1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life. 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 2: Enjoy the message. 7 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: Goodness, goodness, goodness. Thank y'all, Thank you so much. Please 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: sit down. I have a couple of confessions to make 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: before we dive into God's word. Ah love Elevation. I 10 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 1: love this house. I really really love Pastor Steven, Pastor Holly. 11 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, Holly, I had a message 12 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: that was rhymed and everything prepared, and then I've been 13 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: doing Holly is grateful for aid And the other day 14 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: I just got wrecked by thinking of what I'm grateful for, 15 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: and I realized one of my ates is grief. And 16 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: I thought, what a weird thing to be grateful for grief. 17 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: And I promise I have not been smoking anything medicinal. 18 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: I know that sounds so counterintuitive when we come from 19 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: this great time of worship to then just kind of 20 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: dive into grief. But I realized grief for me and 21 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: I'm in another season of grief. I lost somebody I 22 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,960 Speaker 1: loved very much a month ago yesterday, and I'm just 23 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: in that place of I trust in God. And he answered, 24 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: but he took a wild answer. And ye know, sometimes 25 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: there's that gap between I trust in God and then 26 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: you're waiting on an answer, waiting on an answer, waiting 27 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: on answer. C. S. Lewis says, sometimes we don't get 28 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: the answer that we're so desperate for. We get more 29 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: of a no answer. He said, but it's not uncompassionates, 30 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: as if God is saying peace child. You don't understand 31 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: this because we see through the lens, you know, kind 32 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: of blurry, and so it's your fault. It's not going 33 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: to rhyme today because she wrecks me with just that 34 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: focused on everything that filters through the hands of God 35 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: is good. I love this house, deeply, deeply respect your leadership. 36 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: I'm at an age and stage of life where I 37 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 1: get discounts at fast food restaurants and I'm turning to 38 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: sixty one next month. So I've lived a whole lot 39 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: of life. So when I get to be around leaders 40 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: like Chunks and Colleen Tunis and people who've stayed the 41 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: course for a while I just so deeply respect that 42 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,239 Speaker 1: kind of longevity. If you're one of those people who 43 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: gets bugged when people go on and on about how 44 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: much they love Elevation, you're going to have to get 45 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: over yourself this morning because I love the house. The 46 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: first time I got to come here, I really thought 47 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: they had messed up. I thought Chunks thought he was 48 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: texting Lisa Turkhurst, and I just wasn't going to tell 49 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: him any different. I was so excited about the fact 50 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: that I got to come and I still feel like that. 51 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: I kind of feel like the shy girl, you know, 52 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: with a you know, payless haircut, and I got invited 53 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: to prom by the football quarterback. I love getting to 54 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: come here. On the plane in Nashville, they delayed us, 55 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: and I was like, if they tell me they are 56 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: canceling in spite to Charlotte, I will get on my 57 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,839 Speaker 1: bike and ride here, which would have been difficult because 58 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: it's a peloton, but still I would have attempted it. 59 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: I love, love, love this house, and a couple of 60 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: qualifications extra I'm a spitter, and y'all, I'm so sorry. 61 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: I get really excited when I'm talking about Jesus and 62 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: I spew, So y'all are kind of going to get 63 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: rebaptized if your presbyteria'll be cool, because it's a sprinkling. 64 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: If you need a full dunking, it's not going to 65 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: be that exciting. And then I might slightly wreck your 66 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: Independence Day week because I want to start with a 67 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: Fourth of July story, which is where I actually learned 68 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: to grieve in a way that led me towards Jesus 69 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: instead of into a place by myself. It's about fifteen 70 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: years ago. It was Fourth of July week, and I 71 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: was real excited. I love the Fourth of July. I 72 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: get all the blinkies and the Sparkleys and the red, 73 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: white and blue, and I was really really fired up. 74 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: And I was also fired up because I was in 75 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: a very serious romantic relationship with a really, really handsome, 76 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 1: incredible man. And I guess enough time has passed that 77 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: I can share his name publicly now. His name is 78 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: Larry super fat liar pants and it was such a 79 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: big fat liar. But anyway, we dated seriously for about 80 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: and we were heading to what I thought was I 81 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: was going to finally get to, you know, buy the 82 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: white dress and get all the bride's maid's dresses. I 83 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: was going to do a bush and I was so 84 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: excited because I was almost forty and to get married 85 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: at almost forty, I mean, spanks are going to be involved, 86 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 1: but that's like exciting, that's a huge relief. And he 87 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: ghosted me right before fourth of July, and I know, 88 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: I know I should tell you it was real name, 89 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 1: but anyway, he's married another girl but they divorced, so anyway, 90 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: that was hateful and not fruit of the spirit. But anyway, 91 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: I'm going to get to gratitude in just a second. 92 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: Do not is faster? Stephen watching this. Hopefully he's just 93 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 1: like being alone with the Lord and doesn't know what's 94 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: happening in his church this morning. We're going to get 95 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: to the Bible in just a second. But anyway, Larry 96 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: Lyerpants ghosted me right before Jolly fourth and we were 97 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 1: going to this big couple's sway and that I'd gotten 98 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: a new output for It's gonna be so much fun. 99 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: And I was like, well, I can't go with all 100 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: the couples, you know, when I'm he just I'm not 101 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: with him. That's like going to Krispy Kreme when you're 102 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: on keto. I'm not going to do that. And so 103 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: a friend called me and said, hey, if you're not 104 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: going to go to that party, why don't you come 105 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,840 Speaker 1: over to my house because she was going through a 106 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: real awful divorce and it was the first time she'd 107 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: ever been without her kids. They were with their dad 108 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: for Fourth of July, and she said, I kind of 109 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: need a friend. And then a bunch of us are 110 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: getting together for our own Fourth of July party, and 111 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: I was like, oh great, I'll be with all the 112 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 1: sad single ladies with cats. So I thought, okay, I'm 113 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: just going to own this. And so I go over 114 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: to her house and I thought, you know, she doesn't have, 115 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: you know, her husband here anymore. Maybe I could actually 116 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: help before the party. My dad was a contractor, I'm single, 117 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: all kinds of power tools, and so I thought, I'll 118 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: put in some shelving in her garage. That would help 119 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: this nice girl who's a single mom and she's kind 120 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: of sad like me. And so I put these shelves. 121 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: I was putting them in her garage and I was 122 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 1: way up high on the ladder and the ladder started 123 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: to She had those bougie garage floors. They're real slick. 124 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: And the ladder started to slide and I'm way up 125 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: with this drill, and I thought, oh, shoot fire, I'm 126 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: gonna fall. I can't there's nothing I can do. I 127 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: wouldn't saidhoot fire if I wasn't in church. But so 128 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: I start to slip and I look down and you 129 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,119 Speaker 1: know those tomato those swirly things people put tomato plants 130 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: on the summer metal things. I look down and I 131 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: see those, and the sharp part is up and I 132 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: was like, oh shoot, I'm about to become a kebab. 133 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: And so I was trying to you know how you're 134 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: like swimming in the air because I knew it was 135 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: going to hit the concrete. I just didn't want to 136 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: hit the tomato spirals. So I'm kind of swimming well. 137 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: When I did, my leg hooked under the ladder and 138 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: I fell from twelve feet on the concrete and knocked 139 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: myself out, and I cracked a tooth and lost a 140 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: tooth right there, which is why I listp a little 141 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: and broke my ankle, knocked myself out, knocked the tooth 142 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: out of my head. She heard me fall, she comes 143 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: running around. I promise this will get better. We're getting 144 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: to the Bible and hope, so stay with me. And 145 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: she comes running around while she was really alarmed that 146 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: I was unconscious when she found me in a little 147 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: bloody and so she calls somebody she knows who's the 148 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: medical field, and they say she probably has a you know, concussion, 149 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: so keep her up and ask her about the president 150 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: of the year and all that. And so she kind 151 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: of gets me on her couch and she's like, what's 152 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: the year? And I'm like, like, what are you doing? 153 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: She keeps asking me historical questions. I've never really liked history. 154 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: And then she comes back in like the fourth time, 155 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 1: because I'm thinking, I just need to go home, Like 156 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: this has just been not at all the day I expected. 157 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: I just need to go home. She comes running back in. 158 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: I think she's going to ask me about the president, 159 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: and she goes, Reeve's dead, and I was like, what 160 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: are you talking about. Well, a friend of mine when 161 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: they had kids, he found out his kids were allergic 162 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 1: to dogs, and so he said, can you keep one 163 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 1: of my dogs. I'm finding a place for him. And 164 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: he had a dog named Reba, because is why writes 165 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: country songs. And she wrote a cut on Reba's record, 166 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: so named the dog Riba. There's the worst dog in 167 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: the history of time. But I love dogs and I 168 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: felt sorry for this dog. Well, nobody wanted the dog, 169 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: and I ended up having the dog forever, even though 170 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: technically I was just keeping the dog for twelve years 171 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: until he got somebody to adopt this dog. So I 172 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: had several dogs, but also I had Riba and little tiny, red, 173 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: fluffy dog. And while I was helping at this girl's house, 174 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: I just put RIBA's leash on the fence because I 175 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: was going to go for a run with Riba before 176 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 1: the party. And when this girl named Kim took me 177 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 1: under how she just wasn't thinking that this little dog 178 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: the leash was still on the fence. And so when 179 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 1: fireworks started going off and she's making sure I'm not dead, 180 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 1: Rita but got all twisted up and Riba died, and 181 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: I thought she was kidding me, and I thought it 182 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:52,439 Speaker 1: was this horrible, horrible joke. I'm like, that's just awful, 183 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:55,079 Speaker 1: and she was no. You know when people get nervous 184 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: and they laugh because they're nervous, So I still couldn't 185 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:00,040 Speaker 1: tell she was punking me. She was like, no, he 186 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: was dead, and I was like what, Like this is awful. 187 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 1: I've lost my man, I've lost a tooth, I've broken you. 188 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: Are you really tell him when my dog died? And 189 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: then she went yeah, I put her in the freezer. 190 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: I was like, you put her in the fresh star 191 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: and she said, well it's hot, and I was afraid 192 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: she'd stink and I've never dealt with the dead dog before, 193 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: so yeah, she's in the freezer. And for a moment, 194 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: I thought, this isn't my life. Like I was supposed 195 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: to get married. I'd picked out the dress and as 196 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: July the fourth, and supposed to be all sparkly, and 197 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: now I've lost my man, I've lost my tooth, and 198 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: my dog is in the freezer, and I thought this 199 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: is not one of those I trust in God, And 200 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: he answered moments this is I trust in God. And 201 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: I feel like it's gotten me to a really bad 202 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: place because now I can't even cuss because I trust 203 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: in God and this is just hard and sad, and 204 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: all I want to do is eat been in jerries 205 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 1: and like, oh, this is terrible. Maybe even go to Netflix. 206 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: I what happens when you trust in God? And you 207 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: don't get the answer you want right then. I used 208 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: to never talk about hard things like that. I never 209 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: used to say when I was grieving, when I lost 210 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: somebody I loved. I never talked about the gap between 211 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: I trusting God any answers. Because I grew up in 212 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,359 Speaker 1: a stream of the church where it was just tacitly 213 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: endorsed that you always wear a happy face. I thought 214 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: that was somewhere in the Bible. I thought, if you 215 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 1: were serious about your faith, you could not ever say 216 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: you were having a hard day. I thought you just 217 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 1: shoulders back, head up, big smile, hopefully a T shirt 218 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 1: with a verse on it. Because I didn't think we 219 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: were allowed as Christ followers to say I trust in God, 220 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 1: but he hasn't answered yet. I trust in God, but 221 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: I'm really sad right now. I thought I'm not allowed 222 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: to do that. It'll be a bad witness, It'll hurt 223 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: God's reputation. I used to beat myself up internally and 224 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: just say, if you could just memorize a few more verses, 225 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:13,199 Speaker 1: if you could just muster up a little more faith, 226 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: you'd be a more effective evangelist. Lisa, you can't say 227 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: you're having a hard day. Somehow that negates the whole 228 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 1: fact that he's a perfect God, that he's good God, 229 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 1: that he never leaves us, and he never forsakes us. 230 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: So I curated my emotions and I only brought the 231 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: bright and shiny and the red, white and blue sparkly 232 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: wines to church. And I never brought the black and blue. 233 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: My heart is broken and my dog is dead. I 234 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: didn't bring that to the family of faith. I just 235 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 1: ached in isolation because I swallowed the lie that God 236 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: is disappointed in us if we're sad. I thought sad 237 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: was bad. You know, it took me a long, long 238 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: long time to realize that our guy is so kind 239 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: that never one time, never, one time, in this love 240 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,559 Speaker 1: story we call the Bible, does he say I want 241 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: you to stuff the sad parts and only bring the 242 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: bright and shiny to me. He never ever people do that. 243 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: But our creator, Redeemer has never said I only want 244 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: the positivity in you. He never says that. He says, 245 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: bring me everything, bring me everything. If deep if deep 246 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: fake was a sport, I was a world champion. Then 247 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,079 Speaker 1: I went to seminary the first go round, and I 248 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: could wrap Greek and Hebrew around my deep fake, and 249 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: when I got in a ditch between I trust in God, 250 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: and it took a while for me to hear his answer. Man, 251 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: I got stuck stuck in that ditch, and God did 252 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:05,839 Speaker 1: chastise me, and I didn't get a holy spanky, Uni 253 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: said through Holy Spirit. When I was literally and emotionally 254 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: flat on my face, he said, Lisa, you've been running 255 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: so hard for so long that I had to put 256 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: a lump under your rug, so big that it would 257 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: cause you to trip. Because I love you so much 258 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: and the pretense in you has caused offense between us, 259 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: and I want all of you, and so I'm going 260 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: to sit here with you in the dark until fear 261 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: doesn't own you anymore, until you can bring all of 262 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: you to all of me. So I still have deep ends. 263 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: This July the fourth was a hard one too, because 264 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: the only man I've ever trusted died, and he died 265 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: way too young, and we really believe that he would 266 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: be healed. So this July the fourth wasn't super bright 267 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: and shiny either, But the presence of God in that 268 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: place and the way grief has made his countenance a 269 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: little clear. When we're sad, sometimes the veil gets a 270 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: little thinnered, doesn't it, And His presence is just so 271 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 1: palpable because we need it and we're more cognizant of 272 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: the fact that we need God. I'm not trying to 273 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: be Debbie Downer today. I'm just saying, as a people 274 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: of God, sometimes I think we're missing this whole beautiful 275 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: green pasture and the still water because we try to 276 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: put on bright and shiny when we're in church or 277 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: when we were other Christians, and sometimes even the world. 278 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: We've got a world that is so sad and so broken, 279 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: and we've become so irrelevant because we try to pretend 280 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: like we aren't. And I'm like, no, no, no, no. We 281 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: talk about how God is with us in the hard places, 282 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: not that we don't have them anymore. And it's all 283 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: throughout scripture. I don't know how I miss this. All 284 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: throughout Scripture. We have story after story. You have story 285 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: of people who were disappointed, people who were sad. Why 286 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: do we think they are all bright and shiny and 287 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: in leather pants. They're not. Every single one of the 288 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: saints went through seasons where they lost their groove. Charles Spurgeon, 289 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: who is my pretend theological boyfriend. I love Spurgeon, and 290 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: I was so encouraged when I read the Spurgeon, one 291 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: of the greatest saints we've ever experienced as a Christian 292 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: people lived in the UK late eighteen hundreds, amazing communicator 293 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: of the gospel. Hundreds of thousands got saved under Spurgeon's ministry. 294 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: We're still reading his books. He's amazing. Spurgeon said, there 295 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: are times when I feel like I'm living in a 296 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: dungeon underneath a castle of despair. That's sad. I mean, 297 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: that's like prozac kind of sad. Baby, that is carbo 298 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: loading kind of said, I'm living in a dungeon underneath 299 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: a castle of despair. One of the most effective evangelance 300 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: the world has ever seen. And he said, I ache, y'all, 301 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: we will all ache. Unless you have not gone through puberty, 302 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: or you have amnesia, or you too are Larry or 303 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: Larry at liar pants, we will all ate. Jesus didn't 304 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: punk us. He didn't say everything's going to be perfect here. 305 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 1: He said, in this world, you will have trouble. He said, 306 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:34,479 Speaker 1: take heart, take heart, take heart. I've overcome the world. 307 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: And if you've listened to your pasture, I think we'll 308 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 1: get to the place where we even become grateful for 309 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 1: grief because we realize Oh. Usually revivals follow pits. Usually, 310 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: if you'll look back over the trajectory of your walk 311 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: of faith, you'll go Man, where I really grew wasn't 312 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 1: a season of where everything was going well. It was 313 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: a season where the bottom fell out of my world 314 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: and I found God there. I still have deep ens. 315 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: I'm just not afraid I'm gonna drown anymore. I brought 316 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 1: a couple of multisyllabic theological words so those of you 317 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: who are enneagram eights would feel like you got your 318 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: money's worth in church today. I learned these in seminary, 319 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: and I have sweat and blood in my doctoral programs. 320 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: So the few long words I remember and I paid 321 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,439 Speaker 1: so much for, I want to humble brag about. But 322 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: these actually are really pertinent when we talk about bringing 323 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: all that we are to all of who God is. 324 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:48,360 Speaker 1: First word is orthodoxy, and orthodoxy comes from a Latin prefix, 325 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: a Greek sorry prefix. Ortho means right. That's why you 326 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: go to an orthopedis, because they're going to get your 327 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: bones right. Ortho means right or correct, and dox refers 328 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: to beef. Therefore, in the Christian context, and you'll hear 329 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: orthodoxy as it applies to other things. But in the 330 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 1: Christian context, for those of us who who love Jesus 331 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 1: or stumbling towards Jesus, it means to have right beliefs 332 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,959 Speaker 1: about God. So if you are going to Elevation, if 333 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: you're a member of Elevation, if you're Epham, if you're 334 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: online from South Africa, if you believe what's being preached 335 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: from this from this house every single week, what's being 336 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:29,120 Speaker 1: done the bands that our people are coming alongside to bless, 337 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: then you have probably an orthodox Christian belief system that 338 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: means your beliefs are grounded in scripture. Second word is orthopraxy. Ortho, 339 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: of course, is that prefix that means write or correct. 340 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: Practice means activity. Actually like practice better than practice because 341 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 1: practice refers to your hearts in it, so it's not 342 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 1: just duty. So orthopraxy is to have right actions in 343 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: light of what you believe to be true about God. 344 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: You still with me orthopraxy, don't take mental field trips yet. 345 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: And then there's a third one, ortha pathy. So we've 346 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 1: got right and then pathos in Greek refers to feelings 347 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 1: or emotions, and y'all, this is where usually Christians have 348 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: train wrecks, because so many of us, like me, have 349 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 1: assumed there's part of what I feel that isn't congruent 350 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: with what I believe to be true about God. How 351 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 1: many of y'all heard a youth pastor when you're growing up, 352 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 1: Usually their next were poking out their veins, were poking 353 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: on their macs. I used to think I had to 354 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,640 Speaker 1: scream to be effective. I had a lot of youth 355 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: pastors that slung their bibles and screamed, and so I 356 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: started doing that. One time, Genesis fell out of my 357 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: Bible chunks and hit a woman on the front row. 358 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: It's wonder I wasn't sued. But I used to think 359 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: to be effective, I had to scream pathos emotion. How 360 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: many times have you heard of youth pastors say, please, 361 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: is not a feeling? Any of y'all heard that? And 362 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: so I thought, Ah, I got to be careful my feelings. 363 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 1: I can only have, like you know, biblical feelings. I 364 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,199 Speaker 1: can't have sad. Sad is bad. That's where we have 365 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: a train rag, because you can't have right beliefs about 366 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: God and segregate your heart. Yes, faith is not a feeling, 367 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: but we feel. In Genesis one twenty six and twenty seven, 368 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: God said I made you in my image. So feelings 369 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,360 Speaker 1: aren't bad. They just have to be under the canopy 370 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: of what we believe to be true about God. So 371 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,959 Speaker 1: to be sad isn't bad as a believer. It is 372 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:38,400 Speaker 1: nothing illegitimate about being sad. Where you go with that 373 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: sorrow or that grief, or that disappointment, or that anngst 374 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,919 Speaker 1: or that anxiety, that's where we get illegitimate. But to 375 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: have feelings or the pathy that's supposed to be congruent 376 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:56,639 Speaker 1: orthodoxy or theoproxy how we behave we don't say the 377 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: things sometimes that are in our head about the Larry 378 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: Liar pants in our lives, and then ortha pathy, those 379 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: have to be congruent. I lost a little weight last 380 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: year and I have a lot of hanging down parts 381 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 1: now which are exciting, and so I was moving rocks 382 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: in my yard recently, and I thought, you know, I've 383 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: seen those big people on television who are trying to 384 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: get in shape of throw tires, and so it would 385 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: help me to just instead of move these rocks to 386 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 1: hurl these rocks. And so I picked up this river 387 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:30,120 Speaker 1: rock that I needed to move to that garden. From 388 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: this garden, I thought, I'm gonna chunk this puppy over 389 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: my head. And when I tried to chunk it over 390 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 1: my head, I heard this horrible rip and I thought, oh, 391 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: that that doesn't sound good. And so I waited for 392 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: a while ago the doctor because I thought, you know, 393 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: I'm old school. I'm like, oh, take tylernand, don't be 394 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: a baby. And after you know, a week of talan 395 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: on dit coke, I was like, this hurts. And so 396 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: I went to the doctor and after an MRI, he said, Lisa, 397 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: I need to know how you did this, because I've 398 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: been doing a surgery for twenty five years and I've 399 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: only had one other woman who completely tore her bicep 400 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: to her rotator cuff and her laborum and in one 401 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 1: fell sweep. Only one other woman, and she was a 402 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: professional athlete. And he said, so I need to know 403 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: how you did this, and I said, well, I have 404 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: these hanging down parts, and so I had to confess 405 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: I was throwing rocks, and so he had to do 406 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: this major surgery. And after the major surgery had to 407 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 1: drill holes in my humorous because they had to, you know, 408 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 1: reattach the bicep and running up through it looks like 409 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: a toggle bolt. They run up through a hole in 410 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: your in your bone and then plopping on the other side. 411 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: And then one of the nerves got stuck in that 412 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: bone hole and that was unpleasant. And he said, it's 413 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 1: because nothing is aligned right anymore. He said, because your 414 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: nerves and your muscular structure and your what's left of 415 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: my muscles, and your joint it's not aligned the way 416 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,679 Speaker 1: it was. He's said, I'm not real sure what we 417 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 1: can do. We can't go back in right now because 418 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,439 Speaker 1: it's hamburger meat. But he said, we just need everything 419 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:10,360 Speaker 1: to be aligned. And when he said that, I thought, oh, golly, jeepers. 420 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: That so often has been my walk with God too. 421 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: I get orthodoxy. I mean, I'm a student, baby, I 422 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: want to have right beliefs about God. I want to 423 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: put it on a bumper sticker on my car. Orthopraxy. Well, yeah, 424 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: I grew up half Baptist, I'm baptocostel. We've got the 425 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,719 Speaker 1: activity baby, and it rhymes. I mean, I've got an 426 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: across stick from my behavior orthopathy. Ooh ooh, hard for 427 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: me to be honest about where I am because I'm 428 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: afraid I'll be judged by other believers. And one scroll 429 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 1: through social media and you know we're gifted at that. 430 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: But then, more significantly, I wonder if God will be 431 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 1: disappointed in me, if he'll go geez, Louis Lise. I mean, 432 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: I sent my only begotten son. Wasn't that enough for you? 433 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: And so I just sometimes feel so guilty if I 434 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: don't go, no, it's a great day. He's a good 435 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: God all the time. All the time. When I'm gonna, 436 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: I'm not really being honest about it. All the time, 437 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: I just feel like I feel like there's something wildly 438 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: wrong with me. And then I go to this love 439 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 1: story and I'm so stinking grateful that these saints stumbled. 440 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: Wouldn't it bug you if they were all perfect and 441 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: like Keito worked for them and they never ever had 442 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: seasons where they said, I am stumbling today. They stumbled 443 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 1: all the time, y'all. And God didn't kick him to 444 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: the curb. He said, I'm actually going to give you 445 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: more responsibility, because as you begin to understand, self reliance 446 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: is not a spiritual gift. I can actually trust you 447 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: with more now that you become more dependent on me. 448 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: I'm not just your savior, I'm your sustainer. You need 449 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: me every single moment of every single day. Don't ever 450 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 1: cut the cord with Jesus. We need him to breathe, 451 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: to live, to get up every morning. We've got it 452 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:21,400 Speaker 1: wrong in evangelical circles. We think atonement is just for salvation. 453 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: No no, no, no, no. Atonement's three hundred and sixty degrees. 454 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: It's every day today. He's making all things new. Open 455 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: your Bibles to First Kings. You know this story, so 456 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna synopsize it. You've got a really, really good guy. 457 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: He's a prophet. His name is Elijah, and they have 458 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: this basically a super bowl between the good guys and 459 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: the bad guys. There's a stinker of a king, and 460 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 1: this king kind of says, okay. This is in verse 461 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: seventeen a First Kings Chapter eighteen, when Ahab he's the 462 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,360 Speaker 1: bad king. When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, 463 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 1: is it you, you troubler of Israel? And he answered, 464 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: I have not troubled Israel, but you have, you stinker liar, 465 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 1: pens of a king and your father's house, because you 466 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 1: have abandon the commandments of the Lord and followed the bales. Now, therefore, 467 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,199 Speaker 1: send and gather all Israel to be at Mount Carmel 468 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 1: and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Bail and 469 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:15,440 Speaker 1: the four hundred prophets of Astra who eat at Jezebel's table. 470 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 1: So basically, they're going to have this huge showdown between 471 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,719 Speaker 1: good and evil. And you've got eight hundred and fifty 472 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: bad guys and you've got one lone faithful guy, Elijah. 473 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 1: Most of y'all know this story, if you grew up 474 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: like me, you've seen at flannel Graft And they meet 475 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: on this pinnacle called Mount Carmel, and the bad guys 476 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: called down their gods, little g gods, not real gods, 477 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: Larry Liar pants gods. And they call them down and 478 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: they say, come down, show yourself and consume the sacrifices 479 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: these bulls we've prepared for you. And nothing happens, to 480 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: the point that Elijah says, maybe your God needed a 481 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 1: restroom break. It's a little more colorful than that in 482 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: the Hebrew and people say the Bible's boring. I'm like, no, 483 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: you're lazy. If you'd actually read the these stories, they're unstinkin' believable. 484 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:08,399 Speaker 1: Yellowstone's got nothing on scripture and says, then Elijah says, 485 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,399 Speaker 1: go get some water. They're in a drought. That in 486 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 1: itself is a miracle. And they're like, Okay, we don't 487 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,120 Speaker 1: know where we're gonna get water. We'll go get water. 488 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: They go get water, They bring it. They douse all 489 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:24,640 Speaker 1: the meat sacrifice, just to make the miracle kind of amplified. 490 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 1: And then he says that's not enough water. Go get 491 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 1: more water. They get more water. People are like, golly, 492 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: he really is getting theatrical here. He says, for a 493 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 1: third time in a drought, go get more water. They 494 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: soak the sacrifice, and then he calls on the name 495 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: of our God, the One True God, God, the Father God, 496 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: the Son God, the Holy Spirit, and he comes down 497 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: and he consumes not just the watery sacrifice, he consumes 498 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: the boulders that the bulls are on top of. I mean, 499 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: it's this unstinkin believable bic miracle. I mean it would 500 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 1: have been all over ESPN, like every single day would 501 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: have been a real that never went away. It was epic. 502 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: Right after that unbelievable miracle where god Win. I mean, 503 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: I can't imagine how many worship songs that we would 504 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 1: have from that one moment in redemptive history. Right after that, 505 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 1: Elijah gets a text from this Houchi queen named Jezebel, 506 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: and it's in the Bible. I promise. Ahab told Jezebel 507 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: all that Elijah had done one kings nineteen verse one, 508 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 509 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: Then Jesse sent a messenger to Elijah saying, so may 510 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: the gods do to me, and more also, if I 511 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: do not make your life as the life of one 512 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 1: of them by this time tomorrow, she's talking about the 513 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 1: bad guys that were killed. Then Elijah was afraid, and 514 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: he arose and ran for his life and came to 515 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: bear Sheeba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there, 516 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: not gonna camp out there. But y'all, Verse three is 517 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 1: so important. He goes with somebody in his sphere, and 518 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 1: then this is a massive mistake. He leaves him there 519 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: and goes alone. Don't ache alone. Isolation one of the biggest, 520 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: biggest lies of the enemy. If you are in grief, 521 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 1: if you're sad, if you're just wanted, if you're mad 522 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: right now, if you are secretly shaking your fist at God, 523 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: don't do that in isolation. Find someone to go. I'm mad, 524 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: I'm sad, I'm disappointed church it and doing it for 525 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 1: mean before I feel like my prayers are hitting the ceiling. 526 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: Find someone to go with you. Do not ache in isolation. 527 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: Huge mistake. Not that he grieves, not that he's scared. 528 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 1: The mistake is he does it alone. But he himself 529 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and 530 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: sat down under a broom tree that's also called an 531 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 1: acacia tree, little bitty spindley tree, like a scrub oak, 532 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: and he asked that he might die. Y'all, this is 533 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 1: on the heels of this massive miracle. People had gotten 534 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 1: t shirts Elijah's epic. He's it, he was right, His 535 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 1: God is the one true God, massive revival. And on 536 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: the heels of that, he says, I don't even want 537 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: to live anymore. It is enough now, o Lord, take 538 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: away my life, for I'm no better than my father's. 539 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:26,880 Speaker 1: And he lay down and slept under that scrawny tree 540 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: and behold, an angel touched him and said to him, 541 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: you are such a loser. We're chasing another prophet. No, no, 542 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: that's not what the Angel of the Lord did to 543 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: this great sad man. He said, God wants you to 544 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: take a nap, but he wants to make sure you 545 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 1: have snacks first. How amazing is a god who doesn't 546 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: forget snacks? Wow? Incredible is that he doesn't chastise Elijah. Yeah, 547 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: there's no reprimand he recognizes that we're human and he 548 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: gives them rest, and he gives them sesstenance. What a 549 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: good God. Why is it we are so hesitant to 550 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: bring him our hurts when he envelops us and says, 551 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: I know we don't get chastised, we get compassion. He's 552 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: slow to anger, rich in compassion. Please don't be as 553 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: dumb as me. Please don't wait until you're middle age 554 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 1: to be honest with God. One of the reasons I 555 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: think the church has lost its efficacy is the watching 556 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 1: world sees us pretend and they think we're so sick 557 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: of pretending. I'm so over holding in my stomach and 558 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 1: using a filter, and y'all do it worse than we do. 559 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: So your God must judge you the way other people 560 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: judge me. No, he doesn't, No, he doesn't. He sees 561 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: us through the righteousness of He's holy. Please hear me. 562 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: I'm not saying he's Santa Claus. He is absolutely holy, transcendent, 563 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: the only one who is perfectly transcendent. But he condescends 564 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: to be close to us. He condescends to say, I 565 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: want you to take a nap. Come to me, all 566 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: you who are weary and heavy laden, I'll give you rest. 567 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: He doesn't say, if you're weary and heavy laden, that 568 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: you have completely just ruined your testimony. He never won 569 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: times says that. So you see Elijah in First Kings, 570 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 1: and you see that to walk in divine power, which 571 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: is what happens after he has snacks and rest. To 572 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: walk and divine power presupposes a pit revival, pre supposes 573 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: a time when we get stripped of our self reliance. 574 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:04,959 Speaker 1: Weakness presupposes strength, presupposes weakness. Why is it that we 575 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: always try to hide that. It's because we're trying to 576 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:12,280 Speaker 1: be the hero. We aren't the hero, we aren't the answer, 577 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: we aren't the good news Jesus is we're conduits, y'all. 578 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:22,800 Speaker 1: We are conduits, flip over a few pages to Psalm 579 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:28,320 Speaker 1: twenty two. Oh I love Psalm twenty two. We crossed 580 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 1: itch Psalm twenty three, and we sing about Psalm twenty 581 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: three because that's happy clappy and it's super inspirational. But 582 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: Psalm twenty two the song. Remember all of the songs 583 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:42,879 Speaker 1: were originally written as songs so O andngs, so it's 584 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:47,440 Speaker 1: like God's Spotify list. And the song that precedes Psalm 585 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 1: twenty three, the green Pastures and the steer Still waters 586 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 1: and God is Our Shepherd. It's a blues tune. David 587 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:00,840 Speaker 1: wrote both of these songs, and David began Psalm twenty 588 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:04,640 Speaker 1: two right before Psalm twenty three. My God, My God, 589 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:06,640 Speaker 1: why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far 590 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 1: from saving me from the words of my groaning? Oh 591 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 1: my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, 592 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,760 Speaker 1: and by night I find no rest. I am poured 593 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: out like water verse fourteen. And all my bones are 594 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:18,840 Speaker 1: out of a joint. My heart is like wax and 595 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 1: has melted within my breast. My strength is dried up 596 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 1: like a potterd and my tongue sticks to my jaws. 597 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 1: You lay me in the dust of death for dogs 598 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 1: encompass me. At least they're not in the freezer. A 599 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: company of evildoers encircles me. They have pierced my hands 600 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: and feet. I can count all my bones. They stare 601 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 1: and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them. 602 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:42,239 Speaker 1: For my clothing, they cast lots. Now, scholars will tell 603 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 1: you that Psalm twenty two it is christological and it's prophetic. 604 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 1: This is nine hundred years before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, 605 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,360 Speaker 1: and it's a play by play of the crucifixion. But 606 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:59,400 Speaker 1: don't forget David is just like us. He's a divine 607 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:03,400 Speaker 1: condu for God's word. But he's just a man, and 608 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:08,799 Speaker 1: he's really really sad, and God says, bring it to me. 609 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:15,799 Speaker 1: I love that more of the psalms are sad than perky. Yeah, 610 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:19,279 Speaker 1: we've got some amazing victory psalms in there. I love 611 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 1: some of the stuff that comes out of this house 612 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 1: that just makes me want to dance. I mean, rad 613 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: ole goodness, it's gracious. But I also love psalms of 614 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: lament because I go, that's what I'm feeling today, and 615 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:38,480 Speaker 1: that's not incongruent with believing he is a Good God. 616 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:44,040 Speaker 1: It's being human and recognizing I'm not Him, and today 617 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 1: I can't carry the weight of my own life. Today, 618 00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: I need Jesus to carry me. Two other terms, formal 619 00:36:55,800 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 1: theology and functional theology. Is what we can put in 620 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:05,600 Speaker 1: a church mission statement. It's what you can hang on 621 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 1: the wall if you go to a formal church. It's 622 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,320 Speaker 1: what some of us have recited growing up. The Apostles 623 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 1: Creed and I see Creed. Formal theology it's what we 624 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: can state or write that we believe. It's awesome. I 625 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:21,120 Speaker 1: love the Creeds. I think we've thrown the baby out 626 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:22,959 Speaker 1: with the bathwater with some of the Creeds. I love 627 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 1: the Creeds. Functional theology is how we live, and there's 628 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: a gap between formal theology, between what we say we 629 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 1: believe and functional theology. Why y'all can talk back because 630 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:46,839 Speaker 1: we're human. Because we're human. We're not glorified yet we're 631 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:51,399 Speaker 1: in the process of sanctification. So there are seasons when 632 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 1: we have a really hard time walking out what we 633 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:57,120 Speaker 1: say we believe. In that gap between the two, it's 634 00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:00,960 Speaker 1: a hotbed for hypocrisy. That's why the world goes you're 635 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,520 Speaker 1: all a bunch of deep fakers. Because you say you 636 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:10,240 Speaker 1: believe this, it's written on your web page. But actually 637 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:14,520 Speaker 1: I work with this guy, I work with this woman, 638 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: and let me tell you what they're like. Monday through Friday. 639 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,879 Speaker 1: There's a gap, and there's a gap for all of us. 640 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:23,359 Speaker 1: And if you don't acknowledge the gap, if we don't 641 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:26,120 Speaker 1: act like our friends in the UK and mind the gap, 642 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: then you too are Larry layer Pants. There is a 643 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:31,400 Speaker 1: gap for all of us. You know what makes the 644 00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 1: gap wider? Pretense? No, I'm fine, I'm fine. I've got 645 00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: it all together. I've got that gap. Makes the gap 646 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:42,120 Speaker 1: just gets bigger when we fake it, when we humbly go. 647 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:45,960 Speaker 1: I can't do this by myself. I know the theology. 648 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 1: I went to school for theology. I can make the 649 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:53,600 Speaker 1: theology rhyme. But today I feel like I am barely 650 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:59,960 Speaker 1: hanging on. Today my heart is like wax. Gap gets mourning. 651 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:05,960 Speaker 1: Heartbreak actually narrows. Honest heartbreak when we bring it to 652 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:09,520 Speaker 1: the Lord actually nearros the gap between what we say 653 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:14,920 Speaker 1: we believe and how we respond to the world around us. Yeah, 654 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:18,399 Speaker 1: we need more Christians who say, let me tell you 655 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 1: about the God who carried me when I couldn't carry 656 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,799 Speaker 1: the weight of my own life. That's not being a 657 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:29,839 Speaker 1: Debbie Downer. That's telling the world around us that he 658 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 1: actually is who he says he is. If we act 659 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:34,520 Speaker 1: like we can do it by ourselves, what are we 660 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:38,120 Speaker 1: saying about Jesus. We're saying we don't need him. He 661 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:41,240 Speaker 1: is such a good guy. I've become grateful for grief. 662 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,520 Speaker 1: I don't know any other setting I could say that. 663 00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:50,640 Speaker 1: In them with brothers and sisters. It's not the perky 664 00:39:50,680 --> 00:39:54,759 Speaker 1: seasons when I've stayed on Quito and I'm we're in 665 00:39:54,880 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 1: jeans of zippers. Those are not the seasons where I've 666 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:05,080 Speaker 1: needed God the most. The seasons where I've needed God 667 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:08,480 Speaker 1: the best have been the seasons where I can just 668 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:13,640 Speaker 1: barely breathe without Jesus. Last week, I didn't want to 669 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:16,279 Speaker 1: go to church. I sat in the parking lot and 670 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:19,640 Speaker 1: I thought, I just don't want to go to church. 671 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:23,439 Speaker 1: I don't want to raise my hands. I don't want 672 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 1: somebody to say God's good all the time. I'm gonna 673 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:29,319 Speaker 1: punch him in the throat. I mean, I do believe that. 674 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 1: I believe He's good all the time. It's just right 675 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:34,319 Speaker 1: now my life feels anything but good and I am 676 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:38,400 Speaker 1: flipping sad, and he is in heaven and he wouldn't 677 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:42,200 Speaker 1: come back if he could, but I'm missing. What do 678 00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:46,600 Speaker 1: I do with that? I bring it to Jesus because 679 00:40:46,600 --> 00:40:49,799 Speaker 1: he's close to the broken hearted, and he's near to us, 680 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:54,719 Speaker 1: when our lives are crushed near to us, not disappointed 681 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:57,439 Speaker 1: with us, near to us, near to us, near to us. 682 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,880 Speaker 1: What grief have you been pretending like it doesn't hurt 683 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 1: because you don't want to disappoint your small group or 684 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 1: you don't think it's very singable. My parents divorced when 685 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,759 Speaker 1: I was really little, and it was really ugly, very 686 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 1: acrimonious divorce with a lot of physical abuse, and so 687 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:22,520 Speaker 1: when my dad left us, I just kind of made 688 00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:26,600 Speaker 1: a vow to my six year old self that I 689 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:30,520 Speaker 1: would never cry in front of my mother. She's already 690 00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:33,000 Speaker 1: been through enough, so I just said that I was 691 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:35,200 Speaker 1: always going to be positive. Didn't have theology to wrap 692 00:41:35,239 --> 00:41:38,080 Speaker 1: around it. Then I just had trauma. I will never 693 00:41:38,239 --> 00:41:41,239 Speaker 1: ever ever cry in front of my mom, much less 694 00:41:41,239 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 1: anybody else again. I'm just going to be positive. I'm 695 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:45,479 Speaker 1: just going to find the good, find the good, find 696 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:48,480 Speaker 1: the good. And I was able to live that way 697 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:50,920 Speaker 1: for I don't know. A year and a half and 698 00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:53,640 Speaker 1: then something happened. I don't remember somebody took my bike, 699 00:41:53,800 --> 00:41:56,080 Speaker 1: or another dog died. I don't remember what happened, but 700 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:59,520 Speaker 1: there was a deep hurt when I was about eight 701 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 1: years old, and I didn't know where to go to cry, 702 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 1: and so the only place I could think of where 703 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 1: I could be alone and my mom wouldn't see me, 704 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:12,480 Speaker 1: was under my bed. And we were really poor, and 705 00:42:12,520 --> 00:42:15,000 Speaker 1: we had those mattresses. Some of y'all don't even know 706 00:42:15,239 --> 00:42:18,280 Speaker 1: a mattress used to come from a store, not from online. 707 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:22,399 Speaker 1: But they used to have springs, and we were so poor. 708 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:25,960 Speaker 1: The springs hung down real low, and so I crawled 709 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:28,240 Speaker 1: under my bed. The springs were right in my face, 710 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:32,680 Speaker 1: and I was just crying under my bed. I don't 711 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:34,360 Speaker 1: know how long I was under there, five ten minutes, 712 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,880 Speaker 1: and I hear my mom's voice and she had opened 713 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 1: the back door because she was calling me in for 714 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 1: dinner and I was usually outside playing. And I heard 715 00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:43,560 Speaker 1: her say, Lisa, it's time to come in for dinner. 716 00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:46,280 Speaker 1: And I didn't answer because I thought if I answer, 717 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:51,279 Speaker 1: she's going to know I'm under the bed. And then 718 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:53,799 Speaker 1: I heard the back door close, and I heard my 719 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:56,719 Speaker 1: mom walk toward where my room was. I don't know 720 00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:59,880 Speaker 1: how I heard that because we had avocado green shagcar, 721 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,200 Speaker 1: but you know, you just sense your mom's getting closer. 722 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:08,359 Speaker 1: And she stopped in front of my door, and then 723 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:14,960 Speaker 1: she said, Lisa, honey, are you under the bed. And 724 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:18,080 Speaker 1: I didn't want to say yes because I thought, oh crud. 725 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:20,880 Speaker 1: You know, she's going to see him under here crying 726 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,400 Speaker 1: and it's going to compound her grief, and oh gosh, 727 00:43:23,480 --> 00:43:27,840 Speaker 1: what do I do? But she had really instilled honesty 728 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,480 Speaker 1: in us, so when she asked it the second time, 729 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:33,439 Speaker 1: Lisa Hunting, are you under the bed? I said yes, ma'am. 730 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:39,440 Speaker 1: And I expected to be chestised, or I expected to 731 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:43,680 Speaker 1: really mess up her day. But the next thing that 732 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:46,920 Speaker 1: happened is the dust ruffle lifted and there was my 733 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:52,200 Speaker 1: mom's face. My mom was a Southern bell. My apple 734 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:56,360 Speaker 1: fell pretty far from the tree. It was beautiful. You know, 735 00:43:56,400 --> 00:43:59,480 Speaker 1: her hair was always done, I always had makeups, wearing pearls. 736 00:44:00,600 --> 00:44:04,239 Speaker 1: And I saw her beautiful face and she realized what 737 00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 1: was happening under the bed, and I will never forget 738 00:44:08,640 --> 00:44:11,799 Speaker 1: what my mom did next. She just stretched out her 739 00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:17,640 Speaker 1: adult body and she scooched until she was right next 740 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:21,440 Speaker 1: to me under the bed. She didn't say a word, 741 00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:25,520 Speaker 1: She just got right under the springs, right next to me. 742 00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:27,640 Speaker 1: I could feel her all the way down my arm our. 743 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:32,200 Speaker 1: Bodies were just side by side, and she just laid 744 00:44:32,280 --> 00:44:39,880 Speaker 1: under the bed with me. The presence of God doing 745 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:51,759 Speaker 1: difficult seasons becomes not just a gift, becomes the cornerstone 746 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:58,640 Speaker 1: of our faith because then when we sing I trust 747 00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:05,720 Speaker 1: in God and He heard and He answered, it doesn't 748 00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:09,600 Speaker 1: matter if there's a gap in between, because even when 749 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:14,600 Speaker 1: there's no words, we recognize presence. I want to ask 750 00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:18,799 Speaker 1: y'all to stand up. Pastor's going to come wrap up 751 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:21,640 Speaker 1: this family meeting in a minute. And I know, y'all, 752 00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 1: I know that as a very grateful guest, I have 753 00:45:26,760 --> 00:45:31,520 Speaker 1: not earned the right to be bossy. I have no 754 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:36,520 Speaker 1: authority in this house except what is generously loaned to 755 00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:41,080 Speaker 1: me by Pastor Holly and Pastor Stephen. And so forgive 756 00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:44,880 Speaker 1: me if this comes across as bossy. I am older 757 00:45:44,920 --> 00:45:50,080 Speaker 1: than y'all, So I'll just be your auntie for a moment. 758 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:55,760 Speaker 1: If you are in a difficult season for whatever reason, 759 00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:59,279 Speaker 1: nobody needs to know. Let's the Holy Spirit prompt you 760 00:45:59,360 --> 00:46:01,759 Speaker 1: to share that part of your story. If you're in 761 00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:08,919 Speaker 1: a difficult season, you're sad, you're in grief, you're mad, 762 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:16,919 Speaker 1: you're so stinking disappointed because you've done the right thing. 763 00:46:18,640 --> 00:46:24,640 Speaker 1: You've tithed, and you're leading an Etham group and you're 764 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:29,279 Speaker 1: studying God's word, and right now your life has not 765 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:33,040 Speaker 1: at all turned out the way you hoped or prayed for. 766 00:46:34,239 --> 00:46:41,040 Speaker 1: And because you're human, you're just stinking disappointed. You thought 767 00:46:41,040 --> 00:46:45,520 Speaker 1: I was so so grateful for the presence of God. 768 00:46:45,560 --> 00:46:51,720 Speaker 1: You're in that miscarriage. Surely this pregnancy will come to fruition, 769 00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:57,040 Speaker 1: Surely there will be another baby, and instead you had 770 00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:02,719 Speaker 1: an emotional miscarriage, and you think, I can't do it anymore. 771 00:47:03,719 --> 00:47:07,879 Speaker 1: I know he's a good guy, but I just don't 772 00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:12,160 Speaker 1: know how to wait until he answers again. Will you 773 00:47:12,200 --> 00:47:17,360 Speaker 1: please sit down? If that's where you are today, just today, 774 00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:21,080 Speaker 1: that's where you are. You're in a hard place. You 775 00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:24,200 Speaker 1: feel like you're walking through wet and you're trying to 776 00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:25,920 Speaker 1: keep your head up and you're trying to keep the 777 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:28,320 Speaker 1: smile on. But if you were in a safe place, 778 00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:33,080 Speaker 1: you'd go I'm just tired and I don't know if 779 00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:36,040 Speaker 1: I can carry the weight of my own wife well anymore. 780 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:41,040 Speaker 1: Will you just sit down? There's no shame in that. Actually, 781 00:47:41,120 --> 00:47:43,160 Speaker 1: the fail is going to get thinner for you today 782 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:47,719 Speaker 1: if you honestly bring your heartbreak to the God who 783 00:47:47,760 --> 00:47:50,160 Speaker 1: loves us more than we can ask or imagine. Just 784 00:47:50,239 --> 00:47:54,560 Speaker 1: sit down. If you're in a hard place, there's some 785 00:47:54,640 --> 00:47:58,400 Speaker 1: people over here who like me, you've been raised thinking. 786 00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:02,719 Speaker 1: You can't let your guard down. If it's hard for 787 00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:07,160 Speaker 1: you to season, please sit down. This is a safe, 788 00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:10,440 Speaker 1: safe family to say I need somebody to pick up 789 00:48:10,440 --> 00:48:12,400 Speaker 1: a corner of my mind and carry me to the 790 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:16,759 Speaker 1: roof and lower me to Jesus. If you have the 791 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:21,200 Speaker 1: gift the privilege of standing by one of those saints 792 00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:25,960 Speaker 1: who's sitting down right now, let's actually do church. Let's 793 00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:32,840 Speaker 1: not just talk about it. Let's be a community. I 794 00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:36,080 Speaker 1: had a woman recently say Lisa, I pray for you 795 00:48:36,120 --> 00:48:40,600 Speaker 1: every Tuesday at nine o'clock. And my first thought was, Man, 796 00:48:40,680 --> 00:48:43,480 Speaker 1: I'm so grateful somebody besides my mom prays for me 797 00:48:44,040 --> 00:48:47,040 Speaker 1: on a regular basis. You know what My second thought was, 798 00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:54,879 Speaker 1: what if I'm struggling on Wednesday? Let's not just put 799 00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:57,879 Speaker 1: each other in our prayer journals. Let's pray right now. 800 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:01,800 Speaker 1: So those of y'all who have the gift of standing 801 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:04,680 Speaker 1: by one of these beautiful saints, one of these godly men, 802 00:49:05,320 --> 00:49:08,000 Speaker 1: one of these brothers or sisters, would you just lay 803 00:49:08,040 --> 00:49:10,560 Speaker 1: a hand on them. That's not a denominational thing, that's 804 00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:13,879 Speaker 1: not an elevation tradition, that's a biblical thing. Just put 805 00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:16,200 Speaker 1: your hand on their shoulders so they can feel the 806 00:49:16,200 --> 00:49:19,560 Speaker 1: physical presence of somebody who loves Jesus, somebody who's not 807 00:49:19,760 --> 00:49:23,120 Speaker 1: judging them, somebody who's not going to rip them later 808 00:49:23,200 --> 00:49:26,479 Speaker 1: on social media, but somebody who goes. I know I've 809 00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:30,919 Speaker 1: been there. He carried me too. And would you pray 810 00:49:30,960 --> 00:49:33,160 Speaker 1: for each other? Those of you who are comfortable praying 811 00:49:33,160 --> 00:49:35,279 Speaker 1: out loud, please do so. You don't have to pray 812 00:49:35,280 --> 00:49:39,320 Speaker 1: anything fancy. You can actually just reiterate God's promise in 813 00:49:39,320 --> 00:49:42,320 Speaker 1: Psalm thirty four. I am close to the broken hearted. 814 00:49:43,239 --> 00:49:48,560 Speaker 1: I'm near to those whose lives feel crushed. This low 815 00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:53,840 Speaker 1: point in your life, if you bring it to a 816 00:49:53,920 --> 00:49:58,239 Speaker 1: Lord will lead you to a place of intimacy, a 817 00:49:58,280 --> 00:50:02,360 Speaker 1: place of personal revival you probably haven't had the faith 818 00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:07,400 Speaker 1: to carry quite yet. Lowering your pretense in the family 819 00:50:07,480 --> 00:50:11,760 Speaker 1: of God. Yell, it makes for a safer family of God, 820 00:50:16,480 --> 00:50:20,640 Speaker 1: those of you who are grieving. If the Holy Spirit 821 00:50:20,760 --> 00:50:28,000 Speaker 1: confirms this, would you be audacious enough to even right 822 00:50:28,040 --> 00:50:32,160 Speaker 1: now say thank you God. I'm gonna choose to be 823 00:50:32,239 --> 00:50:36,920 Speaker 1: grateful for this grief. I can't see around the corner 824 00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:40,720 Speaker 1: of my circumstances yet, but I really do believe you'll answer, 825 00:50:40,760 --> 00:50:42,799 Speaker 1: and I really do believe you're enough, and I really 826 00:50:42,840 --> 00:50:45,359 Speaker 1: do believe you're close to the broken hearted. So I'm 827 00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:48,640 Speaker 1: gonna choose right now to say I'm gonna say thank you. 828 00:50:48,840 --> 00:50:51,600 Speaker 1: I don't feel it yet, but I'm gonna say thank 829 00:50:51,640 --> 00:50:57,000 Speaker 1: you for this grief because somehow, some way, You're going 830 00:50:57,080 --> 00:51:03,080 Speaker 1: to use even this diad dog of a season to 831 00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:06,000 Speaker 1: make me more dependent on you, to make me lean 832 00:51:06,040 --> 00:51:09,920 Speaker 1: into my brothers and sisters more closely. You're going to 833 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:13,600 Speaker 1: build in me a heart of flesh instead of allowing 834 00:51:13,640 --> 00:51:16,760 Speaker 1: me to hide my heart of stone. Oh, King Jesus, 835 00:51:16,800 --> 00:51:19,840 Speaker 1: come and bring revival. King Jesus, come and bring me healing. 836 00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:23,320 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you God, that we can 837 00:51:23,840 --> 00:51:27,239 Speaker 1: trust in you. We can trust in you, and you 838 00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:31,600 Speaker 1: will answer. Help us in the no answer or Jesus, 839 00:51:31,680 --> 00:51:33,799 Speaker 1: help us to keep our hands raised even when our 840 00:51:33,840 --> 00:51:38,719 Speaker 1: hearts are broken, and trust that your presence never leaves us, 841 00:51:39,280 --> 00:51:41,480 Speaker 1: even de're in the know. Answer kind of chapters. We 842 00:51:41,520 --> 00:51:45,480 Speaker 1: love you, we need you. We cannot make it by ourselves. Jesus, 843 00:51:45,520 --> 00:51:47,680 Speaker 1: you are a good God. You are a good God. 844 00:51:48,120 --> 00:51:50,880 Speaker 1: Thank you that you define yourself as a man of sorrows. 845 00:51:51,520 --> 00:51:53,920 Speaker 1: Thank you that you tell us you were prepared for 846 00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:56,880 Speaker 1: the cross through pain. Thank you that you are not 847 00:51:57,000 --> 00:52:00,920 Speaker 1: a stranger to hard seasons. Thank you that you are 848 00:52:00,960 --> 00:52:04,319 Speaker 1: an empathetic high priest who says, bring it all, bring 849 00:52:04,360 --> 00:52:07,680 Speaker 1: it all, bring it all to me. Don't just bring 850 00:52:07,680 --> 00:52:11,279 Speaker 1: me the happy clappy parts, bring everything. I want to 851 00:52:11,320 --> 00:52:14,720 Speaker 1: sit with you in every season, every moment of every season. 852 00:52:14,800 --> 00:52:18,040 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you God for your closeness. 853 00:52:18,480 --> 00:52:21,560 Speaker 1: Thank you that your proximity has nothing to do with 854 00:52:21,600 --> 00:52:26,200 Speaker 1: our performance, certainly not our pretense. Teach us what it 855 00:52:26,280 --> 00:52:30,000 Speaker 1: is to be honest before you got and then honest 856 00:52:30,040 --> 00:52:32,080 Speaker 1: with the people you allow us to rupt shoulders with. 857 00:52:32,160 --> 00:52:33,960 Speaker 1: We love you, We love you, We love you, we 858 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:35,000 Speaker 1: love you, We need you. 859 00:52:38,440 --> 00:52:41,000 Speaker 2: Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of 860 00:52:41,040 --> 00:52:44,040 Speaker 2: you who give generously to this ministry. Is because of 861 00:52:44,080 --> 00:52:47,000 Speaker 2: you that this ministry is possible. You can click the 862 00:52:47,000 --> 00:52:50,760 Speaker 2: link in the description to give now or visit Elevationchurch 863 00:52:50,920 --> 00:52:54,160 Speaker 2: dot org slash podcast for more information and if you 864 00:52:54,239 --> 00:52:57,480 Speaker 2: enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it 865 00:52:57,520 --> 00:52:59,759 Speaker 2: with your friends. You can click the share button, take 866 00:52:59,800 --> 00:53:02,200 Speaker 2: us greenshot and share it on your social stories and 867 00:53:02,239 --> 00:53:05,120 Speaker 2: tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God 868 00:53:05,120 --> 00:53:05,520 Speaker 2: bless you.