EP 40 Which way are you choosing?

Through life we are faced to make decisions. From deciding what we will do for a living, who we will marry? As a Child of the King, we will ultimately have to make decisions to choose right over wrong. As easy as that is to say, making the decision to do it and stick with it is the real test. If we remain faithful to HIM, HE will provide the rest.

As always thank you for joining in for another week! We pray you will receive the utmost blessing from the words in which were spoke today. 

Bro. Lane, Bro. Ryan, Bro. Duke, Bro. David and Special Guest Bro. Tyler Griffin 

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:10

Welcome to the Pick It Up Podcast, the podcast where we'll discuss what it means to pick up your cross and follow Christ. Living a life for Christ takes commitment, sacrifice, and ultimately being obedient to his word. Not only on Sundays, but every day. God's word says it, that settles it. So pray about it, practice it, and proclaim it. Let's get into it.

SPEAKER_04 0:39

What you gonna say, Ron?

SPEAKER_02 0:40

I can hear you.

SPEAKER_04 0:41

I know you can't hear me if you want me to turn it down.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

We started. Yeah, we started. Well, I didn't know. How's everybody going? How's it going, y'all? Morning. Good morning. How's life? Green. Life is good.

SPEAKER_04 1:01

Preacher wise, your mic. No, my bad.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

The health is the grass is green. Good Lord smiling on me.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

We are blessed to have Mr. Griffin with us here this morning. What's up, Ty?

SPEAKER_02 1:18

Good morning.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

That's TG.

SPEAKER_02 1:22

TG in the house.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

How many names you got, brother? I know you wear a bunch of hats. A couple of them we can't say on there.

SPEAKER_02 1:30

I ain't gonna tell them. One hat he won't wear is it? I ain't wearing no Griffin hat.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

How you make it, Duke? You doing that?

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:43

Get us going, Lane. I'm waiting on y'all.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Lane, you always get us rolling and we'll roll with it.

SPEAKER_04 1:49

Well, you need talking to your mic.

SPEAKER_02 1:54

Well, we don't have a clue. We here though. We ready.

SPEAKER_04 1:57

We done moved into another room this morning. Hopefully this will work out.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

We're kind of out of whack, ain't we? Yeah. Out of our comfort zone.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

You sitting on the wrong side of the preacher.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Yeah, good thing we can't look at each other. We'd be all right. It'll go better, probably.

SPEAKER_04 2:16

Well, we are midway through the summer. I thought about, I told Jordan last night we uh we looked at the weekends we got. We got this weekend, we got next weekend. Of course, then we have a ball tournament weekend, but then we have camp, camp art school.

SPEAKER_02 2:34

Amen. I'm ready.

SPEAKER_04 2:35

Summer is about over.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

I am so ready for school to start back up. Man, it just ended. Amen. I'm ready for school.

SPEAKER_04 2:42

Last week.

SPEAKER_02 2:43

Yeah.

unknown 2:44

Time.

SPEAKER_04 2:45

I don't know if I've ever thought of a hearing Ryan say, I'm ready for school to start back up.

SPEAKER_02 2:50

I'm out of it. It don't bother me.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

He ain't a very good babysitter, that's the deal.

SPEAKER_02 2:54

That's exactly right. Yep. How many kids did you carry home last night?

SPEAKER_04 2:59

One. I had one, thank goodness. How many kids ended up at your house last night? More. Only one? Where'd the rest of them go?

SPEAKER_02 3:10

One went with Tyler's bunch. One went with uh the U Bases.

SPEAKER_04 3:16

So learn that's why Tyler said my mama wouldn't let me ride home with her.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

She wanted some peace and quiet, I guess.

SPEAKER_04 3:24

Oh man, well, preacher.

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Yep. I got something wrapped down here on my link. Reasons for holy living. So I'd be interested in you guys giving me some of those reasons for holy living.

SPEAKER_04 3:40

Well, before you do that, let's talk about Mr. Griffin down there. Tyler. But you got to define holy living, though, don't you? Tyler let him. He read it. He ready. Like he's gonna hold over for a second. Tyler, let him let him know what who you are and what you do. Family. Throw into the wolves. Throw into the wolves. Break the ice.

SPEAKER_02 3:58

Boy, he's turning red over. That's what we do.

SPEAKER_04 4:00

That's what we do for every guest.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Yeah, I thought we were gonna ease into this.

SPEAKER_04 4:05

No, because Preacher's gonna have you dogged in here saying so. No one.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Um Tyler Griffin, I own Griffin Heating and Air and Electric Monticello. I got a wife and four kids. One just graduated, got a junior. Jace is gonna be an eighth grader, and Natal's gonna be a sixth grader.

SPEAKER_04 4:27

You're getting in the prime of your life.

SPEAKER_02 4:29

Boy, he named that all pretty good. I can't remember them grades. Well, they just moved up, so I had to think about it.

SPEAKER_00 4:37

So the equivalent of a freshman in college, junior in high school, freshman in high school, and then that eighth grader.

SPEAKER_02 4:47

Eighth grader and a lot of junior you told me. Anna? Anna, huh?

SPEAKER_06 4:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:55

And time flight. That's still early rival.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

Well, you been in Montcell all your life? Born and raised?

SPEAKER_01 5:02

Yes, sir. Yes, sir, pretty much.

SPEAKER_00 5:06

How long have you been with us here at Shady Grove?

SPEAKER_01 5:11

Well, when me and Kylie got married about 14 years ago, we were off and on, off and on. I guess we've been back now probably seven, eight years now.

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Praise the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 5:32

He got baptized three years ago. Yeah, yeah. I was trying to figure it out. What is that noise on here, Brother David?

SPEAKER_04 5:42

Is he talking about the writing? He's scribbling. Oh, it's just a mic. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

Oh, I quit scribbling. I'm a doodler. I'm a doodler. Well, Tyler and Jonathan both have been hanging around the church here a whole lot lately. We've been having some reconstruction going on. Or remodeling. What do you call it? Reconstruction or remodeling? Deconstruction right now. Increasing the size of our sanctuary seating, uh, incorporating a balcony that was thought about 16 years ago when we originally built our building, but now it's being realized. And it's taking us a little bit to get there. And these guys are very instrumental in helping us get there. So we appreciate it greatly. Growing pains, having some growing pains. Which are good problems to have, I guess. But we're glad you're here with us, brother. Yep. Now then you don't answer my question. You ain't gonna get away from it. Start with you, Doc. Give us a reason for holy living.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Well, I see here. Just uh to have peace in your life.

SPEAKER_00 6:46

Have peace. All right.

SPEAKER_02 6:48

Is that a good one?

SPEAKER_04 6:49

He's writing your answer down.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

I'm good with it. That ain't a trick question.

SPEAKER_04 6:54

Reasons for holy living. Because the Bible told tells you so.

SPEAKER_00 7:00

Biblical directive.

SPEAKER_02 7:02

Biblical directive. I'm gonna write these down too.

SPEAKER_00 7:09

Jonathan.

SPEAKER_05 7:12

I'd probably go with peace as well. I know it's a lot of peace that comes along with doing the right thing and staying faithful to the Lord. Amen. Tilo, you got one for us?

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Y'all say to be a better example for everybody around you. I like it.

SPEAKER_05 7:33

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

I like it. Living, walking, testimony. You just had to go there, didn't you? That I got a title to a sermon.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

He got that from a sermon last month.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

He lived at your notes. He may have, but that the the title to this week's one, I just put wrote it down this morning, Generational Influences. And that's exactly what you said, just to be a better example. To influence those around you. Reasons for holy living. Think about it. So if you listen to this conversation out there, then uh think for yourself what what is it? What what what would motivate me? What are my reasons for living a life that's pleasing unto God? That will glorify God, that he would be pleased with. And there is peace, and there is no doubt about it, because the Bible says so. And you want to be obedient to the word of God, but perhaps the greatest one would be that influence and generational influence. That's a big reason. I know uh Dr. Watson was talking to us this morning about a fellow he visited with yesterday that that's some of his issues in life, and he doesn't even really recognize it. The problems that he's having, some of his children, you know, or relational issues, could be in a marriage, could be with a parent, could be anything. But it all comes back to that influences. And I think your advice to him was well, if you would give some thought to holy living, it might just change the trajectory of your life and that of your family's life, and that of your children's lives. I think we can change that.

SPEAKER_05 9:03

Not might, it will. It will. That's what I was waiting on you to get through talking there. I didn't want to interrupt you, but I promise you it will.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

It will change for the better. Yep. Amen. And that's a pretty good reason to try to live for the Lord, right? Amen. Maybe we ought to get away.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

I think I think to in order to live for the Lord and be in his will, you gotta recognize, you know, that you're out of it. You know, recognize that you ain't in it right now. That's the first step of it.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

Yeah. That's kind of like an addict recognizing that they got a problem. You can't help a person until they admit they got a problem.

SPEAKER_05 9:42

And that's the hardest thing for for someone that has a problem to do is is swallow that pride and realize, hey, I got a problem. I gotta fix this, whether it's spiritual living, whether it's addiction, whether it's whatever it the case may be, you know, that as as you know, people, as humans, that's that's one of the biggest struggles that anybody has, I would say, is pride and admitting that that you got a problem. But once you can admit that, I mean, moving forward's easy.

SPEAKER_02 10:15

Well, I I told the old boy last night I went to visit with that struggling right now in the hospital type deal. And I I said, uh, I said, man, you you knew who to call. And what I mean by that is you know where you're at in your life right now. You I was the first call you made. Not me, but I'm a from from the Lord. You know what I'm saying? Like, you want to get closer to God in this moment. You're in a hospital bed, things ain't going right at the house, you knew who to turn to. And that was God. That's your first step. Because you realize you're not in his will right now.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

What is it that uh what is it that drives? Is that evidence of the Spirit living in you? Is that evidence of the dwelling Holy Spirit of God that it would drive somebody to that's struggling to go to God? No doubt about it. If you think about your children, who's the first person they're gonna go see if they're having a problem? Daddy, mom or daddy. Yeah. Same way with a child of God. First person, when you get when you get low enough, you get hurt bad enough, you'll go to God. Now you're always wondering, well, bad as I've been or what I've been doing, you know, is God going to accept me, receive me? And uh, of course, there's our story. Yeah, he shows no favor. He's sitting there with open arms. I've been waiting on you to come see me. And he takes you in and says, Look, and uh what would what the prodigal son say? He said, Well, you know what? I don't deserve none of this. I don't even deserve to be identified as your child the way I've been living. But yet God says, Well, you know, forget about all that.

SPEAKER_02 11:57

When you upset a parent or you mess up, I go back to that old George Straight uh Strait song, you know, when he was talking about uh he messed up at school, did something, lied, I can't remember how the song went, but he was trying to come up with a a story to tell to get to make him not feel so guilty. And you look at the prodigal son and what he was doing, he was trying to come up with a story the whole way to the father. He was trying to come up with a story of what can I tell my dad? And and it didn't matter what words he had to say, the dad was still there to take him in, you know.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

Yeah, you get that picture in your mind of a boy walking down an old long dusty road. Yeah. Uh getting closer and closer and closer to this confrontation with the daddy thing I had to have. I remember old Dave back in the day. I got in some trouble with the law and knew I was thinking I had to tell daddy. I had to go face a judge. And I wasn't old enough to do that on my own. I can remember having that same walk. Here we go, here we go, here we go. And then uh what I received whenever I finally did, of course, was discipline from him first. What were you thinking? And then it was unconditional love. Yep. We'll get through it. Amen. That's right.

SPEAKER_04 13:19

Yeah, I don't know if y'all remember me say making this comment quite quite a while ago. Um I was telling this to Miss Rose yesterday. But uh you take Elliot, for example, and when Elliot was going through potty training, when he was done Philz's diaper up, he knew who to go to. He knew who was the one be the one to change him. And that was either me or his mama. Most of the time it was me. But that's kind of the same thing. Whenever you know that you're sitting in a pile of, you know what? You know who to go to. You know when you're in deep doo-doo, you need it, you know who to go to. And you need to know who to fix it. But does it work? Ain't no doubt. They're gonna do it. Have y'all ever done that?

SPEAKER_00 14:00

Run to God?

SPEAKER_04 14:01

You ever sit in a pile of doo-doo there, Duke? Oh yeah. Yeah. Tyler. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_05 14:06

Here was the first place I come, and boy, it's been great ever since.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

Yeah. And y'all got me wanting to sing that Joy Street song now. Yeah, don't go to sleep. Let me tell you the secret. About a father's love.

SPEAKER_05 14:19

Man, I can't carry a tune in a bucket. Well, just don't get on Hank Jr., we'll be all right.

SPEAKER_04 14:26

Well, preacher, let me ask you this. Because I I didn't I I wanted to bring this up last week, but been talking about this generational sin, and then you're talking about, you know, reasons for a holy living. Does this go towards, because you're the only one in here that has grandchildren, does this go towards grandparents as well?

SPEAKER_06 14:44

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 14:45

I mean we talk about generationals, generations, generational influences, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

It's a little bit different perspective because ultimately you got to turn it back over to the parents. Yeah. But a lot of times you find yourself, you don't want to want to get your parent the the your grandchildren's parents, which is your children, get them in the headlock, you know, and like, what were you thinking, you know, kind of thing. But ultimately, you know, it's that's their life. They have to make the decisions. So my role is that, you know, just live a life in front of them that that hopefully it's they see something different that influences them. Yeah. Creates a desire within them to emulate that, to be like that. To follow that example. Yeah. Oh, you can do. Right. But ain't no difference. I mean, it's it's the same way. I mean your grandkids may come to you just like your your young kids do. And the love's the same too. Yeah. I mean, the love I have for my three kids, no different for my twelve grandchildren. I love them equally the same. And treat them, hopefully treat them the same. Try to.

SPEAKER_02 15:47

You don't spoil them a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

But one of the blessings is they usually had to go back home, you know. You say your peace and send them on the way. Yep. But the uh the holy living is something that in the life of a minister, you know, you spend a lifetime trying to convince people to see the significance in doing that, living a life for God as opposed to the world. Not easily done. And you uh you gotta really limit your expectations of folks because you realize, you know, they're gonna fall, they're gonna mess up, they're gonna backslide, they're not gonna follow the directive, but you just you stay consistent and you stay true to the word of God, and uh let the Lord bring about the changes. Now, one of the questions I had on my mind this morning is that I'll just I'll just start it, it'll help us in this conversation this morning to think as is a child of God, a saved child of God, can a saved child of God uh not walk with the Lord? I think I asked both of you guys that question. Y'all remember me asking that? Can I can a saved child? I don't forget how I put it. But basically I was dealing with the uh the uh Lordship of Jesus. You know, can a say can a person be saved and not follow Christ? And then the example I used well, that's a pretty interesting question, but the example I used was most of us, you know, we're saved as children. And then, you know, for a time we did not follow Christ. We didn't live for the Lord, but we were saved the entire time. You know, what does it look like? Or was the person lost? No. They were child of God the whole time, they just weren't walking with the Lord. They weren't living what we might refer to as a holy life. You know? And then you come back to it and uh the person makes the changes, and that's the deal. It's a choice. You have to choose to what's the word? Make effective, appropriate the things available to you through Jesus Christ, you have to choose to let that make a difference. My big point with that in the near future is going to be this with these generational problems, you know, that seems to be in a lot of our families, that uh yeah, we as individuals, children of God, we have to choose to believe that. We have to choose to accept the fact that the blood of Jesus not only gives us salvation in heaven, but it's powerful enough to allow us to live lives here that will be glorifying to God. It's only the blood of Jesus. I don't know how many times I've had people come to me and and struggle and struggle and struggle trying to right some wrongs in their lives and their relationships. And all of y'all at the table, you know, you you you're all the same. Everybody struggles with them. But until you see the importance of getting yourself right, you don't stand a chance of correcting anybody else. You gotta let God do that. You see what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna be quiet, I'll dominate.

SPEAKER_02 18:58

No, I that's all you don't want to dominate. You know, I I love it because I can listen to you and and turn it into a little bit of what I talked about last night, you know, and with the teenagers. And one of the things I said, and I don't think we realize it, is we make progress in life. We do. We ought to have a maturity level that we're trying to reach. And and in God's word, spiritually, you know, there's a goal that, and I I brought up the fact that, you know, the Iwana kids moved, sixth graders moved up, but they moved up physically and maybe mentally, but have they grown up spiritually to the seventh grade level that's where they should be. But we make progress in life as an adult uh in our spiritual walk, whatever. And Paul makes the statement in Philippians hold on to the progress that you've made. Hold on to the progress that you have made. And I always look at it as, and I said it last night, as a tug of war rope. You know, we're we're giving it all we got to get that rope on our side. But the minute that you give up a little progress, give it an inch, they'll take it a mile. You know, we've all been there where we played tug of war, and that's happened. And it happens in our spiritual wall too. Uh and it and I think about this generational curse and what we've been talking about. Some of us have broke it, some of us are on the way of breaking it, let's put it that way. And man, you may be going good and everything's going good, and it don't take but the devil saying, Man, that just hold up, just do this, just do that. And it don't take but a second to get right back to where you were. You know? So I guess my encouragement is, you know, if you've already made the decision to, all right, I'm gonna break this chain. I'm going to do better, I'm gonna live for God, and I'm gonna break the curse that I've been living in, you better hold up. Or you better, you better keep, stay on proven ground, I guess is what I'm trying to say, because the devil's just gonna be after you. And he's gonna make sure that your rope is getting heavy during that battle.

SPEAKER_05 21:10

And the closer and closer you get to the Lord, and uh and the stronger and stronger you become in your walk with faith, your walk with Christ, you know, the the that's when the adversary goes to pulling on you even harder, you know. Yeah. I mean, just the way it is. He ain't you don't feel like uh, you don't feel like he's pulling on you whenever you're not following the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

That's exactly right.

SPEAKER_05 21:30

You know, but it's easy, just stay faithful.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

Well, at that time he's leading you around like a little puppy on a on a rope. Yeah, he got you. He got you. But the minute that you start tugging back, he's gonna tug even harder. That's right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:47

A word that keeps being brought up today this morning is the word, and Brother Dose brought it up quite a bit, but is the word show uh choose. Word choose, you know, choose when what to do, right? And so So as us five are sitting around this table, where in your life have you had that moment that you chose, hey, I know this is where I need to go? Not necessarily your salvation, you know, you chose you need to follow Jesus. But yet through trials, temptations, through the leash of the devil, whatever, where in that where in your life have you chose, hey, this is not where I need to be, this is where I need to go.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

Is that a question? Yeah. I'm gonna bring one and put him on the spot here again since he was so willing to join us this morning. That'd be Tyler. But I I've I think I was privileged to be a part of the some play a play a small part of this, but it was impressive to me. You you recall Tyler one time, you it was after our Sunday service, I think, you come over to the house and we sit there and talked. And what was impressive to me was you were you were ready to make that commitment to the church, but you wasn't gonna make it and be wishy-wash. In other words, you you're serious about it. You know, and and you needed to you had to clarify some things. This reason you come see me. You got taught some things. Once you got this thing figured out, then you think, well, all right. I I'm I'm I'm ready to buy into this, I'm ready to I'm ready to commit my life, you know, I'm ready to follow the Lord, I'm ready to do this. And you made that decision and you did that.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

My my biggest thing there was being worthy of following Christ.

SPEAKER_02 23:31

You didn't feel like you had it up?

SPEAKER_01 23:34

No, I mean, look at still, even after being saved and baptized and all that, still, I look back and I'm like, I still don't know how worthy I am of this. I mean, you look at all the things we still do wrong even after. I mean, I understand we're forgiven and you know we pray every day for forgiveness, you know. But to actually be worthy is, I mean, it's it's amazing, really.

SPEAKER_02 24:07

That's a terrific place to be. It really is because that's where Paul was his whole ministry. Yeah. He even said, I'm the chief of all sinners. I don't deserve this.

SPEAKER_05 24:16

And I I I I feel like it is, Tyler. I mean, just now this is just my my outlook on it, but I would rather feel like I'm not close enough than I'm topped out. Yeah, yeah. If that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Yeah, you got more to do. You got further to go.

SPEAKER_05 24:33

Yeah, we got we we got to work harder. You got progress to make. And as long as we feel like we got to work harder and becoming closer to Christ, that's that's we're in a great spot. Yep. You know, the moment that we realize, oh, I'm close as I can get.

SPEAKER_02 24:47

I mean Christ teaches us to be good.

SPEAKER_00 24:51

You made an interesting, interesting observation to me the other day, Duke, when you asked me about is it normal, you know, for people in their mid-30s, late 30s, early 40s to does that seem to be kind of consistent when people finally make the decision to get right? But that's that's exactly what you're saying. You get to a place to where you realize that, okay, I'm an adult now. You know, it's it's that's time to make some changes. I I I realize that the influences and the impact I'm having on my family, my children, my community. You take Tyler, for example, as a business owner or school board member, that he realizes that, okay, I got an opportunity here, but uh do I add up? Am I really worthy of God to use me in this capacity? And can I do it? And I think until you got to the place where you thought, I I can't, but I know Christ can through me. And that's when you said, let's go, let's try this. And that's when that process starts. And then it is, it just builds and it grows from there. So you always got more to improve on. You always got you can get better. I've been at this a long time. And the word of God is still fresh to me. I mean, you read things every day from the word of God that you look at it differently and you've read it a hundred times, but you've never read it like that. You never got that from it, kind of thing. That's the Spirit of God, you know, directing you and leading you. And then realizing that, man, these are the impact that I can have, and that ought to be all of our desire. We always we all want to leave a legacy. We always want to make, we want to make a difference. But it's not necessarily for our own glorification or our own benefit, but it's for the glory of God. Right? In other words, whenever you leave this, we're all gonna leave this world one of these days, you know, and we'll be lying if we didn't say we we think about what people might have thought about us or even what they might say about us and the life that we lived. But ultimately, if you live a life striving to honor, glorify God in that, not your own self, then that's where you need to be. Because the byproducts of that's the fruit of the Spirit, which is peace and joy and love and contentment and satisfaction and happiness. All that comes as a result of living a holy life. That's right. Striving to live a holy life. Choosing the spirit. Well, whenever y'all said, I think we doubled up on the peace perspective. That's exactly a heck of a motivator to live a life that's pleasing unto God because it's a byproduct of the Spirit of God. You may be, well, I experienced it last week, St. Vincent Hospital in Little Rock. Well, Stephen, you know, he's on his, he thought he was on his deathbed. You know, this is it. I may not ever come out of this hospital again. And then uh me and Don White and Stephen Kelly were all sitting there talking to him, praying with him, he and his wife. And then uh we left out of there, there was a peace that came over him. It was the peace that came over him. It was authentic, he'd tell you. That uh allowed him to relax, allowed him to lose the anxiety, allowed him to just say, Well, you know, I'm I'm alive right now, I'm breathing right now. And that's enough. That's enough. Amen. And as a result of that, his his his physical problems, his health problems began to improve. But those health problems improved, not a result of being in the hospital or antibiotics or anything, but it was a it was a it was a frame of mind, it was perspective. And when he turned it over and put it into the hands of God, man, things changed.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

Right. You preached a sermon a while back, I don't know, been a year ago maybe, and it stuck with me. You know, when someone passes away, we automatically say, Rest in peace. Yeah. That peace don't start when you die if you're a child of God. That peace should start with the moment you accept him.

SPEAKER_00 28:45

Peace.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

You know?

SPEAKER_00 28:47

John chapter 14. Yeah. Jesus said it. And y'all understand this, and I share it a lot at funerals. I cut you off. I'm good with it, go with. Uh Jesus, the first time he really had a conversation with his disciples of the fact that he was going to the cross. He was going to leave them. And it's that same chapter, that same context where he said, I'm going to send a comforter to the Holy Spirit with you. But he said famously, you know, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. Let not your heart be troubled. That's what brings misery, anxiety, all that to our mind. He said, I'm going to give you some peace. And the peace that I'm going to give you is not of this world. It's different. And uh, man, if we can we can lay hold to that, and that's what you want to share with families, especially times of funerals. Because it's storm mall, their hearts are all messed up, but all we have is the words of God. He said, I'll never leave you or forsake you. I'm going to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I'll come back and get you.

SPEAKER_02 29:47

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 29:48

Have peace in that.

SPEAKER_02 29:49

Well, I think about, and I'm looking at Tyler over here. As a business owner, I'm sure there's some stressful moments. And you're going to have stressful moments. Stressful times, money, financial, you know, all the above. But if you could carry that peace on into your business, if no one, whatever happens, the Lord's got me. I may go bankrupt tomorrow. I may go belly up or whatever they say. But in the long run, I've read the end of the book. I know we win. We're good. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 30:22

But I tell you where the true strength of that comes from. And it's one thing for us to say it, but it's another thing to read it and know it. So, in other words, when Tyler is sitting there and listening to us say it, but when he gets in his Bible and he reads it for himself, and the Holy Spirit of God says, There it is in the word of God, you can believe this truth. You can't really believe what another man says, but you can believe this truth. And then you build on that, then you know you're standing on the promises of God, which is a firm foundation, which is not shifting, it's unchanging, it's incorruptible. That's where the power is. We're kind of rattling, I think.

SPEAKER_02 31:02

Well, no, I think it's all adding up. Someone out there dealing with peace this morning. Ain't no doubt. I think of the truck drivers and the ones that's reached out to us and dealing with hard times and struggling. I can't I can't imagine. Well, I've been there. I I have been there. I I can imagine it. But the thought of not having a peace in your life, you know?

SPEAKER_00 31:28

Yep. Yeah, it's kind of foreign to me, but it's not in the sense that I see so many people that are, it seems to be escaping them in their lives. And all of us experience it. But it can only be found through Christ and the power of the blood.

SPEAKER_05 31:49

And I'm gonna say that that those that are living without peace, they feel like they don't have peace in their life. I'm not singling anybody out by no means. I'm talking about myself in the past. Most of those that that feel that way are not doing their part as far as living for the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 32:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 32:08

I mean, ain't calling you out, fellow listener out there, but uh, if you ain't got no peace in your life, chances are you ain't living for Christ. You're not doing what you should be doing.

SPEAKER_02 32:19

Well, I go back to the prodigal son now, and the fact that as he was messing up out of the will of the father, you know, wasn't doing what he was supposed to, eating of the crumbs that the hogs was eating, you know, desiring that, he wasn't in peace. The whole way back to the father, he wasn't in peace. But the moment that he reached the father and the father said, Son, I've been waiting on you to come home for a long time, peace hit him.

SPEAKER_00 32:49

But talk about how that affects the family, those around us. Back to influence.

SPEAKER_02 32:54

Oh, what are you saying? Like when the when the man has made the decision to live in peace.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

I tell you what, I hate to get you going down this road, but we're gonna go down it one more time. Come on, William. I know where you're going. You think about old Jonah. Oh, yeah. And those the guys that were not looking at Jonah, but the guys that were on the boat with him. Yep. They were anything but peace. We finna die in this storm. They were pointing fingers and saying, We need to do something. But then there'd one fellow says, I am the man. I'm the problem. You think of how many families are uh at at turmoil, you know, and if it would require one individual to say, okay, okay, I'm I'm the problem. Take me, throw me overboard, let me get right. And whenever that person gets right with the Lord, here comes the peace. Yep. That's influential. That's right. And that same principle applies in in all of our lives.

SPEAKER_02 33:41

Well, you know, Jonah was so miserable. He was so much out of peace, he's ready to die.

SPEAKER_00 33:47

Yeah, he's ready to die. But we're quick to throw the blame on somebody else. Yeah. You know, that's right. Like Jonah probably thought, well, uh, first off, you know, I'm not the problem. I mean, so all these people on this boat, somebody else has got to be it. But if we'll if we'll just consider ourselves and get ourselves right, then the chips would start falling into place. That's what the word of God teaches.

SPEAKER_05 34:10

Goes back to what we were talking about earlier, that pride. You got to get rid of that pride. Amen.

SPEAKER_02 34:18

Well, I made the statement Sunday morning about Jonah that he was sound asleep in the bottom of the boat when chaos was going on. How can a man be sound asleep out of out of the peace of God? How can he be in such deep sleep when chaos is going on, you know? And I I look at it like this. The boy was exhausted. He was wore out from running from God. And I think there's a lot of people in this world wore out from running from God. Amen. Exhausted.

SPEAKER_00 34:50

That's that's the whole that's the whole purpose in preaching right there. And I think as you're trying to you share things and you want to share it in a way that people, it'll click and they'll think, oh, okay, I got that. This is the way I need to do that. And trust that. And then just quit truth quit trying to make it make complete sense because you have to do it by faith. Faith is something you can't see, you have to believe. And just take us Don't take my word for it, take what God's word for it. And you share God's word and say, This is it. This is how it works. Here's the biblical principle. Now do that and see what the result is gonna be. I can already tell you what the result is gonna be. If it's genuine, if it's authentic, you know, it's gonna work out. It's gonna work out. And I I think where I'm at now in life may be where God's using me as an older gentleman now. I might be 61 pretty quick in a couple weeks. Uh that is the significance of this generational thing, the families. And you think about it. God, yes, he's he's all about individuals, but you can't read the Bible and see that he's also about families. He's also about generations. Because it talks about it a lot. Me and I think me and Lane, we had that conversation, what Matthew chapter one says, you know, 14 generations from David to Jesus. And why would God even mention that in his word if it wasn't on his mind? Yeah. So this idea of generational influences is very, very real. And I can see to where where I'm at in life and the time of my life, that that that's that's probably how God's gonna use me and speaking in the distant future, near future, and distant future is to try to get uh my kids and my grandkids, and not too long, probably my great-grandkids, to see the difference that that that general inspirational influence can make. I know what the difference my dad made on my life in a positive way, but I also know what difference my grandpa made on my life in a negative way. Make sense?

SPEAKER_05 37:04

Well, I I I I'd say that uh, you know, you're you're well on your way with that, preacher, because you know, what you do for the Lord and the way you live for the Lord, and you look at DJ and you look at John John, I mean, they've they've stayed faithful to Christ their life, their whole lives. I mean, they're doing great things for the Lord. Um and and just to bring another family up, you know, Ryan, you know, your grandpa, you got some great uncles, some great great uncles, I think, that were pastors, you know. I mean, so I mean, I mean, that kind of goes along with what we're talking about here, you know. How many how many was in the Jordans area that was that was pastors?

SPEAKER_02 37:46

Three or four, and now, you know, with me and a couple cousins, you know, it's six or seven. Yeah. That's that's kept kept it going, I guess, you know. It's pretty cool. I mean, really. Well, I I've thought about that because we talk about generational things and preaching bringing it up, uh talked about legacy a while ago. You know, I don't want to be the one to mess that up. You know.

SPEAKER_00 38:09

That's a good motivator. I mean, there's a few of you, you got something on the tip of your tongue, don't you, Tyler? He's been trying for a couple minutes. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 38:18

So into the mic coming. So coming from a family that did not attend church a lot or anything like that, how do you go about, or when do you know it's time to move on from that family that is not leading you to Christ? Good question. Do you, as a follower of Christ, stay to try to lead them? Or do you just turn your back and walk away?

SPEAKER_04 38:53

I think it's the moment you think about the question you just asked. Immediately when you ask yourself the question, when is it time to walk away?

SPEAKER_02 39:00

Well, I see what you're saying. Do you walk away and leave them behind?

SPEAKER_04 39:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:05

Is that what you're saying? Do I do I I'm gonna say this. God calls us to, he calls you as a man, as a husband, to lead your family now. Right. He ain't he ain't now the byproduct may be the rest of your family following along. But he put you in charge of your family. Yeah. You know? So that that may be my answer there is as you're in charge. God's gonna hold you responsible. He ain't gonna hold you responsible for what your parents are doing.

SPEAKER_01 39:33

But are we not, are we not partially responsible for? I mean, we are responsible for spreading the word.

SPEAKER_06 39:41

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:42

So how do you how do you just say, okay, I can I can't be here no more, and I'm not gonna spread the word to them? How do you go about that?

SPEAKER_02 39:51

I'll I'll say this the best way for you to spread the word, yeah, voice in the word, but also by the way you live. Influence. Influence. Example. How do you have influence if you stepped away? Oh, they it's on them. It's on them. And it ain't no doubt. I think if if they want to be truthful with themselves, they're like, them, them, that no.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

Yeah, that that's not true, but I want to say something here. Go ahead. And it's by the word, because you just said it yourself. We are to be spreaders of the word. We are to tell the words, and yet you make the decision I gotta step away from this. So the difference is is when you give a reason for why you're stepping away. Yeah. In other words, you don't just cut it off, you just don't leave cold turkey. Right. You say, well, here it is. And just be honest about it, be truthful about it, and say, Well, you know, the truth of the matter is, uh, I don't want my children exposed to this. I don't want my, and here that's the reason. And I think it's God leading me. You know, you can even have the word of God. That's a spreader of the word. And what's gonna happen is they're gonna start criticizing you, they're gonna start uh slandering you, saying, well, you're trying to be holier than thou. And your answer to that is that's exactly right. Holy living. And I can see that in order for me to do that, then I need to stay away from these negative influences, right? That that have seemed to have, and I can't think of a better word, cursed us and our family for all these years. So you have to make a choice to withdraw.

SPEAKER_01 41:23

But I'm on the fence with that.

SPEAKER_00 41:24

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 41:26

Because Brian, you preached about it last night. He said, follow me. Follow me, yeah. That's right. So you know, you know they're in the wrong. But what's to say you don't you don't keep that nudge? Come on. Let let them see that better example more instead of just turning around and walking away.

SPEAKER_02 41:52

So you are you asking, do you just stop the relationship and all?

SPEAKER_01 41:56

I mean, to a point, I would say if it gets that bad, I to a point, yes, you almost need to. Because you you can't let it dictate your walk with Christ.

SPEAKER_00 42:06

Amen. Because it's gonna hurt you, it's gonna pull you back down.

SPEAKER_01 42:10

But it's easier said than done.

SPEAKER_00 42:14

Yeah, that's right. I mean That's a big year up there.

SPEAKER_01 42:17

It's I mean, as far I mean, that could be your mom, that could be your dad, you know. And if I feel like we're visual learners. I mean, I know I am. I can see something done one time and it's I can pick it up pretty easy. Yeah. Okay. You can tell me something ten times and you struggle with it. Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's kind of like, hey, if I read this in this Bible, you know, I I can understand more about it because I'm reading it in context here. Where you just told me a scripture and it may have gone in one ear and out the other, but I may be thinking about it three days later and pick my phone up and say, I need to read that again. Let me see where that was going in context. But maybe that was a little off track.

SPEAKER_00 43:16

Well, no, no, no, because what you said with the visual learning is that's that's influence, it's what we see. It's how we see other people living in front of us, their actions, what they do, where they go, you know, how they behave, all of it. That's visual. That that that impacts our lives. And with the word of God, it seems it's all you got to read it, you got to study it, it's less visual. But faith is not visual. Faith is the complete opposite of visual. It's believing in what you can't see. We're we're as human beings, you know, we're built bent that way to be probably more heavily influenced by what we see than what we hear. Because it's a whole lot uh easier for us to believe. The truth by somebody's actions than by simply what somebody says. So there's a lot of validity in what you're saying. And the fact that as human beings we are visual learners, I just think it even gives more significance on the importance of being a positive influence. And then that's where you got to just, you got to let God take over. You know, I know, I know you can't, we can't get hung up on this fact, well, I really want to make a difference, I really want to make a difference. Think about that coach, that baseball coach. You want to make a difference, an impact on the lives of these kids that you're coaching, you know, but at the same time, you realize it's, yeah, to an extent it's gonna come from my words, but more importantly, it's gonna come from from what how I behave. You know, and if I'm a foul mouth, you know, on the field, then that's what they're gonna see. Or if I'm that person that I'm in control, I handle myself, I love them, they know I love them by the way I'm acting towards them, not by the way I'm talking to them, makes a difference. And I I've been at this long enough to see some pretty significant examples. And I'll give you one of a couple that's been married for 40 years now, but the first 10, 12, 15 years of their marriage, uh, the wife was the one who followed the Lord, and the husband was going complete opposite of that, and it was a conflict the whole time. And my advice to them was always, you worry about yourself, you worry about yourself, you worry about yourself. And she was doing everything in her power, trying to be, trying to manipulate, trying to change, trying to force a behavior. But whenever she finally bought in the fact, all right, I gotta, I gotta worry about me and let God take care of that. And just for 10 years, I lived this consistent life, committed is what we're doing, is what me and my kids are doing. I see what you're doing, and let God do with the rest. And sure enough, over time, that positive influence had an impact upon his life. And he came around. You know, it takes time. And I know we are we're we're we're drive-thru people, you know, we want instant gratification. Give it to me right now. And most of the time with families and family conflict, and especially curses and sin that's been going on for generations, it don't change overnight. But what don't miss out on this fact, and it's the principle in the scriptures, and that is the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen. So here we're talking about God and families and generations. Bloodline is important. Amen. Bloodline is important because God said early on in Genesis, through Abraham, Father Abraham, and because Abraham was a man, he was, God said, I will bless you and your descendants. As a matter of fact, you'll be a blessing upon all the population of the earth. So as a result of one man's action and one man's influences, you can impact generations to come. And well, that's powerful if you think about it, and that is a heck of a motivator. You take, you take Tyler Griffin over here. He makes this commitment, he makes this decision, strive to live a life, grow in Christ, and all that. What what impact is that gonna have on Jason, Natalie? And then what impact is that gonna have on on your other family members? You know? We really don't know. All we can do is trust the Lord to use it. And that's you you you live comfortably in your own skin.

SPEAKER_04 47:27

If we and I go back to what you were saying there, Tyler, because there is a lot of people throughout this community, throughout this society that condone a lot of things. And condone it to a point to where, hey yeah, you can come on, you can come over to my place. You wanna bring your stuff, bring all your this beer, whatever you want to bring, that's fine. I'm not gonna do it. I'm gonna try to live for the Lord, but you can do it on my place. But you're condoning it. And I think that's what you have to consider is one, if you're condoning things that are not of God, but two is how are you condoning it? You know, and being consistent. Being consistent, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:11

I'm not gonna say that because you let them come and they were doing that, that you're condoning it. I mean, because I've been around a ton of people that have come to my house or whether swimming or cooking or whatever, and not had anything, you know, so did they? Yes, they did. But was I doing it? No. You know, so was I leading by a better example? Did I slow that person down that was doing that because he seen I wasn't partaking with him?

SPEAKER_00 48:49

Yeah. I mean, so Yeah, what's gonna, what's gonna you have to judge and weigh what's gonna be the greater impact. Right. You know, is this the positive influence? Okay, this person's around me, and you know, they got Takuda with them full of beer, and they're doing that, and I'm not doing that, and what is the what's the pros and the cons of that and what's gonna have the greater impact? I think that's where we gotta turn to the word of God instead of having our own. Well, I think that's where actions on it. You gotta turn to the word of God.

SPEAKER_04 49:18

That's where we gotta go, we gotta stop of having so much faith in how we're living and focus on the faith where it comes from, which is from the word of God. Yeah. Faith comes from hearing, hearing from the word of God. So therefore, if we got the word of God in the condoning, if we got the word of God in the action of the way you're living, that's gonna speak way more volume than just saying no.

SPEAKER_00 49:41

Well, just from personal example, I'll use this one right here. There was a time, even as pastor's church, uh they had the opportunity to go to Oklahoma racetrack. I like horses. I like watching the horses. I don't have to gamble, I don't have to drink, I don't know how to do it, I'm just gonna go watch the horses. But yet I'm in that environment, and I have people with me, the church members, who are betting, who are gambling, who are drinking, and I'm sitting there beside them, although I'm not doing it. So am I in a way condoning, you know, their actions and their behavior simply by my presence in that environment. And so I believe that the Bible and God would have me to abstain from that. And what I mean by that, God would have me to stay away from that. Because God, knowing far more than I do, knows the power of influence. And even though I think I have the strength to say no and I have the strength to not participate and have the strength to, you know, the evil's still there and the potential is still there. Does that make sense? Yep. And not to mention, you know, what it would say of my character. Because I think it probably is the case with a lot of folks. You know, that well, you know, I can do that. I mean, if you compare anything, and this is the way the human mind works, there's not a whole lot of difference in let's say go to the casino over there. I've heard they have a wonderful buffet. Cheap. Y'all heard that? Harlow's. I don't know. You get all kinds of seafood. I mean like 10 bucks. You can eat to your heart content. Good too. I've ate there before, I ain't gonna lie.

SPEAKER_02 51:24

Have you really? Well, never before. Never been a while, but I have ate there.

SPEAKER_00 51:28

Well, why don't we have a pastoral retreat over there? Hey. I mean, we can go up here to the Fu Man Shoe and spend $20 a piece and have a buffet, or we can go to the boat over there and save a lot of money.

SPEAKER_02 51:40

They give you a $5 gift card.

SPEAKER_00 51:42

And we can have a how about a you see the the influence that we can have just by us being in that environment, you know, and not participating in anything, but yet we're not we're not going in there with the word of God. So if I go in there, and what's the difference gonna be when I walk into, what do you call it? Harlow's the name of it. Harlow's Casino Resort. And I I sit down there and I'm eating a buffet, and anybody comes around with me, I'll say, Well, they why ain't you participating, the Bible. So you you know you're gonna be running out of there on a rail, aren't you? And for the person that had the power to do that, the cojones to do that is and we see it. We see people protesting, these street preachers, you know. They go into the hardest places of the biggest cities, you know, and just preach Jesus with a loudspeaker, and they got all these people coming getting in their faces, threatening them, cursing God, this and that. They're powerful enough to do it. You know, that may be where God leads you and calls you to be, but I can see if you just look at it from a practical perspective, the best choice is going to be. I don't know another word to use, other than abstinence, and that is staying away from that's my take on it.

SPEAKER_02 53:00

All right. You know, I know that ain't gonna be everybody's take on it, but that's mine. Would I be out of line here? I'm gonna go back to Tyler's question. He said, when do you draw the line, pretty much? When do you say, enough's enough? I'm gonna live this way, I'm gonna let my other family go this way. Right? Did Jesus not say, how do you take these verses? Jesus came for a reason, right? And he talks about that. He said, he said here in Luke 12, he said, uh, I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me. I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. The very next thing he says, Do you think I have come to bring peace to this earth? No. He talks about it. He said, No, I didn't come to bring peace. I have come to divide people against each other. Jesus said that I have come to divide people against each other. From now on, families will be split apart, three in favor of me and two against, or do, or two in favor and three against, meaning divided. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. You know, he he said it. He said, look, y'all gonna have different outlooks on stuff. Following me isn't gonna be easy. Yeah. He said, it's not gonna be all, it's not all the time gonna be peaceful. And I'm telling you, I'm calling you to step away from what ain't of me.

SPEAKER_00 54:38

Is that am I am I right on that? I mean, no, it doesn't matter if you're right on that, you're reading it from the Bible. Yeah. So the question is, is God right on that? So you you take it up with the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 54:48

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I ain't telling him he's wrong for sure, but but that I think that answers, to me, it answers the question when's enough enough.

SPEAKER_05 54:57

No, absolutely. I I believe it answered it too. And it is the living word of God.

SPEAKER_02 55:02

Yeah. Now, as far as how far you carry that relationship, you know, I can still have a relationship with someone and love them, but not partake of what they're partaken in. You know. The word divide means to separate yourself from it.

SPEAKER_00 55:22

And think you you you take all that and and you hear it, which we just heard it, because you just read it, and then as title says, it's a whole lot easier said than done. Amen. I hear you. But man, implementing it is the difficult thing. And then that's where you have to trust in God, and you trust in the power of the word of God. Because that's what's gonna make the difference. Was it Hebrews 4?

SPEAKER_02 55:51

Well, Hebrews 4 and 12. He simply said, as you're turning there, I'll say this. He simply said, look. I know what it says. He said, You're not gonna be sharpening. You separating yourself, you're dividing yourself from the rest of your family that believes a certain way and okay with not doing this, it's not gonna be peaceful. It's gonna be hard, difficult.

SPEAKER_00 56:15

What's peaceful about this when I read it? For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, even the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. Boy, if you break that down, especially the last part, the word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. So, in other words, it hits the heart. It pierces what it says. Quick by over sharpening to each sword, it pierces the heart. So, although our words, you know, can make a difference, and our actions can make a difference, it's the word of God ultimately is gonna get to the intent of the heart. So, we are to be spreaders of the word, we are to be followers of Christ. So you make the decision, Tyler, to say, well, I'm gonna have to withdraw from this this tradition, I'm gonna have to withdraw from this family tradition, kind of thing. And here's why. And then you you take the word of God because that is what's gonna make the difference. That's what's gonna pierce that heart. Your influences, yeah, that's gonna have a powerful effect. But ultimately it's the word of God that's gonna make the difference. Yep. That's what's gonna have to pierce the heart. And that's the important, that's why you hear it from us all the time. Tend church, sit under preaching of the church, get to Sunday school, study the Bible, because we know it's what's that's what motivates you, it's what moves you, it's what drives you, it's what empowers you. It's the word of God. It's that, it's that important.

SPEAKER_02 57:49

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 57:50

I know I had to get all preachery on you boys there, but it's the truth.

SPEAKER_02 57:53

I can't leave this thought either. When he tells us that he's gonna divide people, he brings up father against son, mother against daughter, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, all that stuff, but nowhere in there did he say, I'm gonna divide husband against wife. Because that husband's supposed to be the leader of that group, and they're supposed to be of one accord, one accord. And the man is supposed to be leading it.

SPEAKER_00 58:23

Yeah, Ephesians 5.

SPEAKER_02 58:24

So whatever, whatever you you're splitting, you know, you may have to leave and cleave to your wife. You don't, it ain't no choice in the matter matter. That's what the Bible tells us to do, leave and cleave, and you leading them down a road that may be different than the her parents' road. Or vice versa. You see what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 58:47

And whenever you need help, you that's when you go to God. One thing we have not mentioned here that I think we probably ought to mention, is the significance and importance of prayer. That is praying to God. God, I need help. I need you to help me here. Because that that's that's that's what that's where your strength comes from. Matter of fact, it's the only it's the only offensive tool that we have against this fight, spiritual warfare. The word of God and praying to God. I'll read this one. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy in our time of need. That's Hebrews chapter 4, verse 16.

SPEAKER_02 59:34

Come boldly to the throne of grace. That's what it I mean. Hey, amen. That's what it's when you can figure it out that you can come spoke speak to God anytime you want to, boldly.

SPEAKER_00 59:47

Well, when you see examples of that, I'll go back to this instance where I had I didn't know it at the time in the hospital last week and praying with Stephen and uh boldly approaching throne of grace, not alone. And uh being able to, you know, a day later, two days later, see a physical difference and believing that it was the power of that prayer. Knowing that I wasn't praying for that hospital to help this man, I'm praying to God. God, this is gonna take it.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:22

I know where my anchor holds.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:23

Yeah, and whenever you boldly do that, and then you trust it, then you step back and see. Stand still and see the power of God.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:32

Well, it's just like Jonah, he said, but you, oh Lord. He was in that prayer, but you, oh Lord. I know. I know where my anchor holds, and I know who holds tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:44

Can we be that bold? Was Paul that bold?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:50

When he uses the word bold, I think of this. We can go to Jesus, we can go to God in the promises that he left us.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:01

And trusting, God is.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:12

You promised this. I can stand bold with you on this because you said it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:20

Amen. I can remember driving at home with my kids. We living in Des Ark, and especially John, boy, he ate to school. I'm talking about my atomic hurt every day. And we get in there, and before I let them out, or push them out, basically, they didn't want to get out. We always prayed. Always prayed. And I know they're little and they're thinking, my daddy's a preacher, he's always praying. But that's all I had. I could tell him that I was blue in the face, but I had to trust that God would somehow work in that little boy's life to give him the ability and to deal with the anxiety he had to survive a day at school. So you think about praying over something that seemingly insignificant, but I believe that it's what made the difference. And that same prayer and that same thought applies to when you and you. Y'all told me of when y'all were at the doctor's office this week, and the young doctor in town, the pediatrician, comes in, he's having a bad day. Why is he having a bad day? He's trying to keep a one-year-old alive, right? Oh my goodness. And I'm thinking about, I'm praying for my six-year-old that he'll be able to get through a day of kindergarten. Well, here's a doctor's trying to keep a one-year-old alive and all the difficulties of the bilingual stuff, and y'all tell me that. And then y'all tell me if I'm wrong, but y'all prayed with him, right? Yeah. The reason you prayed with him is because humanly is out of our hands. We need an act of divine intervention here. And the kid got on the helicopter, whatever it is, he lit it around, if he's still surviving, I don't know. And then you trust that God handles the risk. We'll handle that. Because if we don't, and we try to handle our own human abilities and strength, we're gonna find out just how weak we are. But then when God answers that prayer, we see how big God is. But whether we're praying for a kid to make it through the day of kindergarten or for a baby to survive life, that same God, it's the same significance. And you approach the throne of God with that same boldness, that same intensity. And then what happens is over time you you have instances where you see, you see the direct hand of God upon a situation. Like Stephen Smith. I've had that occurrence so many times in my life. And it just it takes that, it takes living in order to see it. And consistently. When you're consistent and you approach it that way, then then you see results eventually. Now, does he answer every prayer that away? No. But he answers every prayer according to his will. And then that's where you had to live it. So if you if I pray if I would have been in that situation and and approaching that family in that hospital, knowing that that baby was that critical, and I'd have prayed for God to heal him and God to save him, then I'd walked out of there and I'd got a call an hour later that the baby died, I have to accept the fact that I prayed for that baby to live, but it was God's will for him to die and and walk in that. You know, I didn't fail. Right. I didn't fail. I turned it over to him. And those same things apply in in every day, every aspect of life. And we ought to pray about all of it. Whether it's kindergarten or cancer.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:36

That's right.

unknown 1:04:38

I apologize, game.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:40

Well, we are about five minutes over an hour long, so it's we out of time already. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:46

You boys gotta go get some lights on.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:48

But I think I think we'll start with me. I'll go around, we'll go around just the last bit of encouragement, what we do every week. But I think you go back and talk about the decisions we can make we make as men in our lives, not only affect ourselves, but affect our families, affect our generations to come. And I think whenever you do make that decision, you take Tyler's question a while ago, when do you draw the line? When and if you make that decision, I think you've got to be one prayed up, but you've got to remain faithful to that decision.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:19

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:20

Uh stick to I'm preaching on it Sunday night. Paul tells Timothy, if we are faithless, he remains faithful. So even if we don't remain faithful to our decision, guess who's still faithful? Jesus is. And so I go back to uh a verse that we talked about in 1 Timothy. It says this, but if if but if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. So that right there is just motivation to me. If I don't bring home what I'm supposed to be bringing home, and it has nothing to do with money, it has nothing to do with fame, it has nothing to do with what the world has, but if I do not provide my family. With the living word of God, I have provided nothing. I have not provided faithfulness. I have not provided anything that me and my wife have have made a covenant on between the word of God, me and my children made a covenant on between the word of God, I brought home nothing. So therefore I'm not the provider. So you gotta remain faithful to providing those things towards your own household. So Brian, what you got?

SPEAKER_02 1:06:25

Mine's simple this morning. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and he'll take care of the rest.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:34

I'm gonna go with Psalm 100, verse 5. For the Lord is good, his unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

unknown 1:06:47

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:47

Just uh TG, what you got? We'll end with a preacher. You got anything to end on?

SPEAKER_01 1:06:57

Not really.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:59

Love God and love your neighbor.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:01

Amen. Lead by example. There you go. There you go. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:05

That's a good one. There you go. I'm gonna say this. Praise your way through it. What I mean by that, I mean when when it gets difficult, praise the Lord. Yeah. In spite of it. And uh a principle of that is this. So we we get we're afraid a lot in life and the things that the world can throw at us, afraid of of losing, afraid of getting hurt, afraid of dying, afraid of sickness, afraid of relationship failure. We're afraid of all these things. And if we would turn that around and be more afraid of God, and what I mean, fear the Lord, is this the examples are with Jesus is is when people became afraid of him, is when he provided example of who he was. Kind of like with the disciples in the him in the ship, you know, the storm, and they were all freaking out, and Jesus rose to the top and spoke to the storm, and the seas were calm. So now then their fear went from, I'm not afraid of the storm anymore. I'm thinking about this guy that just spoke to the storm. Right? And that that's who I'm gonna praise. That's who I'm gonna live for, because that's where the power is. This this this guy has the power over death in the grave. And I'm worried about this little insignificant thing in my life. Fear that and praise that. Praise that he is your redeemer, he is your savior. He did pardon you, he did shed his blood for you. So praise your way through. That probably don't make sense to none of y'all, but that's my encouragement. I love it. I love it. In spite of your circumstances, live for it. Just be consistent with it, and I guarantee you the outcome would be positive. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:48

Well, brother David, why don't you close us out this morning?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:51

All right, Father, I sure love you, and I know these guys do as well. And we're thankful for the time you give us here this morning. Thankful, Lord, for these guys' willingness, Lord, to be transparent and honest and just throw out some uh thought-provoking ideas and questions, God, that causes us to turn to you. So we're grateful, Lord, that you've led us and guided us in these thoughts this morning. We ask your blessing not upon all of us, Lord, but all those listening to us. Help us, God, to be influencers, not YouTube influencers, God, but worldly influencers around us. Help us, God, to be positive and make a difference and have an impact upon the world. Use us for your honor and glory. We're thankful for what we have in Jesus. We're thankful for the blood of Christ. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.