Are you living like you’re alive… or still among the dead?

Are you living like you’re alive… or still among the dead?
In this episode of On the Road with Pastor Anthony, we continue our new series “The Tomb Is Empty… The Mission Has Begun” by walking through 1 Corinthians 15:12–58. The evidence of the resurrection has already been established Jesus is alive. But now the focus shifts to us.
If Christ is risen, what does that mean for how we live?
In this message, we explore what the resurrection truly means for believers. Without the resurrection, there is no gospel and no hope. But because Jesus is alive, we have been made alive in Him. We are no longer who we used to be, we are new creations called to live differently. And we don’t strive for victory… we live from the victory Christ has already secured.
This episode challenges you to examine your life and ask an honest question:
Is there evidence that you are truly alive in Christ?
Next week, we take the next step as we look at our calling and mission as followers of Jesus, diving into Matthew 28 and Acts 1.
 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and join us as we continue to discover how to live out our faith and share Jesus and life one mile at a time.
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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Hey, welcome back to On the Road with Pastor Anthony. And well, I am your host, Pastor Anthony, and I'm super glad you are here with us today. I do apologize. It is Tuesday morning and I am late getting the podcast up. It was been quite a week, and uh I didn't actually even get home until Sunday, and I was actually not, and I didn't actually have the podcast ready to go. I still had some studying and things to do and typing up on my notes and all that kind of stuff. And so I apologize for that, but here we are. We're getting this thing done. And you know what? Um, I believe maybe this you God held us back for whatever reason, you know, and uh it's to and so to his glory, we're here and we're going to get going today. But I do have a question for you, something to ponder on as we uh get get moving in today's episode. Are you living like you're alive or are you still among the dead? So, as you think about that for a second, and before we really jump into today's episode, I want to take a moment to ask, you know, hey, if you haven't done so yet, please consider subscribing to the podcast on your favorite platform so that you never miss an episode. And if you do enjoy uh what you hear and you're blessed by it, you know, give it a thumbs up, share it with your friends. You know, each week we're discovering practical ways to live out our faith and connect with others as we share Jesus in life one mile at a time. And as we move on into today's episode, as we step into this new series, the tomb is empty, the mission has begun. You know, we're building on what we saw last week. You know, we walked through 1 Corinthians 15, 3 through 11 and saw the overwhelming evidence. And how, I mean, truly, it was overwhelming that Jesus is alive. Everything he said, everything that he did was all true. You know, the health tumbled that he was going to be taken to the cross. He said he was going to be hung there, but he said on three days, he said, I'm going to arise again and I'm going to be alive. You know, people didn't get it, and it just kind of, you know, over their heads. But hey, Jesus said, Yep, this is going to happen, and it did. Everything that he said happened. And we looked at the evidence of how overwhelming over 500 people saw him, you know, the teachings and the healings, and you know, him cooking breakfast on the beach and yeah, all this stuff. And so the fact is that the resurrection is not just something that we believe, that it is something that was proven. But now we take the next step. Because if the tomb is empty, then truly the mission has begun. And before we can fully step into that mission, we have to understand something first. And that leads me back to the question that I asked you before. We have to understand who we are. Before we can talk about, you know, going, before we talk about sharing, before we talk about being witnesses, well, we need to understand that we have been made alive through Christ. Because if you don't understand that, you have been brought from death to life, you will never live the way that God has called you to live. And that's exactly where First Corinthians 15 is going to take us next. You know, Paul moves from proving the resurrection to explaining what the resurrection means for us. So now the focus shifts. Yep. Not just is Jesus alive, but it shifts to us and asks that question you know, are we living like we are alive? Because it is possible to say that you believe in the the resurrection and still live like you're among the dead. And that's the question we're going to really be wrestling with today. And that's why I asked the question earlier, which is also the title. So let's go ahead and jump in to today's episode, but we want to pray first and ask God's blessing upon it, and then we will dive in and then start wrestling with the first quote, you know, this first point here is if there is no resurrection, there is no gospel. Let's pray. Father God, Lord, we thank you again for allowing us this opportunity just to come and open your word and study. And Father, as we go through this here, uh, the episode today, this message that you have for us, Lord, you know, are we living like we are alive? Are we still living among the dead? So which is it? We have that question before us today. So, Father, open our hearts, open our minds, give me the words to speak, Lord, and uh bless our time together. Lord, we love you and we thank you for all that you do in Jesus' name and amen. So, Paul begins by confronting the a false belief, you know, head on. You know, some were saying there is no resurrection of the dead, and he doesn't treat that very lightly. He's like, all right, listen, we're you know, you're wrong. We're gonna talk about this. Let me show you the evidence again, you know. And 1 Corinthians 15, 12 through 14, you know, Paul is talking and says, so now if Christ is preached that he has been risen from the dead, how do some of you or some among you say that there is no resurrection from the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, our preaching is empty and our faith is also empty. You know, Paul's making it clear. The resurrection, hey, it's not optional, it's essential, okay? Everything hangs on it. If Jesus didn't rise, then everything falls apart. Our preaching is empty, our faith is empty. Verse 17 goes on to say that we are still in our sins. And so that's the the issue that we have is like, so if Christ was hung on the cross, claimed all the stuff all the way through, and he stayed on you know, once he was removed from the cross and put in that tomb, if that's where he stayed, then everything he was nothing more than a prophet. He was nothing, and everything that he talked about and said and did was completely worthless. We're still in our sins, you know, we have no hope for the future. This this is all this is what Paul was saying. But then in verse 19, he says, if in Christ we have hope in this life only, if we are of all people the most pitied. Because he's like, you know, we went around sprouting this stuff and believing it for three and a half years, you know, and it was false, then we must be the biggest waterheads there is. We should be pitied. So in other words, if the resurrection isn't real, then Christianity, it collapses. I mean, think about you know, think about this way. Imagine building uh your life, you know, imagine building something on a bridge, you know, or a platform. And you're looking at it, it's almost like a stage in Hollywood. You know, you look at it, it looks like it's big, beautiful building. It's you know, it's standing there. You see all the windows and the front there, and then you walk up and you turn and walk around behind it, and there's like nothing there. There's nothing to support it, you know, it it's not a building. Nothing there to hold it up. It may look convincing, but it won't, I mean, there's no shelter, you wouldn't be able to live in it. I mean, because there's nothing there. It won't protect you, and that's what faith without the resurrection would be. Something that looks real, but has no power beyond that. And you know, so without the resurrection, there would be no power to save because Jesus, well, he's dead. Or think about it this way Jesus died but never rose again, then he's no different than any other historical figure. A good teacher, maybe. Good moral example, yeah, probably, but definitely not a savior. That's the why, or that's why the resurrection is everything. I mean, when you think about it, Buddha's dead, Muhammad's dead, and I mean, God, godly's dead. I mean, all these people have died, but not Jesus Christ. He is alive. Scripture confirms this in Romans 10 9. It says where you know, where it says, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised, get this, God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Notice it's not just believing he died, but it's believing he rose, that he's alive. You got to believe that the resurrection happened. Because without the resurrection, there is no salvation. But here's where this becomes personal. If we truly believe that Jesus rose from the dead, then we should not live like people who have no hope. Yet believers live as if this world is all there is, consumed by temporary things, overwhelmed by problems, driven by fear, stress, and uncertainty. But the resurrection changes that. Because if Jesus is alive, then our future is secure. And if Jesus is alive, then the death is not the end. If Jesus is alive, then what we face today is not the final word. Jesus has the final word. That's why first uh Thessalonians 413 reminds us that we do not grieve as others do who have no hope. Look, I get it. We face difficulty, we still go through trials. I mean, the book of James tells us, consider up your joy when you do go through trials. But we don't live without hope. So the question becomes, are you living like that's true? Or are you living like this life is all there is? Because if the resurrection is real, then it is, and it is, then it should change how you think, how you live, and what you live for. The resurrection doesn't just secure your future, it reshapes it in the here and now, the present. You Paul completely changes the direction of the conversation with the one powerful statement. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. Look at that. But in fact, you know, if you're reading in your Bible, circle it, you know, fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. Yeah, I mean you can underscore that whole thing, highlight it, you know, circle it going, you know, amen. Yes. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. Everything shifts right here. Up to this point, Paul has been dealing with the word if. If there is no resurrection, if Christ has not been raised, but now Paul plants his flag in the ground. Christ, yep, guess what, has been raised from the dead. It's already been proven. And because of that, everything changes, not just for Jesus, but for us. I mean, Paul calls Jesus the first fruits, and that word matters. First fruits means the beginning, the guarantee, the preview of what's coming. In other words, Jesus didn't raise from the dead as a one-time event. He rose as a representative of us all who belong to him. And then Paul explains the contrast. You know, death comes through Adam, life comes through Christ. This is not just a future promise, it is a present reality. You know, scripture tells us in Ephesians 2 verse 1 that we were dead in our trespasses and our sins. We weren't wounded, we weren't struggling, we were dead. But through Christ, we have been made alive. And that means if you are in Christ, you have been saved by the blood of the Lamb, you have surrendered your life to Jesus, you're no longer spiritually dead, you are alive right now, very much alive, alive more than you ever have been. And yet, here's the tension: many believers are alive in Christ, but are still living like they are in the grave. I mean, it would have been like Jesus, uh, you know, the tomb of Lazarus. Lazarus, come forth. All right, I'll be out in a little bit, and just sitting there in these grave clothes, and you know, never come out of the tomb. It's comfortable in here. I dare there's people and stuff. Yeah, but and that's kind of what that's talking about. You know, they're forgiven, but they're still bound. Saved, but still stuck, alive but not moving. Think about someone who's had a near-death experience. You know, a serious accident or some you know, health scare, something, you know, yeah, a moment where they knew they almost died. Those experiences change people. They don't walk away unchanged. You know, they don't they don't come back from that and be like, man, that was like falling down a flight of steps. Glad that's over. All right, let's uh let's go get some steak. It's not that at all. I mean, their lives are changed. I mean, you know, they see things in a different perspective. Their priorities, they shift. You know, that perspective, again, it changes on how they see things. Now they're alive. I mean, the flowers look brighter, the wind in their face. I mean, it's just everything changes. Life feels different. Movement follows life, and that's what makes it so concerning when Christians claim resurrection life, but show little evidence of resurrection living. You know, a lot of times, you know, people will get saved and you know, whatever. And for the first few weeks, they're like, oh my gosh, praise Jesus! They're I mean, they're reading Bible, I mean, they're I mean, they're just but after the newness wears off after a little time that passion fades. They start missing church. Now, not sure where the Bible is, it's got enough dust in it you can write your name. Haven't prayed in a while. But we're still saved. You know, faith becomes optional. Church becomes well go when it's convenient. Instead of essential. Prayer turns into a last resort instead of a instead of a lifeline. And it shouldn't be that way. Going to church is so vital and so many people COVID, oh my you know, I don't even want to get started on COVID, but what Satan how he used that. But the church has been in a decline. You know, even before that. But COVID really, I mean, it it hurt the church bad. Not sure how we get back. That's something, you know, is on my list. But it's so essential to be in involved in a church, worshiping your Lord and Savior. You know, having a a biblical pastor that's you know, is teaching you and feeding you so that you can go out of those four walls and live it. That keyword live and then prayer. Too many times we just pray when things are going upside down and then you know life's on fire. Instead of just giving God thanks and glory for, hey, sun's out. Thank you, Lord. Hey, made it to work safe this morning. Thank you, Lord. You know, just give him praise and glory for whatever. Paul sees this danger, and he says something sobering, something that we need to grab a hold of as well, in verses 33 and 34. Says, do not be deceived, my company ruins good morals. Wake up from your drunken stupor as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God, and they say this to your shame. Yeah, Paul gives this warning in verse 33, and I really this kind of jumped out to me that bad company corrupts good character, or bad company ruins good morals. And I thought about a uh uh an illustration that I did in my youth group when I was doing it. I took one of my my students that was, you know, kind of a you know, he's kind of muscular, dude, a little tall, and and I was like, hey, you know, hop up there in this chair, stand on it. And then I had another student come over that was much smaller than him, and I was like, don't help him, but pull him up there in that chair. You know, the one student was on the ground, and so he tried to pick him up and he couldn't do it. It was just because of the you know of the leverage, it was quite uh difficult. And so and I told the other the smaller student, I'm like, now pull him off of that chair, and he pulled him down. You know, he tried to stop him, but he couldn't do it. He pulled him down, and I go to show him that you know who you walk with will shape how you live. And if you surround your people or surround yourself with people and influences that pull you away from God, it will affect your life. It's much easier to pull someone down than it is to pull someone up, especially when you're doing it by yourself, which is another reason why you should be in church and having Christ in her friends. So here's the question: why would someone who has been made alive in Christ keep living among the dead? Why stay connected to the very thing that God has called you out of? At some point, we have to make the decision to stop living among the dead and start walking in the life we have been given. In other words, start living like you know, who you already are alive in Christ, you're his child. Live like that. The resurrection didn't just give you life someday, it gave you life now. And once you understand that you are alive, the next question is pretty obvious. Are you living like you are alive? That's an important question we must ask ourselves. Understand that the resurrection means more than just future hope, it means a present transformation. And if Christ is risen, then you are not the same. And if your life should begin to reflect that reality. If you've repented and asked Christ, you know to come and interfere in your life, and he has saved you, and he's the only one that can do it, then you have been changed, and it's time to live like it. I mean, think about what has he said. You have been changed. Live like it. Paul, he knows people are wondering how this change actually works. And so he uses a great illustration here in 1 Corinthians 15, 36 through 38. He says it this way. Of course, you know, I like Paul. He just, I mean, he's straightforward. He's just like, listen, okay, I'm gonna give it to you straight. But in verse 36, he says, You foolish person, what you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body it is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps, of wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. A seed is planted into the ground, and what comes up does not look anything like what went in. What was buried looks weak, ordinary, and unimpressive. But what rises is something entirely different. You know, Paul applies this to the resurrection, saying this in verse forty two through forty four. So it is with the resurrection of the dead, what is sown is perishable, but what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness and is raised in power. It is sown in a natural body and is raised in a spiritual body. If there is no natural body, then there is also that if there is a natural body, then there is also a spiritual body. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. This is pointing us, or you know, Paul is pointing us towards you know forward to the future resurrection of our bodies. This is, you know, if we you know, if we die on earth, you know, our bodies are laid in the ground or cremated, whatever. But you know, once the resurrection or the rapture happens, not resurrection, once the rapture happens and Christ calls us home, then our spiritual body and our earthly body, you know, they're going to reignite. Okay. And God can take someone or something that's buried and transform it into something completely new, then the same power at work in life of you know every believer. I mean, it's the same power, you know, and that's something we need to uh or you know, just kind of a brief side note here to think about is that's the representation of baptism. Okay, and one of my you know, something that really kind of bugs me is people getting baptized multiple times. Why? Because baptism is means, okay, you're saved. You only do that once. You don't, you know, that's another hot button topic, probably. And uh, you know, probably gonna get you know, and it can uh spark a great you know discussion. But if you've truly been saved, if you have truly repented and truly given your life to Christ, you know, you're not gonna lose that salvation. The Bible says nothing can pluck you from his hand, not not even yourself. And so if you've truly been saved, okay, then you're to be baptized. And that's not salvation, it's just the all the only thing baptism is is an outward expression of an inward change. You're following Christ like he did in the waters of baptism when he was baptized by John. And baptism, you know, you know, I'm gonna give a little theological here, not not really, but in the Greek baptismo means full immersion. So that's why you see a full immersion baptism. But what that represents is you know, you're dead, you're buried, and then you're raised to walk a new life. It's showing that you have been, you know, buried to your old self, and now you're raised to newness of life, you're new in Christ. He has raised you from the dead, and you're now resurrected, you know, through him, and now you're alive. That's what baptism is. You don't need to do that multiple times because you only do it once, and then you know, you should be doing what you should be doing anyway, and living like you're alive, which thus the topic today. But anyway, having said that, down that rabbit trail, but hopefully that challenges you a little bit to think about, and uh, but then we look on you know to what scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5 17 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old is passed away, behold, the new is come. Thus, that's the illustration from baptism. That means your old life is not your identity anymore. But there is a challenge, but here's the challenge. If you have been changed, you know, again, why do you keep, you know, why keep living like you haven't? Why return to the old patterns, old process, you're the old thought process, the old sins, the old identities that Christ has already put to death. Now, this isn't to say that your past you don't remember, or you're supposed to just completely forget it, because you know, your past can be part of your testimony. This is where I was, this is where God has brought me. You know, and I think about that, you know, there was a speaker, uh, a pastor one time, or might have just been a speaker, but can't remember who said it. But anyhow, they said, Um, I'm not where I want to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. And that's the and that's the way we need to look at our life. That's that you know, big church award, sanctification, because the moment we are accepting, you know, we are saved by Jesus, we begin that sanctification process until the time of our glorification, which was when he calls us home. So we're always being, you know, working and God is changing and molding and um and bringing us closer to him, but yeah, all this stuff. And so, but we're but from that moment of salvation through the sanctification process, we're alive. We're you know, we need to be you know living as if we are alive. So our past doesn't dictate our future, it's just our past, and that's we don't live there. We live in in the in the now, with you know, like we are alive through Jesus. That's what what we're supposed to be doing. We don't live in our past, it doesn't identify us anymore, it's not who we are. We are now a child of God, we've been raised from dead to life, and we are made new. That's what this is saying. The resurrection didn't just forgive your past, it redefines who you are, and we've got to remember that. And yet, so many believers keep going back and revisiting the old life as if it still belongs to them. We say we're new, but we think like we're old. We've been set free, but we live like we're still in chains. And the truth is you don't live into who you want to be. You live out who you believe you are. I am a child of God. I mean, say that. I am a child of God, I live for Him. That's what I live for. It's for my Savior. When you forget your identity, your behavior follows. But when you remember who you are in Christ, transformation becomes normal. Paul reminds us in First Corinthians 15, 49, just as we have been born the image of man of dust, you know, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. So the question is not just have you been changed, the question is, are you living like it? Because if the resurrection is real and it is, then the old life is gone and the new life has begun, which leads us to Paul's final and most practical point, which is we are to live from victory, not for it. We are to live from victory, not for it. You know, Paul closes the chapter by lifting our eyes to what has already been secured. He reminds us that in this life that is not the end, that what is perishable will put on the imperishable, and death itself, well, it will be defeated. In verses uh 1 Corinthians 15, uh 54 through 57, he says, Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting? But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the one of I mean that is one of the most powerful statements in all of Scripture. And notice it gives, or the tense it gives. Not will give, not my give, but gives. The victory is ours, already ours. The victory is already ours. But it's not because of what we've done, nothing we could have ever done could have ever secured our victory. It's because of what Jesus has already done, what he has finished. Remember when he said on the cross, it is finished. That's exactly what he meant. End of it. Death has been defeated. The cross secured it. The resurrection, it confirmed it. But yet, so many believers still live like they're fighting to earn something that's already been won. We fight for approval when we've already have acceptance. We strive for victory when Christ has already secured it. We live as if you know everything depends on us instead of resting in what he's already done. The truth is, is we're not working towards victory, we're living from victory. And when that truth settles in our hearts, it changes how you live. You stop striving and start standing, you stop fearing and start trusting, and you stop living defeated and start walking in confidence. Because of that, Paul gives a clear response in verse 58. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, and I love this verse, just saying, I used it in a youth retreat once. Okay, I'm gonna read it. Verse 58. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Don't quit. Don't drift. Don't get distracted or discouraged. What you do for the Lord matters. Your faithfulness, it matters. Every step of obedience matters, and none of it is wasted. And when you understand that, the victory has already been won. It gives you the strength to keep going, to stay faithful, to live with purpose, because you know how the story ends. And I'm gonna tell you, I've read the back of the book, and just in case you haven't yet, and you don't really you don't know, but let me in on it, let you in on it. God wins, which means we win. So now we come back to the question we started with. Are you living like you're alive or are you still among the dead? Because the truth we've seen in 1 Corinthians 15 is not just something to understand, it's something to live. Christ has been raised, so everything changes. Your past has been forgiven, your present has not error has been transformed, and your future now is secure. You're no longer who you used to be. You are alive in Christ. But the reality is many people who stay, they believe, well, they aren't living like it. They continue to hold on to those old habits and thoughts and chasing things that doesn't matter. They're still living like this world is all there is. And today is a moment to be honest. Are you living like someone who's been made alive? Are you still hanging on to a life that Christ has already called you out of? And that's something I know it it sounds like I'm asking this over and over, and I'm hounding on on that particular part, but it's so important that we that we ask ourselves that question and be honest with ourselves. Is this how we're living? Are we still living among the dead instead of being alive like Christ has called us to be alive? Because if it is, you don't have to stay there. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that made you alive, and that power is meant to be lived out every day. So here's the invitation. If you've never truly trusted in Jesus and you have never believed that you know Jesus really died, that He really rose again, well, today is the day to change. You know, it's it's the most important decision you'll ever make in your life, but it's also the easiest. There's only one way, and that's repentance of your sins and believing in Jesus. And it says, and the Bible tells us that he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. And then it says, Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. You heard us read Romans 10 9 earlier. Whoever confesses with their mouth that and believes in their heart that Jesus truly is who he said he is and God really raised him from the dead, then you know they'll be saved. That's paraphrasing. That's not word-for-word quote. But it's you know, you know, it's Jesus loves you. Everyone in this entire world that's ever been alive, Jesus went to the cross for them. But it's up to them, up to you to make the decision. Are you gonna accept the gift of eternal life or are you gonna reject it? Are you ready to be made alive? If you have not made that decision, you know, that's the offering, that's the invitation today. Turn to him, put your faith in him, trust him not as just a savior, but as the Lord of your life. You know, you can there's ways to reach out to me and you know, and comment or uh my email, all the information is you know is in the description. How to get in touch with me if you got questions. And if you you know give your life to Christ, I would definitely love to hear about that. So we can share it with others. But if you're also, if you're a believer, you've already been saved, and you, but you know that you're you've been living among the dead, this is also your moment. Stop going back, stop blending in, stop living beneath what Christ has already done for you. You have been made alive. Now it's time to live like it. You know, get back and plugged into a church. I just had a conversation with a dude the other day that went to school with my son, and he was talking about it, and I was like, Well, I say, you got to get back to church. You need to get back to reading your Bible, you need to get back in to spending some time in prayer with God and get and get your life right with him. Nobody can force you into it. It's a decision that you have to make. If you're tired of living among the dead, then it's time to move from that death to life and start living it like you're alive again. And make the changes. And that's the important part. Staying connected to God. And you know, the ways that you do that has been talked about. You know, we talk about them every week. Prayer, church, reading your Bible, you know, time in fellowship, spending time with God, serving all these things, being the hands and feet of Christ, being the body of the church, being the church. Because the church building that you go to every week is not the church, it's the people that belong inside of it that are together. That is the church. And so that's something else. You know, when you're missing church all the time, the body is suffering because not all the pe not all the pieces are there. And we need to focus, think about that, and stay focused on what we are called to do. And so, as we continue this series, the tomb is empty, the mission has begun. We're going to take the next step. You know, because being alive in Christ is just the beginning. Next week, we're going to move into what that life is meant to do, you know, our calling, our mission. What is that? What is our role as his witnesses, as his disciples? You know, as we want to do, we want to look at God's word. We want to see what did Jesus tell us before he ascended back to heaven. Well, that's in Matthew 28 and Acts 1. And then the fun is really just going to get started. You know what I mean? From what the church age, uh, what that looks like, and what we are called to do, what we need to be doing. So because the temp the tomb is empty, and it's and now it's time to live like it and to share it. And then we're going to figure out okay, what's next? What are we supposed to be doing? It's going to be great times. I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited. I hope you two are. So let's go ahead and pray. And uh, you know, I'm just I'm pumped. All right, let's pray. Father God, Lord, we thank you again for allowing us this opportunity to come together. And Lord, um, you know, this one's kind of excited me a little bit, you know. You just re-invigorated, you know, Father. I'm like, let's go! You know, I've just we have so much to do, Lord, in a world that it's it's hurting and it needs a savior. And there's so many of us that are are listening to this and and watching. We we know what we're supposed to be doing. We know that we're supposed to be alive in you, and we need to be more bold in our faith. We need to be speaking the truth and sharing you, your love, your word, and the message of the gospel to everyone we come in contact with. So, Father, it's time to the challenge is more to put it on our hearts, let it burn, Lord, that you know, to do what you've called us to do. Father, I'm so excited what your plans, what you're doing, and what you're going to do. Uh not just with this ministry, but there's so many, Lord, that are are so biblically founded in their eyes. And gaze, I mean, just they're so focused on laser focused on you that you know we're great things are going to come about this. So, Lord, also I pray for those who are listening to this. If this is the first time that they've heard the gospel message, may that today be the day that they start to either, you know, worst case, they start seeking you out and start asking the questions. Best case, they surrender their life to you right now, here while they're listening. And Father, just you know, let them feel your presence. Let them understand that, yep, I mean, yeah, I'm here, I'm listening. I got your back. Father, we love you and we thank you for all that you do. In Jesus' name. Amen. All right. If this message has encouraged you, as it does me, because I, you know, as always, I always learn stuff, you know, uh as I go, you know, as I'm studying, I you know, God's speaking to me and downloading stuff in my spirit. And so if this message has done that for you, encourage it. Don't forget to like, share it with a friend, and also subscribe so you don't miss what's next. And if you would like to help others find this message, you know, on the podcast platform, leaving a five-star review on your favorite platform. Well, it helps the algorithm do the thing. And so it really helps us reach more people with the gospel. And if you'd like to stay connected and be a part of what God is doing through this ministry, you will find all the links below. And if you feel led to help support the ministry, whether through prayer or sharing an episode or giving, I thank you more than you know. I appreciate you. Your prayers mean more than you know, and your generosity helps us stay on the road, sharing the gospel and reaching more lives with hope. Again, all the links are in the description below. Thank you for being a part of this journey. And remember, keep sharing Jesus in life one mile at a time, and we will see you on the next one.