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Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdeck. I'm the pastor of Elevation

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Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank

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Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope

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Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to

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Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. Well,

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Speaker 1: we bring you greetings today. You know it's weird. I

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Speaker 1: can't see you. I can't see your face, but I

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Speaker 1: can see you in the chat. And I just want

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Speaker 1: to welcome a few of you. Let me know where

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Speaker 1: you're watching from today. This ministry is reaching all over

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Speaker 1: the world today. We pray that wherever you are, that

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Speaker 1: this time of worship will reach you. So right now

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Speaker 1: I'm looking on my YouTube feed and I'm looking to

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Speaker 1: see who you are and where you're from. So that

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Speaker 1: way we can just have one big choir today. I

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Speaker 1: see Donna from Harrison, Arkansas. It's good to see you, Donna.

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Speaker 1: I see Chris, Chris from London. I see Patty from Valentine.

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Speaker 1: This is the building I'm in Valentine. Let me tell

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Speaker 1: you something, Patty. It looks really different here today. It

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Speaker 1: looks like the rapture happened and we missed it today.

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Speaker 1: I'm telling you, it's just really something to get used to.

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Speaker 1: I wish we'd all been ready, Chris, did the rapture

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Speaker 1: happen and we missed it? Well, God's presence is still

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Speaker 1: in the place wherever you're watching from, whether that's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,

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Speaker 1: I see you, Jakarta, Indonesia. Wow, Vermont is joining us today.

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Speaker 1: You don't see Vermont in the chat al lot. I

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Speaker 1: just want to. I want to put out a campaign

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Speaker 1: for Vermont to come a little stronger next week all

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Speaker 1: right on Easter. Hey, we're having Easter next weekend. Did

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Speaker 1: you hear that the resurrection wasn't canceled? Say that again,

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Speaker 1: Pastor Vernick. The resurrection passing not bit castled, and it

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Speaker 1: will be televised. Thank you Lord. The resurrection has not

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Speaker 1: been canceled. I might use that for the title of

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Speaker 1: my sermon for Easter. The Resurrection has not been canceled.

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Speaker 1: Put it in the chat if you know that's true.

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Speaker 1: God is still raising up the dead things in our life.

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Speaker 1: When we speak the name of Jesus and believed in faith,

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Speaker 1: miracles still happen, Miracles still happen, bodies are still being healed.

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Speaker 1: How does that song go. Bodies are still being raised.

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Speaker 1: Bodies are the resurrection has not been canceled. Aymen, we

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Speaker 1: can't go into that again. Brandon starts speaking in tongues

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Speaker 1: and all the Baptists people log off the stream, so

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Speaker 1: we can't do it. India's here, New York City is here,

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Speaker 1: praise the name of the Lord. New Jersey is here.

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Speaker 1: That's right, the resurrection has not been canceled. I'm still here, Devil.

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Speaker 1: I'm still here from Kansas. I'm still here from Romania.

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Speaker 1: I'm still here from Kingsville, Texas. The resurrection has not

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Speaker 1: been canceled. I see you. So we're going to see

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Speaker 1: you next weekend. We're not closing. The sermons about to

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Speaker 1: happen in a minute, but I'm going to I'm going

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Speaker 1: to just put out a word that Easter, this Easter

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Speaker 1: is going to be magnificent. And what we're going to do,

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Speaker 1: We're going to bring resurrection to your home. We're going

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Speaker 1: to bring resurrection to your home, resurrection power to your home.

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Speaker 1: And how many of you could use some resurrection power

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Speaker 1: right now, just even for your energy, or your emotions,

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Speaker 1: or your patience, or your or your checking account. I

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Speaker 1: don't mean to get personal. God is so good and uh,

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Speaker 1: what we're really deciding in this season. I was telling

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Speaker 1: the church a few weeks ago. I gathered some of

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Speaker 1: our leaders online. These are people who serve and give

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Speaker 1: and make such a difference, and I was showing them

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Speaker 1: that because they continue to honor God, especially in the

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Speaker 1: area of finances, this ministry is positioned for a miracle,

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Speaker 1: position for a miracle, and a lot of times I

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Speaker 1: think when we say a miracle, we're thinking about the

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Speaker 1: miracle that we want to see, But what about the

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Speaker 1: miracle that we need to be That's important right now,

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Speaker 1: that's important. So if you've been following, we've been trying

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Speaker 1: to show you as a church family, I'm like stuck

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Speaker 1: on this one camera. Let me give this camera some love. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: I feel like I'm really really like these other two

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Speaker 1: cameras are probably feeling really left out. Hello, other camera.

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Speaker 1: So I was sharing with them how when we trust God,

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Speaker 1: we crown him as king by the decisions that we make.

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Speaker 1: And so this is the season of our lives, my life,

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Speaker 1: your life, Chet's life, Holly's life. Where we decide is

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Speaker 1: Jesus king and not like a Burger king, you know,

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Speaker 1: Burger King is like, have it your way. Burger King

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Speaker 1: is the Jesus who was feeding the five thousand and

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Speaker 1: then when he said eat my flesh and drink my blood,

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Speaker 1: eye and the bread of life. Then many followed him

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Speaker 1: no more, and they decided they didn't want that kind

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Speaker 1: of king. And that's kind of what happened leading up

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Speaker 1: to Easter Week. We call this Palm Sunday all around

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Speaker 1: the world, and it represents the triumphant entry. We call

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Speaker 1: it when Jesus came into Jerusalem, but he was riding

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Speaker 1: on a donkey, which is such a crazy transportation means

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Speaker 1: for a king. It's a prophecy in Zechariah nine to

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Speaker 1: nine it said that your king will come, but he's

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Speaker 1: going to be riding on a donkey or a cold

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Speaker 1: And so when he came into Jerusalem, they were like, Hosanna, hosanna,

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Speaker 1: you know, which means save now help us, and they

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Speaker 1: threw their cloaks on the road for their king. But

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Speaker 1: you know, by the time he got to the cross

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Speaker 1: on Friday, they had kind of decided maybe that they

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Speaker 1: didn't want this kind of king. Maybe they wanted the

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Speaker 1: kind of king that always met their expectations, that liberated

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Speaker 1: them from everything oppressive. But the way into his kingdom

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Speaker 1: was through suffering, And sometimes we don't like to think

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Speaker 1: about that, but it doesn't make it any less true.

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Speaker 1: And in a time like this, where there is so

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Speaker 1: much suffering and so much uncertainty, and so much confusion,

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Speaker 1: and so much despair, and I'm not talking about what's

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Speaker 1: going on in the world, I'm talking about what's going

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Speaker 1: on in my heart and your heart. And we're praying

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Speaker 1: for those who are on the front lines and those

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Speaker 1: who are putting their own bodies and lives at risk

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Speaker 1: to help us through this time. And we're praying for them,

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Speaker 1: but we also have to make a decision who's on

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Speaker 1: the throne in our hearts. And what I thought was

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Speaker 1: so cool Chunks, I copied the text that you showed

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Speaker 1: me from. I'm not going to say his name, but

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Speaker 1: one of our og elevators, original glorifiers, that's what OG

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Speaker 1: stands for. In this pulpit. He has been in the

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Speaker 1: church for I want to say a decade or more.

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Speaker 1: He's not some fly by night click online. Oh, I'm

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Speaker 1: gonna check out five different churches on YouTube and see

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Speaker 1: which one I like. Oh, he's saying something I don't like.

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna skip that one. He's not that kind of

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Speaker 1: church member. He's in it all the way, and so

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Speaker 1: I copied this. Let me find it real quick what

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Speaker 1: he texted to his campus faster listen to this. This

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Speaker 1: is such a great message for us as a church,

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Speaker 1: as we are positioned to be a miracle, as we

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Speaker 1: are positioned to reach people during this time. He was

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Speaker 1: sharing after our leadership event. He said, I'm so thankful

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Speaker 1: for this message. He said, I have gotten caught up

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Speaker 1: into doing what I say I will never do, and

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Speaker 1: that is listen to a lot of news and opinions

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Speaker 1: that are negative that draw you into dark places. Funny

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Speaker 1: how addicting it is, and once you start, it's hard

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Speaker 1: to quit, like eating carbs. It's so cool to see

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Speaker 1: how we at Elevation have been able to help other

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Speaker 1: churches and even increase our outreach and grow in a

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Speaker 1: time everyone else is shrinking. It made me very excited

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Speaker 1: to know we have been a part of this. Somebody

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Speaker 1: put it in the chat on position for a miracle.

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Speaker 1: And then he goes on to say, I have questioned

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Speaker 1: my giving decisions at times. Who wouldn't you know? The

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Speaker 1: first thing that you want to do when things are

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Speaker 1: unstable is try to hold on tighter. And so he says,

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Speaker 1: I have invested a whole lot into elevation. I started

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Speaker 1: to think it wasn't very prudent, but I realize now

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Speaker 1: I have a diverse giving portfolio. I like that he's

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Speaker 1: watching the dal Jones go down, but he's watching the

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Speaker 1: Kingdom of God move forward. He said, I have a

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Speaker 1: diverse giving portfolio, heavily loaded with growth stocks. And then

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Speaker 1: he spells it out in case in case we're slow,

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Speaker 1: I mean elevation and not so much in investments on

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Speaker 1: this earth. Last night, he said, seeing what the church

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Speaker 1: has done and uplifted my spirits knowing that I had

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Speaker 1: zero regrets in my giving. It's truly a high growth,

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Speaker 1: high yield investment with a great err eternal rate of return.

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Speaker 1: I just made that up, he says in parentheses. Now

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Speaker 1: listen to this. This is what I want to say

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Speaker 1: to you. Cash is king is the mantra right now

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Speaker 1: in business. It is the oxygen to get you through

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Speaker 1: this uncertain time. Delay payable, stay on top of receivables,

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Speaker 1: and liquidate slow moving inventory. Get and keep cash. The

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Speaker 1: next ninety days will be extremely tough and many won't survive.

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Speaker 1: We know if we can survive, we will drive. On

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Speaker 1: the other end, he says, I believed and have focused

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Speaker 1: on cash is King, and it hit me I was

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Speaker 1: being a heretic. Christ is King. Christ is King. Right

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Speaker 1: here on the verge of Easter Sunday, we declare Christ

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Speaker 1: is King. That's what you ought to type right now

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Speaker 1: in the chat. Christ is King and my rock and

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Speaker 1: where my refuge is. Yes, cash is extremely important, and

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Speaker 1: we will focus on cash flow management. But there can

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Speaker 1: only be one king. He hasn't failed me yet, and

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Speaker 1: we especially need to remember that now. He said, I

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Speaker 1: should write a song about that. A crazy thought hit me,

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Speaker 1: and this really blessed me because you know, we sing

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Speaker 1: songs to God, but where our treasure is, that's where

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Speaker 1: our heart is. So listen what he said. A crazy

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Speaker 1: thought hit me. What if I give a big check

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Speaker 1: now in a time of uncertainty and everyone and everything

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Speaker 1: is saying that would be stupid in a time when

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Speaker 1: we are losing money and should reduce or eliminate giving.

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Speaker 1: What if I wrote the single largest check that I've

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Speaker 1: ever written to the church. And then he asked how

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Speaker 1: much is that because he didn't have the record and

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Speaker 1: then he did it. And I just think that's awesome

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Speaker 1: because the man who's that text is watching right now.

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Speaker 1: And because of you and your faithfulness to Jesus Christ,

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Speaker 1: we're positioned for a miracle because you crown Christ as king,

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Speaker 1: not just with your lips, Hosannah, Hosanna, Hosannah, but with

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Speaker 1: your life. And I want to thank God for the

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Speaker 1: thousands of you who do that. You pray, you give,

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Speaker 1: you serve, and we're not stopping. Christ is King. If

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Speaker 1: you believe it, put it in the chat, and don't

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Speaker 1: just put it in the chat. Tell your checkbook, come on,

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Speaker 1: tell your you got to tell your emotions. Christ is

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Speaker 1: King and everything that comes against him must bow in

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Speaker 1: the name of Jesus. If you believe it, give me

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Speaker 1: about nineteen twenty second praise break right now, just to

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Speaker 1: declare Christ is King. Christ is King, Christ is King.

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Speaker 1: Come on, you don't have to be contye ain't to know.

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Speaker 1: Jesus Christ is King of kings. We crowned kings. So

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Speaker 1: thank you, Thank you for your continued generosity positioning us.

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Speaker 1: We've reached record numbers of people during this time, and

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Speaker 1: we're gonna keep on reaching. So join me this Friday,

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Speaker 1: remember seven pm Eastern Time, with a rebroadcast at ten

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Speaker 1: Eastern time, and you can do the math on your

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Speaker 1: time zone. We're gonna be having a special Good Friday

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Speaker 1: time of communion, prayer and worship with me and Holly

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Speaker 1: and our team. And then on Easter Sunday we're going

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Speaker 1: to add a special extra service for two pm Eastern Time.

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Speaker 1: We're just gonna have church all day. We're gonna have

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Speaker 1: church until Jesus comes back again. If you didn't already

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Speaker 1: come and we missed it, We're gonna keep being here

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Speaker 1: showing up. Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord

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Speaker 1: of lords. I'm excited about it. Are you excited about

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Speaker 1: the Word of God? Thank you Jesus. Well, I'm bringing

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Speaker 1: out the secret weapon today. Holly Ferdick is preaching the

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Speaker 1: Word of God. Everybody, say hey, Holly, come on, say

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Speaker 1: it in a chat so she can see it. Say

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Speaker 1: it from Whales and where else from. Welcome her from

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Speaker 1: all over the world. This is my wife, this is

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Speaker 1: the love of my life. This is my partner. This

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Speaker 1: is Somebody said that Holly was their favorite verdict and

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Speaker 1: they were like, no, offense, but Hally's my favorite verdict.

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Speaker 1: I was like, hey, man, I'm the president of the

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Speaker 1: fan club. I am the president of your fan club.

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Speaker 1: You live what you teach. You're a better woman than

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Speaker 1: even you are a minister. But today, as you look

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Speaker 1: into that camera and welcome the world into the presence

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Speaker 1: of God, I pray that God would use you. Thank

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Speaker 1: you to bring comfort, healing, hope and perspective. Thank you

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Speaker 1: to each and every one of us. God, thank you

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Speaker 1: for your servant, for this woman of God. Bless it

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Speaker 1: as she who comes in the name of the Lord

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Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen, Come on, receive Holly, not

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Speaker 1: with a kiss, but just tell her hello. I love you, babe.

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Speaker 1: Did you just get choked up while you were praying

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Speaker 1: for me? I think he did. I really think he did.

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Speaker 1: That touches me. I just want to say welcome to

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Speaker 1: everyone who's joining us this morning, Happy Palm Sunday. My

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Speaker 1: kids have been doing online school, as I know many

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Speaker 1: of yours are too, and my kids actually have daily

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Speaker 1: check ins where their teachers take role and they type

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Speaker 1: in the chat here. So I thought I could take

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Speaker 1: roll this morning. I used to be a teacher, so

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Speaker 1: let me know if you're here, where you're watching from

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Speaker 1: give me some love. Maybe tell me who's watching with you.

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Speaker 1: I have my daughter Abby here this morning. She's sitting

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Speaker 1: with her dad in my very small cheering section. And

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Speaker 1: you know, speaking of Abby's dad who got choked up

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Speaker 1: praying for me. There is no way to begin to

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Speaker 1: describe the gifting and the anointing that is on my

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Speaker 1: husband's life. It can truly only be experienced. And he

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Speaker 1: has helped us through so many tough seasons and this

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Speaker 1: one is no exception. I wish you could see the

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Speaker 1: way he is leading our staff, our teams, our church.

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Speaker 1: We are on the move and we have a general

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Speaker 1: who is leading the charge. And I don't know if

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Speaker 1: you're grateful for him, but I'm grateful for him. So

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Speaker 1: when you type in the chat, we love you, Pastor Stephen,

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Speaker 1: his messages have just been as always. They inspire me

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Speaker 1: and they encourage me, and they challenge me and they're

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Speaker 1: relevant all at the same time. And I really don't

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Speaker 1: know how he does it. And also I want to

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Speaker 1: say I am so proud of our church. I know

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Speaker 1: that my husband just read that amazing text message and

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Speaker 1: we have gotten to see every week how our church

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Speaker 1: is giving back to our communities all around. And I

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Speaker 1: just want to encourage you and invite you to be

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Speaker 1: involved in our church more now, more than ever. Our

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Speaker 1: campus pastors at all of our campuses, our EPAM, they

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Speaker 1: are available, They're praying for people. Get involved on your

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Speaker 1: campus Facebook page. God is moving and God is working

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Speaker 1: and he is ministering to us during this time. And

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Speaker 1: our staff. I am so proud of our staff, from

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Speaker 1: e kids to outreach to all of our pastoral staff.

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Speaker 1: So I just want to encourage you. Don't draw back

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Speaker 1: during this time, move forward, get more involved and allow

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Speaker 1: us to speak over you and encourage you and pray

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Speaker 1: for you. And retweet. I'm not even on Twitter. I

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Speaker 1: don't know why I'm saying retweet, but share the things

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Speaker 1: that are going on with our church and invite your

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Speaker 1: friends to join in what's going on. I feel like

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Speaker 1: people are thirstier than ever right now, and they're more

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Speaker 1: open because I mean, in reality, they're home and they're bored.

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Speaker 1: And so if this message and these the messages of

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Speaker 1: this church are speaking to you, share it personally, share it,

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Speaker 1: text someone and say this really helped me. I think

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Speaker 1: that you'll like it. There's so much content coming out

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Speaker 1: of our church right now, and I am so proud

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Speaker 1: of to be a part of this movement and to

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Speaker 1: be included among the generous people of Elevation Church. It's

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Speaker 1: just such an amazing time to be to be a

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Speaker 1: part of the family of God. So, Okay, I am

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Speaker 1: really excited to get to speak to you this morning

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Speaker 1: because God has been speaking so much to me over

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Speaker 1: the past few weeks, and I truly I'm bursting. I

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Speaker 1: cannot wait to share it with you. I believe that

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Speaker 1: you are going to be blessed by this today. So

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Speaker 1: would you do me a favor, And wherever you are,

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Speaker 1: just turn your hands up in a posture of receiving,

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Speaker 1: and I'm going to pray for us. So, Lord, we

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Speaker 1: join our hearts together. We join our faith together, all

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Speaker 1: across this world, from people who are in their living rooms,

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Speaker 1: in their bedrooms, in their kitchens, in their workplaces. God,

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Speaker 1: we join our faith together, and we collectively ask that

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Speaker 1: you would speak to us. Our hands are open as

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Speaker 1: a symbol that we want to receive a word from

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Speaker 1: you today. Would you speak to us God, We are listening.

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Speaker 1: It's in Jesus name. I pray amen. All right, So

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Speaker 1: several weeks ago back when our children went to this

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Speaker 1: place called school, my husband and I decided to go

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Speaker 1: on a hike on his day off. And here in Charlotte,

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Speaker 1: you can drive about an hour to find a decent hike.

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Speaker 1: So this particular day, I did a little bit of research,

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Speaker 1: and I decided that we were going to go to

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Speaker 1: Morol Mountain State Park. And I looked on the park

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Speaker 1: website because I wanted to find the most challenging hike,

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Speaker 1: and so I decided that we were going to hike

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Speaker 1: sugar Loaf Trail. Now, I don't know if you've ever

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Speaker 1: tried to hike the state park trails. I don't even

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Speaker 1: know if the state parks in other states are different

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Speaker 1: than the ones here in North Carolina. But I personally

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Speaker 1: have found in my limited experience that the maps make

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Speaker 1: everything look so easy on paper. Sugar Loaf Trail is

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Speaker 1: the orange triangles. All you have to do is follow

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Speaker 1: the orange triangles. But it's a totally different story when

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Speaker 1: you actually get on the trail because the trails overlap

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Speaker 1: and it can be tricky to stay on the one

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Speaker 1: that you want. You would think follow the orange triangles

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Speaker 1: is easy, but it's just not not for us. So

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Speaker 1: almost every time that we go hiking, which really isn't

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Speaker 1: that much, we start on one trail and then we

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Speaker 1: finish on another, and it usually isn't that big of

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Speaker 1: a deal as long as you end up at your car, right,

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Speaker 1: I mean, look, the verdicts we aren't the most skilled

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Speaker 1: when it comes to hiking. We're a little bit better

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Speaker 1: at Netflix, but sometimes we have to force ourselves to

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Speaker 1: go outdoors and when we do, we don't regret it.

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Speaker 1: So anyway, this particular time, I am determined that we

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Speaker 1: are going to stay on sugar Loaf Trail because I

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Speaker 1: wanted to count as my exercise for the day, and

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Speaker 1: the park information said sugar Loaf had the best incline.

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Speaker 1: It actually described it as strenuous. But don't get excited

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Speaker 1: if you live in Colorado. Don't picture free solo. This

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Speaker 1: is the foothills of North Carolina. Okay. So I told Stephen,

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Speaker 1: because maybe I should back up and explain to you

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Speaker 1: that my husband doesn't have a very good sense of direction.

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Speaker 1: I hope he doesn't get mad at me for telling

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Speaker 1: you this, But this very morning, this very morning, he

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Speaker 1: told me that he got lost coming to Valentine from

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Speaker 1: our house and he says, he just missed the turn.

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Speaker 1: The thing is, he had so much on his mind.

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Speaker 1: He's just so brilliant and so creative that he can't

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Speaker 1: pay attention to the turn. So when anyway, that's not

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Speaker 1: the point. When we go on a hike, I'm in

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Speaker 1: charge of where to go, and so I said to him.

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Speaker 1: I was like, this is gonna be The problem is

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Speaker 1: I don't have the greatest sense of It's not my

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Speaker 1: sense of direction, it's more of my ability to stay

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Speaker 1: on track and pay attention. But I'm in charge, and

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Speaker 1: so I said, this is going to be so easy.

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Speaker 1: All we have to do is follow the orange triangles.

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Speaker 1: So everything starts off great. We're walking at a nice pace,

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Speaker 1: and we're talking without being interrupted. I think we are

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Speaker 1: even holding hands at one point, and the trail is

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Speaker 1: so peaceful, and we even walk through this really cool

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Speaker 1: tunnel of like baby pine trees that were growing up.

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Speaker 1: I think I have a picture here. We are, aren't

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Speaker 1: we cute? Don't we look like we're enjoying the great outdoors?

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Speaker 1: So we're weaving our way down the trail, and just

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Speaker 1: like I expected, we start getting blue squares and white

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Speaker 1: circles along with our orange triangles. And I get to

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Speaker 1: talking and like I always do, and I realized at

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Speaker 1: one point I haven't seen an orange triangle in a

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Speaker 1: little while, and so I keep talking and acting like

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Speaker 1: everything's okay, and we continue on and I keep thinking

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Speaker 1: the orange triangles are going to reappear, but they don't,

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Speaker 1: and it doesn't feel right because the trail is getting easier,

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Speaker 1: and I started I saw a picnic table, so I remembered, okay,

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Speaker 1: a while back, we passed the split in the trail,

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Speaker 1: so I think we need to double back and take

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Speaker 1: the other path. And I can start to feel pastor

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Speaker 1: Steven tense up because he does not like to be lost.

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Speaker 1: He doesn't want to be lost in a car, he

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Speaker 1: doesn't want to be lost walking in a city, and

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Speaker 1: he certainly does not want to be lost hiking in

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Speaker 1: the woods. Remember we're Netflix people, so some of you

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Speaker 1: might be thinking, what's the big deal of me being

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Speaker 1: lost as an adventure, not to him. So we're on

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Speaker 1: the second path and we come to this tunnel of

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Speaker 1: baby pine trees, and I realized that now we're walking

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Speaker 1: back to our car, and so I say, okay, I

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Speaker 1: think we need to turn around again, and Stephen looks

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Speaker 1: at me. I swear he looks at me and he says, Holly,

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Speaker 1: I'm not going to be lost much longer. And I said,

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Speaker 1: don't worry. I know exactly where we are now, I

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Speaker 1: know the way. I totally lied, thankfully. When we circle

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Speaker 1: back one more time, I finally spotted the little orange

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Speaker 1: triangle on a tree off in the distance, on a

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Speaker 1: very small trail, and we were back on track, and

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Speaker 1: we had a great day today. I want to talk

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Speaker 1: to you about what you should do when you feel

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Speaker 1: like pastor Stephen, and you're thinking, I can't be lost

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Speaker 1: for much longer. So my sermon is, I know the way.

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Speaker 1: Have you ever noticed that when you start to feel

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Speaker 1: lost at first, you coach yourself. You say things like

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Speaker 1: everything's fine, orange triangles are going to start to appear

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Speaker 1: very soon. You start telling yourself phrases I love idioms.

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Speaker 1: I always misuse them, but I just love them so

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Speaker 1: and I'll start telling myself phrases like things are off

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Speaker 1: to a rocky start, or it's just a bump in

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Speaker 1: the road and I just need to stay the path.

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Speaker 1: And then maybe you progress to the phase of questioning

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Speaker 1: your decisions. I thought this was what I was supposed

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Speaker 1: to do. I thought I was supposed to take this

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Speaker 1: new job. I felt like the Lord was leading us here,

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Speaker 1: but now I'm not so sure. Maybe I heard wrong,

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Speaker 1: maybe I did the wrong thing. And then the next

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Speaker 1: phase for me is disappointment, and I start to tell

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Speaker 1: myself things like this is not how I I thought

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Speaker 1: this hike would be. I thought we would just hold

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Speaker 1: hands and stay on the trail and climb to the

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Speaker 1: top and see the beautiful view. But here I am circling, frustrated, lost,

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Speaker 1: And then I start to worry because I realized that

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Speaker 1: I can't continue to live in this place, this feeling

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Speaker 1: of being lost. I can't be here much longer. I

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Speaker 1: can't keep acting like everything's okay. I can't keep pretending

428
00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,679
Speaker 1: like I know the way to go. I thought that

429
00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:37,840
Speaker 1: God was leading me here, but now I'm not so sure.

430
00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,520
Speaker 1: And now I can't hear him and I can't feel him,

431
00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:43,199
Speaker 1: and I don't know the way anymore. And then I

432
00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:46,640
Speaker 1: tell God, God, I just I don't know how much

433
00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,920
Speaker 1: longer I can last. Today. I want to look with

434
00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:54,000
Speaker 1: you at Psalm seventy seven, because this passage of Scripture. Sorry,

435
00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,280
Speaker 1: that's kind of a a loud. This passage of scripture is

436
00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,720
Speaker 1: about a man who has lost his way and he

437
00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,800
Speaker 1: can't feel God anymore. And I feel like he has

438
00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,760
Speaker 1: so much to teach us. So I've got the verses

439
00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,280
Speaker 1: coming up. Let's look at Psalm seventy seven, Verse one.

440
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,640
Speaker 1: I thought I might try sitting for a while, because

441
00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:13,880
Speaker 1: you know, I used to be a teacher, and teachers

442
00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:19,760
Speaker 1: they sit. Psalm seventy seven says I cried out to

443
00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,000
Speaker 1: God for help. I cried out to God to hear

444
00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,800
Speaker 1: me when I was in distress. I sought the Lord

445
00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:30,879
Speaker 1: at night. I stretched out untiring hands, and I would

446
00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:36,399
Speaker 1: not be comforted. The man is having trouble sleeping. He

447
00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,879
Speaker 1: he's in distress and his mind won't let him rest.

448
00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:45,080
Speaker 1: And I have had so many conversations with friends lately

449
00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,400
Speaker 1: telling me that they're having trouble sleeping. We're all worried.

450
00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:53,520
Speaker 1: What's keeping you up at night might not be the

451
00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:56,440
Speaker 1: same thing that's keeping me up. Well, I'll just tell

452
00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:58,040
Speaker 1: you what's keeping me up. I'm just going to be

453
00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,120
Speaker 1: honest and have a little honest moment here. I keep

454
00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:05,560
Speaker 1: worrying that I have the virus and to the point where,

455
00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:07,800
Speaker 1: about a week ago, I had a really bad allergy

456
00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:09,440
Speaker 1: attack and I woke up in the middle of the

457
00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,119
Speaker 1: night coughing, and I couldn't go back to sleep because

458
00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:14,840
Speaker 1: I started making a case. Am I am I alone

459
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,160
Speaker 1: in this? Can somebody please tell me in the chat

460
00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,760
Speaker 1: if this has happened to me. I keep making the

461
00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,760
Speaker 1: case that I'm in the early stages of the virus,

462
00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:26,840
Speaker 1: and I started thinking, I'm laying awake at night, my

463
00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:30,320
Speaker 1: eyes are wide open, and I'm thinking of all the

464
00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,600
Speaker 1: people that I've been in contact with, and what if

465
00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,080
Speaker 1: I exposed people, you know, I went to the grocery store.

466
00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:39,639
Speaker 1: What if I got some person sick? And then I

467
00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:43,320
Speaker 1: start worrying about what about my family? Who will take

468
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,400
Speaker 1: care of my family if I get really sick? And

469
00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:47,720
Speaker 1: what if my kids get sick? What if Pastor Stephen

470
00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,480
Speaker 1: gets sick and he can't preach to anyone anymore? Anybody

471
00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,120
Speaker 1: help me out? Have you been there? Have you been

472
00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:58,840
Speaker 1: awake at night worrying about your finances? Losing sleep because

473
00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:02,960
Speaker 1: I'm afraid? And the Psalmist goes on to say, I

474
00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:07,840
Speaker 1: remembered you, God, I grown I meditated. He's trying to

475
00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,840
Speaker 1: do all the right things, but my spirit grew faint.

476
00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,520
Speaker 1: You kept my eyes from closing. I was too troubled

477
00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,720
Speaker 1: to speak. I thought about the former days, the years

478
00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:20,400
Speaker 1: of long ago. I remembered my songs in the night,

479
00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:25,720
Speaker 1: nighttime questions. They're so dark. They keep you on this

480
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,960
Speaker 1: loop that takes you nowhere, and you can't get your

481
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,879
Speaker 1: mind subtled, and you can't get rest, he says, my

482
00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:37,320
Speaker 1: heart meditated. He's trying to get a hold of himself,

483
00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:42,719
Speaker 1: but then he starts asking crazy questions. Listen to this,

484
00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:46,640
Speaker 1: he says, Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never

485
00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:51,480
Speaker 1: show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever?

486
00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:55,920
Speaker 1: Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten

487
00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:58,920
Speaker 1: to be merciful to me? Has he and his anger

488
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:03,560
Speaker 1: withheld his compassion? Is God mad at me? Can you

489
00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:07,200
Speaker 1: relate to this? Because I can. When I get anxious,

490
00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:11,120
Speaker 1: I start to jump to these crazy conclusions, and then

491
00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,000
Speaker 1: I start to search for an answer for everything. So

492
00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:18,520
Speaker 1: I plan out these elaborate, if then scenarios, and then

493
00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:22,000
Speaker 1: I find myself worried about problems that don't even exist.

494
00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,800
Speaker 1: What do you do when you find yourself in this place?

495
00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,040
Speaker 1: I want to share with you today some of the

496
00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:30,600
Speaker 1: things that God has been showing me about how to

497
00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:34,240
Speaker 1: break this cycle in my mind. And the Psalmist is

498
00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,800
Speaker 1: about to show you. Don't you love the Bible? I

499
00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,600
Speaker 1: love the darkness and the humanity in this psalm. I

500
00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:44,280
Speaker 1: love knowing that I'm not the only one who goes

501
00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:48,120
Speaker 1: through periods where God feels far away. He says, God,

502
00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,280
Speaker 1: can you are you hearing my cry? I am crying

503
00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:54,360
Speaker 1: out to you? So I want to show you what

504
00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,880
Speaker 1: he does next. But spoiler alert, He's not gonna show

505
00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,520
Speaker 1: us the way out. We actually ever know who even

506
00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,400
Speaker 1: wrote this psalm, what he was going through, or how

507
00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:06,880
Speaker 1: he got out of it. In the end, he's going

508
00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:13,600
Speaker 1: to show us how to shift our perspective. Perspective is everything,

509
00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:18,440
Speaker 1: because I found that my initial response to every situation

510
00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:21,200
Speaker 1: in my life one hundred percent of the time is

511
00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,640
Speaker 1: how does this affect me? What if I get sick?

512
00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,960
Speaker 1: What about my canceled plans? This is not the way

513
00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:32,200
Speaker 1: I thought this would go. And then after I do that,

514
00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:35,160
Speaker 1: I turn it on God, just like the Psalmist, and

515
00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,479
Speaker 1: I think I know why It's easier to blame God

516
00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,720
Speaker 1: than to take responsibility for my own heart and my

517
00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:44,800
Speaker 1: own attitude, So it's easier for me to say, God,

518
00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,560
Speaker 1: are you hearing me? What about your promises? God? You

519
00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:53,040
Speaker 1: must be angry with me. But thankfully the psalmist doesn't

520
00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,000
Speaker 1: stop there, and we won't either. Do you remember my

521
00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,720
Speaker 1: husband's sermon from a few weeks ago called There's a

522
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:02,800
Speaker 1: whole in your story. If you miss that sermon, you

523
00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:05,640
Speaker 1: have to go back and watch it because he said this,

524
00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:09,560
Speaker 1: and it's forever in my mind. He said, don't let

525
00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:13,600
Speaker 1: doubt and self centeredness cut you off in the middle

526
00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:17,480
Speaker 1: of your story. It's okay to feel the doubt. It's

527
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:21,720
Speaker 1: okay to think about how you're being affected by this situation.

528
00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,720
Speaker 1: But realize that we are in the middle of the

529
00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,800
Speaker 1: story right now, and you can feel those feelings. But

530
00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:31,000
Speaker 1: you can't stop there. You can't lose faith. You can't

531
00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:35,600
Speaker 1: keep circling in this loop of making up stories. You

532
00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,760
Speaker 1: have to get to the next part. So part one

533
00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:45,360
Speaker 1: of this psalm is my worries, Part two is his ways,

534
00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:49,320
Speaker 1: and verse ten is the shift, the shift from going

535
00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:55,960
Speaker 1: from myself to my God. Look at this, says then

536
00:31:56,040 --> 00:32:00,560
Speaker 1: I thought to this, I will appeal in the years

537
00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:04,200
Speaker 1: when the most high stretched out his right hand. Watched

538
00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,400
Speaker 1: this because he's about to go from what if to worship.

539
00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:11,959
Speaker 1: He's going to shift his focus from self what if

540
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:15,440
Speaker 1: God has forgotten me, to the character and the nature

541
00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:19,360
Speaker 1: of God. He says, I will remember the deeds of

542
00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:23,440
Speaker 1: the Lord. I will remember your miracles of long ago.

543
00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:28,200
Speaker 1: He's forcing himself to remember. He says, I will consider

544
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,840
Speaker 1: all of your works and meditate on all of your

545
00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:36,200
Speaker 1: mighty deeds. Your ways, God are holy. What God is

546
00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:40,480
Speaker 1: as great as our God. He's reminding himself about who

547
00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:44,200
Speaker 1: his God is. You are the God who performs miracles.

548
00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:48,120
Speaker 1: You display your power among the people with your mighty arm.

549
00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:51,680
Speaker 1: You redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

550
00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:56,400
Speaker 1: Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind. Your lightning lit

551
00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:00,440
Speaker 1: up the world. The earth trembled and quaked. He serve

552
00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:05,240
Speaker 1: a big God, he says. Your path led through the sea,

553
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,840
Speaker 1: your way through the mighty waters. Though your footprints were

554
00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:13,960
Speaker 1: not seen. You led your people like a flock by

555
00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:19,920
Speaker 1: the hand of Moses and Aaron. Sometimes the only way

556
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:25,640
Speaker 1: forward is to circle back. This is so beautiful to me.

557
00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:28,880
Speaker 1: What do you do when you're awake in the night

558
00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:33,360
Speaker 1: instead of circling on all of those questions, in all

559
00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:37,880
Speaker 1: of those stories, you stop and you remember how great

560
00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:42,920
Speaker 1: and how powerful our God is. He's a good God.

561
00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:47,480
Speaker 1: He's a miracle working God. He's a deliverer. He is

562
00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,800
Speaker 1: the God who makes himself known to his people and

563
00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:55,600
Speaker 1: his promises. Do stand What has God done for you?

564
00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:59,560
Speaker 1: Can you take a second and look back over your life?

565
00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,160
Speaker 1: Because He's been there for you, He's provided for you.

566
00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,880
Speaker 1: And what makes you think that he's going to stop now?

567
00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:11,200
Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but this is not my

568
00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:15,279
Speaker 1: first dark night. The problem is when you're in the

569
00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:19,280
Speaker 1: middle of the night, it's hard to remember the things

570
00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,440
Speaker 1: that you have come through. For some reason, it always

571
00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:24,839
Speaker 1: feels like it's never been this bad before. But if

572
00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:29,839
Speaker 1: you can just force yourself to remember, he was with

573
00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:34,319
Speaker 1: me the last time, he will be with me all

574
00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:38,600
Speaker 1: the way through this one. I love the part where

575
00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:45,240
Speaker 1: he says your way was through the sea. You're digging deep.

576
00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,239
Speaker 1: You've got to remember how God parted the Red Sea

577
00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:52,880
Speaker 1: and he brought his people through on dry land. What

578
00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:56,440
Speaker 1: does the song say, We just sing it. You made

579
00:34:56,600 --> 00:35:01,480
Speaker 1: seas into highways. Instead of worrying about well, what is coming,

580
00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:05,000
Speaker 1: You've got to use all of that energy, all of

581
00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:09,759
Speaker 1: that fear, and rechannel it to recall the times where

582
00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:12,160
Speaker 1: He was with you in the past, the times where

583
00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,400
Speaker 1: He made a way through for you. I wish we

584
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:18,120
Speaker 1: could shout about all the times that He was with us.

585
00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,400
Speaker 1: I wish we could play popcorn. We used to do

586
00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,239
Speaker 1: that when I was a teenager in youth group, and

587
00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,320
Speaker 1: you would just shout out things. And I wish you

588
00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:26,880
Speaker 1: would shout out in the chat that when you were sick,

589
00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:29,200
Speaker 1: that He healed you in your body, when you were

590
00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:31,960
Speaker 1: going through a divorce, he was with you all along

591
00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,719
Speaker 1: the way. When you lost your job, he provided for you.

592
00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:38,160
Speaker 1: Tell me the ways that God has been with you,

593
00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:42,240
Speaker 1: because I know that we serve a God who makes

594
00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:46,600
Speaker 1: a way for us, though his footprints were not seen

595
00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:48,960
Speaker 1: at the time. When I look back look at the

596
00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:53,680
Speaker 1: verse again, it says your path made away through the

597
00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:58,520
Speaker 1: mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. Even when

598
00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:03,560
Speaker 1: you don't see it, He's working. And the Psalm closes

599
00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:07,480
Speaker 1: by telling us that he leads us like a flock.

600
00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:13,600
Speaker 1: I love all of the metaphors in the Bible that

601
00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:17,800
Speaker 1: remind us about the Lord being our shepherd. It's truly

602
00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,919
Speaker 1: throughout the Bible, but my favorite one, and probably yours too,

603
00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:25,560
Speaker 1: is Psalm twenty three. The Lord is my shepherd. I

604
00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,640
Speaker 1: shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

605
00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:33,480
Speaker 1: He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

606
00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:38,320
Speaker 1: He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

607
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:42,280
Speaker 1: What a comfort it is to know that our shepherd

608
00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:46,880
Speaker 1: is leading his flock, and he knows where the green

609
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:51,600
Speaker 1: pastures are. He leads us to the water when we're thirsty.

610
00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:57,080
Speaker 1: He is with us every step of the way. And

611
00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:01,279
Speaker 1: when I think about God being our guide, I think

612
00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:05,280
Speaker 1: about a few years ago, we got to go to Israel,

613
00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:08,279
Speaker 1: and of course we hired a guide, because that's what

614
00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:10,239
Speaker 1: you do when you go to Israel. Otherwise you would

615
00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,240
Speaker 1: just roam around and wonder what things were. Our guide

616
00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:17,839
Speaker 1: his name was Aria, and it was Aria's job as

617
00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:21,160
Speaker 1: our guide to take us around to all of the

618
00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:24,000
Speaker 1: famous sites in the Bible that we could squeeze into

619
00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:26,120
Speaker 1: our ten day trip. So of course you want to

620
00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:29,320
Speaker 1: hit the Garden of gessimone and the tomb and Mount

621
00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,279
Speaker 1: Carmel where Elijah called down the prophets, and the Mount

622
00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:35,239
Speaker 1: of Olives where Jesus fed the five thousand and the

623
00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:38,799
Speaker 1: Jordan River in the upper room, and we wanted to

624
00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:40,719
Speaker 1: see all of these sites. We had a list of

625
00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:42,480
Speaker 1: the things we wanted to do. But while we were

626
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:47,239
Speaker 1: driving from place to place, our guide were a microphone,

627
00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:51,400
Speaker 1: and he was constantly pointing things out to us along

628
00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:54,879
Speaker 1: the way from within the bus. He would say, this

629
00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:57,040
Speaker 1: is an olive grove. Look out to the left, this

630
00:37:57,080 --> 00:37:59,000
Speaker 1: is an olive grove. And then he would teach us

631
00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:01,759
Speaker 1: and he would say, olive trees are stable enough to

632
00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:05,120
Speaker 1: live thousands of years through droughts and through storms, and

633
00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:09,200
Speaker 1: the oil that comes from olives is what represents the

634
00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:12,160
Speaker 1: Holy Spirit. And he would just teach us all along

635
00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:14,560
Speaker 1: the way. I remember one particular day we were on

636
00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,360
Speaker 1: our way to the Sea of Galilee and he pulled

637
00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:20,040
Speaker 1: the bus over to the side of the road and

638
00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:22,400
Speaker 1: he said, we got out here. I'm telling you. We

639
00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:25,000
Speaker 1: were literally on the side of the road, the highway

640
00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:28,640
Speaker 1: with cars going past, and we walked up this rocky

641
00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:31,960
Speaker 1: hill and he said, I want to show you. This

642
00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:34,440
Speaker 1: is a cistern. This is what a cistern looks like.

643
00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,759
Speaker 1: A cistern is where Joseph's brothers threw him when they

644
00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:41,239
Speaker 1: were about to throw throw what did they sell him

645
00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:45,560
Speaker 1: into slavery? And then he began to teach us about shepherds,

646
00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:48,759
Speaker 1: and he told us he said the shepherds would live

647
00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:51,719
Speaker 1: just outside of town right here. See how you can

648
00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:53,839
Speaker 1: see the town off in the distance. And he'd say,

649
00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:56,480
Speaker 1: they would live right here, And they would while the

650
00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,040
Speaker 1: sheep were having babies and the lambs were young, they

651
00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:01,319
Speaker 1: would stay just out side of the city so that

652
00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:04,040
Speaker 1: the sheep could drink from these cisterns. But as soon

653
00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:06,759
Speaker 1: as the lambs were old enough to travel, they would

654
00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:09,560
Speaker 1: go up to two hours away from the city and

655
00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:14,920
Speaker 1: lead the sheep to graze in greener pastures near the springs.

656
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,600
Speaker 1: The things that he showed us along the way were

657
00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:23,080
Speaker 1: as memorable to me as the famous sights that we

658
00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:25,880
Speaker 1: had come to see. And I think about if I

659
00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:28,600
Speaker 1: had gotten on the bus each day and put my

660
00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:33,000
Speaker 1: headphones in and taken a nap and gotten to the destination,

661
00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:36,239
Speaker 1: I would have missed out on so much of the

662
00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:41,719
Speaker 1: experience of seeing and taking in everything around me. And

663
00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:45,160
Speaker 1: it has opened up my eyes when I read a

664
00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:48,320
Speaker 1: passage like he guides. He guides us in paths of

665
00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:51,880
Speaker 1: righteousness for his name's sake. I can picture the shepherds

666
00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:57,279
Speaker 1: leading their sheep to the greener grasp. God is your guide,

667
00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:02,640
Speaker 1: and he's revealing himself to you all along the way.

668
00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:07,280
Speaker 1: Every day he's trying to show you. This is my grace,

669
00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:12,240
Speaker 1: here's my joy. And sometimes I think that I miss

670
00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:15,880
Speaker 1: what's right in front of me because I'm worried about

671
00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:19,920
Speaker 1: what's down the road. He guides me in paths of

672
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,799
Speaker 1: righteousness for his namesake. Goes on to say, even though

673
00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:26,320
Speaker 1: I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death,

674
00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:29,520
Speaker 1: I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

675
00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:33,279
Speaker 1: It comforts me to know that as we walk through

676
00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:37,799
Speaker 1: the valley the shadow of death, my shepherd is with

677
00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:42,920
Speaker 1: me the whole way. And by the way, it's not death,

678
00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:47,680
Speaker 1: it's just a shadow. And as you walk through the valley,

679
00:40:48,480 --> 00:40:52,399
Speaker 1: just make sure to keep going. And when you're up

680
00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:56,279
Speaker 1: at night and the shadows are so scary, if you

681
00:40:56,360 --> 00:41:01,440
Speaker 1: can shift your focus, you'll find that the shepherd, your shepherd,

682
00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:05,560
Speaker 1: is right there leading you through. He's your guide. He's

683
00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:10,160
Speaker 1: not your uber driver. You're rod in your staff. They

684
00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:13,600
Speaker 1: comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the

685
00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:16,480
Speaker 1: presence of my enemies, And this is my favorite verse

686
00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:20,120
Speaker 1: in Psalm twenty three. It says you anoy my head

687
00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:23,960
Speaker 1: with oil my cup overflows. A couple of years ago,

688
00:41:24,239 --> 00:41:27,839
Speaker 1: I came across this book. It's called A Shepherd looks

689
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,440
Speaker 1: at Psalm twenty three. It's by a man named Philip Keller,

690
00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:34,160
Speaker 1: who was an actual shepherd, and in this book he

691
00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:38,520
Speaker 1: takes you through verse by verse explaining the Psalm from

692
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:42,279
Speaker 1: a shepherd's perspective. Isn't it amazing how God can take

693
00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:45,640
Speaker 1: a passage of scripture that's so familiar, like Psalm twenty three.

694
00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:47,640
Speaker 1: I memorize it when I was a little girl in kindergarten.

695
00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:50,080
Speaker 1: I have a very vivid memory of my kindergarten teacher

696
00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:53,120
Speaker 1: having our class recite it. But then He can use

697
00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:56,800
Speaker 1: that same passage of scripture and bring you comfort throughout

698
00:41:56,920 --> 00:42:00,959
Speaker 1: your life if you'll just go back to Sometimes when

699
00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:05,759
Speaker 1: I am in a season of feeling lost, I go

700
00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,760
Speaker 1: back to the passages of scripture where God has already

701
00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:13,200
Speaker 1: spoken to me before. And God used this book in

702
00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:15,319
Speaker 1: my life a couple of years ago to just make

703
00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,839
Speaker 1: this passage come alive. And a couple of weeks ago,

704
00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:22,640
Speaker 1: right before everything started shutting, down. God just brought Psalm

705
00:42:22,719 --> 00:42:25,360
Speaker 1: twenty three. He led me back to this passage of scripture,

706
00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:27,960
Speaker 1: and I pulled out this book and I went to

707
00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,560
Speaker 1: my favorite chapter, and it's the chapter on this verse.

708
00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:33,560
Speaker 1: He anoints my head with oil and he talks about

709
00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:37,719
Speaker 1: nose flies. Now, I know that you did not turn

710
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:42,520
Speaker 1: on church today to hear about nose flies, but I

711
00:42:42,560 --> 00:42:44,759
Speaker 1: have to tell you about this, and I promise you

712
00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:47,680
Speaker 1: it's going to help you. So I'm sorry it's a

713
00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:49,920
Speaker 1: little bit gross, but just stick with me. Nose flies

714
00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:54,080
Speaker 1: attack sheep in the summertime, and what happens is they'll

715
00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:59,120
Speaker 1: land on the sheep's moist nose, and sometimes they'll crawl

716
00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:02,920
Speaker 1: inside and lay eggs in the sheep's nose cavity. And

717
00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:05,319
Speaker 1: let me just read to you from the book. It

718
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:10,320
Speaker 1: says this their attacks the flies on animals can readily

719
00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:14,239
Speaker 1: turn the golden months of summertime into a time of

720
00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:18,280
Speaker 1: torture for the sheep and drive them to almost distraction.

721
00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:23,760
Speaker 1: For this, for relief from this agonizing annoyance, he tells

722
00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:27,680
Speaker 1: us that the sheep will deliberately beat their heads against

723
00:43:27,719 --> 00:43:31,480
Speaker 1: trees and rocks and posts or brush, And then he

724
00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:33,919
Speaker 1: goes on to say, because of all of this, when

725
00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:37,400
Speaker 1: the nose flies hover around the flock, some of the

726
00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:42,279
Speaker 1: sheep will become frantic with fear and panic in their

727
00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:47,120
Speaker 1: attempt to escape their tormentors. Some may run so much

728
00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:51,120
Speaker 1: that they drop from sheer exhaustion. And on some occasions

729
00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:54,720
Speaker 1: they may refuse to graze in the open at all.

730
00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:57,279
Speaker 1: And when I pulled this out and I read this,

731
00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:01,719
Speaker 1: I was like, this is me right now. I'm afraid

732
00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:05,480
Speaker 1: of the flies that have not even landed on me yet,

733
00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:09,480
Speaker 1: and I'm running around getting groceries, stalking my pantry and

734
00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:12,840
Speaker 1: my freezer like the world is over, watching the news

735
00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:16,680
Speaker 1: and the numbers and making up scenarios, and unable to rest,

736
00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:20,960
Speaker 1: unable to graze, exhausted with worry, irritated with my kids.

737
00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:24,799
Speaker 1: But listen to this. At the first sign of the

738
00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:29,120
Speaker 1: flies among the flock, he will apply an antidote of

739
00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:34,240
Speaker 1: oil to their heads. Once the oil has been applied

740
00:44:34,239 --> 00:44:38,759
Speaker 1: to the sheep's head, there was an immediate change in behavior.

741
00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:43,399
Speaker 1: Gone was the aggravation gone, the frenzy, gone, the irritability

742
00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:46,439
Speaker 1: and the restlessness. Instead, the sheep would start to feed

743
00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:51,600
Speaker 1: quietly again, and then soon lie down in peaceful contentment.

744
00:44:52,239 --> 00:44:56,520
Speaker 1: He anoints my head with oil. He anoints your head

745
00:44:56,719 --> 00:45:01,080
Speaker 1: with oil. So maybe sitting down and tuning in and

746
00:45:01,120 --> 00:45:05,640
Speaker 1: watching church today may have been that breath of fresh

747
00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:08,160
Speaker 1: air that you needed, a time for you to recenter

748
00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:13,800
Speaker 1: your focus. But one hour a week is not enough oil.

749
00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:17,520
Speaker 1: The book says that the sheep have to have the

750
00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:22,680
Speaker 1: oil applied regularly to protect them from the flies throughout

751
00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:26,560
Speaker 1: the summer, and so do you. He anoints my head

752
00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:31,600
Speaker 1: with oil, my cup overflows. My cup cannot overflow if

753
00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:36,160
Speaker 1: my head is not first anointed. So when I feel

754
00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:39,760
Speaker 1: myself getting irritated with everyone around me, when I feel

755
00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:42,680
Speaker 1: the frenzy and the fear creeping in, when I start

756
00:45:42,760 --> 00:45:47,640
Speaker 1: spiraling into my what if scenarios, I need a fresh

757
00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:52,280
Speaker 1: anointing for me. This could come in several different ways.

758
00:45:52,600 --> 00:45:55,359
Speaker 1: It might mean that I turn the TV off and

759
00:45:55,400 --> 00:45:58,200
Speaker 1: turn on a sermon, or I turn on some worship music.

760
00:45:58,239 --> 00:46:00,799
Speaker 1: It might mean that I get off of Instagram and

761
00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:03,080
Speaker 1: I open up my Bible app And I don't just

762
00:46:03,200 --> 00:46:05,399
Speaker 1: open it up randomly and try to find a random

763
00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:07,919
Speaker 1: passage of scripture, but I select a Bible study plan

764
00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:10,520
Speaker 1: and a passage of scripture that I can read through,

765
00:46:10,840 --> 00:46:12,880
Speaker 1: and that every time I pick up my Bible and

766
00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:14,920
Speaker 1: I pick up my phone, I know where I'm going

767
00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:18,400
Speaker 1: in the scripture. It may mean that in the morning

768
00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:22,239
Speaker 1: when I wake up, that I listen to a scripture

769
00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:25,759
Speaker 1: reading rather than checking the number of confirmed cases that

770
00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:32,320
Speaker 1: happened overnight. Sometimes for me, it's just a moment alone

771
00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:36,840
Speaker 1: when I feel myself becoming overwhelmed and I feel myself

772
00:46:37,560 --> 00:46:41,880
Speaker 1: getting irritated with everyone around me. I just take a

773
00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:45,160
Speaker 1: step back, and I take a moment, and I take

774
00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:49,000
Speaker 1: a couple of deep breaths, and I say a prayer

775
00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:53,640
Speaker 1: for help, And as I'm breathing, I just inhale God's grace,

776
00:46:53,719 --> 00:46:58,120
Speaker 1: and then I exhale a prayer of gratitude. God, Thank

777
00:46:58,160 --> 00:47:02,280
Speaker 1: you that you are with me in this moment. God

778
00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:06,600
Speaker 1: help me. It's a cry for help. As believers in Jesus,

779
00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:10,960
Speaker 1: we have access to the Holy Spirit who stands by

780
00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:16,360
Speaker 1: ready to give us exactly what we need moment by moment.

781
00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:20,279
Speaker 1: But he will not compete. He will not compete with

782
00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:25,960
Speaker 1: CNN and Netflix and Facebook. He anoints my head with oil.

783
00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:29,920
Speaker 1: My cup overflows. They're in that order for a reason.

784
00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:34,440
Speaker 1: You can't overflow and help those around you until you

785
00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:39,400
Speaker 1: are first anointed with oil. I know you don't know

786
00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:42,960
Speaker 1: the way. I know some days that you're faking it.

787
00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:46,719
Speaker 1: I know right now that we are all taking this

788
00:47:46,920 --> 00:47:50,280
Speaker 1: day by day, sometimes minute by minute. Don't wear a mask,

789
00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:53,880
Speaker 1: wear a mask. It's a scary time when our entire

790
00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:57,840
Speaker 1: world is collectively facing an obstacle where we cannot see

791
00:47:58,080 --> 00:48:01,319
Speaker 1: a way through, and we have no idea how much

792
00:48:01,440 --> 00:48:03,719
Speaker 1: longer it's going to last. But you know what we

793
00:48:03,760 --> 00:48:06,520
Speaker 1: do have. We have God's word and it is a

794
00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:09,160
Speaker 1: lamp unto our feet, and it is a light unto

795
00:48:09,239 --> 00:48:12,560
Speaker 1: our paths when we're lost. It is our light. And

796
00:48:12,600 --> 00:48:16,840
Speaker 1: if you will meditate on the words in this book,

797
00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:22,160
Speaker 1: God will speak to you and he will calm your heart.

798
00:48:22,680 --> 00:48:26,000
Speaker 1: I want to close with Jesus's words to his disciples

799
00:48:26,040 --> 00:48:30,400
Speaker 1: because I believe Jesus has something that he wants to

800
00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:34,239
Speaker 1: say to us today. These are God's words for us

801
00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:39,840
Speaker 1: during our time together. This is John fourteen, and Jesus

802
00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:45,200
Speaker 1: is talking to his disciples and he says, do not

803
00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:50,400
Speaker 1: let your hearts be troubled. That's a word for me today.

804
00:48:51,040 --> 00:48:55,000
Speaker 1: Don't let your hearts be troubled. He says, you believe

805
00:48:55,040 --> 00:48:59,279
Speaker 1: in God, believe also in me. My father's house has

806
00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:02,400
Speaker 1: many rooms. If that were not so, would I have

807
00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:05,400
Speaker 1: told you that I'm going there to prepare a place

808
00:49:05,480 --> 00:49:08,320
Speaker 1: for you. And if I go and prepare a place

809
00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:11,120
Speaker 1: for you, I will come back and take you to

810
00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:14,439
Speaker 1: be with me, so that you may be where I am.

811
00:49:15,400 --> 00:49:18,319
Speaker 1: You know the place where I am going. And then

812
00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:21,680
Speaker 1: Thomas speaks up, bless his heart, thank you Thomas for

813
00:49:21,800 --> 00:49:24,920
Speaker 1: asking what everybody is thinking. Don't you love the person

814
00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:29,200
Speaker 1: who asks the question that everybody's thinking. So Thomas says, Lord,

815
00:49:30,360 --> 00:49:33,200
Speaker 1: we don't know where you were going, so how can

816
00:49:33,239 --> 00:49:37,560
Speaker 1: we know the way? And Jesus answered to him, I

817
00:49:37,680 --> 00:49:43,080
Speaker 1: love Jesus's answer to him, Jesus said, I am the way,

818
00:49:43,560 --> 00:49:47,799
Speaker 1: the Truth, and the life. I don't have to know

819
00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:52,600
Speaker 1: the way because I know the way. He is the

820
00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:56,439
Speaker 1: one who was with you in the past. He's the

821
00:49:56,480 --> 00:49:59,839
Speaker 1: one who is with you on this journey right now,

822
00:50:00,080 --> 00:50:02,680
Speaker 1: in this moment today, And like I said, he stands

823
00:50:02,680 --> 00:50:06,160
Speaker 1: by with the oil that you need for each moment.

824
00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:10,320
Speaker 1: And we can find comfort that He has gone before

825
00:50:10,440 --> 00:50:14,319
Speaker 1: us into our future to prepare a place for us.

826
00:50:15,719 --> 00:50:19,000
Speaker 1: What if what God is doing for you in this time,

827
00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:22,880
Speaker 1: is giving you an opportunity for you to know Him deeper,

828
00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:27,440
Speaker 1: for you to truly know Him as your Prince of peace,

829
00:50:28,160 --> 00:50:30,279
Speaker 1: for you to come out on the other side of

830
00:50:30,320 --> 00:50:37,360
Speaker 1: this trial knowing Emmanuel God with us. Thomas was completely

831
00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:40,120
Speaker 1: missing the point, just like we all do. He was like, Lord,

832
00:50:40,719 --> 00:50:44,640
Speaker 1: we don't know the way. He was concerned about the destination.

833
00:50:45,200 --> 00:50:49,040
Speaker 1: He was concerned about the end, and Jesus is saying,

834
00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:53,840
Speaker 1: you don't need to know the end because you know me.

835
00:50:55,239 --> 00:50:58,760
Speaker 1: I am the way. I am with you right here,

836
00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:04,239
Speaker 1: right down, in this very moment. You're not lost. You

837
00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:10,440
Speaker 1: may feel lost, but you know the way. So tonight,

838
00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:14,960
Speaker 1: when you wake up worried, just whisper to yourself, I

839
00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:19,680
Speaker 1: know the way. Tomorrow, when you're tired of being alone

840
00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:23,960
Speaker 1: in your house day after day after day, maybe you

841
00:51:24,040 --> 00:51:26,680
Speaker 1: only have your pets to keep you company, you say

842
00:51:26,680 --> 00:51:31,960
Speaker 1: this out loud, I am not alone. I know the way. Moms,

843
00:51:32,560 --> 00:51:36,759
Speaker 1: when you're wondering how you're going to make it to bedtime,

844
00:51:37,680 --> 00:51:46,880
Speaker 1: take a breath inhale God's peace, exhale, I know the way.

845
00:51:47,360 --> 00:51:52,120
Speaker 1: If you're tired of feeling lost, if you're tired of

846
00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:56,239
Speaker 1: just I can't feel this way much longer. Just remember

847
00:51:57,120 --> 00:52:04,720
Speaker 1: you know the way. I know the way. What a word. Wow.

848
00:52:05,840 --> 00:52:08,880
Speaker 1: I just got home and I just wanted to record

849
00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:12,480
Speaker 1: a video and just pray with you. I thought what

850
00:52:12,520 --> 00:52:18,560
Speaker 1: Holly said today was so personal and so powerful and

851
00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:20,879
Speaker 1: so appropriate for the season that we're in that many

852
00:52:20,920 --> 00:52:24,960
Speaker 1: of us just feel confused and maybe even aimless, restless,

853
00:52:25,680 --> 00:52:27,960
Speaker 1: But we know the way, the way, the truth and

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Speaker 1: the life. That's what Jesus called himself. So right now,

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Speaker 1: let me just agree with you in prayer. God, would

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00:52:35,920 --> 00:52:39,839
Speaker 1: you lead us like the shepherd that you are, each

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Speaker 1: moment of the days ahead, and help us to hear

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Speaker 1: your still small voice as you call us the green

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Speaker 1: pastures of your presence. I pray for my brother or

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Speaker 1: my sister, whatever their need is today, I know you're

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Speaker 1: able to meet it according to your glorious richest in Christ.

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Speaker 1: Thank you that your wisdom and your peace are ours

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Speaker 1: in abundance in Jesus' name. Amen, thank you so much

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Speaker 1: for your love, for your support, those of you who

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Speaker 1: give to support this ministry, just so we can keep

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00:53:17,800 --> 00:53:20,720
Speaker 1: the gospel coming to people, so we can keep telling

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Speaker 1: them about who Jesus is and what God is able

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Speaker 1: to do. Holly and I love you, our Elevation Church family.

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Speaker 1: We're standing strong. We're here for you. Don't forget to subscribe.

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Speaker 1: Let us know how we can be praying for you.

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Speaker 1: See you real soon, Okay, love you, God bless