1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:08,940 Thank you. Oh, praise the. 2 00:00:08,940 --> 00:00:13,820 Lord, I am very grateful to be in the House of God tonight. 3 00:00:15,060 --> 00:00:19,540 I counted the privilege, even if I don't always like to do it. 4 00:00:19,860 --> 00:00:22,940 I counted A privilege to be able to come to the House of God. 5 00:00:23,620 --> 00:00:28,860 It truly is an Otter. Because maybe someday we won't 6 00:00:28,860 --> 00:00:33,240 even have the opportunity to. So I want to relish this moment 7 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:36,640 while I can. And so I give honor to God 8 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,800 tonight, the very reason why we're here. 9 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,480 I give honor to our ministry teams, to Pastor and Sister 10 00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:52,560 McGee, Doctor and Sister Mason, to Brother Alex Mason and Sister 11 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,960 Grace, and to Bishop and Sister McGee. 12 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,400 We are blessed with them, with the various ministries and all 13 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,280 that they do, and I'm grateful for them. 14 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,160 Tonight I have two different scriptures to start us off with. 15 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:15,160 We'll start in the book of Proverbs, chapter 3, verses 5 16 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,240 and six. Trust in the Lord with all thine 17 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,800 heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. 18 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,920 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths. 19 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,720 Then we'll turn to the New Testament, the book of First 20 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:39,720 Peter, chapter 2 and verse 9. But ye are a chosen generation, 21 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:47,680 a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people, that 22 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,840 ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out 23 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:57,240 of darkness into his marvelous light this evening. 24 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:03,720 My title is Habits and Instinct, so if you would put your Bibles 25 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:05,600 down and help me, pray for just a moment. 26 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,479 Jesus, we love you, we give you all the glory and all the 27 00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:11,800 praise. God, thank you for this chance 28 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:12,760 to be in your house. God. 29 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,560 Thank you God, being able to sing songs of praise together to 30 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:17,280 you now. Lord, I pray you the North and I 31 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,640 live for my mind as I ministered this evening. 32 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,800 And open our hearts God, to hear what you would say. 33 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:28,680 Lord be glorified in this place, in Jesus body name, in Jesus 34 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:38,360 name. You may be seated now as some of 35 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:42,040 you know, maybe not all of you, but I have an older half brother 36 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,520 and on Saturdays for the last couple months we have been 37 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,080 getting together to work out together just as a way to talk 38 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,640 and reconnect. Since we didn't grow up 39 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:58,040 together, our conversations always end up getting deep. 40 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:04,760 And a few weeks ago he brought up a thought and he said, when 41 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:10,240 we're brought to the sword, will we still profess Jesus or will 42 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:14,280 we deny him? As privileged as we are to live 43 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,760 in a first world country in America where we are free to 44 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:22,080 worship as we choose, we are watching our culture drift 45 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:27,760 further from God in real time. I can look back not just to the 46 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:32,880 beginning of my generation, but just a decade ago and see we 47 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,480 were more tolerant of church and God than we were today. 48 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,920 And so we're seeing it in real time very quickly, just 49 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,000 rejecting God, not wanting anything to do with him. 50 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:50,160 And as God is pushed out more and more, the enemy slips in and 51 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:54,120 stirs up more hostility towards the things that are Christ like. 52 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,440 It got me thinking about our daily habits and what our first 53 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,800 instincts are when things, good or bad happen to us. 54 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:09,080 Because some people can worship God easily when it's bad because 55 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,720 they lean on him, but when it's good, they kind of drift away. 56 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:13,480 And a lot of people are the opposite. 57 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,120 So good or bad things, it got me wondering what is our first 58 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,320 instinct? That is true. 59 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:25,320 We don't necessarily have to have habits like daily prayer, 60 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,360 Bible reading, holy living and faithful church attendance to 61 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,480 choose Jesus in a moment of decision which when denying him 62 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,240 or not. You don't have to have a 63 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,880 parachute to survive falling out of a plane either. 64 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:46,120 But it helps a lot. It's just, but it is much harder 65 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,920 to make the choice to choose Jesus if your daily habits 66 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:56,160 haven't already included him. Right, right. 67 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:57,840 That's good. Now I work out. 68 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,080 It's what I love to do. It's my hobby and my passion. 69 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,680 And as I've when I started, I was a lot younger. 70 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:10,600 I was 21, now I'm 34. I've got 13 years of lifting 71 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,640 weights experience. When I started, just like most 72 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:18,560 everybody, my only thought was size and strength. 73 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:21,840 There's a quote from a bodybuilder when he was in his 74 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,200 20s. Like, man, if I die right now, I 75 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,400 just want to be so big I can't fit in the casket. 76 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:32,280 And that's, that's how it was. But as I get older, I still 77 00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:35,280 prioritize strength. But now I just, I want to do 78 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:45,520 this, well, that and be OK. And because when I'm 80, I don't 79 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,480 want someone to help me on the toilet, so I want to try to keep 80 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:54,440 my mobility and do things whether I can do that or not. 81 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:03,240 But for now, while I'm still young, my focus is training for 82 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,280 strong man, whether or not I ever actually compete in 83 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:08,720 anything. It just gives me purpose and 84 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,240 direction in my workouts right now. 85 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:19,680 Just to brag on myself and I will admit even though it will 86 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:24,160 sound like a lie, I understand in my weight class it's not. 87 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:31,640 But I can bench around £300, I can press more than £200 over my 88 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:36,560 head depending on the day. I can squat more than £400, 89 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:44,360 deadlift around 550 and I can do pull ups with an extra £40 on my 90 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,880 person, like two or three. Not a lot. 91 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:48,560 Don't ask me to do more than 5 pull UPS. 92 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,560 So it is, it's objectively strong. 93 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,440 And that's something I've always aimed for. 94 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,920 I've always wanted the strength. But these numbers in this 95 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:05,680 strength is not where I started. It comes after 13 years of 96 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,760 lifting weights. As someone who's not really 97 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,520 naturally gifted. Now from my perspective, Brother 98 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,200 Malone, naturally gifted athlete, I hate him. 99 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,600 I highly respect him. He he has such a natural 100 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:31,040 strength and it took me years of overhead pressing to do 185. 101 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:36,160 I'm pretty sure the first time he did it, he did 185 four times 102 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,240 super. I'm like, are you kidding me? 103 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:47,480 Like it was just, it was rude, but we all have our own natural 104 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,440 strengths and talents. And I was working against the 105 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,880 grain. But you know, I'm, I'm very 106 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:58,040 happy with what I can do because when I started, my body weight 107 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:03,240 was like 170 lbs and I could only bench 165. 108 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,200 And I was really mad because I just wanted to bench my body 109 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,920 weight and I just couldn't do that extra £5 just because it 110 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,880 got me stuck every time. I think it took me almost two 111 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:20,160 years to finally get it. Frustrating. 112 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,160 I could do a handful of pull ups without any weight. 113 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,800 I didn't even know how to squat or deadlift. 114 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:33,559 I just I didn't know anything when I started and I knew that I 115 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,919 knew my gym knowledge was almost non existent. 116 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:41,000 But what I failed to realize was that I also lack the knowledge 117 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,200 and understanding of body mechanics and the importance of 118 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,120 how to breathe, embrace and move my body and how it's supposed to 119 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:52,680 work together. Because it's not just, it's not 120 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:57,040 just throwing stuff around. Your body is a machine that 121 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,720 moves. And I didn't understand that. 122 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:03,360 I was unaware that there was a wealth of knowledge that I 123 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,120 didn't even know that I didn't know about. 124 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:10,320 And everyone's scared. You know, when you go to the 125 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,240 gym, you don't want to be the one that feels awkward, out of 126 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:14,720 place. Everyone's looking at you. 127 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,840 No one's looking at you, but it feels like it. 128 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:19,000 You don't know what you're doing. 129 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,520 And it's the worst thing ever. And for the my first eight 130 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:26,400 months, because I wouldn't ask for help, I was that guy. 131 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,800 I was the clueless one. I would, I went up to these 132 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,240 machines. I'm like, I have no idea what 133 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,320 I'm doing. Like I, I didn't know how to 134 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,080 like move the weight to unlock something where I could actually 135 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,680 move. So I was doing leg press. 136 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,560 Your legs are actually supposed to bend and push out. 137 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,080 I didn't know how to unlock it and do it. 138 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,920 So I'm just going to just just a little bit, I'm just doing the 139 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:53,440 best I can for, for eight months because I just, I knew I wanted 140 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,240 it. I just didn't know what I was 141 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,640 doing until I finally asked somebody for help and I gained 142 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,720 some knowledge that helped me get some traction. 143 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,960 And now, now I know exactly what to do. 144 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,200 For the most part. I know how to engage my body and 145 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,800 muscles to perform my lifts, and I'm still learning. 146 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,640 And in dead lifting, one of the most common movements in 147 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:20,080 everyday life, I'm a big advocate that everyone should 148 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,760 deadlift. Not heavy, but just being able 149 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,400 to do the movement safely. You need to keep your core 150 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:32,800 tight, your spine neutral, so not like hunched over and not 151 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,560 hyperextended, just a nice comfortable position. 152 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,440 Bend over to grip the bar and use your posterior chain, 153 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,760 Everything from your mid back all the way down your legs, all 154 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:49,320 of it working in tandem to pull the weight up. 155 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,760 It's not about just grabbing it and just yanking it up with 156 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:59,520 momentum and hoping for the best and just throwing out your back. 157 00:11:01,560 --> 00:11:04,440 Not at all like there's, there's a whole way of doing it that I'd 158 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,440 now I know how to do to the point where I know how to teach 159 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:13,440 others how to do it too. And for overhead press, by far 160 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:18,080 my worst event that I have made somewhat impressive. 161 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:21,480 It's not just about pushing the weight up with your shoulders 162 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:23,440 and arms. It's not just about that. 163 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:25,800 If that's the only strength you rely on, you're going to 164 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,680 collapse and fail. It requires bracing your core 165 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,760 for stability because your core is the only thing holding 166 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,560 yourself upright with all this added weight. 167 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:42,840 If you don't have this brace like an empty soda can, you're 168 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:49,840 going to collapse. And one thing I'm still making 169 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:54,760 myself do because it just feels so silly and embarrassing, but 170 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,240 it's so important. Flexing your glutes, Just 171 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:02,240 squeeze those butt cheeks. It's, it's, it's as awkward as 172 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,480 you think it is. But the importance is you need 173 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:11,080 your posterior chain locked in. Not just your core flexed 174 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,760 because you do, but a whole posterior chain, everything 175 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,920 that's keeping you upright, you need it locked in. 176 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,520 But I don't do that automatic deadlift. 177 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:24,480 I don't think. I just do it. 178 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,000 I don't have to think about it. I can just do it with good form. 179 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,040 You put any weight on there, I'll just grab it and do it. 180 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,720 Overhead press. It's still a habit I'm building. 181 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:42,800 It's not second nature to me. I have to think about it. 182 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,440 So I will demonstrate. I didn't just have that there 183 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:51,040 for nothing so everybody can hear. 184 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:52,240 Yeah, all. Right. 185 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,080 Yeah, don't just throw it down. I know how to lower it. 186 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,520 I've. Heard how to do it right, 187 00:13:22,340 --> 00:13:23,580 figured out and. It was. 188 00:13:27,020 --> 00:13:28,620 Sloppy. Yeah, yeah. 189 00:13:28,700 --> 00:13:42,820 And. For all those. 190 00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:45,780 Movements. That's for the reason. 191 00:13:45,980 --> 00:13:50,540 To come up here and. Do that you don't have. 192 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:07,200 Since anybody who doesn't do it doesn't have a natural feel for 193 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,000 it, it's going to be weird and sloppy. 194 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,680 Whereas when I picked that up to my shoulders, there's a very 195 00:14:14,680 --> 00:14:20,840 important part, not only the the deadlift part of it, which was 196 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,800 this, but I knew I was going to have to throw this up. 197 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:30,640 So I understood the whole I have to engage these and I have to 198 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,760 throw my elbows forward, not out here. 199 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:42,520 I knew that, however, for for clenching in my glutes, it's 200 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:47,080 weird. I have to make myself do it and 201 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:49,080 I constantly find myself not doing it. 202 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,400 And I wonder sometimes on my top sets where it's heavy, like why 203 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:57,480 is why am I getting lightheaded? Why can I not get this? 204 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:03,080 Because I'm not engaged. I had to think about it. 205 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,880 I forgot to even think about it. And suddenly in the moment I'm 206 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:10,160 like, oh, like I know what I forgot too late. 207 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:11,400 At that point, I've already committed. 208 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:21,880 Do do it or drop it. OK, I'm not that out of breath. 209 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:26,560 Maybe. But your good habits aren't 210 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:28,640 formed by simply knowing about them. 211 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,320 Because I know what I should be doing, that doesn't mean it 212 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,320 happened. Good habits are built through 213 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,560 intentional focus and consistent action. 214 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,360 When I deadlift, I don't need to think about the cues. 215 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,240 I don't need to think about. I need the bar over about the 216 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,920 tongue of my shoe that's as close to the middle of my body 217 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,560 for counterbalances it can possibly get. 218 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,560 I don't need to think about how I've been. 219 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:57,120 I don't need to think about the cues. 220 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,760 It's just my instinct. It's just what I do. 221 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:07,640 I've practiced the movement so much that my body will 222 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,880 automatically take the correct form and brace even when it 223 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,640 doesn't involve a bar. When I'm at work and there's a 224 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:22,120 box or a pallet or a what have you, a speaker, I'm going to 225 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:26,520 perform the same movements. It's not exactly the same, the 226 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,320 balance is all different, but my body is still accustomed to 227 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,760 moving in this way and so I will do it. 228 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,040 It's the difference between someone who hurts themselves and 229 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:47,520 someone who doesn't. Have you ever tried using your 230 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:49,960 non dominant hand to do something? 231 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,920 Brush your teeth with the other hand so so hard. 232 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,960 Like you can just. But using the other hand is 233 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,440 like, I don't understand how to make these circular movements. 234 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,920 I can't do this. Like I hit myself in the cheek 235 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,960 one time because I'm just not, I'm not accustomed to it. 236 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,240 When we use our dominant hand, there's no thinking to it. 237 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,960 You can grab a pencil and write. You can just throw a ball. 238 00:17:18,319 --> 00:17:20,520 It's second nature, really. It's first nature. 239 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:25,680 But when you try using your other hand, it's suddenly really 240 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,040 awkward and unnatural. You're a kindergartner learning 241 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:35,720 how to write for the first time. You have to really, really focus 242 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,400 and it feels so clumsy and ridiculous and this is stupid. 243 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,680 I don't want to do this. I've got my other hand for a 244 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,400 reason. So and normally it wouldn't 245 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,400 matter. You know, if we do use our other 246 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,720 hand, it's normally just like, hey, what's what's going to 247 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:51,760 happen? Can I do this? 248 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:57,200 Until suddenly you don't have your dominant hand. 249 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:02,400 If you break it, it gets lost. It's busy holding a child, what 250 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,400 have you, and you get forced to use your non dominant hand 251 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:11,560 without any practice. You have to learn on the fly how 252 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:17,960 to do this. But if we would occasionally 253 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:22,120 practice with our non dominant hand when we don't need to, 254 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:26,280 we'll be better prepared for the day when we might have no choice 255 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,880 but to depend on it. It's not that we need to become 256 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:32,880 ambidextrous. I don't need my left hand to do 257 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:37,080 everything my right hand can do perfectly, but if I just use it 258 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:41,880 sometimes when I do have to brush my teeth left-handed 259 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:46,200 because I'm holding a fighting child with my other hand, I I 260 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:47,800 got this. I can do this. 261 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,320 In a high school that I don't remember the name of, there was 262 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,400 a math teacher who was giving one of her usual algebra 263 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:00,960 lessons. The kind that makes your head 264 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,920 just throb and makes you question it's real life 265 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,960 relevance. So pretty much anything past 2 + 266 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,440 2 feels like that. It's just like what? 267 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,880 I don't need to know if I think there isn't, I can't even say 268 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:17,520 it, but you know what I mean. It's just why? 269 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,680 Why learn this? One of her students, a football 270 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:26,840 player, voiced that thought and instead of getting upset about 271 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:28,880 it, the teacher instead asked him a question. 272 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,920 As football players, do you guys bench press when you work out? 273 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,440 The student, not really sure why she asked that question. 274 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:42,840 Like, OK, well, yeah, obviously. Who wouldn't bench press when 275 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,120 they work out? You might as well turn on your 276 00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:52,000 main card if you don't do that. But then she asked them why? 277 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:57,360 I mean, the bench press doesn't really make you run faster, 278 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:00,760 tackle harder or catch a football any better. 279 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,840 So why do you do that movement? Why bench press? 280 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,960 And after thinking for a few minutes, the student replied 281 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:13,480 that, well, bench pressing, it just builds our overall upper 282 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:18,080 body strength, which makes them better players overall, even if 283 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,560 it's not a direct football movement. 284 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:23,760 And so it's still a relevant exercise. 285 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,440 Exactly, she said. These algebra equations might 286 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,240 not seem directly relevant to your life, but learning to think 287 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,960 in these different ways to solve problems strengthens your mind 288 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,040 and helps you in other areas of your life. 289 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:44,680 So know this theorem exactly as it is may not be relevant, but 290 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:47,400 you having to think in a different way than you normally 291 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:51,360 do to solve a problem is going to help you when other different 292 00:20:51,360 --> 00:20:58,000 problems in your life come up. Just like bench press will give 293 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:03,000 you an overall strength that helps you in football, algebra 294 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,120 will help you with the overall problem solving skills. 295 00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,480 And so for us, attending church faithfully even when you would 296 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:17,720 rather not won't automatically help you to pay ties in 297 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,520 financial hardship. Because showing up to church and 298 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,040 paying ties. Related but different. 299 00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:28,680 But the habit of being faithful when it's inconvenient builds 300 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:32,160 the discipline to stay faithful and giving when it's difficult. 301 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,680 Getting stronger at deadlifts doesn't directly make you 302 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:44,440 stronger at squatting. Two different exercises, but 303 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,600 training your body to push through hard work and build 304 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,400 strength puts you in a better position to perform a solid 305 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,320 squat because you have a foundation built on strength 306 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,840 movements and your body is accustomed to the feeling of 307 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,040 weight. And it's a different whole 308 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:06,160 different thing, but your body is accustomed to the feeling. 309 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,640 Strengthening our faith through ordinary daily actions helps it 310 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,120 to stand firm under unplanned pressure. 311 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:21,920 Not because daily faithfulness is the same as persecution, but 312 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:24,920 because consistency and commitment in everyday life 313 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,800 better prepares us for whatever may come. 314 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:36,160 When something unexpected hits US tomorrow, are we going to 315 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:41,600 call on Jesus? Or are we going to cuss and 316 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:45,680 scream and submit to our feelings of despair? 317 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:48,600 You know that's something unexpected. 318 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:49,800 It doesn't have to be deep and heavy. 319 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,840 You could just stub your toe really hard, you know? 320 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:55,680 It's what kind of habits, though? 321 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,560 How are we thinking? Are we thinking of ways that 322 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,800 when we hit it, our first thought is to drop some bomb? 323 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:09,880 Or is our first instinct instead to try to honor God and bite 324 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:17,040 back on the language? The habit of consciously 325 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,920 choosing what pleases the Lord in daily life prepares us for 326 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,080 those moments when life blindsides us. 327 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,640 I don't remember the algebra equations I struggled with in a 328 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:33,400 high school, but the problem solving skills have helped me in 329 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,600 my job more than I ever thought it would. 330 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:40,800 The different way of thinking has helped me tremendously, even 331 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,200 though I was sure I would never need any of that. 332 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:49,560 I was wrong. Riding with my left hand is slow 333 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:55,520 and not as neat as my right, but I can do it if my right hand is 334 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,600 gone because I've done it a few times. 335 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,200 I've I'm getting myself accustomed to the different way 336 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:06,640 of doing it and what's important, even if it's let's 337 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,600 just say you're going to pick only brushing your teeth. 338 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,480 That's the only activity to do with your left hand. 339 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,600 Your brain is creating new pathways because it's so used to 340 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,560 leaning to this and this thing just kind of tags along. 341 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,800 But as you're consciously starting to use this more, your 342 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,760 brain starts to associate it more. 343 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,720 And so when you have to use it for something else, it's not 344 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,960 like a surprise we have to use this thing that we've never used 345 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:39,120 before. It's a, hey, I have used this 346 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:41,800 for some movements and coordination before. 347 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,760 I it can better translate to using it for other things. 348 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,720 Not perfect, but it's just better. 349 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,040 I noticed that when I was trying to learn how to throw a how to, 350 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:54,960 yeah, shoot a basketball left-handed. 351 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:58,360 The thought process is crazy. I never thought about how I hold 352 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:01,800 a basketball where I hand and shoot, but have to think about 353 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:04,800 that was nuts. And then I started to try with 354 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,600 the football. I didn't have to think as hard 355 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,960 after the basketball. My body was becoming more 356 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:17,120 accustomed of how to acknowledge my left side for these things. 357 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:26,640 And so our spiritual habits of just daily praying, reading the 358 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:35,200 word, they don't prepare you for your classmates mocking you for 359 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:42,600 wearing a dress or not listening to this provocative song, not 360 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:48,240 directly, but building the strength of your faithfulness to 361 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:53,040 God, consciously choosing him over your own desires in 362 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:57,000 private. When it happens in public, you 363 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,200 are better prepared to continue choosing God. 364 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:06,520 It's a different scenario, but there's a carryover. 365 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:16,280 Spiritual habits, they don't remove pain or necessarily the 366 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:20,120 struggle of things, but they do carry us through it. 367 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:29,200 The habit of making time, making time to pray daily, not just 368 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,920 hoping you have a convenient time, but making time. 369 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:36,000 I have to make time for this. I don't get to as much. 370 00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:39,440 I work full time. I'm a father of two, almost 371 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,560 three. You know, I come to church, I, I 372 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,880 have a schedule. I make time for it because I 373 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,880 want to, because I like it. It's important to me. 374 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:55,720 I'm going to do it one way or another, whether it's getting in 375 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,240 for one single exercise or I can get in all I want. 376 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:08,200 I'm going to we have to make time to pray and it helps. 377 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:13,600 It helps so much to want it. You know a person can tell when 378 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:18,120 you're forcing yourself to make time to talk to them and you 379 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:21,840 don't really want to be there. There's still our relationship 380 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:23,480 going to happen. You know you're going to get 381 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:28,080 more familiar talking to them, but it's like, I can just feel 382 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,640 you don't want to be here, and that hurts more than you just 383 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:36,520 ignoring me. Wanting to talk to someone makes 384 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:41,760 all the difference. And so, you know, we sometimes 385 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:43,120 we do have to make ourselves pray. 386 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:46,120 That's it's, it's OK if you had to drag yourself to prayer. 387 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:52,200 I, I drag myself to that too, more now than what I used to 388 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:54,960 because I'm finding it easier to not want to do it. 389 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,840 But I'm still dragging myself to it because overall I do want it. 390 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:03,520 You know, if we overall want God, don't feel bad because 391 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:06,000 sometimes you don't, you have to make yourself pray. 392 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:13,440 You know God's not hurt by that, but making the time to pray 393 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:17,600 daily will help us to pray through difficult times because 394 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:22,440 we have built a habit of making the time to pray. 395 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:26,520 There was one thing I've learned with this guy. 396 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:31,080 Changed up my program a bit. I used to always do heavier 397 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:36,640 weight, less reps and I changed it so now I do sets of 10 398 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,200 repetitions. There was a lot of math involved 399 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:44,720 for how much weight to lift with each one and it's brutal. 10 400 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,320 reps will just take the breath out of you because it's really 401 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:52,960 hard and it's taking a lot of your oxygen and blood to do it. 402 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:57,480 Especially 10 times and you do 10 times again and 10 * 1 more 403 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,240 time. It's brutal and you had to fight 404 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,600 to the pain and the tears and that you just don't want to do 405 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,480 it. But I'm making my body do it 406 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:12,800 anyway and it has helped so that when I actually have my heavy 407 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:19,600 weeks, my body understands the feeling of fighting through the 408 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,400 struggle. The weight is completely 409 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:27,920 different, but going through the struggle is familiar and it has 410 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,560 helped me lift so much more weight when normally I would 411 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:33,600 have stopped because I felt how hard it was. 412 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:38,480 I don't think I can do it. Instead, I'm like, oh, but I I 413 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,440 know what this feels like. I know I could and I just and I 414 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,120 can get it. It's the ugliest face you've 415 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:47,800 ever seen your life of someone fighting to pick something up. 416 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:52,400 But I did it. There's even a few people 417 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:53,240 watching. Guy went over to me. 418 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:59,800 Just I was an awesome set man. I'm like, shucks, you know, make 419 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:07,480 a man blush. But our spiritual habits, they 420 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,040 don't remove the pain of the struggle. 421 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,040 They help us do it in a similar way. 422 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,200 You don't worry. We get so used to building such 423 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,040 a habit of praying to God on the daily. 424 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,120 There's some songs we sing about going through situations, 425 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,160 whatever. I don't really relate to that, 426 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:33,680 but I sing along with it anyway because I'm building a habit of, 427 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,640 yeah, my life doesn't relate to that right now. 428 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:37,200 It's not hard like that right now. 429 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:42,880 But if that does happen, I've already got a habit of singing 430 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:47,480 this anyway and already have a habit of genuinely worshipping 431 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,880 God anyway. And I'm going to continue that 432 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:54,840 to the best of my ability through this here now because 433 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:56,480 it's just what I'm accustomed to. 434 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,440 It's my habit. It's my first instinct is to go 435 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:05,600 along with Jesus. Luke 16 verse 10. 436 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:12,280 He that is faithful and that which is least is faithful also 437 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:19,800 in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in 438 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:24,800 much. Or anybody that I work with. 439 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:27,800 They can get a free gym membership. 440 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:33,480 It always sounds really good. Everyone loves the idea and I've 441 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:35,960 learned through the years when someone's thinking about doing 442 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:38,400 that because if they don't go at least so many times a month, 443 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,000 they have to start paying for the gym membership. 444 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:46,960 I always tell them don't do it, sleep on it. 445 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:56,360 If you want it after a week, then join up because you know, 446 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,520 do doing the impressive, the big impressive stuff. 447 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:03,800 The thought of it is awesome. I mean, who doesn't want to be 448 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:08,320 like Brian Shaw who took a metal keg weighing like 60 lbs, threw 449 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:13,760 it 15 feet up in the air, it fell down, hit his shoulder, and 450 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,080 he just didn't even acknowledge it. 451 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,080 And that's a man right there. Being able to do that would be 452 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:23,600 awesome, you know? But if I can't even make myself 453 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,840 do like 2 push ups every day, I'm never going to make myself 454 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:31,400 go to the gym and actually train to do the big stuff. 455 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:40,640 But if we can be faithful in the day-to-day small simple things, 456 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:46,320 we will be able to remain faithful in the big moments 457 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:51,680 because we will have a track record of faithfulness. 458 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:58,040 A habit of faithfulness. When I was younger, before I 459 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:02,160 moved out, I didn't move out of my parents house until I was 26. 460 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:06,200 I really didn't see a need to. I enjoyed leaving at home, it 461 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:10,480 was great. But before that, in my late 462 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:16,840 teens, I remember thinking about moving out and I wondered if I 463 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:21,440 would remain in church after moving out and I didn't have my 464 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:23,120 parents telling me you'd need to go. 465 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:29,000 You know, even, even when I was 24/25/26, yeah, my parents 466 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:30,600 wouldn't make me go. I'm a grown man. 467 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:35,640 But there's still people in the house to encourage me to go 468 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:38,840 living there, you know, day-to-day contact. 469 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:44,560 And I even then I wondered what I, what I still go when I move 470 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:46,640 out. I just wondered because, you 471 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:49,120 know, we all have times we just don't feel like showing up. 472 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:53,880 And if you're like me, there's nothing better than a cancelled 473 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:58,480 plan, like when your evening is suddenly free, like, oh, that 474 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:05,440 is, that is amazing. But yeah, I was, I was. 475 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:07,840 The older I got, the less concerned I became. 476 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:13,000 But I do remember 1718 years old, I wasn't sure if I would 477 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,920 really continue going to church or not. 478 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:20,920 It's a big decision that we all have to make to continue or to 479 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:26,000 stop when the choice is fully our own, when there's no one 480 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:28,920 else to constantly be there to encourage us to go. 481 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:36,920 But what kept me was the daily habit of making time for God and 482 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:42,760 just coming to church so that when I moved out, I actually 483 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:44,840 didn't have any thought of quitting. 484 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:48,719 Like sure, I I had feelings even like I do now. 485 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:52,679 Like I just don't feel like going sometimes, but there was 486 00:34:52,679 --> 00:34:54,880 no like, Oh, I just want to quit church. 487 00:34:56,120 --> 00:35:02,480 I just kept going and gladly so. I I loved it and I enjoyed 488 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:07,280 making time to come to church and being in the House of God 489 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:09,960 and continuing in my relationship with God. 490 00:35:14,680 --> 00:35:19,880 Oh, this doesn't feel like too out in left field of a change of 491 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:25,240 pace or conversation here, but I follow a sword fighters page on 492 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:30,880 TikTok who makes goofy skits but teaching practical techniques 493 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:34,560 and debunking Hollywood myths because turns out swords are 494 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:38,080 actually really light and very, very fast. 495 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:43,040 Which is kind of cool because Hollywood and video games make 496 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:45,560 it seem like a long sword is really, really slow. 497 00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:48,760 Yeah, nothing. Those things move very quickly. 498 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:51,000 A real sword fight takes like 3 seconds. 499 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:55,080 They're somebody's dead or made. That's just amazing. 500 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:58,240 But the guys, they're funny, the wise, they're silly. 501 00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:00,800 I love them. And somebody in the comments 502 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:05,440 section once asked them, hey, if someone could read your mind, 503 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:10,080 would they beat you? I mean, sounds like no brainer. 504 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:13,560 Obviously they would win. If you got a telepath, be like, 505 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:15,360 OK, I know you're going to do this, going to do that. 506 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:17,440 I'll just La La, La La. Easy peasy. 507 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:21,880 I don't even need any skill. I'm a telepath, at least that 508 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:26,520 was my thought, but they made a whole video responding to that 509 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:32,440 comment and the answer was it would actually hurt to have 510 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:38,880 telepathy because a good sword fighter isn't thinking about 511 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:42,240 what they're doing. This goes true for any type of 512 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:45,600 fighter, not just sword fighter, because they practice their 513 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:49,600 movements repeatedly and so they don't need to think about them. 514 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:51,920 Because in a real fight you don't get that luxury. 515 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:53,960 You can't think. Like I said, a sword fight takes 516 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:57,640 a few seconds. Move, move, somebody's maimed or 517 00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:01,080 killed, it's fast, they don't have time to think. 518 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:06,080 A telepath is just going to get random or relevant thoughts if 519 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:13,000 they're lucky because the sword fighters body moves instantly by 520 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,120 instinct. They see their opponent move a 521 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:20,960 certain way, they don't think, they just block it, redirect it, 522 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:28,240 anything like that. In a like manner, I want to be 523 00:37:28,240 --> 00:37:34,080 so consistent in my praying, in my fasting, in my worship and my 524 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:37,320 tithing and living a holy lifestyle and just my overall 525 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:40,480 relationship with God, that in difficult times and unexpected 526 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:46,200 situations, my instincts always lead me to Jesus first before I 527 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:49,800 even had time to think. Because sometimes if I have time 528 00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:54,400 to think, my thoughts kind of lean away from Him a little bit 529 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:55,800 and I might have to reel them back. 530 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:58,200 That's not always a bad thing. I'm human. 531 00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:05,640 But if I were to suddenly face my final moments, so I get in a 532 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:11,480 terrible car crash and I know I'm going to die, I don't want 533 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,120 that to be when I start to try to build a better relationship 534 00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:19,040 with God. I want to be so close to Him at 535 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:23,400 all times that instead of that moment, I'm trusting Him with 536 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:27,640 what I'm leaving behind and I'm looking forward to seeing Him 537 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:31,040 face to face. I want to be so steadfast and 538 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:34,520 honoring God that when something inappropriate, an image, a 539 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:38,720 conversation, or a choice arises, my first instinct is to 540 00:38:38,720 --> 00:38:44,120 turn away without hesitation. Our flesh wants the easy path. 541 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,560 It doesn't want to consider eternity or denying itself. 542 00:38:50,240 --> 00:38:53,480 My flesh wants gratification, and it wants it now. 543 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:59,800 It is my inborn instinct to satisfy it, because like all of 544 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:06,320 us, I was born into sin. That is our inborn instinct. 545 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:09,800 It's just to go along with our flesh, with the fleshly desires, 546 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:12,200 the things that are not like Christ. 547 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:18,400 But we are called to deny ourselves and gratify the Spirit 548 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:22,400 first. Peter 29 But ye are a chosen 549 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:29,080 generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar 550 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:32,280 people, that ye should shoot forth the praises of him who 551 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:36,400 hath called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light. 552 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:44,400 We're called this even before we saved, not because in that 553 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:52,120 moment, but He sees what we're going to be if we aren't 554 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:56,760 training our spirit and denying our flesh daily, building 555 00:39:56,760 --> 00:39:59,960 faithful habits until they become our first instinct. 556 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:04,360 How will we respond when we're tested and told to deny Jesus or 557 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:11,040 face social rejection or death? We're being ostracized from our 558 00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:16,560 family and friends. What if it's going to cost a 559 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:20,120 relationship if someone you're dating is pushing you to 560 00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:26,240 compromise something? We need to be so close to Jesus 561 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:32,040 that even though it's tempting, every instinct in our body cries 562 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:38,000 Jesus. When I see something heavy that 563 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:42,520 needs lifting, not necessarily that let's say this, I don't 564 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:45,800 need to stop and think about how to move it safely. 565 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,280 Even though, even if something I've never lifted before, like 566 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:58,240 brother Pat, I've never lifted him before, but but I can 567 00:40:58,240 --> 00:41:02,400 approach it, give a little test, you know, just to test the 568 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:07,000 balance and lift it. I never specifically trained to 569 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:10,560 carry a washing machine on my shoulder when we moved out of 570 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:17,000 our house, but I could and I did because my whole body was 571 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:21,400 overall prepared with the strength and movement needed to 572 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:24,120 do it. I don't ever plan on doing that 573 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:26,800 again. That was brutal, but I could. 574 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:33,480 I was able to grab it, brace myself mentally and physically 575 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:36,680 put it on my shoulder, and walk to the truck. 576 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:39,880 And I could do it because I knew I could do it. 577 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:44,480 Not because I lifted that before, but because lifting 578 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:50,640 stuff like this prepared me for something totally different, but 579 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:52,600 still heavy in the way. We don't train. 580 00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:56,760 Our faith with a specific goal of preparing for persecution, 581 00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:01,400 social rejection, death, or just the house burning down. 582 00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:04,640 I'm not training my faith for those situations. 583 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:08,760 Not specifically, but the daily acts of faithfulness and 584 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:12,120 commitment to God prepare us for whatever may come. 585 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:16,120 You know that washing machine? Hurt me in a different. 586 00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:20,520 Way than what that does I'm used to that pain that's that's just 587 00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:23,400 I granted Barry I know what it feels like the washing machine 588 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:28,240 was different but I could. Do it I. 589 00:42:28,240 --> 00:42:30,520 Surprised myself. I was very, very happy because a 590 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:33,440 long time ago I couldn't have and strength has been my whole 591 00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:35,200 thing. I've always wanted, so being 592 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:39,120 able to do that was so big and I was so excited to be able to do 593 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:45,520 it. I'm not preparing. 594 00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:56,200 To face social rejection, but consistently staying faithful to 595 00:42:56,200 --> 00:43:01,680 God when that moment comes. And you? 596 00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:05,600 Know life will go on. And someday I will stand before 597 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:08,280 him. I will. 598 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:12,160 Hear him say well. Done, my good and faithful 599 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:16,400 servant, I could you. Imagine feeling the pride of. 600 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:21,200 God in you when you took a stand for Him, even when it was 601 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:26,840 difficult. Now I'm going to swing. 602 00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:31,360 Again, in a different direction, be a little deeper and I think a 603 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,400 lot of us have experienced this, but anytime I have experienced 604 00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:42,280 sleep paralysis, all I feel is overwhelming fear and the 605 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:47,680 inability to escape and. My only thought in a. 606 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:52,600 Panic stricken mind. I'm not really thinking, OK? 607 00:43:52,600 --> 00:43:56,640 There is only panic, fear and the feeling of suffocation. 608 00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:01,440 That's it. But there's an instinct. 609 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:06,960 That's come up in me. That I desperately need. 610 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,160 Jesus in that moment to rescue me. 611 00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:17,160 In that state I. That's about the best I can 612 00:44:17,160 --> 00:44:19,640 talk. I can't get any more than that 613 00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:29,620 because fear is gripping me. And it feels at best. 614 00:44:29,780 --> 00:44:34,540 My thoughts are just going through mud, but still there's 615 00:44:34,540 --> 00:44:38,220 something in me. What? 616 00:44:38,220 --> 00:44:42,620 I can do in that. Moment is struggle to stutter. 617 00:44:44,940 --> 00:44:46,460 It's the only thing I can do but it. 618 00:44:46,460 --> 00:44:51,360 Is something. And then, slowly and painfully, 619 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:53,960 I get out more of the name of Jesus. 620 00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:57,880 I can't really pray much. I can't do more than call that 621 00:44:57,880 --> 00:44:59,840 name. I am in a panic. 622 00:45:00,720 --> 00:45:07,680 Fear has seized me, but I am. Stuttering out the name of. 623 00:45:07,760 --> 00:45:12,080 Jesus to the best of my ability. It is slow, it is painful, it 624 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:17,160 takes forever, but I. Am stuttering it out. 625 00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:20,800 Because I know there's something in me that is leading me to him. 626 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:23,400 Because I know he's my only way out of this. 627 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:28,480 Not because I'm consciously thinking that, but there's. 628 00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:34,000 Become an ingrained. Instinct to call on him, it 629 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:38,480 takes some time before I can. Actually spit out the name. 630 00:45:38,520 --> 00:45:41,240 Jesus, and I wish I could say the. 631 00:45:41,240 --> 00:45:45,840 Moment I did. It ended, but it didn't. 632 00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:54,760 It doesn't, but still it becomes easier to say his name again and 633 00:45:54,760 --> 00:45:57,920 again. The second time I don't stutter 634 00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:00,080 as much. The third time I don't stutter 635 00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:02,160 as much. Finally, by the 4th or 5th time 636 00:46:02,160 --> 00:46:03,720 I'm able to say his name clearly. 637 00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:08,560 The panic and the fear is still there, but I'm able to say his 638 00:46:08,560 --> 00:46:15,960 name. And then I wake up and I'm free. 639 00:46:17,280 --> 00:46:18,400 There's still some remnants of the. 640 00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:19,240 Fear. Of course you. 641 00:46:19,240 --> 00:46:22,360 Don't get to something like that without feeling some remnants of 642 00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:23,680 it. Like coming in from the rain. 643 00:46:23,680 --> 00:46:25,160 You're going to have some dripping off of you. 644 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:29,400 But I'm. Free from it, fear had. 645 00:46:29,400 --> 00:46:34,520 Paralyzed me, but the instinct built through my daily calling 646 00:46:34,520 --> 00:46:38,920 on God drove me to cry out His name even when I was too 647 00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:40,840 terrified to think about anything. 648 00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:48,640 Brother and sister Weisenberger. I love them dearly. 649 00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:51,640 Though they are no longer. With us and I'm very grateful I 650 00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:55,480 got the opportunity to visit them every week for a few months 651 00:46:55,480 --> 00:46:58,600 before they died. But even. 652 00:46:58,600 --> 00:47:02,680 While on their deathbeds. He had Alzheimer's, a condition 653 00:47:02,680 --> 00:47:06,720 that literally creates holes in your brain and cause you to 654 00:47:06,720 --> 00:47:10,760 slowly forget everything. It's common to die because you 655 00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:14,400 forget to eat. You forget how to the need to 656 00:47:15,520 --> 00:47:20,800 your brain is rotting from the inside and. 657 00:47:21,360 --> 00:47:24,440 I don't exactly. Know what she was suffering from 658 00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:27,640 in her final weeks. But I do know her health was 659 00:47:27,640 --> 00:47:31,640 failing, marked by drastic ups and downs where we were sure 660 00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:34,320 that this would be her final moment each time it happened. 661 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:43,360 As I visited them each week. One thing was unmistakably clear 662 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:47,800 about them They genuinely. Loved God. 663 00:47:48,320 --> 00:47:54,280 And we're faithful to him. Brother Weisenberger would pray. 664 00:47:55,240 --> 00:47:59,120 And when he did, I could feel the Spirit of God moving in that 665 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:01,080 room. There was such power and 666 00:48:01,080 --> 00:48:04,120 anointing. His mind was rotting away. 667 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:07,120 He forgot the names. Of people he forgot. 668 00:48:07,120 --> 00:48:11,720 People, he forgot things, but he never forgot God. 669 00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:17,440 Sister Weisenberger would fall into near death states where she 670 00:48:17,440 --> 00:48:22,000 was just barely alive. Not even really. 671 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:25,400 All there at that moment. And during those times the 672 00:48:25,400 --> 00:48:31,280 nerfing staff witnessed her praying in tongues, her body was 673 00:48:31,280 --> 00:48:35,800 failing at, her mind was fading, yet a lifetime of devotion 674 00:48:36,120 --> 00:48:39,880 created and both of them a natural pull towards God. 675 00:48:41,040 --> 00:48:43,160 So God was. Glorified in them. 676 00:48:43,160 --> 00:48:46,880 And carried them during their final days not because they 677 00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:49,840 realized they were dying and decided then to make things 678 00:48:49,840 --> 00:48:52,720 right. And you can. 679 00:48:52,720 --> 00:48:56,720 There are people that can. And do but. 680 00:48:57,040 --> 00:49:00,200 Because they had chosen. Long ago to worship Him all 681 00:49:00,200 --> 00:49:04,400 their days, their unwavering faithfulness was so deeply 682 00:49:04,400 --> 00:49:08,280 ingrained that even in their last moments with failing bodies 683 00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:13,040 and minds, their lives glorify God for all to see. 684 00:49:14,600 --> 00:49:16,440 There was a light. Shining through them that. 685 00:49:16,440 --> 00:49:22,480 Could not be hid. They didn't have to think Jesus 686 00:49:22,480 --> 00:49:27,680 was their instinct if our magicians. 687 00:49:27,680 --> 00:49:30,720 Could go ahead and come. And we could stand. 688 00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:36,280 Things happen. Life happens. 689 00:49:37,440 --> 00:49:40,400 Peer pressure shows up and demands a choice. 690 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:43,480 Whether we're a teenager or whether we're an adult. 691 00:49:44,680 --> 00:49:48,960 We all have peer pressure. Bills pile up and tempt us to 692 00:49:48,960 --> 00:49:52,400 skip tithes because another payment feels more urgent. 693 00:49:53,720 --> 00:49:56,760 We stub a toe and certain words come to mind. 694 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:01,920 An attractive person walks by and tempts a second look. 695 00:50:03,120 --> 00:50:05,160 We're cozy in. Bed and about to. 696 00:50:05,160 --> 00:50:07,840 Fall asleep and everything's good and right when the world 697 00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:11,480 and suddenly remember we haven't prayed or read the Bible today. 698 00:50:14,520 --> 00:50:19,280 Or in some parts of the world. We get hit with you're going to 699 00:50:19,280 --> 00:50:21,480 deny Jesus or you're going to die today. 700 00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:25,280 We don't get to. Choose what life throws at. 701 00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:28,760 Us whether it's a minor inconvenience or it's life or 702 00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:34,400 death, we can only choose how we respond the. 703 00:50:34,400 --> 00:50:37,040 Question is how? Are we going to respond? 704 00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:40,680 I want to be so. Close to God that my. 705 00:50:40,680 --> 00:50:43,720 First instinct is to always choose him. 706 00:50:44,760 --> 00:50:48,680 I'm not prepared for everything, but if I can stay. 707 00:50:48,680 --> 00:50:51,000 Faithful in the small. Everyday things. 708 00:50:51,600 --> 00:50:56,040 It will become my natural first instinct to choose Jesus over 709 00:50:56,040 --> 00:51:00,280 everything else, even when I don't have the time to think. 710 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:06,040 And as our musicians play, let's go ahead and take. 711 00:51:06,040 --> 00:51:09,760 The time to draw close. To God and build a habit of 712 00:51:09,840 --> 00:51:12,040 always choosing Jesus.