WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.080 Thank you for joining us for After the Message. 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:12.800 To learn more about Celebration Church here in Orlando, you can follow us on social media under the handle at Celebration O'Reilly or visit our website at celebrationloormilk.org. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:16.879 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to After the Message. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:26.000 If you are new to this or you've stumbled upon this, uh, this is a segment of the Celebration Church podcast located here in Orlando. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:31.359 Um I'm joined by uh our lead pastor of the city, Pastor Keith Pittman. 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:32.000 How are you, sir? 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:33.039 I'm doing wonderful, man. 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:33.600 How are you doing? 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:34.399 I'm doing well. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:35.359 It's been a while, man. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:35.920 It has. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:36.640 I'm glad you're back. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:37.600 Yeah, I'm glad to be back. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:39.280 I know I've been on a little bit of a hiatus. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.479 There's a lot going on, but um, I I love this. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:47.920 I love I I listen to this faithfully, and I'm I feel like I'm like, that's like I feel like I'm an honored guest, man. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:49.280 I'm glad to be in the room. 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:50.799 I can't believe I'm with the host. 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:52.079 Yeah, it's it's amazing. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:53.280 That's awesome. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:01:07.280 Yeah, like I said, if you're just tuning in, uh this is simply uh a continuing of the discussion from Sunday's message, and we hope that it encourages you to do the same in your circles, you know, continue, continue the conversation. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:11.359 Uh Sunday is not just for Sunday, it's for the rest of the week. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:16.400 So uh so yeah, that's what this is, and and we hope that uh it's encouraging for you. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:25.040 And if you're catching us, we are in the the middle of a series, church lingo here, a series on uh reset. 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:38.959 And we're we're if historically you've known anything about celebration church, we participate in 21 days of prayer and fasting at the beginning of January, and I think reset uh from 2020 is kind of uh refreshing. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:40.560 So let's start there, man. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.159 Let's let's start with it. 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:52.480 Seemed obvious like that we should have something called reset, but what was kind of like in your mind or heart like at the end of 2020, like, man, what what am I gonna say to these people for 21? 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:54.079 You know, like what's God saying? 00:01:54.319 --> 00:02:00.239 Man, I think some you know, I I often say to some people, like, some things you you just don't have to pray about. 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:01.840 Like some things are just so obvious. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:05.439 Where I've I've had conversations with people and I'm like, hey man, here's a great opportunity. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:06.640 Like, let me go pray. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:08.800 I'm like, man, like sometimes you don't gotta pray about it. 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:12.000 It's pretty clear that I feel like no, but I I I digress. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:26.080 So for me, I I knew um typically as the year is wrapping up, on on regular years when you're not dealing with pandemics and all the other stuff that's going on, you're you're beginning to think through, like, man, like how do we summarize but carry the momentum and going forward? 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:39.039 And so even though like January, the new year, typically gives you an opportunity to to restet, to restart, or whatever, a lot of times in times past, it's also been carrying the momentum. 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:46.879 Because one of the things that I learned early in ministry is that our tendency can be to only speak to the struggle. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:49.039 Like that can be that could be our tendency. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:51.919 Like we come in and it's only about I don't know what you're carrying today. 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:52.719 Yeah, exactly. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:54.639 It's it's exclusively about that. 00:02:54.800 --> 00:03:02.639 Um, but the longer I've been doing this, I've been around folks that are like, yeah, we all have struggles and and all that stuff, but I want to know how to steward the blessings. 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:05.039 I want to know how to steward what's going good in my life. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:12.319 And and so I think there's a responsibility to make sure that we present the balance of everything is not always everything's not always like terrible. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:21.439 And again, as a as a preacher, my default is to refer to the struggle because you're trying to encourage people, but encouragement can also bring balance and stewardship to what's going well. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:31.360 And so I say I had to say, so when times past, the tension is how do you let go of the things you need to let go of, but carry the momentum of the good things from the previous season? 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:34.000 So that's typically been the way that I approach every new year. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:42.719 But I feel like I just kind of had a sense of like, I think it's I think I'm I think I'm safe to say that all of us just need a reset of some sort. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:49.280 Like, I don't think there's, you know, we all may want to carry momentum in some way or another, but for me, I just knew it was like a a restarting. 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:57.199 And so typically for me, once I start thinking about what is it that I want people to experience, or what do I feel like what am I walking through? 00:03:57.280 --> 00:03:58.719 What do I feel like God is speaking to me? 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:02.719 I then just begin to kind of process through what are some words that that capture that. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:08.719 And so I was looking at refreshing and restart, just like these things that are meant to kind of be a fresh start, so to speak. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:17.519 And so reset was really good because in the opening, in the opening message of the series, I kind of gave this illustration about like resetting your phone. 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:20.079 Well, I literally had to reset my phone. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:27.040 And so when I reset my phone, it it like it recalibrated, it got back into an alignment with the way it was supposed to function. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:44.800 And so from that, that birth, like, hey, I'm gonna stick with reset instead of fresh start or restart or like it was like reset because I remember looking at my phone and saying like reset all settings, and I'm like, Yes, I think all of us would have wished we could go back and hit a button and just hit the reset button, and then we could kind of have that blank canvas of opportunities in front of us. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:49.519 Erase some memory and exactly you know, old pictures that you don't want to see anymore. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:53.120 Like, yeah, that'd be the problem is they end up in the cloud and they come back and haunt you. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:54.000 Oh man. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:56.079 Another sermon for another for another day. 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:57.839 That's we could we could go, man. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:40.240 The uh I'm always every every time we we discuss like new year and you know, uh the beginning in January, it's always amazing to me how we attribute um like this time of year and this season to like a fresh start, like we were talking about, and it's almost like it's a uh a magic bullet and our problems go away, and you know, and so I was thinking about that, but I was kind of thinking along the lines of there is a little bit of truth in it as far as you look at seasons in scripture and how God implements these times and stuff where um they're rhythms in order for you in order to grab your attention. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:48.319 Um you even think about you know, in the old testament when he has uh he has them rest the land for an entire year. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:50.480 Every seventh year, I think it was, you know. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:55.600 So we do make fun of like the turning of the calendar doesn't magically make things disappear. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:06:04.160 Like we make fun of that, but at the same time, like it is a reminder for us, like, oh yeah, like I I can I can reset some things in my life. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:09.360 And I think I think the 21 days of prayer and fasting is a great way to start that. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:09.839 Yes. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:17.759 Um, and if you're unfamiliar with fasting, um the way that that you've described it is great, and it's something I've actually never heard before. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:23.439 It's a way to to um to remove some things from our lives so that we can focus on God, right? 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:26.639 What's the what's the actual word verbiage that you've been using? 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:28.639 I think it's um it's to abstain. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:29.279 Abstain. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:34.480 Yeah, to abstain from something so that you can um engage in in the things of God a little bit more. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:43.839 Um and and and what I'll say to you, like what you were saying, man, I think it's it's so spot on with um this whole idea of like reset magic bullet. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:44.720 What does that all mean? 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:45.839 But I I think you're right. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:51.600 What it what it does is the situation itself may not change overnight, but our posture can. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:52.000 Yeah. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:59.680 And what I think we have is I think there's a grace that God gives certain seasons for us to almost have permission to have a change of posture. 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:07.759 And and I think that that's a big thing that like closing out of 20 um 20 that I started talking about is like, man, you have permission to have hope. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:18.160 And and I and God put that on my heart because I felt that there as I was talking with people, that people were very apprehensive with having hope, with having dreams, with believing anything because their situation was so dire. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.920 So I think that there's certain seasons where it almost gives you permission. 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:23.759 No, you have permission to have a fresh start. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:24.639 You have a permission. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:29.120 So you know, you don't have to, you don't have to wait to the beginning of the year to have 21 days of prayer and fasting. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:38.160 Like like for for Megna and I, we fast several times during the year, but this is a time, this is the longest length of time um consecutively, and with the largest group of people that we do it. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:45.439 But but I fast monthly just as a way of just a way for me to kind of do my best to try to stay in tune with God and and and things like that. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:47.600 But I don't need January to fast. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:48.959 I don't need January to pray. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:49.120 Right. 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:55.839 But if there's a grace there where you can bring other people, because it's the same reason why gym memberships are at an all-time high in January. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:56.000 Right. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:58.399 It's because there's like a grace where people are willing. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:00.399 Man, I you know what, I do want to make a fresh start. 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:01.920 So January is going to be my time. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:05.279 So I think it's moments where we can maximize it to really lean into it. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:11.759 And so I think no better way than to say in this season, I'm going to abstain from some things that can be a distraction. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:21.600 And so reference points, and I know it's so easy, but media, social media, like I think we forget just how how like how pervasive those things can be. 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:25.839 Like how much they really can get into your mind and and really begin to affect you. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:28.399 So I think it's in seasons like this, it's okay. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:28.879 You know what? 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:33.919 I'm going to disconnect from getting my information from um the opinions of people and all that stuff. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:41.600 I want to be, I've said this before, I want to be informed about what's going on, but I don't want what's going on to inform me, to inwardly form me. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:48.480 And I think when we obsess over content so much, we're not just being informed, we're allowing it to form us inside, form the way that we think about people. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:49.919 And I think that's when it gets dangerous. 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:52.480 Yeah, it's um it's interesting. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:56.399 I even mentioned it the other day, just kind of uh tongue in cheek, but it's so true. 00:08:56.720 --> 00:08:58.639 Like, man, I need to eat like this all the time, you know. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:15.519 Like I feel just this clarity and and uh I mean, you know, Vinny and I talked last week on the podcast how everything's connected, like the mind, the body, the spirit, you know, and and what you do in one aspect affects the other, you know, because God created created us as an entire entity. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:18.399 We're not just body, and then you compartmentalize mind. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:19.679 No, it's it's all connected. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:20.960 It's all intertwined. 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:25.759 And so what you do, you know, in with your body definitely affects your mind. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:27.759 I mean, that's scientifically proven, by the way. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:30.960 And then and then your soul, your spirit, and so so yeah. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:36.080 Which is why Jesus says, Worship me with your mind, with all your mind, with all your heart, with all your strength. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:42.159 Like he's connecting these things that scientifically we may describe differently, but ultimately they're all connected. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:45.200 So what he's saying is don't compartmentalize even your worship. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.159 There should be an expression and a connection there that all flows through it. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:48.960 So you're dead on. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:56.799 Which is a great segue into to kind of what we what we talked about this past Sunday, you know, worship and how we worship. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:03.279 And um I you started off by talking about how sometimes your prayer can turn into processing, you know what I mean? 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:09.200 And you were talking about being in Montana and having this moment where you're praying with God and like, oh man, did I do that? 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:11.440 Like, you know, that distracted mindset. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:19.679 But I did want to I did want to ask you like, is there an element of prayer uh where prayer can become like processing, but it's it's it's still prayer? 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:20.639 Does that make sense? 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:30.000 Yeah or like medit meditation almost, like where you're not necessarily saying, like, dear heavenly father, you're thinking through things, but you're thinking through things with God. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:31.279 Do you experience that? 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:32.639 Absolutely, all the time. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:34.720 And and and none of it's none of it's bad. 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:38.480 Like I think there's I think it's safe to process things with God. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:43.919 I think what happens is when we get into that space with God, when we begin to process things outside of Him. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:48.000 So when I'm thinking about whether or not my son took the trash out, I'm not process. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:53.200 That's not a I mean, maybe I am praying that my son would actually do it, but but it's it's a it's a little bit different. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:11:04.879 So yeah, I I what I've learned with with with prayer and just engaging God, I I remember um in my early spiritual journey, the way that prayer was described to me was prayer is a conversation to God. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:08.639 That's it's us talking to God, God's word is him talking to us. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:15.360 Because what you'll find is the more that I'm engaging in God's word, the way that He He responds to me in His Word. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:29.440 So whether it be me reading the Word, reminding me of the things that His Word says, this is how we are able to verify if whatever we say that we feel like God is saying to us is actually coming from God, because God's not gonna tell you to do something that's completely contrary to him. 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:33.279 So there are absolutely times where I am literally processing things out loud. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:44.559 And there's moments that I'll intentionally do that, where there'll be a moment where I'm like, you know, I don't think it's like uh, hey, at five o'clock I'm gonna have an intentional processing moment with God, but there are prayers that I pray. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:59.039 So when when Paul tells us to to pray without ceasing, I I I I cannot remember the name of the scholar or theologian or pastor that said it, but he says that I rarely pray more than 30 minutes, but I never go more than 30 minutes without praying. 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:07.679 Um those are powerful words that that I've since that's that's a little bit of hyperbole, but I generally find myself just having prayer moments. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:12.480 So when like when we're having staff meetings and I hear someone say something, I may say a prayer right there on the spot. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:16.480 It's not gonna be a long drawn-out, but it may just be like, man, let me just pray for that right now. 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:16.720 Yeah. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:21.360 Um, and so what I find is it's in those moments, those where those processing things happen. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:28.320 When I go into my office and like, God, how help me to understand, like I'm really struggling with this Lord, like I just need more clarity and and peace and perspective on this. 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:33.120 Like, just just help me because I'm really trying to figure out what the next steps are with this, and then leave it at that. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:41.200 So it's not like this massive, like, like, like decorum of oh heavenly Father, creator of the heavens and the universe. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:45.759 Like it's sometimes it's just a conversation, but it's still approached with reverence and respect. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:46.320 Sure. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:56.320 I think you know, to be honest with you, a lot of times when I catch myself uh out of communion or communication with God is it's because I'm afraid of what he's gonna say back to me. 00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:59.679 Or I'm afraid like I know I almost know the answer. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:00.000 Yes. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:00.799 You know what I mean? 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:14.960 So if I if I tell God or I ask God, uh it's like when you go to your parents and say, Hey, uh when you're a kid, hey, can I sleep over at so-and-so's house, like you're a friend's house or whatever, you know, like no, tomorrow's a school day, they're not gonna let me do that. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:18.320 But you're so you're apprehensive to ask even though you want to. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:25.360 So I I find myself a lot of times like in that space of God, I want to talk to you, but I'm pretty sure you're gonna tell me to do something uncomfortable. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:26.240 Does that make sense? 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:27.200 That makes perfect sense. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:33.600 So and that's that's just kind of part of our our Christian journey because we're still we're still human beings and we kind of know. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:38.240 And so I think there's times when it's like you can know something, and then there's a moment when you know better. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:40.000 And there's a there's a balance to it. 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:46.639 And so I think there's times when we we may be aware of something, we know something, but when we know better, like, man, like I I know better than that. 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:50.480 Yeah, we don't want to pray about that because you like again, some things I don't gotta pray about. 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:55.360 I don't gotta pray about whether or not I should go and apologize to my wife if I if I spoke out of turn or did something wrong. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:55.759 Yeah. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:57.039 So we know better. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:01.440 So those are the things that we tend to not want to go talk to God about because he's gonna be like, Man, you don't gotta be talking to me, man. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:02.559 You need to be talking to her. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:04.480 Well what what do you say to someone? 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:18.159 And if anybody's ever asked you this, like, man, I feel like I just can't, I don't hear God, you know, like and it's not necessarily they feel like I'm praying, I I feel like I'm doing all the right things, but I I feel like I just don't hear anything back. 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:21.279 Like, what do you typically say to someone who struggles with that? 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:24.879 Yeah, I I think I was I was just talking to someone today about it. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:30.320 I think what happens is, man, like we we have the advantage, and and I'll I'll be preaching about it this week. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:43.759 So if someone's listening, they're gonna hear something that you're actually gonna probably hear me say a version of this in the next message, which means if you're part of our after the message crowd and you don't listen to our next messages, this is actually gonna help you to give a segue to make sure you check out the next message. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:58.080 But I I think that what can happen is, man, we we have the advantage of having the Bible, like this this power-packed book with all these stories and narratives and these things that are like larger than life. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:04.879 So I I went to Israel um a few years back, and I remember I'm standing on the top of Mount Carmel. 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:11.919 Mount Carmel is this epic mountain where like Elijah calls down fire against the prophet of like this epic thing. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:12.080 Yeah. 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:15.600 So I'm standing there and I'm like, I mean, and they made like a like a mural to it. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:16.639 So it's like really nice. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:18.799 But we're standing there, I'm like, man, this isn't as big as I thought. 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:28.159 And so as a guy is talking to me and sharing with me like the experience and why they believe this was the location, he then points over to the side, like, oh, and over there, that's that's Mount Nebo. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.399 So I'm like, okay, where? 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.360 Like, Nate, it wasn't a mountain at all, it was just a hill. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:41.600 Like, I I was looking through the lens of scripture, and when we see these words, it's like these magnanimous movements that are like earth shaking. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:46.639 But now I'm over in the, I'm over literally in the promised land, and I'm looking at just a hill. 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:56.080 And I think what happens is that we read these stories in scriptures, we hear about these people that have like these moments with God, and we're like, man, so I'm gonna hear from God. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:58.799 It's gonna be a burning bush type of experience. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:15:59.679 It's gonna be epic. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:15:59.919 Right. 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:06.879 When a lot of times hearing from God is just gonna be when you do your devo and there's gonna be a word that stands out to you, and that's God's way of affirming something that He wants you to do. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:07.200 Yeah. 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:11.679 It could be just when you listen to the message from that weekend and there's one line that stood out to you. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:12.799 That's God speaking to us. 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:21.279 So I think it's recognizing that the Holy Spirit speaks in a still small voice instead of these epic, earth-changing moments that sometimes we find ourselves looking for. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:25.919 Yeah, and I think that's one thing I'm learning the past two years that I've been in ministry. 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:35.279 I think that that's something that the church in America specifically can improve upon in the way that we communicate and and speak. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:40.639 Um sometimes it's not this uh romanticized, like huge deal. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:48.879 You know, sometimes it's just like on your way to work and maybe you're listening to a worship song and God speaks to you through that, you know. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:53.519 But sometimes we can um dramatize it, I guess you would say. 00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:57.519 And I think that I think there are aspects of the Bible that were are dramatized. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:16:58.159 For sure. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:01.440 For sure there are, because this is writing. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:17.039 Like you when you're when you're doing a craft, you you want to make it great and you want to make it stand out, and that's why we do certain things whenever we speak, and we make sure that our speech is well oriented and structured properly so that it's not distracting, but it also is captivating as well. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:17.839 So for sure. 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:24.319 Um it's not like um bait and switch, it's just like why not make it great? 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.400 Why not make it captivating? 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:29.920 I mean, this is the greatest story ever told, you know what I mean? 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:38.319 So um, you know what I think um just to kind of speak to that, Eugene Peterson wrote a book, and if I get the title wrong, it's close enough. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:42.160 It's uh long obedience in the same direction, something like that. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.799 Yeah, long obedience in the same direction, something like that. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:50.079 And really, what as you can tell from the title, it's really dealing with like that's what our journey is. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:55.200 It's just obedience going in the same direction, it's just faithfully walking this thing out. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:18:09.359 And I think what sometimes we can miss, which is why I love um doing background studies when I do study the Bible, is because you know, you can turn a page on the Bible, and obviously our perception is okay, so this is the same narrative. 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:11.599 Bro, sometimes it's like 12 years later. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:11.920 Right. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:15.279 It's like you and you and sometimes that that gets completely missed. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.680 And so you're thinking, like, man, Paul gets called into ministry, has this epic moment with God. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:21.119 Two days later, he's hitting the road. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:23.039 Two days later, like he's out, he's doing his thing. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:23.200 Right. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:33.599 You know, and and obviously being in ministry um for the time that I have, I've had so many people that have like these Paul experiences where God has told them, This is what I'm calling you to do. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:38.720 And so now it becomes God's called me and told me that I'm supposed to be a pastor, I'm supposed to be preaching. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:39.680 Like, when can I preach? 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:41.039 I'm like, man, you got saved yesterday. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:41.920 Like, you know what I mean? 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:44.799 Like, can like like like let's let's walk this thing out, man. 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:46.240 Let's make sure that we develop. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.799 And then when you begin to like, no, but I just like Paul. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.240 Well, let's look at what Paul did. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:50.640 Right. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:19:01.759 Paul went back, submitted himself to the disciples, literally, like was in obscurity just serving for 12 years before he gets sent out on his like that just gets missed sometimes. 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:17.519 And it it it's even kind of like what we talked about a couple weeks ago with Elisha, like that dude just sat under Elijah forever, yeah, and was just faithful and a servant, and and until God uh finally put him in kind of that ultimate uh place. 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:31.920 But um, but th this past week, like I said, we we we talked about worship and and the title of the the message was was Look Up, and we talked about how we can be so consumed with earthly things that you know we never pause to take a moment and look up. 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:36.559 Um and and I think the definition of worship is is is well repeating. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:42.319 It says worship allows us to look up and focus on God, the all and majesty of God, actually. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:53.440 And it says worship is the practice of expressing praise, thanksgiving, and adoration um to show uh devotion um and or to make him our primary focus. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:20:10.000 And a lot of times I think I've been thinking about this for the past week now, I think, since that message is man, we worship the miracle or we worship the we worship the attributes of God or we worship the things that we get from God instead of worshiping God. 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:10.559 Come on. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:24.799 So I think w the three things that we hit on, you know, uh one of that one of those idols or things that we make an idol being money, um, that generosity and putting God first in our finances helps to refocus. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:33.759 Like, no, even if I don't see the fruit of this like the way that I want to see it, I'm it's actually the focus on God that's what I'm trying to do. 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:34.559 You know what I'm saying? 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:35.440 Absolutely. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:43.680 So um I think that gets lost sometimes in in in the way that we the way that we worship is okay, I'm worshiping God so I can get the healing. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:44.079 Oh yeah. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:44.720 You know what I mean? 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:54.480 Yeah, it's it's it's because I think um kind of like what you were saying, man, like in in the church, you know, and and you know, I by all means I'm not trying to be critical of the church. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.480 I I love it, I'm in it, I I've I do it. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.640 This is what I this is what I've given my life to. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:03.519 But I think what we are doing is we have these moments where you just want to encourage people. 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:03.920 Yeah. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:07.599 And and and I think that's that's the that's the that's the core driver. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:10.240 It's like we want to speak truth and encourage people. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:14.319 That's what gives birth to hope so that they can hold on to the next day. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:18.960 So what ends up happening is we give the cliff notes version of of a narrative. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:21.119 We kind of give the we give the reduced version. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:29.039 We just we want to get past like we'll talk about struggle, we'll talk about suffering, but we celebrate the miracle, which we should, because that's what that's what God does. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:36.000 But I think that I think that there's a difference between worshiping God for what he does worship versus worshiping God for who he is. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:36.400 Yes. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:47.680 And I think that's the thing that that makes a distinction between um circumstantial um devotion versus a devotion that can be sustained no matter what the circumstance is. 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:48.160 Mm-hmm. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:52.799 Yeah, the first thing we talked about was we worship God with the way that that we live. 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:57.839 And and we refer to Jesus and how he he lived a life of serving. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:10.799 And I I think that's something that And you know, again, modernity has kind of missed the mark on as as far as Christianity goes, is man, by the fruit they'll know that we're his followers. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:11.920 You know what I mean? 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:15.359 And and I think I think we need to we need to keep hitting on that. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.799 We need to keep reiterating that. 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:26.079 I think it gets I think the the problem is, man, is that is that everybody has their like you know how there's different translations of the Bible? 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:26.480 Yes. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:33.119 So you have like, okay, you know, I I read from the the ESV or or the CSB and you have the message version. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:42.160 And so and and I I never realize like how hotly contested some of these different um translations are. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:43.680 And and for and rightfully so. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:46.079 I know that they're like, oh, this was not translated the right way. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:53.680 And and ultimately what you're trying to deduce is make sure that a translation doesn't completely misrepresent the message of God. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:54.079 Right. 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:58.960 So so but I I remember being in those debates about which translation is the best and all that stuff. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:09.759 So I think that unfortunately, that's what you find in Christianity now is that you have different people that have different translations of what does it mean to produce fruit that follows God. 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:26.079 So I think we're f we're we're in a season now where quite honestly, I think that different different people, different ideologies, different political parties have hijacked aspects of Christianity and have redefined it to fit their expression of it. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:36.000 So now that that's been hijacked, I'm saying, well, by the expression of the way that I am connected to this politician or whatever, this is the fruit of my salvation. 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:44.240 So people they completely lose sight of the fact that we've reduced God to fit him into a structure that doesn't transcend death. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:52.079 Like, and so that's why I often say it, like when we when we get to heaven, there's not going to be, there's not gonna be Democrats, Republicans. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:57.279 There's not gonna be, like, there's there, it's so that means that that's not a kingdom created thing. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:59.759 That's a that's a man-made social construct. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:04.640 So we're reducing God to make him fit into something that has nothing to do with kingdom. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.400 And I think that's what that's what we miss. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:12.319 And so here here's why when scripture says we look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:15.759 Nate, what we look to is what we look like. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:17.680 So so let me say that again. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:20.799 I actually meant to say that on Sunday, and I got through my message. 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:23.519 I came home, I reviewed my notes as I do a lot of times. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:25.359 I'm like, dang it, I forgot to say that. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:26.240 And that was a good line. 00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:28.559 So I'm gonna say it here, and you may hear it again later. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:30.480 Again, you'll hear it on next week's message. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:34.079 But what you look to is what you look like, and and here's what I mean by that. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:35.200 So we're looking up. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:38.799 If I'm looking to Jesus, then hopefully I begin to look like him. 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:42.240 I begin to model myself to do things that I see him doing. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:45.039 But if I'm looking to a politician, watch this. 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:48.559 If I look to them long enough, I'll find myself looking like them. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:51.519 And before long, I'm behaving like a person. 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:53.359 I'm speaking like a person. 00:24:53.440 --> 00:25:03.279 And if I can be quite candid, what I've noticed is that in this season of division, I've seen people beginning to look like politicians where in times past you never would have talked like that. 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.799 You never would have behaved like that. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:08.480 You never would have been so angry at your brothers and sisters in Christ like you are now. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:09.759 How do you justify that? 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:13.680 Because what you look to is what you look like, and I think we're looking to the wrong things. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:21.519 Yeah, we're gonna have to start calling this like before the message if you keep going because we're gonna be preaching near next week. 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:27.920 But yeah, and and that's I mean, it it's a simple truth, but I think it's something that is often overlooked. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:43.680 I mean, you think of athletes, how many guys come up and they're like, Yeah, I I mimic my shot off MJ, or I mimic my swing off Tiger, or whatever it may be, you know, like they're just constantly looking to that and trying to emulate that, and they ultimately end up becoming like that. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.160 Yep. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:48.640 And so I think that's that's a great way to to look at it. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:26:04.079 Um one thing I did want to get your perspective on is we we started off that section of the discussion by talking about the different translations and not necessarily of the Bible, but the different translations within the community and the body of Christ. 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:06.960 How do we get back to some centrality? 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.640 Do you have have you thought about that? 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:10.880 Have you have you even prayed about that even? 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:24.559 Like, how do we get back to some sort of like some sort of level ground where like, okay, we're on the same page about the majority of this, we can have our different expressions, but I I feel like it's a little bit too disjointed at the moment. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:25.200 It is. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:28.400 I think I think where we are, so so there's there's two things. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:34.079 I think um, one, we have to recognize that that we are the solution. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:34.559 Yeah. 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:51.279 So so what I found is, man, um, as I've talked with people, whether it've been in contentious political situations or even just family dynamics, what I what I found is that people are on opposite sides of an issue and they're arguing about the fact that there's no unity. 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:53.440 So I'm like, well, there's no magic bullet. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:57.200 Like you guys are complaining about each other and the fact that y'all aren't talking to each other. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:59.359 So the solution is talk to each other. 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:05.200 Like you are the solution if you actually recognize that you have the power to be the person that can be a change agent. 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:21.119 So I really do believe, which is why I think um churches and pastors have a responsibility to to do our best to obviously keep everything Christ-centric, but to challenge us, like challenge your congregation, challenge the people you have influence with, like you be the change that you want to see. 00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:23.920 So again, we worship God with the lives that we live. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:32.960 I think the other thing, man, is that we we live in a we live in this an era now where everybody everybody wants to be a leader. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:36.160 So, so so so let me let me give you this example. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:44.240 So if you look at the the civil rights movement, this is obviously pre-social media, pre all these other agendas. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:51.680 But at the end of the day, it was just people who were marginalized and disenfranchised that were pushing towards a singular goal. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:28:03.599 And regardless of the different denominations, Matt Martin Luther King um was a Baptist um pastor, but there were other Christian denominations that were partnering with him because it wasn't about their different theological things. 00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:08.400 It's like here's an outcome that we're all gonna work together in order to get to it. 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:10.559 So now you fast forward to where we are now. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:13.759 Everyone, everyone's a leader, everyone has all the answers. 00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:23.200 So there there is no, there is no like no unity because there's not like this sense of who's gonna be submitted to like, hey, you know what, let's all work together to work towards that. 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:26.799 It's nor, it's more like, well, hey, I'm a social justice guy, so I'm gonna do it this way. 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:29.279 Well, I'm a social justice person, and I think we should do it that way. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:37.839 There's no, and so what we find is a lot of good intentions, but we don't get as much results because it just sounds like um clinging symbols. 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:46.799 But I think if we can recognize our responsibility is to work together because we're all we're all called to be children of God, then I think that will that will bring the results. 00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:50.480 Last thing I'll say is yeah, I think we have to get out of this. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:56.720 My version of my version of Christianity is the only version of Christianity. 00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:57.279 Sure. 00:28:57.519 --> 00:29:03.519 The moment that we kind of like kind of like I was saying with Martin Luther King and the different denominations, but they all work together. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:13.680 The moment that we can stop believing, um, my belief system literally is the only belief system that there is, is the moment that I I truly believe we can start seeing change. 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:21.680 I've seen people vilify one another, um, whether it be for political positions or for other things, where it's like, well, hey, if you're a Christian, then you would blank. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.200 Well, if you're a Christian, you would blank. 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:28.720 And what it does is it just draws us apart instead of saying, like, hey, because we are Christians, let's draw together. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:38.960 We may have differences on some things, and we can have some really honest discussions about those things, but we seem to magnify, elevate, make idols of the things that make us different than the things that make us the same. 00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:45.680 And as long as I don't believe that you're a follower of Christ because of one of your positions on things, it's going to be hard for us ever to come together. 00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:46.240 Yeah. 00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:49.039 And I think too, because it's so easy. 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:55.359 I guess there's more opportunity to become recognized by multitudes nowadays. 00:29:55.519 --> 00:30:00.880 I mean, influencer, that that's a that's a common term, you know, in a in a in our culture. 00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:08.319 We you're able to have I mean, I'm just tired of hearing about it, but platform, you know, like everybody's got a platform now. 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:25.440 And so and and you you're accessible to the world, yeah, you know, and it it takes you knowing somebody or getting getting in the right place at the right time for the world to see you, and that can be to our flesh or to our you know, our sinful selves, like that can be uh very attractive. 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:26.400 You know what I mean? 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:31.519 So I think that's where a lot of that this is my way or this is my and another thing, man. 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:42.720 I was talking to somebody this morning, like we we want to tell everybody like you're the best, like you're awesome at every like maybe you're not in some areas, you know. 00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:45.279 Like you're there are areas where you're weak. 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.319 You know what I mean? 00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:50.079 Like we can't tell everybody that they're the best always, all the time at everything. 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:50.880 Yeah, okay. 00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:58.559 Like there may be aspects and propensities that you have that that yes, you have strengths in, but let's be real about it. 00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:04.559 Like help me in an area where I'm weak, and I can help you, you know, and it kind of like what you were saying, like let's lift each other up. 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:08.880 And bro, I think I think what that does is that that's that's accountability in the community. 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:16.400 I think it requires also um, I think it requires just just truth, and I think it's self-awareness as well. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:27.599 Like I think the more that we can recognize that no, I'm not the best at everything in the world, you can handle um critiques or honest observations about things. 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:39.920 But if if we are if we are raised in like this this bubble of you're perfect, and then you get into a world where someone um could dare to say something opposite of that, we can unfortunately view that as like, oh, they're just hating. 00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:46.240 Well, like you know, you can define it however you want, but some people really just genuinely are are speaking truth. 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:53.519 So I think self-awareness is key, and I think the way that we get self-awareness is when we're connected to just truth and honest community. 00:31:53.759 --> 00:32:01.359 Yeah um in our in our homes with our families, parents as you're bringing your kids up, be honest with them, help them and and help to develop them. 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.400 Like it's just so important. 00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:05.599 But even in your friendship circles, like just just be real, man. 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:08.000 Let them like speak the truth. 00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:08.799 Yeah, yeah. 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:12.240 And a sense of humility will go a long way. 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:18.480 I mean, you know, like Jesus Jesus exhibited that, you know, humility, and I think it's something we need to as well. 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:22.000 He also had authority that doesn't that doesn't take away from his authority. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:22.559 Yes. 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:24.480 Um, but yeah, man. 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:27.759 All we like sheep have gone astray, each one turned to his own way. 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:32.000 You know, we don't have it all figured out, and so that's the beauty of the gospel. 00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:48.960 But one thing you did mention, uh you were talking about like how we are we are the the solution to our problem, uh in a sense obviously considering the grace of God working through us and and Jesus ultimately, but but you know, be the change that you want to see. 00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:59.680 And and you seem you seem pretty fired up this past Sunday about sharing that and like passionate about like hey guys, look like you're the worship I can't force you to worship, you know. 00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:12.559 I can tell you my experience and my story and and and encourage you, but but you gotta get up, yeah, and and we we had a praise break moment in the balcony, man, and that was that was pretty cool. 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:16.880 It's something historically maybe we haven't done a ton of, but I think it was good. 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:20.480 And it there were moments where I was like, man, how's this gonna go over? 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:31.200 Like maybe it is gonna be uncomfortable, but I think it pushed us past our comfort zone and actually gave us the gave us the permission to like let's just clap our hands and yell for a minute and thank God. 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:44.720 Because I you know what I've I've noticed, I mean, and and and typically preachers and sometimes worship leaders will will say this, but but but when you think about it, man, like it you don't have to be convinced to to to celebrate when your team wins. 00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:45.279 Huh. 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:47.440 You don't have to be convinced to express that. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:56.079 Like, man, like if if Tom Brady pulls it through for your for your squad, man, like I'm pretty sure no one's gonna say, hey Nate, this is the part where you have to like really celebrate, be happy. 00:33:56.160 --> 00:34:04.960 Like you're gonna you're gonna be happy, and and and we don't have a we don't have a hard time with expressing our happiness when it comes to virtually anything. 00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:10.960