WEBVTT 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:04.533 Hey church. 00:00:04.533 --> 00:00:07.099 How are we doing? 00:00:07.099 --> 00:00:07.966 Oh, we gotta do that again. 00:00:07.966 --> 00:00:10.566 Good morning church. How are we doing? 00:00:10.566 --> 00:00:12.166 It's good to be with you all this morning. 00:00:12.166 --> 00:00:14.699 We have so much to celebrate already in us in the service. 00:00:14.699 --> 00:00:19.899 And can we just give it up again for those who are baptized and just thank God for what he's doing? 00:00:23.565 --> 00:00:26.899 It's a privilege to be the student pastor here at Valley View Church. 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:28.300 My name is Colby Flowers. 00:00:28.300 --> 00:00:32.000 And I'm delighted to serve with our students and our young adults. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.500 But from time to time, I get up here and say a few syllables. 00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:51.665 And so I'm thankful for the opportunity to share God's Word with you this morning. In fact, we took a little break hiatus from the Book of Proverbs, but now we're back in it to wrap it up this summer, we're going to be heading into another book of the Bible here in the fall, but we are finishing up our Book of Proverbs series. 00:00:51.665 --> 00:01:01.899 And today, as we started to, we're covering topics or ideas that we see as really important and fundamental that come from the book of Proverbs. 00:01:01.899 --> 00:01:08.566 And so today we're going to be talking about future decisions, making decisions, and how to discern, what that looks like. 00:01:08.566 --> 00:01:19.266 But last Sunday, I bravely took a group of our boys, students to kayak and canoe in Prospect, Kentucky. 00:01:19.965 --> 00:01:21.200 So we went up there. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:23.400 We rented some kayaks. 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:28.965 And don't worry, I did take a couple leaders, would make sure that we had eyes on everybody. 00:01:28.965 --> 00:01:32.299 But, I don't know if you ever been to Fort Harrod's Creek. 00:01:32.299 --> 00:01:33.665 Or Harrod's Creek. I'm sorry. 00:01:33.665 --> 00:01:42.632 It's pretty cool place I've never been before, so I was going in, not having an expectation of what it looked like, how deep it was, or anything like that. 00:01:42.632 --> 00:01:48.832 And so as I'm getting the canoes rented, I asked the person who I was getting the kayaks from. 00:01:48.832 --> 00:01:51.299 You know, which way do I go? 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:53.500 Because there is two ways I could go left. 00:01:53.500 --> 00:01:54.233 I could go right. 00:01:54.233 --> 00:01:57.165 So she explained to me, if you go right, you're going to go to the river. 00:01:58.099 --> 00:02:02.566 If you go left, that'll be, the creek and you'll see some cool places. 00:02:02.566 --> 00:02:07.266 In fact, she said, you will find a park on the left as you go down. 00:02:07.266 --> 00:02:09.066 And that's a good spot to stop. 00:02:09.066 --> 00:02:13.066 And then turn around and come back, because we're only allotted a certain amount of time. 00:02:13.066 --> 00:02:16.133 So we didn't want to go too far and then not have a time to get back. 00:02:16.133 --> 00:02:17.866 So I was like, all right, great. 00:02:17.866 --> 00:02:24.966 So before I finished talking with them, boys were already strapped in in their kayaks and they're going towards the river. 00:02:24.966 --> 00:02:31.900 Okay, I had to call out to them “boys, that way, left.” So they eventually they turned around. 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:40.066 And then of course, if you know boys and I'm sure some of you do, they start paddling as hard as they can straight ahead. 00:02:40.066 --> 00:02:44.966 And it's kind of like this, paddle now, ask questions later type of thing. 00:02:44.966 --> 00:02:49.000 They just were paddling and they had no idea where they were going, and I didn't even know where they were going. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:52.800 So I took some concern to that, I had to get out in front of them. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.765 And, I don't have as much energy as them. 00:02:55.765 --> 00:03:03.900 But it took me a little bit, but I get up out in front of them to kind of help navigate as best I can, but then we come to a fork in the creek. 00:03:04.765 --> 00:03:12.733 She never mentioned anything about a fork, so I had to use my best judgment in that moment to discern where to go. 00:03:12.733 --> 00:03:13.566 So I'm looking. 00:03:13.566 --> 00:03:15.765 I'm seeing what's in front of me as best I can. 00:03:15.765 --> 00:03:18.633 Well, I said, all right, we're just going to stay right. 00:03:18.633 --> 00:03:21.733 Well, luckily it was a good decision as I'll get to in a second. 00:03:21.733 --> 00:03:22.665 So we stay, right. 00:03:22.665 --> 00:03:24.466 We keep on going to the creek. 00:03:24.466 --> 00:03:29.265 And we've already, at this point used up half of our time. 00:03:29.265 --> 00:03:30.633 So now we got to make a decision. 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:37.566 Do we just keep going full head of steam and possibly not be able to get back in time? 00:03:37.566 --> 00:03:41.866 Or do we actually have to make a decision to stop and figure out where to go? 00:03:41.866 --> 00:03:57.332 Well, we find a limb that's hanging over the creek, and then we notice that there's little footholds and pieces of wood attached to the tree, and we notice a big old rope swing. 00:03:57.432 --> 00:04:02.400 This was our sign from God that we needed to stop here. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:03.500 So we stopped. 00:04:03.500 --> 00:04:05.699 The boys put their kayaks out on the side. 00:04:05.699 --> 00:04:09.633 One by one they're climbing up there and bravely jumping off. 00:04:09.633 --> 00:04:10.400 I say bravely. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:11.599 A couple of them took a little bit. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:15.199 They were a little scared, but all of our boys got on there, jumped off. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:19.533 In fact, one of them got on the rope swing and I swear I thought he was going to die when he let go of that rope. 00:04:19.533 --> 00:04:21.132 But he survived, I promise. 00:04:21.132 --> 00:04:22.365 No, everybody came back, okay. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:31.165 But it kind of reminded me and gave me this feeling of it's hard to make decisions in the unknown, is it not? 00:04:31.165 --> 00:04:35.865 Sometimes when we're facing a situation where we don't have all the facts, we don't have all the details. 00:04:35.865 --> 00:04:41.800 We can't see that far into the future unless you all know how to tell me, because I love I really benefit from that. 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:48.199 But we we sometimes really struggle to make decisions for something that we don't know. 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:50.165 We're unknown to it. 00:04:50.165 --> 00:04:56.399 And so the book of Proverbs helps us discern that process of making decisions. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:57.466 So here's what we're going to see. 00:04:57.466 --> 00:05:05.466 There's the question that I'm going to ask and answer this morning is how do we discern God's will for the future? 00:05:06.665 --> 00:05:12.565 How do you discern your will or God's will for your life, for the future? 00:05:12.565 --> 00:05:14.565 That is the immediate. 00:05:14.565 --> 00:05:16.065 That is the long term. 00:05:16.065 --> 00:05:19.333 How do I go about making these decisions when I don't have all the answers? 00:05:19.333 --> 00:05:22.899 The picture is unclear and I don't know what to do. 00:05:22.899 --> 00:05:29.966 The book of Proverbs certainly helps us, and I'm hopefully going to break down some misconceptions about how we can discern God's will. 00:05:29.966 --> 00:05:32.199 Because I sometimes I've gone about it the wrong way. 00:05:32.199 --> 00:05:35.533 My life is written with ways in which you're not supposed to go. 00:05:35.533 --> 00:05:39.632 So I'm going to hopefully share with you from God's Word the Book of Proverbs today. 00:05:39.632 --> 00:05:44.132 I believe the best way to make decisions in discerning God's will. Amen? 00:05:44.132 --> 00:05:45.165 So here's our main idea. 00:05:45.165 --> 00:05:46.665 Our big point that we're going to accomplish today. 00:05:46.665 --> 00:05:56.432 Okay, so to discern God's will for your life, your future decisions, we must receive God's wisdom. 00:05:56.432 --> 00:06:00.733 We must build and receive a godly character. 00:06:00.733 --> 00:06:04.632 And last but not least, we need to receive wise counsel. 00:06:05.132 --> 00:06:08.466 These three things the Book of Proverbs helps us underline. 00:06:08.466 --> 00:06:09.899 Also the book. 00:06:09.899 --> 00:06:12.733 The Bible as a whole also does the same thing. 00:06:12.733 --> 00:06:16.065 But this morning we're going to be running around the book of Proverbs a little bit. 00:06:16.065 --> 00:06:18.266 So if you've got the handout, that will be helpful. 00:06:18.266 --> 00:06:21.233 If you don't, the words will be up here just to help you. 00:06:21.233 --> 00:06:25.800 But we're going to be first in Proverbs chapter 24 verses 13 and 14. 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:27.600 And this is God's Word this morning. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:33.565 And it says, my son, eat honey, for it is good. 00:06:33.565 --> 00:06:38.600 And the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:41.766 Know that wisdom is such to your soul. 00:06:42.533 --> 00:06:50.399 If you find it, there will be a here's our word future and your hope will not be cut off. 00:06:51.233 --> 00:06:59.899 So in these two verses, the writer of Proverbs right here is comparing wisdom to honey Honey's good for you. 00:06:59.899 --> 00:07:05.199 Honey is sweet to the taste, and like honey, wisdom is for your soul. 00:07:06.033 --> 00:07:08.399 Wisdom to your soul is sweet. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:10.766 Wisdom to your soul is good. 00:07:10.766 --> 00:07:12.466 It benefits you. 00:07:12.466 --> 00:07:14.000 And not only that, the result. 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:20.699 What the verse says is that you will have a future, a good future with hope. 00:07:20.699 --> 00:07:30.300 Wisdom helps you navigate the future so that you can make the best decisions for you, your family, your communities and so on. 00:07:30.766 --> 00:07:33.766 So understand here that biblical wisdom. 00:07:33.865 --> 00:07:37.065 It secures us a hopeful future. 00:07:37.500 --> 00:07:38.899 But here's why. 00:07:38.899 --> 00:07:41.132 Because it leads us on God's path. 00:07:42.233 --> 00:07:45.699 That's what biblical wisdom will always do for you. 00:07:46.065 --> 00:07:50.899 The wisdom that we find in the Bible will always lead you on God's path. 00:07:50.899 --> 00:07:55.100 And as we're going to see, it doesn't lead you on your path. 00:07:55.565 --> 00:08:04.199 This is so crucial when we talk about this whole idea of making decisions, because I am the foremost example of what not to do. 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:19.733 I remember growing up and playing baseball my whole life in my one dream, my path, my will, my decision, my plan was I wanted to play baseball for the rest of my life at any cost until I started getting injured. 00:08:19.733 --> 00:08:22.233 Here comes God's plan. 00:08:22.233 --> 00:08:26.065 I had four shoulder injuries, ended up having surgery in college, did not. 00:08:26.065 --> 00:08:29.800 But eight months later I hurt my other shoulder to have surgery on that one. 00:08:29.800 --> 00:08:32.100 So two shoulder surgeries within a year. 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:35.700 Then God was telling me, hey, baseball is too big in your life. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:39.799 You need to make a change. 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:42.700 Instead, in that moment, God led me to the gospel I heard. 00:08:42.700 --> 00:08:50.765 I believed, I accepted Christ, and from there he slowly started drifting and changing my path to follow him into ministry. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:55.732 If I were to live and go after my own path, I assure you I wouldn't be here in front of you today. 00:08:55.732 --> 00:09:02.633 I don't know where I would be, but it was God's path through biblical wisdom and God working in my life that I'm here today. 00:09:02.633 --> 00:09:05.633 And I praise God every day for that. 00:09:05.932 --> 00:09:12.899 But here's the problem we sometimes get locked into our path, our plan, our decisions. 00:09:12.899 --> 00:09:16.332 You want me to share with you what the Book of Proverbs says about that? 00:09:16.332 --> 00:09:24.466 21 - Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 00:09:24.466 --> 00:09:31.066 You may have a lot of plans up here intellectually, logically, scheming, planning, even budgeting. 00:09:31.365 --> 00:09:32.865 Those things aren't bad. 00:09:32.865 --> 00:09:39.600 But if we are solely relying on what's up here, God will straighten your path out really quick. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:41.865 It is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 00:09:41.865 --> 00:09:46.765 We can plan as much as we want, but ultimately it's what God wants that will happen. 00:09:46.765 --> 00:09:55.365 1- the plans of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of the tongue is from 00:09:55.365 --> 00:09:58.000 1. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:01.299 So it's not just an intellectual planning, it's your desires. 00:10:01.299 --> 00:10:03.832 It's your emotions, it’s your feelings. 00:10:03.832 --> 00:10:05.732 I feel like I should go this way. 00:10:05.732 --> 00:10:09.399 I have this urge, this desire to go this way in life. 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:15.700 But listen, it's really God who controls what happens in the tongue, in your life, in your body. 00:10:15.700 --> 00:10:18.765 It's his plan that will ultimately come to fruition. 00:10:18.765 --> 00:10:20.365 And we've got a decision. 00:10:20.365 --> 00:10:23.365 We either go with God or go against God. 00:10:23.899 --> 00:10:31.133 9, the heart of man plans his ways way, but the Lord establishes his steps. 00:10:32.232 --> 00:10:36.466 Maybe some of you have come this morning and you feel like your steps are not established. 00:10:36.466 --> 00:10:38.700 Ground shaky beneath your feet. 00:10:38.700 --> 00:10:41.633 Things aren't working out the way that you want them to. 00:10:41.633 --> 00:10:47.265 Maybe that's a time to say, okay, God, am I walking in your path or my path? 00:10:47.265 --> 00:10:51.932 Have you established my steps or am I trying to establish my own steps? 00:10:52.232 --> 00:11:01.232 Even the song we sung today that I will build my life on God, the foundation under my feet that will never be shaken. 00:11:01.232 --> 00:11:04.232 Or you can choose your own foundations. 00:11:04.666 --> 00:11:09.166 24-- A man's steps are from the Lord. 00:11:09.166 --> 00:11:12.500 How then can can man understand his way? 00:11:13.566 --> 00:11:15.166 This is interesting. 00:11:15.166 --> 00:11:22.932 If your steps in your life are actually God's will and God's path for your life, then how can we even understand them? 00:11:25.066 --> 00:11:26.932 It's very interesting. 00:11:26.932 --> 00:11:31.033 So my four year old likes to play board games. 00:11:31.033 --> 00:11:33.765 So one of the games we like to play a lot is Candyland. 00:11:33.765 --> 00:11:36.166 Anybody play Candyland? Anybody? 00:11:36.166 --> 00:11:38.133 It's a good it's a good game. It's solid. 00:11:38.133 --> 00:11:46.466 So premise of the game is you have your little game token, you're on the board and you flip a card and that gives you a color and that tells you what space to go to. 00:11:46.466 --> 00:11:53.799 But my daughter has the habit of flipping over that card, seeing that color, but then going to the color she wants to go to. 00:11:53.799 --> 00:12:00.133 And so I as a parent, I can easily say, okay, fine, you can go to the spot you want. 00:12:00.133 --> 00:12:06.666 It's not that big of a deal, but if you all know anything about me, I am a rule follower. 00:12:06.666 --> 00:12:09.299 If there is a rule in a game, it's being kept. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:14.765 So I don't care if you're 4 or 34, okay, the rule’s being kept. 00:12:15.500 --> 00:12:16.365 So I have to tell her. 00:12:16.365 --> 00:12:22.799 Honey, sweetie, darling, that's the wrong space. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:24.066 You need to go back. 00:12:24.066 --> 00:12:25.732 And sometimes she sells herself short. 00:12:25.732 --> 00:12:28.100 So I say you need to go forward. 00:12:28.100 --> 00:12:31.799 But it's sort of like this where we think we are to go to this space. 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:34.365 But God wants us in another space. 00:12:34.365 --> 00:12:39.399 And sometimes he has to do the hard work of getting you there. 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:40.700 And that hurts sometimes. 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:42.265 Amen. 00:12:42.265 --> 00:12:43.399 My wife is full of it. 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:47.765 When I thought I was in the space I needed to be, but God knew it would need to be different. 00:12:47.765 --> 00:12:52.533 His path and plane were different, so he has to move me. 00:12:52.633 --> 00:12:58.000 Friends, this is almost like saving God time in a way. 00:12:58.066 --> 00:13:00.700 I want to go where you are, God. 00:13:00.700 --> 00:13:03.466 I want to go on the space and path that you have for me. So. 00:13:03.466 --> 00:13:05.633 So listen to this point this morning. 00:13:05.633 --> 00:13:17.332 You're scheming and planning alone will only get you so far, because it is God's purposes and plans that are going to stand. 00:13:17.332 --> 00:13:23.066 It is God's plan and purpose, this cosmic purpose that he has for your life. 00:13:23.066 --> 00:13:30.765 You and I may be playing chat or checkers, but God's playing chess on a cosmic, eternal level. 00:13:31.066 --> 00:13:35.966 God sees things from beginning before there was nothing, and to the end when there will be nothing. 00:13:35.966 --> 00:13:41.633 God has all of this figured out and planned out and for us to say it's alright God, I got this. 00:13:41.633 --> 00:13:44.633 You're going to end up in a place that you don't want to be. 00:13:44.633 --> 00:13:56.299 First point for you this morning, if you want to discern God's will for the future, you must do this- delight in God's wisdom and plan for your life. 00:13:56.832 --> 00:13:58.966 You've probably heard it, heard it that it was said. 00:13:58.966 --> 00:14:01.966 Some of you have probably experienced it. 00:14:02.033 --> 00:14:06.600 But God's plan for your life is much better than your own plan. 00:14:06.765 --> 00:14:14.466 So we should take delight in God's plan for our life first, and his wisdom that he's given to us. 00:14:14.466 --> 00:14:16.666 We should trust in God's wisdom. 00:14:16.666 --> 00:14:18.832 5 right? 00:14:18.832 --> 00:14:20.633 Y'all know the verse. 00:14:20.633 --> 00:14:24.166 We shouldn't be relying on our own understanding. 00:14:24.633 --> 00:14:27.365 This isn’t a life that we should be navigating on our own. 00:14:27.365 --> 00:14:31.633 But it is God's wisdom that will get you where you need to go. 00:14:31.666 --> 00:14:39.466 So as we consider this idea of how to discern God's will, the first thing is you have to go with God's wisdom in his plan first. 00:14:39.466 --> 00:14:45.832 Some of you this morning may be trying to go about it according to your plan, but maybe God has you here for a reason. 00:14:45.832 --> 00:14:47.799 This morning, folks. 00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:53.566 Maybe he has a has you here for a reason because he wants you to turn to his plan and not yours. 00:14:54.166 --> 00:14:59.200 But as we think about this too, the question begs to be asked, well, okay, Colby. It's good. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:01.332 You know, I want to discern God's will for the future. 00:15:01.332 --> 00:15:05.932 Well, why doesn't God just tell me exactly what I need to do? 00:15:05.932 --> 00:15:12.265 Why doesn’t he give me, like, a clear, exact answer of exactly how I'm supposed to live? 00:15:12.265 --> 00:15:18.100 Well, let me give you something here this morning, because I think we might know this, but sometimes we overlook it. 00:15:18.100 --> 00:15:36.133 But even in the Bible, God's word, God's wisdom is not always prescriptive, meaning God's Bible, God's word doesn't always give you exactly step by step how to do something, but what it does give you is principles to live by. 00:15:36.133 --> 00:15:38.166 That's the entire book of Proverbs. 00:15:38.166 --> 00:15:40.832 For instance, I'll give you an example. 00:15:40.832 --> 00:15:42.500 God commands us to work. 00:15:42.500 --> 00:15:52.166 It is a good thing to work, but God's not going to lay out in the Bible exactly where you need to go to get a job. 00:15:52.232 --> 00:16:03.500 Yes, God restricts us from certain things, like being a thief or being a prostitute, but God is not going to lay out, hey, you need to go into mechanical engineering. 00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:06.500 You need to go work at Big O Tires. 00:16:06.732 --> 00:16:11.700 You need to go work at chick fil A, although that's a good place to start with God's will. But. 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:17.265 But God isn't always going to lay out exactly, perfectly step by step what you're supposed to do. 00:16:17.265 --> 00:16:19.533 But he gives us guiding principles. 00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:26.600 And there are times in Scripture where God gives a prescriptive, perfect, step on how to do that. 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.966 Sure. 00:16:27.966 --> 00:16:35.832 But when we're talking about some things, how do I make a decision when God is not perfectly giving me every step and every clear answer? 00:16:35.832 --> 00:16:37.365 I'm glad you asked. 00:16:37.365 --> 00:16:43.399 Let's look at the book Proverbs, verse 11 or chapter 11, verse three. 00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:44.932 Look what this says. 00:16:44.932 --> 00:16:48.265 The integrity of the upright guides them. 00:16:48.299 --> 00:16:50.200 Notice what that says. 00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:55.200 The integrity of the upright guides them. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:58.200 What guides them, their integrity. 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:00.466 Another word could be character. 00:17:00.466 --> 00:17:05.299 This word literally means perfect, complete, pure. 00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:10.232 It means something like your moral compass is perfect. 00:17:11.266 --> 00:17:16.066 So to have a moral integrity on the inside, it guides you how to live. 00:17:16.266 --> 00:17:18.633 Does that make sense? Other part. Other. 00:17:18.633 --> 00:17:23.732 The opposite end is also true, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. 00:17:25.133 --> 00:17:32.465 The word here for crookedness literally means someone who takes things and twists them to get what they want. 00:17:32.900 --> 00:17:43.500 A treacherous person is someone who looks at their life and wants to twist and turn moral, moral things good and bad so that they can get what they want and they can navigate how they want. 00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:45.032 You see that? 00:17:45.032 --> 00:17:49.665 This is what these verses mean, that your character on the inside matters. 00:17:50.165 --> 00:17:54.465 When you're making decisions, what's on the inside matters a lot. 00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:57.700 Look at this in Proverbs 12 verse five. 00:17:58.066 --> 00:18:01.066 The thoughts of the righteous are just. 00:18:02.566 --> 00:18:03.633 What does that mean? 00:18:03.633 --> 00:18:07.066 A just person has righteous thoughts on the inside. 00:18:07.066 --> 00:18:10.365 They think right righteously after God. 00:18:10.365 --> 00:18:13.766 But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 00:18:13.766 --> 00:18:18.566 Those who are wicked have deceitful counsels and advice and directions. 00:18:19.633 --> 00:18:22.732 So if you can just see from these two verses alone, here's what this means. 00:18:22.732 --> 00:18:30.099 Our internal character will guide our decisions, actions and words. 00:18:30.099 --> 00:18:38.133 Meaning who you are internally will guide your actions, your choices, your words. 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:42.400 Because I think sometimes what we do is let me fix the outside. 00:18:42.465 --> 00:18:45.900 Let me worry about making better decisions on the outside. 00:18:45.900 --> 00:18:52.066 When really we need to focus on what's going on in the inside, because that's what it comes from. 00:18:52.066 --> 00:18:53.665 Does that make sense? 00:18:53.665 --> 00:18:58.000 We need to fix the inside before we go to the outside. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:10.333 But there's also this idea, I think too as Christians, as we sometimes will pray this God, give me a sign, give me a sign, God, so that I know what I need to do. 00:19:10.333 --> 00:19:14.299 Put it on a billboard as I'm driving by and I see it --go here. 00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:16.099 Got it. That's where I'm going. 00:19:17.099 --> 00:19:21.599 Or God, give me this clear, obvious, big miraculous sign. 00:19:23.465 --> 00:19:24.766 Does God do that? 00:19:24.766 --> 00:19:25.900 Has he done that? 00:19:25.900 --> 00:19:28.200 Of course. 00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:30.099 How did God appear to Moses? 00:19:30.099 --> 00:19:31.032 In a burning bush. 00:19:31.032 --> 00:19:34.032 That's a pretty big sign, right? 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:38.200 How did how did Jesus reveal himself to Paul? 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:43.066 Jesus came down and literally stood in front of him in his blazing glory and blinded him. 00:19:43.066 --> 00:19:45.299 That's a pretty big sign. 00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:46.532 So does God do that? 00:19:46.532 --> 00:19:48.000 Of course he does. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:51.000 Is that what he normally does? 00:19:51.066 --> 00:19:52.766 No. 00:19:52.766 --> 00:20:04.333 I think sometimes we get into this, frame of thinking that if I just pray for a sign that God's going to give me this miraculous sign right here, right now, and he may. 00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:07.900 But often that's not how God operates. 00:20:08.232 --> 00:20:15.833 God intent actually operates through your internal character, your integrity. 00:20:15.833 --> 00:20:34.165 And he does that over external signs and miracles, because there's something about God's Word being pressed onto your heart that becomes powerful, because you may go down the street and look at a billboard and see something that you think is God, but it's actually not. 00:20:34.165 --> 00:20:38.766 Verse John four says, test the Spirit's test what you hear. 00:20:38.766 --> 00:20:41.965 Test what's on your heart to make sure it's from God. 00:20:41.965 --> 00:20:45.365 And friends, how do you test those things? 00:20:45.365 --> 00:20:47.732 God's word. 00:20:47.732 --> 00:20:54.133 9-- The heart is deceitful above all things. 00:20:55.232 --> 00:20:57.266 Yikes. 00:20:57.266 --> 00:21:01.266 And not only that, and it's desperately sick. 00:21:02.032 --> 00:21:02.766 It's because of that. 00:21:02.766 --> 00:21:06.833 The question is asked who can understand their heart? 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:12.599 Meaning your feelings, your emotions, your planning, your scheming. 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:16.965 They aren't bad things, but they're not a God thing. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:19.333 Because they're desperately sick. 00:21:19.333 --> 00:21:25.066 You and I are are still dealing with the issue of sin in our practical life. 00:21:25.066 --> 00:21:29.133 It's still an issue as we walk because we're still going to struggle with it. 00:21:29.133 --> 00:21:36.865 But if I can say this this morning, your emotions can be a passenger to your decisions, but it can't be the driver. 00:21:38.266 --> 00:21:45.465 Your emotions are good, but they should not be the primary vehicle to get you to where you need to go. 00:21:45.465 --> 00:21:51.965 Your emotions are highly subjective and even signs and other things can be highly subjective. 00:21:51.965 --> 00:21:59.099 That's why they cannot be the driver, they only the passenger to your decisions. Does that make sense? 00:21:59.099 --> 00:22:01.633 So we've got to be careful. 00:22:01.633 --> 00:22:05.032 Can God use your your emotions and feelings to guide you in your life? 00:22:05.032 --> 00:22:06.432 Sure. 00:22:06.432 --> 00:22:10.900 But should that be the primary way you make decisions? No. 00:22:11.299 --> 00:22:14.165 Emotions and feelings are God given. 00:22:14.165 --> 00:22:22.299 Signs can bring a powerful means for God to work in your life, but God normally will work through your character. 00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:23.333 And here's the danger, friends. 00:22:23.333 --> 00:22:24.665 25. 00:22:24.665 --> 00:22:26.700 If this doesn't scare you, I don’t know what will. 00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:31.833 There is a way that seems right to a man, but it's end is the way to death. 00:22:33.766 --> 00:22:36.665 Think about that. 00:22:36.665 --> 00:22:42.299 You may be on a path in your life right now that you think is right, but it's not. 00:22:42.865 --> 00:22:49.965 So the question you got to ask yourself, how do I know the decisions in the path of my life right now are good? 00:22:50.833 --> 00:22:53.165 Well, here's what I would say. 00:22:53.165 --> 00:22:58.200 What does your character on the inside in God's Word say? 00:22:58.465 --> 00:23:12.532 So if I could bring this to a point, your compass for making decisions, that is this internal compass of how you make decisions, it should come from the godly character that God is slowly impressing on you. 00:23:12.766 --> 00:23:14.700 Does that make sense? 00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:27.032 God is impressing on your heart, on your internal soul, his godly character, so that you can make wise decisions. 00:23:27.032 --> 00:23:28.500 That is your compass. 00:23:29.665 --> 00:23:33.032 It's your compass for making those decisions. 00:23:33.165 --> 00:23:37.599 Otherwise, we're working off of very subjective things. 00:23:39.633 --> 00:23:45.633 God delights in putting his character on your heart, friends, and he does it through the word. 00:23:45.633 --> 00:23:46.766 And we're going to get to that in just seconds. 00:23:46.766 --> 00:23:53.232 So here's my second point for us this morning to pursue a godly character or insight to discern God's will for your life. 00:23:53.232 --> 00:23:56.232 We need to pursue a godly character. 00:23:57.932 --> 00:24:06.932 Instead of worrying about all the external things, what if you started working on your heart and letting God do the heart work? 00:24:07.032 --> 00:24:21.066 What if you daily got in the word, spent time in prayer and let God shape you inside so that the decisions on the external, the outside don't make a lot more sense. 00:24:22.299 --> 00:24:28.932 Here's a beautiful quote from Tim Keller I couldn't say it any better than than him, and this point. 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:44.566 Says the more we know God, ourselves, the human heart, the order of creation, the times and seasons, the more we will have the wisdom to good decisions, to make good decisions. 00:24:44.566 --> 00:24:46.465 Does that make sense? 00:24:46.465 --> 00:24:52.732 The more you know God, the more you know yourself, the more you know how creation is ordered. 00:24:52.732 --> 00:24:54.099 What is good and bad? 00:24:54.099 --> 00:25:00.000 The more you know the culture and the times, and the seasons, and how things work, you will make better decisions. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.665 And you know where those things are shown to you? 00:25:04.665 --> 00:25:07.665 God's word. 00:25:08.266 --> 00:25:13.532 So that's why we're so passionate about God's Word, about you. 00:25:13.532 --> 00:25:25.165 That's why I want more scripture mentioned in a sermon and on the screen that I say in my own words, because if it's not coming from God's Word, I'm giving you really bad advice friends. 00:25:25.165 --> 00:25:28.165 God's word has the answers for you. 00:25:29.465 --> 00:25:36.266 So the question is asked too, well, how do I pursue a godly character? 00:25:37.066 --> 00:25:38.965 How do I get it? 00:25:38.965 --> 00:25:41.566 Two ways, ready for this? 00:25:41.566 --> 00:25:43.599 Number one, I can't say it enough. 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:46.599 It's through his word. 00:25:47.066 --> 00:25:59.032 Friends, this morning, if you want an answered the decisions you have to make in the future and even in the immediate begin the heart work right now in God's Word. 00:25:59.833 --> 00:26:06.566 God can turn your heart and give you wisdom and give you discernment more and any more than anything. 00:26:06.566 --> 00:26:10.099 Then in God's Word, get in the Word of God. 00:26:10.099 --> 00:26:12.532 And as I say, I'll get the Word of God in you. 00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:16.066 And here's a couple examples for cross references. 00:26:16.066 --> 00:26:18.932 I can spend a lot of time on this, but just just for our time this morning. 00:26:18.932 --> 00:26:24.066 Proverbs two verse six, for the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth. 00:26:24.066 --> 00:26:26.532 That is, his word come knowledge and understanding. 00:26:26.532 --> 00:26:28.700 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. 00:26:28.700 --> 00:26:37.599 He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:39.365 And look what verse nine says. 00:26:39.365 --> 00:26:44.299 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity. 00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:48.000 Every good path you're praying right now. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:49.633 God, where do you want me to go? 00:26:49.633 --> 00:26:50.732 You want understanding? 00:26:50.732 --> 00:26:54.400 Get in God's Word and get it in you. 00:26:55.266 --> 00:26:56.566 It will equip you. 00:26:56.566 --> 00:26:58.000 It will strengthen you. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:00.000 It will transform your mind. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:06.400 It will put you in the place where God wants you, because it's working on your heart, and it's transforming you to be more like Jesus. 00:27:07.532 --> 00:27:08.400 It starts there. 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:15.465 Number two, second way through godly habits. 00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:19.465 How does God build a godly character in you? 00:27:19.465 --> 00:27:22.465 It's through forming godly habits. 00:27:23.266 --> 00:27:25.665 Second Peter one is is a cross-reference. 00:27:25.665 --> 00:27:26.333 You can look at later. 00:27:26.333 --> 00:27:29.032 But look at this in second Timothy three. 00:27:29.032 --> 00:27:30.066 It's on the screen. 00:27:30.066 --> 00:27:37.965 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you have learned it. 00:27:37.965 --> 00:27:40.965 Paul spent a great deal of time teaching Timothy. 00:27:40.965 --> 00:27:45.099 Timothy had a mom and a grandmother who were faithful believers who taught him. 00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:47.865 So what Paul saying here is keep going. 00:27:47.865 --> 00:27:50.732 Build habits to grow and to learn. 00:27:50.732 --> 00:27:54.932 And as he says in another part of the book, fan into flame the gift of God. 00:27:54.932 --> 00:27:57.766 Keep going. 00:27:57.766 --> 00:28:03.766 Some of you, I think this morning, just need to reestablish good habits with your relationship with God. 00:28:05.432 --> 00:28:07.766 Look at this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. 00:28:07.766 --> 00:28:08.865 This is a great quote as well. 00:28:08.865 --> 00:28:12.865 Sow a thought and you reap an action. 00:28:12.865 --> 00:28:20.133 Sow an act and you reap a habit, sow a habit and you reap, as we talked about, a character. 00:28:20.133 --> 00:28:23.133 Sow a character and you reap a destiny. 00:28:23.732 --> 00:28:26.266 It starts with your thoughts. 00:28:26.266 --> 00:28:28.400 It starts with your desires. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:35.365 It starts with your day by day, giving God the room to mold you into being Christlike. 00:28:35.865 --> 00:28:38.232 And eventually you know where it ends up? 00:28:38.232 --> 00:28:40.700 In your destiny. 00:28:40.700 --> 00:28:46.299 So if I can put it this way, character is won or lost in the little things. 00:28:47.766 --> 00:28:50.900 Your character is being built each and every day. 00:28:50.900 --> 00:29:01.032 In fact, every decision you make is putting you on a path just for just for, just for fun. 00:29:01.032 --> 00:29:07.665 Think to yourself how many decisions does the average person make every day? 00:29:07.665 --> 00:29:08.400 And don't Google it. 00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:09.932 Don't you be cheating. 00:29:09.932 --> 00:29:12.566 I'm watching your hands. 00:29:12.566 --> 00:29:22.365 Think to yourself, maybe even say to the person, to your left and to your right, how many decisions does the average person make every single day? 00:29:22.365 --> 00:29:23.133 Go and tell them. 00:29:23.133 --> 00:29:25.365 Tell your neighbor. 00:29:25.365 --> 00:29:26.200 Go and tell your neighbor. 00:29:26.200 --> 00:29:29.865 Because I want to make sure we get some accountability on this, okay? 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:32.633 And Pastor John can't say it because he's already he already knows. 00:29:32.633 --> 00:29:34.099 Or do you forget? Okay. 00:29:34.099 --> 00:29:36.400 All right, all right. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:38.532 You ready? 00:29:38.532 --> 00:29:44.266 35,000 decisions every day. 00:29:44.633 --> 00:29:49.865 That is decisions you make habitually like it's decisions you make. 00:29:49.865 --> 00:29:52.665 And you don't even have to really think about them. 00:29:52.665 --> 00:29:54.165 Things that you make quickly. 00:29:54.165 --> 00:30:07.232 Like you're in the drive thru and you want to know if you want the number one or the number two, the decisions to how am I going to pay my bills, how am I going to disciple my kids? 00:30:07.566 --> 00:30:10.865 The decision to turn on the TV or get in God's word? 00:30:10.865 --> 00:30:16.032 Like we make up to an over 35,000 decisions a day. 00:30:16.032 --> 00:30:17.032 You know what that means. 00:30:17.032 --> 00:30:21.766 You have 35,000 opportunities to put yourself on a path. 00:30:21.766 --> 00:30:24.465 Do you hear me this morning, church? 00:30:24.465 --> 00:30:35.766 You have 35,000 opportunities to put yourself on a path either to Christlikeness or worldliness, to trusting your path or God's path. 00:30:36.700 --> 00:30:40.865 Every decision you make puts you somewhere, even the small ones. 00:30:40.865 --> 00:30:51.566 Which is why if you have godly habits formed in your life, which is a never ending process, you will make better decisions. 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:53.799 Do you hear me church? 00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:56.965 Character is won or lost in the little things. 00:30:58.633 --> 00:31:01.965 This is so crucial for us to understand. 00:31:02.266 --> 00:31:05.266 It's not based off of big external signs. 00:31:06.032 --> 00:31:07.365 It's not based off our emotions. 00:31:07.365 --> 00:31:13.532 It's based off of God slowly pressing into you His character. 00:31:13.532 --> 00:31:16.665 So last third point I've got for it this morning. 00:31:16.665 --> 00:31:19.900 I want to give you a couple verses and wrap it up with some advice. 00:31:19.900 --> 00:31:20.432 But here. 00:31:20.432 --> 00:31:22.965 This I think, is sometimes overlooked. 00:31:22.965 --> 00:31:24.500 22. 00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:34.165 Here's a third way that we can discern God's will-- without counsel plans fail, but with many advisors they succeed. 00:31:35.633 --> 00:31:45.432 If you are trusting on your own personal, individual, intellectual counsel, plans often fail. 00:31:46.532 --> 00:31:47.299 I mean, it's small. 00:31:47.299 --> 00:31:52.665 Something going to YouTube to learn how to fix something is is adding counsel to your life. 00:31:53.599 --> 00:32:03.766 But when we bring other people's voices and wisdom and experiences into our life, we are a lot more likely to make wise decisions. Amen? 00:32:03.766 --> 00:32:13.232 15-- The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:18.365 In other words, this is a hard headed person. 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:20.400 That's what a fool is. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:27.599 They hear what is good, but then they do the opposite because they want to keep going in this direction. 00:32:27.732 --> 00:32:31.932 But wise people, they pause and listen to advice. 00:32:31.932 --> 00:32:35.532 They welcome advice, they seek for advice. 00:32:35.532 --> 00:32:39.165 And I can't tell you how many times we probably talked about this in the series in the book of Proverbs. 00:32:39.165 --> 00:32:43.432 But it's important definitely here when we're making decisions. 00:32:43.432 --> 00:32:48.865 So think to yourself, who are the people that I go to for advice? 00:32:48.865 --> 00:32:54.365 And if that list is less than three, look around. 00:32:54.365 --> 00:32:57.365 You have some godly people in this room. 00:32:57.700 --> 00:33:00.032 You have people I hope in your life groups. 00:33:00.032 --> 00:33:03.532 If you don't have a life group, that's what life groups are for. 00:33:04.532 --> 00:33:12.932 When you're concerned about your children's spiritual health, when you're concerned about how to make ends meet, when you're concerned about how to balance life, I can tell you where there's some answers. 00:33:12.932 --> 00:33:17.432 It's probably in the room that you could be sitting in as you're looking at God's Word. 00:33:17.432 --> 00:33:21.799 It's in your life groups, it's in your families, it's in your friends, those who are wise. 00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:23.732 And you got to be careful about that, too. 00:33:23.732 --> 00:33:26.465 You got to know who to get advice from. 00:33:26.465 --> 00:33:29.465 Here's my third and final point. 00:33:29.465 --> 00:33:34.665 If you want to discern God's will for the future, you need to seek wise counsel. 00:33:35.865 --> 00:33:38.865 Notice I didn't say seek counsel. 00:33:38.965 --> 00:33:41.432 There's plenty of counselors out there. 00:33:41.432 --> 00:33:44.432 Just go to TikTok. 00:33:44.732 --> 00:33:47.333 Go to YouTube. 00:33:47.333 --> 00:33:48.299 Go to my students. 00:33:48.299 --> 00:33:48.965 Don't don't do that. 00:33:50.266 --> 00:33:50.900 I'm just kidding. 00:33:50.900 --> 00:33:53.066 They're really smart. 00:33:53.066 --> 00:33:55.532 Sometimes. 00:33:55.532 --> 00:34:03.400 There are plenty of good, wise counselors in this church that want to pour into your life. 00:34:03.865 --> 00:34:05.865 So let me give you three pieces of advice. 00:34:05.865 --> 00:34:09.166 These are really practical pieces of advice for you this morning. 00:34:09.166 --> 00:34:10.865 Three pieces of advice. 00:34:10.865 --> 00:34:15.632 If you're struggling with this issue, as I have, I have had to grow in a lot of these areas. 00:34:15.632 --> 00:34:18.465 But I want to give me three pieces of advice. Okay. You ready? 00:34:18.465 --> 00:34:20.233 Everybody ready? 00:34:20.233 --> 00:34:23.233 Pray more than you plan. 00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:31.365 I think I spent more time trying to plan my life than pray to the God who who gave his life for me. 00:34:32.632 --> 00:34:35.632 I need to pray more than I try to scheme. 00:34:37.632 --> 00:34:40.632 So what if you prayed first then you planned? 00:34:41.865 --> 00:34:44.400 God help me understand this. 00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:47.400 Then help me make these decisions. 00:34:48.032 --> 00:34:53.565 Prayer is I didn't speak about it much in the message, but prayer is so crucial when making decisions. 00:34:53.565 --> 00:35:04.365 You should bathe your decisions in prayer, and we ought to always don't have time to make time for prayer, because life's hitting us really quickly and we have to make split second decisions. 00:35:04.365 --> 00:35:07.500 But for the most part, we can pray about those decisions that we have. 00:35:07.500 --> 00:35:08.666 So pray more than you plan. 00:35:08.666 --> 00:35:15.365 Second thing, consume God's Word more than your screens. 00:35:15.532 --> 00:35:18.532 We are in a epidemic today. 00:35:20.365 --> 00:35:29.233 I'm reading a book right now called Anxious Generation, and it details the destructive nature of phones and screens to our young people. 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:37.199 But before I get to my young people, adults, we face that every day too. 00:35:39.032 --> 00:35:42.032 Your screen could be the death of you. 00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:48.166 Your screen can be the death of your relationship with Christ, to your family, to your marriage. 00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:55.432 How dare we say I'm going to plan my life and I'm going to keep on scrolling. 00:35:55.632 --> 00:35:57.565 But you know what? 00:35:57.565 --> 00:36:08.300 What if you formed a godly habit to put that phone and before you even picked it up in the morning, the first thing you did when you woke up, your knees hit the ground and you opened up God's word. 00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:12.766 And you looked and said, God help me navigate today the little and the big. 00:36:12.766 --> 00:36:18.599 Show me what you want from me in your word today, and I guarantee you he'll answer. 00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:21.833 Instead of the first thing you do when you get up in the morning. 00:36:21.833 --> 00:36:23.065 Check my notifications. 00:36:27.465 --> 00:36:30.465 Get in the word church. 00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:37.500 Third, listen to the Holy Spirit more than yourself. 00:36:37.500 --> 00:36:40.065 Scripture is clear do not quench the Holy Spirit. 00:36:40.065 --> 00:36:42.965 Don't operate in opposite direction of the Holy Spirit. 00:36:42.965 --> 00:36:48.865 Listen to the Holy Spirit in your life, and some of you are probably thinking how do I listen to the Holy Spirit? 00:36:48.865 --> 00:36:51.865 Great question. 00:36:52.000 --> 00:37:00.132 It’s by listening enough to God's Word, and then you listen to the Holy Spirit speaking in you. 00:37:00.132 --> 00:37:09.233 I've never heard the audible voice of God, but I hear the Holy Spirit daily, thankfully, because of God's Word. 00:37:09.365 --> 00:37:15.465 And here's something so true the Holy Spirit will never contradict the Bible. 00:37:16.365 --> 00:37:20.865 If you're listening to the Holy Spirit and it says, do this, you find it in God's Word. 00:37:20.865 --> 00:37:22.065 You shouldn't be doing that. 00:37:22.065 --> 00:37:23.166 That's not the Holy Spirit. 00:37:24.565 --> 00:37:30.333 If you're listening to the Holy Spirit and you confirm it with God's Word, you know who that is, Holy Spirit. 00:37:30.565 --> 00:37:33.632 So it's just another reason why you need to be in the word. 00:37:33.632 --> 00:37:39.432 You really can't listen fervently and honestly to the Holy Spirit unless you've got God's Word. 00:37:39.432 --> 00:37:51.733 So listen, friends, God's Word, the Holy Spirit in prayer will change the way that you make decisions, but it is the day by day push to become more like Christ. 00:37:51.800 --> 00:37:53.565 Here's your challenge this morning. 00:37:53.565 --> 00:37:55.599 Which of these things do you need to pursue harder? 00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:58.065 Which of these three do you need to pursue harder? 00:37:58.065 --> 00:38:04.465 God's wisdom, a godly character, or last but not least, wise counsel? 00:38:05.800 --> 00:38:08.132 Let's pray. 00:38:08.132 --> 00:38:25.132 Father, I'm up here today preaching about a topic and an and an issue that I don't have fully worked out that I stand before you as an imperfect man who needs your wisdom daily. 00:38:26.233 --> 00:38:31.532 God, I need your power to become a godly man. 00:38:32.266 --> 00:38:40.065 And I certainly need other wise believers, men and women of the faith to help me discern what's next. 00:38:40.065 --> 00:38:43.065 Without it, I am hopeless. 00:38:43.532 --> 00:38:50.865 But God, your wisdom is like honey that is sweet to my soul and will give me a future. 00:38:50.865 --> 00:39:02.233 And God, I pray this morning that we would be humble enough to say, God, I don't have my life figured out and I can't plan in my life, but today I'm coming to you. 00:39:02.900 --> 00:39:11.432 And even today, father, there may be people in this room who were living their own life and had never come to you for salvation. 00:39:13.099 --> 00:39:34.365 As we beautifully got to witness three young people who have given their life to Christ display it in baptism that today there might be someone who says, I've been walking my own path, but now I need to walk in God's path for my life. And the first place that begins, God, is to confess and believe in Jesus. 00:39:34.365 --> 00:39:44.132 Today I ask if there's someone in this room who has not confessed and believed that they today right now would do it, and that they would find someone before they leave to come and share it. 00:39:44.132 --> 00:39:50.166 God, I pray for everyone in this room that any decision that they have to make coming up big and small. 00:39:50.166 --> 00:40:02.900 God, the things that are scaring people, the things that keep us up at night, that you would give them wisdom, a godly character and wise counsel to take the next step. 00:40:02.900 --> 00:40:10.365 And we have a God who raised Jesus from the dead and you have the power to provide all that we need in our life. 00:40:10.432 --> 00:40:12.666 We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. 00:40:12.666 --> 00:40:13.766 Amen.