1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: It feels awesome today. My name is Wade Joy. I'm 7 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: the worship pastor here and I have the incredible honor 8 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: and privilege to bring God's word to you this weekend. 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: I am so excited about what God has given me 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: to share. But first of all, how awesome was that 11 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: message from Pastor Stephen last weekend? The pressure to perform, 12 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: and if I'm being real, I feel just a little 13 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: bit of pressure being on this stage right now. We're 14 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: the greatest preacher on the planet, preaches every single weekend. 15 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: But that sermon last week it helped me so much 16 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: to live out of a place of purpose and not 17 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: trying to perform for us people. And in fact, Pastor 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: Stephen was in a meeting with our campus pastors and 19 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: a lot of our church leaders this week and he 20 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: was really encouraging us as we talked about that message. 21 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: When we look at ministry to always lean into what 22 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: is most helpful for people, not what is going to 23 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: impress an audience. And when he said that, it made 24 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: me just extra thankful for all the sermons that he's 25 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: preached that have helped me love God more, helped me 26 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: trust the Lord more fully, help me believe that God 27 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 1: can actually use somebody like me. So if anything in 28 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: this ministry has helped you, can you just appreciate what 29 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: God has done through the church. So God has given 30 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: me something that I hope helped you. And if you 31 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: can just remain standing as we look at our main 32 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: text today, it's found in Meaemiah chapter six. And I 33 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: was studying this book with a lot of our worship 34 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: leaders earlier in the year and God just began to 35 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: illuminate some truths in my heart that helped me a lot. 36 00:01:57,960 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: And if you don't know about Nehemiah, he was a 37 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: leader who led a remnant of Jews back to Jerusalem 38 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: out of exile, and he was tasked with rebuilding the 39 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: wall around Jerusalem. The wall was broken down, the city 40 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: was vulnerable, and God had given him this great task. 41 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: But he faced a lot of opposition. He faced a 42 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: lot of setbacks, and that's kind of where we find 43 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: him right now. Nehemiah chapter six, and it says this 44 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: when word came to sand Ballot, to Baia, Guessham, the 45 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: Arab and the rest of our enemies, that I had 46 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in 47 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: up though up to that time I had not set 48 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: the doors in the gates. Sand Ballot and Gesham sent 49 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 1: me this message, Come let us meet together in one 50 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: of the villages on the plane of oh No. Side. 51 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: Note nothing good happens in a place called oh No. 52 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: Just trust me there. But they were scheming to harm me. 53 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: So I sent messengers to them with this reply, I'm 54 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why 55 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: should the workstop? Well, I leave it and go down 56 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: to you. Four times they sent me the same message, 57 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: and each time I gave them the same answer. Then 58 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: the fifth time, Sambalot sent his aid to me with 59 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed 60 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: life in which was written it is reported among the nations, 61 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 1: and Gesham says, it is true that you and the 62 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building 63 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: the wall. Moreover, according to these reports. You're about to 64 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: become their king. And I've even appointed prophets to make 65 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: this proclamation about you in Jerusalem. There is a king 66 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: in Judah. Now this report will get back to the king. 67 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: So come let us meet together. And I sent him 68 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: this reply. Nothing like what you are saying is happening. 69 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,679 Speaker 1: You are just making it up out of your head. 70 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: I just gave you a new bibble verse you can 71 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: quote to some of the people in your life. They 72 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: were all trying to frighten us, thinking their hands will 73 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: get too weak for the work and it will not 74 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: be completed. But I prayed, now strengthen my hands. So 75 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: the title today's message is stacking strength. Stacking strength. Come on, 76 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: let's pray together. Lord. I thank you for the strength 77 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: that flows from your word. God, I thank you for 78 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: the strength that flows from your presence. So Lord, right now, 79 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: I prayed that you will speak a very specific word 80 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: to everybody under the sound of my voice, as your 81 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: word is reached in Jesus' name. Amen, All right, come on, 82 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: give a couple of hugs Memorial Day hugs as you 83 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: have a seat. So I had a bit of an 84 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: old man's rite of passage recently last week I turned 85 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: forty three, was my forty third birthday. Thank you. I 86 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: share a birthday with the Great Holly Ferdic. I'm much older, though, 87 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 1: and I've really been praying to get that George Clooney 88 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: anointing because I want to believe that I'm going to 89 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: get better with age, that the gray in my beard 90 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: makes me look more distinguished, makes me look more handsome, 91 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: that I'm in the wisdom zone of with all this experience. 92 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: But every day my body is telling me that that 93 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: is a lie, because everything hurts. I think my knee 94 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: hurts right now. But you know, a couple months ago, 95 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 1: I was in a meeting and I started to get 96 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: this just stabbing pain in my right and I had 97 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: to wait it out a little bit because I don't 98 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: know if you're like this, but I'm the kind of 99 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: guy that I can't google any symptoms I have. I 100 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: can't go to web md because I automatically go to 101 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: the worst case scenario possible, even like one little snuff 102 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: and I think I'm done for or I think I 103 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 1: have this like disease. It's only in two percent of 104 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: the population in Brazil, and somehow it's found its way 105 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: to me and Charlotte, North Carolina. But this, this stabbing pain, 106 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: it wouldn't go away, and I couldn't even focus. And 107 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: it reminded me of when I had my appendix out 108 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: about fifteen or twenty years ago. But since my appendix 109 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: isn't there anymore, I realized something was wrong, and so 110 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 1: I started to sweat in the meeting, I started to 111 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 1: pace around. I couldn't concentrate. So I just had to 112 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: leave and I went to the emergency room because I 113 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: knew something serious was actually wrong. So once I navigated 114 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: the glorious place that is the waiting room of the 115 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 1: emergency room, I made it back to the doctor. I 116 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: started to talk through my symptoms and where the pain 117 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: was and where the pain was spreading to and I'll 118 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: save you those details. And he looked at me and 119 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: he said, oh, you've got a kidney stone. Some people 120 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: have had. I heard some of those groans right there. 121 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: You know, you feel my pain, and you know I 122 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: knew my day of reckoning had finally come. For all 123 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: the soft drinks that I drink. So if you know me, 124 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: on a good day, I drink about six diet cokes. 125 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: Are this healthier soda called ZeVA six a day most days. 126 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: Most days I'm more in like the ten eleven twelve range. 127 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: I know, just bring on all the judgment. I was 128 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: ready for it. It's my vice, but thank you. But 129 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: if you multiply six soft drinks a day times three 130 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,480 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty five days a year times twenty years 131 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: that I've really kind of been been doing this, that 132 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: equals one very painful kidney stone. And so as my 133 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: doctor and I were talking, he then said what I 134 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: was waiting for him to say, and he said, do 135 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: you want morphine? And he then said, you know, you know, 136 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: having a kidney stone is the closest a man will 137 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 1: get to childbirth. I know all the women are just 138 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: rolling your eyes. You think we're a bunch of WIMPs. 139 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: Now we are. I am, And since I'm not into 140 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: natural childbirth, I said, give me all the medicine. You 141 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: can give me the morphine. I am ready right now. 142 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: So once I got that, I was good to go. 143 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: I was feeling better. They did some tests and they said, 144 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: you have a three millimeter kidney stone, which is a 145 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: medium sized stone. Six millimeters or more we'd consider a 146 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: large stone. And then we do the procedure to break 147 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: it apart and it'll pass much easier. And so I 148 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: was just waiting to find out, how are you going 149 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: to get this out of me today? Because I've heard 150 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: horror stories about passing this thing and I do not 151 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: want to experience that. And all they did is gave 152 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: me some muscle relaxers, some pain meds, and a filter 153 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: to catch it in and said this will come out 154 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: sometime in the next two to three weeks. That is 155 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: not what I wanted to hear, because three milimeters might 156 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: sound small to you, but it was a mountain to me, 157 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: and I need a God to move that mountain. Right then, 158 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: I was praying every prayer of faith I could possibly pray, 159 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: and thankfully the Lord heard my cry and in his mercy, 160 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: the next day it passed. But I never knew that 161 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: something so small could stop me dead in my tracks, 162 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:17,559 Speaker 1: something three millimeters could shut my system down, because small 163 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: things make a big impact. And honestly, that's been the 164 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: motto I've lived by. I mean, that's the short man's 165 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: motto right there. I've always any any story where the 166 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: short guy is the hero I love. That's why I 167 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: love Lord of the Rings. I can relate to hobbits 168 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: is awesome. Any story in the Bible where, like you know, 169 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: the giant is slain with the one small stone, or 170 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 1: the mountains could be moved with faith the size of 171 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: a mustard seed or a kidney stone. I cheer about that. 172 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: I love I love that. But it also can work 173 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: the other way, And this is the way that we 174 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: don't cheer about as much. Where a decade long friendship 175 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: can be ruined by one betrayal or one mistake can 176 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: have ramatic implications for your entire future. Galatians five nine 177 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: and the Passion translation says, don't you know that when 178 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: you allow even a little lie into your heart, it 179 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: can permeate your entire belief system. See I want to 180 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: be the guy like Nehemiah who does great things for God. 181 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: I want to be the guy that builds the wall. 182 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: But there is one little lie that makes me feel 183 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: like a failure over and over and over again. See. 184 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 1: I know all the promises of Scripture and that all 185 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: God's promises are yes and amen for me and Christ Jesus. 186 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: But there's one little lie that looks like the truth 187 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: that has taken up residency in my heart, and it 188 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: makes me feel like I can't do anything that matters 189 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: for God. It makes me think that God is using 190 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: other people more than he's using me, and it stops 191 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: me in my tracks time and time again. And this 192 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: lie is so dangerous because it sounds a lot like 193 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: the truth. And it's this and maybe you struggle with 194 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: this as well. But the lie I tell myself all 195 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: too often is that my greatest impact happens when I 196 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: take giant steps of faith. So my greatest impact happens 197 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: when I take giant steps of faith. And maybe you 198 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 1: don't struggle with this the way I do, But I 199 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: feel like God only uses me when I take the 200 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: big risk, when I take the huge step of faith. 201 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: If I'm being honest, I feel like God only uses 202 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: me the two times a year I'm on this stage 203 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: preaching or some of you know about you know how 204 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: my kids were born and they had a lot of 205 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: medical issues, and we prayed for miracles in the hospital 206 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: and we saw those miracles, and I felt like God 207 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: used me then. But what about every other day? That 208 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: seems really really ordinary. I read a study on the internet, 209 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: which of course means it's true that said the average 210 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 1: person gets fifteen days of perfect happiness a year. So 211 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: I don't know how they define perfect happiness, but no 212 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 1: matter what, that's just depressing right right there. So two 213 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: weeks of happiness a year, and I realized that I 214 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 1: kind of think of faith that way. Then I might 215 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: get fifteen perfect faith days a year where I can 216 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: actually see God using me, I can see the evidence 217 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: of it. I feel like I'm in the faith zone. 218 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: And that just makes me feel so defeated, because what 219 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: about the other fifty weeks of the year, when I'm 220 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: in meetings, when I'm answering emails, when I'm chow foring 221 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,719 Speaker 1: my kids to and from their practices. How is God 222 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: working in my life? Then? Have you ever felt like that? 223 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: Have you ever wondered? Am I even making a difference 224 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: in the ordinary and mundane routine of life? Well? I 225 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: have two. And God has really been helping me with 226 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: this passage from me Amiah. Break down that lie and 227 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: replace it with a truth, because whenever you get rid 228 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: of a lie, you have to replace it with something 229 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: that is true. And so what God has been teaching 230 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: me is this, And I want you to hold onto this. 231 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: If you get nothing else from this message, I want 232 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: you to walk away with this, and that is that 233 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: my greatest impact doesn't happen through giant steps of faith, 234 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 1: but rather through daily steps of faithfulness. God doesn't just 235 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: move through the dramatic. He does do that, but more 236 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 1: often than not, he moves through the daily, the day 237 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: to day. See Nei a Mayah took the giant step 238 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: to build the wall, but what inspires me about his 239 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: story is how he persevered in the day today, obedience 240 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: even when it's hard. And so that's what I want 241 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 1: us to talk about today. There's three principles in this 242 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: passage that are helping me a lot to believe that 243 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: God can use me even when it doesn't seem like 244 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: it around me, and I hope they help you too. 245 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: The first is this, and if you're a note taker, 246 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: go ahead and write this down. The impact definishing is 247 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: greater than the excitement of starting. The impact definishing is 248 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: greater than the excitement of starting. See even though it 249 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: doesn't say it explicitly in this text, I have to 250 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: believe that the people in Jerusalem were feeling energized because 251 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: the wall looked to be complete. I mean, the walls 252 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: were high, they look strong. I imagine they were standing 253 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: there trying to get just the perfect selfie with the 254 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: walls in the background to post on Instagram. They were 255 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: feeling energized by the progress. But there was one detail 256 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: that you might have glossed over, because I did it 257 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: first in the first verse of this chapter, and it 258 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: says this when word came to Sambalot to buy a 259 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: guess in the Arab and the rest of our enemies, 260 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 1: that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap 261 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: was left in it, though up to that time I 262 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 1: had not set the doors in the gates. See, there 263 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: wasn't a gap in the wall, but there was a 264 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: pretty big gap where the doors should have been. There 265 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: was a pretty big gap where the gate was. There 266 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: was a lot of progress that had been made, but 267 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: the work hadn't been completed yet. How many of y'all 268 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: were here for a series that we did about a 269 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 1: year ago called Gates of Change. It was an awesome, 270 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: awesome series. I loved it. Some of you did too, 271 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: and we learned in this series how important gates were 272 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: to ancient cities. They were the place of commerce, of trials, 273 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: proclamations from kings. A lot of stuff happened at the gate, 274 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: but it was also the most vulnerable part of the 275 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: city because it was the part that enemies sought to 276 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: conquer first, because if you could control the gate, you 277 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 1: could control the city. So no matter how high and 278 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: strong and mighty these walls were, the city was still 279 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: vulnerable because the gates weren't in place, the work wasn't done. 280 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: So we loved to start things, but finishing things is 281 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: a different matter, and we used to experience this a 282 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: lot back in the early days of songwriting for our 283 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: church ten eleven, twelve years ago. First of all, y'all 284 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: know nothing about old school elevation worship, but Pastor Stephen 285 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: commissioned us to write songs, and you know, me and 286 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: Chris and the rest of the team, we had no 287 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: idea how to write worship songs. So anything that had, 288 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: you know, remotely rhymed kind of had a melody to 289 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: it was somewhat scripturally accurate. We would just test it 290 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: out on the poor people of our church. It was 291 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: not FDA approved yet, it did not have the official 292 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: worship song stamp of approval, but the church was patient 293 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: with us. It served its purpose in that time, but 294 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: it was a huge blessing when Pastor Stephen got involved 295 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: in the songwriting process because he would say, Okay, that's 296 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: not a song, that's an idea, that's a rough draft. 297 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: We need to take this round two, round three, round four, five, 298 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: round ten, because he wanted us to really dig to 299 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: find what was most meaningful for our church to sing. 300 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: And that's why there's a song like Resurrecting that means 301 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: so much to our church. But it took a year 302 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: to write, and I remember, you know, nine months and 303 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: ten months, and Pastor Stephen was trying to find just 304 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: the perfect line for that fourth verse that would just 305 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: elicit faith when we sang it at our church. And 306 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: so now our team is on a European tour and 307 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: when they get to the fourth verse and singing the 308 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: tumb where soldiers watched in vain was barred four three days, 309 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: his body there would not remain. Our God has robbed 310 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: the grave. There's going to be shouts halfway across the 311 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: world because of that line and how it elicits faith 312 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: in people's hearts. But that didn't come with the song idea. 313 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 1: That came after a year of work. You see, starting 314 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: is fun, Starting is exciting. We love to launch the 315 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: business we love to ask the girl out. We love 316 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 1: to celebrate our kids first steps, and in fact, celebrating 317 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: first steps is awesome. We go nuts here when somebody 318 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: makes their first step of faith, committing their life to Jesus. 319 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: That's why we exist as a church that deserves celebration. 320 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: You know, when when you're making your vows at the 321 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: altar on your wedding day, hopefully you're celebrating. If you're not, 322 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: you're not making a good decision there. But how many 323 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: of you know? Saying those valves is one thing. Living 324 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: out those valves fifteen years later is a completely different matter. 325 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: Now you have about one hundred of your friends and 326 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 1: families celebrating you on your wedding day, They're not there 327 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: with you in your living room fifteen years later when 328 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: you and your wife can't even speak speak to each other. 329 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: So you thought building or planning the wedding was the wall. 330 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: The wall was building a marriage. That's what takes work. 331 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: Making the baby is fun. Trust me, I've got some 332 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:08,120 Speaker 1: babies and it's fun raising those babies in their middle 333 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: school years, their high school years. I haven't hit that yet, 334 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 1: but I heard it's a lot of fun. But trying 335 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 1: to show them what it looks like to be a 336 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: man or a woman of God when you feel in 337 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: perfect yourself and you don't feel like you have your 338 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: stuff together, but you're trying to be there for them 339 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: and love them in times where they're not very lovable. 340 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 1: Raising a child is hard. It takes We're coming to 341 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: church one time is awesome. We are so glad you're 342 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: here if this is your first time. But to actually 343 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: have your life change the way God wants to change 344 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 1: your life, it takes being here consistently. A lot of 345 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: you heard about eGroups earlier. That is the power of 346 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: an e group. It's getting people in your life consistently. 347 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: And can I be honest with you about one thing. 348 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: This is some therapy for me. I used to hate 349 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: that word consistent because people would use it to describe 350 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: me and they would say, wait, it is just so 351 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,919 Speaker 1: con and the way I translated that is Wade is 352 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: so boring. I hated that word. I didn't want to 353 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: be the consistent one. I wanted to be the guy 354 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,400 Speaker 1: that was that was exciting and had a quick wit 355 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: and was so insightful and was the life of the party. 356 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:19,719 Speaker 1: And Wade's a great singer, but instead I got Wade's 357 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 1: just consistent sounds so lame. It's like, it's like, you 358 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: know the girl, she has such a great personality. I 359 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: never wanted to be the guy with the good personality. 360 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 1: I wanted to be the hot one. Now some of 361 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: you married the hot one, and thirty years later you 362 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: wish you married the one with the good personality. Just 363 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: look look straight ahead at me. You're good. We'll get 364 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:53,959 Speaker 1: through this. But what I am learning. What I'm learning 365 00:18:54,200 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 1: is that Jesus celebrates consistency because consistency is power powerful. 366 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 1: It might not be flashy, but consistency actually changes things. 367 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: Consistency makes a huge difference. I mean, I had that 368 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: stupid kidney stone because I consistently drank diet cokes every 369 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: day for twenty years. Consistency makes a difference. This church 370 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: is built on consistency. Consistent volunteers who serve every single 371 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: weekend when you feel like it and when you don't. 372 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: We couldn't do it without you. This church is built 373 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: on consistent generosity, people who give and prioritize God through 374 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 1: the tithe in plentiful seasons and in hard seasons. See. 375 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: The church is built on consistency. And I feel the 376 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: benefit of that and the impact of that in my 377 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: family because my daughter, my youngest daughter, Sidney, she gave 378 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: her life to Christ this past Good Friday, which was awesome. 379 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: How cool was that to do that on Good Friday? 380 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: And it made me so thankful for all of our 381 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 1: e Kids volunteers who showed up consistently to show her 382 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: what it looks like to love Jesus. And they showed 383 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 1: up to serve when she was behaving, and they showed 384 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 1: up to serve when she was not behaving. She was 385 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: not going to get a gold star that day. You 386 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:11,199 Speaker 1: showed up to serve when you were feeling like it. 387 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: You showed up to serve when you did it, and 388 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: my family is different and change because of you. So 389 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: thank you on behalf of all the families at Elevation Church. 390 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: I want to thank the unseen Heroes and our e 391 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: Kids Department. Consistency makes a difference, and I also think 392 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: it's important to God because our culture doesn't celebrate consistency. 393 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: Our culture celebrates convenience, leaving the hard thing to chase 394 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,160 Speaker 1: the thrill of the new thing. But I think God 395 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: wants to show what it looks like when a people 396 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 1: actually stays in the hard thing and makes it better. 397 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: Who can honor their commitments when it hurts. Who can 398 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 1: do the hard thing consistently, over and over again. Who 399 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: don't just chase the new thing, but do the old 400 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: thing with a new passion. So turn to your neighbor, 401 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: speak the over yourself, say I am consistent. I like 402 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: the sound of that, all right. The second principle is this, 403 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: the path of least resistance is rarely the path of obedience. 404 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: The path of least resistance is rarely the path of obedience. 405 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: So one of the things I heard a lot growing 406 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: up in church to justify decisions, and I said it, 407 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: I heard it a lot. Maybe you've heard this too, 408 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: is I've just got a piece about it? Have you 409 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,719 Speaker 1: ever said that? This is not a trick question? It's 410 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: okay if you have. I got a girl dumped me 411 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 1: one time because God gave her a piece about it. 412 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: And I thought God was big enough to have some 413 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: peace to go around and give me a piece and 414 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: give me a little bit of a heads up. But 415 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: he failed to do that at that time. But it 416 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: made me feel so unspiritual because most of the things 417 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: I felt like God wanted me to do. I rarely 418 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: felt peace about In fact, they usually scared me to death. 419 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: And I think me and Mayah probably didn't feel a 420 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: lot of peace in the situation he was in. So 421 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: he was confronted with this rumor at this time that 422 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: could have gotten him killed. And I want us to 423 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,919 Speaker 1: look at verse six so you can see it. It 424 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: says it is reported among the nations, and Gesham says, 425 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: it is true that you and the Jews are plotting 426 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. So 427 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 1: here we have this rumor that he's building this wall 428 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: just so he can revolt against the king of Persia. 429 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: So if that rumor gets back to the king, Nehemiah 430 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: is dead. Now. If he goes to the plane of 431 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: oh No to meet with these people who started the rumor, 432 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:36,640 Speaker 1: they're setting a trap firm. If he goes and tries 433 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 1: to refute the rumor and set the matter straight, he's 434 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: dead there too. So it's a no win situation for Niemiah. 435 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: I have to imagine that he was tempted to take 436 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,679 Speaker 1: the path of least resistance, would be to kind of 437 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: get out of town quietly, go find another city, go 438 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: find another wall, to build, but the path of least 439 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 1: resistance would also be the path of disobedience. I don't 440 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 1: think Nehemiah when he was sitting there, thinking, God, know 441 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,959 Speaker 1: you called me to build this wall, and I'm facing 442 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: this opposition, but I'm going to trust you anyway. I 443 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 1: don't think that was a peaceful decision. And it reminded 444 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: me of something Pastor Stevens taught us, and that is 445 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: that peace rarely comes before obedience. Peace is a byproduct 446 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: of obedience. Peace comes after you obey. We can't wait 447 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: for our emotions or our feelings to validate God's voice 448 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: when we know his word has told us to do this, 449 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 1: when we know his spirit is leading us to fight 450 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: for something. So you're praying for guidance and you're praying 451 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: that God speaks and you know that you see this 452 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: in his word, and you know you should take this step, 453 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: and you know you should stay in this relationship and 454 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: fight for it. But you're just waiting for this feeling 455 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: and this emotion to tell you it's okay. And fighting 456 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: for something is not a very peaceful thing. And God 457 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 1: has called us as a people to fight for love, 458 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,679 Speaker 1: to fight for reconciliation, to fight for peace. Changing this 459 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: world is not an easy thing, and peace doesn't come 460 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,439 Speaker 1: until after we obey. It is a hard thing to 461 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 1: forgive somebody when they It doesn't feel very peaceful to 462 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: take that step in to do it, But peace will 463 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: come after the reconciliation, and that takes work. You know, 464 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: some of you high school students, it's not a peaceful 465 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 1: thing to stand up for the kid who's bullied and 466 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,160 Speaker 1: isn't treated with any dignity or respect. But you have 467 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: no idea what that simple act of courage would mean 468 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 1: in that person's life. But it's not a peaceful thing 469 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: to stand up against your friends. Some of you made 470 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:27,679 Speaker 1: commitments at the end of the year to give and 471 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: to begin to prioritize God through tithing, and now these 472 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: bills hit that you weren't planning on, and it is 473 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: a hard thing and it hurts sometimes to honor your 474 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: commitment to God. But God always promises that he will 475 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,119 Speaker 1: bless us when we are faithful and we will trust 476 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: him and when we obey. And if I'm telling the 477 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 1: truth right now, sometimes I use peace as an excuse 478 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 1: to get out of doing the hard thing. So I've 479 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: said I've got a peace about this and it's given 480 00:24:57,880 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: me the excuse to leave the hard thing when really 481 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 1: what I was feeling was relief, not peace. Relief and 482 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,439 Speaker 1: peace are not the same thing. And some of you 483 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: might have walked out on commitments, walked out of relationships, 484 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: and you claimed you had peace, but you really just 485 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 1: felt relief because you could wash your hands of the problem. 486 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 1: God is calling us to be people who fight for peace, 487 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: who are willing to do the hard thing, who don't 488 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 1: wait on the emotion, because sometimes those opportunities do not 489 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: last forever. And I learned this the hard way. See, 490 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: I have two amazing parents. They raised me in church, 491 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 1: they raised me to love God. They set a great 492 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: example for me, and they moved to Charlotte to help 493 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: us with our kids and their medical issues. I love 494 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 1: them a lot. But a lot of people don't know 495 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: that my dad is really my stepdad. He married my 496 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: mom when I was seven and adopted me when I 497 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: was sixteen. For all intents and purposes, he is my dad. 498 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: He is the example in the role model of what 499 00:25:56,400 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 1: a man of God looks like. I love him so much. Yeah, 500 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 1: you can clap for my father. I didn't know my 501 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: biological father that well. I didn't see him much after 502 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 1: the age of four. We lived in California right after 503 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: I was born with him, and he was basically a 504 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 1: con man, a white collar criminal. He was in and 505 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: out of prison for money laundering, heavy cocaine user, had 506 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: a double life behind my mom's back, had countless affairs, 507 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: very violent person, and once my mom figured out who 508 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: he was, she left him and moved to the East Coast. 509 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: And about five or six years ago, I began to 510 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 1: get this sense, this leading from God, this prompting that 511 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 1: I should reconnect with him and just try to build 512 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: a relationship, be some source of light in his life, 513 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: and share my faith. And there was zero percent of 514 00:26:56,520 --> 00:27:00,200 Speaker 1: me that wanted to do that. It felt awkward, it 515 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: felt weird. I couldn't even get to the bottom of 516 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 1: the depth of emotions that I felt about that, And 517 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: so I really thought God on it. I didn't want 518 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: to do it, but I knew it was something he 519 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 1: was prompting me to do. But I kept putting it 520 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: off until it felt right. One day, I'm just going 521 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: to feel that it's right and I can pick up 522 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:20,439 Speaker 1: the phone and make the call. One day I'll get 523 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,359 Speaker 1: a peace about it. So October twenty sixteen, my mom 524 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: caused me and said that he had passed away. And 525 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: I remember I was in my office in a meeting 526 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: with John Bishop, and I just poor John. I just 527 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 1: broke down crying. And I never expected to grieve over 528 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: somebody that I didn't know the way I grieved then. 529 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: But I was also grieving because I knew I would 530 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: never get that chance back to obey to share Christ 531 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: with them. And it wasn't even something huge that God 532 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 1: was asking me to do. It was one simple phone 533 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: call that could have had a dramatic impact on his life. 534 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: And thankfully, God is a god of mercy, He's a 535 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 1: God of grace, and so he helped me come to 536 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: terms with that and realize that there's other people that 537 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: could have shared Christ with him too, And the Lord 538 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 1: did help bring me to a sense a peace about that. 539 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 1: But I share this with you because I resolved in 540 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: that moment that I wanted to be the guy that 541 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: obeys those simple promptings from God, even when they're not peaceful. 542 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: I want to be the guy that sends the text. 543 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: I want to be the guy that makes the phone call. 544 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 1: I don't want to just wait for peace to come. 545 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: I want to be the guy that does the hard thing, 546 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: even when it's not the peaceful thing, because we all 547 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: want to build these giant walls of faith in our life. 548 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: But those walls are built one step of obedience at 549 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:45,960 Speaker 1: a time, one brick after the other. And sometimes to 550 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 1: pick up those bricks and stack them. It's a painful thing, 551 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 1: but God will always bless it when we obey. Here's 552 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: the final point. Don't mistake what is most noticeable for 553 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: what is most valuable. Don't mistake what is most noticeable 554 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: for what is most valuable. So one of the biggest 555 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: lies that has stolen my peace in my walk with 556 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 1: God is trying to attach my worth with my accomplishments, 557 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 1: my value with what other people can see, my value 558 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: with the wall that I've built, the work of my hands. 559 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 1: And here we have me a Mayah who's the builder 560 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: of the wall, the leader of the exiles. And I 561 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: don't think he was feeling a lot of significance or 562 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: value in the work that he was doing, because it 563 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 1: looked like it was in jeopardy, it looked like it 564 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 1: might not get done. It looked like he might even 565 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 1: lose his life because of it. And in this moment 566 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 1: of weakness, he prayed a prayer that I think we 567 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 1: would all do very well to pray ourselves. So Verse 568 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: nine says they were all trying to frighten us, thinking 569 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:51,239 Speaker 1: their hands will get too weak for the work and 570 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: it will not be completed. But I prayed, now strengthen 571 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: my hands. I used to read over that prayer like 572 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: it was some token prayer, like this is just some 573 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: two D story character. But what I love about our 574 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: church is Pastor Stephen helps us see that the humanity 575 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: in the Bible, that these were real people with real emotions. 576 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: And so I tried to put myself in Neamia's shoes. 577 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 1: And he had staked everything on building this wall. He 578 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 1: was risking his life, and it looked like it was 579 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,959 Speaker 1: in jeopardy, and all he knew to do was to 580 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 1: pray for strength from God. It had to be so 581 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: tempting to quit, it had to be so tempting to 582 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: walk away. And I was wondering what kept him going 583 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 1: in the midst of all the discouragement, in the midst 584 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 1: of all the hardship. And I think one thing might 585 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 1: be this, that he realized that God wasn't just building 586 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 1: the wall, that he could see. God wasn't just building 587 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 1: this outer wall to protect a city. God was building 588 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 1: this inner wall of faith in his heart, this inner 589 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: wall of character, this inner wall of trust, this inner 590 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: wall of realizing that his hope was and then how 591 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 1: strong this wall was. His hope was in how big 592 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: and mighty his God is. His defender wasn't some far 593 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: away king in Persia. His defender was the Lord God, Almighty. 594 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 1: God was building something greater in the Amiah than what 595 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: He was building through him. And God was also doing 596 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: that for the people of Jerusalem. See, they had been 597 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: sent to exile to begin with because they had trusted 598 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 1: in false gods and lesser kingdoms, and God was building 599 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: a renewed faith in them to trust in the God 600 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: of Israel. That God was their defender and protector. Sometimes 601 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: your faithfulness isn't just about you. It's about what other 602 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 1: people see through your faithfulness, the way other people are 603 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 1: encouraged by it, the way other people are inspired when 604 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 1: you go and you do the hard thing, even when 605 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: it hurts, and even when you're weak. See Nehemiah had 606 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: to be tempted to quit, but he knew that his 607 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 1: strength didn't come from retreating from the hard thing. His 608 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: strength came from repeating the hard thing again and again 609 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: and again. Strength wasn't in the retreat. Strength was in 610 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: the repeat. Can you say that to your neighbor's strength 611 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: is in the repeat. See God wants us to be 612 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 1: a people that just the hard thing over and over 613 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:06,680 Speaker 1: and over again. It's to say, it's the principle when 614 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 1: you work out, I'll work out maybe once a week 615 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 1: at best. That's just enough to get you sore, not 616 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: to build strength. If I really wanted to get stronger, 617 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: I would work out day after day after day, week 618 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: after week after week. That would build My strength comes 619 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: in repetition. It's the same with faith. It's repeated obedience, 620 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: repeated surrender, repeated trust in God. So Neamia didn't just say, Lord, 621 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: strengthen my hands and expect some supernatural strength to make 622 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 1: his hand stronger. No, he knew he needed some stacking strength. 623 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: So he picked up a brick and he stacked it. 624 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 1: Picked up another brick, stacked it, said Lord, strengthen my hands. 625 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,480 Speaker 1: Got back to work, picked up another brick, stacked it. 626 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: Accusation came, kept stacking, Discouragement came, kept stacking, And when 627 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 1: his obedience met God's power. That's when his strength came, 628 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 1: and that's when the wall was built. Because verse fifteen 629 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: shows us this. It says, so the wall was completed 630 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 1: on the twenty fifth of a lull in fifty two days. 631 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: And when all our enemy's heard about this, all the 632 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self confidence because 633 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: they realized that this work had been done with the 634 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: help of our God. So you might not think you 635 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 1: had the strength to do what God has called you 636 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: to do, but he promises that if you obey, if 637 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 1: you keep stacking one brick at a time, it's not 638 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 1: your strength, it's His power that's working within you, the 639 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:35,720 Speaker 1: wall will be built. And I really felt like God 640 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 1: sent me today and brought you here this Memorial Day week. 641 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: And some of you who feel like nobody notices you stacking, 642 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: you feel like you've been stacking the bricks, and you 643 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: feel like you've been trying to feel faithful and nobody 644 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: sees and nobody notices, and maybe you're just tempted to 645 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: quit because you feel like you just can't keep going. 646 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: And I want to tell you that God is doing 647 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: something mighty in your life, even if you can see it. 648 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: Because I want to remind you of the truth of 649 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: Philippians one p. Six, being confident of this that He 650 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 1: who began a good work in you will carry it 651 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. So 652 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: we talked about finishing what we start. We're never going 653 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:20,840 Speaker 1: to do that perfectly. But God promises he will always 654 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 1: finish what he starts, and He has started something so 655 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 1: special in each and every person under the sound of 656 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 1: my voice. We're never going to be truly consistent. But 657 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: Jesus is the model of consistency. The word says he 658 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 1: is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love is consistent, 659 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: his grace is consistent. His power that's available to you 660 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: is consistent. So do not give up, Do not stop 661 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:51,839 Speaker 1: building the wall. Keep stacking brick by brick, and God 662 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:54,359 Speaker 1: is going to build a mighty wall of faith through 663 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: your life. I want to invite everybody to stand so 664 00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: I can pray for you well. For you, just to 665 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 1: hold your hands, palm up like this and close your eyes. 666 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:11,520 Speaker 1: I want you to think, what is the hard thing 667 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:16,319 Speaker 1: that you know God has called you to do again 668 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:18,799 Speaker 1: and again. What is the brick He's called you to 669 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 1: pick up? In a stack. What is the active obedience 670 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 1: that you've been dreading, but you know the Lord is 671 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:27,239 Speaker 1: calling you to it. And I just want you to 672 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 1: repeat this prayer after me, this very simple prayer that 673 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 1: Neiamiah prayed, and say, strengthen my hands. So God, I 674 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: don't know what was on everybody's heart as they prayed that, 675 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 1: but I pray that you will give them the strength 676 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 1: and the courage and the faith to obey, realizing that 677 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 1: you are a trustworthy God, You are a strong and 678 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 1: mighty God, and that even when we are faithless, you 679 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,879 Speaker 1: are faithful, and we can know that you do all 680 00:35:57,960 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: things for the good of those who love the Lord, 681 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: and our hard according to its purpose. So Lord, working 682 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:05,719 Speaker 1: the hard things, work in the good things. And Lord, 683 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: I pray that you will open everybody's eyes this week 684 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,000 Speaker 1: just to get a glimpse of the wall that you're 685 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 1: building through them. And I thank you for their faithfulness. 686 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 1: I thank you for how you're using them, thank you 687 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:19,040 Speaker 1: for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who 688 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: give generously to this ministry. Is because of you that 689 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 1: this ministry is possible. You can click the link in 690 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,919 Speaker 1: the description to give now or visit Elevation church dot 691 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:32,320 Speaker 1: org slash podcast for more information and if you enjoyed 692 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 1: the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it with 693 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: your friends. You can click the share button, take a 694 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,239 Speaker 1: screenshot and share it on your social stories and tag 695 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:48,319 Speaker 1: us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.