Rush Hour
RushHour helps RushChurch members stay connected to each other, informs them about current RushChurch happenings, and also includes bible study/theology talk. We will speak about RushChurch specifics but also on current events, tough questions on faith, church and the Bible
Rush Hour
Biscuits, Bobsleds, And Bible Plans
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We return from break with church updates and a candid talk about peace, obedience, and the difference between joy and happiness. Stories from the parking lot to Acts show how small yeses shape a year of spiritual growth.
• Superstart trip details for fifth and sixth graders
• Winter Jam lineup, cost, and carpool plans
• Sunday breakfast and coffee updates
• Young families, young adults, and 55+ casual coffee
• Holiday highlights and game night fun
• What peace is and isn’t from Philippians 4:7
• Obedience as the path to peace and joy
• Small acts that train us for bigger callings
• Bible reading plans and learning in community
www.rushchurch.com
Welcome to Rush Hour, everybody. We're back after a short break for Christmas in the New Year. So hope your guys' Christmas was good and happy new year to everyone listening. I'm back with Brittany and Ashley here at the Rush Hour
Welcome Back & Show Purpose
SPEAKER_00Show, a Rush Church podcast. That's the official name. Rush Hour. A Rush Church podcast. Rush Hour. And so it's glad to be back with you guys. We've been looking forward to getting back and recording some new episodes. So yeah, our goal here is to inform you about Rush Church things, events that are going on, upcoming things, things that we've done. And just talk a little bit about the Bible, talk about Christian living, I guess you could say. I don't know how to really describe what we talk about. Sometimes we talk about random stuff too. But today we're going to start out just by giving you some updates on what's going on at Rush Church. One of the first things I've written down here is Superstart. That would be a trip that is for fifth and sixth grade students, correct? Yes. That's over to Ashley because she knows more about it than I do.
SPEAKER_01Yep. So it's a 24-hour
Superstart Details For Grades 5–6
SPEAKER_01conference for fifth and sixth graders. The deadline to sign up is this Sunday to secure your spot. If you sign up after that, I cannot guarantee that I can add you guys in. But yeah, we're excited. It's uh 24 hours of just live music, worship, games, high impact, high energy. Just a great time.
SPEAKER_00That's in Columbus this year, right?
SPEAKER_01Yes, we are going to the Columbus one. It's at the Nazarene Church in Grove City. Uh, we're staying in a hotel that's got a really cool pool inside. And then the kids don't know this yet, but their activity on Saturday is a slide. Slick City.
SPEAKER_00Slick City Action Park, I think is what it's called. I looked it up.
SPEAKER_01I'm like, what is that?
SPEAKER_00I really want to go because there looks like some cool stuff there. It's like it's like slides, but not just like normal slides. Like they're fancy slides.
SPEAKER_01There's a toilet bowl slide that slides you down and you go inside this thing and drops. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00There's all different kinds of types of slides. There's one that slings you up in the air, like you fly off.
SPEAKER_01And you land on a pillow thing.
SPEAKER_00There's like a sports park place where you can like dunk a basketball jumping on bouncy things, I guess.
SPEAKER_03Is this a for children or children and adults? It's oh oh I pay for my adults. Oh, okay, good.
SPEAKER_00Definitely. You guys ever been to a trampoline park?
SPEAKER_03Yes, that was last year's activity.
SPEAKER_00They're kind of weird. I don't know if I'll go back, but fun for a little bit.
SPEAKER_03They're fun for a while. Yeah. They can get kind of germy.
SPEAKER_00They can get kind of smelly.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Anyway. But this place, I'm sure, is nice. So not smelly. Really, really fun. So, but superstar, that's a good event for 5th and 6th. It's kind of like their first time to kind of go experience like a conference type thing. So, and then you kind of based what you want to do for Kids Jam during the summer on this event, didn't you?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So you'll get a feel of. Well, you kind of those who've already been to Kids Jam last year will get a feel of what Superstar's like.
SPEAKER_00Yep. Like a team games, worship, high energy kind of. And they learn about the Bible. Yes. Oh yeah. Do Bible. That Bible stuff. There's like speakers and stuff. And anyway. Superstart, sign up this weekend if you have a student, fifth or sixth grade. Highly recommend that. Next thing coming up is Winter Jam. Winter Jam happens every year. It's a like a concert on tour. They have pun tons of different artists that usually come. It's different every year. This year, Winter Jam in Columbus is January 24th. It's a Saturday. It's from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at
Slick City Surprise & Trip Plans
SPEAKER_00night, but we get there early and we wait in line for a while and hang out. And so this year's lineup is Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, and Katie Nicole, and a rapper guy that I can't remember his name.
SPEAKER_01Disciple will be there once.
SPEAKER_00Disciple's going to be there. I like Disciple. They're more of a hard hard rock. They're like skillet-esque. Skillet-esque. But if you like that type of music, they'll be there. And they have a you know, there's lots of different presentations. Gospels presented there, somebody speaks, and it's a good time. It's if you like music and you're into that kind of stuff, you can go. Anybody can go. It's $15 at the door. So if you wake up that morning and decide, oh, I feel like some Chris Talon would be good in my life, then you can go to Winter Jam and Columbus for $15 per person at the door. The youth group's gonna go. Sign ups will be out this weekend at the Welcome Center. If you would like to ride along or need a ride with the youth group, you can sign up and we'll leave that morning at 10 30 and then we'll go get lunch together and hang out and then we'll head to the Schottenstein Center. I think that's how you say it. Wherever the Buckeyes play.
SPEAKER_01You think we'll do the Dirk Dutchman again?
SPEAKER_00We did Der Dutchman last time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And we might pick. I don't know. I thought it was good. As long as you don't spit mashed potatoes on people. Sorry about that. That was one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen. Just I anyway. But we'll eat lunch somewhere and keep our food to ourselves and we'll have a good time. So that'll be out. Look for that. Like I said, you don't have to sign up if you don't want to go with us. You can just go on your own, take your family. But if you do want to go as a group, we'll be offering some carpool stuff at 10:30. We're leaving the church on January 24th, a Saturday. So that's winter jam. If you're interested in that, what are some other things at Rush Church that are going on? Oh, pretty, do you know what's for breakfast this Sunday morning?
SPEAKER_03Oh no, I didn't look.
SPEAKER_00You didn't look? All right.
SPEAKER_03So I think it's biscuits and gravy, but I really don't want to overpromise.
SPEAKER_00I love biscuits and gravy Sundays. Last weekend it was uh French toast.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that was good. And then my favorite's the burritos.
Winter Jam Lineup And Logistics
SPEAKER_00The breakfast burritos?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, um, we might have had those while you were.
SPEAKER_00You know who loves breakfast burritos? Jim Hoffman. Yeah. Loves the egg. He just likes the mix. He doesn't even eat the he just gets a big bowl of the egg mix and he puts them to his side sometimes to save for himself.
SPEAKER_03He was he came to the kitchen, he's like, Who made this? This is delicious. I was like, My mom.
SPEAKER_00Oh, but yeah, my number one chef. We have breakfast every Sunday morning. We talked about that on our first episode, I think, a long time ago, about breakfast and stuff. But we're still doing it. And so if you still going strong, still there. Or haven't checked out the buffet on Sunday mornings in between services, you're missing out. I'll make sure you stop in the foyer and grab some coffee at least. It was packed this last Sunday in between services.
SPEAKER_01The whole service was packed. Yeah. Could barely find a seat.
SPEAKER_00The foyer's definitely packed up.
SPEAKER_03Erica said that she ran into somebody and somebody said they had just visited our church and they were like, Do you know where I can get like a cup of coffee? And she's like, Come on down.
SPEAKER_00Could you imagine showing up and being like, Do you guys have a cup of coffee somewhere? And then you lead them down the hallway to the foyer, and it's like 300 kids.
SPEAKER_02No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.
SPEAKER_00There's a whole buffet of food and then like coffees and creamers, and we even have milk and tea and all kinds of stuff.
SPEAKER_01But just wait till we get our espresso maker.
SPEAKER_00It'll be so fun. Who's gonna be the one making espresso though?
SPEAKER_01Haley.
SPEAKER_00It takes a while.
SPEAKER_01Like she's worked at like three coffee shops.
SPEAKER_00Well, then she should know what to do.
SPEAKER_03I don't.
SPEAKER_00I love espresso.
SPEAKER_03I can't even keep up. I'm gonna have to stay on coffee duty. I can't even keep up with the coffee.
SPEAKER_00New coffee team. Just to get just a coffee team. Well, hey, Haley, tell Haley to put together a coffee.
SPEAKER_01She's like, as soon as it comes, I'm gonna step down from worship and I'm about to be the coffee maker.
SPEAKER_00I'll have a whole coffee rush rush coffee shop. It'll be great. I can't wait. I'm excited. Uh what else do we have?
SPEAKER_01We have young adults coming up. We have young adults starting back up. This Thursday, right? Nope, next Thursday. No, I guess next Thursday. Young adults is next Thursday. This Thursday is the young families group. Is it life group? The life group, yeah. Yep. So if you are on the younger side, you know, between 20, 30, 35, I don't know.
SPEAKER_03I think it's if you have young kids too.
SPEAKER_00Young kids. I think it's based on if you have little kids. Um teenagers like me.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. My kids are not so cute anymore.
SPEAKER_00And then next Thursday, what is that, the 15th or something like that? I think that is when the young adults classmates that's led by John and Jim and Luke. And they do I think do every other Thursday.
SPEAKER_01First and third. First and third Thursday. That can't be it. And that's well, because we didn't.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that will be it. You're right. It will be the third. Yeah. It'll be the third Thursday.
SPEAKER_01That's where people like right out of high school. Yep. Interesting.
SPEAKER_00High school, early college, that 18 to 25-ish group. So if you are looking for a group to join like that, they're going through some Bible study, some Christian worldview type things on every other or the first and third Thursdays. I think that's all the things that we have going on right now.
SPEAKER_01Well, casual coffee too.
SPEAKER_00Casual coffee for the wise people.
SPEAKER_01Wise generation of the church.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. 55 and up.
SPEAKER_0155 years older.
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_00We'll just call it what it is. We'll say 55 and up coffee on Thursday mornings.
SPEAKER_01Um this week happens to be today or this Thursday because yeah, well, New Year was last year. Usually always the first Thursday of the month at 10 a.m.
SPEAKER_03So just come by and I'm like, these all sound like fun groups, and none of us are in. None of us can go can go to any of these events. I've
Sunday Breakfast And Coffee Buzz
SPEAKER_03tried to get into a couple different.
SPEAKER_00They're really nice. I really like the casual coffee.
SPEAKER_03They'll feed you.
SPEAKER_00They'll be like, yeah, you should have some of these snacks. I'm like, I really shouldn't. They're like, eat the snack. I'm like, okay. Okay. So I get some coffee, and usually there's some good tasty treats that they make me eat. They force me. Uh so yeah, that's all the Rush Church stuff coming up. I'm sure we'll have other announcements and things as we go forward. But how was you guys this Christmas? New Year. I haven't seen you guys. Yeah, I've seen you, but we haven't talked about it.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00You went to Florida.
SPEAKER_01I went to Florida.
SPEAKER_00You've been to Florida in the last month. You've been to Florida. Guess where I went? I went to Cleveland.
SPEAKER_01Oh, same thing.
SPEAKER_00Same thing. Cleveland, Florida. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01The beach.
SPEAKER_00Basically the same.
SPEAKER_01Or the city. Hey, there's a beach in Cleveland. Is there? No.
SPEAKER_00Maybe.
SPEAKER_01No. They're on a lake. I mean, I guess.
SPEAKER_00There's beaches by that giant lake. Lake Erie? Yeah, sure. Yeah. Something like that. Anyway, I had a good Christmas. I went to Kentucky for Christmas and then Cleveland for New Year's. So good times. No fun stories, you guys? I had a boring break.
SPEAKER_03I mean, I hung out with my family, which is always wild, but they're fun.
SPEAKER_00Good.
SPEAKER_03Lots of people, lots of kids.
SPEAKER_00Me too.
SPEAKER_03Nothing too crazy. Everything went well. Christmas was a success.
SPEAKER_00Successful Christmas Eve.
SPEAKER_03Everyone was happy.
SPEAKER_00You guys have any New Year's Eve traditions that you always do? Every New Year's Eve? Play games? A lot of people just.
SPEAKER_01Typically, I'm here for New Year's. So being in Florida for New Year's was different this year. But typically our family does the big saran wrap ball for New Year's Eve. Oh, that's fun.
SPEAKER_00Where were you at for midnight this year at New Year's Eve?
SPEAKER_01On the living room of my best friend at home. I thought you were in Florida. That's yeah. Oh, at home. I mean, I have an Ohio best friend, then I have a Florida best friend. Yes.
SPEAKER_00I know we're supposed to have best friends in all those states. Oh no. I have a best friend in Kentucky, I guess, and one in Ohio.
SPEAKER_03Didn't know we had to have I have a group of friends that I'm not allowed to choose who's my best friend. Yeah, you can't do that. But my sister is probably the one I should choose.
SPEAKER_00I can just hear it in my head right now. Jamie was like, it's me.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. She's actually gonna hurt me that I don't have a choice. Yeah, that I didn't just say it.
SPEAKER_01But at New Year's, I taught all of our friends how to play Flip 7. Oh, nice.
SPEAKER_00I was thinking about that game when I was like, I wish I had Flip Seven.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So we're sitting there. Wait, I don't know how to play this. It's a card
Groups For Young Families And Young Adults
SPEAKER_01game. Okay. It's like gambling, but you're not really gambling. Okay. Kind of gets sick.
SPEAKER_00It's a wagering game of points and stuff.
SPEAKER_01So Haley is Haley's being the MC like the whole time, basically, you know. And you know Haley and her character and how she acts.
SPEAKER_00You mean how she gets really loud and competitive?
SPEAKER_01And she'll she'll flip a card out, you know, like, are you sure you want a card? Yes. She's like, you're out. She's just like knocking them out one by one. It's so funny.
SPEAKER_04And you're out.
SPEAKER_01And you're out. So funny. Yeah. She's like, you shouldn't have done that. Wow. So I mean, it really helped the game go great. But all three of my friends literally ordered the game as we're playing it on Amazon. They're like, this is amazing. They all ordered it.
SPEAKER_00Every time we played it, somebody news played it and like, this is a fun game. Played it at paintball camp. Played it at a rush life one night at the Ramsey's house. But you should play it, Brittany. It's a fun game.
SPEAKER_03We played golf. Like the card game.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I remember golf. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was fun. It was a good game.
SPEAKER_00It's I don't think I remember how to play it now, but I used to.
SPEAKER_03That's pretty easy. I used to I like to play Euchre, but you need to Levi won a lot, but I think he was cheating. Levi would never cheat. I know. I think he would to win a card game. Nope. I think he would. He did. He won way too much. Like he was like it was like lowest score wins, and a score was like negative 20. We're like, we all had like 80. We're like, what is happening? He's like, oh, one again.
SPEAKER_00It's a hundred point difference right there.
SPEAKER_03He's got like cards up his sleeve. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I don't think he's I don't think he could maneuver that. I don't hear it. I don't know.
SPEAKER_03Maybe he's just really good at the card game, but I'm gonna go with that. He cheated.
SPEAKER_00You were in Florida. I'm not gonna go with it. Playing games, Brittany. You were at home playing games. Yes. I was in Cleveland playing Exploding Kittens.
SPEAKER_01So it seems like games is the thing.
SPEAKER_00Games is the thing to do on New Year's Eve. That's what I like to do. We played some Mario Kart on my trip.
SPEAKER_01I went to Epic Universe in Florida and actually was in Mario Kart. Yes. It was really cool. So the new Universe Studios park.
SPEAKER_00Like you were like a go-kart now?
SPEAKER_01Yes. I was on the ride, and I'm literally driving Mario Kart. Like the whole stimulation is going at that.
SPEAKER_00That's cool.
SPEAKER_01Getting yeah, it was really cool.
SPEAKER_00You walk in and it's like if you get hit with a shell, does it like shake you around? Yes. That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_01That's fun. Yeah, it was pretty cool. Pretty cool.
SPEAKER_00Should have led with that. I would have been interested. That's much more interesting. Anything you've said so far.
SPEAKER_01It was into all the different worlds. It was really cool.
unknownWow.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that sounds like really fun.
SPEAKER_00Should have led with that.
SPEAKER_03All right.
SPEAKER_00I would have listened a lot closely. Um just kidding. So it sounds like everybody had a good break. Everybody's doing good. Yeah. So we talked about, well, it's New Year's. So it's the new year. We thought we'd talk about some of our goals or some of our things that we're trying for the new year, I guess, when it comes to the Bible. And John's sermon was really good on Sunday. He uh had a you guys have you guys seen Cool Run-ins?
SPEAKER_01I have. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Okay, good. So you guys have all seen.
SPEAKER_01What I loved is that he said it was it came out a couple years ago. And I'm like, no.
SPEAKER_03That came out a long time ago. 92, maybe? I don't know, like early 90s. I don't know if it was even the 90s.
SPEAKER_00Timmy loves this movie. He's what he'll watch Cool Runnings. He'll just like have a time where he just like watches it like three times in a row. And he's like walking around the house. Cool runnings. He'll be like talking in a Jamaican accent.
SPEAKER_01Make them bumps live.
SPEAKER_00He's like, hey Saka, you're dead, man. Yeah, I'm on. So we'll do that a lot. He loves the movie. And then I was
Casual Coffee For 55+ And Community
SPEAKER_00like, that's the first early 90s movie. I think we let him watch. And then he started watching some other ones. And he's like realizing the same people play in all these movies. He's like, wait, that's the guy that wait, why is he in this movie? I'm like, that's how it was in the 90s.
SPEAKER_03Everybody was in the I think the last time we watched it was on the way to Jamaica. Levi was like, we have to watch this movie on the plane.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Obviously. I was going to Jamaica. I'd be watching Pool Runnins, man.
SPEAKER_03Yes. So he could get into character.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna see if I can talk like this time, right? No? No. Okay, sorry. We love accents around here, don't we? No, I we're terrible.
SPEAKER_03None of them are ever successful. They kind of turned Irish at the end.
SPEAKER_00Don't say it out loud. My accents always just drift. I'm like a world traveler and like two accidents. Crocky. But uh mine
Holiday Recaps And Game Night Tales
SPEAKER_00are never good. What'd you say?
SPEAKER_04You always say to the queen. To the queen.
SPEAKER_00Cheerio, mate. Good day.
SPEAKER_02I'm not doing that's Australian. Yeah. Thank you for explaining. Thanks for clarification.
SPEAKER_01What accent can you do?
SPEAKER_03I can't do any. Nothing.
SPEAKER_00Now's your time to shine. All right. Moving on. Cool runnings. John Sermon goes on. He kind of based it off of some stuff in there. I forgot what we were talking about. So I appreciate you bringing it back back. Bring it back. Accent. I shouldn't have tried the Jamaican accent. But uh so his whole thing was about peace this last Sunday. If you guys missed it, it's online. You can watch it on our YouTube channel or find it on our website. But it's a little mini-series he's doing. New beginnings, I think, is kind of the whole thing. He was gonna try to just do like one sermon about new beginnings, but he realized you can't do that. So it's gonna be a a few Sundays. But peace, the idea of peace. What do you guys think of when you think of just the word peace, I guess? We'll start with just that word.
SPEAKER_03I mean, I definitely feel like uh like a calm on the inside.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_03Probably calmness. Yeah. Not necessarily in my life, but just because that's I can't control everybody else or the things around me.
SPEAKER_00That's one of his main points from the sermon was like peace doesn't mean everything in your life is perfect. Having peace doesn't mean everything is going how it's supposed to and and everything's, you know, lining up just how you want it to. But peace is you can you have peace in the midst of all the chaos, I guess you could say.
SPEAKER_03Like the I don't spike with the things around me. You know what I mean? Like when things like you think of it like a monitor, and it's like things are hitting highs and lows around me, but I'm steady. That's good. That's what I've got illustration. Yeah. A really good storyteller. I learned a lot from you.
SPEAKER_00So this idea of peace. Having peace doesn't mean everything's perfect, but having peace means you you have this calmness even when everything's might be going wrong around you, even when things aren't going the way you want it to, even when things seem to be going sideways, you're just like, yeah, it'll be I I don't know, uh like an optimism about it. I don't know if that's the way to write right to say it or not, but that's kind of what I thought.
SPEAKER_01I kind of feel like stillness. Yeah, I feel like when my life has peace in it, I'm still. I'm not running from one thing to another. That's that's what I think about when I hear peace. Okay. I know that's not the only way of receiving peace, but no, I mean I think that's good.
SPEAKER_03Like I definitely think that there's peaceful times when we're when we're sitting quiet or that we're in solitude and stuff like that. But sometimes I sometimes I also feel a lot of peace when I've balanced the things in my life to be moving forward. Like not that I'm overwhelmed, like oh, I can't even make it to all the things I want to do, or I've got way too much on my plate, but like we find that happy medium that it just feels like we're it's peaceful to be moving forward, I guess, and not standing still can kind of be not peaceful after a while. I don't know how to explain that.
SPEAKER_00I don't know, I kind of like that. I get that even if standing still, you're like you gotta get it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you stand flickered. Yeah, there's times where you need a break. Yeah, not I need a break, but if I'm in the break too long to where I'm like, okay, I'm just moving from house chores to drop off to work, but I don't feel like I'm moving forward. I don't know, then I start to get unsettled. I don't know if that's like a disorder or what.
SPEAKER_00I think that's good though. We're not supposed to be you don't want to get too comfortable, which I think is. Negative thing in the Christian walk is to become too comfortable and feel like you've, you know, there's nothing left for me to do, or I like it here and I don't want to go try new things, and God might be calling you to do something, and you're like, I'm comfy right here. I'm just gonna stay here. Yeah, and you miss you miss out on things. And so for people like who are followers of Christ, it should be unsettling to get too comfortable, I think. Now, if you don't know Christ and you're kind of just walking around without God, then you want to stay comfortable. You like you like people probably like the stagnant idea of not doing anything, and we see that I think in our culture a little bit people becoming really complacent and really in their comfort zones and not wanting to get out. So I think it's a good thing that you feel like it's getting too stagnant. I need to keep moving forward or keep doing something so that we don't get stuck in these places where we're not useful to God, I guess you could say.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_00But the verse that I think John was Philippians 4 7, the peace of God, which is which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I really like this one from Philippians. It's you know, the peace of God, it transcends all understanding. So I think as Christians, as followers of Christ, we get this gift of peace. And if we understand it and we tap into it and we we receive it, we know what it is, then it it's it's beyond understanding. Because there's no there's it's like a time in your life and you're like, I shouldn't be this at peace. I shouldn't be okay with it, like, but but I am, and I can't explain it. You know, I should be I should be worrying about this, or I should be like going freaking out about this thing, but I just God's got this, and I don't know how I can explain it, but it's beyond under understanding or explaining. So you guys ever had a moment like that, maybe in your life?
SPEAKER_01I know it's gonna sound cheesy, but like that's actually how I started this year off before even hurt hearing John's sermon. You know, last year I kind of felt like God was working on the comfortable side of me. Um, and he was kind of pushing me to do things to make my spiritual walk grow. And I feel like it did. But this year, like I just I don't know, I'm focusing more on watching my mouth, like watching what I say. Um, not that I have a dirty mouth, but just literally making sure that what comes out of my mouth is life. Yeah. You know, just you know, the scripture says, you know, we have the power of life and death in in our tongue. And so just being careful with that, but also the fact that like I just there's things in my life that I know I need to take away this year, and so you know, on a 16-hour car ride from Florida, you know, going back home, you just you think about all these different things, and so like I'm literally ready to give up the things that God has been telling me to give up for a while. Yeah, I just wasn't listening. And so I I know I I'm now at peace. I'm now
New Year Faith Goals And Peace
SPEAKER_01like, okay, I'm I'm listening. This is what God wants me to do, and I know it's just gonna get better from here. Yeah. If that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00Yep. I like that. The idea of well, this is one of the hardest parts is letting go of things. And so, but then once you do, you kind of understand this verse more of peace beyond understanding. And you just kind of like, well, if I just trust God and allow him to. And that was the last, that's the other part of a sermon is just obey and do the things that Jesus asked you to do, and this peace of God is one of the benefits of that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. No, what you are going through now, I feel like I went through last year. And so now I'm stepping into okay, I I did what you asked, I gave up the stuff. Okay, now where are we going? Right now exciting. It is exciting.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's it's a faith of obedience. When you say you put your faith in Jesus and you believe in him, there's obedience that comes with that. And if you want the things that Jesus has for you, then you he tells us, you know, if you love me, you'll do the things that I say. You know, obedience has this like negative context with it, I think, sometimes. Like, I don't want people to tell me what to do, right? Yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's like a kidding, I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_00Like, you know, it really is as simple as Jesus laid it out for us. This is how you're supposed to live your life. These are things I think that are good because, well, he's Jesus and He's the cause of everything. He would know best. Obey these things, do what I ask you to do, and everything will be better. Not perfect. Right. Not smooth sailing your whole life, but your life will be better. And I think we see that as examples all the time, like in real life. We just have to give up control and we have to let go, obey what God's asking us to do, and then we get this peace. It doesn't, it doesn't just, it's a gift, it's given to us, but there's some you know stipulations, I guess you could say. It's not it, it's just I did like that part of his sermon where he's talking about it's as simple as obey Jesus, obey what he has to tell you to do, and peace will come. Obey Christ, you get peace. That's what I have in my notes. God gives a certain way to live. If we listen, we can obtain this type of peace. It's beyond understanding. And it's hard to explain. We can't I can't tell I can tell you about it, but it you have to live it for yourself.
SPEAKER_02Right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Because it's is beyond understanding and explaining. I can't tell you why or how, but it's better.
SPEAKER_03Sometimes for me, it's just as simple as like going back to the fruits of the spirit. I just need to like practice w what they are and work on them. And I feel like if I'm working on them, then it has to lead me to peace and a better life. So when I don't know where to go, I'm like, okay, which one of these boxes am I not checking? And that helps sometimes. So when things get chaotic, I guess.
SPEAKER_00Uh one of the things I have in my notes is I already said it's it's it's for our benefit, but people see it as more controlling sometimes. And God's like, God doesn't give us commands or things to do because he wants to control our lives. It's not he's like it's not that aspect of it. It's I give you these things because it makes your life better. It's for your benefit. This is for you that I'm laying these commandments out and giving you things to follow. And it's for your benefit.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_00Do them, and life will be better. And so, but people see even even I some even like as Christians, we sometimes struggle to
What Peace Is And Isn’t
SPEAKER_00obey fully. And so I wanted to say that peace in God. You can have peace, like I said, even when life's not peaceful, even when there's hard things happening on hard days, days where you have struggles and challenges, and peace can be there in all different emotions and all different types of days that we have. In the midst of all of it, you get joy. Uh, peace brings joy. I think you can enjoy life more when you have a peace about things. And and I think joy, sometimes we often get confused between happiness and joy, where we think, well, God just wants me to be happy. Well, God doesn't care so much about you being happy as you obeying him and wanting your life to be better. And so, but joy comes in all things. Joy cannot be taken away. Joy is something that we have in Jesus, and and it's something that you can have, you can have this joy in hard times. You can have joy when life is hard, and in a challenging time in your life, you can still possess joy, you can still, even when it's hard, you can be you can be sad, you can be disappointed, you can be frustrated, and you can still have joy while dealing with all these things. Uh, happiness is a word that we use, and you're not happy all the time. It's not not possible for somebody to be happy 100% of the time.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_00But you can be joyful in all things. Happiness is based on circumstances. Don't don't wrap up your faith in God and what he wants for you and happiness, because that's going to come and go no matter what. Put it joy. So peace brings joy, uh, not happiness. So does that make sense? Yeah. Hopefully. Life is full of all things.
SPEAKER_03I think before I read scripture, I was like, oh, this must be a book full of happy people with perfect lives. Yeah. Let me open it up.
SPEAKER_00Oh no. There's well, there are happy people. Yeah. But there's also hard times and dark times.
SPEAKER_02It's a lot of hard times and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00But joy is something that you can have all the time, and it comes from this piece. So it all comes back to what John was saying about obeying. And it's hard to do sometimes. But if you let yourself do it, if you let go and you say, I'm gonna do the things that Jesus did, I'm gonna be like him, I'm gonna do the things he asked me to do, just try it and see what happens.
SPEAKER_03And that's the only way I can um I actually just thought of a story.
SPEAKER_00Oh boy, I like stories. Brittany's the best storyteller.
SPEAKER_03Okay, this isn't gonna be that much fun.
SPEAKER_00But Rush Church, we're gonna start a YouTube channel called Storytime with Brittany.
SPEAKER_03Yes. This is like a real story, though, that happened in my life during break.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_03So it was really cold, and I was leaving Kroger, and I'm like, man, it is like so cold out here. Like I thought I had frostbite just from loading up my groceries. And I get in my car, you know, and I'm like, oh my gosh, I have warm out of my hands. And I see this elderly woman on a scooter pulling, like driving out to her car. And I'm like, oh, that lady looks so cold, you know. I mean, she's gotta get to her car. And I have this thought in my head that's like you need to go unload this lady's groceries. And I start arguing because I'm like, by the time I get over there, she's all the way over there. Like, by the time I get over there, she's
Obedience, Joy, And Spiritual Growth
SPEAKER_03gonna be done. I mean, she's not that far, you know, from the thing. And I hear this thought in my head that's like, you ask me all the time to use me, to use you. Like, I ask God constantly, like, use me, let me do your will. Like, just he's like, So this thought is like, you know, you say this all the time in your prayer, and I'm telling you to go help this woman, and you're arguing. And I was like, oh my gosh, I felt so bad. So I like drive over there. She's almost done, by the way, because she wasn't parked that far away. And I grab a couple things out of her thing or out of her bat buggy, and she pulls it into the thing, and I get her in her car and I get back in the car, and I was like, that was not hard. Like, that was so easy. I am so sorry. Like, and it probably meant, I mean, it could meant nothing, but I just think like when we sit here and we're talking about it, we're we're in here and it's just us, and we're talking about like obedience and doing the right thing and doing these things. Sometimes we that's so easy to just go, oh, they don't actually need that that would be a waste, or that person doesn't actually need that. Or I don't want to be in her way, you know. Yeah, she's probably gonna be like, look, get away from me. Like you know, you know, you play all these scenarios in your head that's like, and it might not have meant anything.
SPEAKER_00That's not your call though.
SPEAKER_03That's right.
SPEAKER_00It's nothing about doing something and just letting just just doing it for the sake of doing it. And maybe it was for you, maybe it wasn't for her.
SPEAKER_03It probably was, honestly. I mean, it got her in her car quicker, but it was obviously for me because I'm not listening at all.
SPEAKER_00I mean, I don't want to say at all, but obviously I'm still appreciative of being nice, but maybe mo maybe that was just I think it's just me being defiant because why not?
SPEAKER_01I mean you get back in your car and like that wasn't that maybe it was also God showing you in that small thing, yeah. That like, look, when you listen to me, I know I'm actually going to give you the thing.
SPEAKER_03But it's just so easy to just oh they don't, you know, you you have this or to dismiss it. Like, oh, that was just my own thought in my head.
SPEAKER_01Like, that's probably not actually I do that all the time when God tells me to pray for somebody. I'm like, He he's like, go pray for them. And you're like, that was wait, no, you know, I know it's I'll just pray in my head for them. And God's like, no, I wanted you to physically go over there and pray for, but it's so quick.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, like our bodies or our minds are so quick to just moving fast, yeah.
SPEAKER_00But things are happening all the time, and yeah, that's why part of it is you know, step back and breathe and talk to God because you're gonna if you're not connected to God, if you're not spending time with him, you're gonna miss lots of those opportunities. And so, like, even when you are doing things you're supposed to do and you feel really close to him, it's still hard to miss, it's still easy to miss those opportunities. So, but yeah, and you never know about those things. I used to work at a Kroger, being a Kroger parking lot. I worked at a Kroger in college, and I worked with a bunch of people that were some high school, I was in college, some of them were in high school, some of them were in college. And you know, there's a girl that worked there with me. She was always asking me if I wanted to go to this party or this place on a on a Friday night after we got off, or if I wanted to go to this place, and I was like, Oh, I don't want to do that kind of thing. I don't really go to those parties and do that type of stuff. And she's like, Well, why not? It'd be fun. And I was like, Well, I'd I gotta church something the next, or you know, I have to go to church or do this, or I, you know, it's just not who I am. I'm trying to live like Jesus, and that was a foreign thing to this girl, and she was like, that's very strange. Like, you're a weirdo.
SPEAKER_04So um she was laughing.
SPEAKER_00I'm like, no, still no, I'm not she's like, okay. I was like, sorry. And then so then eventually I moved on. I got a different job, or I did something else. And but like three years later, this girl messaged me on Facebook and she was like, just want to let you know I'm getting baptized this weekend. Oh, she says, I still think about the conversation we used to have about why you did church and all that stuff, all the church stuff, and she's like, It makes sense now. I was like, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, like at the time you're like, Am I even planning? You don't think you're planting a seed, you're just trying to not look like right.
SPEAKER_01Could have easily just said, No, I I can't party busy, I don't feel like it. But you went into yeah, like why do I not do this? I want to be different.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's like people might think you're a weirdo. Yeah, we are a little bit weird. Yeah, we don't do things, and that's the point is God says you're holy, you're set apart. Let people see why you're set apart and why you don't do this stuff. So I use that example of like, you know, you don't know, you have no idea what your actions or what your words can do. You might never might never see it. And she might not have ever reached out to me, and it still would have happened. I was I just got I was blessed to see that, and God let me see that in that time. So but yeah, cool stories like that. Just get out of your comfort zone sometimes, move forward into the new year, try something new.
SPEAKER_03I will say that there's never been a time where I've I don't know if this is exactly how you should word it, but asked to be obedient, like I've felt like I've been moved to do something, and I've chosen not to do it and had peace after. Does that make sense? Like what you're saying about you wanted to, you know, you're I need to go pray for that person, and then you decide, oh, I'm gonna pray. But you have that little bit of unsettling afterwards, like it didn't bring you peace to not do the thing. Right.
SPEAKER_00It's not like I chose I'm not gonna do that, and then you had peace anyway. Yeah, and then no, it's there. I should have yeah, you feel it, you're like, crap and then this moment, like you with the lady and then you did it, and you're like, Yeah, then I have I was had this peace, even though I was froze to death because little examples is like little examples of things, but like God'd be calling you to do all kinds of stuff. And he starts with little things. I just was teaching in my class Sunday morning, we're gonna acts, and I'm talking about Stephen in Acts chapter six and seven, and Stephen was chosen to go give out food, and that's what his job was to distribute food to people that needed to eat. He started like that, and then in the next it keeps going, it's like Stephen performed wonderful signs and did miracles, and then all of a sudden he's standing in front of a huge crowd speaking about Jesus and before he's martyred for it. But he started out just being obedient to God. God said, Give out food. He's like, All right, you're gonna give out food, and then God continues to use him in bigger,
Small Acts Of Obedience Matter
SPEAKER_00bigger ways, and so you might think it's just a small thing. You're like, oh, helping somebody their car, just a small thing. Maybe that encourages you for the next time God says something, you're like, and it's something bigger. So just interesting how God moves and works if we let him. It's still on us.
SPEAKER_03Luke's next class is about is a study on Acts.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Oh, I was gonna ask you about how Luke's class went. You guys just did the finished up the Bible recon. I did it. You did it, the whole New Testament?
SPEAKER_03I did the whole New Testament.
SPEAKER_00Three months? October, November, yeah, December.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I was a couple, I was a couple days past. I did get behind.
SPEAKER_00But you did the whole new testament.
SPEAKER_03But I did the whole new testament.
SPEAKER_00You think it was a good experience, the class was?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was a lot. Like, I don't think that if you were gonna take on, like, first of all, that app is a great app.
SPEAKER_00The Bible recap app.
SPEAKER_03Yes, the Bible recap app. That's kind of hard to say. Because video devotionals and yes, they have the video devotionals and the Bible project, which I love the Bible project. But I do think that going to do a big read like that, like you need some sort of guidance. Like some made asked questions too, and that kind of thing.
SPEAKER_00So that was and Luke did a good job of Luke does a great job. Recapping huge chunks of scripture at one time. Like he's like, This morning we're gonna review all of Romans and this other letter in First Peter too. Like, good grief. That's a lot to do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was a lot. He teaches so well.
SPEAKER_00He's a really good teacher. Me and Luke, I like talking to Luke. I just talked to that guy about the Bible for hours.
SPEAKER_01But that's my favorite part about camp is sitting on the swing chair.
SPEAKER_00Maybe he'll be able to come this year.
SPEAKER_03But yeah, I think that reading it and it was just I I've done the Life of Christ study, so that kind of helped me get through that. Revelation, I did that class like I I don't even know, three years ago, four years ago. Has it been that long already? Hasn't it? Oh, hasn't it been three years? I think it has been a little bit two. It's been a little while. It's been a little while. Well, the amount of study, like when I did that class, I was lost. I mean, it's really hard to like wrap your brain around it, but the amount of study that I've done since then, and then listening to it. I did the audio Bible. Listening to it again, I was like, oh, wait a minute. This is recapping scripture. Like, hold on. It is a Bible recap.
SPEAKER_02No, but it made more sense. Like it made sense to me.
SPEAKER_00So what I've realized about the Bible is I went to Bible college. I grew up in church and I went to camps and I've known a lot of Bible stuff. And I'm still I still read the Bible today, and I'll go back to something that I've known and read, and I'm like, oh, I'd have to read this again. Like I read it again. Something new. I I see something differently or it applies to me differently now. And so the Bible continues to so even if you think you know a story, you think you've read it before, go back and always learn something.
SPEAKER_01You wanna know what I learned today?
unknownTell us.
SPEAKER_01Mana is not fish.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Banna is bread. Bread from heaven.
SPEAKER_04Have you ever heard bread from heaven?
SPEAKER_00Fish from heaven. Fish falling to the sky. Feeding them in the wilderness.
SPEAKER_03Fish flopping around on the like when you explained it though, I get it.
SPEAKER_01You get it? I don't know what happened from childhood to now. What didn't click?
SPEAKER_00I don't get it at all. I have no idea how you thought manna was fish.
SPEAKER_03I just I can't say that as a child I even had heard the word manna.
SPEAKER_00So you're ahead of Brittany. Even if you thought it was fish.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_03What'd you think was bird? Stop it. We're not telling secrets on those things.
SPEAKER_00Keep going. I'm listening. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um I too. We'll learn new things.
SPEAKER_03I thought that I had a moment one time where I thought that perch was a bird. Makes sense though. Perch is a big bird. I think it does make sense. The waitress said, we have perch. And I said, no, thank you. I don't eat bird. Because in my mind, I was like a little cardinal, a little bluebird. Like it was like a little perchy bird.
SPEAKER_00They're like birds perching.
SPEAKER_03It was like, I was like, no, thanks. I don't eat birds. And then I ordered chicken. So everybody was really confused. It was a lot. I was younger. Wow. I would have loved movies. I would have loved the movie. So you're welcome. Oh my gosh. She was in shock. Everyone at the table
Seeds Of Faith And Being Set Apart
SPEAKER_03dying, dying laughing. Any credibility that I had of being intelligent was out the window. Well but I appreciate taking the heat off of your mana.
SPEAKER_00So let's wrap this, whatever this is up. So new year, time for people to kind of try new things. I would say read the Bible more. That's my suggestion.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Read the Bible a little bit every day. We're busy. If you get miss a day, don't give up. Just get back to it and read it whenever you can. I just started a Bible reading plan from Bible Project. It's called the Bible Project. One story that leaves to Jesus. So the Bible in a year. That's what I'm going to do.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So if you need one or want to do that one with me, or but my encouragement is to find a Bible plan. Or if you just want to read it on your own, that's fine too. But get into scripture this year, read it for yourself. It's always more impactful that way to open up the Bible and read it on your own. Don't rely on people. I mean, John's really good, and our church is a good teacher's in it. Nothing can replace you reading it on your own, though, I don't think. And so that's my encouragement to you guys as we start the new year. Anything else you guys want to add? Before we go.
SPEAKER_01No, I agree. It's gonna be a great year. I'm excited. Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_00Some rush 1.8 stuff we got to get to plan on some stuff. Yeah, yeah. We're gonna be busy. All right, let's pray. Lord, thank you for this day. Thanks for uh opportunities to talk about you, learn more about you. Thank you for John. Thank you for John and his message on Sunday, and people like Luke who teach, and there's lots of people that are in our church that are really good teachers. And so we're thankful that we have people like that that you uh allow us to learn and grow. Thankful for a new year. So yeah, we'll just ask that you be with all the people listening and with us as we go throughout the rest of the week. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
SPEAKER_01Amen.
SPEAKER_00All right, so what is this, episode number 11?
SPEAKER_01Number 11.
SPEAKER_00Rolling along. All right. Happy New Year from Rush Hour. See you next time.