1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,600 Well, good morning. What's up? 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,560 Illuminate Church, how are you guys? 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,520 Good to see you. It has been. 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:16,560 I was thinking about it this week over like 12 years. 15 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,080 years I've known Pastor Tim. We served together on staff over 6 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:24,240 in Brandon and then I remember driving over as a youth pastor 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,440 during a season where we were doing youth over here some 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,600 sometimes over here by over by the Chickfila and that old like 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,200 Strip Plaza. Do you guys remember that And? 10 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:40,240 Man, congratulations just on all that God has been up to here at 11 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,440 Illuminate Church and congratulations on the new 12 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,080 building. Are you guys excited? 13 00:00:46,180 --> 00:00:50,300 It's just incredible And so when I send my greetings from 14 00:00:50,300 --> 00:00:53,100 Meadowbrook. And lead pastor, Pastor Tim 15 00:00:53,100 --> 00:00:55,180 Gilligan wanted me to say hi to you guys. 16 00:00:55,180 --> 00:00:56,980 And we're just so. Honored to be. 17 00:00:56,980 --> 00:01:01,300 I'm honored to be here today to get to share with you and we 18 00:01:01,300 --> 00:01:04,140 love. Pastor Tim and Christine and and 19 00:01:04,140 --> 00:01:06,900 this team and just it's just been cool to. 20 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:11,140 See all that God has done in and through Illuminate Church and 21 00:01:11,140 --> 00:01:12,580 you guys are just getting started. 22 00:01:12,580 --> 00:01:15,360 Amen. Hey man, to get into that new 23 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,800 building, I saw the. Pictures out in the lobby Man it 24 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,400 is. I know you guys are excited and 25 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,960 so. Going to be praying for you guys 26 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,320 as you guys continue to make your impact even bigger in this 27 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:30,960 area and so well, I am so glad to be. 28 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:35,040 Here I'm here with my beautiful wife of 32 years. 29 00:01:35,420 --> 00:01:39,380 My high school sweetheart and I got a little picture, a picture 30 00:01:39,380 --> 00:01:41,420 of my family and I've been married. 31 00:01:41,420 --> 00:01:44,140 For 32 years and ministry for 32 years. 32 00:01:44,460 --> 00:01:46,420 And I'll have two. Amazing kids. 33 00:01:46,940 --> 00:01:49,300 Two inlaw kids that we just Absolutely. 34 00:01:50,180 --> 00:01:55,340 And then we just had our fifth. Grandbaby in a Matter of about 35 00:01:55,340 --> 00:02:02,140 5-6 years and so grandpa life and grandma life is the best 36 00:02:02,140 --> 00:02:04,450 life. Can I get an Amen from any 37 00:02:04,450 --> 00:02:07,610 grandma and grandpas out there like it is the best life? 38 00:02:07,610 --> 00:02:11,009 And so man, I'm just excited this series. 39 00:02:11,170 --> 00:02:13,210 How many of you all enjoyed this series? 40 00:02:13,810 --> 00:02:16,690 It has been so good and I know I've been. 41 00:02:16,690 --> 00:02:20,690 Watching along this summer and I know God's just encouraged me in 42 00:02:20,690 --> 00:02:23,290 in huge ways throughout this series. 43 00:02:23,290 --> 00:02:26,570 And if you remember just a little bit of review and I would 44 00:02:26,570 --> 00:02:30,490 encourage you if you missed a week, go back and check out. 45 00:02:31,050 --> 00:02:33,930 Some of the weeks or one week that you missed and I. 46 00:02:33,930 --> 00:02:37,570 Guarantee you God's going to use this entire summer, man. 47 00:02:37,570 --> 00:02:40,490 It's been an encouragement. It's given me hope, and I know 48 00:02:40,490 --> 00:02:41,850 it has you too. But pastor. 49 00:02:41,850 --> 00:02:46,290 Tim kicked off this incredible series anecdote and it's been 50 00:02:46,290 --> 00:02:50,690 this deep dive in the Romans 12 and and as Pastor Kim even 51 00:02:50,690 --> 00:02:52,850 talked. Just a minute ago, this whole 52 00:02:52,850 --> 00:02:57,210 series has been designed to give us hope and we've either walked, 53 00:02:57,980 --> 00:03:01,940 we are walking right now or we will walk through some 54 00:03:01,940 --> 00:03:04,940 difficult. How many of y'all can give a 55 00:03:04,940 --> 00:03:08,500 testimony to that that you've? Been through some things and 56 00:03:08,500 --> 00:03:10,540 this series we've learned a little bit. 57 00:03:10,540 --> 00:03:13,900 Too about the opposing forces that are at work. 58 00:03:14,420 --> 00:03:17,580 The good and the evil, but we've. 59 00:03:17,580 --> 00:03:22,300 Also learned that it's possible to overcome and in that first 60 00:03:22,300 --> 00:03:24,980 week as I was. Listening to Pastor Tim. 61 00:03:25,500 --> 00:03:28,820 He talked about first Peter 5 and it was such an encouragement 62 00:03:28,820 --> 00:03:30,980 to me and I don't know if you Remember Remember this, but he 63 00:03:30,980 --> 00:03:33,380 said stay alert. The scripture said stay alert, 64 00:03:33,820 --> 00:03:35,580 watch out for your great enemy, the devil. 65 00:03:35,580 --> 00:03:38,180 He prowls around like a roaring lion. 66 00:03:38,180 --> 00:03:40,740 Looking for someone to devour but verse nine. 67 00:03:40,740 --> 00:03:44,220 I love this, it says. Stand firm against him and be 68 00:03:44,220 --> 00:03:48,340 strong in your faith and remember that your family of 69 00:03:48,340 --> 00:03:50,620 believers all over the world is. Going through the same kind of 70 00:03:50,620 --> 00:03:53,980 suffering you are. And as Pastor Tim was unpacking 71 00:03:53,980 --> 00:03:56,140 that first message, Man. God. 72 00:03:56,140 --> 00:04:00,340 Just begin to stir something in me and I just believe that in 73 00:04:00,340 --> 00:04:05,500 order for us to live out Romans 12, we got to, we got to we have 74 00:04:05,500 --> 00:04:09,140 to stand. Firm against the enemy, and we 75 00:04:09,140 --> 00:04:11,700 have to be. Strong in our faith and we have 76 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:14,420 to remember that we are in this together. 77 00:04:14,820 --> 00:04:17,220 And then Pastor Bernard, I don't know if you remember, but Pastor 78 00:04:17,220 --> 00:04:21,440 Bernard, what an incredible message on holiness and how 79 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,520 holiness. Has been put on the inside of us 80 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,120 to give us peace. And then Pastor Kim. 81 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,600 Where's Pastor Kim? Couple weeks ago. 82 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,160 What an incredible word. And we should never be lacking. 83 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,440 In Zeal and Pastor Kim, I've been trying to live at a ten 84 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,480 since that moment. And then last week. 85 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,720 What an incredible just. Word testimony from Pastor Juan 86 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:45,920 just on the power of forgiveness. 87 00:04:46,540 --> 00:04:48,780 And remembering how much God loves us. 88 00:04:48,780 --> 00:04:51,780 And so I would just encourage you to go back if you miss one 89 00:04:51,780 --> 00:04:55,820 catch one of those weeks. And so today we dive in to the 90 00:04:55,820 --> 00:04:59,340 last part of Romans, 12, verses 17 through 21. 91 00:04:59,700 --> 00:05:02,740 And just so you kind of have like a big picture of this 92 00:05:02,740 --> 00:05:06,260 passage. This is teaching us as believers 93 00:05:06,780 --> 00:05:13,140 to reject this whole cycle of vengeance and instead respond to 94 00:05:13,140 --> 00:05:17,560 evil with goodness, with love, with forgiveness. 95 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:22,200 And it emphasizes the importance of us living a righteous. 96 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,960 Life, pursuing peace and trusting in God's justice. 97 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,880 And I think as we've listened to this whole. 98 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,920 Series this summer we have, man, we've. 99 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,160 Gotten so much encouragement in order to do those things, to 100 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,480 respond with goodness, with love, with forgiveness. 101 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,360 And so today we're going to pick it up in verse 17. 102 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,360 You guys ready? Is everybody ready? 103 00:05:45,050 --> 00:05:46,170 All right. Verse 17. 104 00:05:46,170 --> 00:05:49,170 It says never pay back evil with more evil. 105 00:05:49,530 --> 00:05:52,650 Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are 106 00:05:52,650 --> 00:05:54,930 honorable. In verse 18, I love this. 107 00:05:54,930 --> 00:06:01,170 It says do all that you can to live in peace with just a few 108 00:06:01,170 --> 00:06:03,530 people. No, no, no. 109 00:06:03,730 --> 00:06:07,250 It says with everyone. And then in 19 it says dear 110 00:06:07,250 --> 00:06:09,610 friends never take revenge. Leave that to the right to 111 00:06:09,610 --> 00:06:14,600 singer of God, for the scripture say, I will take revenge, I will 112 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,680 pay them back, says the Lord. And instead, if your enemies are 113 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,160 hungry, feed them. They're thirsty, give them 114 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,760 something to drink. And in doing this, you will keep 115 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,480 burning coals of shame on their. Heads, don't let evil conquer 116 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,840 you, but. Conquer evil by doing good and I 117 00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:32,960 love what the verse. Says in the message. 118 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:40,620 It says don't hit back, Discover beauty in everyone, and if 119 00:06:40,620 --> 00:06:45,100 you've got it in you, get along with everybody. 120 00:06:45,580 --> 00:06:48,100 Come on, look to your neighbor and say he's talking to you. 121 00:06:48,140 --> 00:06:49,740 You got to get along with everybody. 122 00:06:50,500 --> 00:06:52,660 Don't don't insist on getting even. 123 00:06:52,660 --> 00:06:55,420 That's not for you to do. God. 124 00:06:55,420 --> 00:06:58,660 Says I'll do the judging. I'll take care of it. 125 00:06:58,660 --> 00:07:01,660 I love that. But the question is, and I think 126 00:07:01,660 --> 00:07:05,380 we've been trying to answer this this entire summer, how in the 127 00:07:05,380 --> 00:07:09,730 world can we do this? How can we live this out in the 128 00:07:09,730 --> 00:07:12,970 chaotic world that we find ourselves in? 129 00:07:13,930 --> 00:07:17,010 And I think it just gets simple. It's just so simple, right? 130 00:07:17,690 --> 00:07:19,690 We just got to get close to Jesus. 131 00:07:20,650 --> 00:07:22,850 Like, if that's that's it. Like we got to get. 132 00:07:22,850 --> 00:07:28,290 Close to Jesus and that's it. Let's pray. 133 00:07:28,850 --> 00:07:31,050 No, I'm just kidding. No, but seriously, let's let's 134 00:07:31,050 --> 00:07:32,530 pray before we dive in this morning. 135 00:07:32,530 --> 00:07:35,010 God, thank you for your word. We thank. 136 00:07:35,010 --> 00:07:37,410 You God, for the opportunity that we've had to lift you up. 137 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,920 And God, this morning we pray as we dive into your. 138 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,720 God that you would speak to us. You would encourage us, God that 139 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,840 we would leave with something. God that we can take and apply 140 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,200 to our lives to help us. Be a light in this world. 141 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:54,960 And so, God, we pray. That when everything is said and 142 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,040 done this morning, God, that you would be glorified, you would be 143 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:02,560 lifted up, and every single one of these your people, God, that 144 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,320 they would be encouraged today, that's our prayer. 145 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,960 And then we pray this in Jesus mighty name. 146 00:08:08,220 --> 00:08:12,180 And everybody said, Amen, Amen. Well, we got to get close to 147 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:14,500 Jesus. And I was, I was thinking about 148 00:08:14,500 --> 00:08:18,060 that verse and that Peter was kind of say he he was giving 149 00:08:18,060 --> 00:08:22,420 this to that encouragement to stand firm against the enemy, to 150 00:08:22,420 --> 00:08:25,340 be strong in our faith. And I started thinking about 151 00:08:25,340 --> 00:08:30,420 Peter, like what was it about Peter that he could say that 152 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:33,940 that he can say You got to stand firm, you got to stay alert, you 153 00:08:33,940 --> 00:08:37,809 got to be strong in your faith and remember that that we're 154 00:08:37,809 --> 00:08:40,809 together in this. And I think we, as we look at 155 00:08:40,809 --> 00:08:43,530 Peter's life, I mean we can see, I mean his name was changed from 156 00:08:43,530 --> 00:08:45,330 Simon to Peter, which means rock. 157 00:08:46,050 --> 00:08:49,450 But I really think we have a lot to learn from the guy, 158 00:08:49,450 --> 00:08:51,890 especially when we start. Talking about being in peace 159 00:08:51,890 --> 00:08:55,610 with everyone, we can learn something from the guy who was 160 00:08:55,610 --> 00:08:58,250 called to be. A Fisher of men. 161 00:08:59,250 --> 00:09:01,450 And think about it. I mean, God had big plans for 162 00:09:01,450 --> 00:09:04,170 Peter. He was among the first called. 163 00:09:04,850 --> 00:09:08,750 He changed his name to Rock. It was in his boat that Jesus 164 00:09:08,750 --> 00:09:12,510 taught the multitudes from. It was his boat where Jesus 165 00:09:12,510 --> 00:09:14,230 helped him bring in that big hall of fish. 166 00:09:14,230 --> 00:09:18,950 If you remember it's where Peter first believed He walked with 167 00:09:18,950 --> 00:09:21,350 him with Jesus all the way to the end. 168 00:09:22,030 --> 00:09:24,630 He was actually Peter's sword, if you remember that cut off the 169 00:09:24,630 --> 00:09:28,390 soldiers ear in the garden when they came to arrest Jesus. 170 00:09:29,350 --> 00:09:32,350 And of course, we know that Peter went on to be one of the 171 00:09:32,350 --> 00:09:33,870 most prominent leaders in the early. 172 00:09:33,870 --> 00:09:39,320 Church Despite. Denying Jesus three times, Peter 173 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,840 and I think Peter had the same problem that we have. 174 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,280 And this series, the antidote has been really trying to help 175 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,880 encourage us to answer. And we know and we've learned 176 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,040 that there's always 2 opposing forces always at work in our 177 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,320 life. There's good, there's evil. 178 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:00,080 There's these things that happen where we man, we battle with 179 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,430 trust or doubt. You know, we have at times where 180 00:10:04,430 --> 00:10:07,710 our faith is engaged and then boom, we're fearful. 181 00:10:08,110 --> 00:10:10,430 And so it's trust. Doubt, it's faith, it's fear. 182 00:10:10,430 --> 00:10:13,830 It's our past. Like we sometimes get so caught 183 00:10:13,830 --> 00:10:18,150 up in dealing with our past and maybe for some it's we're too 184 00:10:18,150 --> 00:10:23,150 focused on the future. And then there's God's way and 185 00:10:23,150 --> 00:10:26,310 then there's the world's way. And I love Ephesians. 186 00:10:26,310 --> 00:10:28,910 Chapter 2, verse two. In the message it says you let 187 00:10:28,910 --> 00:10:31,880 the world. Which doesn't know the first 188 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,480 thing about living, tell you how to live. 189 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:42,440 And the reality is though, that often what's happening in our 190 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:46,080 world, and it's happening around us, it's always happening on the 191 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:54,720 outside, but we always feel it. And deal with it on the inside. 192 00:10:55,870 --> 00:10:58,470 And a couple weeks ago, Pastor Kim taught that we are body, 193 00:10:58,470 --> 00:11:00,110 soul and spirit. You guys remember that. 194 00:11:01,350 --> 00:11:06,310 And when we experience things on the outside, we often deal with 195 00:11:06,310 --> 00:11:11,550 it on the inside, and our soul is where we process life. 196 00:11:12,270 --> 00:11:14,510 It's where we think, it's where we decide. 197 00:11:14,510 --> 00:11:17,470 It's where we feel, It's where we remember. 198 00:11:17,910 --> 00:11:22,510 It's where we can imagine. And we need peace. 199 00:11:22,990 --> 00:11:27,750 We have to have peace in our souls in order to live in peace 200 00:11:27,750 --> 00:11:30,470 with everyone else. Because if we don't have peace 201 00:11:30,470 --> 00:11:33,310 in our souls, and I know you know this is true, I know it's 202 00:11:33,310 --> 00:11:35,870 true. We often will have inflammation 203 00:11:35,870 --> 00:11:38,110 in our souls. Like it. 204 00:11:38,510 --> 00:11:40,590 It can get rough in there at times. 205 00:11:41,550 --> 00:11:49,080 But we know that God alone. Is the source of real peace, and 206 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:52,440 we also know if we're believers, that there is no peace. 207 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:57,560 Apart from God is that Isaiah? 26 Three through four, it says. 208 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,200 You keep him in perfect peace. Whose? 209 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,720 Mind is stayed on you because why he trust? 210 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,280 In you. And then verse four says trust 211 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,200 in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. 212 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,560 I love this verse. And the perfect and the peace. 213 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:18,030 It's the same word. And in the Hebrews this method 214 00:12:18,030 --> 00:12:23,310 adds like it adds great emphasis with those two words and it 215 00:12:23,310 --> 00:12:25,630 means you will keep him in everything. 216 00:12:25,630 --> 00:12:29,750 Shalom as we were singing this morning about peace and being 217 00:12:29,750 --> 00:12:34,150 encouraged to think about God's goodness, it it will keep us in 218 00:12:34,150 --> 00:12:37,110 everything that Shalom peace implies. 219 00:12:38,270 --> 00:12:41,950 And I love it when we can. Reverse this verse because I 220 00:12:42,150 --> 00:12:44,830 think when we reverse this verse it gives us a little bit of 221 00:12:44,830 --> 00:12:47,560 clarity. And it kind of reads like this 222 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:55,040 because you trust in him, you keep your mind stayed on him and 223 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,400 he. Keeps you in perfect peace. 224 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,840 Do you see that order? Because you trust in him. 225 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:06,040 You've put your life in him. You've trusted everything in 226 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,200 him. And as a result of that, then 227 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,360 you keep your focus, you. Keep your mind stayed on him, 228 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:16,170 and then he. Keeps you in perfect peace and 229 00:13:16,170 --> 00:13:19,370 the hard part is. Keeping our eyes focused on 230 00:13:19,490 --> 00:13:22,170 Jesus because there's things that happen. 231 00:13:22,170 --> 00:13:25,570 In life, on the outside. And then we have to look at 232 00:13:25,570 --> 00:13:28,010 Peter's life. I mean, how did Peter keep his 233 00:13:28,050 --> 00:13:31,730 eyes focused on Jesus? And I think if we look at 234 00:13:31,730 --> 00:13:35,930 Peter's life, we can see that he did it oftentimes the hard way, 235 00:13:35,970 --> 00:13:39,610 right and nowhere. This is greater illustrated than 236 00:13:39,610 --> 00:13:44,570 in Matthew chapter 14, verses 22 through 33. 237 00:13:46,650 --> 00:13:50,490 And just before this passage is the passage where the disciples 238 00:13:50,490 --> 00:13:54,930 fed the five. 1000 And so just as that was finishing. 239 00:13:55,050 --> 00:13:58,330 We pick up in verse 22 and it says Immediately after this 240 00:13:58,930 --> 00:14:01,650 Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat 241 00:14:02,010 --> 00:14:04,290 and cross to the other side of the lake while. 242 00:14:04,290 --> 00:14:07,770 He sent the people home. After sending them home, he went 243 00:14:07,770 --> 00:14:09,090 up. Into the hills by himself to 244 00:14:09,090 --> 00:14:10,610 pray. Night fell while he was there 245 00:14:10,610 --> 00:14:14,900 alone in the verse 24 it says. Meanwhile, everybody say 246 00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:19,500 meanwhile the disciples. Were in trouble far away from 247 00:14:19,500 --> 00:14:23,100 land, for a strong wind had risen and they were fighting 248 00:14:23,100 --> 00:14:25,860 heavy waves. And about 3:00 in the morning, 249 00:14:25,980 --> 00:14:28,260 Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 250 00:14:28,940 --> 00:14:30,940 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were 251 00:14:30,940 --> 00:14:32,820 terrified in fear. They cried out. 252 00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:35,420 It's a ghost. I mean, can you guys imagine 253 00:14:35,420 --> 00:14:38,300 that? But Jesus spoke to them at once 254 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:40,900 and he said don't be. Afraid, he said. 255 00:14:40,900 --> 00:14:44,000 Take courage. I'm here, and then I love this. 256 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,560 Peter calls out to him. Lord, if that's really you, I 257 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:51,480 can't see you, but I hear you tell me to come to you walking 258 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:53,480 on the water. And Jesus said, yes, come. 259 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,680 So Peter jumped out of the side of the boat and he. 260 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,480 Began to walk on the water toward Jesus and then the verse 261 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,920 30th says. But when he saw the strong winds 262 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,800 and the waves, he was terrified. And he began to sink. 263 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,360 Save me Lord, he shouted, and Jesus immediately reached out. 264 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:16,120 He grabbed him, and then he says, You have so little faith, 265 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,360 Why did you doubt me? When they climb back into the 266 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,480 boat, the wind stopped and then the disciples worshiped him. 267 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,800 You really are the Son of God. If I get. 268 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,480 Titled My Message Today and I really believe that as we think 269 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,880 and unpack this a little bit this morning about living at 270 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:38,760 peace with everyone, I would like to title this Life is Lived 271 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,290 in the Meanwhile, Life is lived in the meanwhile. 272 00:15:43,090 --> 00:15:45,410 And if you look at that word meanwhile, it's literally 273 00:15:45,410 --> 00:15:50,130 mentioned 189 times and it means while something else is being 274 00:15:50,130 --> 00:15:54,090 done or was being done, it means for now, for the moment, for the 275 00:15:54,090 --> 00:15:58,490 present. It's also an an adverb and I had 276 00:15:58,490 --> 00:16:01,570 to do a little English lesson. Any English teachers in here? 277 00:16:02,690 --> 00:16:05,690 Oh, there's a couple. So I hope I'm doing this right. 278 00:16:06,430 --> 00:16:08,430 But we know that nouns are things. 279 00:16:08,430 --> 00:16:11,950 Adjectives describe things, Verbs are what things do, but 280 00:16:11,950 --> 00:16:17,910 adverbs are how they do it. And the meanwhile, as an adverb 281 00:16:18,230 --> 00:16:21,390 is how we do it is how we do life. 282 00:16:21,870 --> 00:16:27,430 Life is lived in the meanwhile, and we all face them these 283 00:16:27,430 --> 00:16:31,390 seasons in life where we feel like we're kind of like in 284 00:16:31,390 --> 00:16:33,510 between. You guys know what I'm talking 285 00:16:33,510 --> 00:16:35,430 about. Like, we're not where we used to 286 00:16:35,430 --> 00:16:39,350 be, but we're not yet where we want to be. 287 00:16:39,790 --> 00:16:42,990 We're in the meanwhile. And sometimes in the meanwhile. 288 00:16:42,990 --> 00:16:45,390 There's man, there's difficult times, there's difficult 289 00:16:45,390 --> 00:16:49,630 circumstances, there's tragedy that happens in life in the 290 00:16:49,630 --> 00:16:52,270 meanwhile. And sometimes we can feel like 291 00:16:52,630 --> 00:16:57,390 in this, like in between season. It can feel like a wilderness 292 00:16:57,390 --> 00:17:00,230 experience, like we've read in the Bible. 293 00:17:01,150 --> 00:17:06,410 And the danger that you and I face in this meanwhile, man, is 294 00:17:06,490 --> 00:17:09,690 we often look at this time in the meanwhile, the present, the 295 00:17:09,690 --> 00:17:12,970 now, we often view. This time, with so much 296 00:17:12,970 --> 00:17:17,010 impatience, maybe sometimes believing that man, God, I just 297 00:17:17,010 --> 00:17:20,130 want to get through this right. I just Get Me Out of this 298 00:17:20,130 --> 00:17:22,450 season. I'm ready for this season to 299 00:17:22,450 --> 00:17:23,890 end. But. 300 00:17:23,890 --> 00:17:29,050 Sometimes we can miss and what? God really wants to do in the 301 00:17:29,050 --> 00:17:32,920 midst of the meanwhile. And I know you know this because 302 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,320 you've had these seasons. You've had. 303 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:40,800 These things happen where God shows up in the present and in 304 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:45,920 the now through a difficult time and circumstance, and our faith 305 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:50,600 is encouraged and built up even in those really hard, dark 306 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:54,000 times. And then I think about Peter and 307 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,240 this story. And Peter wasn't putting Jesus 308 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:58,680 to test. He was. 309 00:17:59,260 --> 00:18:02,140 Instead, if you think about it, Peter was the only one in the 310 00:18:02,140 --> 00:18:07,140 boat. To react in faith this impulsive 311 00:18:07,140 --> 00:18:10,580 request. Led him to experience this like. 312 00:18:10,940 --> 00:18:14,260 Crazy demonstration of God's power. 313 00:18:15,140 --> 00:18:17,660 I mean, think about it. His faith in that moment. 314 00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:20,500 I mean, it had to be big to get out of that boat. 315 00:18:21,460 --> 00:18:23,620 I mean, think about all the things that Peter had. 316 00:18:23,620 --> 00:18:29,470 Seen Jesus do previous. That ignited him in that moment 317 00:18:30,030 --> 00:18:34,990 to step out in the midst of a storm and come to Jesus. 318 00:18:35,910 --> 00:18:36,990 And then of course we know in the. 319 00:18:36,990 --> 00:18:41,310 Story Peter began to sink. He took his eyes off of Jesus, 320 00:18:41,310 --> 00:18:43,430 and he began to look at the winds and the waves and. 321 00:18:44,030 --> 00:18:46,790 Begin to focus on them, and I think he learned such a 322 00:18:46,790 --> 00:18:48,390 valuable. Lesson that he would begin to 323 00:18:48,390 --> 00:18:51,310 take on even further into his ministry. 324 00:18:52,310 --> 00:18:56,040 And we may never walk on water. I mean, some of us have tried. 325 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,240 Maybe when we're little kids. You guys ever done that? 326 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:00,120 Like when you get in a pool, you try to? 327 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:04,120 Yeah, it doesn't work, does it? But we may never. 328 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:06,960 Walk on water, but the truth is we all will. 329 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:12,560 Go through really difficult seasons and circumstances, and 330 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:17,760 I've learned that when I focus merely on what's happening 331 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:23,800 outside, my focus sometimes drifts to the past or to the 332 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,620 present. And oftentimes, it's in those 333 00:19:26,620 --> 00:19:28,700 moments that we feel like we begin to sink. 334 00:19:29,540 --> 00:19:33,420 And so we must keep our eyes focused on him. 335 00:19:34,780 --> 00:19:37,140 Because Jesus brings peace, right? 336 00:19:37,140 --> 00:19:41,580 He brings peace to the storm. He brings peace in the midst of 337 00:19:41,580 --> 00:19:44,420 the meanwhile. And so whatever your season, 338 00:19:44,420 --> 00:19:47,980 you're in today. You might be in a really. 339 00:19:48,060 --> 00:19:51,760 Difficult season right now. Or maybe you're in a season 340 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:53,640 where it feels. More like a promised land and 341 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,160 everything's going great and man, you're just. 342 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,720 So you're just, everything's just just squared up right now, 343 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,640 wherever it may be. This meanwhile, right now for 344 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:10,080 you being faithful, remaining faithful, being strong in your 345 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:14,000 faith, and allowing God's peace to come into the midst of that 346 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:19,070 truly is a God honoring act. So what do we do? 347 00:20:19,070 --> 00:20:21,430 Psalms, 39, says. What am I doing in the meantime? 348 00:20:21,430 --> 00:20:24,750 Lord, I think David understood this really well, he said. 349 00:20:24,750 --> 00:20:25,950 Hoping. That's. 350 00:20:25,950 --> 00:20:30,190 What I'm doing, I'm hoping. And so today I want to take a 351 00:20:30,190 --> 00:20:33,550 moment, as we close out this series, to look at the 352 00:20:33,550 --> 00:20:38,670 importance of faith and the importance of remembrance as we 353 00:20:38,670 --> 00:20:40,590 were. Singing this Morning and even 354 00:20:40,590 --> 00:20:42,270 being. Encouraged to remember God's 355 00:20:42,270 --> 00:20:45,150 goodness. There's so much power in 356 00:20:45,150 --> 00:20:49,710 remembering what God has done in our life, and we need to lean 357 00:20:49,710 --> 00:20:51,790 in. To the meanwhile, right now, 358 00:20:51,790 --> 00:20:55,590 this season that we're in so that God can bring peace and 359 00:20:55,590 --> 00:20:57,630 that we can live in peace with everyone. 360 00:20:58,390 --> 00:21:02,470 And I think we'll also get a glimpse into how Peter kind of 361 00:21:02,470 --> 00:21:04,750 wrestled this out. But faith? 362 00:21:05,310 --> 00:21:07,150 Faith. At its core, it's a. 363 00:21:07,150 --> 00:21:10,710 Reliance upon It's a trust in God and it's central. 364 00:21:10,710 --> 00:21:15,350 To us as believers. And the Hebrew word for faith is 365 00:21:15,350 --> 00:21:18,090 Amman, and it's this root word that. 366 00:21:18,090 --> 00:21:22,490 Denotes, and I love this stability, firmness, 367 00:21:22,930 --> 00:21:26,490 reliability, like faith is this thing that's. 368 00:21:26,730 --> 00:21:31,650 It upholds us and it also concretely meant to support or 369 00:21:31,650 --> 00:21:35,050 uphold like a child, like a parent would would hold an 370 00:21:35,050 --> 00:21:37,490 infant. And I just told you, I just had 371 00:21:37,490 --> 00:21:44,690 a grandbaby, born six weeks ago, six weeks ago #5. 372 00:21:45,060 --> 00:21:49,180 And I got a picture of her, Adeline Joy King, right there. 373 00:21:49,420 --> 00:21:54,380 She is the most precious little. Thing, but you can tell I got 374 00:21:54,380 --> 00:21:57,860 her like. My arms are wrapped around her. 375 00:21:58,060 --> 00:22:02,140 She is not going anywhere. I'm not going to let her little 376 00:22:02,140 --> 00:22:06,580 bobble head go anywhere. Like it's we got her and she's 377 00:22:06,580 --> 00:22:10,200 just the most precious thing. And then my grandson Carter, 378 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,000 he's about 2 1/2 now. His faith might look a little 379 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:18,560 bit different, but he's like, I'm not sure about her, you 380 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:20,800 know? Look, Mom, no hands kind of 381 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,760 thing. And it was so funny, like in 382 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:24,800 that first week when she came home, I think. 383 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:28,000 Carter was kind of like, oh. She's staying. 384 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,600 Like, I thought she was going to go back somewhere. 385 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:36,050 Like, yeah, he's getting used to that, but but faith, Faith is 386 00:22:36,050 --> 00:22:42,210 that firm, strong. Stable like when we build and 387 00:22:42,210 --> 00:22:44,930 get strong on our faith, we can stand in the midst of the 388 00:22:44,930 --> 00:22:48,290 meanwhile, and God can bring peace into that. 389 00:22:49,130 --> 00:22:52,570 And so many people, though I've run into so many people that 390 00:22:52,570 --> 00:22:56,770 treat faith as belief. In nothing even wishful thinking 391 00:22:57,650 --> 00:23:00,170 you've probably heard. People call it blind faith. 392 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,840 But I really believe that blind faith has no place in 393 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:08,240 Christianity, because what we believe and what we have faith 394 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,880 in is solid. Peter addresses this in Second 395 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:14,280 Peter 116. He says. 396 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:18,000 We did not follow cleverly. Invented stories when we told 397 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,200 you about the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 398 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,440 But we were eyewitnesses to His Majesty. 399 00:23:26,360 --> 00:23:31,620 Eyewitness accounts are not the stuff of blind faith. 400 00:23:32,460 --> 00:23:36,380 What God has done in your life, no one can discount. 401 00:23:36,980 --> 00:23:40,900 Listen this section over here. What God has done in your life, 402 00:23:41,420 --> 00:23:46,500 no one can discount. I mean what He has done, this 403 00:23:46,500 --> 00:23:49,820 section, what He has done in your life, nobody can say 404 00:23:49,860 --> 00:23:52,820 anything about because it's real is. 405 00:23:52,820 --> 00:23:55,980 God has showed up in your life and done some incredible things. 406 00:23:55,980 --> 00:23:59,610 This section, the things that you've witnessed, your story, 407 00:23:59,610 --> 00:24:03,850 your testimony. Nobody can take that away and 408 00:24:03,850 --> 00:24:06,570 when we have. This personal encounter with 409 00:24:06,730 --> 00:24:12,010 Jesus, we have knowledge of the gospel, and not only do we have 410 00:24:12,010 --> 00:24:14,490 knowledge, but we acknowledge it, and then we have personal 411 00:24:14,490 --> 00:24:18,050 trust in those facts that God is going to save me. 412 00:24:18,050 --> 00:24:20,610 He's going to show up in the midst of whatever. 413 00:24:20,610 --> 00:24:24,130 It is that I'm going through. I mean Peter, I mean he knew 414 00:24:24,130 --> 00:24:26,590 this. I mean he knew that Jesus was 415 00:24:26,590 --> 00:24:31,590 not just a mere man. I mean Peter had seen Jesus give 416 00:24:31,590 --> 00:24:34,710 sight to the blind. He had cleansed lepers, caused 417 00:24:34,710 --> 00:24:36,670 the lame to walk. He had raised the dead. 418 00:24:36,870 --> 00:24:40,470 I mean Peter's preparation to be a witness of Christ. 419 00:24:40,470 --> 00:24:45,190 I mean it included some very up close, close encounters with 420 00:24:45,310 --> 00:24:50,180 Jesus and he approached him with questions and with doubts and 421 00:24:50,300 --> 00:24:54,500 whenever man Christ perceived that he needed further training. 422 00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:58,540 I mean, Jesus leaned in and taught Peter lessons, even in 423 00:24:58,540 --> 00:25:02,020 the story that we just read you. Have little faith. 424 00:25:02,020 --> 00:25:06,300 He was trying to build his faith in that moment, and I don't know 425 00:25:06,300 --> 00:25:08,780 if you know this, but Peter was perhaps one of the most 426 00:25:09,020 --> 00:25:14,860 reprimanded disciples of all the disciples, but yet he never got 427 00:25:14,860 --> 00:25:17,380 offended. He rather continued to follow 428 00:25:17,380 --> 00:25:20,770 the master. Daily adding to His witness and 429 00:25:20,770 --> 00:25:24,810 learning of Him. And so today listen your story, 430 00:25:25,330 --> 00:25:29,570 your testimony, What God's done in your life, man. 431 00:25:29,610 --> 00:25:33,770 It shapes your faith, It shapes your theology, It shapes who you 432 00:25:33,770 --> 00:25:38,250 are so that you can live in peace and be at peace with 433 00:25:38,250 --> 00:25:42,170 everyone. But Peter's faith was built. 434 00:25:42,170 --> 00:25:48,060 Up and encouraged songs. 7711 gives us a clue how to build up 435 00:25:48,060 --> 00:25:50,060 our faith. And it says I will remember the 436 00:25:50,060 --> 00:25:53,140 deeds of the Lord. Yes, I will remember your 437 00:25:53,140 --> 00:25:57,580 miracles of long ago. I was reminded of this about 438 00:25:58,620 --> 00:26:00,540 just a little bit over three years ago. 439 00:26:01,780 --> 00:26:05,820 We had just come out of man a really rough meanwhile. 440 00:26:06,540 --> 00:26:10,740 It had been probably a period of about six years where we lost 441 00:26:10,740 --> 00:26:15,350 all all of our parents in. Man, that was just a really 442 00:26:15,350 --> 00:26:19,350 difficult season. And we walked with my wife's mom 443 00:26:19,550 --> 00:26:24,110 through a five year battle with breast cancer and that was just, 444 00:26:24,110 --> 00:26:27,590 that was a rough time. And I remember processing 445 00:26:27,590 --> 00:26:31,670 through that and just working through some of that things and 446 00:26:31,670 --> 00:26:33,710 grieving and going to counseling. 447 00:26:33,710 --> 00:26:36,790 And man, I found myself in a season where I was really 448 00:26:36,790 --> 00:26:41,190 battling, like, just really deep, severe depression. 449 00:26:42,430 --> 00:26:45,030 And I'll never forget my counselor in one session. 450 00:26:45,910 --> 00:26:50,070 And I was trying to I I was so focused, and I was almost too 451 00:26:50,070 --> 00:26:55,870 focused on the future that it wasn't allowing me to process 452 00:26:55,870 --> 00:27:00,470 correctly in the present. And he said this thing and I'll 453 00:27:00,510 --> 00:27:03,430 I'll never forget it, he said. You're so focused, you're so 454 00:27:03,430 --> 00:27:06,830 busy focused on the future, trying to get out of the season, 455 00:27:07,590 --> 00:27:11,310 that you forgot to remind yourself how much God has done 456 00:27:11,310 --> 00:27:15,060 in your life. And then he said this, he said, 457 00:27:15,060 --> 00:27:19,740 Remember this. Remembrance unlocks faith. 458 00:27:21,100 --> 00:27:25,580 Remembrance unlocks faith. And as faith begins to be built 459 00:27:25,580 --> 00:27:31,220 up in us, we begin to as a result, our increases our trust 460 00:27:31,620 --> 00:27:35,740 and that peace that he so much wants to give us in our life. 461 00:27:36,670 --> 00:27:38,670 And I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but one of 462 00:27:38,670 --> 00:27:40,590 the. Greatest themes that I've 463 00:27:40,590 --> 00:27:44,550 noticed and through throughout the entire scripture is 464 00:27:44,550 --> 00:27:48,070 remembrance. All throughout Scripture, God 465 00:27:48,070 --> 00:27:52,150 calls His people to remember His goodness. 466 00:27:52,830 --> 00:27:55,550 I mean, if you look back in the book of Leviticus got appointed 467 00:27:55,550 --> 00:27:57,750 weekly yearly rhythms of remembrance. 468 00:27:58,470 --> 00:28:01,070 For example, the Sabbath was a weekly. 469 00:28:01,430 --> 00:28:05,110 Rhythm to remember that God rested on the 7th day. 470 00:28:05,790 --> 00:28:09,350 The Passover was a yearly rhythm to remember how God delivered 471 00:28:09,350 --> 00:28:12,150 the Israelites from Egypt and then throughout the Old. 472 00:28:12,150 --> 00:28:15,870 Testament The Israelites regularly created altars of 473 00:28:15,870 --> 00:28:20,830 remembrance to commemorate what God had done and Joshua four. 474 00:28:20,830 --> 00:28:23,550 They stacked 12 Stones in remembrance. 475 00:28:23,950 --> 00:28:25,950 Of how God miraculously parted the Jordan. 476 00:28:25,950 --> 00:28:27,990 River and let them cross on dry land. 477 00:28:28,790 --> 00:28:30,950 And then the psalms. I mean, if you look at the 478 00:28:30,950 --> 00:28:34,650 Psalms, David and the writers meditate on the works. 479 00:28:34,650 --> 00:28:39,690 And the wonders of God. They call us to remember God's 480 00:28:39,690 --> 00:28:43,210 past faithfulness and dwell on his goodness. 481 00:28:43,770 --> 00:28:45,130 I mean David. Think about it. 482 00:28:45,250 --> 00:28:49,130 He used past faith. He used past things that God had 483 00:28:49,130 --> 00:28:51,290 done in his life to defeat Goliath. 484 00:28:52,090 --> 00:28:54,970 He called upon those moments that God had showed up 485 00:28:54,970 --> 00:28:59,690 previously that allowed him to step into the meanwhile and 486 00:28:59,690 --> 00:29:02,840 defeat Goliath. And then, of course, we see it 487 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,800 in the Last Supper. Jesus invites his followers. 488 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:11,480 He invites us as we take communion to remember the great 489 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,200 thing that he did, to remember the bread, the cup, and 490 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:19,200 remembering of the sacrifice. And it's clear all throughout 491 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:23,800 Scripture, God calls us to be people marked by remembrance. 492 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:26,600 And we know that. I mean, there's power in 493 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,290 remembering God's goodness. We were. 494 00:29:29,290 --> 00:29:32,370 Encouraged last week to even In order for us to be able to 495 00:29:32,370 --> 00:29:37,570 forgive, we have to remember how much God loves us and how much 496 00:29:37,570 --> 00:29:41,970 He's forgiven us, so that we can then live in peace and forgive 497 00:29:41,970 --> 00:29:45,490 others. I really like it's really love 498 00:29:45,690 --> 00:29:48,090 and. Chaos is what it is. 499 00:29:48,090 --> 00:29:50,090 We. Are called to live love and 500 00:29:50,090 --> 00:29:53,090 chaos. And then we also know that. 501 00:29:53,090 --> 00:29:57,390 I mean, there's so much power in remembering, but how many you 502 00:29:57,390 --> 00:29:59,910 know? There's danger also in 503 00:29:59,910 --> 00:30:03,630 forgetting the Israelites. If you think about it, they 504 00:30:03,630 --> 00:30:05,950 repeatedly forgot the Lord in his. 505 00:30:05,950 --> 00:30:09,590 Goodness to him, To them, I mean, they cycled through 506 00:30:09,590 --> 00:30:13,590 seasons of faithful. Remembrance and seasons of 507 00:30:13,590 --> 00:30:17,350 forgetfulness. And when they forgot God, they 508 00:30:17,350 --> 00:30:19,830 became captives to idolatry and oppression. 509 00:30:19,830 --> 00:30:22,550 Check this out. In Psalm 78. 510 00:30:23,290 --> 00:30:26,810 They did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. 511 00:30:27,210 --> 00:30:30,130 They forgot what He had done and the wonders He had shown them. 512 00:30:30,410 --> 00:30:34,050 They did not remember His power the day he redeemed them from 513 00:30:34,050 --> 00:30:37,330 his oppressor. And I don't know about you, but 514 00:30:37,330 --> 00:30:42,810 I've noticed that I'm most vulnerable to these opposing 515 00:30:42,810 --> 00:30:49,370 forces in my life, and them dominating me when I focused my. 516 00:30:49,370 --> 00:30:54,050 Attention on disappointment or pain or the past or. 517 00:30:54,050 --> 00:30:57,810 Too much on the future. When I dwell on everything that 518 00:30:57,810 --> 00:31:02,890 seems to be going wrong around me and in my life, that's when I 519 00:31:02,890 --> 00:31:05,090 don't know about you. But that's when the enemy really 520 00:31:05,090 --> 00:31:09,570 attacks me and it's hard. In those moments to remember. 521 00:31:10,650 --> 00:31:14,450 But the opposite is always true when I dwell. 522 00:31:14,450 --> 00:31:18,290 On God's goodness in my life, I have this man. 523 00:31:18,290 --> 00:31:21,610 When I can do that, I noticed the ways that he's been guiding 524 00:31:21,610 --> 00:31:23,690 me. He's been sustaining me. 525 00:31:24,130 --> 00:31:27,090 Since the day I was born, I mean when I'm. 526 00:31:27,090 --> 00:31:30,050 Dwelling on God's goodness in my life I can remember. 527 00:31:30,050 --> 00:31:33,370 Back to those times when I was little or in high school where I 528 00:31:33,370 --> 00:31:37,130 didn't even know Jesus then. But man, God was protecting me, 529 00:31:38,450 --> 00:31:42,010 and he was providing a way and beginning to to move things in 530 00:31:42,010 --> 00:31:44,650 place and plant seeds and do all those things. 531 00:31:44,650 --> 00:31:48,170 And man, I'm reminded. When I dwell on God's goodness 532 00:31:48,170 --> 00:31:51,090 that He carried me through and the growth that He's. 533 00:31:51,090 --> 00:31:56,730 Done in my life, even in those really difficult seasons, and 534 00:31:56,730 --> 00:31:59,050 I'm always struck by the deep and meaningful. 535 00:31:59,050 --> 00:32:04,290 Relationships that God provides in those different seasons. 536 00:32:05,450 --> 00:32:09,250 And most of all, though I'm able to remember the way he is, man, 537 00:32:09,250 --> 00:32:13,170 he is unconditionally loved me and forgiven me. 538 00:32:14,450 --> 00:32:16,570 Now this doesn't mean that I just. 539 00:32:16,570 --> 00:32:20,010 Put my head in the stand, right? I I I don't just ignore the pain 540 00:32:20,010 --> 00:32:21,450 and. Disappointments in my life. 541 00:32:22,530 --> 00:32:26,810 But I don't dwell on them. I don't focus on them alone. 542 00:32:26,810 --> 00:32:32,210 Instead what I do is I want to invite God's interpretation and 543 00:32:32,210 --> 00:32:36,130 peace of the painful events that I experience. 544 00:32:37,090 --> 00:32:39,730 And there's no doubt some of us have been through through some 545 00:32:39,730 --> 00:32:42,830 very. Man, difficult things. 546 00:32:42,830 --> 00:32:48,390 Some traumatic things. Even as children, like we carry 547 00:32:48,390 --> 00:32:52,510 things into our adult life. A lot of pain and 548 00:32:52,510 --> 00:32:55,750 disappointment. And I want to encourage you 549 00:32:55,750 --> 00:32:58,310 today. Maybe today you needed to be 550 00:32:58,310 --> 00:33:03,390 reminded to invite God's interpretation and peace into 551 00:33:03,390 --> 00:33:08,230 those painful events and ask God to show you the ways. 552 00:33:09,110 --> 00:33:11,590 And I guarantee you he will. He'll show you the ways that 553 00:33:11,590 --> 00:33:17,790 he's acting redemptively in your life, bringing good out of what 554 00:33:17,790 --> 00:33:19,950 the enemy. The enemy wants to take you out. 555 00:33:20,590 --> 00:33:24,590 He wants to devour you. But God will bring good out of 556 00:33:24,590 --> 00:33:28,630 what the enemy meant for bad. And then we can really truly 557 00:33:28,630 --> 00:33:31,510 begin to walk and experience peace and live in peace with 558 00:33:31,510 --> 00:33:33,870 others. So as we kind of close this. 559 00:33:34,670 --> 00:33:40,680 I want to give you 4 practices. I just did 5 4 practices that 560 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,920 I've been. Working on for several years to 561 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:48,960 kind of help me build my faith and then to keep peace in my 562 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:51,520 soul. And the first one is daily 563 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:53,440 gratitude. Everybody say gratitude, 564 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,520 gratitude. Gratitude is such a powerful 565 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:01,320 weapon against man, against all the stuff that we've been 566 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,960 talking about in this series. And So what I've learned to do 567 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:09,570 and this is how it works for me. Because I have to be reminded of 568 00:34:09,570 --> 00:34:12,250 even the small things that God's doing. 569 00:34:12,250 --> 00:34:14,290 Because man, if we can just. Take a moment. 570 00:34:14,290 --> 00:34:17,730 And so I like to take inventory of my day. 571 00:34:18,130 --> 00:34:21,530 At the end of the day, and I asked God to reveal his. 572 00:34:21,530 --> 00:34:24,690 Goodness and grace to me. And it's been pretty cool 573 00:34:24,690 --> 00:34:27,170 because it really does include a lot. 574 00:34:27,170 --> 00:34:30,810 Of small moments, like the grace to handle a difficult 575 00:34:30,810 --> 00:34:36,639 conversation. Energy when I felt weak or man 576 00:34:36,639 --> 00:34:39,239 the beautiful sunrise this morning as. 577 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:44,000 I drive into work looking for God's fingerprints in those 578 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:49,920 small things that happen through your day will able you to see 579 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:54,480 that God is at work even in larger patterns of your life. 580 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,280 So what do we do? We give thanks. 581 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:59,040 We rejoice. We lean in. 582 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:02,600 We see all. That God's doing even in the 583 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:07,940 little things and then we pray, Philippians 47 says. 584 00:35:07,940 --> 00:35:10,300 Don't worry about anything. Instead pray about everything. 585 00:35:10,300 --> 00:35:15,700 Tell God what you need. And then thank him for all he 586 00:35:15,700 --> 00:35:20,340 has done. Then you will experience God's 587 00:35:20,340 --> 00:35:24,340 peace which exceeds anything that we can understand. 588 00:35:24,340 --> 00:35:29,940 His peace is honestly mind. Blowing at times and his peace, 589 00:35:29,940 --> 00:35:34,700 it says, will guard our hearts and minds as we live in him. 590 00:35:35,550 --> 00:35:37,590 And the second thing is so daily gratitude. 591 00:35:37,590 --> 00:35:40,230 The second thing is, one of the things that I've been doing for 592 00:35:40,350 --> 00:35:42,950 several years is reading old. Journals, and I have a pick of 593 00:35:42,950 --> 00:35:46,110 some of my journals that I've. Collected over the years and 594 00:35:46,510 --> 00:35:50,190 what I love to do every year or so, I read back. 595 00:35:50,190 --> 00:35:52,510 Through some of my journals and I don't. 596 00:35:52,550 --> 00:35:55,910 Man, it's each time I'm. Struck by the ways that God has 597 00:35:55,910 --> 00:36:00,030 been so faithful during really difficult seasons. 598 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,520 And I remember when I see that man, there are. 599 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:06,760 Times when I was lost, when I was afraid, when I was doubting, 600 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:10,520 when I was angry. But God was at work at ways that 601 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:15,080 I couldn't see at that. And I'm always awestruck by how 602 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:19,760 God repeatedly uses painful. Man situations to draw me deeper 603 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:23,560 and deeper with him, and reflecting on old journals for 604 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:27,600 me, it gives me a fresh perspective even on the 605 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:31,010 meanwhile, right now. Because I realized that God's 606 00:36:31,010 --> 00:36:34,770 peace is permanent is secure. It does not change with 607 00:36:34,770 --> 00:36:39,170 circumstance, God's. Peace is secure in spite of 608 00:36:39,170 --> 00:36:43,290 circumstances, so I just want to encourage you if you're not get 609 00:36:43,290 --> 00:36:47,010 into daily intake and exposure of the Word of God, like we have 610 00:36:47,010 --> 00:36:50,090 to be in the Word in order to have. 611 00:36:50,090 --> 00:36:53,210 Peace in our souls. And I just want to encourage you 612 00:36:53,210 --> 00:36:55,690 as you get into his word, God's going to reveal things. 613 00:36:55,690 --> 00:36:58,210 He's going to show you things. You're going to read a passage 614 00:36:58,210 --> 00:36:59,850 of Scripture, and there's going to be a word. 615 00:36:59,850 --> 00:37:02,970 Or a a phrase that pops out at you, man. 616 00:37:02,970 --> 00:37:07,250 And get a journal, get something to put that in and catalog or do 617 00:37:07,250 --> 00:37:09,770 whatever you got to do with. It so that you can pull those 618 00:37:09,770 --> 00:37:14,490 out and remember how much God has done previously in your 619 00:37:14,490 --> 00:37:17,490 life. So daily gratitude reading old. 620 00:37:17,490 --> 00:37:20,770 Journals and then my mentor of one of mentor of mine. 621 00:37:20,770 --> 00:37:23,530 Gave me this one and he encouraged me to write a. 622 00:37:23,530 --> 00:37:29,750 Psalm and he encouraged me to take Psalm 1. 36 And rewrite it 623 00:37:29,830 --> 00:37:34,310 about my own life, following each example of God's goodness 624 00:37:34,310 --> 00:37:37,110 with the phrase His love endures forever. 625 00:37:37,910 --> 00:37:44,110 So my Psalm started like this. God thank you for. 626 00:37:44,110 --> 00:37:48,430 Saving me when I was lost. His love endures forever. 627 00:37:48,870 --> 00:37:50,950 God, thank you for the. Call in my life that gives me 628 00:37:50,950 --> 00:37:52,710 purpose. His love endures forever. 629 00:37:53,490 --> 00:37:55,850 God, thank you for my high school sweetheart that you 630 00:37:55,850 --> 00:37:59,330 brought into my life celebrating 32 years of marriage. 631 00:37:59,330 --> 00:38:02,890 His love endures forever. God, thank you for to my 2:00. 632 00:38:02,890 --> 00:38:05,250 Precious kids, their spouses, our five grandkids. 633 00:38:05,250 --> 00:38:09,250 His love endures forever. And God, thank you for bringing 634 00:38:09,250 --> 00:38:12,010 us through and the lessons learned the past six. 635 00:38:12,010 --> 00:38:14,450 Years As we've grieved the loss of our parents. 636 00:38:14,890 --> 00:38:19,730 His love endures forever as soon as we practice. 637 00:38:19,890 --> 00:38:23,620 Daily gratitude as we engage in things that God's already. 638 00:38:23,620 --> 00:38:27,140 Done in our life and we. Write a song, but it just remind 639 00:38:27,140 --> 00:38:31,180 ourselves just how good God has been in our life. 640 00:38:31,620 --> 00:38:34,460 And then the last thing I'll encourage you with is create an 641 00:38:34,460 --> 00:38:39,380 altar of remembrance. And sometimes just drawing an 642 00:38:39,380 --> 00:38:41,980 altar of remembrance. Like the Israelite people didn't 643 00:38:41,980 --> 00:38:44,820 Joshua for. Maybe it's just writing a 644 00:38:44,820 --> 00:38:47,460 specific way that God. Has been faithful in my life, 645 00:38:47,900 --> 00:38:50,060 and you can do this in a lot of creative ways. 646 00:38:50,710 --> 00:38:54,350 That visual man can be a powerful reminder, and a lot of 647 00:38:54,350 --> 00:38:57,510 us are visual learners, and it's good to remind. 648 00:38:57,990 --> 00:39:00,830 How good God is whether that's a verse. 649 00:39:01,030 --> 00:39:04,630 Maybe you display in your house or something on the wall or. 650 00:39:04,830 --> 00:39:07,830 Maybe something on your mirror that reminds you who you are in 651 00:39:07,830 --> 00:39:09,470 Christ. Whatever. 652 00:39:09,470 --> 00:39:13,430 It may be but setting something. Maybe there's a rock by your. 653 00:39:13,670 --> 00:39:16,710 You know by your sidewalk, that just reminds you of God's 654 00:39:16,710 --> 00:39:19,270 goodness and his faithfulness to you. 655 00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:25,960 When I was a youth pastor for 23 years, I was a youth pastor and 656 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:28,120 we. Did some crazy things with 657 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:30,760 students and one of the things that we did for several years 658 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:32,680 was called the 40 day revolution. 659 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:36,240 And during that 40 days, we'd encourage students to. 660 00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:40,680 Fast and pray for God to. Move on their school campus and 661 00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:42,920 then for 40 days they would do random. 662 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:47,400 Acts of kindness on their campus every day for 40 days. 663 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:50,960 And it was incredible. Students would be praying for 664 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:52,920 God to move. They'd be praying for students 665 00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:55,320 that sit in front of them, on the side of them, behind them, 666 00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:59,280 for teachers and principals. And one year I'll never forget, 667 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:02,240 we had about 50 students doing this. 668 00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:05,600 Prayer and fasting and serving. And doing acts of kindness on a 669 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:08,800 campus. And before that end of 40 days, 670 00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:11,720 we saw like 30 teachers come to Christ. 671 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:15,280 A principal gets saved over 500 students. 672 00:40:15,670 --> 00:40:18,430 That encountered Jesus and we're joining that F. 673 00:40:18,430 --> 00:40:21,830 CA club that those students were a part in and then the last day 674 00:40:21,830 --> 00:40:25,070 of the 40 day revolution was called Paint the Rock. 675 00:40:25,950 --> 00:40:30,750 And it was just a simple reminder of all that God had 676 00:40:30,750 --> 00:40:32,150 done. And we encouraged students to 677 00:40:32,150 --> 00:40:34,190 paint that rock whatever color they wanted to. 678 00:40:34,190 --> 00:40:36,910 And then they were going to place that somewhere on campus 679 00:40:37,670 --> 00:40:39,910 and the. Year that we did it, the second 680 00:40:39,990 --> 00:40:42,630 year we had hundreds of students doing it. 681 00:40:43,180 --> 00:40:45,620 And then it ended up being thousands of rocks planted on 682 00:40:45,620 --> 00:40:46,900 campus. And I remember the principal 683 00:40:46,900 --> 00:40:47,980 coming to me and say, hey, pastor. 684 00:40:47,980 --> 00:40:51,740 Tom, we got to chill with the rocks like it's too many. 685 00:40:52,220 --> 00:40:54,260 But create an alter of remembrance. 686 00:40:54,260 --> 00:40:58,260 Create a visual of what God has done in your life, because He 687 00:40:58,260 --> 00:41:02,900 invites us to remember who He is and what He's done. 688 00:41:03,580 --> 00:41:06,620 So as we close today, I just want to encourage you, 689 00:41:07,780 --> 00:41:11,100 especially those of you today that are going through a really 690 00:41:11,500 --> 00:41:17,570 difficult time where your faith is being tested and listen, I 691 00:41:17,890 --> 00:41:21,330 the enemy would love nothing more that while. 692 00:41:21,330 --> 00:41:26,650 You're in your meanwhile to isolate you and to men just to 693 00:41:26,650 --> 00:41:30,130 come after you. And it's often in this place we 694 00:41:30,130 --> 00:41:34,610 find ourselves maybe doubting, and we know that God allows our 695 00:41:34,610 --> 00:41:39,410 faith to be tested. It's in the meanwhile that we 696 00:41:40,210 --> 00:41:42,770 really see the genuineness of our faith. 697 00:41:37,050 --> 00:41:45,410 But I really. It develops character in us. 698 00:41:46,450 --> 00:41:48,810 It does a purifying work sometimes in us. 699 00:41:50,410 --> 00:41:54,130 And also God always promises help during these times. 700 00:41:55,010 --> 00:41:59,570 So as we stand today, if you could have everybody stand, I 701 00:41:59,570 --> 00:42:01,810 just want to. Declare these two verses over 702 00:42:01,810 --> 00:42:07,330 you today, Jose of 43 two says. When you pass through the 703 00:42:07,330 --> 00:42:11,210 waters, I will be with you. And when you pass through the 704 00:42:11,210 --> 00:42:13,010 rivers, they will not sweep over you and. 705 00:42:13,850 --> 00:42:16,730 When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. 706 00:42:17,210 --> 00:42:21,730 The flames will not set you. Ablaze, and then first Peter 510 707 00:42:21,730 --> 00:42:25,970 says in the God of all grace, who calls you to his eternal 708 00:42:25,970 --> 00:42:28,850 glory in Christ after you have suffered. 709 00:42:28,850 --> 00:42:33,850 For a little while. In your meanwhile will himself 710 00:42:33,850 --> 00:42:39,940 restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 711 00:42:40,780 --> 00:42:44,140 And what our broken, confused world needs more than anything, 712 00:42:45,780 --> 00:42:49,340 it needs people who will just walk with God. 713 00:42:50,540 --> 00:42:53,220 And so I want to encourage you, and I want to invite you into a 714 00:42:53,220 --> 00:42:55,500 moment this morning, a moment of remembrance. 715 00:42:56,740 --> 00:43:00,140 And maybe today you're here and you're in a difficult season and 716 00:43:01,100 --> 00:43:04,500 just want to encourage you to this week, maybe today. 717 00:43:04,500 --> 00:43:09,110 Just remember a time when God was faithful in your life, and 718 00:43:09,110 --> 00:43:11,430 allow that time to encourage you. 719 00:43:12,590 --> 00:43:15,230 And it's maybe in this meanwhile that you need to borrow someone 720 00:43:15,230 --> 00:43:18,190 else's faith. You might need to reach out to 721 00:43:18,190 --> 00:43:21,470 somebody and say, hey man, I I I can't do this alone. 722 00:43:22,270 --> 00:43:25,710 I need some faith from a brother or sister to walk with me 723 00:43:25,710 --> 00:43:28,430 through this. But this morning, most 724 00:43:28,430 --> 00:43:31,350 importantly, it starts with a relationship with Jesus getting 725 00:43:31,350 --> 00:43:34,190 close to him. And so this morning, with every 726 00:43:34,190 --> 00:43:37,620 head bowed and every eye closed, I just want to take a moment. 727 00:43:37,620 --> 00:43:40,860 If you're here today and maybe you've never given your life to 728 00:43:40,860 --> 00:43:44,260 Christ, maybe you've never, you've never really said God. 729 00:43:44,580 --> 00:43:48,060 I want to invite you in. I want to surrender my life. 730 00:43:48,060 --> 00:43:50,020 I want to give everything over to you. 731 00:43:50,020 --> 00:43:52,820 And maybe you're here today and maybe you, you have done that. 732 00:43:54,180 --> 00:43:56,460 But you find yourself in a really difficult time where 733 00:43:56,460 --> 00:43:59,500 you've kind of drifted. You've maybe walked in a 734 00:43:59,500 --> 00:44:03,580 different direction. And today you came and maybe 735 00:44:03,580 --> 00:44:07,150 even with an intention that God, I'm going to give you one last 736 00:44:07,150 --> 00:44:12,710 chance and today's your day. God wants to meet you right 737 00:44:12,710 --> 00:44:15,590 where you're at. And so if that's you today, 738 00:44:15,590 --> 00:44:18,030 you've never given your life to Christ or you need to come home. 739 00:44:18,030 --> 00:44:22,550 Maybe you just need to come back to where you used to be with 740 00:44:22,550 --> 00:44:24,510 him. And if that's you on account of 741 00:44:24,510 --> 00:44:26,790 three, I just want to see let hand lifted up in the air. 742 00:44:26,790 --> 00:44:29,750 I I would love to pray with you real quick. 743 00:44:30,510 --> 00:44:32,710 And so if that's you've never given your life to Christ, or 744 00:44:32,710 --> 00:44:35,750 maybe you just need to come home today and say, God, man, I'm 745 00:44:35,750 --> 00:44:36,910 going through a really difficult time. 746 00:44:36,910 --> 00:44:39,830 I need to just reset and recenter my life. 747 00:44:39,830 --> 00:44:41,990 If that's you, on the count of three, just lift up your hand. 748 00:44:41,990 --> 00:44:48,670 123 Any hands across the room, they'll have some ushers to put 749 00:44:48,670 --> 00:44:53,550 cards in your hand. And if you're here today, and, 750 00:44:53,630 --> 00:44:55,750 man, you may be just going through a difficult time. 751 00:44:56,750 --> 00:45:00,030 I'd love to pray with you too. And so if you would, let's join 752 00:45:00,030 --> 00:45:01,670 me in prayer. God, we just thank you. 753 00:45:02,880 --> 00:45:04,920 We thank you for your goodness. We thank you, God, for your 754 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:08,080 faithfulness. And God, we just take a moment 755 00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:13,760 and just God, we just recenter, refocus our eyes on you and God, 756 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:16,680 we thank you for sending your son Jesus to die on a cross for 757 00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:19,560 us. And so today we invite him into 758 00:45:19,560 --> 00:45:24,840 our lives afresh. God renew us, give us peace so 759 00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:27,680 that we can live in peace with others. 760 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:31,880 And so God come into our meanwhile. 761 00:45:32,810 --> 00:45:35,650 And God we pray for healing, we pray for reconciliation. 762 00:45:35,650 --> 00:45:38,650 God, we pray that you would move, even move. 763 00:45:38,650 --> 00:45:42,170 Things out of the way so that we can walk through where you 764 00:45:42,170 --> 00:45:45,330 desire for us to be. And so God we'll give you all 765 00:45:45,330 --> 00:45:48,610 the praise, we'll give you all the glory and God we pray that 766 00:45:48,610 --> 00:45:53,210 you'd use us in a mighty way. This week we ask these things in 767 00:45:53,330 --> 00:45:58,090 Jesus mighty name and everybody said Amen. 768 00:45:58,090 --> 00:45:58,730 Amen.