Episode 34: What Unfailing Love, Meekness, and His Presence Really Mean

Are you seeking God, or are you really just seeking what He can give you? There is a difference, and it changes everything about how you pray. Chesed, God's unfailing covenant love, is not just a warm feeling. It is the foundation of your entire relationship with Him. Stop seeking only the way. Seek the Way-Maker.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Build, a podcast from Danville First Baptist Church. Build is where Sunday's message becomes Monday's conversation. Each episode we dig deeper into what God is teaching us, talk about how it shows up in real life, and help you keep building your faith beyond the weekend. Let's get started. Welcome to Bill, the podcast of FBC Danville, where we aim to build on Sunday's sermon, but ultimately build on our relationship with Christ. This week we were back in Psalm 25 for the second part, what will end up being a three-part sermon. And um, you know, focusing in back in on God's loving kindness and uh you you brought up one of my things that I I I actually love to talk about meekness. Um you pointed out that it's a misunderstood term. And uh and I always think about we had a really good um guy in Kodiak that that could minister kids, he could speak to kids, and he would he would always teach them that that meekness is not weakness. And I, you know, that that's always stuck with me because it was hard for me to understand. Um, and so I'm glad that I was I was glad to hear that come up. And um so there's lots of stuff to take away from from, but that was one thing that stuck with me. Yeah, you bet we gotta be meek.

SPEAKER_04 1:26

Yeah, we we were in the middle of the psalm, kind of the chiastic point of the psalm where where David is pointing to this is the main point by the way it's structured, it's it tells you that, excuse me, by its poetic structure. And uh it's gosh, it's rich, deep, beautiful verses about God, about truth, about how to actually follow him, about what it looks like, like truly, what does that look like? Who is that person that's following um the Lord? And of course, we we the series is called The Hesed of God. God's Hesed changes everything. And so we hit definitely re-hit on the fact that God's unfailing love um is what everything is built upon. It's the foundation that we build everything on. Without it, none of it matters. Um, and and and that's why we can humbly come to him is because of who he is. And that's why the understanding of God's real love, what that means, changes everything because when you really realize that that he desires to show us his mercy and grace. Now, he obviously doesn't desire for us to sin, but he desires to show us his mercy. It's part of who he is. And we don't experience that unless we humbly come to him. And when we humbly come to him, we experience that part of his love. And that's why we should never run away in shame. We should always run to him because of his unfailing love. He promises to be the God who is slow to anger and full of compassionate, uh, unfailing love. And that that that's just it's just a beautiful way to live your life. It's the the best way to live your life is with the understanding and and the and the faith in God's perfect, unfailing uh love. We talked about confession not being a one-time event, that we are to be a confessional people, uh, and those uh and the people that you know routinely uh or consistently would be a better word, come on Wednesday nights. We do that congregationally on Wednesday nights. Um and I know sometimes, I say I know, I would assume sometimes as the person sitting there, there's that feeling every once in a while, like, man, I gotta confess again. Because it doesn't always feel good to do that. And so we we talk about on Wednesdays often that as a reminder, like, hey, like this isn't a beat you up session. Sure. Like we're not trying to dig through scripture to find other ways that you're a terrible Christian or a terrible person. Like that's not it. Like, we want to be close to Jesus. Yeah, and the closer you get to Jesus, the more clearly you see your sin. Yeah, you don't have to ever sin ever again. You'll just see your sinful nature for what it is the closer you get to Jesus. You can't help but that happen. And so we should be a confessional uh people. And then we talked about having that that the person who humbly comes to the Lord is the person who fears the Lord, who has a a deep, explosive awe. It was the term that we used yesterday, an explosive awe of God, a uh uh um a deep respect for who God is. Uh, I was recently talking in a conversation with someone that said this statement and it and it's it's sticking with me. If someone manipulates you, they don't respect you. Those now, I'm not saying that just because somebody manipulates you that they don't respect you at all, but in that moment, the two can't coexist. Yeah, you can respect someone or you can manipulate someone. Yeah, and we do that in our relationship with the Lord. We try to pray just right, do just right so that he will do what we want him to do. That's manipulation. And people don't like that word because it has such a dirty connotation to it. By design, right? But but it's true. And when we look in the mirror of ourselves, like we we do that to each other, and we and we need to be honest about that, and we do it to God, and we need to be honest with that about him. So uh having a deep respect for God changes how you approach him, changes how you communicate with him. You stop asking him for your laundry list of things, and you just start wanting to know him and to know his ways, not so that I get what I want, but because I know that by knowing him, that's the best thing that I can have. When I know him, when I have that relationship, that was where we finished off was that we long for real relationship. It's why we linger, you know, it's why we sit here for a few minutes after we finish.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:05

You know, especially when we have time. Like if we have time, we just sit here and keep talking for another hour.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

Right.

SPEAKER_04 6:10

Because we're we have that desire for connection inside of us. And ultimately, that that can only be fulfilled by a connection, a true connection with God and an experiential relationship with God. And so that was the gist of of where we went. And then we finished with that the the pleasurable path is not the promise. Presence is the promise, and that's the best promise he could give us. Um, so stop seeking the pleasurable path and start seeking his promise in your study, in your fellowship, in your prayer life, in your human relationships, which is how we exercise out our beliefs about God is with each other. Seek presence over the pleasurable path. And that's again, that's where we finish. So, do you want the way maker or do you want the way? That was our question for yesterday. Which one do you want? And that's a tough question.

unknown 7:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 7:02

Because there's there's times where I just want the way. I just want the things, I just want the stuff, I just want the direction, I just want to know what's right and good, and and I'll catch up with you later, Lord. Um, and so that's where we were.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

That's good.

unknown 7:15

That's good.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Yeah, I think uh I think Daniel, you you really hit most of my highlighted points from from yesterday. I mean, you you've already you've already touched on them, but you know, just the idea. One you hear people trying to sound you know super enlightened, and they talk about the God of the old testament versus the God of the New Testament, and how the God of the Old Testament was full of wrath and vengeance and all these things, and then you got the Jesus coming as the God of mercy. But we see the God of mercy here in Psalm 25. And he's like, you know, we we can do away with this idea of the old angry God in the sky who's looking and waiting for his opportunity. Listen, if that God existed, he wouldn't have to wait. Exactly. He would just do it. Yep. And um but he has from uh we're we're studying Genesis in our Bible study on Sunday mornings, and uh you know from the beginning of all creation, God's design has been to have intimacy with his creation. And uh that's why he sent his son. We we get it twisted that we think God sent his son so that we could be saved and go to heaven. God sent his son so that we could be in a right relationship with the one who created us to be uh in a relationship with him. Right. And and it's not we have again, and we talk about all the time, we've turned the scope onto us. We are the object of affection, and we are the object that that that is the main attraction in the story. But God sent his son so that I could have a relationship with something so much greater that I don't deserve to have a relationship with because he desires it. And it's not simply for my own good. Yeah, so uh you know, I thought I I think that's just you know, I love this uh scene in the old testament when David is acknowledging like, you know, hey, you you lead the humble and teach the humble, you know, like that we are called into his presence, that we are not you know, again, I I get tripped up on it sometimes, and I know people can say this is why I've moved away from the language of ask Jesus into your heart. Because not that it there are some theological things that are that are accurate and good there, sure, but again, uh to me, it makes me the center of thing, Jesus, come be a part of my life, come and and like Jesus accept me, surrender to God. I'm surrendering to you uh to just for the chance to be at your feet. If I'm a slave in the house of God, then I'm I'm where I want to be, and it's okay. You're better off than everything else I can do. That better off than being the king of my own kingdom. And so I I think we see that that here um you know in Psalm 25, and and you know, meekness, you know, being power, you know, uh and restraint, you know. I think when we look at that from our own viewpoint, I think God has made me to be a passionate uh uh person that's part of my makeup that is uh I think God's design. Meekness is taking that passion and instead of letting it be my excuse for sin, having that same passion, but pointed in the way of holiness or in the way of righteousness for God's kingdom and for his glory rather than just because, well, this way I am, so I'm just gonna be I'm gonna spout off the mouth because God made me passionate. Well, how about God made me passionate? So I'm willing to go the extra step to see people saved. I'm extra willing to go the extra step so that his name is made known. Um and so I I felt like you know, I felt like it was it was good, you know. I definitely had highlighted because I don't like it, but it's so true the pleasurable path is not the promise. And so sometimes we get to feeling sorry for ourselves, like, well, the things I'm doing aren't working out. Yeah, I struggled a lot with that when I was coaching, you know, like man, I see these coaches that are not honoring God in front of their kids and they're not lifting up the name of Jesus and they're not striving to do it the right way, and they're they're winning games that I want to win. And why God, why why not me? Why is my why is it not working? And it's like, well, because that's are you honoring me so you'll win more games? Because if so, that's stupid. Or are you honoring me because I deserve to be honored? Okay. Well, when we refocus and re-redefine what greatness is, let them enjoy their wins in in this moment because it's the the happiest they're ever gonna be. So, but it but it's not ingrained in me naturally to be that way. I want the pleasurable path. I don't think I don't think that's ingrained humanly. Right, right. That's just we want we want the pleasurable path. We think we're the jumping.

SPEAKER_04 12:19

I think the pleasurable path is the best thing. Right. That's I mean, that's what we like. If I just we say it all the time, if I get enough, if I have enough, if I become enough, if I do enough, if I achieve enough, then I'll feel satisfied. I'll feel that that that thing in me that I know says this isn't good, this isn't right, like this existence, something is missing. Yeah, if I get enough, have enough, be enough, do enough, achieve enough, then that will go away. And we use the I jokingly used the reference yesterday to behind the music in VH1, you know. I mean, shout out 1990s. But like every every one of those episodes, like it was the same show, like the the the oh man, we were working so hard, and man, it was you know, and early on, like they love it and it's great, and they're working so hard and it's so much fun. And then they get all these worldly things, the fame and the fortunes and all the things, and they're miserable. Yeah, and because of that misery, they do terrible things to themselves because we did all this and I still am miserable. Yeah, so let's try something else. And they, you know, lose the money and do the things and then find out hey, you know, it's actually a little bit better just to be humble and to have friends and you know, all the all the good worldly things. Right. And then and then so you take that and you apply it to the to the real truth, right, and it and it keeps extrapolating out where you know that truth is fully true in our relationship with the Lord. Yeah. And and all that that means to to know him, um, and and that the pleasure isn't the thing.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

You know, it still makes me think of that meme that says, like, uh, I I feel like I've reached the point in my life that I'm ready for God to test me with all the fortune like I I think that I've gotten there.

SPEAKER_04 14:02

So that's that reminds me of my that reminds me of my grandpa Jack. He he he had a million sayings and was a great storyteller. And and man, I miss him. He's been gone uh a year this week, um church camp last year, uh on the way home from church camp last year. So uh anyway, he had so many great stories, but he would say, uh he would say, you know, the they say the Lord won't give you more than you can handle, and I guess he never hadn't figured I could handle much money because I never had a whole lot of it. But he said, uh, you know, they say, you know, it doesn't it doesn't fix everything and and and make you happy. He said, but I wouldn't mind giving it a shot one time just to see. Just to see.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

Just try a run. Just trying. You know, but I to just maybe encourage anyone in this, I'd lie to everybody if I said, you know, in the last 72 hours that I haven't thought why? Well, that's not that's really just so unfair. How come how come them and not me? Right. Because that's that's that's that's why I was was quick to say that's that's human. Yeah, that's human nature, and it will it is so hard to fight, yeah, especially when when something kind of flashes in front of your face, and you go like what the heck?

SPEAKER_04 15:20

I mean Yeah, and we use the we use the going back to humility a little bit, and uh we use the analogy yesterday of the bridled horse, the broken horse, and kind of building uh building off of Joshua's analogy two weeks ago uh in Psalm 51. And it's not that you don't look at the the wild crazy horse and say that it's not it's powerful, it's strong, but it's not good. That that's the difference. Like meekness, power under control, it's it's it's that you look at that and you go, Oh, see, that's better for everybody. If you're great at wielding a sword, but you just wield it all the time everywhere, you're a danger to you, you're a danger to those around you, you're gonna cause harm and destruction. You might be powerful, you might be strong, you might be talented, you might be a lot of things along that path, but you're not but because you're not under control, you're actually not any good for yourself and for others. And so meekness is is it's it's like it's not wrong to be powerful, it's not wrong to be strong, it's not wrong to, you know, in a in a in a worldly sense, you know, you think of like being a dad, like you know, knowing how to self-defend and to protect your family, you know, carry a weapon, whatever. It's not wrong to have those things.

SPEAKER_02 16:39

Sure.

SPEAKER_04 16:40

You should protect, you should want to do those things, but to just be out of control is not good. And meekness is power under control, that's why it's good.

SPEAKER_02 16:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:52

Um, and I just I love as a man, I love that idea. I don't want to come to church and have to check my manhood at the door. Sure. Right. And I really desire for men to feel like they can come to this church and be men. Like that, that is something that I want all the time. I want a man to feel like he can be a man in this church because we need men in the church, not just males, men. Yes. We need men in the church. We need men leading and guiding and teaching and loving and being powerful and being strong, but under control. And that is what is good for the church. That is what's best for the church. That's what's best for families, that's what's best for the kingdom, that's what's best for the nation. You know, we had a little bit of a section yesterday where we talked about America a little bit with it being the 250th birthday and all of that. And um, I I'm not against patriotic services and all those things. Like, you know, you serve your your church does what your church needs to do. Um, but you know, we didn't have a big patriotic service, but I did want to mention it. Um and and in that we talked about how the church's job is not to make good Americans.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:07

Like, but but what we do in here should make America better. Right. Sure. Or any other nation that you live in. Like it should make your nation better. And that's what I mean about like that's my heart for men. Like when men follow Jesus and act like men that follow Jesus, everything is better. Yeah, the church is better, the home is better, the the community is better, the state is better, the the nation is better, the world is better.

unknown 18:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:33

When men follow Jesus well and live that out. And if you're not following him with meekness, you're probably not following him well.

SPEAKER_00 18:42

Yeah. So the front door. Right. You've done a good job of it of expanding on your own statement, but I wanted just to point it out that it's not just we want uh male human beings to attend our church. No. We want men to show up and live a Christian life. Yes. And you're right, it's got it had there's been a point where the two kind of became unsynonymous. I'm sure there's a word that says that better. Right. But uh but that's not true, like it really it that's what it is. Being a man, like a real man, is living that life. Um just showing up here Sunday morning or driving driving the vehicle here so that your family goes to to church does not make you a man. Um and the more men the the more males can understand that, the the better things will become.

SPEAKER_04 19:48

Yeah. It's like, well, why why what about women? It's like, don't have to worry about them. Yeah. They're doing it. Look at the history of the church. They're doing always done it. Yeah, they've always done their part. It's the it's the men that we need doing the part. And not that we don't have any men, we have some phenomenal men here, being men who follow Jesus. Not what I'm saying. I'm saying the more the merrier.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

We need them all doing it.

SPEAKER_04 20:10

Yeah, the more men we have living out their faith, the more impactful.

SPEAKER_00 20:15

But it's like, I mean, we make you're right. Like you've you've at times had to say, I don't want to see a woman doing this. Not because she's not capable or shouldn't, but a man needs to step up to do this. Quit letting women women do everything.

SPEAKER_02 20:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

That's that's the point.

unknown 20:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:32

Who would get on that rabbit room and it's honestly really funny how many times over the last three weeks I've had this conversation. Right. And I'm passionate, and I'm on the I'm on the opposite side of a lot of our denomination, if I'm being, if I'm being 100% honest. Um, and not theologically, but in practice, I am. And we had this, we had this conversation in Bible study yesterday as we were talking about, you know, God's design and how he created the man and gave him purpose. He he immediately put him in the garden and he started naming the animals. And then he said, Man doesn't have a helper that's suitable for him. He has he has lots of things that can keep him company, but he doesn't have a suitable helper. And he creates woman, and then we got into the fall and all that stuff. And you know, you can chase that rabbit really far. But it brought us to a place in our discussion where I said I've never thought about it like this until I started saying it, which is a dangerous thing to do in Sunday school. But you know, if we put on our website that we were gonna go lay a concrete floor for something in our community and we need the church's help, we'd have 50 men volunteer to go do that. And we should, and that's awesome, and that's wonderful. But then if we put out a message on the same website that says, We need men or we need people to show up and teach eight and under kids the word of God. We'd have two men and five hundred women to say we'll do that. That's a problem. Being a man is not just laying a concrete floor. It's manly. I'm not good at it, but it's manly. Okay. But sometimes being manly means getting in the floor with a toddler and bringing the gospel to life in real life interactions with people. That's not womanly. That's not a place that our women should have to lead. I think traditionally they have. I believe that mostly it's because they've been put in positions that they were needed and women solve problems. And men often we create the problems. If I'm being 100% honest, at least that's the way it works in my home. But you know, I'm not saying that we should abandon the one. I'm saying we should do both. If we're gonna be the spiritual leaders of our homes, it's not that women need to step back, it's that men need to step up.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:18

And um, you know, I I I'm just God just keeps bringing this back over the last few weeks. I've had this same conversation 20 times, and maybe it's me forcing this conversation because I'm so passionate about it. But like I want I think I think I I think we've worked hard to equip our daughters that if they're ever in a situation where they're married and they have children and their husband passes, or their husband, you know, for whatever reason, they they had to teach their children about Jesus. We've equipped them where I I I hope and pray they could do that. But I also hope and pray they never have to. That they they will bring themselves in partnership with men who will be the men that they've been called to be. And I pray that my son will be that. I pray that he'll find a woman that if something happens and she had to lead their children, she could, but I pray she never has to because he does what he's been called to do. And um, it's not I I think we look at the wrong issue too often. We look at the the symptoms and we don't ever treat the disease. We need men to be men in every facet of the church and of the home. And when that happens, most women, not all, but most women will be glad to fall under the umbrella of their husband when he's actually fulfilling the role that God has given him to fulfill.

SPEAKER_00 24:44

Yeah, I think you could look at uh the way that you know, so many things that that we do humanly are by, I mean, well, they're all by design, and so like, but for for the right things, but and sin skews that. But like all the things you just described, how many times have you ever heard a woman say, it's so disgusting to me that that man uh is so good with kids? Never, right? It's like it's usually makes that's women get real like, oh, look at that. That's so like that's so sweet or cute, or becomes very attractive because that's how it's supposed to be. You're you're supposed to be all of these things.

SPEAKER_02 25:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

And it's by design, or it would, or it would be weird instead of it being weird that that happens, like let's make that not weird. Yeah, make it normal. Let's make that normal that we take care of of children.

SPEAKER_04 25:40

Sure. Yeah, yeah. You know, and that makes, of course, y'all know how my brain works. Even right now, as we're having this conversation, my brain goes to, okay, well, how can we make that happen? What can we do? Yeah, what can we change? What do we need to change? What we need to break, what do we need to start, what do we need to stop, what do we need to flip upside down? Because if it's not happening, then what do we need to do that could help facilitate make that happening? And so then I start playing uh, you know, the other side of the coin would be like, okay, well, then what is a way to make this where it's more of a masculine setting where men can teach in a masculine way because maybe the way we have it set up feels more feminine, which then makes me go, hey, good job, church, because we've been doing that already this year with boys to men. Boys to men. That's exactly what we're trying to do in Boys to Men is have masculine settings where men are teaching boys, real life things, but more importantly, Jesus things, and using those things uh to be the way we teach about Jesus and the foundational beliefs that we have. And I'm and I'm I'm thankful that the Lord laid that on our hearts. I'm thankful that that has been going. And I hope and I pray and I would beg every single man in our area, not just in our church, to join in on that because that's the other side of the coin is as much success, whatever word is the right for that that we've had with the you know, with the two boys to men events we've already had in 2026. I can think of so many men and boys in our church that have missed out on that.

SPEAKER_02 27:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:24

Um, and and just because you miss a church event doesn't mean you don't care about the church event. There things happen, things are in the way. I get that.

SPEAKER_00 27:30

But that that makes that bring makes me come to the point. Well, we need to do more.

SPEAKER_04 27:36

Right.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

That's that's always my you know, like I mean, we can obviously always can do more, but like I believe that there's a need.

SPEAKER_02 27:42

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:43

We've and you have to start somewhere, and I, you know, there's time for grace and all this, but like when when when a fire starts, if it keeps burning, if you want it to get bigger, you gotta build it.

SPEAKER_04 27:54

Right. You gotta keep putting stuff in there.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

Yep, you gotta see keep adding to it, but but the right things and do it with but like there needs to be more and more in different avenues, and and men need to grow closer together as as believers. And you know, like we we we've got some, we've got some of those men that do, but like that needs to become that needs to become normal. That we're you you constantly normally gather around with with Christ at the center instead of the idiotic things that men tend to gather around.

SPEAKER_04 28:32

Yeah, for sure. You know, and it it's and it and it it makes me think about Wednesday nights. Like, I think traditionally a prayer meeting may have a fairly feminine connotation to it. Yeah, that ain't what I'm trying to do on Wednesday. That's not what we're trying to do on Wednesdays. We're trying to go to war, man. Like, what man does not want to show up to fight to go to war? Like, I'm not asking you to come here and and boohoo and be emotional. I'm asking you to come here and be a man, a warrior for your wife, for your kids, for your family, for for your church, for your community. Like, come battle for yourself together for yourself. Yeah, even yourself, yeah, yourself. Okay, we're not asking you to come here and pray some flowery prayer. I don't, I'm so, dude, I'm so done. I'm so done with flowery prayers and and and Christian ease. I'm so done with all that, man. Like personally, congregationally, just in general, yeah with Christendom, like I'm so over all that. Now there's a there's a place for the for the liturgy, for those things to to for grandeur, for awe of God. Absolutely, there's a place for that. But but day in and day out, man, let's just be going to war as men in the spiritual realm. And you can't do that unless you're praying.

SPEAKER_01 29:55

Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, I had a conversation this week with Xander, the the youth pastor of Second Baptist and Russell's room. Yeah, Lizander. I really enjoy getting to know him and his fiance and their kids this week at camp. But he told me, he's like, you know, hey, we're looking at at starting up a prayer meeting. And I was like, dude, I I I highly encourage your pastor to come on a Wednesday night and see the way Daniel's doing it. And you know, I know right now with youth, the way that it's structured, I'm I I've gone out of there, but I'm I'm trying to carry the things that I learned in my time in there into my own prayer life because it's been good. We pray through scripture. We we glorify God, thank God, we consecrate ourselves, we intercede for others, and then when there's time, we're we're gonna lift up our needs, um, and we're gonna anoint with oil and lay hands on people and pray. And it's not no offense to grandma, but it ain't your grandma's prayer service, it's war. And I was like, man, completely changed the way I thought about prayer service. And and um I think I think more we need more prayer, but more prayer the old way is sometimes more naps. I don't know how to really work. I mean, when you're talking to youth and you're like, hey, let's go pray for an hour, that's tough. But then like you're in there, you're like, man, that didn't really feel like an hour, man. We were, I mean, we were on point, we were tied in the scripture, we were listening to the Holy Ghost, we were interceding on behalf of of specific things intimately. It wasn't a gossip session that we tag Jesus' name on to prayer, and suddenly it's it's let's be intentional warriors in these causes. And and um, I think it'll change your church, and I think it is again nothing nothing wrong with some other some of the old things. I I grew in churches that did things the old way, but I also think if we're talking about let's beef up the substance of church and let's make it masculine and let's let's make sure that we know that all people are are welcomed here, wanted here, and if you come, you're gonna have meaning and purpose. Then I think it's been a great transition. And and I appreciate all the work. You know, when I told Xander, I said, uh, you know, Daniel probably puts in as much work on prayer service for each Wednesday night as he does, you know, for for his sermons sometimes, because it's not, hey, let's just get together and pray. It is intentional, focused time of battle. And uh man, I think we need more of that.

SPEAKER_03 32:36

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 32:37

Amen. Shout out Nathan Leno, FBC Fourny. Yeah, Todd Kunitz, New Beginnings Church in East Texas. Yeah. Shout out to the Lord for putting us in front of them at the perfect time that we are ready to receive it because he did it and they taught us, and we're just continuing the torque, following the, you know, whatever, carrying the torch. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:57

Well, I I know we've come a long way from from Psalm 25, but to bring it back to Psalm 25 a little bit, like we can think whatever we want, and we we see the poetry and we see all the but David was a dude. Yes, yeah. Like he, if he walked into our church, we would notice him.

SPEAKER_04 33:17

Heads would had heads would like the the aura would precede him. Yes, to use the terms these days.

SPEAKER_01 33:23

And yet he was a man of diligent prayer, of honesty, of you know, emotional, and God, I'm broken, and God, I'm not just broken, but I'm broken for the purpose of you healing me and making me what you've called me to be. I've I've seen your call, I've failed your call, you've raised me back up to your call. Like he was just all the things that we value in a man, and yes, he was flawed, and yes, he made mistakes, and yes, but like nobody you wouldn't walk up like Daniel. You you know you're you're a guy, but I don't think you'd walk up to Daniel and chat or walk up to David and challenge his manhood if he walked into our congregation.

SPEAKER_04 34:10

Um I'd want David on my side.

SPEAKER_01 34:11

He's a guy you'd want. I would want to follow him. Right.

SPEAKER_04 34:16

I mean, I don't know that I'll he's the guy that wouldn't feel qualified to lead him, but I wouldn't mind following that sucker. Yeah, as the saying goes, when it when it breaks out, you he'd I'd want him on my side. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 34:26

Absolutely. For sure. But because he writes poetically, his prayers are intimate and they're vulnerable. We can convolute that a little bit into thinking, well, he was just this this guy in the corner writing these prayers out. Uh no, he's writing these prayers out as he came in from just kicking Goliath's tail and like, oh yeah, hey, let me let's Saul killed his thousands and David killed his tens of thousands.

SPEAKER_04 34:52

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 34:53

He was a warrior's warrior, you know, you know. As you were describing what should and typically happens in a prayer service, you said it's not always tears and and and I will say it it's not always tears. But that's okay, but it's okay, but it should always uh uh it invokes some sort of brokenness. Because then you went on to say that like that that's what David, he was broken continuously. And it all goes back to that it's not just a confession of one time, it's can continually being broken and and you know, having that contrite heart that is just constantly shattered of whatever it is that I did in the last 24 hours or 12 hours, or like you said, on the way here. How did I sin in these moments? And as I come to you, I've got to stay broken. And now sometimes that does manifest in tears, and that's okay. Yeah, because that's that's meekness. Yeah, that is that's that I don't know any other way to describe it except for when you feel like you are such in such control, and then you realize that I'm in control of nothing, and you become broken, that power now is under control. Right, yeah, and and and it's a good feeling. Yeah, it's overwhelming. Yeah, it's a good hurt. It is.

SPEAKER_01 36:25

You know, as a young man, like I verbalized out loud to people all the things that I wanted them to believe. You know, who cares what you think? I'm gonna do what I want to do. I'm my own man, I'm my own person. Like I I was outwardly the picture of arrogance at times. And and really, you know, the more I the more I learn about myself, the more I realize that every layer of arrogance that I put down was to cover up a layer of insecurity that I had within myself. Who cares if you think, well, I really do, but I'm trying to tell you that I don't so that I can tell myself that I don't, so that I won't be upset that you don't think I'm good enough or you don't think I'm cool. So when we think about that in biblical terms, I believe that when we have a lack of of meekness and a lack of humility towards God, it's really a lack of understanding who he is. Because there is no way you can understand who God is, his power, his might, his just ability to do whatever he wants. His and his loving kindness, as I said, and and still have any kind of pride in yourself. Because like on my best day, when I'm at my most powerful and I'm at my peak performance, you're not even a spec. Nothing. I am less than nothing if we were to go to battle. Like I it wouldn't we wouldn't go to battle. I would go to battle, and he would not waste his time battling me.

SPEAKER_04 38:13

I mean think about this. Think about this, Dusty. Since you oh that that's just good, that's good, and I'm with you. At the end, when the quote unquote battle takes place, yeah, there's not a sword swung. Yeah, that's how powerful he is. It ends, it starts, sustains, and ends on his word. He spoke it into existence, he keeps it going by the power of his word, and he will end it with his word. He ain't gotta punch you, he ain't gotta cut you, he ain't gotta shoot at you or drop bombs. He will speak it and it will happen and it will be over. And if that doesn't like send chills down your spine a little bit in a good way, yeah, and make you want to go, yeah, man, yes, Lord, you, you, man, you. Have your way now. Yes. Yeah, because I don't want to answer to you later. And that's okay. Like that's a good thing to have that feeling of the Lord, and to realize at the exact same time, that God is the same God who is the father in the story that I hate we call the prodigal son. It's actually the story of the loving father. I've said that numerous times. Yeah, it's the story of the two lost sinners who have a loving father. Yeah, both the brothers are love, or both the sons are lost as a goose. One thinks he's saved because he's good, and one finally realizes he's not saved because he's terrible, but they're both terrible. But the loving father, that loving father, is the loving father who will speak and end all things and recreate it with his word, takes off running towards his son when he sees him in the distance. And that that same God with all that power and and and all of that ability and uh and all of that, uh he has the he's right in judging. He has all the reasons to judge. That same guy, that same God, excuse me, also is the God of Hasid of covenant loyalty and it and will always be there to forgive a humble confessor to him.

SPEAKER_01 40:14

Yeah. And he has the authority to say to both of them. Authority was the word I'm gonna go. I'm done with you. I gave you your chance, you've blown it. Yep. But instead, he runs to meet him and he goes to the other brother in the field and is like, hey, bud, what don't you understand the joy that your brother's home? Like, I I understand you this hasn't gone the way you think, and that's I've been both. I've been the prodigal son, and I've been the brother thinking, God, really, like I'm doing all this stuff and you're honoring this. Like, I've been both. And God shows the exact same loving kindness to both. And uh the the second brother doesn't get labeled as much because too many of us in the church relate to him, and we don't want to call that out because it might hurt somebody's feelings. Well, I think we've said today basically our feelings are out the door. Like if you get your feelings hurt by truth, now we're not gonna be a brave, we're not gonna choose to offend in ourselves, but the word of God is offensive.

SPEAKER_03 41:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:18

And if you are thinking this person doesn't deserve the loving kindness of the Lord, then you fail to remember who you are in comparison to the one who has loving kindness.

SPEAKER_00 41:31

Anyway, I'm not gonna take that rep, but and and to come back, and we're surprised that he shows sinners the way.

SPEAKER_04 41:37

Right.

SPEAKER_01 41:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 41:38

I mean, uh that that verse, man. Well, there it is right there. Like that, that's the that's the verse where like as you're as you're going through the beginning of it, it's like, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. Oh, no, he shows the righteous the way. Yeah, well, that's true. He does show the righteous the way, but we think righteousness is us doing good, and righteousness is right standing with him. Righteousness is being in relationship with him, which you do that through humbly confessing and and and receiving his grace and mercy. That's righteousness. And I thought about that because yesterday it just came out at the end of the serve end of the service. I said, you know, seek him and he'll add all these things unto you. And the in the verse in Matthew is actually seek righteousness, right? Yeah, and all these things will be added onto you. And I thought, I think often we hear that, we read that, um, and think, I need to be doing the good things. I need to do these good things. It's like it's it's the same thing. Seek his presence, he provides the righteousness. Seek the one who's righteous, seek the one who's righteous, he provides it for you, and then all the rest of it takes care of itself. If you start and end with him, his presence, who he is, knowing him in relationship, which is the gospel, right? Then the rest of it takes care of itself.

SPEAKER_00 43:01

We we are righteous because he is righteous. We are holy because he is holy.

SPEAKER_04 43:06

Not in a number of things.

SPEAKER_00 43:07

There's nothing that we can or will ever do.

SPEAKER_04 43:10

Yeah, for sure. It's good. It is good. His psalm is good. God's word is good.

SPEAKER_01 43:15

Yeah. It is. It's almost like the more I read it, the more I understand who he is, the more I understand who I am, the more that I try to be like him and less like me.

SPEAKER_04 43:26

Hopefully. You should definitely be less like you. I don't I don't know what you just said, but the less like you part, I call it totally agree. Okay. Okay. Oh my goodness. I'm glad to be back. Yeah. Shout out to Kelly for the upgrade last week. I gotta quit saying that and give dusty complex. People are gonna really think we don't like each other. Uh which is not true. I mean, I I like you. You may not like me, but let's move on to the next point. There we go. Uh this is something that I've been uh wrestling with for weeks and it's continuing to flesh out. I mentioned it weeks back, uh a book I was reading and some other things, and a book I need to finish for that to be perfectly confessional. Uh about praying to seek intimacy, knowing God, presence with God, uh, praying for his will to know him, not for his will so I get what I want, not so I get my instructions, right? Like that's that's a type of relationship. It's just not the deep level of relationship. Like if you know I show up to my boss and he gives me my tasks and I go do the tasks and he says, good job, that's a type of relationship, but that's not a deep connected relationship, right? That's not, I don't go share, you know, something hard with with that guy.

SPEAKER_01 45:03

There's no intimacy.

SPEAKER_04 45:04

There's no intimacy, right? There that and that's but but we often pray to God like that. We pray for his instruction, we pray for him to help us make decisions, we pray for him to give us things, um, we pray for him to take things away. We pray for a lot of things, but what I'm wrestling with is how to be better at communicating with God, which is what prayer is, for his presence and his presence alone. Because that's where it's all found in the first place. Like that's where all the things that we're looking for, that's where it is.

SPEAKER_00 45:44

I so looking thinking about that, and and I will say unfortunately, this thing I I I I have experienced, but it all comes in times of duress, which is when we most sure when when we start communicating so much more. Sure. And um, you know, so it makes me wonder if I communicated like that on the regular, would this happen more regularly? But to answer what you're saying, you know, when you when you start, when you're making that big decision, because that's usually when we're and you you're asking for you know, give me the instructions on what to do next, what ends up happening is that plan unfurls in front of you. But it's not it's because what you said, we've started purposely spending time and strengthening that relationship because we're super dependent in that moment, knowing that we don't understand and we don't know, but we do know the one that is, and so um we we become that okay, now I need you. You've been here this whole time, but I really need you now, yeah. Right. And but again, saying that, if we lived life in desperation, which is really where we are, if we lived that way, it probably would be a little bit more we we wouldn't seek the tasks because we would constantly be being shown. Oh, that's good.

SPEAKER_01 47:17

That's good. Well, I think, you know, just on a personal note, you know, I'm not sick very often. And this last week, you know, we had church camp and I I was I got sick as a dog. And you know, on Monday morning, I I think I don't remember a whole lot about Monday morning as we were trying to get ready to go to camp, but I I I'm sure that at that point I prayed, God, you know, help me feel better. Lord, just help me feel better. I don't need to be able to drive this van. I need to be able to get these kids to camp, and I need to do this, and I need I need to do that, and God, this is camp. This is this is the world. This is the world. This is my favorite week of the year, Lord. Like I I need you to make me better so that I can do all the things that I love to do, and that I think honestly highlight my strengths in in this ministry.

SPEAKER_04 48:03

And underneath that is is is the belief of I mean, God, if you don't make me better, how could Kent possibly? Right, Kent's gonna be terrible. Right.

SPEAKER_01 48:10

No one's gonna even enjoy it, no one's gonna get saved. And God, like all those things. But but I say that really, I mean, obviously, God was was showing me some things this week about how you know, like I let you serve. I don't I don't need you. Daniel's been telling you that for weeks, and you clearly haven't listened, which is typical. Uh somebody else would have told me I'd probably listen. But uh, but no, but I can I can remember Monday and Tuesday at camp not being able to get out of bed, not being able to go to the service, not being able, which was extremely difficult. But I can remember being asleep, and every time I would wake up and and like I couldn't roll over. I mean, everything was I was dealing with vertigo and dizziness, and so everything was out of way. But I just remember singing, I'm I'm not gonna sing it right now because I'm not gonna yeah, but I can just remember thinking, you know, everything I need, everything I need, my father has it. Like, that's it. Like, I don't think for two days I prayed, Lord, help me get help me get better, help me feel better. God, I need to I need to be out there with the kids. God, I need to go to service. On those two days when I could do absolutely nothing, God just continually pounded into my head, my father's got it. My father's got it, my father's got it. And which that's not my prayer life. I wish it were. It's not. Yeah, but I just I I can remember in all of the blurry fuzziness of those two days, just thinking, like, I don't, I don't care about food. I don't care if the kids are are playing too rough in the great room. I don't care about the time that everything's going on. I just, Lord, like I I literally need you to just be able to survive the next 15 minutes. And uh, which and then a God wink, like he always like he does so often, like one of the very first songs when I was able to go to the service was, you know, everything I need, my father has it. And I'm like, God, I I know I know I really know. I don't know anything else right now, but I knew that coming in here. Um, but it was just it's just a sweet reminder that when things matter the most, you're not gonna pray for the things we waste our silly prayers on most of the time.

SPEAKER_03 50:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:33

Because in the end, his presence is all that matters. Yep. If you're with me and I'm laid up in the bed and I can't roll over without throwing up because everything's spinning, I'd rather be there with you than out on the campgrounds having a blast without you, but not have you. Yeah. And so uh it was a hard reminder. I don't say that like, oh, I'm so thankful that God beat me or that God allowed me this one.

SPEAKER_04 51:04

It's like most of those hard lessons when you learn it, you still wouldn't choose, go back and choose to do it right though. You know on the back end of it is best. Yeah, but God moved among our kids just fine without me.

SPEAKER_00 51:15

Right. It makes me raise the question if if I could carry the faith that I have in the valley to the mountaintop, oh come on. Would I have to go back in the valley? Or would I even notice I was in the valley? Right. Just be on the plateau. You know, it's always up there.

SPEAKER_04 51:31

I mean, that's not a preach. Not a preach, Josh. We'll put that in my notes. That'll come back up one day.

SPEAKER_01 51:36

But sign that's we have to.

SPEAKER_04 51:38

You know, it's and and and shout out to shout out to our people too, right?

SPEAKER_01 51:41

That's for sure.

SPEAKER_04 51:42

Because here's the the funny thing, and I I joke around with you enough. I'm not saying this as a cut at all. Okay. First of all, I had no worries about camp in the first place. Yeah with you being in charge of it. Well, I mean, not with the spiritual stuff. Now, thank God we have a mandate to do the rest of it. Exactly, exactly. But the only thing that we were having to figure out that morning, the only thing I was concerned with figuring out was just the logistics of how to what van to use, how to use a driver, how to get how to get the kids there. It never even crossed my mind to be worried about what was actually gonna take place at camp because I knew who was there.

SPEAKER_02 52:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 52:25

A, because I know who is in charge. Yeah, I know the Lord had it under control. But like I knew Stuart was gonna be there.

SPEAKER_02 52:32

Right.

SPEAKER_04 52:32

I knew Terry was gonna be there. Yeah, I knew Amanda was gonna be there, I knew Sarah was gonna be there, I knew Joe was gonna be there. Yeah, I knew Chris was gonna be there. Yeah, I don't know Xander very well, but the little bit I've been around him knew he's gonna be, knew he's gonna be awesome.

SPEAKER_01 52:46

He's gonna be fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 52:46

Yes. I there was even though I knew Dusty was not gonna be able to do what Dusty does, and you are right, it is your strength. It is, it is like what you are so naturally good at. But even though I was like, well, if Dusty's if he is down for a day or two, like, I mean, the kids are gonna be fine. Yeah, like those people are gonna, I don't even you don't you're not gonna have to ask them, you're not gonna have to worry, you're not gonna have to wonder, like they're just gonna do what needs to be done, and then and it's gonna be fine. And um, it's just it's beautiful when you see the body step up like that.

SPEAKER_01 53:19

We had so many people, you know. And I, you know, Drew volunteered to just, you know, drop his day, drive five hours there, five hours back, you know, uh, so so much good stuff. And you know, I'm gonna get in trouble for for saying this. Uh a couple of of my son's buddies weren't going to camp this week, and I was worried. Like, I don't know what this week looks like for him. He's a senior, we don't have any older boys going really. What's this what's this look like? And I I love my girls, I pray for them all the time, but like going into this week, I was just like, Lord, I I need I need to see some stuff and and in a situation that is gonna be way out of his element, even more so because his buddies are not there, and uh I don't think he listens to Bill, so I won't be in too much trouble. I'd be surprised. But if he does, like you know, I told him several times I was like, so proud of you, not I mean it wasn't like he he did these grandiose things, but like Monday when I got there, um I went to sleep on a bed that was already made, and I slept till about nine o'clock and they woke me up to go to my dorm to go to bed, and um I get in there and you know my 17-year-old son had made my bed. And that seems little. But it wasn't, you know, when he came, he came on his own to check on me a couple times. Yeah. We have a good relationship. We don't we don't have a bad relationship at all. But it's just he's he's never had to do some stuff because we've probably done too much because we love him. But you know, his mom told him at one point before they came and woke me up and said, E, do you care to go make your dad's bed? He said, I've already done it. His bed's laid out, his stuff's in there. By the way, dad, you forgot to bring a pillow. Exactly my point. Yeah, it's like just roll the towel up, it'll be fine. I'll use a towel. But you know it's in all those times that you can choose to I was sad that I was missing camp. Sure. But it was obvious in so many different facets that he was working even in the parts I didn't like. Like Dusty, you you've prayed about it for three weeks, four weeks that you wanted to see these things, like this ain't what you thought it was gonna look like, but I'm showing you. I'm grateful. I'm grateful. And I told somebody on like Friday, I was like, I'm not grateful that I've been sick all week, but now it's Monday, and I'm like, you know what? I'm I'm getting there. I'm getting to where I'm kind of grateful that I was sick. Now I I think I've learned everything God needs to teach me. I it's time to get all the way better.

SPEAKER_04 56:47

But you know, I can you put me back on the pleasurable path, please?

SPEAKER_01 56:51

Yes. Yeah. I mean the pleasurable path ain't always bad as long as the presence is with you on the pleasurable path. But you know, just like we can find thankfulness in those in those hard times because God revealed himself to me and to others, and God used others in ways that they wouldn't have been able to because I wouldn't have have shared it. I would have said, listen, I've got this part under control. And uh, you know, Stuart led our daily morning devotionals every day. Stuart did it, did amazing. Xander led devotionals, you know, other people stepped up and did things, and and uh I could learn from taking a back seat sometimes. Uh some things he showed me some things anyway.

SPEAKER_04 57:42

I didn't mean to get all on that, but no, it's perfect because what's the the last thing that you said? God revealed himself. That's Psalm 25, 14. That's the secret counsel.

SPEAKER_02 57:54

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 57:54

That's the intimate friendship. That's the word we use that wording. He got God showed up, he revealed himself, like he showed who he was. When we humbly seek him, when we have awe of him and we humbly seek him, we come to him confessionally, we come to him saying we need you, we come to him uh just just wanting his presence. All those things. When when we come to him in faith is the simplest way to say that. When we come to him in faith with hope and trust, you get the secret council. He doesn't scream it with a megaphone from the mountains, he reveals it in the secret council. It's in the quiet place, in the quiet place, it's the still small voice. There's all these ways that scripture says it. Like that's the way God, this big awe, you know, fire, thunder, rivers of fire, throne of fire, all these, like this big, unbelievable God in his grace and mercy whispers to you how much he loves you with his son, with your son making the bed.

SPEAKER_02 58:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 59:00

Like, come on, man. Yeah, that's cool. I don't care who you're like, yeah, what else are you living for?

SPEAKER_02 59:06

Right.

SPEAKER_04 59:06

What what's better than that? What what's better than that, Dusty? Is anything better than that? I ain't found it. I mean, and it's like, I don't know, to somebody that may sound like, well, that that's not that big. No, man, it doesn't get bigger than that to see as a father to be begging for something for your children from the Lord and him to go, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 59:25

See, here it is. Those glimpses of okay, they might be okay.

SPEAKER_01 59:30

Yeah, yeah. Well, and and and again, I know I've talked way too much here at the end, but like this idea. I I think you know, when you're talking about the throwing the thunder, the all the things, like when you look at the mythological gods that are always created, that's how they always are. Now, that's not to say our God didn't do that, the ten plagues and and and those things, like he was capable, but that's the difference is like it's not all about proving my power. So I speak just as loudly and sometimes louder in the way that I whisper directly into your soul and into your heart. Yeah. And I don't have to show up with a thunderbolt, you know, I don't have to show up in in the storm. I I sometimes I'm just I'm here. I'm here. Right. And there's nothing, there's not, there's no more power, meekness, there's no more power, even though it's contained and and harnessed into my soul than when he shows up like that. And and I'm thankful that our God doesn't have to be boisterous to prove himself. Right. That he chooses an intimate relationship and a closeness that he can whisper to us and it be just as loud and meaningful as if he screamed it from the heavens.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:56

Yes. I I think that that's a prime example of when the Bible says uh wisdom in the secret heart. Like what you know, that that that that sounds really cool, but what does that mean? Right. And I think that that that's it. Like you you've gained wisdom of who he is and and and how he's he revealed himself to you and all the things about so many things of your personal life and your family, yeah, just to you.

unknown 1:01:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:24

I hate to say this and be wrong, but in my word study in preparation for this sermon, I'm pretty sure sowed is the word used in that verse also. I'm pretty sure it's the same word, which is pretty cool. So that the intimate friendship, the secret council sowed in the Hebrew. Pretty cool, pretty cool word for the word nerd over here. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:49

So nerd word.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:50

Yeah. This is I'm good. Good one, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:58

Don't stop now. We're gonna go another hour.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:00

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:02

I don't get nothing.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:03

The good news is we get to come back and do it again next week. There you go. Um, we are glad that you that you've been with us this week, and we do look forward to uh when we can do this again. Uh I advise you every week, and it's always gonna be true, if you're looking in ways to to be involved, to to get caught up on things that are going on, sermons, uh, other previous episodes of build, go to fbcdan.com. You can find a lot of information there um that'll be beneficial to you. And uh it also gives you ways that you can get connected and uh ways that you can serve. And that's that's what we're we're called to do. So if you're not local and can't serve within this church body, I encourage you to find you a church body and get involved and serve there. But we look forward to being back with you next week. Peace.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:57

Later.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:58

Well, that's it for this week's episode of Build. Remember, what we build with our hands fades. But what we build on Christ lasts forever. If today's episode encouraged you, share it and keep the conversation going. You can find past messages, upcoming events, and ways to connect at fbcdan.com. Let's keep building our faith one brick at a time. We'll see you next time.