1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,600 Welcome To The River. City Church podcast and a 2 00:00:03,608 --> 00:00:07,700 message by our lead. Pastor Jason Powers our prayer 3 00:00:07,700 --> 00:00:11,100 is that this message would Inspire and encourage you, build 4 00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:13,300 your faith. And point you to the 5 00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:18,200 life-changing love of Jesus, may you enjoy the goodness of God as 6 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,800 you follow him today. Good morning, welcome. 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:27,000 I'm glad that you are here with us this morning and we begin as 8 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,600 we do every week with our Confession. 9 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,000 And our confession is as the body of Christ, it brings us to 10 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,600 the cross and it grounds us there and it routes us there. 11 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:37,700 And it is from there that we grow in. 12 00:00:37,700 --> 00:00:40,100 Our confession is we are badly broken. 13 00:00:41,900 --> 00:00:44,900 Grace and peace to you. Yeah. 14 00:00:44,900 --> 00:00:47,300 I love coming up and saying that it's just a reminder would begin 15 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:50,400 with warship, musical worship. You know, why we begin with 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,800 musical worship? It's happened. 17 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,000 A lot we've done. It's kind of a traditional thing 18 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:56,000 in the church. We've done it forever. 19 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,600 But music is sticky, you know? I mean, sticky, right? 20 00:01:00,700 --> 00:01:05,000 I don't remember a lot of things, but there's a Clint 21 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,200 Black song, Right. Ain't it funny how a Melody can 22 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:09,400 bring back a memory, right? And you remember, and suddenly a 23 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,900 song comes on. And I remember a song from My 24 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:14,100 childhood and I don't just remember it. 25 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:17,100 Like, when I listen to it? I am there, right? 26 00:01:17,100 --> 00:01:21,300 It is like, it is fourth grade all over again, or whatever 27 00:01:21,300 --> 00:01:23,300 wherever it is, because that's what music does. 28 00:01:23,300 --> 00:01:28,200 And I truly think that music is well, it's their components to 29 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,700 it, right? And so we sing, you know, find 30 00:01:30,700 --> 00:01:32,900 me grateful. Find me thankful, find me on my 31 00:01:32,900 --> 00:01:36,100 knees. And I am, I am kind of a head 32 00:01:36,100 --> 00:01:38,600 guy, right? And so, I hear those words and I 33 00:01:38,608 --> 00:01:41,500 process those, those words and I think gratitude, okay, out 34 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,000 Thankful and on my knees and it's a posture and its position 35 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,700 of worship and it's good that and so I can sing that song, I 36 00:01:47,700 --> 00:01:50,900 can say those words and it's and there's something to it. 37 00:01:50,900 --> 00:01:53,600 It's a significant thing, right? It's kind of like engaging my 38 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:54,500 intellect. Oh yes. 39 00:01:54,700 --> 00:01:55,200 Okay. Yes. 40 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,600 I need to be thankful and to be grateful and I can pray and I 41 00:01:57,608 --> 00:02:00,900 can do that. When you put music to it, 42 00:02:01,300 --> 00:02:06,200 something happens, music moves us music is it's it's in the 43 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,300 soul, right? Like you hear music and it 44 00:02:08,300 --> 00:02:12,400 touches this at a deeper level and so when we have Music and we 45 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:16,000 have words and we have lyrics and we have this song together. 46 00:02:16,100 --> 00:02:20,600 It is this whole thing as this holistic person and again we 47 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,100 acknowledge and we recognize there are some people who don't 48 00:02:23,100 --> 00:02:25,000 like the music, right? Like they don't like that they 49 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,800 just say get let's just power through maybe they show up later 50 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:29,000 they linger and get coffee right? 51 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,200 Nobody in here, does that I'm sure but in the other services 52 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:32,800 right? They linger until the song 53 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,400 service over and then they come in and then let's just get down 54 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:36,700 to it right here. I get it. 55 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:39,600 I understand that's that's fine. But I really believe there's 56 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,300 something valuable about A music worship service because there's 57 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:44,900 people on the other side to there in. 58 00:02:44,900 --> 00:02:47,200 Just like that guy, blah, blah, blah, all the time. 59 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:48,700 Let's worship. Let's do it. 60 00:02:48,700 --> 00:02:51,800 I get it. You're both not wrong, but 61 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,200 something powerful happens when it comes together. 62 00:02:55,600 --> 00:03:00,300 Music moves us songs, move us. It's a significant thing. 63 00:03:00,300 --> 00:03:05,500 And so, as we begin our study in the Book of Psalms, that's an 64 00:03:05,500 --> 00:03:10,400 important idea to keep in mind. The Psalms are, literally the 65 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,400 songbook of a pea. It is the prayers. 66 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,800 That is the song, all of the songs were at one time set to 67 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,600 music. They have to all these musical 68 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,800 kind of notations that go, they can tell a little bit about it, 69 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:25,500 but the Psalms are the prayer book. 70 00:03:25,500 --> 00:03:30,000 The hymn book of the Hebrew people, the Israelites as they 71 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,900 wandered in the wilderness as they wrestled, as they contended 72 00:03:32,900 --> 00:03:35,800 with, what does it mean to be a people of God? 73 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,900 Right. And we know the people had the 74 00:03:37,900 --> 00:03:40,000 temple right in the wilderness as they wandered in the 75 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,600 wilderness outside of Egypt. They had Add the Tabernacle the 76 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,500 place where the body of God, dwelt where God was there, and 77 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:49,100 they were gathered around him, and this was the whole idea. 78 00:03:49,100 --> 00:03:54,100 And so as they wrestle with, what does it mean to be a people 79 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,300 of God? And it's great because there's 80 00:03:56,300 --> 00:04:00,100 some Psalms that we read and we say reading music, oh man, how 81 00:04:00,100 --> 00:04:01,800 great you are. God you have done all these 82 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:03,600 things for us. God, you have overcome our 83 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,700 enemies and God, you have all of these wonderful things and we 84 00:04:06,700 --> 00:04:10,100 read the Psalms like down we go. Yes, that's what I would expect, 85 00:04:10,100 --> 00:04:13,400 but you read other Psalms where you just go? 86 00:04:13,500 --> 00:04:20,500 Oh God, where are you? God have you abandoned us? 87 00:04:20,700 --> 00:04:25,100 Have you abandoned me. God, we have enemies and I 88 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:26,900 thought you were going to take care of them. 89 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:29,600 See the language of the Psalms of the language of The Human 90 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,500 Experience. The language of the human 91 00:04:31,500 --> 00:04:37,300 Spirit, the Psalms are not neat and tidy, you read the book of 92 00:04:37,300 --> 00:04:42,900 Romans and you have just this laser precise Theology of 93 00:04:42,900 --> 00:04:47,700 salvation. And you have in the Psalms my 94 00:04:47,700 --> 00:04:51,100 God my God. Why have you forsaken me? 95 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:58,000 You have in The Narrative of Jesus in the gospels. 96 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,400 You have this biography of the men and you have this 97 00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:04,600 chronological this time for this thematic, presentation of a life 98 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,300 and you have in the Psalms even though I walk through the valley 99 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:11,600 of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. 100 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:18,300 The Psalms are raw. The Psalms are emotional. 101 00:05:18,300 --> 00:05:22,500 There's a lot of symbol in the Psalms there's lots of kind of 102 00:05:22,700 --> 00:05:27,000 declarations, psalm 19, the heavens declare the glory of 103 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:28,200 God. What does that mean? 104 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,500 What does it look like Psalms are written in the language of 105 00:05:31,700 --> 00:05:37,300 emotion there, like I said from time to time uncomfortable they 106 00:05:37,300 --> 00:05:39,800 confront us with things where as you read. 107 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,800 First five books Genesis Exodus, Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy 108 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:44,200 and it's like history first. This happened. 109 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,300 And then this happened. And then God said and then Moses 110 00:05:46,300 --> 00:05:48,300 did and he went and there was a gyptians and there's fared you 111 00:05:48,300 --> 00:05:49,000 read it, you go. Yes. 112 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,700 It's a, it's a nice tight night. You know, tidy Turn the Page you 113 00:05:52,700 --> 00:05:55,300 get and then you get to the Psalms and it moves us and it 114 00:05:55,300 --> 00:05:57,400 challenges us, which is good for us. 115 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,100 Because there are moments where we first thing we have to 116 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:02,700 realize and recognizing contend with is this fact that we are in 117 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:06,200 the same way that the people of Israel, contended, with what it 118 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,800 meant to be a people of God of people, with God and their 119 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:10,300 presence. We too. 120 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,400 As Believers as Christians as followers of Christ or as people 121 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,700 who are seeking this, this is our experience. 122 00:06:15,700 --> 00:06:20,700 What does it mean to say? We are the body of Christ and 123 00:06:20,700 --> 00:06:25,000 especially, when we have those moments, when we go God, where 124 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,400 are you? And sometimes, maybe you have 125 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,200 said, God, where are you? And then you go don't even say 126 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:33,000 that. Is that, okay? 127 00:06:33,100 --> 00:06:38,300 And you wonder the Psalms are good news for you as you wrestle 128 00:06:38,300 --> 00:06:40,000 with life. That is messy. 129 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:48,700 And untidy and doesn't fit into nice neat, theological boxes and 130 00:06:49,300 --> 00:06:52,200 their poems. There's a policy to them. 131 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:57,000 There is a rhythm to them, the Psalms are music for the road of 132 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,300 life's journey. Now listen, there's 150 Psalms, 133 00:07:01,300 --> 00:07:03,900 it's an exhaustive book, there's a lot to it. 134 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:05,500 And so, we're certainly not going to cover them. 135 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:07,100 We're going to kind of touch some high points and we're going 136 00:07:07,100 --> 00:07:08,900 to kind of move our way through them. 137 00:07:08,900 --> 00:07:10,300 But here's my invitation and here. 138 00:07:10,500 --> 00:07:14,500 My challenge to you. As we talked the last several 139 00:07:14,500 --> 00:07:16,000 weeks, we talked about identity, right? 140 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:17,700 Like, who are you in Christ? I'm sorry. 141 00:07:17,700 --> 00:07:19,900 You're a new creation and you're created to do. 142 00:07:19,900 --> 00:07:21,600 Good works, and you are the Beloved. 143 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,800 And those are nice neat ideas that you can take and kind of 144 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,400 chew on unless whatever. What, I don't want you to do, is 145 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:33,300 to do that with the Psalms because he the Psalms are music 146 00:07:33,300 --> 00:07:37,300 to be entered into. So let them enter into be. 147 00:07:37,300 --> 00:07:40,400 It's like, you know, a sad song. Why is it that? 148 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,700 When we're sad we listen to sad songs. 149 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:44,800 Why do we do that? What is wrong with us? 150 00:07:45,500 --> 00:07:48,800 I want to say. Because there's something about 151 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:53,300 the sad songs that allows us to express the Psalms are like 152 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,800 that. They give language for prayers 153 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,700 prayers that we don't know how to pray. 154 00:08:00,100 --> 00:08:03,700 Praise that prayers, that we don't even know we're allowed to 155 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:07,200 pray. So, as we go for the next couple 156 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:11,100 weeks, I really would invite you to bring the Psalms out of the 157 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:16,500 theological box to pray them. Turn them into prayers how to 158 00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:19,000 invite you and encourage you and challenge you to feel them. 159 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,500 And you got to know. I'm not a, I'm not a feeler. 160 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:26,000 I'm just, I'm just not like I don't get it, but I know there 161 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,700 are things that when I can enter into these Psalms that can move 162 00:08:29,700 --> 00:08:33,500 me and can challenge me because the Psalms are unique in Cannon 163 00:08:33,700 --> 00:08:35,900 everywhere else in a cannon. Everything else in Scripture 164 00:08:35,900 --> 00:08:38,700 that we look at, is, it's listen, the story of the Bible, 165 00:08:38,700 --> 00:08:40,900 the Bible is not our story, okay? 166 00:08:40,900 --> 00:08:44,500 The Bible is not about me, it's about God now. 167 00:08:44,900 --> 00:08:48,100 People Humanity has a part in a role in a play in that butt. 168 00:08:48,100 --> 00:08:51,000 Right in the center of our Bibles, right there. 169 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,300 In the center, of our scriptures between the history books and 170 00:08:54,300 --> 00:08:57,500 then the prophecies, right? And then the biographies, and 171 00:08:57,500 --> 00:09:00,000 then the Epistles and then there's the Revelation, which is 172 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:01,800 a weird like a fever dream. Right? 173 00:09:01,900 --> 00:09:03,900 What do we do, though? That right Square in the middle, 174 00:09:03,900 --> 00:09:06,600 are the songs. And the songs are, like I said, 175 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,200 it's Israel's prayer book. If you could peek into someone's 176 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,500 intimate prayer journal the thoughts that that they think 177 00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:15,200 about God. And the things that They say to 178 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,300 God and they're quiet intimate moments with him, that's what we 179 00:09:18,300 --> 00:09:21,700 find in the Psalms. And so I believe that they can 180 00:09:21,700 --> 00:09:25,600 speak to and enter into your experience with God as well. 181 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,300 So, as we begin, we're going to begin in Psalm chapter 1. 182 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,000 If you got your scriptures, however, you go, you can find 183 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:35,200 out and Psalm chapter one, introduces us to the whole at 184 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,000 the whole group, the whole book of Psalms together as a group, 185 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,600 is called the psalter. Okay? 186 00:09:39,700 --> 00:09:42,800 And so, the soldier begins, they lived two songs begins at a 187 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,600 Crossroads. Okay, and this is important. 188 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,800 As we enter into what's coming, we stand at a road, right? 189 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,200 Robert Frost wrote two roads diverged in the wood, and I took 190 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:53,200 the One Less Traveled by and that has made all the 191 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,400 difference, right? And so, here we come to a 192 00:09:55,408 --> 00:09:58,800 decision. We have a Crossroads, we have a 193 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,700 choice that we have to make, so I want you to imagine for a 194 00:10:02,708 --> 00:10:06,000 second again. Imagine you're the Prodigal Son. 195 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,400 Remember, we saw last week, we read about the prodigal son 196 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,100 right in the Prodigal, Son. Grew up in the house grow. 197 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:12,800 But Dad didn't really get Dad, right? 198 00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:14,200 Dad, have a lot. Dad was wealthy. 199 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:17,300 Grab the Sun and he basically said, Dad, I want to go do my 200 00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:19,000 own thing. So he takes everything and he 201 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,800 goes, and he goes to a Faraway land where he squanders 202 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,400 everything, and then when it's short amount of time, he ends up 203 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:25,500 feeding pigs. Right? 204 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:26,900 So here and then he comes back on. 205 00:10:26,900 --> 00:10:28,700 So here we have the prodigal son. 206 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,100 We have, he has seen the very bottom. 207 00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:37,100 He has the lowest of the low and is come back and he's 208 00:10:37,100 --> 00:10:40,900 experienced Redemption, and he has felt the Embrace of father, 209 00:10:40,900 --> 00:10:43,700 and he has seen restoration, had the ring, put on his finger and 210 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:45,800 he's It's all that. So I imagine want you to imagine 211 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:50,200 now that you're the prodigal son and you're Fifteen years down 212 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,700 the road with your experience because we've all had those 213 00:10:52,700 --> 00:10:55,100 experiences we've had good times, and we've had bad times, 214 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,700 we've had seasons of fruit and we've had season of 215 00:10:57,700 --> 00:11:00,100 fruitlessness. And so, I want you to Imagine 216 00:11:00,100 --> 00:11:04,500 The Prodigal Son and your 15 years down the road and you take 217 00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:05,900 a pin. It's a quiet morning and you're 218 00:11:05,900 --> 00:11:07,300 sitting out on your back porch, right? 219 00:11:07,300 --> 00:11:11,800 It's finally fall and you're on the back porch, and you write 220 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:17,000 these words, Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with a 221 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,800 wicked. So when I first came to this 222 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,300 passage and I first memorized this passage, it was the NIV but 223 00:11:22,300 --> 00:11:26,700 it was a earlier translation and said blessed is He Who Walks not 224 00:11:26,700 --> 00:11:32,300 in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way that Sinners 225 00:11:32,300 --> 00:11:36,400 take or sit in the company of mockers? 226 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,500 But his Delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on 227 00:11:40,500 --> 00:11:44,800 his law day and night. So, this is a meditation, this 228 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,000 is an in kind of broad categories of the poems is 229 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,800 called a wisdom poem, right? As a declaration of awareness 230 00:11:51,100 --> 00:11:54,200 and understanding and right from the beginning. 231 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,800 He begins to set out this choice that we have, right? 232 00:11:56,900 --> 00:11:59,400 And he uses the word blessed and we're blessed. 233 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,800 Like we under blessed is kind of like a, like, a churchy turn, 234 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:04,200 right? And we're not really sure what 235 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,500 to do with it. Does it mean Rich doesn't mean 236 00:12:06,500 --> 00:12:08,800 good things? Translation, the way that you 237 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,300 use this, the way that it's used to respiratory. 238 00:12:10,300 --> 00:12:14,300 And literally it has implications of happiness, happy 239 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,900 happy as he and so now, he presents a choice, right? 240 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:20,000 These are the two roads that diverged. 241 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,800 Happy is. He who does not do something, 242 00:12:22,900 --> 00:12:25,700 and happy is, he who does do something? 243 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,600 This is the choice that we make. When we read this, we can read 244 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:30,900 this kind of just intellectually with our brains do. 245 00:12:30,900 --> 00:12:33,300 We have to see the implications? What he's talking about is a 246 00:12:33,300 --> 00:12:36,000 choice at 8, we have to make and he's talking about a behavioral 247 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,000 pattern blessed, he he You walk some not, right? 248 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,700 So this is what they don't do. The happy one, is the person who 249 00:12:42,700 --> 00:12:45,800 doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, who doesn't stand in 250 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,200 the way that Sinners take who doesn't sit in the seat of 251 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:49,900 scoffers. So, let's unpack that a little 252 00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:50,800 bit. What are those things? 253 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,600 Right? So it says who doesn't walk in 254 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:55,300 the counsel of the counsel of the wicked? 255 00:12:55,300 --> 00:12:58,600 Let me ask you this question. When you have a big decision to 256 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:03,100 make and you seek counsel who do you go to? 257 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:04,800 And let me get dig a Little Deeper. 258 00:13:05,900 --> 00:13:11,600 Do you attribute the same weight to everybody's Council? 259 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:17,800 And let me dig a Little Deeper. Do you ascribe the same weight 260 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:23,100 to the counsel of people as to the counsel of God? 261 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:29,400 And there's a situation in which on which God speaks do you 262 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,600 listen to God's voice and go? Okay. 263 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:34,700 My question isn't. Do I do this or do I not do 264 00:13:34,700 --> 00:13:37,000 this? My question is now how do I do 265 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:38,700 this best? Let's take the end. 266 00:13:38,700 --> 00:13:41,200 That's take marriage, for instance. 267 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,700 Say, your marriage is tough. Your marriage is in a bad place. 268 00:13:45,700 --> 00:13:47,500 I know that would never happen, right? 269 00:13:47,500 --> 00:13:49,000 Not not you. It's funny. 270 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,200 Except it's not because marriage is hard. 271 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,500 Let's imagine hypothetically that you're in a tough place and 272 00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:57,000 your marriage communication isn't working. 273 00:13:57,100 --> 00:14:01,600 You've got cold shoulders at home and lonely nights at home. 274 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:03,600 The kids are starting to recognize it and you're 275 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,100 wondering. Can I do this? 276 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,300 Do I want to do this? So now you're faced with a 277 00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:13,500 decision. What do I do about my marriage? 278 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,400 The question is to whom do you go for advice? 279 00:14:18,100 --> 00:14:19,600 Do you go to the people who just go? 280 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:23,700 Yeah, marriage is terrible, get out, leave Jack, listen. 281 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,400 You want to go by yourself and you want to go be your own man 282 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,200 and go do your own thing. You forget about that split and 283 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,200 using. Wow, you make some really good 284 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:36,800 points, right? Or do you go to to the scripture 285 00:14:37,300 --> 00:14:42,600 that talks about reconciliation? The talks about one flesh? 286 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:47,200 The talks about people being united in Malachi chapter 5, God 287 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,700 hates divorce and you go. Okay, so that's my Baseline God 288 00:14:50,700 --> 00:14:52,500 hates divorce. So now my question is, do I want 289 00:14:52,500 --> 00:14:54,700 to do that or do I go the other way? 290 00:14:54,700 --> 00:14:56,700 And so you're asking friends like oh yeah you need to worry 291 00:14:56,700 --> 00:14:57,700 about that. Forget about that. 292 00:14:57,700 --> 00:15:00,300 Forget that go right and say okay well so now if I know that 293 00:15:00,300 --> 00:15:01,900 God hates divorce on, I've got to figure it out. 294 00:15:01,900 --> 00:15:05,700 Well now what do I do well in Ephesians After five submit to 295 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,000 one another out of reverence for Christ, you're like, I don't 296 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,100 like that. Keep reading, right wives, 297 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,400 respect your husband submits your husband's out of reverence. 298 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,600 For Christ wise, respect your husband's and husband reads that 299 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,900 is. Yeah, I need to show her that 300 00:15:19,900 --> 00:15:21,100 right. That that'll fix everything 301 00:15:21,100 --> 00:15:22,900 right. And right under that, husbands 302 00:15:22,900 --> 00:15:27,300 love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself see 303 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:34,300 to walk in the counsel of the wicked is to Live in this world 304 00:15:34,300 --> 00:15:38,900 as if God was just like one of us rather than to say no, God is 305 00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:41,300 God, there's an authority of God. 306 00:15:41,300 --> 00:15:47,100 And so the question is, Whose advice, whose counsel matters, 307 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:50,800 most, and this begins to set us down the road because as 308 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:53,100 Believers as we were like, listen, there's a lot about this 309 00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:55,900 that we don't understand. There's a lot about this, that 310 00:15:55,900 --> 00:15:59,100 we don't know, but there's a lot that we can look at and go. 311 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,000 If I begin with what I can find and read here then I'm going to 312 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,800 keep In down that road. So do we begin from a position 313 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:08,900 that there is Authority? That there is a God who sees and 314 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:11,700 knows and who wants what's best like, do I believe? 315 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:15,000 Because what the scripture says is Happy is the person who 316 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:16,700 doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked. 317 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,500 And what happens is, as we find people who say what we want, 318 00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:20,000 right? What do we do? 319 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:21,700 We begin to hang out with them, right? 320 00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:24,400 Oh yeah. Oh yeah, you just need a split 321 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:25,700 mangetout. Just leave her. 322 00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:28,000 Just go do your own thing. You've got needs, man and she 323 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:29,700 can fulfilling you go. Do your own thing. 324 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,100 Well now you're lonely. So now you're hanging around 325 00:16:32,100 --> 00:16:32,700 with him right now. What is it? 326 00:16:32,900 --> 00:16:34,500 What does it say? We're standing in the way the 327 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:36,500 Sinners. Take the picture is standing on 328 00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:37,600 the road. You got your click, right? 329 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:39,800 It's the Jets and the Sharks man, and we're doing the thing, 330 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,200 right? Or sit in the seat of scoffers. 331 00:16:44,700 --> 00:16:46,900 See what happens when people begin to take their own advice 332 00:16:46,900 --> 00:16:48,600 has Authority. When people begin to live in the 333 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,900 world as if what I say is, truth, like I am the final 334 00:16:51,900 --> 00:16:54,600 Arbiter on Truth. Like what happens is? 335 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,100 I bet you begin to make this sound a lot, right? 336 00:16:58,100 --> 00:17:00,500 You know, that's that's the sound of scoffers, right? 337 00:17:00,500 --> 00:17:03,600 And that's the sound that people make when everybody else with a 338 00:17:03,608 --> 00:17:05,400 different opinion. Doesn't just have a different 339 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,099 opinion. They have the wrong opinion. 340 00:17:09,599 --> 00:17:12,500 Whatever. And they don't just have the 341 00:17:12,500 --> 00:17:18,400 wrong opinion. They have a bad opinion and they 342 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:23,800 don't just have a bad opinion, they are bad. 343 00:17:24,700 --> 00:17:28,500 And what happens is You Begin by taking the counsel of other 344 00:17:28,500 --> 00:17:32,400 people and then you begin walking with them and their way 345 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,000 of life. And before long you become 346 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,700 cynical and jaded to truth and you just go. 347 00:17:36,900 --> 00:17:38,100 Yeah. Whatever. 348 00:17:38,100 --> 00:17:39,800 Sure. Sure. 349 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,300 Marriage is dumb. Mary just marries an outdated we 350 00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:46,900 weren't created for that. Anyway, didn't start there, it 351 00:17:46,900 --> 00:17:53,000 didn't begin there but how we walk matters and that's just one 352 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:54,500 example, right? You can apply that to 353 00:17:54,500 --> 00:17:56,100 everything. You can apply that to finances, 354 00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:57,400 right? You want your Finance to be 355 00:17:57,400 --> 00:17:59,200 blessed with the scripture talks about generosity. 356 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,100 The scripture talks about Holding On Loosely and we get 357 00:18:02,100 --> 00:18:04,000 insurance for you. That's dumb. 358 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:06,600 You can't get rich by being generous. 359 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,100 Let's give students a rich. The scripture says happy Choose 360 00:18:11,500 --> 00:18:16,500 you choose. Forgive love, serve. 361 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:19,700 See the scripture begins to portray a way of life. 362 00:18:19,700 --> 00:18:22,300 You know, what a way is, right away, is like a road, right? 363 00:18:22,300 --> 00:18:24,200 You go like River roadway, right? 364 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,100 And you walk on, and that's a path and it leaves in, it goes 365 00:18:26,100 --> 00:18:28,800 somewhere. Happy is he, who does not walk 366 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,000 on the way of people who lead away from God. 367 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:37,200 Now, he begins to get picture a contrast but his Delight. 368 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:43,600 Not cold, obedience, not not cynical about obedience like, 369 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,500 well, I'm a bang, but God hasn't done what I wanted him to yet, 370 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,700 but his Delight is in the law of the Lord. 371 00:18:49,700 --> 00:18:52,100 Now that word law when this was written, their idea for the law 372 00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:55,900 was the Torah right Jenna Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers 373 00:18:55,900 --> 00:18:59,100 and Deuteronomy the first five books, but scripturally, the, 374 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,300 the the law and Compasses, the whole thing, it's the whole 375 00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:06,400 picture. It is, the law is God's way it 376 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:07,700 is. What the scripture tells us. 377 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,400 Not the way to live and walk and move with God. 378 00:19:11,500 --> 00:19:13,800 It is it and it encompasses his moral law. 379 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:18,600 Hey the way of God is love the way of God is Not retaliation 380 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,500 and retribution, the way of God is forgiveness, the way of God 381 00:19:22,500 --> 00:19:25,800 is submit to one another. When we say, husbands love your 382 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,800 wives. That's the Way of God. 383 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,200 When we say wives, respect your husband, that's the way of God 384 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,600 when we say live, generous with people that's the way of God, 385 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,600 when we say, love foreigners and serve them and bring them. 386 00:19:37,700 --> 00:19:40,100 In. And that is the way of God. 387 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:44,400 And what it says is the person that is Happy, whose Delight is 388 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:48,900 in the way, as in the law of the Lord and says it on his law, he 389 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:52,300 meditates day and night. So meditation, before I came 390 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:56,400 back to Jesus, when I was in college, I didn't like a whole 391 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,700 idea of a great accountability because I knew if there was a 392 00:19:58,708 --> 00:20:01,400 God, I was accountable to him, right? 393 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:02,600 He was bigger than me and stronger than me. 394 00:20:02,608 --> 00:20:04,600 So I kind of tried to pretend for a little while and so I 395 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,700 spent a long time, practicing like, Eastern mysticism. 396 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,000 I'm right Buddhism and down all that. 397 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:11,800 And meditation is a big part of that. 398 00:20:11,900 --> 00:20:14,100 Now I learned a lot from those Seasons. 399 00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:14,700 Right. Whatever. 400 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:17,300 But there's a main difference between Eastern meditation and 401 00:20:17,300 --> 00:20:20,700 Western meditation. Eastern meditation is to empty 402 00:20:20,700 --> 00:20:22,100 yourself. And if I'm just going to sit and 403 00:20:22,100 --> 00:20:26,000 I'm going to empty myself of desires, neat thought here's the 404 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,500 problem. Nature abhors a vacuum. 405 00:20:29,500 --> 00:20:35,900 This we know for sure the idea of emptying yourself Is to give 406 00:20:35,900 --> 00:20:37,400 up control over. What? 407 00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:42,400 Ultimately fills you, when David is talking about meditating, 408 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:47,300 what he's talking about is filling yourself with the way of 409 00:20:47,300 --> 00:20:50,600 the Lord, filling yourself with the law and the picture, the 410 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:54,100 word for meditation is like the cud like, you know, a cow right 411 00:20:54,100 --> 00:20:57,500 a cow choose then he swallows it then it comes back up. 412 00:20:57,500 --> 00:21:00,800 So you read The Way of the Lord, right about forgiveness and you 413 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,200 sit in your time in the morning and you're praying about it, 414 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:04,900 you're meditating on it about forgiveness, right? 415 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,200 And then as it comes up, as you're reading that your little 416 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,900 kid right runs through and just destroy this thing, right? 417 00:21:10,900 --> 00:21:12,100 Sharpie all over the house, right? 418 00:21:12,100 --> 00:21:15,700 And your first response is what did Jesus got? 419 00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:17,800 Get out right, you know what were you saying, right? 420 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:22,900 And I'm gonna discipline that kid to Jesus, right? 421 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:26,700 And and so as it comes up, you remember we just talked about 422 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:30,100 forgiveness. Do I need to forgive my kid for 423 00:21:30,100 --> 00:21:34,100 writing and Sharpie on the wall? And then down the road right at 424 00:21:34,100 --> 00:21:36,400 lunchtime, your husband does something Thoughtless and you 425 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:37,900 get hurt. And you get mad and you get 426 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:39,700 angry. And, again, here comes that 427 00:21:39,700 --> 00:21:42,300 teaching on. Forgiveness, how do I forgive, 428 00:21:42,300 --> 00:21:47,600 what, what do I need to do? And the portrayal is Happy, is 429 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:52,300 the man and the woman, whose Delight is in the law of the 430 00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:58,100 Lord, as we begin to walk in God's way, promise, isn't that? 431 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,400 Going to be rich, promise, isn't that nothing? 432 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:05,300 Bad is everything. That listen I been stuff is 433 00:22:05,300 --> 00:22:09,700 coming to you following Jesus. Not following Jesus. 434 00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:11,500 That's not that has nothing to do with it. 435 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:15,500 What has to do with is? Which way? 436 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:19,200 Are you going to be on when the bad things come? 437 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:20,400 Are you going to be on the way of Jesus? 438 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:22,500 Are you going to be on the other way? 439 00:22:23,100 --> 00:22:28,400 Happy is the one who follows the way of Jesus, happy is not the 440 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,200 one who walks, isolated and separated and detached from 441 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,000 God's way. Here's the idea, happiness isn't 442 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,800 found in Bad Company. Happiness, is found in Divine 443 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:44,300 dependence. Do you want to be happy? 444 00:22:45,500 --> 00:22:48,700 Live radically dependent on God. I want to walk. 445 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:54,600 Follow God like this. With one foot on his way and one 446 00:22:54,600 --> 00:23:03,000 foot on my way, right? How generous do I have to be to 447 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,100 get God's blessing while, still making sure that I have enough 448 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:10,500 for me? How pure do I have to be in 449 00:23:10,500 --> 00:23:13,700 order for my marriage to not fall apart, but still imp your 450 00:23:13,700 --> 00:23:16,700 enough to have fun when I want it wrong. 451 00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:21,000 Happy is the one who goes all-in right here. 452 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,400 Let's go. And who finds his Delight in 453 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,600 this but all over here are a bunch of people who are off the 454 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,000 way and they're going, hey come hang out with us and listen, we 455 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,400 found her with his. We're seeing a little loving it 456 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:36,000 baby. We don't spend our money on that 457 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,900 stuff. We do what we want and they're 458 00:23:37,900 --> 00:23:41,000 calling and they're tempting second Corinthians. 459 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:47,000 Chapter 6. Verse 14, do not be yoked 460 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,500 together with unbelievers for what a righteousness and 461 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:53,500 wickedness have in common or what a fellowship can light have 462 00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:56,600 with darkness, that gets talked about a lot in terms of 463 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,100 marriage, right? Don't be married to unbelievers, 464 00:23:59,100 --> 00:24:00,300 that certainly makes it difficult. 465 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:02,900 But here's a picture. A yoke is to be tied right to 466 00:24:02,900 --> 00:24:06,300 link to link arms, right to not be able to be separated. 467 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,700 Well, here's the deal. First of all, this passage isn't 468 00:24:08,700 --> 00:24:11,100 I got winded while I was jumping around like a fool there, huh? 469 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:17,100 First that passage is not about marriage, okay? 470 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:19,200 It's certainly has implications for marriage. 471 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,400 There's talk about relationships because here's the deal. 472 00:24:21,700 --> 00:24:24,300 My fundamental Baseline belief as a Believer as a follower of 473 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:27,200 Christ. I believe that there is a God 474 00:24:27,700 --> 00:24:30,200 who loves us and communicates to us. 475 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:33,200 I believe that there is a God. Not only there is a God, but he 476 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:37,100 has made his holy spirit resident in me that wherever I 477 00:24:37,100 --> 00:24:40,000 go, I have access to the Holy Spirit and that that Holy Spirit 478 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:44,900 Will Lead Me and guide me. But I believe that the holy 479 00:24:44,900 --> 00:24:50,900 spirit will often lead me to walk by faith to do things that 480 00:24:50,900 --> 00:24:54,900 don't seem on the surface of it to make sense, but through 481 00:24:54,900 --> 00:24:59,100 prayer through counsel, through wisdom, through fasting, through 482 00:24:59,100 --> 00:25:02,100 all of these things, that is possible for us to discern, the 483 00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:06,400 will of the Holy Spirit person. A who is not a Believer, not 484 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,400 only do they not believe that there is a God, but they believe 485 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:11,900 that the whole idea of a God is dumb. 486 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:16,200 Certainly the idea of any religious based morality. 487 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:21,800 So then we come to a decision in our business and person a goes, 488 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,400 man. We've got this big huge decision 489 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,700 to make and I sit there as a person and I just go well, I 490 00:25:27,700 --> 00:25:30,600 need to pray about this. What does the other person do? 491 00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:32,700 Well, that's dumb. We don't have time for you to 492 00:25:32,700 --> 00:25:33,700 pray. We don't have time for that, 493 00:25:33,700 --> 00:25:36,000 right? If we're yoked together with 494 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,600 Believers, right? If we're together we can all 495 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,100 together go. Hey, we need to pray about this. 496 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:43,400 Yes, it's way more. Important that we get God's 497 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,500 wisdom on this. Then we just know that we just 498 00:25:46,500 --> 00:25:51,700 know what we're about. See the way of following God is 499 00:25:51,700 --> 00:25:56,600 to be saturated, and surrounded, and overwhelmed, by the way, of 500 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:00,300 God, and to surround ourselves with people who point out 501 00:26:00,300 --> 00:26:02,500 though. And again, what it doesn't say 502 00:26:02,500 --> 00:26:05,300 is, don't know anybody who's not a Believer. 503 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,500 No, listen. I love people who aren't 504 00:26:08,500 --> 00:26:10,900 followers of Jesus. They asked great questions and 505 00:26:10,900 --> 00:26:13,300 they challenged me and they make I think about things that 506 00:26:13,300 --> 00:26:16,700 otherwise, I wouldn't put her saying is, don't be yolk, right? 507 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:20,800 Don't get tied in separately and major or deals in your life. 508 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:24,200 Don't get tied them because I believe that we have a separate 509 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:28,500 words, I believe that we are walking a different way to 510 00:26:28,500 --> 00:26:30,300 understand. See we're going. 511 00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:34,100 So blessed is the one who doesn't walk in the counsel of 512 00:26:34,108 --> 00:26:36,000 the wicked or stand in the way that Sinners take her sit in the 513 00:26:36,008 --> 00:26:37,600 company. Mockers verse 3. 514 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:39,400 Begins to describe not just happy. 515 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,200 What is happiness? Look like. 516 00:26:42,300 --> 00:26:44,800 He's like a tree planted by streams of water which yields 517 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,600 its fruit in season whose Leaf does not wither and whatever 518 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:49,900 they do prospers. You know, one of my favorite 519 00:26:49,900 --> 00:26:53,400 things in the world are few go on the rivers and there are 520 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:56,600 those cypress trees. You know what I mean? 521 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:58,700 You seen him right there. Are enormous. 522 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,600 And I have some friends who have a house right on the Guadalupe 523 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,500 River and during the floods was at 98 flood, the water was 524 00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:11,100 literally over the house, right? Like everything was gone. 525 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:16,300 Not those trees. Trees are 50 60 70, 80, 100 526 00:27:16,300 --> 00:27:19,800 years old. And what the psalmist is saying, 527 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:24,000 is the person who walks in the way of God, is like that now. 528 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,900 It says they bear their fruit in season, right? 529 00:27:26,900 --> 00:27:29,600 Apple trees. Don't continuously bear fruit. 530 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:32,500 They bear fruit for a little while and then they stopped 531 00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:34,300 bearing fruit. See, this is what when anybody 532 00:27:34,300 --> 00:27:36,500 says, wow. I followed Jesus and nothing 533 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:39,400 happened. It's not like I can jump on the 534 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,600 road and Jesus, suddenly dumps everything. 535 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,900 The idea is, it's a long obedience in the same direction. 536 00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:47,800 Just keep walking. People say, well, I tithed once 537 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:51,300 and, and I didn't have as much money in that I know build a 538 00:27:51,300 --> 00:27:54,700 system of generosity around with your life and just keep walking 539 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,300 people who tithe over time for the Long Haul, they recognize. 540 00:27:58,300 --> 00:28:00,500 And they have not listen, I have a membership class where we talk 541 00:28:00,500 --> 00:28:02,800 about the tithe and you can always tell who the Tyler's are. 542 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:04,700 Do you know why? Because they don't shut up about 543 00:28:04,700 --> 00:28:08,800 it, because they have seen the faithfulness of God and deal, 544 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:11,500 and sometimes it takes time. And does that mean that they're 545 00:28:11,500 --> 00:28:12,700 rich? No. 546 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:14,500 Does that mean that they never struggle? 547 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,900 Absolutely not listen. I got three kids are about to 548 00:28:17,900 --> 00:28:19,800 all be in braces. We're about to be eaten 549 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:24,200 Hamburger Helper, right? Except it's like helper, right? 550 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,500 Because sometimes we can't afford like the hamburger thing, 551 00:28:26,500 --> 00:28:27,100 right? Listen. 552 00:28:29,100 --> 00:28:32,700 But that doesn't matter. Listen sometimes the 553 00:28:32,700 --> 00:28:36,600 faithfulness of God is you're going to put your kids in braces 554 00:28:36,900 --> 00:28:43,300 and make it See the way of God doesn't promise that. 555 00:28:43,300 --> 00:28:45,000 Nothing bad is going to ever happen if I come. 556 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,200 If you ever, If I Ever Lose My Mind and come tell you just so 557 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,100 10%, see it. And you'll never like, listen, 558 00:28:50,300 --> 00:28:53,000 I've lost my marbles, I'm off. It doesn't work. 559 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,600 That way, what he says, what the psalmist says is. 560 00:28:57,100 --> 00:29:02,000 He's like a tree who doesn't ever get uprooted, who's by the 561 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,000 streams of water. And on the waters flow, they 562 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,400 constantly nourished and there's leaves when they're supposed to 563 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,700 be leaves and there's fruit when there's supposed to be fruit and 564 00:29:08,700 --> 00:29:11,700 the 23rd psalm, what is the psalmist say even though Walk 565 00:29:11,700 --> 00:29:13,400 through the valley of the shadow of death. 566 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:14,600 I will fear. No evil. 567 00:29:14,700 --> 00:29:17,400 The psalmist. Doesn't say no more Valley of 568 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:21,300 the shadow of death for me. No, I reject that I'm a child of 569 00:29:21,308 --> 00:29:22,800 the king. No more desert me. 570 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:24,900 No. The psalmist says, I'm his 571 00:29:24,900 --> 00:29:29,800 Valley of the shadow of death but I don't fear because I know 572 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:34,400 I'm on a way that leads through the valley of the shadow of 573 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:36,800 death. That's the promise of scripture 574 00:29:36,900 --> 00:29:42,000 life with God is abundantly. Fruitful In time. 575 00:29:43,500 --> 00:29:46,500 In time. And listen, you may be in a 576 00:29:46,500 --> 00:29:49,600 season right now where it's not your fruitful season. 577 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:55,600 Listen, friend fellow traveler, don't lose. 578 00:29:55,700 --> 00:30:03,100 Heart, listen to psalm 37:4. Take Delight in the Lord and He 579 00:30:03,100 --> 00:30:05,400 will give you the desires of your heartless. 580 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,800 And you may be on a stretch of road that seems all Darkness 581 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:10,900 right now. Don't lose hope. 582 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,700 Don't get off the way because what is the other one? 583 00:30:14,700 --> 00:30:15,900 Had the promise? You, we'll listen. 584 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:17,800 Here's what they say. First for not. 585 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,900 So the wicked. They are like chaff The wind 586 00:30:21,900 --> 00:30:23,900 blows. Therefore the wicked will not 587 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:25,900 stand in the Judgment nor sinners in the assembly 588 00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:27,200 righteous. There's a lot going on there. 589 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:29,800 The chaff is it's like paper almost. 590 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:31,800 It's very light. It's the seed. 591 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,100 You have a kernel of corn or a kernel of wheat or corn or 592 00:30:34,100 --> 00:30:36,600 whatever. And there's that papery kind of 593 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,400 stuff on the outside. But you know, how they separate 594 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:42,000 the wheat from the chaff literally in any Breeze, they 595 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:45,400 throw it up and the chap just blows away. 596 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,700 There's nothing to it. It is you look at it. 597 00:30:48,700 --> 00:30:50,400 It's covering everything and it looks everywhere. 598 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,000 And we look around the world and we look at people use, go 599 00:30:53,300 --> 00:30:55,900 everybody's doing something else. 600 00:30:55,900 --> 00:30:58,800 And I've just got to pray and wait and it looks like. 601 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:01,500 But listen, when scripture says is those people who are not 602 00:31:01,500 --> 00:31:04,300 rooted and grounded in the word that are not rooted, they don't 603 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:07,000 have something Timeless and steadfast in their life, they 604 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,700 are being blown away by the wind and the way that it expressed 605 00:31:10,700 --> 00:31:13,500 explains that it talks and relational terms, right? 606 00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:15,900 It says, they won't stand in the Judgment, they won't be 607 00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:17,800 surrounded when they face up, right? 608 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:20,300 And what does judgment, I think the author. 609 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:23,000 Here was talking about ultimate and final judgment, but there's 610 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,300 a judgment that happens on a day by day basis, right? 611 00:31:25,300 --> 00:31:27,900 And what that says is, what does your life produce? 612 00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:33,100 Right when I stand in my way is spend on what I want, right? 613 00:31:33,100 --> 00:31:35,500 That's the that's the prodigal, son, go. 614 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:37,600 And I'm going to buy what I want and I'm gonna Gamble and I'm 615 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,600 going to buy all the booze I want and all the women I want 616 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:42,800 judgment is coming when the money Runs Out. 617 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:48,300 Do any of those things last? No, they're like, chaff blown 618 00:31:48,300 --> 00:31:52,600 away, then it says, They don't stand in the Assembly of the 619 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:54,900 righteous. Listen, those who walk the path 620 00:31:54,900 --> 00:31:58,200 of God together, who say, listen, we're not perfect. 621 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:00,200 We are badly broken. But we're deeply loved and we're 622 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:03,000 going to we're going to face Purity the same way and we're 623 00:32:03,008 --> 00:32:04,700 going to talk about these things and we're going to hold each 624 00:32:04,700 --> 00:32:06,900 other accountable. When people start, trying to 625 00:32:06,908 --> 00:32:08,800 walk out on their marriages, we're going to point to him and 626 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:12,300 go. No brother, respect your wife 627 00:32:12,300 --> 00:32:15,500 will love your wife, loved her whatever she does that's 628 00:32:15,500 --> 00:32:18,200 irrespective you don't you're not off that easy you love your 629 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:19,400 wife and then we go to the white. 630 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,800 We don't respect him, treat him with If I get off and start 631 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,700 doing, read all that stuff, when we walk together, we walk in an 632 00:32:24,700 --> 00:32:26,000 assembly. Here's the thing. 633 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,100 Over the last couple weeks, we talked a lot about gossip, 634 00:32:28,100 --> 00:32:29,300 right? Like people who are gossipers, 635 00:32:29,500 --> 00:32:33,500 here's the thing that I know, I know this, if you will come to 636 00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:37,700 me and gossip about somebody, my friend Mickey's right here, 637 00:32:37,700 --> 00:32:41,300 like, if you will come to me and gossip about Mickey, here's what 638 00:32:41,300 --> 00:32:45,800 I know for sure. You will go to somebody else and 639 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:50,600 gossip about me and here's the problem someday. 640 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:55,500 Me and Mickey are going to talk and we're going to find out that 641 00:32:55,500 --> 00:32:59,200 you talked about us. Listen, there's a method for 642 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:04,700 resolving conflict and it namely says go tell them talk to them, 643 00:33:04,700 --> 00:33:08,100 not somebody else and what happens is the person who 644 00:33:08,100 --> 00:33:11,700 doesn't walk that way, who doesn't acknowledge God's role 645 00:33:11,700 --> 00:33:17,200 for relationships finds themselves radically alone. 646 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:24,300 Blown here and there like chaffed tossed around by the 647 00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:28,000 wind when we get independent. And that's what this way is. 648 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:29,800 Right? Its independence from God at 649 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,300 saying, I don't want to listen to God. 650 00:33:31,300 --> 00:33:34,100 I want to listen to myself. I want to listen to other people 651 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:39,800 when we live independently from God, we get isolated and when 652 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:44,700 we're alone, we are unstable basically life is unmanageable 653 00:33:44,700 --> 00:33:48,000 by ourselves. We can't live and we can't walk 654 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:50,800 that way. And the things the things that 655 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:55,200 we do come back. Galatians chapter 6 7 & 8, do 656 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:59,300 not beseech, do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked a man reaps 657 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:03,900 what he sews. If you plant the seeds of 658 00:34:03,900 --> 00:34:08,000 Walking In God's way, if you plant the seeds of faith and of 659 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,300 faithfulness and of goodness, and of Purity and of 660 00:34:11,300 --> 00:34:14,900 reconciliation. If you say, We Are One flesh and 661 00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:18,199 we will not leave. I will honor you with my body 662 00:34:18,199 --> 00:34:19,900 with my money with my finances life. 663 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:25,000 If we say, I will walk that way. God's not deceive. 664 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:28,900 God can't be Mont. God will in time you will find 665 00:34:28,900 --> 00:34:31,300 fruit and fruit may just be. You made it? 666 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:33,199 You got it. You did it. 667 00:34:33,900 --> 00:34:37,300 This isn't a Genie in the lamp kind of deal. 668 00:34:37,500 --> 00:34:40,100 This is God's way and God's desire is. 669 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,199 Trustworthy. And the whole thing comes down 670 00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:47,800 to verse 6 for the Lord Watches Over The Way of the righteous, 671 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:52,699 but the Way of the Wicked leads to destruction, this isn't 672 00:34:52,699 --> 00:34:54,400 saying what this doesn't say when it says it leads to 673 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:59,000 destruction, this is just saying the westbound Road leads, west 674 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:03,300 to east bound Road, leads East, all roads, lead to the same 675 00:35:03,300 --> 00:35:04,300 place. Nice. 676 00:35:04,300 --> 00:35:06,400 That sounds like somebody who doesn't want accountability for 677 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,500 their action. That's sounds like somebody who 678 00:35:08,500 --> 00:35:10,800 wants to walk like this through life. 679 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:13,800 Work that way. If you go west, you're going to 680 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:15,600 head, you're going to hit California. 681 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,400 If you go east, you're going to hit New York. 682 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,500 But this doesn't say is that God chooses to punish and hate and 683 00:35:21,500 --> 00:35:22,900 Destroy people who walk away from. 684 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:27,900 It says that there is a way that God's good and loving and kind 685 00:35:27,900 --> 00:35:31,600 site lingers on, that's the way that God chooses and there is a 686 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:35,500 way. That leads to destruction. 687 00:35:35,700 --> 00:35:40,200 Andy Stanley says this, you cannot gain or maintain the 688 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:44,000 blessings of God by violating the principles of God. 689 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:48,300 Do you want a healthy marriage? Love your wife. 690 00:35:49,300 --> 00:35:52,900 Do you want a healthy marriage? Respect your husband. 691 00:35:53,500 --> 00:35:57,500 You cannot control your husband into submission, you cannot 692 00:35:57,500 --> 00:36:04,200 ignore your wife into love. The principles of God's stand. 693 00:36:04,900 --> 00:36:08,700 Are your finances always? Listen, commit and say, listen, 694 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:12,600 I'm going to give God his part, and I'm going to organize my 695 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:16,200 life around a set of principles and then watch and see what God 696 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,000 does. The psalmist is telling us he's 697 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,000 encouraging us. There is a way of God that leads 698 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:25,200 to fruit and stability. Okay, and it is found in God's 699 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,400 law, the laws the way. Are you ready? 700 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:32,100 Follow me. Psalm 1 talks about the way of 701 00:36:32,100 --> 00:36:37,600 God, talks about the law of God talks about trees and fruit. 702 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:41,300 Now, fast-forward a few thousand years on the shore of the Sea of 703 00:36:41,300 --> 00:36:46,400 Galilee, and a 30 year, old Rabbi named Jesus from Nazareth 704 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:50,500 stands, and he looks at his disciples and says, I am the 705 00:36:50,500 --> 00:36:56,200 way. I am the truth and he stands in 706 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:58,100 Matthew Chapter 5 and he stands on a hill. 707 00:36:58,100 --> 00:36:59,900 Overlooking his disciples and he teaches them. 708 00:36:59,900 --> 00:37:02,300 He says, I haven't come to abolish the law. 709 00:37:02,700 --> 00:37:06,600 I have come to fulfill the law. You know where the law leads, 710 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:10,000 the law leads to me, it leads through me. 711 00:37:10,100 --> 00:37:12,600 The psalmist says, you shall be like trees planted by streams of 712 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,300 water, that bear their fruit in season. 713 00:37:14,300 --> 00:37:17,000 And Jesus, in John chapter 15, he's walking through a Vineyard 714 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:22,000 and he says, you're the one. I'm the Vine. 715 00:37:22,300 --> 00:37:25,600 You know, the tree is, I'm the tree and he says, apart from me, 716 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:27,400 you can't do anything. He says, it's to my father's 717 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,800 Glory that you bear fruit. You want to know how you bear 718 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,500 fruit. You remain in me, you know, who 719 00:37:32,500 --> 00:37:34,800 the tree is? The tree planted by side streams 720 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,200 of water. That bears fruit and season 721 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,900 whose Leaf never Withers. Everything he does prospers. 722 00:37:38,900 --> 00:37:42,900 You know, who that is Jesus, Everything Jesus does prospers, 723 00:37:42,900 --> 00:37:46,800 listen Jesus, even died and that prospered. 724 00:37:47,700 --> 00:37:50,600 Jesus got on a cross and that prospered. 725 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:54,500 See, I want Jesus to fix my finances without Jesus. 726 00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:58,500 I want Jesus to fix my marriage without his marriage. 727 00:37:58,500 --> 00:38:04,900 And Jesus says, I don't have a way I am the way. we get blown 728 00:38:04,900 --> 00:38:09,200 around and Paul in Ephesians chapter 4, Verse 15 will no 729 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:12,100 longer be infants. Talk about maturity notice the 730 00:38:12,100 --> 00:38:14,000 language, right? The chaff remember blown around 731 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,600 and we won't be infants tossed back and forth by waves and 732 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:19,900 blown here and there by every wind of teaching by the cunning 733 00:38:19,900 --> 00:38:22,900 and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming instead 734 00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:25,700 speaking the truth in love that's a relational principle 735 00:38:25,700 --> 00:38:28,900 that's the way of God. We want all things grow up, grow 736 00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:31,500 up into what the mature body of him. 737 00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:33,400 Who is the head? That is Christ. 738 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:35,800 The more mature. We get, the more we look like 739 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:39,000 him, the more we look like him. The more we Like that tree 740 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,100 planted by side streams of water. 741 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:45,500 And listen, the psalm leads us to that place the songs and we 742 00:38:45,500 --> 00:38:48,500 speak the truth and love the Psalms teach us how to go to God 743 00:38:48,500 --> 00:38:50,400 and go. God, where are you? 744 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:53,400 I'm tired of a fruitless season, God. 745 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:56,500 Why have you forsaken me? And then when this fruit comes, 746 00:38:56,500 --> 00:39:00,700 you can go how great it is to be in the presence of the Lord. 747 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:06,700 Listen, the only solution for an unmanageable life is Jesus. 748 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:12,900 And the Psalms lead us to him. So what do you do this week? 749 00:39:13,500 --> 00:39:16,400 The first thing that you have to do is look at your life and 750 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:19,900 admit where it is unmanageable. Listen, if I take my car and I 751 00:39:19,900 --> 00:39:23,400 drive it into a lake of Hop, the curve Dukes of Hazzard. 752 00:39:24,500 --> 00:39:27,800 I'm at a crucial moment. Am I going to admit that? 753 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:29,900 My car is in a lake and I need to get out. 754 00:39:30,700 --> 00:39:32,200 Or am I just going to keep whistling? 755 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:35,600 Hope this works out going to keep revving the engine. 756 00:39:37,100 --> 00:39:39,400 You have to acknowledge and begin. 757 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,800 Where is your life unmanageable? Because what the scripture tells 758 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:46,200 us is there's a way that leads to an unmanageable life when I 759 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,000 acknowledge and identify the way that is unmanageable, I can 760 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:53,700 begin to change. That is called repentance and 761 00:39:53,700 --> 00:39:56,200 say, I've gotta quit hiding from my spouse, and I've got to start 762 00:39:56,200 --> 00:40:00,400 telling my spouse, the truth. I've got a quit being selfish in 763 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:03,500 my marriage, and I've got to start loving in my marriage 764 00:40:04,100 --> 00:40:06,400 acknowledge where you are a second. 765 00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:08,300 I want you to do. Immerse yourself in the word, I 766 00:40:08,308 --> 00:40:12,100 want you to memorize Psalm chapter one, I could never do 767 00:40:12,100 --> 00:40:14,200 that in. Six verses take the rest of the 768 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:17,400 day off. Start tomorrow, memorize one 769 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:21,000 verse a day. Blessed is He Who Walks not in 770 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:23,300 the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way that Sinners. 771 00:40:23,300 --> 00:40:25,400 Take course. It's in the seats seat of 772 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:29,500 mockers. That's 11 verse, but his Delight 773 00:40:29,500 --> 00:40:32,300 is in the law of the Lord. And on it, he meditates day and 774 00:40:32,300 --> 00:40:37,200 night Verse 2 now, it's Tuesday, you're already in Jack, you're 775 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:38,800 already evaluating your relationships. 776 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:40,800 You're doing all of these good things, right? 777 00:40:40,900 --> 00:40:42,200 Third. And this is most important don't 778 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:43,900 just know about God. No him. 779 00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:47,800 No Jesus. No the person of Jesus stand 780 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:49,600 before him and just go, I don't get it. 781 00:40:50,300 --> 00:40:53,200 Jesus maybe I've never even believed in you before but I 782 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:57,300 know that the way that I'm going doesn't lead to fruit and so I 783 00:40:57,300 --> 00:41:01,600 want something else. More thing I want you to do, I 784 00:41:01,608 --> 00:41:05,000 want you to talk about this this week and your small group, but I 785 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:08,300 don't have a small group look questions. 786 00:41:09,100 --> 00:41:13,100 You know, what a small group is, it's a group that is small. 787 00:41:13,500 --> 00:41:16,400 So if you and two other people go get coffee. 788 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:22,300 Ask these questions to each other and tell each other the 789 00:41:22,300 --> 00:41:25,600 truth and then next week do it again. 790 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:28,600 And then next week, do it again our connections, Pastor, Nick 791 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,500 Fox is going to be outside. He's the bald-headed guy because 792 00:41:31,500 --> 00:41:35,500 that's yeah, throw a rock in this room and you're going to 793 00:41:35,508 --> 00:41:36,800 find. Bald-headed guys, that fit that 794 00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:40,000 description, right. Nick is our connections past 795 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:41,800 will probably be out there with an iPad and just tell them take 796 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:43,500 your connection card and say, hey, I need to find a small 797 00:41:43,500 --> 00:41:45,900 group and we'll do our best to get to get you connected. 798 00:41:45,900 --> 00:41:48,200 But if you can find this with week, just asked a couple of 799 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:51,500 people to go with you. In to talk about this, what is 800 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,200 one and two look like what does it mean? 801 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:57,300 What in my life is? Bearing fruit Jesus, I ask that 802 00:41:57,300 --> 00:42:09,200 you would make us fruitful people And I acknowledge. too 803 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:15,700 many times, I take your counsel last or even second. 804 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:20,600 And if I'm honest, I'm looking for someone who's going to tell 805 00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:27,800 me what I want to hear. Jesus, you're the way that leads 806 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:31,100 to happiness. You're the way that leads to 807 00:42:31,100 --> 00:42:35,300 Prosperity or the way that leads to Deep Roots. 808 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:40,700 There's one thing we know. Living in New Braunfels floods 809 00:42:40,700 --> 00:42:44,500 are coming. Jesus, in our life, there's 810 00:42:44,500 --> 00:42:47,800 going to be rain. And it's going to threaten to 811 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:53,300 wash everything away. Let us be like those trees. 812 00:42:55,100 --> 00:42:57,000 And I pray for everybody in here, whose marriage is on the 813 00:42:57,008 --> 00:42:59,800 rocks? And I pray that they would begin 814 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:02,800 to seek out your counsel and your Clarity and your wisdom. 815 00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:07,500 I pray for everybody in here whose finances are just a 816 00:43:07,500 --> 00:43:11,100 shambles, are they would give them Grace and I pray that they 817 00:43:11,100 --> 00:43:16,700 would begin to align their principles with you. pray for 818 00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:23,200 people who have only loneliness and seem to be in long extended 819 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:26,400 seasons of fruitlessness, and I pray Jesus that you would give 820 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:30,600 them fruit and season. But not without walking in the 821 00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:35,200 way. So Jesus draw us to yourself. 822 00:43:36,900 --> 00:43:39,400 For those maybe today, who for the first time want to trust 823 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:41,000 you, they want to follow you, they want to get off the other 824 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:42,900 Road of the want to get on your road. 825 00:43:42,900 --> 00:43:44,800 I prayed that they would have that moment of awareness. 826 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:49,400 And I prayed today, they would say Jesus, I want you to lead me 827 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:52,300 differently. I pray that they would just ask. 828 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:55,100 And your word says, you'll give them your spirit. 829 00:43:56,200 --> 00:44:00,800 To lead us and guide us. So Jesus, that's what we ask and 830 00:44:00,800 --> 00:44:03,200 we pray Jesus that everything we say and do will bring you honor 831 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:07,200 and glory and I pray that we as a church as a specific local 832 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:09,600 congregation in New Braunfels as River City Church. 833 00:44:09,700 --> 00:44:11,600 I pray that we would be people of the way. 834 00:44:12,700 --> 00:44:16,400 Who walk according to you. And Jesus, we ask these things 835 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:20,500 in your name and for your glory, amen, may the Lord bless you and 836 00:44:20,500 --> 00:44:23,100 keep you and make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you 837 00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:25,000 may lift his countenance and give you peace have a great 838 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:26,000 week. We'll see you next time. 839 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:30,000 Thank you for joining us today. River City Church is all about 840 00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:32,700 experiencing and expressing God's love in our lives and 841 00:44:32,700 --> 00:44:34,500 community. And we hope that you've been 842 00:44:34,500 --> 00:44:37,300 able to experience that today as grateful. 843 00:44:37,300 --> 00:44:38,800 As I am. That you've spent this time 844 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:42,200 listening in this morning, this podcast is no substitute for 845 00:44:42,200 --> 00:44:44,000 full. Participation and a local 846 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:46,300 church. I love it when River City people 847 00:44:46,300 --> 00:44:49,600 listen to other pastors, but it is those who show up week after 848 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:52,600 week Faithfully, giving their support and time and resources, 849 00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:56,000 that make all of this possible. If we can help you get connected 850 00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:59,400 to a local church, pray for you or support you in any way. 851 00:44:59,700 --> 00:45:02,200 Click the link in the description and let us know if 852 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:04,200 you'd like to financially support the ministry of River 853 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:06,000 City. Click the give link on our 854 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:09,200 website in the description. Don't forget to subscribe, and 855 00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:11,000 don't forget to share this with your friends. 856 00:45:11,200 --> 00:45:14,000 Thanks so much for listening. May the Lord bless and keep you 857 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:15,600 in all Grace and peace.