 00:33:19,100 --> 00:33:22,500 their home, watch how they raise their kids, look at the good 574 00:33:22,500 --> 00:33:25,100 examples around you. The worst thing you could do is 575 00:33:25,100 --> 00:33:27,100 not do that. I encourage you to find an 576 00:33:27,100 --> 00:33:31,400 example and you're never too old to have those examples or 577 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,000 mentors. I know I have mentors in my life 578 00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:35,600 that I allowed to speak into my life. 579 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,100 They were Credible help to me in the last year as Alison and I 580 00:33:39,100 --> 00:33:43,000 were going through this transition, both for her and for 581 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:46,800 me so give people permission people that are those goods 582 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,600 examples to just speak into your life. 583 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,700 And if you're eliminating, some things in your life to fill 584 00:33:52,700 --> 00:33:56,700 them, with other things, fill those spaces with the very best 585 00:33:56,700 --> 00:33:58,700 of things. And here's, here's the Easy 586 00:33:58,700 --> 00:34:01,100 Button, here's the easy thing to do. 587 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:02,700 Are you ready? It's profound. 588 00:34:02,700 --> 00:34:06,500 Go to church, say it again. Go to To church. 589 00:34:06,500 --> 00:34:10,600 Okay, okay. Okay listen, listen, why that's 590 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:14,000 seat, you know, we're in tested those seats. 591 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,199 They're comfortable at all of our locations. 592 00:34:17,199 --> 00:34:19,500 Right? It's not that hard, it's not 593 00:34:19,500 --> 00:34:22,600 that hard to go to church and this is what happens when you go 594 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,100 to church. If you have kids they're here in 595 00:34:25,100 --> 00:34:27,800 the word of God. Yeah, they're developing. 596 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,400 You have a partner in ministry, right? 597 00:34:30,500 --> 00:34:34,699 You sit in here and you hear the word you hear God's word. 598 00:34:34,699 --> 00:34:37,600 You stand up. You begin to praise and worship 599 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:41,100 and your problems get smaller and God's power gets bigger, 600 00:34:41,100 --> 00:34:43,699 because you're realizing that, right? 601 00:34:43,699 --> 00:34:47,199 And you leave encouraged, not discouraged in courage to make 602 00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:49,000 the right decisions and the Right Moves. 603 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,400 It's not that hard. You need to go to church and I 604 00:34:52,408 --> 00:34:55,100 don't mean once a month. I mean consistently. 605 00:34:55,300 --> 00:34:58,100 That's a great place to start John last. 606 00:34:58,100 --> 00:35:02,000 Is that he meant that no Katie. That finally, Mark 8:36. 607 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:05,800 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet? 608 00:35:05,900 --> 00:35:10,300 At their soul. What do you want for your life? 609 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:12,200 What do you want for your kid's life? 610 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:18,000 What I want for my kids, I want them to love the Lord, their 611 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,900 God, with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. 612 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:26,000 I want them to love the church. I want them to love the people 613 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,500 of God, the bride of Christ, the hope of the world. 614 00:35:28,500 --> 00:35:31,500 I want them to know that the church will stand and they will 615 00:35:31,500 --> 00:35:35,000 play a major part for the rest of their lives in the bride of 616 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,300 Christ. I want them to know that in 617 00:35:37,300 --> 00:35:40,600 whatever, career path, wherever they go, that the foundation of 618 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:44,400 who they are. Their identity is found only in 619 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,800 Christ and everything else. They do flows from that, amen. 620 00:35:48,700 --> 00:35:51,300 Today, may be the last thing you need to do, or the only thing 621 00:35:51,300 --> 00:35:54,600 you need to do today is this is put a stake in the ground and 622 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:59,100 say as for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord. 623 00:36:00,100 --> 00:36:06,000 Alright, amen. The definition of insanity is 624 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,600 this and, you know, it doing the same thing over and over and 625 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:10,100 over. But expecting a different 626 00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:14,000 result, if we're going to make that declaration as for me and 627 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:15,800 my house, we're going to serve, maybe there are going to be a, 628 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:18,900 to, some changes, put something break up your routine and put 629 00:36:18,900 --> 00:36:22,100 something Godly in there. Something to reinforce what 630 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:25,800 we're talking about. I'm thankful what Jesus has 631 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:27,600 done. So finally, as for me and my 632 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:30,500 house, say it with me, we will serve the Lord. 633 00:36:30,700 --> 00:36:32,400 What you think about this? As we moved to a time of 634 00:36:32,408 --> 00:36:43,900 decision so you're thinking something while I'm walking down 635 00:36:43,900 --> 00:36:50,400 the stairs like that, Because I have a new respect for stairs. 636 00:36:52,100 --> 00:36:55,700 Because on Wednesday, I was coming down my stairs at my 637 00:36:55,700 --> 00:36:59,900 house and my stairs have a 90 degree so they go down like 638 00:36:59,900 --> 00:37:02,900 dominoes 67 steps, there's a landing and in 67 steps the 639 00:37:02,900 --> 00:37:05,700 other way. And we're doing some remodeling 640 00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:08,400 its time because that the carpet there Shag. 641 00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:13,900 And and there's been a lot of drywall dust it's come up. 642 00:37:13,900 --> 00:37:19,200 And so there was kind of a it was early in the morning and I'm 643 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:24,000 coming down that second part of stairs and I lost my footing and 644 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:26,100 I did a slide in home, you know what I'm saying? 645 00:37:26,100 --> 00:37:30,200 Except for it wasn't on nice flat, Sandy ground it was on 646 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:32,300 those steps and it was boom, boom boom. 647 00:37:33,500 --> 00:37:37,400 And it really hurt. And my wife is doing our 648 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:43,400 devotions at our table and of course, she heard that every 649 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:48,100 people, the next block heard that and are you okay? 650 00:37:50,900 --> 00:37:55,200 And there's a ton of emotions happening simultaneously in my 651 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:59,200 head. Like number one, am I dead? 652 00:38:01,100 --> 00:38:04,000 Number two. How bad is it? 653 00:38:04,700 --> 00:38:06,900 Like how much damage have I done? 654 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:14,700 And but one of the big ones that kind of rose up was just 655 00:38:14,700 --> 00:38:19,800 embarrassment. You know, old people fall down 656 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:22,200 the steps. Not me. 657 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:27,800 You know. And I know my kids are looking 658 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:29,900 for the, you know, the quick ride for me, to the nursing 659 00:38:29,900 --> 00:38:33,600 home. So I'm not, hey, So I was 660 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:38,100 embarrassed and then, you know, the fact that the guy that was 661 00:38:38,300 --> 00:38:40,700 helping me upstairs was asking if I was all right. 662 00:38:40,700 --> 00:38:43,600 Now send was asking if if I was all right. 663 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:46,500 Actually, it had a weird impact on me. 664 00:38:46,500 --> 00:38:50,400 I got mad because I was embarrassed and, and they were 665 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:54,200 kind of pointing it out to me. And I didn't know how to 666 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:57,400 respond. And I was just like, just give 667 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:01,600 me a minute, you know? But it was not nice, it didn't. 668 00:39:02,100 --> 00:39:04,900 If it's not let your gentleness be evident to all. 669 00:39:08,900 --> 00:39:12,700 Really frustrated. You know why? 670 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:18,800 Lack of balance. Lack of balance. 671 00:39:20,700 --> 00:39:24,500 In my head, I could remember when I could fly them down those 672 00:39:24,500 --> 00:39:28,200 stairs. My feet would barely touch. 673 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:33,100 I could go two steps at a time. If I wanted to and some were in 674 00:39:33,100 --> 00:39:35,800 my head, I still think I can do that. 675 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:38,000 But my body isn't agreeing with me anymore. 676 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:46,100 Right. You suffering with a lack of 677 00:39:46,100 --> 00:39:49,800 balance. Maybe you don't realize it and 678 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:52,600 you think you can manage something on your own that you 679 00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,900 really can't. How many of you right now are 680 00:39:55,900 --> 00:40:02,300 carrying around the bruises and the scars of times, you thought 681 00:40:02,300 --> 00:40:05,900 you could hold things in Balance when you really couldn't and 682 00:40:05,900 --> 00:40:10,300 what happened to you. You got hurt. 683 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:15,500 You felt embarrassment. Some of you may have even gotten 684 00:40:15,500 --> 00:40:21,900 angry, Some of you maybe even blamed God because as I was 685 00:40:21,900 --> 00:40:25,000 assessing that pain. I was kind of mad at God, I'm 686 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:34,600 going, I gotta preach this week. This mad at my wife, just for 687 00:40:34,700 --> 00:40:39,300 caring, you know why? Because she was safe. 688 00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:44,500 Because I know she could take that and that wasn't right of 689 00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:49,800 me. and I think when you deal with stuff like this, that's how 690 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:53,100 I think you feel you're embarrassed. 691 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:57,100 You're angry, you're angry at yourself. 692 00:40:58,500 --> 00:41:01,200 But you kind of want that let that spill out on other people. 693 00:41:02,100 --> 00:41:04,200 Probably the ones you think are safe. 694 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,200 Because you thought you had balance. 695 00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:18,500 But you didn't. It's exactly what John said, 696 00:41:19,100 --> 00:41:23,900 it's not a part of your life. Jesus and our intimate personal 697 00:41:23,900 --> 00:41:26,400 relationship with him is not a part of your life. 698 00:41:26,700 --> 00:41:29,100 It has to be the overpowering part of your life. 699 00:41:30,500 --> 00:41:34,600 So here's what I'm saying. Some of you right now, you need 700 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:36,400 to do a little business with God. 701 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,400 You need to have a conversation with god. 702 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:40,300 That's what these steps are for right now. 703 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:44,200 You have a relationship with Christ but you need to deal with 704 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:47,600 some balance issues. Here's an opportunity right now. 705 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:51,900 To just go to God with it. Let him have it. 706 00:41:52,700 --> 00:41:53,900 It's thing. I love about him. 707 00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:58,800 Is that he's there we never take a spill or he's not right there. 708 00:41:59,500 --> 00:42:02,800 Even when we don't want him and we haven't invited him, he's 709 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:07,400 still right there, to pick us up to love us through it. 710 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:10,900 To help us get back up on her feet again. 711 00:42:12,800 --> 00:42:15,200 If you're here today and you don't have an intimate personal 712 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,600 relationship with Jesus Christ. I don't care what you tell me. 713 00:42:18,900 --> 00:42:22,800 I know something's true about you and it's this, you don't 714 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:26,200 have balance because there is no balance. 715 00:42:26,500 --> 00:42:29,200 Unless Jesus Christ is on the throne of your heart. 716 00:42:29,900 --> 00:42:35,800 And if he isn't and today is the day, he becomes king of your 717 00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:38,600 heart and sits on the throne of your heart. 718 00:42:39,500 --> 00:42:41,800 There's a be someone right over there by the baptistry that 719 00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:45,700 would love to talk to you about your next steps online. 720 00:42:45,700 --> 00:42:50,600 There be somebody there to talk to you right now in the chat. 721 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:53,200 Whatever. God is laying on your heart 722 00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:55,500 right now. Let him have it as you stand 723 00:42:55,500 --> 00:42:57,600 with me. Let's pray together in Jesus 724 00:42:57,600 --> 00:42:58,400 name. We come to you. 725 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:03,200 Father, and I pray that you will make us aware. 726 00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:06,500 That all the defense mechanisms of come down. 727 00:43:06,500 --> 00:43:10,200 All of the self-sufficiency would go away. 728 00:43:11,300 --> 00:43:15,300 And we would just recognize how desperately we need you in order 729 00:43:15,300 --> 00:43:18,500 to have that balance. I pray. 730 00:43:18,500 --> 00:43:21,300 Father, you would accomplish a Great and Mighty thing in this 731 00:43:21,300 --> 00:43:25,000 place right now in this moment, in Jesus name, amen.