1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. What if some of the things that we 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: are labeling as faithfulness is actually keeping us from real 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: intimacy with God. Today, I want to talk about five 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: things that we as Christians need to stop doing in 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: the new year. Let's talk about it. Hello, Hello, Hello, 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,279 Speaker 1: ladies and gents, and welcome to this week's episode of 7 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: The Bottom Beloved Podcast. As always, it's a girl Kirby Kelly. 8 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: I've had a lot of guests on, but today it 9 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: is just me. We are welcoming in the new year. 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,480 Speaker 1: We are in twenty twenty six, so by the time 11 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: you're watching this, we will all be in a new year. 12 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: Maybe you're even watching this in twenty twenty seven or 13 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: twenty fifty four, I don't know. But whenever you come 14 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: across this episode, I hope that this is one that 15 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: will encourage you as you go through the new year, 16 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: because I think when we think of the new year, 17 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: or at least like culturally here in America, this is 18 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: something that we do is really reprioritizing rhythm, routines, implementing 19 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: new things into our life, new schedules, just new commitments. 20 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: It's all new, new, new ad ad ad. But I 21 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: was thinking as I was preparing for this week's episode specifically, 22 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: and I was thinking about, what are some of the 23 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: things that we as Christians actually need to take away 24 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: and stop doing and not bring into the new year. 25 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: Some habits that we may have, some mindsets that we 26 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: may have, some rhythms and routines, and really idols that 27 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 1: we have that maybe we are unaware of that are 28 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 1: really affecting our spiritual walk, our spiritual formation and development, 29 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: our connection with God. And so maybe that's been you 30 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: over this past year. You're just like, man, I feel 31 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: like I'm not as connected to the Lord. I feel 32 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: like I'm struggling in so many ways in my faith walk. 33 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: There's this holy discontent and disconnect. I'm hoping that through 34 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: going through this list of five things that I've noticed 35 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: a lot of people struggling with in twenty twenty five, 36 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: and maybe you can analyze your own life and leave 37 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: those things behind as you step into a new year 38 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: with the Lord in twenty twenty six. Because I have 39 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: learned both personally and I guess pastorally, if you want 40 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: to say ministry wise, that there are a lot of 41 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: Christians who aren't necessarily walking away from God, but they 42 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: have been distracted by busyness. They are tired, they've been 43 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: idolizing certain things that they label as good and godly. 44 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: But the Lord never commanded certain things to be given 45 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: priority the way that maybe we have given certain things priority. 46 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: Maybe you've even been doing all the right things, but 47 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: it still feels like something is just off. And So, 48 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: if that's you today, if all of those things relate 49 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: to you, if one of those things relates to you, 50 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: I'm hoping that this list will just bring some clarity. 51 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: So what's the first thing that we need to stop 52 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: doing in twenty twenty six? The first thing that we 53 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: need to do is stop confusing busyness with faithfulness. We 54 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: need to stop confusing busyness with faithfulness. What do I 55 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: mean by this? One of the biggest lies that we 56 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: believe in Christian culture is that busyness equals faithfulness. The 57 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: busier you are, the better of a Christian you are. 58 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: It's like, you know, you're exhausted, you're stretched thin, you're 59 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: constantly serving, and because of that, because you're doing it 60 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: in the name of the Lord, or because you're doing 61 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: it in involvement with your church or for the sake 62 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: of the Gospel, then it must be a good thing, right. 63 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: It must mean that we're truly holy and righteous. It's 64 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: like we get a gold star or a badge of 65 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: honor added to our god Scout sash for stacking the 66 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: most chairs, or for volunteering the most time, or for 67 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: being spread the absolute thinness out of anyone in the congregation. 68 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: But is that really biblical? Is busyness really biblical? Because 69 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: although humanity has been given the responsibility and the mandate 70 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: to work, we have also been called to cultivate rest. 71 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: We have also been called to cultivate balance in our life. 72 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: Not busyness, but balance in our life. Some of us 73 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: have created a new, shiny, celebratory idol that gives us 74 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: all of the glory, and we don't even realize that 75 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: busyness has become an idol, an idol that gives us 76 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: a sense of success and accomplishment, but it's actually void 77 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 1: and vain of any real measure of value at the 78 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: end of the day. Like I'm sure it might give 79 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: you a sense of value and purpose right now, but 80 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: when we actually weigh it on the scales of what 81 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: God has called us to do, the actual assignments that 82 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: He is calling us to value and to be faithful too, 83 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: a love our effort. It's a lot of the busy 84 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: things that we are implementing into our schedules really is 85 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,679 Speaker 1: vanity at the end of the day. There's a Bible 86 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,679 Speaker 1: verse in Psalm one twenty seven to two that says, 87 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: in vain, you rise early and stay up late, toiling 88 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those 89 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: he loves. Maybe you've heard the second part of that verse. 90 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: God gives sleep to those that he loves, And you're like, well, dang, 91 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: I'm an insomniac. Does God love me? I struggle with 92 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: insomnia too, and the Lord still gives me rest and sleep. Okay. 93 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: But the thing that is key here is the word 94 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: vain that's used in this Bible verse. Because it's not 95 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,119 Speaker 1: a sin to rise up early, it's not a sin 96 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: to have the night shift and to work late into 97 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: the night. It's the motive behind this person that is 98 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: being called out in the Psalms that we need to note. 99 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 1: They rise up early, they stay up late, and because 100 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: of that, it's a vain pursuit. They're doing it out 101 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: of this sense of toiling, anxiety of I need to 102 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: keep going and I need to keep fulfilling. And I 103 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: need to keep filling my schedule with certain things. God 104 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 1: calls this relentless, striving vanity. And if you know anything 105 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: about vanity, or just even in the Old Testament, when 106 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 1: I think about the book of Ecclesiastes, vanity, vanity, it 107 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: means meaningless. It's meaningless, it's empty, it's void. There's nothing 108 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: of true value in substance to this kind of person, 109 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: with these kinds of pursuits, the person who toils and 110 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: stays busy, to stay busy. Similarly, in Exodus eighteen, verses 111 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: seventeen through eighteen, we have the story of Moses, which 112 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: you know, if you're a Christian, you might know that story. 113 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: If not, go read Exodus. It's amazing. But he has 114 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: a father in law named Jethro, and he calls Moses 115 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,799 Speaker 1: out for his busyness, specifically him taking on too many hats. 116 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: He's wearing a hat as a leader, as a judge, 117 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: as the problem solver for like this entire group of 118 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: people that he's leading, and he rebukes him out of kindness. 119 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 1: His father in law rebukes him out of kindness, and 120 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 1: this is what he says. He says, what you are 121 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: doing is not good. You and these people who come 122 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is 123 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. And that's 124 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: a rebuke that I think some of us need to 125 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: hear today that what you're doing is not good. You 126 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: might think it's good, you might think it's God, but 127 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: is it really or are you stacking on an unnecessary 128 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: amount of pressure and responsibility and commitment and busyness for 129 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: the sake of whatever root of insecurity or validity you 130 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: are searching for it like fill in the blank? Is 131 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: it really from God? At that point? The schedule that 132 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: you have that is so busy. We have made busyness 133 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: and idol in the church and that needs to go. 134 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: Some of us fill up our schedule. We take on 135 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: every job. We give our yes to everything because we fear, well, 136 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: nothing will get done if I don't do it. I've 137 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: been that person. Well nobody does it, then it won't 138 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: get done. Or maybe you fear feeling a lack of purpose, 139 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: so you have to say yes to everything, so you 140 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: are chasing that next sense of purpose and belonging in 141 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: being seen. I'm guilty of that too. Or maybe you 142 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: feel like everything rests on you. But friend, not everything 143 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: rests on you. Okay, you are supposed to rest on 144 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: God and be faithful with what He has appointed you 145 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: to handle, not what you've just chosen to task yourself 146 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,439 Speaker 1: with for whatever other reason. In fact, one of my 147 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: favorite Bible verses is Psalm forty six to ten, and 148 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: we are instructed to be still, to be still and 149 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: know that God is God. And notice how in that 150 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,199 Speaker 1: Bible verse it's it's a little longer, but in Psal 151 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: forty six ten, we still know that I am God. 152 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: Notice what God doesn't say. He does not say be 153 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: productive and know I'm God. He doesn't say be exhausted 154 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: and know that I'm God. He doesn't say be the 155 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: micromanager of your life and everyone else's life and know 156 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: that I am God. No, he says be still. God 157 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: commands stillness, He commands rest. He even made the Sabbath 158 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 1: for man like because He knew that we needed it. 159 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 1: We need rhythms of pulling back in life, but even 160 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,559 Speaker 1: in certain seasons. And I'm not saying that you need 161 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: to disconnect and let go of every commitment and every 162 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: responsibility you've been given. No, I want to encourage each 163 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: and every single one of us who's listening to this 164 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: episode today, to be very prayerful about our schedules going 165 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: into twenty twenty six, To not over commit yourself for 166 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: the sake of fulfilling an idolatrous need. I need to 167 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: be validated. I need to feel fulfilled. I need to 168 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: feel like I'm in control. I need surrender to the 169 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: Lord and the plans that he has for you, the 170 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: schedule that he wants to give you, the commitments that 171 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: he wants you to commit to, Because if you can't 172 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 1: give him your yes and those things, you're going to 173 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 1: very poorly steward the things that God actually prioritizes. I 174 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: think it would be foolish for us to prioritize things 175 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: that God has not called us to prioritize, and to 176 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: deprioritize the things that He is asking us to give 177 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:29,199 Speaker 1: our guests to. That would be poor stewardship, that would 178 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,560 Speaker 1: not be faithful in any way. The faithful person stewards 179 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: what God has appointed them and given them faithfully. That's 180 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: what the faithful does, even if it's little, whether it's 181 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: little or a lot, and a little is okay. A 182 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: lot of us are so occupied with doing things for God, 183 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: yet we do not get still and be with God 184 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: and actually analyze the things that he's calling us to do. 185 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: Some of us even do things for God because we 186 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 1: don't want to make time to sit with God and 187 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: be still. And that's something that we need to also 188 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: check our heart with. And Jesus even addresses this in 189 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: Martha and Mary. If you remember that story. In Luke ten, Martha, 190 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: she's serving, she's doing a bunch of things, but Jesus 191 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,959 Speaker 1: says something to her that's super sobering. In Luke ten 192 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: forty one through forty two, he says, Martha, Martha, the 193 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, 194 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: but few things are needed, or indeed only one Mary 195 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: has chosen what is better. If you don't know this story, Jesus, 196 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: he was in the house of Martha Mary, and Martha's 197 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,559 Speaker 1: like cooking and cleaning and hustling and bustling and doing 198 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 1: all these things. And she kind of looks at Mary 199 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 1: and she's like, girl, what are you doing? Because she's 200 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: just sitting at the feet of Jesus in his presence, 201 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: being still learning from him, abiding with him. And although 202 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: I'm sure Martha's heart was in the right place. She 203 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: was not in the right place. She needed to be 204 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 1: at the feet of jesus Us. She needed to be 205 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: in his presence. She needed to be still. That's why 206 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: Jesus says, Mary has chosen what is better, and it's 207 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: the priority of God. Where are you because You're going 208 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: to tell me what I need to do and where 209 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: you want me to be. That's what we need to prioritize. 210 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: Because Martha, she wasn't sinful, she was just distracted. She 211 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: was looking to the unnecessary responsibilities and performing and putting 212 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: all these things upon herself instead of being present. And 213 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: that's the danger when we value performance over presence, performance 214 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: for God rather than presence with God. So this year 215 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: you need to ask yourself, what am I doing out 216 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: of pressure and performance instead of obedience and faithfulness to God, 217 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: stillness with God. What responsibilities or tasks have I taken 218 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: on that God hasn't called me to? Because that is 219 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: not true faithfulness. Like I just said, what would it 220 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 1: look like to actually slow down and reprioritize and trust 221 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 1: God with the results and to trust God with the 222 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: rest of everything. He calls you to surrender to him 223 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,239 Speaker 1: that He's saying, don't take on this thing, don't preoccupy 224 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: yourself with these things. What would it look like for 225 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: you to stop putting on a performance where other people 226 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: are clapping for you and applauding you for your busyness, 227 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: and instead sit at the feet of Jesus, uncelebrated. Unseen 228 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: God is not impressed with how busy we are. He 229 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: is after how surrendered we are. That is what real 230 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: faithfulness looks like. It looks like letting go of the 231 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 1: full calendar and embracing the fullness of life that he 232 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 1: is calling us to, that he's calling us to steward, 233 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: that he's calling us to align with and to trust 234 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: him with the rest, to actually trust God to be God, 235 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: and to delegate in steward what needs to be done 236 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 1: to other people who need to prioritize a yes to God. Okay, 237 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: the second thing that we need to let go of 238 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: and put a stop to in twenty twenty six is 239 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: we need to stop chasing spiritual highs instead of spiritual depths. 240 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: We need to stop chasing after the spiritual high and 241 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: start pursuing spiritual depth. You see the contrasts there. A 242 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: lot of us have been trained to chase spiritual feelings 243 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: instead of spiritual faithfulness. And I think this is really 244 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: important to note, especially because it's around this time in 245 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: the beginning of the year that a lot of churches 246 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: and conferences are putting on all of these amazing events 247 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: with incredible worship, incredible sermons, incredible time for community. It's 248 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: a great reset for so many of us to just 249 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: disconnect from everything that we have misprioritized even and to 250 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: just reconnect and re establish commitment to God. Like I think, 251 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: there's so many good things about the New year and 252 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: these events that happen, but there are some people who 253 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: end up chasing the conference high who end up worshiping 254 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: the tears that they cried in the night, you know, 255 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: the emotional rush that makes us feel close to God. 256 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: But the thing about God is that He's not a feeling. 257 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: He's a person. If you're chasing after a feeling and 258 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: not a person, you're gonna end up disappointed in having 259 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: this discontent in your faith because God is not a feeling. 260 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: He's not a feeling. The Holy Spirit's not a feeling, 261 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: he is a person. Jesus is not a feeling, He's 262 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: a person. God the Father is not a feeling. He's 263 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: a person, one God, three persons. That is the trinity, 264 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: that is the triune monotheistic God that we as Christians 265 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: believe in and serve. And when the emotions fade, once 266 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: the smoke clears and the lights go out, especially in 267 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: these Western churches. You know, I have countries and people 268 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: tuning in from all over the world. And maybe you're like, 269 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: what are you talking about. But this is something that's 270 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: very prevalent, at least here in the West. Is that 271 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: we think that because the emotion fade, God faded, he left. 272 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 1: But that's not true. He has not left when the 273 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: emotional high has left. Feelings are a gift, they are, 274 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: but they're not a gauge for God's presence. Scripture reminds 275 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: us again and again that God stays steady even when 276 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: our emotions don't. The Bible reminds us in Deuteronomy thirty 277 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: one to eight, the Lord himself goes before you and 278 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: will be with you. He will never leave you, nor 279 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. 280 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: So just because the feeling or the spiritual high fades 281 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: and doesn't feel tangible or you know, experiential at all times. 282 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: That doesn't mean that God has abandoned you. That doesn't 283 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: mean that He has left you and forsaken you. In fact, 284 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: that's the opposite of what God promises about his character 285 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: with the people that he has covenant with, with those 286 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: of us who are in Christ justified by our faith 287 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,439 Speaker 1: in Jesus. Don't get me wrong. Feelings are wonderful. I 288 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 1: really want you all to hear me on that. Feelings 289 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: are wonderful and they serve a purpose as an indicator. 290 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: It's like a check indicator. Light feelings give us indication 291 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: about what we believe in what we're experiencing. But what 292 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: feelings are not is they are not the foundation of 293 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: our faith. We do not believe in Jesus simply because 294 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 1: we have a good feeling a good vibe about him. 295 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: We believe on him because of the promises, the patterns, 296 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 1: and the person of who he is. That is why 297 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: we believe. There will be seasons when God feels super loud, 298 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: super close, tangible, but there will also be seasons when 299 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: He feels keyword fis maybe quiet or distant. But that 300 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that your faith is necessarily failing. Okay, Hebrew 301 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: says in Hebrews eleven to one. Now faith is confident 302 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 1: in what we hope for, an assurance about what we 303 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: do not see. What I glean from this verse is 304 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 1: that spiritual depth is built on consistency. Consistency, it's built 305 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:33,479 Speaker 1: on obedience when nobody's watching, in choosing God when nothing 306 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 1: feels exciting, and hoping in the promises of God and 307 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 1: not just the spectacles of God. Spiritual maturity isn't feeling 308 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 1: God all the time. Spiritual maturity is trusting Him when 309 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:50,360 Speaker 1: you don't feel Him all the time. Remember that in 310 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: two Timothy two thirteen, it says this, if we are faithless, 311 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 1: he remains faith full, for he cannot deny himself. He 312 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: cannot act in a way that is not consistent with 313 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: his character. He's faithful like he is the definition of 314 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:08,479 Speaker 1: what faithful is supposed to be. He's the standard of 315 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: all these things, being loved, being kind, being all that. 316 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: It is central to his character to be consistent with 317 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: his promises, including the promise of his presence, the promise 318 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: of his will at work in our life and the 319 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 1: lives of others in the whole world, and his pursuit 320 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: after us. He's faithful to that some of us stopped 321 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: chasing God in twenty twenty five because we stopped getting 322 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: high off of the Holy Spirit. We stopped getting the 323 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:43,879 Speaker 1: dopamine hit every time we raised our hands and say gratitude. 324 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: But maybe you need to stop going higher and start 325 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: digging deeper in your relationship with God and in your 326 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: faith in twenty twenty six by pursuing Him out of 327 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: discipline and out of devotion, planting deeper roots that actually 328 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: lead to righteous, long lasting, good, godly fruit. That is 329 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: where the spiritual maturity is cultivated and we are able 330 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: to endure and last in the race that we are 331 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: called to run. Because it's nas friend, it's a marathon. 332 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: It's a marathon, the journey in which we are called 333 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: to walk along and run alongside and pursue after Jesus. 334 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 1: The third thing that we need to stop doing in 335 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six is we need to stop outsourcing our 336 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 1: walk with God to a simple church service. What do 337 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 1: I mean by this? This one's important, okay, but hear 338 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: my heart on this. Church is essential. Community matters. Pastors 339 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: are a gift, they are, but church was never meant 340 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: to replace your personal walk in pursuit with God. A 341 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: lot of believers aren't disconnected from Christianity. They are disconnected 342 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: from daily commune union with God. They're in they you know, 343 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 1: they love the sermons, they love worship, they love community. 344 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: But if Sunday is the only place where you are 345 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: hearing the word of God and God's voice is heard, 346 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 1: then faith slowly becomes dependent instead of devotional. It becomes 347 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: dependent on another person and their hunger for God versus 348 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 1: your own devotion and hunger for God. And that's a problem. 349 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: If the only time you open your Bible is when 350 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:31,159 Speaker 1: someone else is preaching it to you, you are surviving 351 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: on a spiritual snack instead of actual nourishment, actual meat, 352 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:40,199 Speaker 1: actual meals. Scripture says in First Peter two too, like 353 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: newborn infants long for pure spiritual milk, that by it 354 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 1: you may grow up into salvation. Peter isn't saying wait 355 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: for somebody else to feed you like an airplane into 356 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 1: the mouth of babies. If you are a spiritual infant, 357 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: then I get that you need discipleship. You need people 358 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: pouring into you and being in those spaces where you're 359 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 1: in Bible studies and in group settings, and especially you know, 360 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 1: church on Sunday, where you're learning the Word of God. 361 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: That makes sense. If you're a spiritual infant, you need milk. 362 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: But eventually you're gonna grow teeth, and you gotta start 363 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: eating the meat of scripture. He says, here long for it. 364 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 1: Why because spiritual growth requires personal hunger. We need to 365 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 1: hunger for the Word of God ourselves. You cannot live 366 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: off of borrowed bread. No matter how good the sermon was, 367 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: I consider that kind of like dessert or like an 368 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:40,920 Speaker 1: appetizer of like this is good. I love a good 369 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,479 Speaker 1: appetizer because it gets me excited for what is coming 370 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: the entree. Like if we're looking at a Sunday to 371 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: Saturday kind of structure in your week, and you're going 372 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 1: to church on a Sunday, let that be the appetizer 373 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 1: to the actual entree of getting into the meat, the 374 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: main course of scripture in you your own deep dive 375 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: of reading the Word of God and connecting with God 376 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: through different spiritual disciplines. Don't let one Sunday service be 377 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 1: your whole meal for the whole week. Like you can 378 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: try and reheat that, but not only will we get 379 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: smaller and smaller, it's gonna get older and colder. You 380 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:23,880 Speaker 1: need to be eating fresh meat. Okay, your pastor can 381 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: inspire you, your church can encourage you. I can come 382 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: on here and read you scripture every single week on 383 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: my podcast, and I do. But only you can sit 384 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 1: with God in the quiet places. Only you can connect 385 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: with the Lord and build your relationship with him at 386 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 1: a personal level, cause it's personal. It's supposed to be relational. 387 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: Jesus modeled this himself in Mark one thirty five, very 388 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus 389 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,239 Speaker 1: got up, left the house and went off to a 390 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: solitary place where he prayed. If Jesus did this daily, 391 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: the Son of God, private communion with the Father, then 392 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: so do we. If not more, let me be clear, Okay, 393 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:13,879 Speaker 1: I'm not anti church. I'm not this like third point. 394 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: My whole thing is that I'm pro discipleship, being a disciple. 395 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: Get into community, get into church, but pursue the Lord 396 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 1: for yourself outside of the building, outside of the thirty 397 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 1: minute worship session and thirty minute message and then the 398 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 1: five minutes that you say hi to friends, and then 399 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: you hop in your car and you go home and 400 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: you eat lunch, and then you take a big nap. 401 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:40,399 Speaker 1: All right church is where we gather, But the secret 402 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 1: place is where we're formed, is where we're formed with God. 403 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: Remember the words of Christ himself in John fifteen four, 404 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 1: remain in me as I also remain in you. No 405 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 1: branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in 406 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 1: the vine. Notice that Jesus doesn't say stay connected to 407 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: a sermon, listen to a sermon every Sunday. He says, 408 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: remain in me, abide in me, pursue me, meet with me. 409 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: Because good fruit doesn't come from weekly exposure. It comes 410 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: from daily connection, daily connection with God, real roots, getting 411 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: real attention, being really cultivated. So this year, let your 412 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,919 Speaker 1: faith be built in the secret place and not just 413 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,719 Speaker 1: the sanctuary. The fourth thing I have two more. The 414 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 1: fourth thing that we as Christians need to stop doing 415 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty six is stop living off of last 416 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: years or last season's obedience. What do I mean by this? 417 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,359 Speaker 1: This one might sting a little okay, but it's freeing okay. 418 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: God is deeply grateful for all the things that you 419 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: have done in the past in obedience. I know that 420 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 1: he is. He loves our obedi. I believe that success 421 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: is not measured by metrics necessarily in the Kingdom of God. 422 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: It's measured by our yeses, our obedience, our faithfulness. That 423 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: is what true success looks like in the Kingdom of God, 424 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: is giving God your yes. But God is always inviting 425 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: us to have fresh dependency on Him, not just spiritual 426 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: nostalgia for what happened in the past and in last season. 427 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 1: But He is calling us to be presently pursuing Him now, 428 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: presently surrendering things now, presently giving him our yes today, 429 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: not just relying on what happened last season. There are 430 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: a lot of believers out there who aren't resisting God outright. 431 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: They're just simply coasting on what He did in the 432 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: last season that they were in. You know, we say things, well, 433 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: I used to pray more, I remember when I felt 434 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 1: close to God. That was such a strong season of 435 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: my faith for me. But yesterday's faithfulness cannot fuel to 436 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 1: today's calling. Jesus teaches us to pray, give us this 437 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 1: day our daily bread, all right, and the Lord's prayer. 438 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 1: We're taught that in Matthew six. Now weekly bread, now 439 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: last year's bread, not last season's bread. Daily. This prayer 440 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:17,880 Speaker 1: reminds us that dependence on God is not a one 441 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: time decision. It needs to be a daily posture. We 442 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 1: need to ask God, God, what is my portion today? 443 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: And what are you requiring of me today? What do 444 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 1: you ask of me today? When God provided mana in 445 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: the wilderness, he told Israelites to not store it up. 446 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: The only time that they were permitted to do so 447 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: was for Sabbath. It says so in Exodus sixteen twenty one. 448 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and 449 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 1: when the sun grew hot and melted away. God was 450 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: teaching his people through this in the wilderness with the mana, 451 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 1: that there was something deeper to this than just survival. 452 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 1: He was teaching them trust me again tomorrow, meet with 453 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:03,240 Speaker 1: me again tomorrow, depend on me fresh again tomorrow. What 454 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: God did then in the past season of your life 455 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: was real, But what He wants to do now might 456 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 1: require fresh dependency. That might look like fresh surrender, fresh obedience. 457 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: And I get that living off of past obedience can 458 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:25,719 Speaker 1: feel a lot safer because new obedience requires risk. It 459 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 1: often looks a little different than the last season. It 460 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:33,199 Speaker 1: might stretch you in unfamiliar ways. It doesn't come with 461 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: the same confidence maybe from the last season, but faith 462 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 1: has always required trust in the unknown. Our faith in 463 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: God has always required a trust in the unknown. So 464 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 1: today I want you to ask yourself, especially going into 465 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six, what is God inviting you into now today? 466 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: Where have you been coasting in your faith instead of 467 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 1: growing and actively surrendering to God. Where have you been 468 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 1: afraid to trust God and depend on God in this 469 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: season of your life? Because He might be inviting you 470 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: forward into new obedience and fresh faith today, but that 471 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: requires new obedience and fresh surrender today. And my fifth 472 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: and final thing that we need to stop doing in 473 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six as Christians is we need to stop 474 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: measuring spiritual growth by comparing where we're at versus where 475 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: another person is at. We need to stop comparing our 476 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 1: spiritual growth, journeys, our spiritual successes. You know, if I 477 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: have as much purpose in calling as this person, comparison, 478 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: it not only kills your joy, it distorts your calling. 479 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: It distorts how you view yourself and what you have 480 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,719 Speaker 1: been called to do, what God has assigned for you 481 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: to do. You might be I don't know, going about 482 00:29:57,920 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: your day to day life. Maybe you work in the church, 483 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,479 Speaker 1: maybe just scroll online and you see all these other 484 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 1: Christian influencers or whatever, and you think to yourself, man, 485 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: they're so much more disciplined than me, They're so much 486 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 1: more anointed than me. They're doing so much more for 487 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: God than me. And God has me doing this. This 488 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: is the calling He has for me in this season 489 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: of life. Ough, and you just get caught up in this 490 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: comparison trap. I actually just preached on this a few 491 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: weeks ago. And here's the thing. Sometimes comparison doesn't even 492 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: show up as jealousy. Oftentimes comparison it shows up as discouragement. 493 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: It shows up as insecurity or the quiet thought of 494 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: I should be further along by now, I should be 495 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: as successful as them by now. I should be at 496 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 1: this benchmark by now. But when we start measuring our 497 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: faith at someone else's pace, we're comparing ourself to where 498 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: someone else is at. We miss what God is doing 499 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: in us. We miss what God is actually trying to 500 00:30:55,800 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: accomplish in our lives. We miss The Mark is clear 501 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 1: about this in Galatians six'. Four this is what it, 502 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: says pay careful attention to your own, work for then 503 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 1: you will get the satisfaction of a job well, done 504 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone. ELSE 505 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 1: i love This bible. Verse paul doesn't say ignore. Growth he, 506 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: says measure the right. Thing what are you comparing yourself? 507 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: Too and when we fall into, comparison it's usually the very. 508 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: Thing comparison is usually the thing that pulls us away from. 509 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: Obedience it makes us latch onto. Performance but who are 510 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: we even performing for at that? Point if you are 511 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: comparing your walk to someone else's, walk who are you 512 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 1: really performing for at the end of the, day your own, 513 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: ego your own, pride the other people whose eyes are on, 514 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 1: you probably Not. God comparison is spiritually dangerous because it 515 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: distorts your. Calling it creates a false time OF i 516 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: need to do this by this point in. Time it 517 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: makes faith about visibility instead of, faithfulness and it causes 518 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: us to despise the season That god has intentionally placed us. 519 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: IN i want to remind you What jesus says In 520 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:19,480 Speaker 1: luke sixteen. Ten he, says whoever can be trusted with 521 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 1: very little can also be trusted with very. MUCH i 522 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: want you to know that the very little thing that 523 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: you are comparing to someone else's maybe big. Thing y'all 524 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 1: are on different. Timelines y'all have different, callings different. Seasons 525 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:39,719 Speaker 1: maybe it looks, similar but friend is. Different it's. Different 526 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: at the end of the, Day god does not overlook 527 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: the small thing That he entrusted you to steward. Faithfully 528 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 1: he doesn't overlook the small. Things he entrusts them to, 529 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: us and he tests us through the small things to 530 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: see if we can handle the big. Things some of 531 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: the deepest spiritual formation have weapons in the, smallest most unseen, 532 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: obedience not in the, big flashy. Achievements that we also 533 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: find that we often find ourselves comparing ourselves to within other. 534 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: PEOPLE i need you to know that faithfulness is the 535 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:19,000 Speaker 1: thing that. Counts faithfulness in the small and the unseen 536 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: places that counts that matters most To. God even when 537 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: you don't get the. Applause comparison asks why not? Me 538 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: but obedience asks what are you asking of? Me right? Now? 539 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: God it reframes the. Priority so here's the invitation that 540 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: each of us is invited to step into in the new. 541 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 1: Year we are invited to stop measuring our spiritual growth 542 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:51,239 Speaker 1: by how visible it, is or how flashy it, is 543 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 1: or how it compares or Outperforms your brother and sister In. 544 00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: Christ god is not asking you to keep up with 545 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 1: anyone else's, pace, calling or. Season he's, saying can you 546 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 1: stay faithful to the thing That i've given? You can? 547 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:11,800 Speaker 1: You will? You even if it's, small even if it feels, 548 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 1: mundane even if it feels. Insignificant the prayers that nobody, 549 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,759 Speaker 1: hears those still, Matter. Okay the obedience that no one 550 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 1: sees that. Counts the growth that feels, slow that's still. 551 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:29,839 Speaker 1: Growth you are not, Behind you're not. Feeling you're not 552 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: doing your faith wrong if it doesn't look like the 553 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: measures and outcomes of other. People you are walking the 554 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:41,680 Speaker 1: path That god specifically designed for. You so stop, comparing 555 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:44,720 Speaker 1: cause it's not just gonna distract. You it's gonna derail. 556 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: You it's gonna derail you from the things That god 557 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 1: is actually asking you to. Do so instead of asking you, 558 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:53,799 Speaker 1: know AM i as spiritual as? Them? Like Does god 559 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:55,959 Speaker 1: really love? Me because they're doing this And i'm doing, 560 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:58,359 Speaker 1: that you need to start asking, yourself AM i being 561 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:00,879 Speaker 1: faithful to What god has acted actually placed in front 562 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:04,320 Speaker 1: of me? Today AM i being? Faithful take an audit 563 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: of your life right? Now AM i being faithful with 564 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:10,400 Speaker 1: What god has given me to steward with the assignment 565 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,880 Speaker 1: he has given, me because at the end of the, 566 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: Day god isn't measuring your life against someone. Else's jesus 567 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:20,319 Speaker 1: is the, Standard. Okay he's looking for a heart that's, 568 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:24,760 Speaker 1: willing a heart that's, surrendered and heart that is, obedient 569 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 1: one step out of, time one step out of, time 570 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 1: and that's the faith that does not go unnoticed by. 571 00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: Him so as we, conclude AS i wrap, up and 572 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 1: as you step into this new, year maybe the goal 573 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 1: isn't do, more try, harder add more things to the 574 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:45,720 Speaker 1: calendar and the list and to. Do maybe it's letting 575 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: go and, stopping letting go of busyness that masquerades as, 576 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 1: faithfulness letting go of chasing feelings instead of, depth letting 577 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: go of outsourcing your walk With god and instead embracing 578 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: personal pursuit after The, lord letting go of living off 579 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 1: of yesterday's obedience and freshly surrendering today instead letting go 580 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: of comparison For god's unique calling on your. Life in this, 581 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:23,319 Speaker 1: season what do you need to stop doing? Today what 582 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:25,399 Speaker 1: do you need to let go of as you enter 583 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:28,400 Speaker 1: into the new, year or whenever you're listening to this, 584 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:33,400 Speaker 1: episode take Time i'm about to close this, episode but 585 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:36,400 Speaker 1: take time to just pray before you click on the 586 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:39,279 Speaker 1: next episode or the next, song or whatever it is 587 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:41,600 Speaker 1: that you have going, on and just Ask, God, god 588 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 1: what DO i need to let go? Of what DO 589 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: i actually need to stop doing this, year this season 590 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 1: of my life that has distracted me from, you that 591 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:54,120 Speaker 1: has become an, idol that has made it more about 592 00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:57,920 Speaker 1: me than, you that has confused what faithfulness actually looks. 593 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 1: Like just ask The. Lord because he is faithful to 594 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:06,240 Speaker 1: reveal the things that are keeping you away From him 595 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:08,719 Speaker 1: and you away from the calling that he has on your. 596 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 1: Life he's faithful to prune those things and to call 597 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:14,800 Speaker 1: those things out in. Love but will you be faithful 598 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 1: to listen and obey whatever it is that he brings 599 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 1: to your? Attention THAT i will leave with. You BUT 600 00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:23,520 Speaker 1: i love, you. GUYS i really hope that this new 601 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:27,320 Speaker 1: year is just not only full of favor And god's 602 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 1: blessing over your, life but it would be one that 603 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 1: is marked by spiritual, depth, dependency and obedience to What 604 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 1: he has called you to, do real genuine connection With. 605 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:40,640 Speaker 1: Him that's What i'm praying for over my life this, 606 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:43,960 Speaker 1: year especially AS i even step into motherhood in just 607 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 1: a few, months which is, crazy like four months away 608 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 1: over the hill over. Halfway so be praying for me in, 609 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,719 Speaker 1: that But i'll be praying for you in whatever it 610 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:56,960 Speaker 1: is That god has called you to do in this 611 00:37:57,040 --> 00:37:59,480 Speaker 1: season as. Well if you're watching on, YouTube calment down, 612 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:01,759 Speaker 1: below comment down below in the comment section if you 613 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,719 Speaker 1: feel like The lord has given you revelation as to 614 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:08,239 Speaker 1: what that. Is but whether you're watching on YouTube or 615 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 1: listening On, Spotify Apple, podcasts or wherever you tune into, 616 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,320 Speaker 1: podcasts thank you for choosing to listen to mine. Today 617 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: if you think that this episode will bless, anybody send 618 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,680 Speaker 1: it to, them maybe even for the sake of, accountability 619 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:21,960 Speaker 1: sharing with another person what it is That god has 620 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,200 Speaker 1: called you to do or to stop, doing and to 621 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 1: walk alongside someone in accountability this year through that that 622 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 1: obedient surrender To, him whatever that might. Be BUT i 623 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:35,640 Speaker 1: love y'all And i'll see you here next week for 624 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 1: another episode of The Bottom Beloved. Podcast until, Then Happy New. Year, yeah, 625 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 1: Godspeed blessings to, Y'all love you. Bye for more life, 626 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:50,799 Speaker 1: giving faith based podcast just like this, one check out 627 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:54,240 Speaker 1: lifeaudio Dot, com a proud partner of the Boton beloved. 628 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:54,840 Speaker 1: Podcast