Through It
Through It is a Christian podcast hosted by Ariana and Kimberly - two women who love Jesus and have been through it. Join them for real, faith-filled conversations on how to talk through it, walk through it, pray through it, and get through it.
Through It
Rest Is A Weapon
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What if Sabbath is more than slowing down? This week, Ariana + Kimberly explore the rest God offers—not just physical rest, but the peace that comes from surrender, faith, and dwelling in His presence. Through Hebrews 4, they talk about striving to enter God’s rest, letting His Word cut through the noise, and trusting Him enough to truly be still.
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We're throwing something extra in here because it's really important to us. We have a dear friend. Her name is Lainey. Some of you that are in our 116 church community may have already met her, but she is permanently moving to Africa, to Zambia for full-time ministry. And the reason why we wanted to hop on here and just throw in this extra clip is because we really want to support her when it comes to the funds that she needs to raise to be able to go on this full-time missionary trip in Zambia. She's right in the middle of fundraising. She's actually been doing this for several months now, and she's not at 100% yet, and she cannot relocate until she's 100% funded. And so I really wanted to just shout her out. Um, there's a couple different ways to find her. I think with our audience, one of the easier ways is just to look her up on Instagram. So her Instagram handle is really cute. It's la la la Laney. I'm gonna spell that. And I'll I'll put it on our um on our Instagram story too, and maybe even one of the captions on a post. But when you go to her Instagram on her profile, on her main page, there is a link tree that is there. So when you click on that link tree, there's a few links. Um the first one is partner with me financially for Zambia. So you have the option to either give a one-time offering to um go directly to her, or you can set it up as it being a recurring offering, whether it's $10 every month or $20 every month. I know you guys are paying for Netflix that's $20 every month.
SPEAKER_05So what is how many subscriptions do you guys have now? And how many of those subscriptions directly impact the kingdom of God?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And so at the top of her link tree, it says here full-time missionary in Zambia, bringing the gospel through clean water and children's ministry. Join my monthly support team here. And so she's partnering with an organization that basically goes around and fixes um health wells, yeah, wells. And I don't know that the right word is like faucet, but basically how they get their water supply to them. And then after they fix it, of course, like when they are doing this maintenance, it draws a lot of attention to the villages and the people that are around. And as they build these relationships, when they're finished fixing it and helping with their water supply, which is an essential to life, then they share the gospel and they work with Laney specifically, works a lot with children too. Um, there's also a link on there to sign up for email updates. So some of you have the heart to donate and it's just a matter of donating and it's a one and done thing. Other people are really intentional of like, where is my money going? How do I know this person is getting it? So there's a newsletter that you can sign up for so you can get live updates. Um, and there's also more information on the water projects that she's a part of with this organization. So again, her Instagram handle is la la la Laney, L A L A L A L A N Y. And then you just click the link tree and um it's overlandmissions.com. So just make sure that her name is on there when you donate with the giving amount.
SPEAKER_05So I will put um Laney's contact information and the link um to her donation page in the episode description so that we can find your you all can find it quickly. But um she's 80% funded, right? Do we say that?
SPEAKER_01I don't know what the funding percentage is.
SPEAKER_05I'm pretty sure it's 80% as of last week. Okay, great. She is almost there, everybody, like 80% funded to permanently relocate to Zambia to be giving water and the living water of Jesus Christ to people every single day. Um I can't think of a better place to invest. How beautiful, you know, directly into the kingdom of God. Yeah. So we're gonna be praying for Laney for this. Um, and we ask that you also pray for Laney for funding and give what you can um and what God has put on your heart to give to Laney. And let's just let's pray and believe that she is fully funded before the end of August.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and how beautiful. Like she has really committed, dedicated her entire life to missions, yeah, is what this is.
SPEAKER_05And when you think about that and and how crazy that is, like all the little life things that we want to do, or the vacations, or the this, or the that, and Lainey has just decided to just go live in Africa, you know, like no big deal.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and she's already spent a few years there prior to. And yeah, definitely give her a follow so you can follow um just her journey through this. We're so excited for you, Laney.
SPEAKER_05Yes. All right, enjoy this week's episode. Bye. Bye.
SPEAKER_01So I've gone down this rabbit hole ever since you told me what you did with your shower head and cleaning it out. Yeah. And I still haven't cleaned mine out, which is kind of gross because now I know. So when you know, you should do better. But I have been looking at different filters for like the shower head, and I need to just purchase one.
SPEAKER_05I am in the same boat. I need to.
SPEAKER_01I just don't want another subscription, you know, because it's like a filter subscription.
SPEAKER_05Continue to buy filters.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_05I don't want to do that either.
SPEAKER_01Well, and this is just a particular one I was looking at. And then there's another one where it's a certain type of like uh facial towel made out of cotton. Um, because they're talking about there's just so many things. Everything's bad for you. But to not use your bath towel to dry your face because of even how dirty your bath towel is.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so this last week I haven't even been drying my face with my bath towel. I've been just letting it like water run down my face. And then when I get out using a like facial cotton pad to dry it and apply like my facial stuff, but I'm like, I need to get those facial towels, but that's another subscription.
SPEAKER_05That's and it just adds up. Yeah. I bought um those reusable cotton rounds. Have you seen them? So to like I I don't even think it's cleaner. I think it's more of like a waste thing. But to take my makeup off, I use cotton rounds and my cellar water. And I bought these cotton rounds. Um and I hate really why why don't you like them? And why are they reusable? Like how they're they're like um machine washable.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_05So they're about this big. Uh-huh. Um, I don't know, bigger than bigger than a silver dollar. Yeah. And they um I just feel like they don't do a good enough job. Like they don't take anything off, and I have to use like five of them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Oh.
SPEAKER_05And it's not worth it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. But we're kind of in the same boat. Girl problems, not even first world problems.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, welcome to Through It Podcast. This is Kimberly.
SPEAKER_05This is Ariana.
SPEAKER_01Uh, we will not be talking about facial towels and washing our faces. But um I was telling Ari that when we first started the podcast, we were thinking about like, okay, what's the jingle that we're gonna use? How are we gonna open up, you know, the episodes? I really do enjoy the banter and the small talk in the very beginning. I think as just a podcast listener myself, I look forward to that when people podcast. But um, when we were drafting ideas before we even, I think this is probably before we even did our first episode, we're talking about like what's a good starting question for each episode. And something that I just ran across in our notes was the question that we thought we were gonna ask at the start of every episode was what is something that Christians don't talk about enough? But interestingly enough, I think that's kind of been the nature of our podcast is us talking about things that maybe Christians don't talk about enough.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Or at least giving like um different perspectives.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Or getting deeper into those things.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_05I hope so. I think that was our intention.
SPEAKER_01I think so too. And so even on like reflection that, and and maybe it's even just the fact that Christians don't talk about Christian things enough, just in general. Like, you know, you only talk about Christian stuff when you're at church and in small group, or is this like a day-to-day thing? Which is why I think I genuinely enjoy our friendship so much, and even some of our other friends that we have, that we don't just like break bread at Bible study and talk about the Bible. We're kind of just talking about the Bible all the time. Yeah. Or at least things of that nature try to because we love it, it's on our mind.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it not because it's like it's anything that we force, but that's those are the things that like you and I genuinely want to be talking about.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And uh and not to be like, oh, we're so holy, not at all. But again, we just have lots of questions, and it's nice to bounce it off of someone else, and also to not feel weird about like, is this too much? I never feel like that when we're talking about things of our faith. Yeah, which I think it's easy to get like that in the world that we live in, because we live in a fallen world.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, speaking of, I um I cruise Reddit sometimes. I do too, yeah. And um, I there was a post in the Seattle subreddit yesterday that was it said like if if you helped the woman who collapsed in Beacon Hill this morning, thank you. And then I opened it and was reading it, and it was a person. I kind of am like making the assumption based on the way they spoke that it was a woman, but I I don't know. They didn't say the person who wrote it. These days you never know. Yeah. So they were saying that a woman had was walking down the street and had collapsed, and there was um a big group of people that stopped to help her. And this person was saying, like, because they didn't get anybody's information, they were going down this list of like thank you to this person, thank you to this person. And one of them was thank you to the woman who talked her out of um trying to get up and keep walking. And then they said, although I'd ask that you not try to speak about Jesus to victims again in the future. Oh my goodness. And my first thought was to I got I got really upset. Genuinely, my flesh was like really upset. It was like, um, don't speak about victims to Jesus, then who do we speak about? But but then I th I had to like I had to actively like ask the Holy Spirit to take me out of that mindset, that condemning place to that poor person, and just be really thankful that there was a Christian there to help this person and to speak about Jesus in their time of need.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, beautiful. What a great mindset shift.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, well yeah, it's not me, it's like we were talking about this morning. It's the rod and the staff that bumps us in line.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so context. I was telling Ari, I got my nails done, got a fill. Really, I needed a fill. Made an appointment for a fill. And then I go into this nail salon. I've never been there before, but I was getting frustrated because the nail tech I have if anyone no one actually cares, but again, context, I have gel X on my nails and I wanted a fill for that. And she kept telling me that she couldn't do a fill, that I would have to get a full set. But the set that I had was a fresh set. And long story short, I was really trying not to get frustrated. And I I did, I think I did a okay job. I stayed calm, you know, I was being respectful, trying to be as kind as I possibly could in my flesh, you know, but I was visibly frustrated because I just didn't understand why they couldn't do a fill, why I had to do a full set.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I was just, I don't know. But the thing that kept me in line was definitely not Kim. It was because I'm in a room full of people and having this interaction with this other person that probably isn't a believer. And I'm wearing this big old cross necklace. Who knows who's even in the room? It could be even people in our church community for all I know. I don't know. But I just the thing that kept me in line was I wanted to make sure that even in my frustration, that I was representing Christ well. And not to say that I was like acting exactly like how Jesus was. I definitely was not because the frustration was seeping out. But it's what kept me accountable. And just even that is a safeguard, I feel like knowing that you're walking around being an ambassador for Christ. Oh, I on the inside I was so upset.
SPEAKER_05The knowledge of even the that being a safeguard. Like I I think I said this before, but just just the like praise God that you had the thought, that he placed the thought into your head, right? Of like be aware of your surroundings. And because it's not like, oh, if you're in a room, you know, like you can go act different when you're alone or nobody sees, but also just like like it's the rod and the staff keeping you in line of like checking you and and like that gentle correction of like, okay, I know you're frustrated, but like let's remember.
SPEAKER_01And God doesn't call us to be perfect, like we were saying, but He definitely is constantly refining us as we in our in our flesh just again try to represent him well. And so the girl that I had ended up doing a great job. It took two hours, and I texted Jordan, like probably not getting another fill again for a really long time. I just don't have I don't know, the maintenance of it to me doesn't make sense, although I really enjoy the results of it. Two hours is wild, two hours is a long time. Two hours is wild. It is, but um it also reminds me so little segue into today's topic. I want to talk about rest. And so it's funny though, like when I get my nails done, I like to think of it as being restful, but it nine times out of ten, it ends up not being restful. But that's because I'm not gonna find rest in getting my nails done. That's not how you find rest in doing all these little things that's not the source. No, things we consider self-care. I mean, yes, there's time and a place. I'd love me a good massage. Um, but that's not what's truly gonna give you rest. So we're gonna talk about Sabbath today. I feel like Sabbath is a word that we tend to toss around, but do we really know what Sabbath means? And so we're gonna dive into that. I'm gonna go straight into the definition to start. So the Hebrew word translated translates Sabbath as to rest, meaning to be at peace, to be still, to be quiet or calm, um, in a place of rest in the Lord. Some translations say, so rest in the Lord, other translations say be still before the Lord, that's ESV and NIV, or to be silent before the Lord, that's the CSB, or to surrender yourself to the Lord. Um, GW, I don't know what version that is, and then be still in the presence of the Lord. That's in the NLT. Um, and that is from the verse, it's pulling from the verse Psalm 37.7, which I'm gonna read here. It says, Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. So I'm gonna focus on that first part. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. So let's unpack that a little bit. Um we were talking earlier when I feel like a lot of people that have been in the church for some period of time have heard the word Sabbath, and it even being the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments, that we are we are commanded to rest, to take a day of rest, maybe not necessarily like Sunday or Saturday or Friday, but to take one day out of the seven days to rest and and to Sabbath. I the first thing that comes to mind when I think about Sabbath is just like not working. I feel like is how the majority of people think about it. What what have you thought in the past? And even like, has your definition changed?
SPEAKER_05I I feel like I am still kind of unsure, I guess. And even in this moment as we're talking about it, like um either correlating or separating the that rest you rest in the Lord and the Lord gives you rest anytime after you find after you seek him.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_05But then we're also called to have a day of rest. Right. So I think my understanding of Sabbath is pretty much to Jewish tradition, but then knowing that like Sabbath does mean does mean rest.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_05But how we practice it, I guess, is still something I'm I'm learning about because I don't I I feel like the uh the scripture in um even in Psalms 377, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him and or or rest before the Lord. That was the was that the verse? Yep. Okay. Um I feel like that's all the time, right? It doesn't necessarily um mean for one day, because we don't want to only have rest in him for one day. Yeah, but then there is something about being intentional to set a day apart to a holy day apart to give to the Lord, right? Where you rest for him rather than finding rest in him. Does that make sense?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, that's great. When you say it rest for him, it almost feels like this is like my living sacrifice that I'm presenting to you. I really love that distinction that you made though, because a Sabbath, like having a day of rest, but also in terms of surrender yourself to the Lord, meaning that he is our Lord, that should be all the time. So I think that's why this is such a great conversation because, like, what is that distinction, even? You know, and I love that you mentioned Jewish tradition. It reminds me of I was re-watching an episode of The Chosen, and I just love that the disciples celebrated their day of rest, Shabbat in this case, a part of their Jewish tradition. And it fell on a different day of the week, but like it this was like a celebration. This was a feast that they were having.
SPEAKER_05They had, if I know this correctly, Shabbat is Friday night dinner. Yes, that leads into resting on the Sabbath on Saturday.
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes. And so not the same thing in terms of um, I think we could say this, Shabbat is Sabbath, but Sabbath is not Shabbat, different. Um, but I just that stood out to me because in today's day and age, how many of us are like excited to Sabbath? I think a lot of times in our very busy schedules, it's like, okay, where can I squeeze in a day of rest? Where it is almost where people are so restless and it's hard to be still. But at the same time, I don't know, speaking for myself, I like really look forward to um that day of rest.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I don't find it difficult to squeeze it in, although I will say I get distracted.
SPEAKER_05But I think our part of being human and even maybe even sin nature, I don't know, but we tend to be excuse me, um people um of extremes and balance is not natural. I I think to have balance, you probably need wisdom from the Holy Spirit to be able to do that correctly.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Because somebody who loves to move or is constantly moving or feels the need they need to constantly be moving, it'll be difficult for them to rest. But then you have people who are on the other side of that that are less uh motivated, they're more sedentary. And it's really easy for them to rest. And then they over they overrest, right? And it's more difficult for them to to be motivated and to move around. Just because we're like we fall into extremes as as humans.
SPEAKER_01That's a perfect point. Because this is why we don't mean rest, meaning lack of movement and lack of work. So, rest in this case, we are not defining it about like how busy you are, um, how much you're moving, or even how productive you are. This is a direct correlation of you being in the word and being in a place of um even gratitude for what God has done and who he is and worship, worshiping him. Um resting doesn't necessarily mean like do a bunch of nothing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So I was reading in, let me see here. Last week, I want to say it was the last episode when I had mentioned Hebrews 4.12, where it talks about the word of God as being living and active. And so after that episode, I went back and I was reading in chapter, I was reading Hebrews 4, and it was so interesting to me in that same passage where it talks about for the word of God is living in active, sharper than any two-edged sword. I'm gonna read the whole thing, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Just before that, in chapter four, it's talking about. So that was verse 12. In verse 11, it says, Let us therefore strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
SPEAKER_05Even verse one and two. Like therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but they the message they heard did not benefit them because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so I want to dig into this. I uh this is why it's so important to read something in its full context, but even really honestly fun to talk about it, and even if you don't have full understanding, because this stood out to me and it gave me a moment of pause, but I really didn't have much of an understanding beyond just like reading it in that moment. So I was looking into it. We had even talked about it with another friend. So when it's saying in verse 11, let us therefore strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. What is this writer referring to in terms of like um that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience, like comparing it to the same sort of disobedience? Like, what is what are they referring to? And so in this passage, they're referring to the Israelites. The number of times that the Israelites were disobedient, where they chose to not listen, where their hearts were hardened, where they were grumbling, where they had um they were there was idol worship, they strayed away from the Lord and what he had commanded them to do.
SPEAKER_05I think all of that we could boil it down or sum it up and put it in like a one form of like they lacked faith. Yes, yes. Because the because of their lack of of faith, they chose to look towards other idols, they they didn't trust in the Lord, they didn't have faith in the Lord, and so they tried to kind of like over-engineer things themselves, and it that ended up leading them to disobedience, yeah, and less rest because they they walked around for 40 years and never saw the promised land.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, and I think that's exactly what it is. Like even the start of chapter four, as you were reading, that is also what is it's pointing to because they were not united by faith with those who listened, and so to to um to trust in God's commandments and his precepts and his word also means that you have faith and knowing that that is the best way, right? So the two go hand in hand, like action, faith, and trust and all those things. I want to rewind, and I you read verses one and two, but I wanna. This is a little long-winded, so sorry in advance, guys, but you guys are tuning in to listen anyway. I want to read the amplified classic version of Hebrews four, one through three. So just hang tight with me, guys. Okay, verse one. Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still holds and is offered today, let us be afraid to distrust it, lest any of you should think he has come too late and has come short of reaching it. Verse 2. For indeed we have had the glad tidings, the gospel of God, proclaimed to us just as truly as they, the Israelites of old, did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them. But the message they heard did not benefit them, because that it was not mixed with faith, with the leaning of the entire personality of God, and absolute trust and confidence in his power, wisdom, and goodness by those who heard it. Neither were they united in faith with the ones, Joshua and Caleb, who heard it. So Joshua and Caleb being the ones who did believe. Verse three. For we have believed for we who have believed, adhered to, and trusted in and relied on God, do enter that rest, in accordance with his declaration that those who did not believe should not enter, when he said, As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest. And this he said, although his works had been completed and prepared, and waiting for all who would believe from the foundation of the world. So the Amplified Classic, I would say, when you read it out loud, it seems long-winded, but this is like where punctuation and things like that are really helpful. Because when you read the Amplified Classic, there's a lot of um sections where things are in parentheses, and the parentheses kind of elaborates on that thought or that concept. So it really helps break down the specific passage, but kind of I read that to kind of speak on the faith aspect of it. Um, and it also gives more context of like who was disobedient and what happened. And so I am going to uh nerd out a little bit, guys. Okay. So love this. All right. So in the old testament, when God is speaking of rest and peace, and in the in this case, it's referring to the promised land. So the promised land was seen as a place where God promised peace and really his presence to go with them. So in this passage, when it talks about Joshua and Caleb, they were the ones that entered the promised land because they believed, right? Um, it was the disobedience of the Israelites that got them in trouble. And even after the continuous disobedience, eventually the Babylonians took over. And that's when the people became exiled, right? So really separated from their land and from God. Um, I love that the last couple episodes when we were talking about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of his wall, so kind of bringing this full circle after a couple episodes. And I just really made this connection by chance reading Hebrews 4. So the the I want to point out the really beautiful part. So if you guys haven't listened to the episode where we talk about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall, it wasn't just about rebuilding a physical wall to protect the city limits. The beautiful part of the rebuilding of the wall is because it points back to the promise that God made to restore the people. After the Israelites failed time and time and time again, and just being disobedient and walking away from the Lord, every single time, like God is so full of mercy. Like you can read the Old Testament and read some of these stories and be like, man, that is harsh. Like the wrath of God, like, Lord, that feels like not fair. But the number of times that we turn away and God continually offers restoration, continually re-offers up his promise to send his presence and his peace before them. Again, Nehemiah's rebuilding of the wall, this is a perfect like example of just God again showing that he will, he is a God that fulfills his promise. He is a covenant-keeping God. And so the rebuilding of the wall, it's symbolic of again a piece of God's promise being rebuilt, if you want to call it that, like literally, but metaphorically as well and symbolically. Um, and I just think that's so beautiful. Yeah. Any thoughts on that?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it's I mean, listen, listen to how cool the Bible is. So, in in what you're talking about with God's promise and how God continues to promise to restore, he's talking to Nehemiah post-Babylon, and he's telling him, giving promises when in Isaiah, Isaiah 14, Isaiah, this before this is happening, but Isaiah is prophesying about how Babylon will take over Israel, and he still says, But I I will rise up against them, the cle declares the Lord of hosts, and I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and prosperity, declares the Lord. And I will make I will make it a possession of the hedgehog and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, declares the Lord. So he's he tells he like he's saying, By the way, Babylon's gonna come overthrow you guys. Yeah, it's gonna come take over. Yeah, but I'm not gonna I'm still, I know it's gonna happen, and it's within my sovereignty, and I'm still going to not let them like I'm still gonna intervene at some point. Like this will happen, but then you'll be okay. And there's another verse. I can't maybe it's it's in one of these chapters close by where he he even like says even more about how he will restore 58.
SPEAKER_01I think we touched on that, if that's even the one that you're referring to. But in I mean, he does it in multiple places, but in 58 too, we touched on that it talks about the restoration that will be called the repair of the breach. Like he just God talks about restoration time and time again. And it's all throughout scripture. I mean, hello, the gospel, the good news of Jesus, right? But even in our life, I want to even pull it out of the old testament of like how many times you mess up. The good news, guys, God still has restoration ready there for you. Yeah, we mess up so many times. I mess up every single day. I mean, over something as silly as my nail hello, wanting a nail just fill, you know, and like I'm like wrestling with my flesh, trying not to be upset. Like, how ridiculous. Yeah, I'm like, like it sounds so silly now. And like so just insignificant and just meaningless, you know. But even with that, God continuously offers up restoration. And so, did you want to find that verse in Isaiah?
SPEAKER_05I can't find it.
SPEAKER_01Okay, we could even put it on the notes, even. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But so God talks about that restoration. He he speaks on, you know, in so going back to Hebrews 4, the times of um disobedience, and yet he still restores them. And then he continues to talk about um, I love this. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Like he continues to warn us all the time. God warns us, this is what's gonna happen, even to what you're saying with the prophecy. He warns us we see it coming, yet we act like we didn't see it coming. And then he restores us again. Like he is so full of mercy. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05And then, so it's like, don't run into the street. I'm gonna run into the street. Okay, you got hit by a car. All right, now I'm gonna take you to the hospital, and I'm the surgeon that's gonna fix you, and I'm gonna make sure that you have the ibuprofen that you need, but don't run into the street again. Yeah, I'm gonna run into the street, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I know. All right, I'm gonna heal you again and again and again. I'm like, come on. We have so many spars at this point.
SPEAKER_05The way that the how this all fits together with Isaiah and the prophecy and how God spoke to Isaiah and told the people of Israel what was gonna happen with Babylon, then it happens and then he fixes it. It's like saying, Hey, I'm gonna tell you not to run into the street. Because if you do, these are the things that are gonna happen to you.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_05But if you do, I'm when you do, I'm gonna fix everything after that.
SPEAKER_01I'm still gonna be with you.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm I'm still gonna help you, you poor thing. You know? Um, there's a reason why too. So it says in verse 11, let us therefore strive to enter that rest. Like I think of the word strive, and maybe I should look up the translation for it. Um, but I think of the word strive, it's like make every effort to. So make every effort to enter into God's rest, make every effort to um be near him to to knowing that he gives you that rest. And then it goes directly into verse 12 for the word of God is living in active, sharper than any two-edged sword. So I even want to dissect that. I just think it's it's in the same like how it's broken down in the Bible, the same paragraph of saying, let us strive to enter that resin. The same paragraph is talking about how powerful the word of God is, that it is sharper than any two-edged sword. There has to be a reason for that. So I kind of went into this dive of even what a two-edged sword is and why the Bible uses a metaphor of a sharp two-edged sword to describe his word. So there's tons of reasons why.
SPEAKER_05When you we've talked about this a few times recently, and the and uh the verse has come up before, just the two-edged sword. And I don't know why up until literally today, in talking about it with you, that I have pictured it as a sword. Like picture a handle of a sword, but then a sword comes out one of each way. I don't think that's it.
SPEAKER_00It's one blade where both sides are sharp. And like the the way that you describe like a blade coming out on each. I don't know why it's like giving Ninja Turtle. But they probably have something like that. Maybe I'm just like picturing Kendrick playing with his toys. He has a toy that doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_05Even that is so simple, but like, I mean, I'm I'm just gonna be this person. Praise God for that revelation, because then it gives you a different perspective of what that actual what the verse means by it being a two-edged sword. It's not a sword with two blades, it's a sword with one blade that has two sharp sides.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Because that has a different, there's a different outcome that you get with that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And so in the context of Hebrews during the Roman Empire, think about like Roman Empire, Roman soldier, their armor, and one of their pieces of armor or weaponry that they had was this sharp two-edged sword. Um, and so I guess painting a picture, so you look at a kitchen knife, you have one dull side and then one sharp side. So, in the way that we're describing, it's a two-edged sword. So instead of having a dull side, both sides are sharp. And so I just love this metaphor of a sword, because you think about when it's sharp on both sides versus a kitchen knife. A kitchen knife, the number of times that I push down on the dull side, and sometimes I have to even like exert some force if it's just not a good knife and have to press down in that way. But if it's sharp and it's too edged, it's gonna cut with so much ease. It's gonna be a lot more penetrating. Um, and it cuts on both sides, I think is the point. That's I think the point of saying that it has like two edges.
SPEAKER_05Nothing is missed, nothing is missed.
SPEAKER_01It cuts precisely um with precision, but also in cutting of the two sides, you also, at least this is the picture that I'm painting in my head, is that it divides, not just when you cut, obviously, when you cut something in half, it's gonna divide, but when it's a two-edged sword, it's gonna divide even more effectively. And so let's dive into this. Um, a sword, it's a metaphor for penetrating and discerning the power of God's word. It's capable of reaching even the deepest part of a person's being. So later in that verse, it talks about the division of soul and spirit, joints and of marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. So it cuts um effectively and exposes truth simultaneously. It could be piercing. A sword is very, it it represents power and authority in battle.
SPEAKER_05Um can you elaborate on exposes truth? Yeah, that'd be great. How does the if if I'm thinking about it practically? Yeah. If a sword cuts through something, it ex I guess it's just a different way of saying it. Like it exposes what's on the inside. Yes, yes. So then we could say it exposes what is true.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So what is within your heart?
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So if um cutting through your heart, it's gonna expose what's on the inside of you to your point. Just like the number of times in the Bible, it talks about how you are externally versus internally. So if you're cutting, you're showing what is internal, what is within you.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, it was interesting. One of the conversations we had earlier this week, we're talking about division and how oftentimes the world paints division as a negative thing. And even in the Bible, there's times where it's, you know, like you want to stand on one accord and unity, and the opposite of unity being division. But there's also another definition and another way, another perspective where division, division can be a good thing. So, in the way that the word of God divides, like a two-edged sword and really is exposing of the truth. A nice thing about this is there's a clear division of what is good and what is not good.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Of what is light and what is dark. And I don't know about you, but I am someone that really appreciates clarity. Tell me what I need to do and tell me what I should not do. And having that clarity to me is like really helpful.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01You know, like how horrible would it be if you're like, um, Kim, don't do that, but that line is invisible. And I'm like, don't do what? How am I supposed to know?
SPEAKER_05It's like the nail salon story. Yeah, we can't do that, but not explaining. So then it pushes you to be like, no, just do it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_05But there's no why. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so, like, even with you know, raising a kid, if I'm like, uh, that will make mommy upset. Like, what? Like, wait, hold on. What will make mommy upset? Now I'm like walking on eggshells because I don't even know what it is that she's referring to. Like, we need clarity, we need that clear line of division, and that is exactly what God's word does. He presents to us in his mercy, these are the things that I would like you to do to be set apart and holy for me. And so that line of clarity is really love. It's not um division is not always hateful in nature.
SPEAKER_05I I think most of when you give clarity or you ensure that there is clarity in a situation, it comes from caring. Yeah, yeah. Because if you didn't if if you left somebody in with uncertainty, like in your example of like that, that'll make mommy upset. Like, what'll make mommy upset? Like it's you're you're being set up to fail.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Because you don't know which way to move.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I'm also thinking about like when we're called to be consecrated and set apart, what that looks like. So we're talking about earlier what it looks like to be ambassador of Christ. And I think we've said this on the podcast before, like, how sad would it be if someone was like, Oh, I didn't know that she was Christian, and there is not clarity in that. Or even I'm thinking about like in a movie, when you're watching a movie and you're trying to figure out if this character is a good guy or a bad guy, and there's some confusion there. And it actually makes it really hard to trust the character if you don't know if they're a good guy or a bad guy.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so, even in the context of our faith, I pray that it is so clear what side we're on.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. And and not from a place of um like salvation isn't earned. And it's not that we go out, and even in the the stories that we've talked about of like, let us represent Christ. Well, it's it's not because we need to check boxes in order to to be saved, right? It's that it's like I heard somebody recently explain it this way like if a man saved you from a burning building and he saved your life, like what would you want to do for that man? Would you want to punch him in the face? Or would you want to do something that made him happy or like do some do good things for him? Like you would you want to do good things for him in the same way that like our lives have been saved and we have eternity because of Jesus.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_05And now we want to do these things because he saved us, and that's you know, like because he saved us and he deserves that. Yeah. And it it's the the clarity of this is what you like like what you're saying with the division of this is what you should do and this is what you shouldn't do is for our safety.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_05And I think uh safety as even just as humans and as walking around on humans, it's God's demonstration of how much he loves us, of like, don't I mean, even as simple as like, I don't know if this is simple, but like wait, only sleep with your own, you know, only have sex with your husband. Because not because oh, it's a law and it's a rule, and you need to like be, this is something you just can't do, but because it protects you and it's what's good for you, and it ends up helping like in the long run in in different areas. And there's there's a bunch of different things like that. Even like in the the like mosaic laws were for their safety and protection. In even in the things that they that he said to eat and not to eat, it was to help to keep them healthy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I love that you said too that none of these things that we do and how we outwardly represent our faith, none of that is to earn our salvation. Um, I how the Bible talks about you'll know them by their fruit. I think that in God's grace, it is a way of like clearly knowing and dividing. And I don't know, I let's keep going here. This is but it's like it's a healthy wrestle because we faith without works is dead, right? You can't and you can't do one without the other. Like if you are internally one way, it should be obvious outwardly too. Right. Um, but yeah, we don't earn it.
SPEAKER_05Faith without works is dead because you can't have one without the other, right? It's like this man, the man Jesus Jesus has saved you. So you want to do things that that he likes, not that take you further away from him because you see what he has done for you and you love him and you revere him for it. And so that's like you the faith without works thing. I'm like it it you just can't have one without the other. When you have faith, it just comes out the same with the the fruit of the spirit, right? Like it's the fruit of his spirit that is coming out through us, right? It's not like we are now we've reached a level of Christianity, right? It's it's no, if I have done something good, it is the fruit of his spirit. Yeah, if I have demonstrated patience, kindness, self-control, it's not Ariana because Ariana does not want to do any of those things. Right, right.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. That's the the fruit of the spirit, is is also just like how the word of God should cut off some of the garbage that we have.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, I'm thinking about it's funny, like as we're talking, um, there's other things that are popping up in some of our mind. Um, and this is why I like talking this out because as you're talking, I'm thinking about new things. Even as you're talking about, I'm thinking about like, okay, we don't earn our way. And gosh, the word of God is so beautiful. Like the number of times too, he just continuously confirms things like we're talking about. He continuously shows us mercy and restores us. So Moses, the Ten Commandments was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Moses wrote it though, on earth. And so he he represents the law. Moses represented the law. And the fact that Moses could not get into the promised land shows that you can't you can't enter God's rest through your through the law, even.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01It was it's only through God's grace, it's only through the price that Jesus paid. Like we can't be, we can't keep every single law and commandment. That means you're perfect. And so, like, it's not through our perfection that we can enter the promised land and rest.
SPEAKER_05Because again, it's through his right.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And so in this case, so in the beginning of the episode, we're talking about what the promised land represents and just like God's presence and his peace. You can't enter his presence and peace and rest. Again, we're kind of using that um interchangeably through your own doing. You have to go straight to the source. And so looping it back around to the source being God's word, and even the importance of why it is so like we need to not miss that the word of God is described as a two-edged sword that pierces, that penetrates, that cuts off, that rightly divides and separates light from darkness. Um, there's like these metaphors are so deep. It goes so beyond our English language. And so I think that's also why it's so fun to do a deep dive on some of these, like whether it's topical, even just like a word study. Um that like when you read the word. So what it's saying is when you read the word, allow the word to cut through you.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Allow the word of God to cut through your heart and expose what it is in it. And so by allowing, that is like a it's a way of surrendering. So when you read, also, you don't read just for knowledge and just for knowing, you know, you read to and open your heart to allow the Holy Spirit to come in and rightly divide what is in your heart. That's faith. That's faith. Yeah. And this is so fun. So when you think about being cut open, that honestly sounds horrible. It sounds painful. But to surrender to something that could potentially be painful, I'm gonna have faith knowing that it's still good for me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I think that's full surrender. Thinking about Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac, this could potentially be really painful and hurtful, but that's full surrender and full faith.
SPEAKER_05The faith that Abraham is knowing God's character, yeah. Knowing, knowing that no matter what happened, because he was so faithful, not even because he was so faithful, but because he knew God's faithfulness. Yeah, he knew God that whatever whatever comes on the other side of this is going to be good. And I think that's I don't know why this is making me emotional. I think that is where I it gets so difficult for a lot of us. Like, talk about what do Christians not talk about enough. It's like bad things happen. Your understanding of bad doesn't really mean anything. Sorry, it doesn't, because you're not the measuring stick. And I'm I'm talking to myself here. Yeah. And it and the same goes for like also why we can't we can't um do any we we don't earn anything on our own works because our our understanding is so corrupt and so different and so limited that if we were self-sovereign, I mean think about we are we like say how we live in a fallen world, but if we were self-sovereign, imagine what would be going on.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I am the number of things I'm grateful that I did not get, although I wanted it at some some point in my life. I'm like, I'm so glad that didn't happen my way. I'm so glad that things didn't go my way in that season because I did not have the foresight to know what the future would hold. You know? Um, I think another thing that's kind of inspired me to talk about just Hebrews 4 and even Sabbath and resting, because this week I really caught myself. I've had a lot of moments, and I even told Jordan this like, I don't know why I'm always in a rush. And I actually hate it.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Like one of the days this week, it was the end of the day. I was at home with nothing left to do during the day. I was thinking about tomorrow. And I have like the sense of urgency in me, urgency in me, like all the time. I'm like, this needs to stop. And also, I don't want my son to grow up to be an adult. Like, I don't want it to rub off on him, where he's always like go, go, go, go, go, and the sense of urgency because that creates unrest. I think that creates anxiety. It does. When you think about tomorrow and not the things of like right now, it does. I think it absolutely does.
SPEAKER_05That type of unrest or urgency coupled with the lack of Jesus. It's not godly is a recipe for anxiety and depression.
SPEAKER_01Where in the Bible does God rush? Where in the Bible does Jesus rush? In fact, it's like the opposite. It's like, come on, Jesus, uh, Lazarus is really sick. Like, let's go. He's making his time. You know, when the storm is is hitting, he's literally happy.
SPEAKER_00And then he wants to run across the water. That's great.
SPEAKER_01Um, but and so I just like I kept catching myself this week of like, wow, you need stop rushing. Like, stop rushing. Um, but then also self-check. Are you are you resting well then? If you feel like you're rushing all of a sudden and like you feel like this anxiousness, maybe you're not resting well. Resting well looks like what? And that is exactly where I'm getting at. Is like you're not even like when you're reading, you're rushing. So can when you're when you spend time with the Lord, can you just like actually be with him and like rest well? Let your roots grow deeper and just the order needs to be right.
SPEAKER_05Can I share a story? Yeah. Am I cutting you off? No, not at all. Um, this is so divine. This is because this um I've been thinking about this this resting and this sense of urgency thing too. And we haven't talked about this before this moment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_05But um, since I've been, since I've gone back to work, I've been waking up earlier and it intentionally to keep my devotional time. When I wasn't working, I could wake up when I wanted and I could read and pray for as long as I wanted. And so now I'm I'm getting up earlier and I found myself like rushing through my devotional time, or being like, I have to be done at 6 30 because then I need to get ready. And it was a few days in a row of that, and I was like, this is so gross. And I think I literally was like, Jesus, I hate this. Like, I hate this. I don't know like what to do. And I don't think I heard any any words. I don't know that I got like anything you know, like super spiritual to happen, but I was like, you know what? And this must have come from the Holy Spirit and not from me. I was like, Lord, I want to be with you longer today, and so you're gonna have to make some time for me. I'm I I wanna sit here, so either allow me to get ready quicker, um, or I don't push back my meetings or something, I don't know. And I ended up staying as long as I mean, as long as I wanted, and getting up and getting ready and um getting to starting work on time. The time didn't change. It was literally like time had slowed because what was like five minutes felt like I got 15 minutes out of it where I wasn't even looking at the clock, and then it led to me thinking about that kind of like holistically in my life of the resting thing, because I also feel like um I don't get a lot of rest or good enough rest, like um physical rest the way that I want. And I was praying about it, and I'm like you said you give me rest. Your your word says that all over. Why am I not feeling it? Where like what is what why do I need more time with you? Is that the rest? And I kind of just felt like at in the moment that the rest isn't necessarily, at least in this season and and for me, isn't physical. It is you you can get the physical rest or the the sensation or the feeling of being rested by knowing who who is in charge of everything, and who your father is, where at the end of the day, like where your faith is, where your trust is, the fact that death has been defeated, and where you go when when you when you die. The rest in that. And it felt like it was like that's your solace and your rest right now, and that's where you're gonna find rest. So keep coming back to that. Like, don't don't prioritize the things of the world, not that they're they're bad or they're unholy, but like stop being like I'm working so hard and I can't find any rest because you have the rest and you have the peace because you know all these things.
SPEAKER_01That's so beautiful, and that does feel really divine because I felt very similarly this week. Um I I also was like, I hate this feeling of rushing. And I have some flexibility in my mornings, and I still yet was finding myself rushing. I think it part of it, and this is such an excuse, part of it is because um there's some new things that are being added to my life in this season that are all good things, but my margin of time is it feels smaller. But to your point, what felt what was like five minutes felt like you got 15 out of it in the way that God is outside of time and he will expedite things. I mean, my mind is going in so many different places from that part alone, even just in the season that Jordan and I have been in, and I just feel like God has expedited what would normally take years.
SPEAKER_05Boom. That is such a good like a month, you know.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that is such a good picture. Maybe one of these podcasts I'll elaborate on that, but even just like in restoration, God can make something that would take 10 years happen in 10 minutes. And but I think here's the thing in that moment to your point, it's not like time changed, but it was your heart posture of really your desire of wanting to place them first, and not just desire of wanting to place them first, you truly did place them first. And I think when you place the order, when the order is right, and not just being like completely neglecting all of your other life responsibilities, but choosing to place them at the forefront of your mind internally, how we're talking about like not physically inside, but like in turn, our heart posture, yeah, placing him first, something happens differently. I was spending time in the morning in the Word, and I had to like repent. I'm like, Lord, I'm so sorry that I am not bringing my first fruits to you. And I even right now, I'm like kind of getting choked up, which seems silly, and I don't want it to be like legalistic, how we're talking about it's not like we're checking boxes, but you know the condition of your own heart, and God sees the condition of your heart. He sees and knows your thoughts. Even if you make your bed in hell, he's with you there, he's with us everywhere. So, even how we're talking about sometimes when we have friends that are like, pray for us, it's like you can pray. Cause did you not know God knows your thoughts anyway before you even open up your mouth? But it was just like this moment of like, Lord, I'm so sorry, I'm not bringing you my first fruits. And I know that's where my feeling of urgency and unrest and hurry was coming from. And I just like a reminder. Yeah. And once you start to feel that like um uneasiness and that shaking, please know, Hebrews 4 4.11. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, not strive in the sense of like you're working tirelessly, but really make every effort to enter that rest and to spend real time with him and know that the word of God is living and active, and he will rightly divide the parts of your heart that needs to be rightly divided through your thoughts and through the intentions of your heart, penetrate that deeply. And it is in that clarity of division and God's beautiful grace that he will map out for you and light your path of like, okay, this is the way that you need to go and reveal that to you. And that's what he did to you in that moment, too, and for me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Like how crazy, yeah. I I want to read this lyric. It is a song. Um, Will Reagan is a singer and songwriter. He's actually written a lot of songs for Tasha Cobbs that people play on repeat, but he wrote the song. So the song is called Not in a Hurry. And this verse, this line, it says, This is the chorus, actually. It says, I'm not in a hurry when it comes to your spirit, when it comes to your presence, when it comes to your voice. I'm learning to listen just to rest in your nearness. I just love that so much. I'm learning to listen just to rest in your nearness. I'm starting to notice you are speaking. So it's not a matter of like, oh, finally you're close to me, God. No, it's a matter of you learning to listen. He is speaking. It's just a matter of noticing and to rest, to have real rest in his nearness. I feel like that.
SPEAKER_05Just like rest in rest in his nearness. We even get to be near that part. We even get to be near. Just like what I I think it's a song. I don't know what I was thinking this yesterday or something about like that. You chose to make my heart a dwelling place. It I think it's a song, and I was thinking about it last night over and over and over. Like what? Like that, even just is so much to me. Like, you chose to make my heart your dwelling place. Like you dwell inside me. That was something that you chose that you want to do. Man, that even of itself, it's like, you know, we we talk about or have conversations, and like I feel like I'm not hearing from God, or I feel like I'm not getting a lot. And I'm I have said that recently where it's like I'm not getting a lot of light bulbs. And it's exactly what you're saying. It's like, have you given him the space to answer? Have you given have you rested in his nearness? What I was going to say though is I um I looked up the I think this is so cool. I keep picking up my phone. The strive. Okay, thanks for looking that up. It says, um Is this a concordance or what is this? Yeah, okay. The of the the Greek, which is a word I'm not gonna try to say. Spaudosoman. To hasten, to be eager, to be zealous.
SPEAKER_01To be zealous, to be zealous. Hold on. This is okay, guys. Like let's just live in the dictionary for a little bit.
SPEAKER_05To use speed to make effort. I just to be eager changes the perspective of it too. Like I think that we, I don't know, kind of just like decide that strive is an ugly word. I don't think that it is, but when you change that with to be eager, so beautiful.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and even the word zealous, zeal. Yeah, I yeah, I just love that word. So right now I'm just pulling up Webster Dictionary, gonna look up the word zealous, marked by. Fervent partisan partisanship, partisanship for a person, a cause or an ideal filled with or characterized by zeal. Um, and zeal being again eagerness and enthusiastic interest in the pursuit of something. So to have an enthusiastic interest and pursuit of what to enter that rest, to be with the Lord, to enter that rest, God being the rest, people, not like actual taking a nap.
SPEAKER_00We're not striving for naps.
SPEAKER_01So we are enthusiastically taking interest and pursuing being near to the Lord.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Enthusiastically, not out of obligation, not out of uh religious duty and checking a box, not to earn salvation, not to earn it. I just want to be with you. Yeah. We just want to be with you. Um, the verse after, we're pretty much just like going all throughout Hebrews 4. Just when you guys are done, just read through all of Hebrews 4.
SPEAKER_05Just read through the whole Bible.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. When you guys are done.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, verse 13 says, And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. So you can't hide. You can run, but you can't hide. And um we're already exposed, and in the eyes of him to whom we must give account. At the end of the day, we're gonna have to give account to him, the judge, the righteous judge. And our imagination, this is something I heard a couple years ago. Our imagination is his reality, we're like exposed before him.
SPEAKER_05I don't love that. Yeah, it makes me sick.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like the Lord sees the Lord sees everything, yeah. You had said something earlier, just before this, talking about our heart being his dwelling place, I think is what you said. Um, and so you know, fast forward like day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit enters us and truly we become a temple for the Holy Spirit. But in Matthew 28, 20, when we are reminded, I am with you always, and then in John 14, 16, when Jesus says, and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper to be with you forever. And so whether you realize it or not, as those that follow Jesus, um he's with us always. We just have to recognize that so that we can be in rest all seven days of the week, and the least we can do, and matter of fact, we should zealously, enthusiastically pursue uh a Sabbath day, yeah, where we can celebrate the fact that he is with us always, where we can worship him. Um, and with whatever it is that you feel his nearness the most in our flesh, do that. That that's what it means to Sabbath with him in a very summarized version. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05What you sow in the spirit, you reap in the spirit. Yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So I want to, I guess, as a closing thought, so just if we can just be reminded as we're in the word, as we're worshiping, as we're praying, allow the word of God to cut through you. So surrender in that way. Allow the word of God to cut through you, allow the word to cut out anything that is not serving you and divide it, rightly divide it. And so by surrendering and allowing that, you will have true ultimate rest.
SPEAKER_05There you go. Full circle. Bing, bang, boom. That was great.
SPEAKER_01Bing, bada boom. Yeah, that was um, wasn't sure how we were gonna uh which way the conversation was gonna go because I feel like there was just so much to unpack, kind of bouncing around between like promised land, Hebrews 4, the double-edged sword, all those things. I feel like we were able to bring it around. But um even with this conversation, there's still so much more. I'm still stuck on the fact and like the the imagery of a double-edged sword.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Something vision, yeah, and rest. Yes. Rest. So I I pray it is my hope and my prayer that as you guys continue on throughout the week, because this comes out on a Tuesday, to hold up. Can you rest well, knowing that God is always with you, that it has been promised that we have a helper to be with us forever. Um to get the order right. You know, I think where I mess up in the mornings is I get my coffee and then I start rearranging the kitchen. I start to pick up after things, I look at my calendar. Like you literally, it's just speaking for myself. And I think even with more maturity, it gets easier, maybe. You just gotta roll out of bed.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Sometimes look, I don't want to play the other side of this game like I always do, but I have struggled because I would immediately open my eyes and then open my Bible. And I'm nothing is sticking. I had to get up and move around a little bit.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, and that's fair too. Like, I and I think that's even what I mean by like as we mature too. I think as we spiritually mature, in the way that, okay, I promise guys we're gonna wrap it up, but real quick, when you when there is such a habit that is formed, it does not matter what context you're in.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So independent of context, you could still have this habit. So for example, brushing my teeth, whether I'm at home in my own personal bathroom or in a hotel, I'm still gonna brush my teeth because independent of that environment and context, it's still a habit that I'm gonna do regardless of. So, in the case of reading our Bible and our devotional, if it becomes such a habit because you've laid this foundation, whether it's rolling out of bed and falling on the ground, hitting your knees with your face in the Bible first thing, or it's a matter of like waking up a little bit more, making yourself a cup of coffee, putting on some music, putting on some worship music, and now you're in the word and it doesn't throw you. Like you have to ask yourself and be honest with yourself how how rooted are you? Yeah, that you can still present your first fruits in that way internally. Yes, right?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01And so you don't have to do that. You know, if you like get on your phone first, is it gonna cause a distraction? Because you're just not quite as mature spiritually.
SPEAKER_05Oh, and then what do you can do?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. So just be honest with yourself again. God knows your thoughts, and the word of God will rightly divide the intentions of your heart and your thoughts.
SPEAKER_05So yes, and amen.
SPEAKER_01All right, thank you, Heavenly Father, Lord. We just thank you so much for your grace, Lord. I thank you for your grace, Father. We need it every single day, Lord. I thank you, Jesus, for just the price that you paid. And I just pray, Lord, that your word will continue to wash us over, that you will give us the eyes to see, um, to be able to rightly divide just the ways of this world in your way, Father. I ask you, Holy Spirit, that your word will come alive when we open it and that it will just saturate our soul and our spirit, our minds and our hearts, Father, that your word will rightly divide and even expose your truths in the areas that we need to um lay down at your feet and surrender, Lord. I pray, Father, that you will continue to give us the grace, Lord, that we could have moments of pause and just the margin in our day, Father, that you could wake us up, that we may be more conscious of your nearness, Lord, that you are near us and that alone, Father. Thank you, Jesus, for that, Father. I pray, Lord, that those that are listening, that the hunger will grow greater, that the flame in their heart will burn brighter and stronger for you, Father. Let us not go another day where we are not giving you our first fruits, Lord. I pray, Lord, that we can surrender and dedicate our time to you in the way that you deserve, Lord. I ask you that our lives could be truly a living sacrifice that is a sweet aroma to you. And I just thank you so much for this podcast, Father. I ask you, Lord, that we will continue to give you the glory. Forgive us for any times of pride or even missing the mark in any way, Father. We thank you for the blood of Jesus that washes us over, Lord. And I just thank you, Lord, that you are the one that gives the increase. That is not anything that Ari and I say, Father, but it is you that draws people in. And so we just thank you, Holy Spirit. I ask you, Lord, that you bless the listeners, um, that you bless our husbands, Frankie and Jordan, that you bless Ari and even the work that she is doing and in the way that um that you would bless the way that we show up for you, Father, in our day-to-day lives. And so we thank you. I pray that everyone has a great rest of their week, Lord, and we give you all the glory in Jesus' name. Amen.
SPEAKER_05Amen.