WEBVTT - Hold Your Peace (Pastor Holly Furtick) 0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:02.800 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 0:00:02.840 --> 0:00:05.240 I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our 0:00:05.280 --> 0:00:07.760 podcast and I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:10.680 Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:12.840 Hope it gives your perspective to see God has moving 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:13.560 in your life. 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:14.640 Enjoy the message. 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:21.400 Are you ready for the word today? I'm excited. Turn 0:00:21.440 --> 0:00:23.800 in your Bible if you have one. If not, we'll 0:00:23.840 --> 0:00:27.200 have it up here on the screens. To Philippians four, 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:32.040 starting in verse six. Has our pastor not been on 0:00:32.440 --> 0:00:36.680 fire for the last several weeks? I mean like eight 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:39.280 nine weeks he's been preaching. 0:00:39.760 --> 0:00:42.760 He did the series called called did you enjoy That? 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:45.520 I mean, I don't know about you. 0:00:45.400 --> 0:00:49.559 But every single week this man brought a word for me. 0:00:49.960 --> 0:00:53.519 Did you have a favorite? I think my favorite was Martha? Martha, 0:00:53.880 --> 0:00:55.240 but then I also. 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:57.319 Like the one about Jacob with the wagons, and then 0:00:57.640 --> 0:00:59.280 I like the one about Samuel. 0:00:59.320 --> 0:01:01.360 And it was like every week I was like, no, 0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:02.800 this one's my favorite. 0:01:03.960 --> 0:01:07.000 And the last week he said, all you have to 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:10.720 do is don't and that really ministered to me. I 0:01:10.760 --> 0:01:14.520 wish you could see how hard our pastor fights every 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:15.959 single week. 0:01:16.560 --> 0:01:19.360 He makes it look easy, but he fights so. 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:23.039 Hard every week to bring us a relevant now word 0:01:23.120 --> 0:01:23.720 for our church. 0:01:23.720 --> 0:01:25.560 Aren't you grateful for our pastor. 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:32.200 So it's my turn this week, and I feel like 0:01:32.240 --> 0:01:33.960 God has given me a word not just for all 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:35.680 of the moms here, but for everyone all right. 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:37.240 So we're in Philippians four. 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:41.600 Starting in verse six, it says this, do not be 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:46.440 anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, 0:01:46.560 --> 0:01:49.040 with thanksgiving, present your request to God. 0:01:49.560 --> 0:01:50.320 And the peace of. 0:01:50.280 --> 0:01:54.600 God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:59.760 minds in Christ Jesus Finally, Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:03.600 whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:08.440 is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, 0:02:08.600 --> 0:02:11.640 think about such things. 0:02:12.080 --> 0:02:14.800 Whatever you have learned or received, or heard from me 0:02:15.000 --> 0:02:17.600 or seen in me, put it into. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:21.440 Practice, and the God of Peace will be with you. 0:02:21.560 --> 0:02:22.400 Let's pray. 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:25.960 Where we think you that your word is a lamp 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:28.440 into our feet and a light into our path. 0:02:29.040 --> 0:02:32.840 God, we open up our hearts to hear from you today. Lord. 0:02:32.880 --> 0:02:36.080 We know that sometimes Mother's Day can be a day 0:02:36.320 --> 0:02:37.240 that is painful. 0:02:37.760 --> 0:02:40.480 But we're here, Lord, and we want to hear from you. 0:02:40.919 --> 0:02:44.600 Would you shine your light in the darkest areas of 0:02:44.680 --> 0:02:46.120 our hearts today? 0:02:46.560 --> 0:02:49.680 Lord use me. Now it's in your name, I pray Amen. 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:52.600 All right, So. 0:02:54.400 --> 0:02:57.600 We have a little problem with the DNA in the 0:02:57.880 --> 0:03:04.359 Verdict family. See, I am a very opinionated, like there 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:09.080 is a right and a wrong kind of person. And 0:03:09.080 --> 0:03:13.480 then I married Stephen Ferdick, who was a very opinionated 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:17.600 there is a right and a kind of person. So 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.800 together we make a great team when it comes to 0:03:21.280 --> 0:03:23.240 proclaiming the word of God. 0:03:24.360 --> 0:03:26.799 Now I'm not a genetic expert. 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:32.320 I never really understood that little box with the geen thing. 0:03:32.480 --> 0:03:36.120 I don't even remember what it's called. What is it called? 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:44.000 Graham Punnet Square? Junior accolade right here? 0:03:47.000 --> 0:03:48.040 So I don't know anything. 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:50.560 About the Punnett Square, but I can tell you that 0:03:50.640 --> 0:03:53.760 when Stephen and Holly Ferdick made babies, we managed to 0:03:53.840 --> 0:03:57.800 produce three of the most opinionated there is a right 0:03:57.880 --> 0:03:59.640 and wrong, and I need to make sure that it's 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:03.920 clear kind of people. So all five of us together 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:07.680 we have a problem. And when a disagreement occurs in 0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:08.520 our family. 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:11.920 Which is rare, because we're a pastor's family. 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:18.800 We each have this just innate desire to have the 0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:19.880 last word. 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:22.080 I know this is not a problem in your house, 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:23.520 but this is a problem in my house. 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:25.679 So the other day, the. 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:28.320 Weather was nice, and Steven and Abby and I we 0:04:28.320 --> 0:04:30.560 were having dinner on. 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:35.000 Our peaceful porch. And earlier that day. 0:04:35.279 --> 0:04:37.520 I had asked my friend Ashley, whose children go to 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:40.599 the same school as Abby, if she could bring Abby 0:04:40.640 --> 0:04:43.560 home for me. And so we're having dinner and Abby 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:47.520 starts talking about her afternoon, as she often does, and 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:50.560 she started in and talking about how Ashley had Chick 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:52.920 fil A waiting for her in the car because they 0:04:52.960 --> 0:04:57.240 had to kill an hour until Abby was dismissed. Now, 0:04:57.440 --> 0:05:00.760 Ashley's kids are in the same school Abby, but they're 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:02.600 in the lower school and they get out like. 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:05.000 Twenty minutes before Abby. 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:08.679 So I needed to stop the story right there, because 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:13.480 I would never inconvenience someone as to make them wait 0:05:13.560 --> 0:05:16.600 an hour to pick up my child. So I had 0:05:16.600 --> 0:05:18.760 to interrupt story. And I said, no, they get out 0:05:18.760 --> 0:05:19.680 at two thirty and. 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:21.040 You get out at two fifty five. 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:23.359 And she said, no, they get out at two and 0:05:23.400 --> 0:05:25.880 I get out at two fifty five, and I said. 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:29.039 No, they get out at two thirty. 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:31.719 And she said, Mom, I think I would know what 0:05:31.880 --> 0:05:34.719 time we get out of school. And Stephen said, guys, 0:05:36.760 --> 0:05:39.360 does this fact really even matter? 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:42.479 We're having a peaceful meal here. 0:05:43.920 --> 0:05:47.599 So I held my tongue and Abby proceeded with her story. 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:50.880 And while she was talking, I went on the school 0:05:50.920 --> 0:05:56.400 website and I grabbed a screenshot of the school's dismissal 0:05:56.480 --> 0:06:00.400 times and I sent that off to her. And just 0:06:00.440 --> 0:06:02.800 in case you were wondering, they get out at two 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:08.360 thirty and Abby gets out at two fifty five. The 0:06:08.360 --> 0:06:14.839 title of my sermon today is hold your Peace. You 0:06:15.040 --> 0:06:19.000 like that? And I want to talk to you about 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:21.920 the power of peace in your life. And I want 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:25.880 to show you that sometimes in order, sometimes you have 0:06:25.920 --> 0:06:30.000 to hold your peace in order to hold your peace, okay. 0:06:30.520 --> 0:06:33.119 And I want you to know that you can have peace, 0:06:33.400 --> 0:06:35.200 biblical peace in your. 0:06:35.080 --> 0:06:38.719 Mind and in your relationships, no matter what is going 0:06:38.760 --> 0:06:40.599 on in the world around you. 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:44.240 As a believer in Christ, we have access to. 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:46.920 A type of peace that Paul is telling us in 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:51.880 this scripture that cannot even be explained. He says, it 0:06:52.120 --> 0:06:56.400 transcends all understanding peace in the midst of your pain, 0:06:56.720 --> 0:06:59.880 Peace in the midst of your circumstances, Peace in the midst. 0:06:59.640 --> 0:07:03.760 Of your disappointment. It is a benefit of knowing Jesus. 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:08.320 Jesus said to his disciples in John sixteen three. He said, 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:11.200 I have told you these things so that in me 0:07:11.520 --> 0:07:16.040 you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. 0:07:16.080 --> 0:07:20.680 But take heart, I have overcome the world. You see, 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:24.240 Peace is not the absence of problems in your life, 0:07:25.000 --> 0:07:26.400 Jesus said, in this. 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:28.360 World you will have trouble. 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:32.520 So trouble is the common denominator of every person who 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:37.120 has breath in their lungs. Peace is the addition of 0:07:37.280 --> 0:07:40.160 power to whatever trouble that you're in. 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:44.920 So before we go any further. 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:48.000 I need to clear up exactly what kind of peace 0:07:48.320 --> 0:07:49.320 I'm talking about. 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:50.520 I'm not talking. 0:07:50.320 --> 0:07:55.200 About a mood or a mental state where everything feels well. 0:07:55.720 --> 0:07:59.440 I'm not talking about a spa or a vacation spot. 0:07:59.840 --> 0:08:02.800 Not even talking about a quiet Saturday morning and your 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:04.880 slippers while everyone else. 0:08:04.920 --> 0:08:07.960 Is asleep, Because I don't know what your life is like. 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:12.200 But if I have to wait for those moments, if 0:08:12.240 --> 0:08:14.920 I have to wait for that kind of peace, I'm 0:08:14.920 --> 0:08:15.560 not gonna have. 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:17.120 A very peaceful life. 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:20.280 Now, there are two types of peace in the Bible 0:08:20.360 --> 0:08:24.120 that we find. There's external peace and then there's internal peace. 0:08:24.160 --> 0:08:28.600 And external peace refers to your relationships with others. Internal 0:08:28.640 --> 0:08:33.960 peace refers to a mental perspective or an attitude towards. 0:08:33.520 --> 0:08:35.960 Your personal or your current trouble. 0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:39.160 And I need you to understand today that the two 0:08:39.480 --> 0:08:40.319 are connected. 0:08:40.600 --> 0:08:41.640 They feed each other. 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:45.720 So my external piece, my relationships with others, effects my 0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:46.560 internal peace. 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:48.160 But also my internal. 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:51.079 Piece affects how I act and how I respond to others. 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:54.480 So both are really important. And if the enemy can't 0:08:54.520 --> 0:08:56.920 get to your inner piece, he's gonna go after your 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.440 relational piece because he knows the external effects the internal, 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:02.960 and the internal effects the external. And he knows that 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:05.840 if he can steal your piece, then he can steal 0:09:05.880 --> 0:09:06.559 your joy. 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:08.400 Then he can get you to question. 0:09:08.120 --> 0:09:10.120 Your faith, and then it can get you to question 0:09:10.280 --> 0:09:16.000 your calling. So if trouble is the common denominator of 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:19.120 all humans, then peace is. 0:09:19.040 --> 0:09:23.400 The X factor. It's the thing that sets us apart. 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:27.640 It's the stabilizing force that allows you to push through 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:30.880 the trouble. And if the enemy can't get to your 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:34.679 inner piece. Then he's going to go after your relational piece. 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:36.679 Do you understand that? And I want to. 0:09:36.640 --> 0:09:40.240 Illustrate this for you today, hopefully in a way that 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:42.959 you won't forget. I just read Philippians four. I meant 0:09:43.000 --> 0:09:44.840 to read it out of my Bible. I always read 0:09:44.840 --> 0:09:48.200 it off of my iPad, but I want to show you. 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:48.880 In my Bible. 0:09:48.920 --> 0:09:51.480 So this is Philippians four, which is a letter that 0:09:51.640 --> 0:09:53.760 was written to the apostle Paul, to. 0:09:53.800 --> 0:09:57.400 The church at Philippi. And maybe you know this, maybe 0:09:57.440 --> 0:09:58.000 you don't, but. 0:09:58.040 --> 0:10:01.600 Paul wrote this letter from a p in cel in Rome. 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:05.280 But this is not the only letter that he wrote. 0:10:05.800 --> 0:10:06.880 He also wrote. 0:10:06.640 --> 0:10:11.480 Ephesians and Colossians, and they're all right here together. And 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:15.040 throughout these three letters, Paul has a lot to say 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:20.600 about peace because he's writing to the persecuted believers who 0:10:20.679 --> 0:10:24.880 needed inner peace as well as the new believers who 0:10:24.960 --> 0:10:28.600 needed external peace with one another. So I'm gonna come 0:10:28.679 --> 0:10:32.280 back to Philippians four, but I want to flip back 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:37.320 one page to Ephesian six to give you a vivid. 0:10:37.240 --> 0:10:39.959 Picture of peace, also written by Paul. 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:42.160 So this is Ephesian six. We're going to start in 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:46.480 verse eleven. It says, put on the full armor of God, 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:50.199 so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 0:10:50.679 --> 0:10:53.520 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:57.600 against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of 0:10:57.640 --> 0:11:01.480 this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:06.640 in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor 0:11:06.800 --> 0:11:09.280 of God, so when the day of evil comes, you 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:11.840 may be able to stand your ground. And after you 0:11:11.880 --> 0:11:15.400 have done everything to stand, stand firm and with the 0:11:15.520 --> 0:11:18.880 stand firm, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:22.360 with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your 0:11:22.480 --> 0:11:27.080 feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the. 0:11:26.960 --> 0:11:28.640 Gospel of Peace. 0:11:29.920 --> 0:11:33.160 Paul is painting this picture of a soultier getting ready 0:11:33.240 --> 0:11:36.640 for battle because it's one thing to recognize that there 0:11:36.679 --> 0:11:41.360 is an enemy. It's another thing to realize that you 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:43.920 have to get ready to fight. 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:45.440 Back against the enemy. 0:11:45.840 --> 0:11:47.800 And you know, I think that one of the ways 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:52.040 that the enemy attacks us is by diverting our attention. 0:11:52.720 --> 0:11:56.240 You think your enemy is your boss, or your spouse, 0:11:56.679 --> 0:11:58.600 or maybe your mother in law, not me. 0:12:00.200 --> 0:12:03.640 Some of us wake up in the morning, we're ready 0:12:03.720 --> 0:12:07.560 for a fight with the wrong enemy. Paul says, our 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:12.760 struggle is not against people, it's not against flesh and blood. 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:14.200 It is against. 0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:18.000 Spiritual forces in a heavenly realm. 0:12:18.600 --> 0:12:22.040 And you gotta get ready. And here's how you do it. 0:12:22.080 --> 0:12:23.760 He says, you put on your armor. 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:26.480 Now when we get dressed for the day, At least, 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:28.160 when I get dressed for the day, the last thing. 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:29.480 I do is put my shoes on. 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:33.079 But if you were putting on armor, like you know, 0:12:33.120 --> 0:12:37.440 you're gonna have a breastplate and a shield and a sword, 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:38.680 your hands are. 0:12:38.559 --> 0:12:41.240 Gonna be tied up. So you gotta. 0:12:41.040 --> 0:12:44.520 Put your shoes on first, right, And Paul says that 0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:46.800 our feet are fitted with the. 0:12:46.840 --> 0:12:51.200 Readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace. 0:12:52.120 --> 0:12:57.200 Look at your neighbor and say I'm ready. Now, look 0:12:57.240 --> 0:13:01.320 down at their shoes and tell tell me how ready 0:13:01.400 --> 0:13:02.679 you think they are. 0:13:09.880 --> 0:13:13.600 Oh my goodness, how many of you know? 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:16.440 How many of you are looking at my shoes and 0:13:16.440 --> 0:13:18.560 they're like, she ain't ready. 0:13:19.720 --> 0:13:23.360 Shoes matter. Steven and I have this funny thing that 0:13:23.440 --> 0:13:23.920 we say. 0:13:24.400 --> 0:13:26.439 We got it from a like a book from several 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:28.000 years ago, and so we. 0:13:28.000 --> 0:13:30.240 Say to each other, did you shoes? Wisely? 0:13:32.000 --> 0:13:36.640 Like he was preaching at an event recently in Orlando, 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:38.760 and so we had to get up super early, and 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:41.199 we flew to the location, and we went straight from 0:13:41.200 --> 0:13:43.280 the airport to the convention center. 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:45.000 And by the time we got. 0:13:44.840 --> 0:13:49.360 To the hotel hours and hours later, he looked at 0:13:49.360 --> 0:13:51.960 me in the elevator and he looked down at my shoes, 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:52.280 and he. 0:13:52.280 --> 0:13:56.520 Said, did you shoes wisely? I rarely do. 0:13:57.040 --> 0:13:59.760 I'm vain. I always go for fashion first. 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:04.600 Like have you ever wondered why when I do the welcome, 0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:07.680 Like if my chair is right there, why do I 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:12.320 not come up these stairs? Why do I walk all 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:17.199 the way around and come from the back. It's because 0:14:18.440 --> 0:14:22.720 I'm always a little bit unstable in my vanity shoes. 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:28.400 I just I just am, And I would never come 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:30.600 up these stairs because I'm so afraid that I'm just 0:14:30.640 --> 0:14:33.160 gonna fall in front of everyone. Let me show you 0:14:33.240 --> 0:14:37.640 my steadiest shoes that I own. I packed a bag 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:48.280 for this sermon, so reflect bag. These are my hiking boots. 0:14:51.480 --> 0:14:55.760 They are sturdy, and they are waterproof. And when I 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:58.760 have these shoes on, I really feel like I can 0:14:58.800 --> 0:15:02.840 maybe walk for f not exactly, but the longest time 0:15:03.240 --> 0:15:03.960 in these shoes. 0:15:04.440 --> 0:15:06.520 And Steven and I like to hike together. 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:09.800 Now, if you're watching this and you live in Colorado, 0:15:10.000 --> 0:15:11.320 you might call what we. 0:15:11.680 --> 0:15:14.240 Do walking in the woods, but it's. 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:17.800 We live in North Carolina, and we actually, if you 0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:20.400 think of Asheville, we lived like two hours from Ashville. 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:22.880 So well, what we do, it's hiking to us. 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:26.280 So we can drive about an hour west of our 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:28.480 house and find a good trail. 0:15:28.280 --> 0:15:31.960 That's not too long, not too steep. 0:15:31.920 --> 0:15:34.160 Enough for us to feel like we got out in 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:37.160 the great outdoors and got a little bit of exercise 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:41.720 and got home by dinner. And so I use this 0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:45.480 app it's called All Trails, to find new trails, to 0:15:45.600 --> 0:15:49.080 download the maps, and so the don't they make the 0:15:49.120 --> 0:15:50.840 most amazing apps these days? 0:15:50.920 --> 0:15:51.840 There's app for everything. 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:54.480 So the other day I wanted us to try a 0:15:54.480 --> 0:15:58.120 new trail that I found is called the Baden Lake Trail. 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:01.280 So we pull up, we drive. It's about an hour 0:16:01.320 --> 0:16:02.440 and twenty minutes from our house. 0:16:02.560 --> 0:16:06.480 We pull up to the trail and it looks paved 0:16:07.040 --> 0:16:11.720 from the car, and so I decided not to put 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:16.560 my boots on. Remember I fashioned first, so I'm not 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:18.560 gonna like. We went to lunch, so I wasn't gonna 0:16:18.720 --> 0:16:20.480 wear these to lunch, so. 0:16:20.400 --> 0:16:21.560 They were in the in the car. 0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:24.480 I had my white hookahs on and I thought that 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:25.520 they would be fine. 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:28.760 Maybe you can feel where this story is going. 0:16:29.600 --> 0:16:33.760 The trail was paved for about fifty yards. 0:16:34.840 --> 0:16:35.720 Rookie mistake. 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:38.200 And we go hiking all the time, and normally, even 0:16:38.360 --> 0:16:41.440 when we do a new trail, I'll read the reviews 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:43.760 about the trail just I don't know, just to see 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:46.440 if there's if it's a good one. And for some reason, 0:16:46.880 --> 0:16:48.640 I didn't read the reviews. 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:50.440 That time, and so I went back when I. 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:54.040 Was preparing this sermon, and I looked up the reviews 0:16:54.080 --> 0:16:56.600 of this particular trail, and I want to show. 0:16:56.400 --> 0:16:56.680 It to you. 0:16:58.480 --> 0:17:02.200 So it says, oh, it's got four point four stars 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:05.520 and a thousand people have reviewed this trail, And then 0:17:05.560 --> 0:17:11.159 it says trailgoers are saying highlights include beautiful lake views, 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:15.760 a well marked trail, and it's dog friendly. Challenges are 0:17:16.560 --> 0:17:23.800 muddy areas, rocky sections, and limited parking. Reviewers suggest sturdy 0:17:24.200 --> 0:17:28.680 footwear and bugscray guys. 0:17:28.880 --> 0:17:31.480 We walked over five. 0:17:31.760 --> 0:17:35.760 Miles and I was trying so hard to keep my 0:17:35.960 --> 0:17:37.399 shoes white. 0:17:37.680 --> 0:17:39.760 So I was like, I. 0:17:39.800 --> 0:17:43.399 Was like hopping over puddles and like we were like 0:17:43.520 --> 0:17:47.760 crossing creeks at times, and my feet were I know 0:17:47.920 --> 0:17:49.960 some of you are like, well, you were in tennis shoes, 0:17:50.000 --> 0:17:53.439 but my feet were like sliding all around in my 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:54.280 tennis shoes. 0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:56.800 And about mile three. 0:17:56.720 --> 0:17:59.439 I started to get a blister on the bottom of 0:17:59.480 --> 0:18:02.879 one of my toes. And by the time we got 0:18:02.920 --> 0:18:05.639 back to the car, I didn't want to complain, so 0:18:05.760 --> 0:18:07.200 I was trying not to say anything. 0:18:07.200 --> 0:18:08.359 By the time we got to the car, I was 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:14.520 walking like this, and my shoes were so dirty. I 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:19.440 did not shoes. Wisely, we could again one more time 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:22.240 if you's in six point fifteen, it says, and. 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:25.960 With your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from 0:18:26.000 --> 0:18:28.159 the Gospel of peace. 0:18:29.640 --> 0:18:33.800 Paul is saying, there is a battle going on for 0:18:33.880 --> 0:18:39.320 your very soul, and you have got to fight back, 0:18:40.080 --> 0:18:44.680 and your first line of defense is to make sure 0:18:44.960 --> 0:18:49.879 that your feet are stable with the Gospel of peace. 0:18:52.800 --> 0:19:02.040 So thank you. This is not peace. Don't judge me. 0:19:02.119 --> 0:19:12.480 You steal the hotel slippers too. Also, this these, this 0:19:12.520 --> 0:19:20.879 is not peace. This is peace. 0:19:23.080 --> 0:19:27.840 So some scholars say that Paul is making a reference 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:32.120 to the Sandals that the Roman soldiers wore and how 0:19:32.160 --> 0:19:36.480 they were like specifically designed to go long distances and 0:19:36.560 --> 0:19:38.440 to go over rough terrains. 0:19:38.760 --> 0:19:44.120 And actually they the Roman soldiers could like, oh, no, 0:19:44.200 --> 0:19:47.080 my pants, I just tied my pants into the hold on. 0:19:47.240 --> 0:19:50.480 Guys, it's really hard to talk and tie your shoes 0:19:50.520 --> 0:19:51.240 at the same time. 0:19:54.520 --> 0:19:54.639 Uh. 0:19:54.800 --> 0:19:57.919 The Roman soldiers they could, they could cover distances like 0:19:57.960 --> 0:20:00.800 twice as fast as the other arm And a lot 0:20:00.840 --> 0:20:03.200 of people say it was because they had spent a 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:05.679 lot of time on their shoes. They even put like 0:20:05.840 --> 0:20:08.959 metal little tax on the bottom of them so that 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:11.040 they could they were more sturdy. 0:20:11.920 --> 0:20:15.680 Other people say. 0:20:16.240 --> 0:20:21.280 That Paul was referring to the prophecy from Isaiah when 0:20:21.320 --> 0:20:25.200 he said, sorry, I have to look down here, when 0:20:25.240 --> 0:20:28.480 he said, how beautiful are the feet on the mountains 0:20:28.520 --> 0:20:32.320 that bring the good news? Let me tie this up 0:20:32.880 --> 0:20:36.240 so I can stand up and tell you that I'm 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:42.720 saying it's both. When you lace up with peace, you're 0:20:42.760 --> 0:20:47.400 getting yourself ready for the fight that's ahead. 0:20:48.400 --> 0:20:51.880 And all the people that are watching you walk up 0:20:51.920 --> 0:20:54.280 that mountain, they're gonna be amazed. 0:20:54.720 --> 0:20:57.479 They're gonna look at your life and they're gonna wonder, 0:20:57.720 --> 0:21:04.880 how are you handling your circumstances, you're gonna You're gonna. 0:21:04.640 --> 0:21:09.040 Try and tell them that what you have is peace. 0:21:08.920 --> 0:21:15.400 But it's indescribable, it's not pretty, but it's what's holding 0:21:15.480 --> 0:21:15.960 you up. 0:21:17.280 --> 0:21:18.640 And if you want to have. 0:21:20.119 --> 0:21:22.040 I'm gonna preach in these shoes the rest of the 0:21:22.040 --> 0:21:23.600 time because they're way more comfortable. 0:21:23.840 --> 0:21:24.399 If you want to. 0:21:24.400 --> 0:21:28.080 Have any chance in this fight, you're gonna have to 0:21:28.240 --> 0:21:30.760 operate from a place of peace. 0:21:31.680 --> 0:21:32.840 If you want to hold your. 0:21:32.800 --> 0:21:36.760 Peace, you gotta tie it on, you gotta double not it. 0:21:36.960 --> 0:21:40.280 Look how steady I am. Now, Look, I can even 0:21:40.320 --> 0:21:43.880 go up and down the stairs like Pastor Steven. 0:21:43.880 --> 0:21:51.359 When he preaches. And when I'm here you can't even 0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:52.280 see my shoes. 0:21:53.560 --> 0:21:56.800 But when I go back up here, you can see 0:21:57.200 --> 0:21:58.800 the full picture. 0:21:59.600 --> 0:22:01.200 I think life is like that, you. 0:22:01.160 --> 0:22:05.360 Know, like maybe there's someone you know that seems so peaceful. 0:22:05.400 --> 0:22:10.360 Do a close up again, and when you do a close. 0:22:10.200 --> 0:22:13.399 Up, you can there are things about me right now 0:22:13.880 --> 0:22:17.360 you can't see because you're not getting the full picture 0:22:17.600 --> 0:22:24.560 of preparation that I have done to handle whatever trouble 0:22:24.720 --> 0:22:30.040 faces me. You see, you don't see my practices. You 0:22:30.080 --> 0:22:33.560 don't see me double nodding my peace. So that I 0:22:33.600 --> 0:22:35.800