1 00:00:02,710 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Life Audio. What if I told you that from Genesis 2 00:00:06,420 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 1: to Revelation, God is continually extending the same invitation to 3 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,700 Speaker 1: his people? Come closer. That's what we're going to talk 4 00:00:14,740 --> 00:00:21,910 Speaker 1: about in today's episode. Hello, hello, hello, ladies and gents, 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,810 Speaker 1: and welcome to this week's episode of the Bottom Beloved Podcast. 6 00:00:24,890 --> 00:00:27,610 Speaker 1: As always, it's your girl, Kirby Kelly, back at it again. 7 00:00:27,990 --> 00:00:30,830 Speaker 1: And I'm so excited to talk about today's topic because 8 00:00:30,850 --> 00:00:33,950 Speaker 1: it's something that I have really been marinating on, really 9 00:00:34,430 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: thinking about. I think it's mainly just because of the 10 00:00:37,460 --> 00:00:39,460 Speaker 1: time I've been spending in the word, the time that 11 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 1: I've been spending with other people, the time that I've 12 00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:44,820 Speaker 1: been spending reading other people's books and so on and 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,659 Speaker 1: so forth. And I feel like I have seen this 14 00:00:47,780 --> 00:00:53,430 Speaker 1: pattern come up throughout scripture where God is extending invitation. 15 00:00:54,250 --> 00:00:58,030 Speaker 1: Have you ever stopped to think about how God continuously 16 00:00:58,190 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: invites us to pursue him throughout scripture he tells us 17 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,850 Speaker 1: you know seek me come to me call to me 18 00:01:06,170 --> 00:01:09,090 Speaker 1: draw near to me follow me know me abide in 19 00:01:09,150 --> 00:01:12,650 Speaker 1: me over and over again from the old testament to 20 00:01:12,670 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: the new testament we encounter a god who is inviting 21 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:21,819 Speaker 1: people closer and i think sometimes we can get this 22 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: backwards in christianity we think that christianity is primarily about 23 00:01:26,910 --> 00:01:29,810 Speaker 1: how we can pursue god which it is you know 24 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: But we can limit it to, you know, am I 25 00:01:32,940 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: reading my Bible enough? Am I praying enough? Am I 26 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,830 Speaker 1: disciplined enough? Am I doing enough to stay close to God? 27 00:01:40,930 --> 00:01:45,069 Speaker 1: And yes, scripture absolutely calls us to pursue him in 28 00:01:45,190 --> 00:01:48,250 Speaker 1: all of these ways. But before we can even focus 29 00:01:48,350 --> 00:01:52,050 Speaker 1: and talk about the pursuit of God, I really want 30 00:01:52,110 --> 00:01:57,770 Speaker 1: us to recognize that God extends an invitation to us. 31 00:01:58,410 --> 00:02:02,450 Speaker 1: Because The Bible is not a story of humanity desperately 32 00:02:02,530 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: trying to get the attention of a distant God. No, 33 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,380 Speaker 1: it is the story of a God who continually makes 34 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: himself known to humanity, who continuously tells us and asks 35 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:19,589 Speaker 1: us and invites us to come closer, to come closer. 36 00:02:20,570 --> 00:02:22,790 Speaker 1: We see this all the way from Genesis to the 37 00:02:22,850 --> 00:02:26,350 Speaker 1: very end of the Bible in Revelation, that God has 38 00:02:26,490 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: been making a way. for his people to know him. 39 00:02:30,340 --> 00:02:33,930 Speaker 1: And maybe you need to hear that today, that maybe 40 00:02:33,970 --> 00:02:37,310 Speaker 1: because you've been distant from God in this season of life, 41 00:02:37,570 --> 00:02:40,690 Speaker 1: maybe your relationship has felt dry with him. Maybe you've 42 00:02:40,730 --> 00:02:43,130 Speaker 1: been distracted or the season of life that you are 43 00:02:43,250 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: in is just heavy and full and busy in so 44 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: many new ways. I mean, that's true for me. I'm 45 00:02:48,620 --> 00:02:52,380 Speaker 1: a mom now. Maybe you've fallen to sin and and 46 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: shame has convinced you that God just does not want 47 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: you around, or maybe you love Jesus deeply, but lately 48 00:02:59,780 --> 00:03:02,220 Speaker 1: your relationship with him has started to feel more like 49 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,740 Speaker 1: a responsibility rather than a relationship. Hello. I want to 50 00:03:06,780 --> 00:03:10,990 Speaker 1: remind you in today's episode that God wants you close. 51 00:03:11,660 --> 00:03:16,270 Speaker 1: He was the first one to extend that invitation so 52 00:03:16,310 --> 00:03:20,650 Speaker 1: that there could be a relationship there between us and him. 53 00:03:21,060 --> 00:03:24,899 Speaker 1: And throughout scripture, I see his invitation expressed in three 54 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,100 Speaker 1: beautiful ways. I see it in multiple ways, but the 55 00:03:27,150 --> 00:03:29,260 Speaker 1: three ways that I want to explore it today are 56 00:03:29,620 --> 00:03:34,190 Speaker 1: come to me, know me, and abide in me. Come 57 00:03:34,230 --> 00:03:37,270 Speaker 1: to me, know me, and abide in me. Let's start 58 00:03:37,310 --> 00:03:39,750 Speaker 1: with come to me. God invites us to come to him, 59 00:03:40,110 --> 00:03:43,310 Speaker 1: all right, to approach him. In Matthew 11, 28, it says, 60 00:03:43,410 --> 00:03:46,770 Speaker 1: come to me, all who labor and who are heavy laden, 61 00:03:46,890 --> 00:03:49,930 Speaker 1: and I will give you And I love that the 62 00:03:50,190 --> 00:03:52,250 Speaker 1: opening line of this, Jesus is the one who is 63 00:03:52,310 --> 00:03:57,390 Speaker 1: saying this, the opening line to this is, come, show up. 64 00:03:58,310 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: Jesus isn't saying, fix yourself and then come. He's not saying, 65 00:04:03,090 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: get your act together and then come to me. He's 66 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:11,220 Speaker 1: not saying, you know, become less exhausted, you know, less messy, 67 00:04:11,340 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: figure out your schedule a little bit, less confused, less sinful, 68 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: maybe we can talk after that. No, he says, Come 69 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: to me. And this is an invitation that is shown 70 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,750 Speaker 1: throughout all of scripture. We see it in Isaiah 55. Come, 71 00:04:27,290 --> 00:04:32,830 Speaker 1: everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. In John 7, 72 00:04:32,830 --> 00:04:36,650 Speaker 1: Jesus says, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me 73 00:04:37,089 --> 00:04:40,630 Speaker 1: and drink. And in Hebrews, it tells us, draw near 74 00:04:40,670 --> 00:04:45,589 Speaker 1: with confidence to the throne of grace. James also tells us, 75 00:04:45,630 --> 00:04:47,390 Speaker 1: draw near to God. He will draw near to you. 76 00:04:47,450 --> 00:04:51,510 Speaker 1: And Revelation 22 ends with, let the one who is 77 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: thirsty come. Do you see the heart of God? He's 78 00:04:57,060 --> 00:05:04,140 Speaker 1: inviting us. Come, approach. You're invited. Sometimes shame tells us 79 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,260 Speaker 1: that we need to run from God when we've messed up. 80 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:12,870 Speaker 1: But grace tells us, run to him. Sometimes because You know, 81 00:05:12,890 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: the decisions we've made in life or how busy we've 82 00:05:15,810 --> 00:05:17,980 Speaker 1: gotten with our schedules, we think, okay, I need to 83 00:05:18,060 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: figure everything out and then I can approach God. You know, 84 00:05:21,580 --> 00:05:23,700 Speaker 1: maybe I've made a mistake here and there. Maybe I've 85 00:05:23,740 --> 00:05:26,540 Speaker 1: taken my life into my own hands. Maybe I have 86 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,550 Speaker 1: labored and have become heavy laden and I need to 87 00:05:30,630 --> 00:05:33,110 Speaker 1: figure out the weight of all of this before I 88 00:05:33,150 --> 00:05:36,349 Speaker 1: come to Jesus because I don't want to burden him. Hello. 89 00:05:37,310 --> 00:05:40,010 Speaker 1: He invites us to come to him because he is 90 00:05:40,050 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: the one who has the light burden. He is the 91 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 1: one who wants to shoulder the things that are weighing 92 00:05:44,220 --> 00:05:48,529 Speaker 1: heavy on us today. He wants us to show up. 93 00:05:48,650 --> 00:05:50,710 Speaker 1: I mean, think back all the way to Genesis 3, okay? 94 00:05:52,029 --> 00:05:55,330 Speaker 1: Adam and Eve, they sin. They realize that they're naked. 95 00:05:55,370 --> 00:05:59,210 Speaker 1: They're ashamed. They hide. But God enters the garden asking 96 00:05:59,250 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: a question. He says, where are you? Where are you? 97 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: God knew where they were, okay? He literally knows everything. 98 00:06:06,860 --> 00:06:10,180 Speaker 1: But he says, where are you? That question wasn't, Because 99 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: God lacked information. No, it was an invitation for them 100 00:06:13,980 --> 00:06:17,020 Speaker 1: to come out of hiding, to step into relationship with him, 101 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,740 Speaker 1: to share and bring what was going on, the situation, 102 00:06:20,779 --> 00:06:23,580 Speaker 1: the season, the circumstance they were in to the Lord 103 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,940 Speaker 1: and to invite him into it. He is inviting us. 104 00:06:27,380 --> 00:06:31,050 Speaker 1: And within that invitation, it opens us up to invite 105 00:06:31,130 --> 00:06:34,390 Speaker 1: him into the things that we are going through. The 106 00:06:34,430 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: circumstances that you think you have to bear alone. the 107 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:41,659 Speaker 1: sin that you think you have to clean up yourself. Like, 108 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: I get it. We are human, and that is kind 109 00:06:44,220 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 1: of like our human default. Our human default can be 110 00:06:47,260 --> 00:06:50,700 Speaker 1: to hide. Our human default can be to try and 111 00:06:50,990 --> 00:06:54,770 Speaker 1: mask it and pretend like everything's fine. Our human default is, 112 00:06:55,130 --> 00:06:57,589 Speaker 1: I'm going to figure it out on my own. I 113 00:06:57,610 --> 00:07:01,670 Speaker 1: don't want to put this on anybody else. Sometimes we 114 00:07:01,750 --> 00:07:05,940 Speaker 1: hide from or we hide behind accomplishments or we hide 115 00:07:05,980 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: behind relationships or ministry or performance or entertainment. But God 116 00:07:10,660 --> 00:07:13,620 Speaker 1: is saying, where are you? I want you to come 117 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,900 Speaker 1: to me. Where are you? Are you busy trying to 118 00:07:17,940 --> 00:07:22,330 Speaker 1: clean up the mess? Where are you? Are you preoccupied 119 00:07:22,350 --> 00:07:24,350 Speaker 1: with trying to get all of your ducks in a row? 120 00:07:25,170 --> 00:07:28,750 Speaker 1: Where are you? Are you weighed down by shame and 121 00:07:28,790 --> 00:07:30,850 Speaker 1: you're just like in this pit and you don't even 122 00:07:31,030 --> 00:07:34,110 Speaker 1: think that you have the strength or the access to 123 00:07:34,390 --> 00:07:37,750 Speaker 1: call and cry out to God, he is inviting you 124 00:07:37,950 --> 00:07:41,970 Speaker 1: to him so that you can invite him to you. 125 00:07:41,990 --> 00:07:45,910 Speaker 1: Does that make sense? You don't have to feel worthy 126 00:07:46,110 --> 00:07:48,590 Speaker 1: enough or get to this point where you feel worthy 127 00:07:48,650 --> 00:07:51,090 Speaker 1: enough and you have everything figured out and you have 128 00:07:51,130 --> 00:07:55,850 Speaker 1: everything cleaned up to approach and be in his presence. 129 00:07:56,970 --> 00:07:59,490 Speaker 1: Jesus is the one who made a way for us 130 00:07:59,570 --> 00:08:02,620 Speaker 1: to enter his presence. So I want you to really 131 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: think about and ask yourself today, like, what is keeping 132 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: me from coming to God today? Is there something that 133 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,770 Speaker 1: is keeping me from approaching him? Is it shame? Is 134 00:08:12,810 --> 00:08:17,850 Speaker 1: it busyness? Is it disappointment or distraction? Could it be 135 00:08:18,370 --> 00:08:21,550 Speaker 1: sin that you've been entertaining for far too long? Is 136 00:08:21,610 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: it fear? There are a lot of things that can 137 00:08:23,980 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: keep us from approaching the throne of grace, from approaching 138 00:08:28,820 --> 00:08:32,809 Speaker 1: a God who has given us an open invitation to 139 00:08:33,429 --> 00:08:37,010 Speaker 1: approach him as we are with what we're going through, 140 00:08:37,090 --> 00:08:40,220 Speaker 1: with what we have or what we lack. And from 141 00:08:40,300 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 1: that point, from that place, he deals with us and 142 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: not deals with us in the sense of, okay, I'm 143 00:08:46,179 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: just going to deal with, you know, dealing with us 144 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: in the sense of, I'm going to heal you. I'm 145 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,630 Speaker 1: going to transform you. I'm going to deliver you. I'm 146 00:08:54,670 --> 00:08:57,790 Speaker 1: going to guide you. I'm going to prune you. I'm 147 00:08:57,850 --> 00:09:01,070 Speaker 1: going to strengthen you. Like, all of these things and 148 00:09:01,110 --> 00:09:05,050 Speaker 1: more out of his goodness, out of his kindness. That 149 00:09:05,110 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: is who he is. The invitation stands for us to 150 00:09:08,500 --> 00:09:12,660 Speaker 1: approach him because of what Jesus did on the cross, 151 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,580 Speaker 1: because he made a way we can approach the throne 152 00:09:17,059 --> 00:09:21,470 Speaker 1: of grace and the presence of God. He invites us 153 00:09:22,090 --> 00:09:25,790 Speaker 1: to come. The second thing that God invites us to 154 00:09:25,910 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: is to know him. God doesn't merely invite us to 155 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: come near enough just to receive something from him. Okay. 156 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,490 Speaker 1: He invites us to know him. And this is what 157 00:09:37,510 --> 00:09:40,809 Speaker 1: Jeremiah 9, 23 through 24 says. It says, let not 158 00:09:40,830 --> 00:09:43,390 Speaker 1: the wise man boast in his wisdom. Let not the 159 00:09:43,490 --> 00:09:46,030 Speaker 1: mighty man boast in his might. Let not the rich 160 00:09:46,070 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts, 161 00:09:50,179 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: boast in this, that he understands and knows me. That 162 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:00,110 Speaker 1: he understands and knows me. Think about that. The creator 163 00:10:00,210 --> 00:10:03,770 Speaker 1: of everything says that one of the greatest things that 164 00:10:03,809 --> 00:10:07,350 Speaker 1: a human being can possess isn't wealth, isn't power, isn't 165 00:10:07,550 --> 00:10:13,090 Speaker 1: influence or intelligence or success. It's to know him and 166 00:10:13,130 --> 00:10:17,069 Speaker 1: not just know about him, but to know him intimately. 167 00:10:18,100 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: Hosea chapter 6 verse 3 says, let us know. Let 168 00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:26,460 Speaker 1: us press on to know the Lord. And then Jesus 169 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,390 Speaker 1: defines eternal life in John 17 3 by saying, and 170 00:10:29,450 --> 00:10:33,969 Speaker 1: this is eternal life that they know you. The only 171 00:10:34,270 --> 00:10:39,290 Speaker 1: true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Here's 172 00:10:39,309 --> 00:10:41,890 Speaker 1: the thing. Christianity, it's not merely just knowing about God. 173 00:10:41,910 --> 00:10:45,589 Speaker 1: It is knowing God because you can know theology and 174 00:10:45,929 --> 00:10:48,450 Speaker 1: You can know the Bible just like the Pharisees did, right? 175 00:10:48,530 --> 00:10:54,449 Speaker 1: And not necessarily walk intimately with the God that theology describes. 176 00:10:55,830 --> 00:10:58,370 Speaker 1: You can listen to sermons about him, podcasts about him, right? 177 00:10:58,450 --> 00:11:00,410 Speaker 1: Like this one. You can read books about him. You 178 00:11:00,450 --> 00:11:03,170 Speaker 1: can post Bible verses about him. Put one in your bio. 179 00:11:03,230 --> 00:11:05,250 Speaker 1: I don't know. You can even teach other people about 180 00:11:05,290 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: him and you can still actually neglect sitting with him 181 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: and knowing him intimately, getting to know his heart and 182 00:11:13,140 --> 00:11:14,500 Speaker 1: and the plans that he has for you, and the 183 00:11:14,540 --> 00:11:16,500 Speaker 1: words that he wants to speak over you, and just 184 00:11:16,900 --> 00:11:20,719 Speaker 1: who he is. Some of us have an incorrect view 185 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,330 Speaker 1: of who he is. Maybe we have an incorrect view 186 00:11:23,370 --> 00:11:26,110 Speaker 1: because of some of the content that we've consumed or 187 00:11:26,370 --> 00:11:28,410 Speaker 1: some of the people that we've listened to. Not to 188 00:11:28,450 --> 00:11:30,530 Speaker 1: put every single thing at fault, but we need to 189 00:11:30,610 --> 00:11:34,430 Speaker 1: test and know who God truly is for ourselves in 190 00:11:34,550 --> 00:11:39,390 Speaker 1: spirit and in truth, intimately and intellectually through the illumination 191 00:11:39,429 --> 00:11:42,949 Speaker 1: of the word but also through an intimate encounter with 192 00:11:42,990 --> 00:11:47,790 Speaker 1: him by pursuing him, to know him deeply as a friend, 193 00:11:48,110 --> 00:11:52,790 Speaker 1: as a father, as our bridegroom. There's a difference between 194 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:57,220 Speaker 1: having information about someone and intimacy with someone. I have 195 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,739 Speaker 1: a lot of information about a lot of people, right? 196 00:11:59,820 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: I know about a lot of people in history. I 197 00:12:01,660 --> 00:12:04,219 Speaker 1: know about a lot of celebrities. I know about a 198 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,819 Speaker 1: lot of pastors, right? But do I intimately know all 199 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,380 Speaker 1: of these people at a deep level where There is 200 00:12:10,660 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: proximity and closeness and, and shared conversation where there is 201 00:12:16,700 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: years and tears behind all of that. No, like imagine 202 00:12:21,020 --> 00:12:23,410 Speaker 1: if I told you that I have this incredible relationship 203 00:12:23,429 --> 00:12:26,630 Speaker 1: with my husband because I knew his birthday and I 204 00:12:26,650 --> 00:12:29,270 Speaker 1: knew his height and I knew his favorite meal where 205 00:12:29,309 --> 00:12:31,950 Speaker 1: he grew up, what he does for work. You'd probably say, okay, 206 00:12:31,970 --> 00:12:33,750 Speaker 1: but like, do you actually spend time together? Like, what 207 00:12:33,770 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: do you know about him? What makes him laugh? What 208 00:12:36,380 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 1: makes him upset? What intrigues him? Like, who is he? 209 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,070 Speaker 1: Relationships are not just merely, let me say that again, 210 00:12:46,550 --> 00:12:51,290 Speaker 1: relationships are not merely based on just knowing the facts. 211 00:12:51,830 --> 00:12:55,450 Speaker 1: It is built through a process of pursuit and presence, 212 00:12:56,080 --> 00:13:01,740 Speaker 1: intimately knowing. And God has revealed himself to us. Guess why? 213 00:13:02,260 --> 00:13:05,260 Speaker 1: Because he wants to be known. He has revealed himself 214 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:08,830 Speaker 1: through general revelation and special revelation. He has revealed himself 215 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,410 Speaker 1: through the world in which we interact with. Where did 216 00:13:12,429 --> 00:13:14,609 Speaker 1: all this come from? It came from a place, right? 217 00:13:14,870 --> 00:13:16,950 Speaker 1: But we also know who he is through his word, 218 00:13:17,390 --> 00:13:23,550 Speaker 1: through the spirit, through Jesus. Like, yes, study scripture, learn theology. 219 00:13:23,770 --> 00:13:25,930 Speaker 1: I have a degree in it. I spent money on that, right? 220 00:13:26,130 --> 00:13:30,140 Speaker 1: Like grow in your biblical knowledge, but don't just stop 221 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: at information when it comes to knowing God and encountering God. 222 00:13:36,580 --> 00:13:40,490 Speaker 1: Let everything that you learn about God lead you to 223 00:13:40,590 --> 00:13:45,229 Speaker 1: a deeper relationship with God. When you learn that he 224 00:13:45,309 --> 00:13:49,369 Speaker 1: is faithful, start trusting him. When you learn that he 225 00:13:49,429 --> 00:13:53,969 Speaker 1: is compassionate, start approaching him in your weakness. When you 226 00:13:54,090 --> 00:13:58,110 Speaker 1: learn that he is holy, worship him. When you learn 227 00:13:58,330 --> 00:14:01,810 Speaker 1: that he is sovereign, begin to surrender in your life. 228 00:14:02,350 --> 00:14:05,949 Speaker 1: When you learn that he is father, approach him from 229 00:14:05,990 --> 00:14:11,339 Speaker 1: the point of a child. The goal isn't simply, I 230 00:14:11,380 --> 00:14:14,060 Speaker 1: know more about God this year than I did last 231 00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:16,940 Speaker 1: year or this month versus last month. The goal is 232 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: I know him more deeply than I did last year, 233 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: last month, last week, last hour, knowing him intimately. The 234 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,900 Speaker 1: third invitation that God gives us, he invites us to 235 00:14:29,940 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: come to him. He invites us to know him, but 236 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:37,900 Speaker 1: he also invites us to abide, abide and, and I 237 00:14:37,980 --> 00:14:46,620 Speaker 1: love this because abiding insinuates staying, dwelling, remaining. In John 15, 4, 238 00:14:46,620 --> 00:14:50,420 Speaker 1: he says, abide in me and I in you. That 239 00:14:50,470 --> 00:14:54,250 Speaker 1: word abide carries this idea of remaining and staying and 240 00:14:54,290 --> 00:14:57,090 Speaker 1: continuing and dwelling. And I think this is where a 241 00:14:57,130 --> 00:15:00,510 Speaker 1: lot of us can struggle, right? We're good at visiting 242 00:15:01,090 --> 00:15:03,370 Speaker 1: God's presence. We treat it like, you know, the Bible 243 00:15:03,430 --> 00:15:07,180 Speaker 1: is our passport, our visa, right? Right. And it's like, ding, 244 00:15:07,260 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: I just check in and then I check out. But 245 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: Jesus is not just asking for a visitation. He wants 246 00:15:13,140 --> 00:15:18,140 Speaker 1: us to live there, to live in his presence. We 247 00:15:18,180 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: meet with God in the morning and then like we 248 00:15:20,380 --> 00:15:23,300 Speaker 1: mentally check out once we close our Bible. We worship 249 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,350 Speaker 1: him on Sunday. Right. But then we spend Monday through 250 00:15:26,370 --> 00:15:29,470 Speaker 1: Saturday operating as if we don't even know who he is. 251 00:15:30,350 --> 00:15:35,050 Speaker 1: Acting completely out of character. Jesus doesn't want visitation. He 252 00:15:35,090 --> 00:15:40,450 Speaker 1: wants invitation to communion with him, real abiding, staying connected 253 00:15:40,750 --> 00:15:44,630 Speaker 1: to him, walking with him, depending on him, bringing the 254 00:15:44,870 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: ordinary parts of our day to him, as well as 255 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: the things that feel weighty and significant and too big 256 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: for us to figure out and carry on our own. 257 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: But we often reverse this idea. this idea that we get, 258 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: this order that we see in John 15, 5. This 259 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: is what John 15, 5 says. It says, Notice that order. 260 00:16:14,810 --> 00:16:19,210 Speaker 1: Abiding comes before the fruit. We often reverse that. We think, 261 00:16:19,570 --> 00:16:21,470 Speaker 1: you know, if I can become more fruitful and more 262 00:16:21,510 --> 00:16:24,850 Speaker 1: disciplined and more holy and productive and useful, then I'll 263 00:16:24,870 --> 00:16:29,140 Speaker 1: be closer to God. Jesus says, stay close to me 264 00:16:29,260 --> 00:16:31,290 Speaker 1: and the fruit will come from that closeness. That's where 265 00:16:31,310 --> 00:16:33,990 Speaker 1: we get the fruit of the spirit, right? In Galatians, 266 00:16:34,830 --> 00:16:37,270 Speaker 1: he abides in us and the fruits of the spirit 267 00:16:37,290 --> 00:16:40,230 Speaker 1: that are produced because it's the spirit producing them within us. 268 00:16:40,610 --> 00:16:44,390 Speaker 1: Our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 269 00:16:45,510 --> 00:16:47,670 Speaker 1: Jesus wants us to stay close to him because that's 270 00:16:47,690 --> 00:16:51,250 Speaker 1: where the fruit comes from. It's not produced from a 271 00:16:51,450 --> 00:16:54,170 Speaker 1: branch trying harder. If you think about fruit in a tree, right? 272 00:16:54,690 --> 00:16:57,950 Speaker 1: Fruit comes because The branch remains connected to the vine. 273 00:16:58,950 --> 00:17:01,910 Speaker 1: And maybe that's what some of us who are listening 274 00:17:02,590 --> 00:17:05,790 Speaker 1: to this episode today need to hear. That you don't 275 00:17:05,830 --> 00:17:09,550 Speaker 1: need another five-step strategy for becoming a better Christian. Like 276 00:17:09,650 --> 00:17:12,469 Speaker 1: you just need to return to the vine. You need 277 00:17:12,510 --> 00:17:15,950 Speaker 1: to actually abide and stop trying to manufacture what can 278 00:17:16,190 --> 00:17:20,820 Speaker 1: only grow through intimacy with Jesus. Fruit that comes from 279 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: the spirit abiding in you because you are abiding in him, 280 00:17:24,020 --> 00:17:28,170 Speaker 1: remaining in him, living in in his presence, not just visiting. 281 00:17:29,990 --> 00:17:32,610 Speaker 1: So I want you to think about and consider what 282 00:17:32,650 --> 00:17:36,630 Speaker 1: would abiding look like in your life? What would actual 283 00:17:36,690 --> 00:17:40,379 Speaker 1: abiding look like in your life? For me, now that 284 00:17:40,390 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: I'm a mom, it looks like talking to God when 285 00:17:43,890 --> 00:17:46,660 Speaker 1: I'm driving in the car. It looks like praying over 286 00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: my daughter as she's falling asleep in my arms and 287 00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:50,520 Speaker 1: I'm rocking her and I have a bottle in her 288 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 1: mouth and I'm like exhausted and it's the end of 289 00:17:52,740 --> 00:17:55,250 Speaker 1: my day. but it's quiet in that room and I 290 00:17:55,270 --> 00:17:56,820 Speaker 1: get to pray over her and I get to talk 291 00:17:56,859 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: to God, right? Maybe it's turning your anxieties that you 292 00:18:01,060 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: are going through into a place of prayer as it's 293 00:18:05,980 --> 00:18:09,139 Speaker 1: surfacing in your day or in your life. Maybe it's 294 00:18:09,260 --> 00:18:12,949 Speaker 1: opening scripture because you genuinely want to hear his voice, 295 00:18:13,010 --> 00:18:15,990 Speaker 1: not because you're just trying to get like a Bible 296 00:18:16,109 --> 00:18:19,770 Speaker 1: app streak. I don't know. Worshiping him while you're washing 297 00:18:19,810 --> 00:18:22,270 Speaker 1: the dishes. I've been doing that a lot. Listening to 298 00:18:22,290 --> 00:18:25,980 Speaker 1: worship music. Even at the gym, as I'm stewarding my body, 299 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: I'm listening to Christian podcasts and sermons. My husband's doing 300 00:18:29,540 --> 00:18:31,899 Speaker 1: that too, and he really inspired me with that. Let 301 00:18:31,940 --> 00:18:36,570 Speaker 1: me listen to some more sermons. Let me get fed 302 00:18:37,010 --> 00:18:40,330 Speaker 1: and then pause and dwell and talk to God about 303 00:18:40,369 --> 00:18:44,390 Speaker 1: these things. Maybe it's also just pausing before a big 304 00:18:44,430 --> 00:18:46,820 Speaker 1: decision that you need to make this week and think, okay, Jesus, 305 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: what would faithfulness look like here? Because Abiding in Christ 306 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: turns ordinary moments in our day to day into an 307 00:18:55,700 --> 00:18:59,910 Speaker 1: extraordinary life with God. That's what real abiding looks like. 308 00:18:59,930 --> 00:19:03,850 Speaker 1: That's the fruit of it. When you zoom out and 309 00:19:04,210 --> 00:19:06,290 Speaker 1: you look at the whole story of scripture, because that's 310 00:19:06,310 --> 00:19:07,590 Speaker 1: what I love to do, right? Like we have all 311 00:19:07,630 --> 00:19:10,609 Speaker 1: these little S stories that make up the big S story, 312 00:19:10,650 --> 00:19:14,450 Speaker 1: the meta narrative of the Bible. Something really beautiful emerges. 313 00:19:14,490 --> 00:19:16,929 Speaker 1: The pattern that we see is that God is always 314 00:19:17,020 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 1: inviting his people. Like Over 300 times. I tried to 315 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: find an exact number. I couldn't. Because there's so many 316 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,060 Speaker 1: variations of it. Come to me. Seek me. Call upon me. 317 00:19:28,220 --> 00:19:32,139 Speaker 1: Know me. Draw near. Follow me. Abide in me. The 318 00:19:32,260 --> 00:19:35,570 Speaker 1: invitation is displayed in so many ways. And then you 319 00:19:35,609 --> 00:19:39,609 Speaker 1: reach the final chapter of the Bible. And in Revelation 22, 17, 320 00:19:39,609 --> 00:19:44,189 Speaker 1: it says, the spirit and the bride say, come. And 321 00:19:44,250 --> 00:19:47,770 Speaker 1: let the one who hears say, come. and let the 322 00:19:47,869 --> 00:19:56,619 Speaker 1: one who is thirsty come. The Bible ends with the invitation. Come. Approach. Arrive. 323 00:19:57,580 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 1: That's God's invitation to you today. Not try harder. Not 324 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:06,659 Speaker 1: prove yourself. Not make yourself worthy. It's come. Approach. You 325 00:20:06,740 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 1: are invited. If you have wandered, come. If you are tired, come. 326 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:16,219 Speaker 1: If you have sinned, repent and come. If you are 327 00:20:16,260 --> 00:20:20,830 Speaker 1: confused or grieving or spiritually dry, come all who blank, 328 00:20:21,150 --> 00:20:25,109 Speaker 1: are weary, are broken, are wandering, are lost, are whatever. 329 00:20:26,630 --> 00:20:29,510 Speaker 1: Approach the Lord. And if you have been walking close 330 00:20:29,530 --> 00:20:31,890 Speaker 1: with Jesus, if you have not been in a dry spell, 331 00:20:31,930 --> 00:20:35,290 Speaker 1: if you are not lukewarm, if you have been, you know, 332 00:20:35,410 --> 00:20:40,510 Speaker 1: genuinely pursuing him, you know what? Come closer. Come closer 333 00:20:40,950 --> 00:20:45,330 Speaker 1: to him because there is always more of God to know. 334 00:20:45,790 --> 00:20:50,390 Speaker 1: There's always more. Don't just settle about knowing more about him. 335 00:20:50,690 --> 00:20:54,379 Speaker 1: Come to him, know him, abide in him because the 336 00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 1: God who created you has not merely commanded your obedience. Yes, 337 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: we are called to live a life of obedience, but 338 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: through Christ, he has invited you to have communion with himself. 339 00:21:06,140 --> 00:21:13,899 Speaker 1: God wants you close. Isn't that beautiful? That God wants 340 00:21:14,060 --> 00:21:20,470 Speaker 1: you close. He made a way. He made a way 341 00:21:20,510 --> 00:21:28,810 Speaker 1: through Jesus. So know today that that invitation is for you. 342 00:21:29,530 --> 00:21:31,889 Speaker 1: You don't have to have it all together. You don't 343 00:21:31,910 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 1: have to have it all figured out. You can come 344 00:21:34,500 --> 00:21:38,379 Speaker 1: with all the baggage, whether it is suitcases full or 345 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:44,940 Speaker 1: just a little bindle. And he will abide in you. 346 00:21:46,780 --> 00:21:49,020 Speaker 1: As you submit and commit your life to following him 347 00:21:49,100 --> 00:21:52,179 Speaker 1: and knowing him and abiding in him, he will abide 348 00:21:52,260 --> 00:21:55,030 Speaker 1: in you. And out of that comes the fruit of transformation, 349 00:21:56,210 --> 00:22:00,909 Speaker 1: of a sound mind, of a redeemed life, of a 350 00:22:00,970 --> 00:22:08,710 Speaker 1: changed heart, of renewed relationships, of freedom and fullness of life. 351 00:22:09,470 --> 00:22:17,010 Speaker 1: of strength and courage and so much more love, mercy, boldness. 352 00:22:18,490 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: There's so much fruit, but it's not just about the fruit. Okay. 353 00:22:23,180 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: It's about Jesus. It's about God. It's about knowing him. 354 00:22:26,220 --> 00:22:28,100 Speaker 1: I hope that this episode encouraged you. This is just 355 00:22:28,140 --> 00:22:33,210 Speaker 1: something that I've been dwelling on recently. And yeah, as 356 00:22:33,250 --> 00:22:34,929 Speaker 1: we dwell on this, I pray that you dwell on 357 00:22:34,970 --> 00:22:36,850 Speaker 1: it with the Lord and you don't just leave this 358 00:22:37,050 --> 00:22:41,170 Speaker 1: podcast being like, okay, click, we're done. No, spend some time. 359 00:22:41,230 --> 00:22:42,929 Speaker 1: If you have some time, I don't know where or 360 00:22:43,010 --> 00:22:44,730 Speaker 1: when you're listening to this, but if you have time, 361 00:22:45,310 --> 00:22:48,340 Speaker 1: spend some time with him and just abide with him. 362 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,300 Speaker 1: Come to him, know him and abide. I'll leave it there. 363 00:22:53,780 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: I'll let you talk with God because the invitation is there. 364 00:22:56,580 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: I love you guys. I'll see you here next week 365 00:22:57,980 --> 00:23:00,580 Speaker 1: for another episode of the bottom beloved podcast. But until then, 366 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 1: that's your invitation. Come know and abide. I'll see you 367 00:23:05,460 --> 00:23:09,869 Speaker 1: guys next week. Love you. Bye. For more life-giving faith-based 368 00:23:09,910 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: podcasts just like this one, check out lifeaudio.com, a proud 369 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: partner of the Botten Beloved Podcast.