WEBVTT 00:00:46.232 --> 00:00:48.832 Well, good morning to all of you. 00:00:48.832 --> 00:00:49.865 Great to be with you today. 00:00:49.865 --> 00:00:56.665 As we continue in our study of habits, what are the small things that we can develop put in place in our life? 00:00:56.665 --> 00:01:04.099 Especially our emphasis is spiritual habits that produce big results over time. 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:11.365 I was reminded of a story this week of that playing out small changes, producing big results. 00:01:11.365 --> 00:01:12.632 Going back to World War Two. 00:01:12.632 --> 00:01:17.465 Of course, there were many things that influence the outcome of World War two, many things at play. 00:01:17.465 --> 00:01:27.365 Such a huge event in the history of the world, but one that had a big influence and probably was the determining factor in the air war over Britain. 00:01:27.365 --> 00:01:31.400 France was the number 13. 00:01:31.500 --> 00:01:35.365 13 is the difference between 87 and 100. 00:01:35.365 --> 00:01:39.099 I know you're like, John, don't start into math this early, right? 00:01:39.099 --> 00:01:41.365 87 was the standard octane number. 00:01:41.365 --> 00:01:45.832 That was the octane fuel that the Germans used in their planes. 00:01:45.933 --> 00:01:55.799 But the Americans developed 100 octane fuel and that made just enough difference that allowed them to go farther, to go faster. 00:01:55.799 --> 00:02:11.599 And if you add that up, drop by drop, plane by plane, flight by flight over time, over the year, eventually you wear the enemy down, seemingly small change, same equipment produced really big results. 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:14.000 Now, how do we apply that to our lives? 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.400 Small changes that produced big results. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:19.866 We're going through this ten Spiritual Habits for Life. 00:02:19.866 --> 00:02:22.366 And we've looked at having a heart of humility. 00:02:22.366 --> 00:02:23.966 We've looked at hearing God's word. 00:02:23.966 --> 00:02:26.966 We're going through the word habit letter at a time. 00:02:26.966 --> 00:02:33.532 Last week, we looked at how do we abide abiding, community abiding relationship and abide in prayer. 00:02:33.532 --> 00:02:43.633 This week we're going to look at the letters B and I, and all this is to help us kick off January, to kick off a new year and developing stronger spiritual habits. 00:02:43.733 --> 00:02:54.032 And so first, we're going to look at the letter B and with the letter B, really just use one phrase how do we build up one another in love? 00:02:54.233 --> 00:03:00.133 One of the habits we want to develop is the habit of building up one another of loving one another. 00:03:00.133 --> 00:03:06.866 Well, that's a key attribute of of the church to love one another as Christ loved the church. 00:03:06.866 --> 00:03:10.066 So also, should you love one another? 00:03:10.165 --> 00:03:13.400 We've been looking at Romans chapter 12 as we talk about these habits. 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:15.432 So if you have a Bible, turn to Romans chapter 12. 00:03:15.432 --> 00:03:18.199 If you don't have a Bible, we'd love to put one in your hands. 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:19.633 We have them out in the connection corner. 00:03:19.633 --> 00:03:21.099 Those are free for you any time. 00:03:21.099 --> 00:03:26.165 And the page numbers on the screen tie into that specific Bible. 00:03:26.233 --> 00:03:35.633 We're in Romans chapter 12, and today we're going to look at verses nine and ten to set up this idea of how do we build up one another in love. 00:03:35.733 --> 00:03:43.500 ROMANS Chapter 12, verse nine Let love be genuine, abhor what is evil. 00:03:43.500 --> 00:03:46.199 Hold fast to what is good. 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:53.300 Love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another in showing honor. 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:58.199 All right, that's a rich section on what it means to love one another. 00:03:58.199 --> 00:04:01.932 Well, to build up one another in love. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:09.765 And the first thing that stands out there in verse nine is Let love be genuine. 00:04:09.866 --> 00:04:11.066 Let love be genuine. 00:04:11.066 --> 00:04:22.533 That same word shows up the first Timothy one five, where it describes our faith as a sincere faith, sincere, genuine, real, authentic. 00:04:22.533 --> 00:04:25.266 The word behind that word is really interesting. 00:04:25.266 --> 00:04:26.333 It's where we get our word. 00:04:26.333 --> 00:04:30.000 It sounds just like our word hypocrite. 00:04:30.065 --> 00:04:32.432 At the time, hypocrite was just a term. 00:04:32.432 --> 00:04:33.966 It's the same word we use now. 00:04:33.966 --> 00:04:36.266 Actor That's all it describes. 00:04:36.266 --> 00:04:45.033 Someone who was an actor, someone who was a pretender, someone who was playing a role of someone they really weren't in real life, but for the moment they were playing a role. 00:04:45.033 --> 00:04:49.632 Now, of course, you can see how we end up with our understanding of the word hypocrite. 00:04:49.632 --> 00:04:55.865 Now, someone who does that and tells you you should act the way they do, but they're not really living it out. 00:04:55.865 --> 00:05:03.766 The interesting part of this word here where it says Let love be genuine, it's actually the word not is on the front end of the word hypocrite. 00:05:03.766 --> 00:05:06.466 Let love be not a hypocrite. 00:05:06.466 --> 00:05:15.533 Let love be real, not pretending fake love, real, genuine, authentic love. 00:05:15.632 --> 00:05:19.065 That's the love that everybody wants. 00:05:19.165 --> 00:05:22.165 Everybody here wants to be love. 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:25.466 And you desperately want real, authentic love. 00:05:25.466 --> 00:05:30.466 When you don't get that, it hurts deeply. 00:05:30.565 --> 00:05:44.800 When I thought about this verse, though, the thing that really is I think unfortunate is that we even have to add a word to the word love. 00:05:44.865 --> 00:05:52.033 Love is one of those words that should not have to be modified with something to make sure that we're doing it right. 00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:53.932 I mean, there's a host of words this way. 00:05:53.932 --> 00:05:56.565 I mean, let me just give you a couple of examples. 00:05:56.565 --> 00:05:58.733 I throw this one up on the screen. 00:05:58.733 --> 00:06:02.233 Something cannot really be here. 00:06:02.233 --> 00:06:08.865 It comes very unique. 00:06:08.865 --> 00:06:10.533 It's either unique or not. 00:06:10.533 --> 00:06:13.233 It's not more unique. 00:06:13.300 --> 00:06:13.899 Here's another one. 00:06:13.899 --> 00:06:16.899 This might be a little more dramatic. 00:06:16.932 --> 00:06:20.132 Extra virgin olive oil lovers. I'm sorry. 00:06:20.132 --> 00:06:22.199 There's you're either virgin or not. 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:24.365 There's not extra virgin. 00:06:24.365 --> 00:06:26.399 You understand? 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:29.065 Love? 00:06:29.065 --> 00:06:32.365 Because love has been so distorted. 00:06:32.432 --> 00:06:34.533 We need to add words to it. 00:06:34.533 --> 00:06:38.766 Genuine love, real love, authentic love. 00:06:38.899 --> 00:06:40.565 That's a tragedy on one level. 00:06:40.565 --> 00:06:43.100 And yet it's also necessary. 00:06:43.100 --> 00:06:47.000 And it's an important thing for us to strive for. 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:55.733 What's interesting about this passage is I think he shows us four ways in particular here to display genuine love for means of living out genuine love. 00:06:55.733 --> 00:07:02.665 As you think about how can I love genuinely, not only do we want genuine love, but I want to be known as a person who extends genuine love. 00:07:02.665 --> 00:07:04.132 I want to be fake. 00:07:04.132 --> 00:07:07.533 We all slip into that at times, but that's not where I want to be. 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:09.466 How do we do that? 00:07:09.466 --> 00:07:13.199 There's four short phrases here that give us the means of doing that. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:16.565 Look back at verse nine Let love be genuine. 00:07:16.565 --> 00:07:27.565 First, abhor what is evil, abhor what is evil, detest what is evil, have a disdain for what is evil. 00:07:27.632 --> 00:07:31.100 You can't stand to be in the room with what is evil. 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:33.932 You want to run, flee from evil. 00:07:33.932 --> 00:07:36.333 That's what's behind this idea. 00:07:36.333 --> 00:07:40.365 The same word was used by an ancient historian, Herodotus. 00:07:40.365 --> 00:07:41.065 He was. 00:07:41.065 --> 00:07:45.565 He chronicled a lot of ancient Greek, especially Greek history. 00:07:45.565 --> 00:07:52.399 And he found the story of a guy, this Greek aristocrat, lawmaker, rule maker. 00:07:52.500 --> 00:07:56.533 His daughter had gotten engaged to a young man. 00:07:56.533 --> 00:08:00.033 And of course, he's kind of sizing him up, wondering, what's this guy worth? 00:08:00.033 --> 00:08:04.199 Is he going to be any good as my son in law? 00:08:04.266 --> 00:08:05.833 Well, they have a party. 00:08:05.833 --> 00:08:06.632 There's a big party. 00:08:06.632 --> 00:08:07.600 Many people are there. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:18.565 And this future son in law got a little tipsy at the party and he initiates and takes part of a large dancing competition here at the party. 00:08:18.565 --> 00:08:20.899 All these guys showing off their moves. 00:08:20.899 --> 00:08:26.466 Big dancing competition and the future father in law is watching on. 00:08:26.466 --> 00:08:37.200 And because of how foolishly, how ridiculously this son in law, potential future son in law danced, he said he abhorred him. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:42.033 He disdained the idea that this idiot could be my son in law someday. 00:08:42.033 --> 00:08:42.932 Anybody felt that way. 00:08:42.932 --> 00:08:44.932 Don't raise your hand. Actually, don't. 00:08:44.932 --> 00:08:48.865 There might be family members in the room that might be offended by that. 00:08:48.865 --> 00:08:53.732 But you can see in this moment this guy is going to be married to my daughter. 00:08:53.732 --> 00:08:54.533 No, sir. 00:08:54.533 --> 00:08:57.399 We're going to have no part of that disgust, disdain. 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:00.332 I can't stand to be in the same room, flee. 00:09:00.332 --> 00:09:03.265 I want to run away from this guy. 00:09:03.332 --> 00:09:06.932 That's how weird to think about evil. 00:09:07.100 --> 00:09:11.500 Like Joseph with potty for his wife. 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:13.166 I'm out of here. 00:09:13.166 --> 00:09:14.799 I'm leaving my clothes behind. 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:15.700 I'm out of here. 00:09:15.700 --> 00:09:21.200 I'm doing whatever it takes to flee. 00:09:21.299 --> 00:09:34.765 This in contrast to, I think, some who would dabble in evil, entertain evil, maybe not openly, but maybe I'm still okay with allowing it in my life. 00:09:34.765 --> 00:09:38.466 Just a little, allowing it to entertain me. 00:09:38.466 --> 00:09:41.232 I read a story of a guy. 00:09:41.232 --> 00:09:51.200 He was in the mortgage industry mid 2000, early 2000s, of course, killing it, making tons of money, lots of mortgages are going out the door at that time. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:57.200 One comes in though, and the income's just not quite right for this long to get approved. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:58.466 So he goes to his manager. 00:09:58.466 --> 00:10:00.200 She's saying, hey, look at this paperwork. 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:02.133 Tell me what you think, what do we need to do? 00:10:02.133 --> 00:10:03.066 And she said, You know what? 00:10:03.066 --> 00:10:04.865 I think this is pretty close. 00:10:04.865 --> 00:10:11.332 Let's just adjust this number just a little bit, make this small adjustment on the income. 00:10:11.566 --> 00:10:15.533 And he said, adjust. 00:10:15.533 --> 00:10:16.966 You mean change? 00:10:16.966 --> 00:10:18.832 You mean make it up? 00:10:18.832 --> 00:10:19.066 no, no. 00:10:19.066 --> 00:10:22.066 It's just an adjustment. 00:10:22.133 --> 00:10:28.200 Well, that guy went on as a result of that one moment where the door was opened to compromise. 00:10:28.432 --> 00:10:34.066 He went on to commit something like$10 million in mortgage fraud that opened the door. 00:10:34.066 --> 00:10:35.700 Well, hey, that adjustment worked. 00:10:35.700 --> 00:10:37.533 Let's make another one. 00:10:37.533 --> 00:10:38.899 Let's make another one before it. 00:10:38.899 --> 00:10:46.365 He's completely faking identities and people in realities and names and everything. 00:10:46.466 --> 00:10:48.666 Abhorrent is evil. 00:10:48.666 --> 00:10:50.533 Run from evil. 00:10:50.533 --> 00:10:59.265 Don't allow even a hint of it in your life if you want to love others, well, stay away from evil. 00:10:59.265 --> 00:11:00.100 Abhor what is evil. 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:02.232 Now, second, look back here at verse nine. 00:11:02.232 --> 00:11:04.600 Look at the next phrase Let love be genuine. 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:06.033 Abhor what is evil. 00:11:06.033 --> 00:11:11.200 Number two hold fast to what is good, hold fast to good. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:17.200 As hard as you run away from evil, grasp on to what is good, grasp on to it. 00:11:17.432 --> 00:11:22.666 Like your life depends on it. 00:11:22.765 --> 00:11:31.232 I saw a pretty powerful picture of this at play, holding on for dear life. 00:11:31.299 --> 00:11:38.299 This is a video we're going to show you of a guy who here has been hang gliding before anyone. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.600 Well, if you haven't, you may not want to after this. 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:43.500 So just give you a heads up. 00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:45.033 This guy's going for the first time. 00:11:45.033 --> 00:11:48.666 Let's go ahead and start that video. 00:11:48.732 --> 00:11:50.432 Now, you'll notice they'll highlight it. 00:11:50.432 --> 00:11:52.066 This guy is attached. 00:11:52.066 --> 00:12:02.700 The other guy is not attached to the hang glider and they take off and right away he's hanging on for dear life, literally. 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:17.265 Now, the average time a person can hang on to a bar in a controlled environment with no wind not hanging on for your life is 2030 seconds in a good setting, 45 seconds. 00:12:17.265 --> 00:12:21.633 He's trying to land there, trying to get down. 00:12:21.633 --> 00:12:23.200 Willy, make it. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:28.332 We're up to about 36 seconds right now. 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:33.299 How long could you hold on when your life depends on it? 00:12:33.299 --> 00:12:51.799 Do we have this kind of mindset to holding on to good 36 seconds, 45 seconds on the Nigerian, 2 minutes and 14 seconds he holds on till they hit the ground, even rips a bicep in the process. 00:12:51.899 --> 00:12:53.633 I'm not letting go no matter. 00:12:53.633 --> 00:12:54.865 What? 00:12:54.865 --> 00:12:59.332 You can take that down. 00:12:59.432 --> 00:13:03.633 Grasp on hold on to good for dear life. 00:13:03.832 --> 00:13:05.832 Flee from evil. 00:13:05.932 --> 00:13:08.066 Hold on for life to good. 00:13:08.066 --> 00:13:17.432 You want to love others? Well, run after good next phrase we see here Let love be genuine abhor what is evil. 00:13:17.432 --> 00:13:28.066 Hold fast to what is good Number ten Sorry verse ten Love one another with brotherly affection love one another with brotherly affection. 00:13:28.066 --> 00:13:31.066 I love that phrase that sums up a lot. 00:13:31.133 --> 00:13:38.732 It's this idea of love the way you would your family, assuming you love your family, you know what I mean? 00:13:38.732 --> 00:13:42.200 There's a difference in a love relationship with a family. 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:44.332 I was in a meeting the other day with some folks from church. 00:13:44.332 --> 00:13:48.265 I walk in, in walks a lady, and she's married. 00:13:48.265 --> 00:13:49.232 Her husband wasn't with her. 00:13:49.232 --> 00:13:54.166 I saw her walk up, kiss another man right on the lips who was not her husband. 00:13:54.265 --> 00:13:58.533 And I thought we got some stuff to work on here at Valley View. 00:13:58.533 --> 00:13:59.100 I don't. 00:13:59.100 --> 00:14:01.100 Is that normal? 00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:03.200 I don't think we implemented that verse. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:03.432 Great. 00:14:03.432 --> 00:14:04.700 One another with a holy kiss. 00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:09.466 Maybe no one said anything. 00:14:09.466 --> 00:14:11.399 I thought, this is interesting. 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:17.365 No one in the in the room said a thing and I thought, obviously there's more going on here. 00:14:17.365 --> 00:14:23.033 But when I left it, it finally I realized I remembered a brother and sister. 00:14:23.133 --> 00:14:24.100 It hit me after I left. 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:27.633 Now, you may not even like to kiss your brother and sister that way. 00:14:27.633 --> 00:14:28.899 That's fine. 00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:33.566 But you understand right away we're with that. 00:14:33.566 --> 00:14:40.799 There is a connection, a brotherly affection, a family affection that's different than just normal life. 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:48.732 And one thing that's interesting about that, in fact, Proverbs 1824 says there is a friend who is closer than a brother. 00:14:48.732 --> 00:15:08.633 And if you've been in church, any amount of time and experienced Christ, genuinely, you know that when you have a brother in Christ, a sister in Christ, a family member in Christ, there is a connection there that even closer than family, but like family that they don't give up on you just because you messed up. 00:15:08.633 --> 00:15:11.399 You don't give up on them because they offended you. 00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:15.365 We move towards one another, we press through hard things together. 00:15:15.365 --> 00:15:17.466 We persevere together. 00:15:17.466 --> 00:15:24.332 We serve one another like family, like brotherly affection. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:35.865 The other thing I love about this word, though, it's actually two words for love combined together, which is appropriate. 00:15:35.865 --> 00:15:36.832 We've already talked about. 00:15:36.832 --> 00:15:38.865 Can you really add a word to the word love? 00:15:38.865 --> 00:15:44.932 It's like Paul was thinking, I don't know how else to describe a love other than a loving love. 00:15:44.932 --> 00:15:51.133 Love one another with a love that loves with brotherly affection. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:55.432 That's another way that we move towards genuine, real, authentic love. 00:15:55.432 --> 00:15:57.932 And then last phrase here that describes that. 00:15:57.932 --> 00:16:02.100 Look back at verse ten Love one another with brotherly affection. 00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:09.033 This is how we have genuine love outdo one another and showing honor how to do one another and showing honor. 00:16:09.033 --> 00:16:11.566 I love that picture. 00:16:11.566 --> 00:16:13.899 It's kind of like the Chipmunks in the old classic cartoon. 00:16:13.899 --> 00:16:15.033 No, you go first. No, you. 00:16:15.033 --> 00:16:19.265 There's this competition for one to do better than the other. 00:16:19.265 --> 00:16:21.799 Maybe that's a little bit of the challenge with the word outdo. 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:28.799 We don't want to turn love into some weird competition where you're trying to one up the other person just to show that you're a better lover. 00:16:28.865 --> 00:16:41.700 So some of the ideas behind this word that I think are helpful are phrases like, Go first, show the way, take the lead in love. 00:16:41.700 --> 00:16:45.033 And how powerful is that? 00:16:45.100 --> 00:16:48.432 We don't wait around for the other person to love us first. 00:16:48.432 --> 00:16:52.133 Now, I'm not going to show them love till they've shown me love. 00:16:52.133 --> 00:16:55.466 I'm not sure if they deserve it or not. 00:16:55.533 --> 00:16:57.533 That's not unconditional love. 00:16:57.533 --> 00:16:58.865 That's self love. 00:16:58.865 --> 00:17:01.232 Love me, love me. 00:17:01.232 --> 00:17:04.232 Maybe I'll love you. 00:17:04.432 --> 00:17:07.766 No, go first. 00:17:07.833 --> 00:17:09.066 There's a great book. 00:17:09.066 --> 00:17:10.932 It was really popular ten or 15 years ago. 00:17:10.932 --> 00:17:12.932 Marriage book called Love and Respect. 00:17:12.932 --> 00:17:17.066 And if you read it by Emerson Mega-rich, it's a handful people have read it. 00:17:17.066 --> 00:17:24.500 The concept comes from Ephesians chapter five, where it talks about how the woman is called to respect her husband White men. 00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:28.232 Before you order it for her, listen to the rest. 00:17:28.299 --> 00:17:32.465 Men are called to love their wives. 00:17:32.465 --> 00:17:34.766 Women, men love. 00:17:34.766 --> 00:17:36.932 Of course we both need to do that as well. 00:17:36.932 --> 00:17:40.000 That's the emphasis in Ephesians chapter five. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:42.400 But what happens? 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:44.232 The husband doesn't feel respected. 00:17:44.232 --> 00:17:46.400 So I'm not going to extend love. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:48.333 You can't respect me. 00:17:48.333 --> 00:17:50.500 I'm going to withhold love. 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:53.099 And then the wife doesn't feel loved. 00:17:53.099 --> 00:17:53.965 What does she do? 00:17:53.965 --> 00:17:55.432 You don't deserve my respect. 00:17:55.432 --> 00:17:58.700 You haven't shown me love. 00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:01.099 He calls it the crazy cycle. 00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:09.500 It just keeps perpetuating both, refusing to extend to the other what they both want. 00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:10.700 The book, he emphasizes. 00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:16.000 How do you break that crazy cycle when you get stuck there, when you find yourself spiraling downward? 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:18.965 I'm not going to You don't deserve. 00:18:18.965 --> 00:18:19.566 Here's what he says. 00:18:19.566 --> 00:18:23.833 Somebody's got to go first. 00:18:23.900 --> 00:18:26.732 How do you know who should go first? 00:18:26.732 --> 00:18:29.266 This is so sneaky. 00:18:29.266 --> 00:18:31.633 It's kind of mean, he says. 00:18:31.633 --> 00:18:36.133 Whoever is more mature should go first. 00:18:36.232 --> 00:18:40.266 Well, I'm more mature than she is. 00:18:40.333 --> 00:18:44.566 Go first, outdo one another in showing love. 00:18:44.566 --> 00:18:48.700 Be the first one to say, Look, I'm doing this by faith. I don't feel it. 00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:58.633 I may not get the return I want, but I'm called to love to go first with love. 00:18:58.700 --> 00:19:09.200 So if we want to experience and extend genuine love to others, if we want to build up others in love, abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:15.532 Love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another and showing honor. 00:19:15.532 --> 00:19:17.700 That's the letter B Build up others in love. 00:19:17.700 --> 00:19:20.099 Now let's look at the letter I and that word habits. 00:19:20.099 --> 00:19:21.432 We're unpacking the word habits. 00:19:21.432 --> 00:19:25.665 Achebe Now we're to the letter I, and there's two with the letter I. 00:19:25.665 --> 00:19:33.432 We're going to unpack, invest and invite or invite and invest. 00:19:33.633 --> 00:19:34.965 Those are the two we're going to unpack. 00:19:34.965 --> 00:19:36.799 I'm going to start with invite. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:40.532 Look at verse 11 with me. 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:48.732 I'll do one another and show in honor, verse 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, but be fervent in spirit. 00:19:48.732 --> 00:19:50.500 Serve the Lord. 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:58.133 If you look here at that verse, pay special attention to the energy words and sometimes some words just come with. 00:19:58.133 --> 00:20:02.732 Delivering more energy and zeal is one of those zeal. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:06.200 You also see fervor be fervent in spirit. 00:20:06.299 --> 00:20:08.665 There's a sense of urgency in those words. 00:20:08.665 --> 00:20:20.432 There's a sense of earnestness in those words that as Christians we should carry in all that we do, but especially here, he says in our service, in our love. 00:20:20.432 --> 00:20:36.232 And I think when it comes to our burden for the faith in the way that we carry this, this overwhelming urgency that others have to know about Jesus, others have to know what Jesus has done in my life. 00:20:36.232 --> 00:20:44.532 The people around me have to get to know him because of how he has radically changed my life. 00:20:44.599 --> 00:20:53.232 Now I use the word invite toward that end, and inviting others is a habit to develop as a Christian. 00:20:53.232 --> 00:20:55.133 And by the way, that can look a lot of different ways. 00:20:55.133 --> 00:20:57.865 That doesn't just mean invite to church. 00:20:57.865 --> 00:20:58.432 That's great. 00:20:58.432 --> 00:21:00.965 If it's the right time to invite someone to church, that's great. 00:21:00.965 --> 00:21:04.365 But there are times, in fact, with many of my neighbors, I'm going there. 00:21:04.365 --> 00:21:08.500 I cannot invite them to church yet they are not ready for that. 00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:18.633 Instead, invite them over for dinner, invite them over for a barbecue, invite them out to lunch, invite them over for coffee or out to coffee or you know what I'm talking about. 00:21:18.633 --> 00:21:19.766 Meet them where they are. 00:21:19.766 --> 00:21:22.566 Get to know them, love on them. 00:21:22.633 --> 00:21:30.865 Open the door to eventually be able to talk about the hope that Christ has put in you. 00:21:30.932 --> 00:21:33.099 But that's a discipline we need to develop. 00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:40.465 It's a habit we need to develop and it can be intimidating and it can look different for a lot of us. 00:21:40.465 --> 00:21:46.066 When we served in missions in the South Pacific, there was a guy who was known all throughout the area. 00:21:46.066 --> 00:21:56.766 His name was Joe Fire, and this guy had said as a goal every day he would not go to sleep until he had talked to someone about Jesus, too. 00:21:56.766 --> 00:22:03.032 He had shared his faith with someone and there were times where he was laying his head on the pillow and the Holy Spirit prompt him. 00:22:03.032 --> 00:22:06.633 You haven't done that yet today, and he'd have to drag his body out of bed. 00:22:06.633 --> 00:22:11.932 Go find someone on the street, corner him, tell him about Jesus. 00:22:11.932 --> 00:22:14.133 Go back to bed. 00:22:14.133 --> 00:22:33.200 Let me tell you, that guy saw hundreds of people, thousands of people come to know Christ every year because many days it wasn't just one time, two, three, four or five, ten, 20 people. 00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:36.365 He developed that discipline, that habit of sharing his faith. 00:22:36.365 --> 00:22:39.700 Now, I'm not saying that's what each of you need to do. 00:22:39.700 --> 00:22:42.500 I'm not saying that's your call. 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:49.232 How is God calling you to have a burden to invite to tell others about him? 00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:50.900 It's a habit we're striving for. 00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:54.333 Invite the last word here today. 00:22:54.333 --> 00:22:56.165 Letter I invest. 00:22:56.165 --> 00:22:57.365 Look at verse 13. 00:22:57.365 --> 00:23:04.365 We looked at verse 12 last week with prayer, verse 13 Do not be slothful zeal. 00:23:04.365 --> 00:23:07.865 Serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, patient tribulation be constant in prayer. 00:23:07.865 --> 00:23:16.532 Verse 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality, contribute to the needs of the saints, and seek to show hospitality. 00:23:16.532 --> 00:23:18.365 We want to build up others up in love. 00:23:18.365 --> 00:23:20.200 We want to invite people to come to know Christ. 00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:21.700 We want to invest. 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:22.099 Now. 00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:23.865 There's a lot of different ways we can invest. 00:23:23.865 --> 00:23:26.165 Obviously, there's giving to the needs of the church. 00:23:26.165 --> 00:23:29.566 We mention that every week at the end of the service that we know how to do that. 00:23:29.566 --> 00:23:33.932 That's an important part of what we do, but that's not the only way that you invest in others. 00:23:33.932 --> 00:23:35.133 That's one way. 00:23:35.133 --> 00:23:36.965 Financial investment. 00:23:36.965 --> 00:23:41.732 We have tons of ministries here that are focused on meeting the needs of people. 00:23:41.732 --> 00:23:46.566 We have Project Hope, which is where we collect, used or new whatever. 00:23:46.566 --> 00:23:51.732 We collect household items that people need beds, dressers, whatever. 00:23:51.799 --> 00:24:02.133 And so then people in moments of need when they don't have anything, can have something we have helping hands that goes out on Monday nights feeds the homeless. 00:24:02.133 --> 00:24:02.566 Yes. 00:24:02.566 --> 00:24:09.200 They even went out this last week. 00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:13.599 That's commitment we have there to care. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:18.400 There's there's a house right down the street where we serve food out of that one day a week. 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:19.066 We give out to that. 00:24:19.066 --> 00:24:20.865 In fact, here's what I want to do. 00:24:20.865 --> 00:24:24.299 If you're involved with Project Hope, helping hands there to care, will you just stand? 00:24:24.299 --> 00:24:39.400 I know these folks don't like to draw attention to themselves, but I want you to see some of the people who are involved in that stay standing. 00:24:39.465 --> 00:24:40.500 You know, keep standing. 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:47.099 Because if one of those ministries sounds like something you'd want to be a part of, that's something I want to do. 00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:48.633 I want to invest in others that way. 00:24:48.633 --> 00:24:50.032 Just look around at someone around you. 00:24:50.032 --> 00:24:52.400 You may not even known that they served in those ways. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:54.900 Just go over and talk to which one is it? 00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:56.232 that's not the one I was interested in. 00:24:56.232 --> 00:24:57.165 Who should I go talk to? 00:24:57.165 --> 00:24:57.932 They'll point you. 00:24:57.932 --> 00:25:00.465 They know. They know each other. 00:25:00.566 --> 00:25:00.865 Okay. 00:25:00.865 --> 00:25:06.932 You can be seated outside, invest, invest. 00:25:06.932 --> 00:25:09.000 We want to be pouring into the lives of others. 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:13.833 This last Christmas, white Christmas boxes, boxes of food go to neighbors. 00:25:13.833 --> 00:25:16.532 They were overwhelmed with joy. 00:25:16.532 --> 00:25:22.400 And by the time all that's over, I start hearing from different life groups that people had been taking up money for those in need. No one. 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.799 It wasn't a program of the church. 00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.799 No one asked them to do it. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:27.133 They just couldn't be stopped. 00:25:27.133 --> 00:25:32.532 Invest, invest, give, serve, pour into others. 00:25:32.532 --> 00:25:34.232 That's the letter I know. 00:25:34.232 --> 00:25:41.766 What we've done all throughout this series is part of what I do is I just take a moment to talk about building strong habits. 00:25:41.766 --> 00:25:44.099 Some tips for building strong habits. 00:25:44.099 --> 00:25:47.833 How do we put these disciplines into our life day after day after day? 00:25:47.833 --> 00:25:53.232 Because it's the really small things that ultimately make a difference. 00:25:53.232 --> 00:25:56.965 The really small things add up and make a difference. 00:25:56.965 --> 00:25:59.500 How do we build some of these habits into our lives? 00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:04.532 We're going to look at five more of those today to give us tips for building happens. 00:26:04.532 --> 00:26:06.200 Go ahead and throw the first one on the screen. 00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:11.665 The first is make it attractive. 00:26:11.732 --> 00:26:16.633 Do something to make a habit attractive. 00:26:16.700 --> 00:26:24.165 This is an example of making something attractive, more so not specifically to a habit, but I used to. 00:26:24.165 --> 00:26:25.400 I couldn't. 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:27.432 I got I had to fly a lot in the ministry. 00:26:27.432 --> 00:26:38.766 I was serving with travel, go around, speak meetings and it got to be or is one, two, sometimes three times a month traveling, flying, you know, and there's no airplane seat. 00:26:38.766 --> 00:26:43.465 Even the nicest one as comfortable as your worst recliner at home. 00:26:43.532 --> 00:26:45.566 And there's no mattress. 00:26:45.566 --> 00:26:47.365 Well, some mattresses are pretty nice. 00:26:47.365 --> 00:26:49.465 There's no hotel room as nice as your home. 00:26:49.465 --> 00:26:52.833 Well, okay, you can understand what I'm saying. 00:26:52.833 --> 00:26:55.032 And I just got to where I hated it. 00:26:55.032 --> 00:26:57.266 I was like, I'm so sick of this airports. 00:26:57.266 --> 00:26:59.965 I don't want any part to do well. 00:26:59.965 --> 00:27:08.432 One day I go on a trip with one of my coworkers, and the whole time we're on the plane heading to this airport, he's like, I can't wait till we get there. 00:27:08.432 --> 00:27:10.232 There's this restaurant there I can't wait to show you. 00:27:10.232 --> 00:27:11.900 I love going to this place. 00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:13.700 I'm like, It's an airport. 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:15.066 It's a restaurant in an airport. 00:27:15.066 --> 00:27:16.665 What are you talking about? 00:27:16.665 --> 00:27:17.900 You got to see this. 00:27:17.900 --> 00:27:18.732 And he takes me. 00:27:18.732 --> 00:27:22.000 I felt like a five mile hike across this airport. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:25.365 We get to this restaurant and he's just glowing full of joy. 00:27:25.365 --> 00:27:27.133 So happy. 00:27:27.232 --> 00:27:30.200 And I came away from that going, I want that. 00:27:30.200 --> 00:27:30.766 I don't care. 00:27:30.766 --> 00:27:32.365 The restaurant, it was okay. 00:27:32.365 --> 00:27:33.633 I want that kind of joy. 00:27:33.633 --> 00:27:37.000 And enthusiasm for what I got to do anyway. 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:38.000 And so I started to do that. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:48.532 Before I go on this next trip, I'm going to pick someplace in this airport that I actually want to go see and make it attractive. 00:27:48.532 --> 00:27:50.599 How do you make a habit attractive? 00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:51.165 Maybe. 00:27:51.165 --> 00:27:56.432 You know, I really do need to get better at telling others about what Christ has done in my life. 00:27:56.432 --> 00:27:58.665 What can you put in place to make it attractive? 00:27:58.665 --> 00:28:02.833 Maybe it's your favorite coffee shop that you love going to and it's an excuse to go there. 00:28:02.833 --> 00:28:04.799 Invite someone to go or you got. 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.732 You can tell I like coffee. 00:28:05.732 --> 00:28:12.432 You got your favorite bag of coffee that you saved just for when people come over to show them this, look at how good this coffee is. 00:28:12.532 --> 00:28:14.833 Whatever it is, what is. 00:28:14.833 --> 00:28:18.633 And of course, those are small, almost silly examples. 00:28:18.633 --> 00:28:20.633 And that's the point. 00:28:20.633 --> 00:28:26.566 It's those small, silly things sometimes that make the difference between us doing something or not. 00:28:26.633 --> 00:28:30.732 What is something you can put in place to make that habit you know you want to do attractive. 00:28:30.732 --> 00:28:31.700 All right, that's the first one. 00:28:31.700 --> 00:28:33.432 The second one is similar. 00:28:33.432 --> 00:28:35.766 It's kind of the flip side of this. 00:28:35.766 --> 00:28:38.766 Literally flip it positive. 00:28:38.766 --> 00:28:44.432 If there's something that you can only see as negative, how can you flip it positive? 00:28:44.432 --> 00:28:47.865 A lot of these tips, by the way, I've mentioned before, come from the book Atomic Habits. 00:28:47.865 --> 00:28:53.500 And in that book, he tells the story of a guy, a friend runs into a friend he hadn't seen in a long time. 00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:55.333 And this guy, his legs have been paralyzed. 00:28:55.333 --> 00:28:56.665 He's in a wheelchair. 00:28:56.665 --> 00:28:59.133 Last time he saw him, he wasn't that way. 00:28:59.133 --> 00:29:01.732 And he says to him, you know, I'm so sorry. 00:29:01.732 --> 00:29:03.599 And tell me what happened. 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:07.865 I'm so sorry that you're stuck in this wheelchair. 00:29:07.932 --> 00:29:17.000 And the guy said to him, stuck, this wheelchair is my freedom, flipped it positive. 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:17.432 You know what? 00:29:17.432 --> 00:29:20.599 Without this wheelchair, you know what I'd be doing? Nothing. 00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:22.700 Be stuck in a bed. 00:29:22.700 --> 00:29:25.599 This is about freedom. 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:27.500 How do you flip it positive. 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:34.900 How do you when you see someone in church and maybe you're like, I don't like the way they're dressed, I'm not sure they should be here like that. 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:37.165 How do you flip it Positive. 00:29:37.165 --> 00:29:37.833 Thank you, Lord. 00:29:37.833 --> 00:29:39.566 They're here. 00:29:39.566 --> 00:29:41.333 We say this all the time. 00:29:41.333 --> 00:29:43.133 Come as you are. 00:29:43.133 --> 00:29:45.066 Come as you are. 00:29:45.066 --> 00:29:47.633 So you don't have to stay as you are. 00:29:47.633 --> 00:29:51.299 And none of us want to stay where we are, myself included. No. 00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:54.700 No matter where you are in your journey. 00:29:54.766 --> 00:29:56.833 Come as you are. 00:29:56.932 --> 00:29:59.000 Come as you are. 00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:00.700 So you have to stay as you are. 00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:02.400 How do we flip it? Positive. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:07.266 Third habit to develop for developing spiritual habits. 00:30:07.266 --> 00:30:09.766 How do you make it automatic? 00:30:09.766 --> 00:30:10.665 Of course habits. 00:30:10.665 --> 00:30:13.299 Ultimately, the beauty of them is that they become automatic. 00:30:13.299 --> 00:30:15.099 But of course, on the front end, that's not the case. 00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:16.566 They're really hard to establish. 00:30:16.566 --> 00:30:21.365 How can you speed that up and make a habit automatic to begin with? 00:30:21.365 --> 00:30:25.766 One example I heard of this was a family that was struggling to connect the evening. 00:30:25.766 --> 00:30:27.432 They were all on their devices. 00:30:27.432 --> 00:30:30.299 The TV was on Internet computer. 00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:31.900 Everybody's drawn different directions. 00:30:31.900 --> 00:30:33.965 So here's what the dad did. 00:30:33.965 --> 00:30:40.066 He took their Wi-Fi router, their Internet Wi-Fi router, and he put it on one of these timers. 00:30:40.066 --> 00:30:45.200 You see, these are used to plug a lamp in to make your neighbors think you're home when you're really not. 00:30:45.299 --> 00:30:51.532 Put it on a timer, set it for 8 p.m., APM Wi-Fi shuts off. 00:30:51.633 --> 00:30:55.900 sorry that Wi-Fi is off. 00:30:55.965 --> 00:30:57.865 That timer is at it again. 00:30:57.865 --> 00:31:03.766 You know, somehow trying to distance himself from that decision is the dad. 00:31:03.865 --> 00:31:06.133 And so now we got to connect. 00:31:06.133 --> 00:31:07.465 Made it automatic. 00:31:07.465 --> 00:31:09.333 Didn't even have to think about it. 00:31:09.333 --> 00:31:13.133 Everything shut off and now what happens? 00:31:13.133 --> 00:31:21.932 We talk, we connect, look at one another in the play family games or just sit around doing nothing. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:23.432 Make it automatic. 00:31:23.432 --> 00:31:37.900 The more things in life that you can take away that emotional energy, put the bills on, autopay, put your giving on autopay, whatever it takes, make it automatic, make it easy so that you don't have to think about it. 00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:45.165 Next one. Number four Find a trigger habit that will initiate the habit. 00:31:45.266 --> 00:31:45.766 Friend of Mom. 00:31:45.766 --> 00:31:49.232 When we were serving in missions, this was a guy who was trying to lose £100. 00:31:49.232 --> 00:31:50.965 He was making a lot of good decisions. 00:31:50.965 --> 00:31:56.665 One of his goals as he lost the weight was to be able to do a single pull up just one. 00:31:56.665 --> 00:31:58.965 He couldn't do one. 00:31:58.965 --> 00:32:00.000 And so here's what he did. 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:03.099 He said he applied this specific idea. 00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:13.932 Each time when I walk into the office, the ministry office they served in, when I walked into the door, there was this one piece of wood where he was sturdy across the doorway. 00:32:13.932 --> 00:32:18.865 Each time I walk in, I will try to do one pull up. 00:32:18.932 --> 00:32:28.932 You see the trigger walking through the door. And of course, for a year all he did was just about that. 00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:31.833 That's all he could do. 00:32:31.833 --> 00:32:38.032 A year later, he texted me the other day, John, I'm up to five pullups now. 00:32:38.133 --> 00:32:39.333 Trigger habit. 00:32:39.333 --> 00:32:43.833 When I do this, this will happen. 00:32:43.833 --> 00:32:45.299 How do I attach it? 00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:47.232 Notice how he kept the bar low. 00:32:47.232 --> 00:32:49.799 I'll try one pullup up. 00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:55.365 Going to try one trigger habit for many is picking up your phone. 00:32:55.365 --> 00:32:58.032 A friend of mine just shared this with me just the other day. 00:32:58.032 --> 00:32:59.165 I randomly ran into him. 00:32:59.165 --> 00:33:02.732 A guy who grew up here in church with lives way on the other side of town. 00:33:02.732 --> 00:33:06.799 I go into a coffee shop I've never been in, and he had never been in either. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:08.566 And we run into each other. 00:33:08.566 --> 00:33:09.833 He goes, John, let me show you something. 00:33:09.833 --> 00:33:12.400 This has revolutionized my spiritual life. 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:13.299 Glenn threw up the screen. 00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:15.333 This is the Bible app. 00:33:15.333 --> 00:33:17.700 How many of you have the Bible app on your phone? 00:33:17.700 --> 00:33:21.333 When you open the Bible app, you don't have to go looking for Go ahead and let it play. 00:33:21.333 --> 00:33:24.732 You don't have to go looking for content on the Bible app. 00:33:24.732 --> 00:33:26.432 It starts with a verse of the day. 00:33:26.432 --> 00:33:29.665 There's a little video under that that you can play that's an encouragement. 00:33:29.665 --> 00:33:33.465 And you see some random dude has a devotion, some pastor somewhere else. 00:33:33.465 --> 00:33:35.932 There are prayer prompts as well. 00:33:35.932 --> 00:33:38.165 There are journaling prompts, he said. 00:33:38.165 --> 00:33:41.165 I love the guided prayer moments in this. 00:33:41.232 --> 00:33:46.932 He said, When I pick up my phone at the beginning of the day, it's the first thing I do. 00:33:47.032 --> 00:33:52.400 You know, you can clear off all your other apps off the homescreen. Have that one there. 00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:59.333 And you know, if you already have some system, you use our church Bible reading, plan your own devotion, book your work. 00:33:59.333 --> 00:33:59.900 That's great. 00:33:59.900 --> 00:34:03.900 But for those who are struggling to get in God's Word, how do I make it easy? 00:34:03.900 --> 00:34:06.000 How do I make it automatic? 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:07.465 How do I attach it to a habit? 00:34:07.465 --> 00:34:10.900 I'm already doing a trigger habit. 00:34:10.965 --> 00:34:11.666 That's number four. 00:34:11.666 --> 00:34:12.699 You can take that screen down. 00:34:12.699 --> 00:34:18.532 And then number five, lastly, how do I reduce distractions? 00:34:18.532 --> 00:34:23.099 How many would say they find themselves distracted that times? 00:34:23.166 --> 00:34:26.833 Okay, the other half of your lion, right? 00:34:26.900 --> 00:34:29.900 Or maybe you're distracted right now. 00:34:30.065 --> 00:34:33.632 I'm going to have to I won't say this person's name, but when I came in this morning. 00:34:33.632 --> 00:34:36.565 They said, I know what this church needs. 00:34:36.632 --> 00:34:40.666 We need outlets under all the chairs to plug in our phones. 00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:42.632 No, we don't. 00:34:42.632 --> 00:34:45.632 That's the worst thing we need. 00:34:45.666 --> 00:34:52.266 How do you reduce distractions in your life? 00:34:52.333 --> 00:35:00.199 One family, what they would do, much like the Wi-Fi router at night, they all put their phones in a box and locked it. 00:35:00.365 --> 00:35:02.266 Let's connect. 00:35:02.266 --> 00:35:05.233 How do we connect? 00:35:05.233 --> 00:35:12.666 Sometimes that requires taking drastic steps to be able to reduce distractions, to connect with one another and with God. 00:35:12.733 --> 00:35:18.166 Because what we want to do are build these habits that let us build up others in love. 00:35:18.266 --> 00:35:23.532 Invite others to know Christ, invest in others, invest in the church. 00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:25.599 That takes time. 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:26.865 Let me tell you, it matters. 00:35:26.865 --> 00:35:29.500 These small little things matter. 00:35:29.500 --> 00:35:32.233 I got a letter from a God this week. 00:35:32.233 --> 00:35:33.965 I mean, that sums this up perfectly. 00:35:33.965 --> 00:35:36.099 This is a guy group of values. 00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:38.166 He's serving in other areas now. 00:35:38.166 --> 00:35:40.166 He sent me this letter. 00:35:40.233 --> 00:35:42.833 You want to talk about the slow drip of ministry? 00:35:42.833 --> 00:35:49.266 The the little bitty touches in his life over decades and how it made a difference. 00:35:49.266 --> 00:35:51.065 Here's what he said. 00:35:51.065 --> 00:35:56.400 Hey, Pastor John, I look back and thank God for what Valley View meant in my life. 00:35:56.500 --> 00:36:00.166 For whatever reason, he had this moment of reflection and just wanted to share. 00:36:00.166 --> 00:36:11.166 As a dad, I'm reminded daily how special it was for me as a teenager to have a community of Christians loving and supporting me and who doesn't want that as a teen, who doesn't need that as a teen? 00:36:11.166 --> 00:36:14.166 People loving you, supporting you. 00:36:14.365 --> 00:36:19.199 I desire for my kids to have what I had at Valley View. 00:36:19.199 --> 00:36:33.400 Then as a teen, when my parents hit a rough spell, it was Danny and Lisa morris and Bill and Natalie Brooks and a host of other couples at Valley View that modeled what a godly married couple should look like. 00:36:33.465 --> 00:36:40.632 They were there with them, coming along, side them, loving on them through the challenges. 00:36:40.733 --> 00:36:46.032 I look at Valley View and I'm eternally grateful for all that happened in my life. 00:36:46.032 --> 00:36:48.465 I'm really thankful for what God is doing at Valley View. 00:36:48.465 --> 00:36:48.699 Now. 00:36:48.699 --> 00:36:53.132 My four year old just had his first haircut last week from Larry Breeding. 00:36:53.132 --> 00:36:59.300 Larry was talking all about how things have been going great at the church. 00:36:59.300 --> 00:37:02.666 We pay him well for that. 00:37:02.733 --> 00:37:05.833 The mid-week emails are always so encouraging and challenging. 00:37:05.833 --> 00:37:09.300 I read them and I'm more hungry for God and his Word every time. 00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:10.766 Thank you again for everything. 00:37:10.766 --> 00:37:13.733 God bless you and Valley View. 00:37:13.733 --> 00:37:16.965 I tell you what I love about that. 00:37:17.065 --> 00:37:22.032 I love that that's true of this church. 00:37:22.032 --> 00:37:26.599 I love that that email, not just in the past. 00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:33.199 It's true of this church today, just this last week, someone shared with another person who related to me. 00:37:33.199 --> 00:37:38.699 They said, I've never been in a church before where I didn't feel judged. 00:37:38.766 --> 00:37:40.599 Come as you are. 00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:41.400 They didn't feel judged. 00:37:41.400 --> 00:37:42.900 Here was the point. 00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:46.900 Come as you are so you don't have to stay as you are. 00:37:46.900 --> 00:37:49.699 Come as you are. 00:37:49.699 --> 00:37:52.000 Spiritual habits that lead to life. 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:54.733 Build up others in love. Invite invest. 00:37:54.733 --> 00:38:01.166 These are the things we want to build into our lives so that as a church we just continue to show the love of Christ