1 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:06,480 Oh, crossing family. It is so good to be with you. 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,040 We are in a sermon series on habits. 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,120 I thought I would let you know some of my bad habits. 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:19,280 I drive fast when I'm going over bridges in case they collapse. 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,000 Anybody else? OK, couple of you. 6 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,240 I also will. Sometimes, if I really don't 7 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:27,160 like the bridge, I'll crack the window so I can get it all the 8 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,600 way down if I need to. Nobody else is a weird. 9 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,600 OK, couple weirdos. I used to chew my fingernails. 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:35,320 How many of you guys chew your fingernails? 11 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:37,400 OK, pick your burgers. Need them. 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,120 Just joking. Just wanted to catch a couple of 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,640 you. Just wanted to catch a couple of 14 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,080 you. Here's another one I have before 15 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,040 I go to bed. I like to shut all the doors. 16 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,800 Do you guys like, in the room? Like if there's a closet door, 17 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:53,720 You got to shut all the doors. I organize my desk every day 18 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:55,960 before I start work. I got to have it. 19 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,800 I think that's more just being a psycho in junior high. 20 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,000 This one was debilitating. I went to a three story junior 21 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:09,040 high and I was in a phase of my life where I had to end my steps 22 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:13,160 on stairs on an even number. And so you're just going up the 23 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:14,480 stairs and I'm counting in my head. 24 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,720 And, like, I got to get to the I almost went through a phase 25 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,480 where I had to be divisible by 4, but the Lord healed me. 26 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,600 Here's I'm not kidding. I made it all the way through 27 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,920 Disney World when I was on the Don't step on a cracker. 28 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,600 You'll break your mother's back. And there's a lot of concrete 29 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,280 cracks in Disney World. I can I have to eat more than 30 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,200 one bowl of cereal. I don't know if I've ever eaten 31 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,640 a bowl. And part of that's because I 32 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,320 refuse to drink the milk until it's been properly diluted. 33 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,280 And God bless whoever made Fruity Pebbles, because if that 34 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:49,120 doesn't make milk delicious, I mean unbelievable. 35 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:55,160 I am a person who is trying hard to not take my phone to the 36 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,360 bathroom with me. How many of you guys would be 37 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:58,440 honest? You take your phone to the 38 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,960 bathroom? OK, here's why I stopped. 39 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,520 I'm trying to stop. I haven't been super successful. 40 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,040 There's been so many times my legs, both legs have fallen 41 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,520 asleep and it feels like you're wiping somebody else's butt, 42 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,400 which is weird. And she, like, you're trying to 43 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,800 get out of the bathroom. Both legs are kind of hurt. 44 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,040 You feel like you just wiped a stranger's butt. 45 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,320 It's just not, it's not ideal, it's not how I want to live. 46 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:24,520 But you can get sucked into the wrong thing on your phone and 47 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:28,120 next thing you know, 35 minutes and you know, toilets fit me 48 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,200 different than they fit you normal sized people. 49 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,640 Anyhow, that's just some of the habits in my life I'm trying to 50 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:36,120 navigate. And in this series, we've 51 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:42,360 learned that between 40 and 95% of human behavior, which is how 52 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:50,640 we think, what we say and how we act, are habit based between 40 53 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:55,320 and 95%. And if our lives are based on 54 00:02:55,320 --> 00:03:00,680 the decisions we make, and our decisions are largely based on 55 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:05,560 our habits, then there are some uncomfortable, unavoidable 56 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,440 truths. First one We are creatures of 57 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:19,200 habit, which means that our habits form us, which means if 58 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:24,120 you change your habits, you can change your life. 59 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,120 I want to welcome you joining from all of our different 60 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,800 locations, those of you who are watching online and inside. 61 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,000 I also want to welcome those of you who are joining us for the 62 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,640 first time or the first time in a long time. 63 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,760 And to those of you who made a New Year's resolution to 64 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,480 prioritize God, Jesus, or the Church, I just want to cheer you 65 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,040 on and tell you you're doing great. 66 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,640 Keep it up. I think it's safe to say, and 67 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:53,840 I've said this a bunch of times here, we all want a better life. 68 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,240 We want better relationships. We want better health. 69 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,120 We want a better walk with the Lord. 70 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,000 We want a better faith. We want to make a bigger 71 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,240 difference, make a larger impact. 72 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,360 And our habits will either propel us forward or they will 73 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:14,880 hinder us from making these dreams, goals, ambitions and 74 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:21,040 resolutions. A reality and one habit, one sin 75 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,680 that is keeping you and I from living the life that we want to 76 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,320 have. Experiencing the depth of 77 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:34,120 relationships that we crave and the impact that we desire is the 78 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:42,480 habit is the sin of complaining. I was talking to Jerry on my way 79 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:48,080 here today and I was just, you know, kind of verbally vomiting 80 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:50,240 and said, well, I got to get off the phone with you. 81 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,000 I got to go preach a sermon on complaining. 82 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,080 And then we both started laughing, said yeah, the opening 83 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,320 5 minutes of the sermon will just be a shot of my rear end on 84 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,440 camera while I'm already at the steps going, hey guys, I can't 85 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,680 preach this one yet. Author Will Bowen says this 86 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:11,360 about complaining. Complaining is an epidemic that 87 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:18,520 is destroying our happiness, our relationships and our health and 88 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,960 our success. The problem is that most people 89 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:28,440 are not even aware that they complain. 90 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:32,680 Complaining, I love this illustration he gives, is like 91 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:37,480 bad breath. You notice it when it comes out 92 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:42,000 of somebody else's mouth, but not when it comes out of your 93 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,240 own. I think every parent in whatever 94 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,120 room you guys are at can relate to this. 95 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:54,520 When we hear it in our kids, when your kids, especially 96 00:05:54,520 --> 00:06:00,080 during snow days, you know Walmart was open. 97 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:01,600 Figure out how to keep the schools open. 98 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,440 OK? I'm not a teacher, all right? 99 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,880 And your kids start going. I'm hungry. 100 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,360 And you make them some food. And like, I don't want that 101 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,480 food. I don't like that food. 102 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,200 Well, then fix it yourself. We don't have anything in the 103 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,320 pantry and we. I don't have anything to do. 104 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,400 I'm bored. You know what we call it? 105 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:28,800 Whining. Quit whining. 106 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,760 But at some point in time, you get old enough that you're not a 107 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,320 kid anymore. And So what do you call it when 108 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,680 adults do it? Complaining. 109 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:46,760 And the sad truth is, we regularly call it out in our 110 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:55,800 kids, but we do it too. And who calls it out in you? 111 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:02,240 When was the last time one of your friends overcame the hurdle 112 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:08,320 of being passive aggressive and said, hey, do you realize that 113 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:14,320 you complain a lot? We all do it. 114 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:16,880 But when was the last time someone said, hey, do you know 115 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:21,320 that you're like a complainer? The reason why I bring this up 116 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,360 is because complaining impacts us relationally. 117 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,160 It attracts the wrong kinds of people into your life. 118 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:31,120 Do you know who likes complainers? 119 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,160 Other complainers. And then you'll attract the 120 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,600 worst kind of complainer, the 1 upper. 121 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:41,600 Oh, so you think you had a bad day And then they go on their 122 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:43,760 story and then you don't want to listen to them. 123 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,360 You start thinking of the worst thing that they're talking 124 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:47,160 about. So you can go. 125 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,720 No, actually I know you think, but what I really didn't even 126 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,920 want to get into, but I will since you brought it up. 127 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,120 And then they go down their road and then you've just circled 128 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,640 yourself with a cycle of negativity and it brings you 129 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,480 down. So it attracts the wrong kinds 130 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:07,200 of people, which means it pushes the right kind of people away. 131 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,480 Because the right kind of people don't want to get sucked in. 132 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:12,680 They don't want to get dragged down. 133 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,080 Listen to this. We haven't even got to the 134 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:19,640 Bible. Scientists are discovering that 135 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:25,400 frequent complaining, check this out, weakens your immune system, 136 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:31,040 raises your cholesterol, makes you more susceptible to 137 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,880 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. 138 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,039 I'm not fat. My wife's a complainer. 139 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:48,200 She's not here, so I can get away with it. 140 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:54,520 In 2016, Stanford did a study and found that complaining 141 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,560 reduces the size of your hippocampus, which is 142 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:01,960 responsible for memory and problem solving. 143 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:08,760 Complaining, or simply hearing complaining for more than 30 144 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:13,440 minutes a day can physically damage your brain. 145 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:22,520 Ladies, if you wonder why your husband is fatter and Dumber 146 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:29,440 than when you first met him, it might be because the ladies he 147 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:34,640 works with complain too much. OK, OK, well, some of you are 148 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,600 going to have a hard time writing an e-mail this week. 149 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,120 You're like, I don't know if I can complain about the sermon on 150 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:47,120 complaining because we complain about a lot of things, don't we? 151 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,080 We complain about the prices at the pump and the grocery store. 152 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:56,720 I spent well. I bought three dozen M&M cookies 153 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,240 from Hy Vee last night because I'm on a diet and I wanted to 154 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,920 cut back. And it was like, it was 699 or 155 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,200 599. I was like, this is ridiculous. 156 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,080 We're going to have to give up, you know, bread. 157 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,680 We complain about politics and we complain about culture. 158 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,160 We complain about potholes. We complain about generational 159 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,400 differences. We complain about situations at 160 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:20,120 work. We complain about the weather. 161 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:21,840 Even though we all choose to live here. 162 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:26,200 We could all leave like we've experienced how this however 163 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,720 many years you've been here, it's not a surprise. 164 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,720 Come winter, check it out. It gets cold. 165 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,320 Come summer it gets hot. We've chosen to live in a 166 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,360 miserable part of the country. This was us. 167 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:41,360 We said we want Carhartts or we want our shirts off. 168 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:45,080 Do we want nothing in between? We complain about our health. 169 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,840 We complain about our homes. We complain about our spouses. 170 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,400 We complain about our friends. We complain about our family. 171 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,520 We complain about our finances. We complain about the service at 172 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,760 the restaurant, the speed of the drive through, and the taste of 173 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:01,320 the food. We can't stop complaining. 174 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,920 In fact, we are so bad at complaining and we've gotten so 175 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:08,440 used to complaining. That's how we start off our 176 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,160 conversations. How was your day today? 177 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,480 Well, you wouldn't believe it. Boy, it's cold out there. 178 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:17,440 Oh, it's so cold. I've been uncomfortable. 179 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:21,240 My knees been giving me fits. My wife won't get off my back. 180 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,440 I got to get back surgery. I mean, you we don't stop. 181 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,800 But just so you know, complaining is part of the human 182 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,800 experience. We find it all the way back in 183 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:39,600 Genesis chapter 3 when Adam cries out to God and he says, 184 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:45,680 This woman that you put here with me, she gave me some fruit 185 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:51,920 and from the tree and I ate it. And men have been grumbling 186 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:59,120 about their wives ever since. There is no stopping the 187 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:03,280 complain train that we are riding. 188 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:09,960 There's perhaps no greater example of complaining than the 189 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:14,160 Israelites who cried out to God when they were enslaved in 190 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:19,440 Egypt, and God heard their cries to be delivered, and he sent 191 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:24,080 Moses to deliver them, and Moses and Aaron performed 10 192 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,120 miraculous signs in front of them. 193 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:30,760 The 10 plagues and eventually Pharaoh released the people of 194 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,200 Israel, who'd been enslaved for generations. 195 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,920 And so they finally leave Egypt and they're approaching the Red 196 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,040 Sea. And then Pharaoh changes his 197 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,720 mind and says, no, we need all of these Israelites back to take 198 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,800 care of us and to build our cities. 199 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,880 And so he sends his army after the Israelites, right after they 200 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:53,720 just received their freedom. And as the army of Egypt of the 201 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,560 Egyptians approached, the Israelites cry outlook what it 202 00:12:57,560 --> 00:13:01,000 says in Exodus 14. As Pharaoh approached, the 203 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:05,880 Israelites looked up, and there were Egyptians marching after 204 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,640 them. They were terrified, and they 205 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:13,120 cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, Was it 206 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,640 because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the 207 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,680 desert to die? What have you done to us by 208 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:25,600 bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 209 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,400 leave us alone, let us serve the Egyptians. 210 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,880 It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to 211 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:34,880 die in the desert. They're going. 212 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,280 Thanks a lot, God. I mean, I know we cried out to 213 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,160 you and asked us you to deliver us, but then you went through 214 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,320 the plagues and it got a little bit harder on us and then we 215 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,160 kind of pseudo changed our mind. But then you delivered us and we 216 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:50,240 were really stinking happy about that up until the army that you 217 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:52,160 delivered us from came to attack us. 218 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,080 And there's no place for us to go. 219 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,720 We're stuck between the army and we're stuck between the Red Sea. 220 00:13:58,640 --> 00:13:59,960 And you know what you're thinking? 221 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:06,920 Didn't you just see God perform 10 miraculous feats in front of 222 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,280 you? But they weren't thinking about 223 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,080 that. They were thinking about the 224 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,720 army behind them, and they were complaining. 225 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,760 And so God tells Moses to go out and spread his hand across the 226 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,320 waters, and Moses does it. And the water divides to the 227 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:27,160 right and to the left, and it divides in such a way that the 228 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:32,160 ground that the Israelites walk on through the Red Sea was dry. 229 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:37,080 And then after they get on the other side, they close the water 230 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:43,640 up and their enemy is defeated. Well then in chapter 15, the 231 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:46,040 Israelites find themselves in the desert of Shur. 232 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,680 They had not had water for three day, or they had not found water 233 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:51,600 for three days. And they finally come to a place 234 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,200 called Mara. And the water there is bitter 235 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,560 and they can't drink it. And guess what they did? 236 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,920 They went, our God is so good and so mighty and so powerful, 237 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,040 and he never takes his eye off of us. 238 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,680 He'll come through. Nope. 239 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:09,800 That's not even close to what they did. 240 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,400 You know what they did? Well, I'll let you read it. 241 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,320 So the people grumbled against Moses saying, what are we to 242 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:20,480 drink? So then God had Moses throw a 243 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:22,760 piece of wood into the water, and he made it sweet. 244 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:25,600 That was chapter. We've done chapter 14. 245 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,360 We've done chapter 15. For those of you who kind of, 246 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:30,840 like, are used to seeing things and going, I think I know where 247 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:32,560 this is going. Guess what happens in chapter 248 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,160 16? Well, in chapter 16, the 249 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:36,640 Israelites start to get a little hungry. 250 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,240 I can relate. I've been hungry before. 251 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:41,480 I get a little hangry from time to time. 252 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:46,040 There are 31 days into their freedom. 31 days. 253 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:51,520 And in Exodus chapter 16 in the desert, the whole community 254 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,800 grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 255 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,840 The Israelites said to them, if only we had died by the Lord's 256 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,880 hand in Egypt. There we sat around with pots of 257 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,040 meat and ate all the food we wanted. 258 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,960 Well, you have brought us into this desert to starve this 259 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,640 entire assembly to death. You know what God did? 260 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:16,000 He sent mana and quail every single day and fed all of them. 261 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,720 All they had to do is go out and gather it off the ground. 262 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:27,240 In 31 days, the Israelites experienced 3 miracles after 263 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,920 experiencing 10 previous miraculous signs through the 264 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:36,240 plagues and every time they come into a hardship adversity. 265 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,640 Their immediate response was not to believe that God would come 266 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,520 through. Their immediate response was to 267 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,800 complain about God and His deliverance. 268 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,040 They go on again to grumble about the fact that there's no 269 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,760 water at another place and God brings water out of the rock and 270 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,240 refidem and I need you to know this because this was a hard 271 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:02,440 truth for me to take in. God takes your grumbling and my 272 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:06,119 grumbling. You're complaining and my 273 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:13,240 complaining personally. Look what it says now. 274 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,040 The people complained about their hardships in the hearing 275 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:23,760 of the Lord, and when he heard them, his anger was aroused. 276 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:39,280 If you want to make God angry at you, like I thought, this was 277 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,920 church, I thought the whole point was to get him to stop 278 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,760 being angry. If you want to make God angry 279 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:56,120 with you, keep complaining. God has called you and me. 280 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:00,160 Those of us who call ourselves Christians, he has called us to 281 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,480 be different. They go out of their way in 282 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,640 Scripture, the teachers of the Bible, and the writers of the 283 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:10,720 Bible to show us that the Christian life is to be 284 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:14,960 different, to be uncommon. Look what it says in First Peter 285 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,800 Chapter 4, verse nine. Offer hospitality to one another 286 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:26,600 without grumbling. Fellas, when you find out your 287 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:31,720 mother in law's coming over, you know you're supposed to do that. 288 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,560 Sounds wonderful. What are we going to have? 289 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,560 Or should we make scones? Like you're supposed to be in a 290 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,400 place where you're going. I'm so glad that we get to help 291 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,440 this, you know, frail person. Come into our house and give her 292 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:45,240 love and warmth and all kinds of stuff. 293 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:46,840 Husbands, you're not supposed to grumble. 294 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:51,200 Wives, when your husband invites people over to the house, you 295 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,360 shouldn't be going. I can't believe it. 296 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:55,840 Again, you should be going. Oh, this is an opportunity for 297 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,120 me to love people. Guys, you want to remember this 298 00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:00,760 verse? You don't see this one, like 299 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:03,600 hanging over kitchen tables at Hobby Lobby, Like, oh, the don't 300 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,240 grumble sign. No, it's just Eat, pray, love. 301 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:11,080 OK, It's like, you want to keep the grumbling, OK, put that one 302 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:12,960 over your table and see who sits at it. 303 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:16,080 Men. It's important for us that when 304 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,480 we get opportunities to show hospitality women, it's 305 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:20,120 important for us When we get opportunities to show 306 00:19:20,120 --> 00:19:24,240 hospitality, to see it as an opportunity to love people, not 307 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:28,360 to grumble about it. It's an opportunity for you and 308 00:19:28,360 --> 00:19:32,000 I to be a blessing to people. Look what it says in Philippians 309 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,640 chapter 2. Do everything without grumbling 310 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:42,000 or arguing. Deal with kids that aren't 311 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:47,160 grateful. A spouse who doesn't appreciate 312 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:51,040 everything you deal. A boss who's never satisfied. 313 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,880 Wash a car that's got more rust than paint. 314 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,400 Do everything. Shovel your drive when it's cold 315 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,000 out. Mow your yard when it looks like 316 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,040 trash. Push mow when the riding mowers 317 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:11,040 broke. Do everything without. 318 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,480 I mean, it says everything I could go places. 319 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:20,800 I won't do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you 320 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:30,320 may become blameless and pure. Children of God without fault in 321 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:37,000 a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them 322 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:40,800 like stars in the sky, Confrontational moment in the 323 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:45,560 sermon, ready if it hasn't been there already, like you're 324 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:49,720 there. Do you handle hardships in life 325 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,960 in such a way that people go? There's something different 326 00:20:54,960 --> 00:21:01,720 about you. Everybody has a bad boss. 327 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:09,400 Do you handle it differently? Everybody has hardships in their 328 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,400 marriage. Do you handle it differently? 329 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:16,360 Everybody has kids that are ungrateful and wine. 330 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:21,560 Do you handle it differently? Everybody has moments of their 331 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:26,560 life that don't go as planned. Do we handle it differently, or 332 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:31,000 do we perform the same way those in a warped and crooked 333 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:39,160 generation handle it? By whining and complaining and 334 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:43,920 grumbling, he's saying you will shine among them like stars, 335 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:49,360 that you will walk in the same aisles at the grocery store and 336 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:52,280 while everybody else is complaining about the prices and 337 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,000 that you can't find stuff. And your wife didn't want to get 338 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,480 out in the cold. And so you're trying to figure 339 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,360 out exactly what she wants and she thinks that she knows where 340 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:02,520 everything is in in the store, but they rearrange stuff. 341 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:11,040 I'm just saying, I've been there and do you go, this is an 342 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:15,640 opportunity for me to just shine like a star? 343 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:27,000 This just, you know, oh oh, I mean, just, you know, look at 344 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:31,240 all the options for spaghetti. Oh, this will be perfect. 345 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,840 I'm going to get 5 and they'll all be wrong, which will give me 346 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,200 an opportunity to come back out and meet somebody else. 347 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:47,600 Or do you go how you and I handle the inconveniences of 348 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,280 life? The flat tires and the long 349 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:54,320 lines and the relational challenges is supposed to set us 350 00:22:54,320 --> 00:23:01,760 apart so that people see us and they go, I want what you have, 351 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,840 but they'll never see that if we're saying the same things 352 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:13,520 that they're saying. Complaining gets in the way of 353 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:17,360 our ability to minister to others and point them to Jesus. 354 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:22,200 Ephesians Chapter 4 says this. Do not let any unwholesome talk 355 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,120 come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for 356 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:28,520 building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit 357 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:31,520 those who listen. If somebody were to listen to 358 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:33,520 you, would they be edified and built up? 359 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:39,480 I heard a motivational speaker once and he said there's two 360 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,240 kinds of people in the world. There's basement people and 361 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,640 there's balcony people. Balcony. 362 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,960 People call people up to the balcony, and basement people 363 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:49,360 pull people down into the basement. 364 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,400 You have a choice to make. Do you want to be a person who 365 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,200 brings people to the balcony or drags them to the basement? 366 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,280 Do the words that you use, are they building the people up 367 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:01,160 around you? Or are they leaving more 368 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,680 frustrated and more depressed at our culture, at our politics, at 369 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:07,520 life because they interacted with you? 370 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:09,840 You might be going, OK, you sold us. 371 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:11,680 We got to stop complaining with Clayton. 372 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,480 I'm going to need some help. OK, so how do we do this? 373 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:20,480 Luke, Chapter 6 A good man brings good things out of the 374 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:26,720 good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things 375 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:28,760 out of the evil stored up in his heart. 376 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:34,280 For the mouth speaks with the heart is full of every single 377 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,360 one of you. You are full of it. 378 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:42,600 The question is, what's the IT? Are you full of a grumbling, 379 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:47,840 complaining spirit? Or are you full of thankfulness 380 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:53,200 and gratitude and peace? Whatever is coming out of your 381 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:57,360 mouth is an indicator of what is occupying your heart. 382 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:03,120 So pay attention to what's coming out of here, because it 383 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:07,560 will tell you what is in here, and if you change what's in 384 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,560 here, it will change what comes out of here. 385 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:15,360 Here's another way you can deal with it. 386 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:20,440 When hardships come, when frustrations come, when things 387 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:23,800 don't go the way you'd like him to go, don't keep it. 388 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,920 Cast it first, Peter chapter 5 verse seven, says. 389 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,960 Cast all of your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 390 00:25:32,120 --> 00:25:33,440 So this is what it would look like. 391 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:38,000 God, it is frustrating having the prices go up in a way that I 392 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,920 wasn't planning on. This is affecting my budget, but 393 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,640 God help me use this as an opportunity to trust you more 394 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,040 and still give me opportunities to be generous. 395 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,640 It's different than going Can you believe the price of Fruity 396 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:55,760 Pebbles right? Oh, you're going to have 1000 397 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:57,200 opportunities in the upcoming week? 398 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,600 And you can choose to complain about it to others and drag them 399 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:03,520 down or you can use it as an opportunity. 400 00:26:04,360 --> 00:26:06,360 So you know what? I'm just going to cast this 401 00:26:06,360 --> 00:26:09,760 frustration, this fear, this deep rooted part of me. 402 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:11,600 I'm going to cast it to God because I know that he cares for 403 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:13,160 me. The other thing you can do is 404 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:16,200 you can change what you do. You can start changing your 405 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,000 behavior. Look what it says in First 406 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,640 Thessalonians. These are If you're wanting to 407 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:22,320 memorize a verse and you're like, I need to get into Bible 408 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:25,440 memory, just memorize verse 16 or verse 17. 409 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:27,640 It's just two words back. I memorized 2 verses today. 410 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:29,000 Babe, rejoice. Always. 411 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,280 Pray continually. I couldn't get to 18. 412 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,680 It was too long, right? This is what he says. 413 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,960 Rejoice always wins. Always all the time. 414 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,160 Pray continually. How often is that? 415 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:45,760 All the time? Give thanks in how many of the 416 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,440 circumstances? I don't like the Bible either. 417 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:50,440 Some of you like I never knew. I never liked that book. 418 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,440 Sounds horrible in all circumstances. 419 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,480 Why? For This is God's will for you 420 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:03,160 in Christ Jesus. How many of you have ever asked 421 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:05,800 a question? What's God's will for my life? 422 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:12,520 The rest of you, if you didn't raise your hand, why are you 423 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:16,120 here? What does God want me to do with 424 00:27:16,120 --> 00:27:16,880 my life? I'll tell you. 425 00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:21,320 Rejoice, always pray continually, give thanks. 426 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:25,320 In all circumstances, this is going to make you weirder than a 427 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:29,680 $2.00 bill. You are going to be a nut job 428 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,240 walking around town because everybody else is going to be 429 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:35,280 complaining and you're going to be gone. 430 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:38,680 I love all the varieties of spaghetti sauce and I love how 431 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,360 expensive they are. Jesus, don't you see how cool 432 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:47,960 you're going to look? Like a complete weirdo and it's 433 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,400 going to make people go. I want what you have. 434 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,920 I want to be able to go through the hardships and the grievances 435 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:03,880 and the pain of life and it not impact my mood and not impact my 436 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,640 relationships. And I'm able to pull people up 437 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:10,760 instead of push people down. What he's saying is as you go 438 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,800 about your life, rejoice instead of grumble, pray instead of 439 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,920 complain, give thanks instead of being negative. 440 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,640 Why is he telling you all this? Because the hardships of life 441 00:28:23,120 --> 00:28:28,360 and our ability to endure them in a godly way matures us in 442 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:31,560 Christ. It strengthens our faith. 443 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:33,560 Look what it says in James Chapter one. 444 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,400 This is another brutal verse. Consider it pure joy, my 445 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:43,120 brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 446 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:47,600 because you know that the testing of your faith produces 447 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:52,080 perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work 448 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:58,000 so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 449 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,640 You have a choice. When life does not go your way, 450 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,840 you can complain or you can grow. 451 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,560 When life doesn't go your way, you can whine or you can become 452 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,400 complete. You can grumble or you can 453 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:17,600 become mature. Perhaps the most abused verse in 454 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,280 scripture has some insight into this. 455 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:22,760 For those of you who already have the tattoo, let me set it 456 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,320 up the way Paul does. Philippians Chapter 4. 457 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:31,360 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have 458 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,720 plenty. I've learned the secret of being 459 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:40,960 content in any and every situation, whether well fed or 460 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:45,000 hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 461 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:50,640 He's saying whether I'm having a good day or a bad day, I'll be 462 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,320 OK. Whether I have everything I need 463 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,160 or I need everything, I'll be fine. 464 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:00,960 I'll be content. Do you know what? 465 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,240 How he's going to do this? Anybody know what the next verse 466 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:05,720 is? You ready? 467 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,760 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 468 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,840 What? I thought that verse was about 469 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,200 whether or not the Chiefs were going to win in the playoffs. 470 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,320 I thought this was about me nailing my dance routine. 471 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,160 I thought that verse was about me getting a promotion. 472 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:25,840 I thought that verse was about me getting a pretty girl to 473 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,680 finally marry me. I thought that verse was about 474 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,040 me losing weight. I thought it was about me 475 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:33,160 winning a bit at work. Nope. 476 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:37,160 It was not about you getting those pants to fit. 477 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:40,640 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 478 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:43,040 Some of you people have been there. 479 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:49,960 I'm calling on Jesus, right? It's not about any of that. 480 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,680 The I can do all things through. Christ who strengthens me is 481 00:30:55,680 --> 00:31:01,360 about I can get through anything, whether things are 482 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,920 going my way or everything's against me. 483 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:10,960 I can be content when it's hot outside in summer and it's 484 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,880 unbearably cold in a Midwest winter. 485 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:20,480 I can get through it because he gives me strength. 486 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:27,800 This is about you having a bullet proof life with Christ 487 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:32,240 that you can throw whatever you want to at me and I can be 488 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:36,800 content because Christ is my strength and my portion 489 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:40,160 Philippians, that's where it comes out of. 490 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:44,160 That church was started and Paul and Silas got put in prison and 491 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:46,480 you know what they were doing after they've been beaten and 492 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,920 put in prison? They were singing songs like 493 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:54,520 weirdos. And then an earthquake happens 494 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:59,680 and all the jail cells break open and all the prisoners that 495 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:03,320 were next to him didn't leave. Like, I wonder what the next 496 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:07,680 song is going to be. And a church was started because 497 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,960 people were being thankful in the midst of a bad situation. 498 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:15,480 So Paul writes to this church Philippians. 499 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:19,760 And guess where Paul is sitting when he writes the letter to the 500 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:25,520 church in Philippians in jail. The Paul's going you can do 501 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:28,040 whatever you want to do with me. I'm going to accomplish what the 502 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:31,000 Lord has for me. I can't be slowed down. 503 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:36,040 I can't be detoured. We see when we look at the 504 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:39,840 Israelites, we look at them and we go, How could you be 505 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:43,680 complaining when God is doing so much around you? 506 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:48,520 We see in them how, after the 10 plagues, could you doubt that 507 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,280 God wouldn't handle you at the Red Sea? 508 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,240 After everything that God did at the Red Sea, how could you 509 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,240 complain when you didn't get the water you wanted? 510 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,040 How could you? After you got the water you 511 00:32:57,040 --> 00:32:59,600 wanted, how could you doubt that God wouldn't get you through a 512 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:02,240 little bit of hunger? And after the manna and the 513 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:04,680 quail, how could you think that there wouldn't be water again? 514 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:06,880 We look at them and go, How could you? 515 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:12,560 But complaining is like bad breath. 516 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:18,680 It's easier to notice it in others than to notice it. 517 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,920 And you? We look at the Israelites and we 518 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:26,200 wonder, how could you complain when God is doing so much on 519 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:29,160 your behalf? But you and I, we do the same 520 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,640 thing. We see their error, but we 521 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:38,320 struggle to see our own. How could you and I possibly 522 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:45,120 complain when we have so much going for us because the God of 523 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,040 the universe loved us when we run? 524 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:50,560 Lovely Jesus came and died for us when we didn't deserve. 525 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:52,720 It forgives us when we ask for it. 526 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:56,080 Adopts us when we're unworthy. Hears us when we pray. 527 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:58,400 Is preparing a place for us in heaven. 528 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,280 Defends us from Satan. Intercedes for us before the 529 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:04,280 Father. Paul cries out in Romans. 530 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:08,040 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those 531 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,920 who love Him, who've been called according to His purpose. 532 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:14,320 That when we walk into the darkest of valleys, we may walk 533 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:16,840 into it, but we don't walk into it alone. 534 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,800 No matter what we face, we don't have to face it alone. 535 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:25,560 We have way too much going for us to spend any time 536 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,800 complaining, and I hope you'll join me in it. 537 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:30,639 We're moving to a time of decision. 538 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:39,480 To those of you who haven't started an intimate, personal 539 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:43,080 relationship with Jesus, you just need to know this. 540 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:48,000 Your life is going to have hardships and your life is going 541 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:51,199 to have struggles regardless of whether or not you begin your 542 00:34:51,199 --> 00:34:54,880 relationship with Jesus. I don't want to like, you know, 543 00:34:55,199 --> 00:34:57,280 sell you the car and then you drive home and the wheels fall 544 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:58,600 off. I want to be upfront with you. 545 00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:02,240 You're going to have hardship whether you have Jesus or you 546 00:35:02,240 --> 00:35:06,360 don't. The difference is is that when 547 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:10,360 you have the hardship, you won't be alone. 548 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:15,000 Everybody gets a flat tire, but it's different when your dad's 549 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:16,720 in the car. Isn't it, girls? 550 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:20,640 Everyone has car trouble. It hits different when your 551 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:23,600 dad's a mechanic. Everybody gets in a wreck. 552 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:26,200 It's a little bit different when your dad runs a Body Shop. 553 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:29,560 Everyone gets cavities. It's different when your dad's a 554 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,760 dentist. When you start your relationship 555 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:35,200 with Jesus Christ, you're going to have to go through the 556 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:40,800 hardships of life. But the promise of the gospel is 557 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:46,200 that you will have the author of life with you, and he can redeem 558 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:53,080 any situation. He can save any Sinner you are 559 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:56,600 going to leave here and you're going to have life hit you in 560 00:35:56,680 --> 00:36:01,840 the mouth. I just need you to know that 561 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:05,720 when it takes its swing at you, he'll be standing there with 562 00:36:05,720 --> 00:36:08,080 you. Some of the punches he's going 563 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,120 to block. I can't even. 564 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:13,440 I have no clue. All the things that he saved me 565 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:19,200 from and some of the punches I'm going to take and he's going to 566 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:23,120 clean me up. You can go through life on your 567 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:30,120 own or you can do life with him. And I'll just tell you, I've 568 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:34,680 done both and I'm never going back. 569 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:38,040 And that's not just my testimony. 570 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:43,160 That's the testimony of thousands of people who call The 571 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:46,680 crossing home. If you're here today and you've 572 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:49,840 never started a relationship with Jesus Christ, I would 573 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:53,120 appeal to you. You don't have to do life alone. 574 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:56,040 You don't have to get it all figured out before you start a 575 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:57,600 relationship with your Heavenly Father. 576 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:01,080 He knows everything you've done. He's pre decided to love you. 577 00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:04,320 He's pre decided to forgive you. He's just waiting on you to be 578 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:07,720 ready to receive it and live a life in response to it. 579 00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:10,520 And so in just a few moments, the people around you, some of 580 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:12,080 them, are going to come up to the steps and pray. 581 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:13,920 Some of them are going to get down on their knees where 582 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:15,040 they're at. Some of them are going to lift 583 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:16,760 their hands and worship. But I want to encourage you to 584 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:18,760 walk right over there by that baptistry and to talk to 585 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,520 somebody about how to start a relationship with Jesus Christ. 586 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:26,840 To those of you who already have a relationship with Jesus, this 587 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:28,960 is the part of the message that twisted me up. 588 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:38,720 Our complaining is hurting our ability to reach the very people 589 00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:46,560 that Jesus came to save. Our complaining makes us 590 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:51,280 indistinguishable. The people around us miss out on 591 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:57,840 the hope that we have in Him. And so the Bible's antidote to 592 00:37:57,840 --> 00:38:03,000 our complaining is to give thanks, to spend time thanking 593 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:07,400 God for all that He's done for us and continues to do, for us, 594 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:10,520 to spend time repenting saying God. 595 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,200 I've been ungrateful. I haven't been thankful. 596 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:22,840 And when we do that God will re platform your life so that way 597 00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:25,640 you can be a light to those in darkness. 598 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:31,040 And if you're like me, and you have a burden for your friends 599 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:34,160 and your family members and your neighbors and the people in your 600 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:38,800 community to find Jesus, and you realize that you're complaining 601 00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:44,960 is getting in the way of your prayers being answered, you're 602 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:48,080 going to want to beg God to forgive you and to change you. 603 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:58,320 Would you stand with me, God? I keep driving to this place, so 604 00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:05,680 hopeful and so optimistic that at any moment in time, this 605 00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:09,960 church could catch fire and people's lives would be 606 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,640 radically changed and transformed. 607 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:17,840 God, I look forward to the day when this place is packed, 608 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:22,200 services are added because the people we care about are 609 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:26,520 starting to care about you and God. 610 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:32,440 On behalf of this church, we owe you an apology. 611 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:43,280 You've been so good to us, and we just slip into the trap of 612 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,800 complaining like ungrateful children. 613 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:54,640 God, on our worst days, you haven't abandoned us. 614 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:58,360 You haven't stopped loving us. You haven't shut off the spigot 615 00:39:58,720 --> 00:40:03,160 to guide us. But God, we want you to do a 616 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:06,080 mighty and radical work in our hearts. 617 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:12,120 Change what's on the inside so we can help change people on the 618 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:15,440 outside. Hear my praying. 619 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:16,440 Amen.