WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:20.879 Well, good morning. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:21.760 How are we doing? 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:23.120 Happy New Year. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:24.960 Great to see you all. 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:26.480 I feel like it's been forever. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:29.519 We took a Sunday off, and uh it's been a while. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:31.199 It's great to be back with you. 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:33.679 If you're new or we never met, my name's Ryan. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:37.359 Absolutely thrilled to have you join us today. 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:39.920 And we had an awesome break. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:44.479 Uh actually, my daughter, who's in college, freshman year, came home for college. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:46.560 It was amazing to have her home. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.759 She's literally got on a bus just like 10 minutes. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:51.600 I'm checking my watch all the time. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:56.560 Uh, to head back down to just the worst place on the planet, Santa Barbara. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:02.640 Um, so she's gonna suffer while we stay in this just frigid Arctic era up here. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:07.760 Um we're starting a brand new series today called Unstuck. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:09.599 Why don't you go ahead and say that with me? 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:15.200 Now, years ago when my daughter was little, she loved to climb trees. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:20.480 And uh, you may have heard this story, we shared it in the promo video, but if you haven't, let me share it with you. 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:23.920 Uh, and we had this apricot tree in our backyard. 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:27.359 Not a very big tree, she loved to climb it. 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:35.439 And I remember one day being inside the house and she like lets out this blood-curdling scream, you know. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:44.079 It's just, Dad, help! And for those of us who are parents, we understand there's different levels of screams in our kids. 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:46.560 Some that like, yeah, you could ignore that. 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:51.439 Or um, oh, that's your beating up your brother's scream, uh, or whatever it is. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:54.400 This one felt like, oh, this is serious. 00:01:54.640 --> 00:02:04.719 So I run out and I find her, she'd climb up a little bit higher than she'd ever climbed, and she's clinging to a branch and she's she's stuck. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:11.039 She got she literally got stuck in a tree, and and mind you, uh, she wasn't that high. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:13.280 I could touch her feet. 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:17.360 But have you felt that way? 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:29.360 Where in life you just have gotten to a point where you just feel stuck, and so you feel paralyzed, you feel like you can't move forward. 00:02:29.680 --> 00:03:02.639 To move feels just overwhelming, you're afraid, you're just clinging, maybe you feel stuck relationally in your marriage, or with your kids, or with a friend, or maybe somebody you're dating, maybe you feel stuck emotionally that's just been this cycle, you know, whether it's anxiety or depression, or or maybe you feel stuck in your job, with your work, with your future. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:05.680 What do you do? 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:11.120 How do you get unstuck in the significant areas in your life? 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:17.280 That's what we want to spend the next uh several weeks talking about as we begin the new year's. 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:18.400 How do we get unstuck? 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:24.319 And here's the incredible news is your Heavenly Father wants to help you get unstuck. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:30.560 Just as Ella called out and had her dad, me, go and help her get out of that tree. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:40.879 God doesn't just leave you on your own to figure it out, to somehow try to eke your way, and maybe you'll just stay this way forever. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:43.360 God actually says, I want to help you. 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:51.759 And one of the powerful ways he wants to help us is he has given us this book called Proverbs in the Scripture. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.080 It's a book of wisdom. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:04:04.479 In fact, what we're gonna spend for the entire year, 2024, is we're gonna spend a theme going through wisdom of God. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:08.000 Now, 2020 or 2020, did I say 2023? 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:08.879 I did. 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:10.159 I'm still writing that. 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:12.319 Anyone else still writing 2023? 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:13.120 Yeah. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:15.599 2024, wisdom. 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:19.199 In 2023, last year, our theme, our emphasis was Jesus. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:20.000 Very simple. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:26.959 We really want to get to know Jesus, fall in love with him, and just begin to do the things he would do if he were in our place. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:31.680 And then Jesus said something really incredible at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:39.839 He he said that a wise person actually builds their house upon a rock, where the foolish person builds it on the sand. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:46.160 So when the winds and the waves and everything comes, the storms come, and a storm is gonna come, we can't get away from storms. 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:53.279 Well, the foolish person, their house collapsed, where the wise person, their house stays strong, and then he gives the application. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:03.920 He says, Whoever hears these words of mine, and then does what I say is the wise person. 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:13.279 Like the wise person isn't just a hearer of God's word, a wise person is a doer of God's word. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:33.439 And so we're gonna spend a year getting intensely practical, learning how to walk in the ways of Jesus, learning how to walk in wisdom, and spend the next several weeks learning how to get unstuck in some of the biggest areas of our life, financially, relationally, emotionally. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:40.480 Before we go on, let's talk just a little bit about wisdom and this idea of wisdom. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:46.160 You know, we live in a world overwhelmed with information, yet starve for wisdom, don't we? 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:51.360 I mean, we have more information coming at us than ever before. 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:52.879 It's nonstop. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:06:09.360 You just open your phone, the the amount of emails and text and posts, and it's just coming at us, and everyone has an idea about how to go about life, about how to navigate that relationship issue. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:24.319 Uh, there's some expert on Instagram or TikTok telling you how to do uh, you know, finances or your emotions or all of those sort of things, and yet we're just star for wisdom. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.680 And part of the reason is you can't Google wisdom. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:38.319 Wisdom, by the way, uh, is this idea, it's actually God's moral law that's woven throughout the very fabric of the universe. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:43.680 And that's what we're gonna get back to is okay, I know there's lots of information out there. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.399 What is God's wisdom for you relationally? 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.560 What is God's wisdom for you emotionally? 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:51.040 What is God's wisdom for you financially? 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:59.120 In fact, there's a proverb that says, there's a way that seems right to a person, yet in the end it leads to death. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:01.040 Have you experienced that? 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:05.839 You're like, no, this is exactly how I'm supposed to do relationships. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:10.319 And you go about it, and then it just, it just ends in death. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.759 This is exactly, you know, I can do finances however I want. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:18.000 And then you look up and you're like, I'm under a mountain of credit card debt. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:22.000 It sure was fun while it lasted, but now it's really painful. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:48.000 There's a way that seems right to a person emotionally, there's a way that seems right relationally, there's a way that seems right financially, there's a way that seems right, and yet in the end, and what we experience and what you see all around us is that we experience death, we experience heartache, we experience pain, we experience not the life that God has for us. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:58.399 And so let's define wisdom and what it is, and then let's talk today, just real simply, really, what is it that's keeping us stuck fundamentally? 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:04.319 And then how do we take some of those first steps of getting unstuck, especially personally and spiritually? 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:10.399 So, wisdom is simply this wisdom is the skill of navigating life well. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:17.199 This is really good news because wisdom is actually a skill to be learned and developed. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:32.720 You know, we don't all have the same talents, and we're not all gonna get the same opportunities, but we all can grow and develop in our skill and wisdom. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:36.639 It's not necessarily that you're older you get, the wiser you get. 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:47.919 There's some really old people that are unwise, and it doesn't mean if you're young, you're not gonna be wise, but yeah, the older you get, you have the opportunity to grow and to develop in that wisdom. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:53.840 It is a skill that we're gonna work on this year of navigating life wisely and well. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:58.480 And so it's not merely the acquisition of knowledge, acquiring more knowledge. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:06.000 We have lots of information, and here we know this because you know plenty of smart people that do dumb things, right? 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:11.279 We are addicted in our day and age to information and to new and to next. 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:17.840 And in fact, sometimes when we come to church, we're disappointed because we're like, I didn't learn anything new. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:24.799 See, what we need in our world today, and especially in the church, is less information. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:29.440 I'm not I'm not down on new, I love that too, but we need more application. 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:31.919 We need to start doing what it says. 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:37.279 See, wisdom is the proper application of the right knowledge. 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:38.639 The question. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:46.080 I real honestly, as you begin this new year, like where are you getting your wisdom from? 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:51.759 Who's allowed to speak into your life? 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:57.679 What are you basing those decisions upon? 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:14.320 And we do get addicted to new and to next, and what I want to invite us back to is something incredibly old and ancient that actually is woven into the very fabric of the universe. 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:19.200 It's God's wisdom for your life and for my life. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:22.399 So, how do we get unstuck? 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.039 How do you get unstuck personally? 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:28.320 How do we begin to get unstuck spiritually? 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:30.559 What is the beginning of this? 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:38.559 And and what is what is maybe really the foundation of how we're being stuck in the very first place? 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:42.080 The sermon title today is simply called The Streams of Influence. 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:43.360 Will you say that with me? 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:47.679 Now let's say it as if it's exciting. 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:50.000 Um The Streams of Influence. 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:51.840 Yeah, the streams of influence. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.960 I know, you're like, well, the streams of influence, that's not even a catchy title. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:56.240 I mean, a new year's. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:59.279 I'm like, come on, Ryan, come up with a better title. 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.840 It's not a good title, but it will stick with you because I just made fun of it. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:07.200 Um, the streams of influence, okay? 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:20.000 I want to draw to your attention a proverb that is, I think, perhaps the most, if not, yeah, the most important proverb that you can know. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:27.679 I want to suggest that if you do one thing this year, do this, apply this. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:32.399 If you focus on one thing, focus on this. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:42.159 And the proverb says this above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:43.360 Would you say that with me? 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:44.639 Would you read that with me? 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:52.559 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:54.159 Here's what's amazing. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:59.840 Here's what uh the the the one, probably Solomon who wrote this proverb. 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:07.120 He says, above all else, above all your goals that you have for this new year. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:09.360 Anybody make New Year's goals this year? 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:10.000 A few? 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:12.159 Yeah, it's really going down in popularity. 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:13.440 People are like, I'm out. 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:15.600 Post-COVID, done with those. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:16.799 Um, right? 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:24.240 Above your New Year's goals, above above, above, you know, how do I fix this relationship? 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:25.759 How do I get a new job? 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:30.480 How do I make sure uh my kids, you know, really succeed in life? 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:35.120 Above all else, focus on this one thing. 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:42.399 Make this your priority, make this the central part of what you do this year. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:46.240 Above all else, guard your heart. 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:51.679 Now, the heart in the ancient day, in the Hebrew world, wasn't just the center of your emotions. 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:53.919 That's how we predominantly think about it today. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.159 It's like, you know, how I feel. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:01.120 The heart is actually the center of a person's mind, emotions, and will. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:04.879 It's the seat of one's moral conscious and affection. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:06.480 It's the inner you. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:08.399 Like all of you. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:12.960 Your heart is your mind, your emotion, your volition, your will. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:13.679 It's you. 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:17.840 And says, above all else, guard that part of you. 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:25.200 When I was thinking about the idea of a guard, and I don't know why this came to mind, it was the idea of a bodyguard. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:30.639 Like, and and it's like none of us have had a bodyguard. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.559 So why did that come to mind? 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:33.120 Right? 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:39.360 But I just think about some of these celebrities that have bodyguards that walk with them and they guard their what? 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:41.039 Their body, right? 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:44.399 Their whole job is to guard the body of the celebrity. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:49.039 They're walking around and they're assessing threats, they're looking at, yeah, ain't gonna let you close. 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:49.519 Mm-mm. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:50.320 All right. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.600 And then what do they do? 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:55.759 People that they know that are like friends and whatnot, they let them in. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:57.759 That's what a guard does. 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:03.039 A guard protects from the bad and lets in the good. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:04.960 That's what a boundary does. 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:06.320 That's what a gate does. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.080 That's the purpose and intent of it. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:13.440 Is how do you keep out the bad and then let in the good. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:15.679 Here's what the Proverbs says saying. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:23.440 Above all else, guard, watch over with all diligence and focus, intentionality. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:32.639 Pay careful attention this year to an area I would that most of us don't pay attention to at all. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:34.639 Your heart. 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:43.039 Watch over your heart. 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:45.440 And then he says, why? 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:50.960 For from it flows the very springs of life. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:54.399 For all of life flows from your heart. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:59.840 Here's the principle all of life flows from your heart. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:13.360 All of life, your life, your future hopes and dreams flows from your heart. 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:19.440 Let me do this in picture form because I think it really helps drive the point home. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:25.600 And in fact, what I want you to do with this little three by five card on the back, you have a blank side. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:27.360 Would you just draw a heart? 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.679 Because I want you to walk away with this picture. 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:44.960 It's really helpful and powerful to understand how do you actually begin to guard your heart, watch over with all diligence your heart, because the reality is, and here's what the Proverbs saying. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:50.799 It's this idea, that idea of flows is this, it's the place where something begins. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:56.080 It's the source, it's literally like the spring or reservoir. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:02.960 It's the originating part, and it's this reservoir that once fills up the overflow that comes out. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:11.600 And so what the Proverbs saying is, and I know I I don't have very big handwriting, so you in the back, I apologize. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:14.480 Um here's what he's saying. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:19.279 And in fact, right in the middle of the heart, would you just write your name? 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:22.320 I'm gonna put mine, Ryan. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:24.000 This is your heart, not mine. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:25.519 This is well, this is my heart. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:27.759 Um you write your heart there. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:30.720 And here's what he's saying. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:37.679 Out of your heart, out of my heart, comes life. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:43.360 It comes your identity. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:56.080 It comes your um, out of your heart flows how you do your work, your job, all your relationships. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:06.319 Out of it flows um the way you love others, the way you talk. 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:12.559 In fact, Jesus would say this out of the overflow of your heart, the mouth speaks. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:17.279 Like what comes out of your mouth actually is a heart issue. 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:25.680 The way you spend your time, your energy, like all of life flows from that. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:27.920 Um, what you value. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:36.000 He says, guard your heart, for from it flows life itself. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:40.079 And then let's think about the areas where you're stuck. 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:52.640 The areas that maybe you're struggling with, maybe in the area of anxiety, maybe in the area of some anger. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:18:02.960 Maybe, oh, this has been mine since a young teenager, the area of lust or insecurity. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:09.839 Maybe in the area of feeling empty. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:18.160 What are the areas that are outflowing in your life where you're feeling stuck? 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:26.000 And here's the thing, and here's the reason we often stay stuck, is we focus downstream on these issues. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:28.480 And how do we correct down here? 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:35.680 Well, I'm feeling this, I'm addressing this, I'm addressing my identity issues, I'm addressing my work issues, I'm addressing my relationship issues. 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:43.119 And what the proverb is telling us is what's flowing from your life ultimately is a heart issue. 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:49.680 And until you address and deal with the heart issue, it's gonna come out in different ways downstream. 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:58.960 And so here's what we do: we have to then begin to identify the streams of influences into our heart. 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:02.160 What are the things that we need to guard our heart from? 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:03.039 Watch over. 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.039 Now remember, guarding is what? 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:06.160 Both good and bad. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:12.559 It's gonna protect and guard from what's bad and make sure let in what's good. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:17.599 And so, what are some of the streams of influence that impact our heart? 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:26.079 The first one, I think, um, is really past hurts and trauma. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:29.920 Gosh, that impacts our heart, doesn't it? 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:34.960 Especially unresolved, undealt with. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:36.799 I'm just gonna stuff it. 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:39.680 I'm gonna get on with it and move on. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:46.960 And then yet it's still having a stream of influence and impact into our heart. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.599 Another stream is family of origin. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:20:05.039 It's funny, I was listening to a guy talk on this, um, and he's like, you know, all of us when we get back to our family of origin, revert to our eight-year-old self. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:08.559 And I was like, oh, that's kind of true, me and my brothers at least. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:14.880 Um, and he he was talking about maturity is like the longer it takes you to go back to your eight-year-old self. 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:16.480 You know, it's like for me, it's two days. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:17.759 And I was like, okay. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:23.680 Um, but your family of origin is such a massive stream of influence. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:29.519 And also there's something biblically here when we think about this, and it's called a sin nature. 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:32.720 It's our natural bent away from God. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:34.480 Much of it's been inherited. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:36.799 It's called generational sin that's been passed on. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:41.359 And as parents, we get this when we see our kids be taking on our sin. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:47.440 It's one of the worst parts about being a parent when you look at your kid and you just go, like, I gave you that. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:49.599 I'm so sorry. 00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:53.119 But we have this family of origin. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:56.400 Um, here's another stream of influence. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.160 Our self-talk. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.960 You know what? 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:17.599 If someone talked to you the way you talk to you, you'd have a restraining order against them. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:20.400 Isn't it amazing? 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:22.000 Our self-talk. 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:25.759 I'm terrible, I'm a loser, I'm no good. 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:37.680 And some of it is words that were spoken over us from a parent or a coach or a teacher or a friend or a coworker that we just begin to embody and we play on repeat. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.880 And by the way, it can be both good and bad. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:54.079 One of the best things we can do is to remind ourselves of the truths of God's word and begin to replay his truths that you're beloved, that you're accepted, that you're redeemed, that you're forgiven, that you're adopted. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.599 That is what's true of you. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:59.519 And you just begin to identify what are the streams of influence. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.400 In my why. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:04.880 It says, guard your heart. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:05.680 Why? 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:14.160 Because what you're seeing downstream is being impacted by all these. 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:16.480 Let's get personal real quick. 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:18.319 That was a joke, by the way. 00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:19.599 We just got okay. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:20.960 Anyways. 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:31.920 One of the big streams of influences in our day and age, social media. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:35.200 We all know this. 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:37.039 We've seen the studies. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:43.759 The longer and more you are on social media, anxiety goes up, depression goes up, insecurity goes up. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.039 And yet, here we are, we're still doing it. 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:59.359 Did you know the average American, this is not average teenager, not average 20, the average American, like all of us, from 90 down to nine. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:06.079 The average American spends two and a half hours per day on social media alone. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:21.359 Now, if you do the math and figure out how much of a year is that, really, it's actually 38 days, 38, 24-hour days on social media. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:29.279 That the average person in America this year is gonna spend over a month doing this. 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:39.680 And here's the thing, if we could just realize, we seem to think none of that impacts us. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.720 We can take stuff in and it's not that big of a deal. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:24:04.319 And the proverb tells us you have to guard and protect your heart because it's not neutral, it actually is influencing, it's shaping your heart, and it starts to come down downstream, and it starts slow, and so we don't really notice it, and then it just begins to grow, and it shapes our character, and it shapes our conduct, and it shapes who we are. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:08.480 Here's an interesting thing, and yes, I saw this on Instagram. 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:13.680 Um there's a TED talk, um, and this was fascinating. 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:28.480 This this guy did uh he broke down for 18 to 90 years of age, like he's like the average person, like if we give the most generous breakdown, if you live to 90, and uh let me see if I can get at least the the the months correct. 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:36.640 So if you from 18 to 90, if you get to live that long, you're gonna have uh 864 months of life. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:43.200 And then you begin to break it down, like um, you know, uh a third of that is gonna be your sleeping, you know? 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:50.079 Uh then he broke it down to uh amount of travel, to work, to how much time in the bathroom. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:25:00.480 And then there's 334 months left of life when you take away all the rest of it, from 18 to 90. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:09.920 The average 18-year-old is on course or pace to spend 93% of the time left in front of a screen. 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:38.480 And it's probably most of us are pretty high in that percentage, and yet we don't realize that all of this is shaping and forming and impacting, and then it flows into life, it flows into our relationship, it flows into our emotions, it flows into our talk and our character, it flows out of us. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:48.720 And another area, TV, movies, kind of all other media, Netflix, Netflix, men ging. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:57.200 And it's just it's just crazy to me that we think that we can take in content and that it has zero impact on our lives. 00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:05.200 And yet, what the truth is, is everything we let in has some forming and some shaping. 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:12.799 The most important decision you make and I make every single day is what we allow into our hearts and to our minds. 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:17.039 TV movies, um, how about music? 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:20.799 Well, Ryan, I just listen to the beat and the music. 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:23.200 I don't listen to the words, it's not really a big deal. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.359 Um and yes, that may be true. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:28.559 Here's what I remember. 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:30.480 When I was in high school, nirvana was really big. 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:32.559 Anybody like nirvana, love nirvana? 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:34.400 I got into, yeah, three of you know them. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:37.519 Um uh thank you, Mike, for the strong hand. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:38.319 Q. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:45.119 I got into a nirvana phase and I listened to them non-stop. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:52.480 And I gotta tell you, I was like the most angsty, depressed, like moody teenager. 00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:58.319 I mean, teenagers are kind of moody anyways, but but like I was email before email was cool, you know? 00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:02.559 Uh it just was like, oh, it smells like teen spirit. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:03.039 Okay. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:04.319 Okay. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:06.640 Oh, another one. 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:09.680 What about friendships? 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:13.119 It's a stream of influence. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:19.759 You know, the Apostle Paul would quote a famous proverb in his day that bad company corrupts good character. 00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:24.559 That we are and become like the people we surround ourselves with. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:28.240 You know, the old ad is show me your friends and I can show you your future. 00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:30.160 And this is both good and bad. 00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:39.680 But then, but then let's just begin to go, okay, okay, the other streams of influences, of something that's so powerful for us this year, is what about God's word? 00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:42.240 It's a powerful stream of influence. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:50.480 In fact, study shows that the more time you're in God's word, it is the number one uh determiner for like life change. 00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:54.319 And yet, this is the one we struggle with the most. 00:27:54.640 --> 00:28:00.079 Psalm 119 says, How can a young person keep their way pure by living according to your word, O Lord? 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:05.599 I've hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:12.799 Psalm 1 talks about uh the wise person dwells and meditates on the word of God day and night. 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:23.519 That person's like a tree planted by a stream of water, yielding its fruit in season, like there's just this strength and sturdiness because you're rooted in the word of God. 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:35.759 What about worship, prayer, solitude, silence? 00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:38.640 Silence is a stream of influence. 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:46.880 If you just took five minutes a day, two minutes a day, and you just paused your heart to be still and to allow the Spirit of God to meet you. 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:52.640 What about godly mentors? 00:28:56.720 --> 00:29:09.119 You know, as our kids were hitting the teenage stage, we just wanted to get around families where they did the teenage uh teenage stage well. 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:16.559 Because when you often talk to people and still to this day talk to people, they're like, hey, you know, oh, you're hitting the teenage stage. 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:17.920 Watch out. 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:20.079 That's rough. 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:23.359 Hang in there, it's horrible. 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:24.880 Like, really? 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:28.319 Like, I don't want to get around you, honestly. 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:30.480 We want to get around people, like, yeah, you know what? 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.440 There was some hard parts. 00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.640 It was awesome though. 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:42.880 It's amazing to see like you, your kid, you know, grow up and uh how they're learning and understanding and becoming an adult and how they're growing. 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:46.319 And so we just began to get around people like that. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:48.240 My wife led the way in that. 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:54.079 Proverbs says, He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools suffer harm. 00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:55.759 What about here? 00:29:57.039 --> 00:30:00.559 You have um just church, you're doing it already. 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:13.279 It's a stream of influence, of like, okay, I'm in uh community, I'm growing together, I'm taking a pause out of my week to hear from God, be with God's people, worship him, and encourage one another. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:19.440 Principle all of life flows from your heart. 00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:26.559 And so let me just give you just a few really clear applications. 00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:33.440 First, would you identify the streams of influences in your life? 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:37.599 Chances are we just go about life. 00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:48.799 We're not really aware of all of this, that it's actually impacting our heart, and the things that we're seeing downstream, if you don't like what you're seeing downstream, go back to your heart. 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:55.200 If you don't like down here, if you want to change right here, go here and then begin to evaluate your streams of influence. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:31:01.119 Honestly, there's some people, your friendships, you're like, man, when I'm around them, I don't like who I am. 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:07.920 You you actually might be dating someone that's a bad influence in your life, and you probably need to break up this new year. 00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:12.960 You need to go, like, hey, I need to get around some really great people. 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:13.519 You know what? 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:16.480 My social media, I'm gonna I'm gonna put a time limit. 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:18.160 It's not a bad thing. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:21.759 But it can be an all-consuming thing. 00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:28.000 And it becomes a mindless thing, and that's where it becomes dangerous, isn't it? 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:33.039 It's like me and like having a bag of cookies and watching a movie. 00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:36.640 The cookies are gone before the movie's done. 00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:38.319 Because I just got the whole thing. 00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:39.839 It's just mindless. 00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:43.359 And we do that daily. 00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:46.480 Identify the streams of influence in your life. 00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:51.440 Would you ask, like, I need to put a filter on, like, I need to purify that water a little bit. 00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:56.640 What are the streams that I need to turn the nozzle of that so I get a steady stream? 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:58.480 Like, I haven't had time in God's word. 00:31:58.640 --> 00:32:03.440 I don't, I'm not around some good godly friends or mentors, or I'm not really worshiping. 00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:04.160 Like, you know what? 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:12.160 I'm just gonna turn on worship music as I drive to work, or as I sit and wait for the online work to happen. 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:14.400 I don't know, you probably don't drive anymore to work. 00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:15.599 Some of you do. 00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:19.359 Identify the streams of influence. 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:22.960 The second thing I want you to do, this is a stream of influence. 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:24.720 Join the awakening reading plan. 00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:26.640 We're doing a proverb a day. 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:28.559 It's just a chapter of Proverbs. 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:31.440 Here's the amazing thing: Proverbs has 31 chapters. 00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:32.240 And guess what? 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:33.359 This is incredible. 00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:37.200 January has 31 days. 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:40.880 I know it's pretty magical, isn't it? 00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:42.559 Would you join us? 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:44.079 Now, again, this is social media. 00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:51.920 I just as a discipline for me, I'm posting every single day the verse of the day and just a simple thought. 00:32:52.079 --> 00:32:55.839 If you want to join me on that, it's been so good for my heart. 00:32:56.079 --> 00:33:05.839 I was telling Jenny this uh yesterday because it's getting in this habit of like, I don't really know how to do a whole lot of social media, so I'm learning, so you can help me if you want. 00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:14.559 But I was just telling her, it's already impacting me because I'm having to think on God's word almost throughout the day. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:17.680 And okay, how do I share this in just a simple thought? 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:21.279 So now I'm constantly thinking on his word. 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:28.640 It's been powerful, and I'm starting to see that some of my desires are changing, some of my heart responses are changing. 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.920 It's slow work. 00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:32.160 By the way, this is a slow process. 00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:40.160 We want overnight microwave work, like, oh, I just read God's word, and whoo, man, all this problem down here's changed. 00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:43.039 It took a lifetime to produce this. 00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:54.079 It's gonna take time stopping up some things and starting some things to begin to see the down uh hill flow really change and really grow. 00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:56.640 So, would you join the awakening reading plan? 00:33:56.799 --> 00:33:59.119 Memorize Proverbs 4.23. 00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:15.599 And so, what I want you to do right now, would you write it on this three by five card so that you have the heart on one side and then you have the verse on this side to keep it with you above all else guard your heart for everything you do flows from it. 00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:19.760 Above all else, guard your heart. 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:24.079 Everything you do flows from it. 00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:35.840 It is powerful to put God's word to memory so that we can recall it, the Holy Spirit can bring it to mind, that we meditate on it, that we just think upon it. 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:40.480 That's the way the Apostle Paul talked about life change in Romans chapter 12, verse 2. 00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:43.840 He says, Don't conform any longer to the pattern of this world. 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:48.559 That's meaning be aware of the areas that are contaminating your soul. 00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:51.920 Don't conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:52.320 How? 00:34:52.480 --> 00:35:00.079 By the renewing of your mind, getting God's word into your mind, beginning to turn these streams up into your heart and soul. 00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:04.719 Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. 00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:06.320 Would you memorize Proverbs? 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:10.639 Would you just review it today and this week as you go? 00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:13.760 And then finally, grow in community. 00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:15.519 Grow in community. 00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:19.039 Get into awakening small group. 00:35:20.239 --> 00:35:28.239 So often, one of the things that happens is as we're trying to get unstuck, we we think this is a solo sport. 00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:35.360 Remember, one uh he who walks with the wise becomes wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. 00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:39.679 An abundance of counselors, victory is assured, another proverb. 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:49.599 Like, get around people who are moving in the same direction, have the same heart towards you that are that you go, like, hey, we're gonna grow together. 00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:52.079 You might already have five or six people in your life. 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:53.760 You can start your own group. 00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:56.159 You don't have to join an existing one. 00:35:56.400 --> 00:35:58.719 But get into an awakening small group. 00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:04.400 And one of the big areas in our survey we did in the fall where people were stuck was in the area of finances. 00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:12.800 Feeling stuck financially, feeling under financial pressure, don't know how to navigate life well here, feeling, you know, like how do we experience financial freedom? 00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:15.679 So we're gonna do a whole series called Freed Up. 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:24.400 It comes with an app, it's really cool, that's like tailored just to you to help you grow, help us grow, help us grow in this area. 00:36:24.639 --> 00:36:27.039 Get into community and grow. 00:36:27.199 --> 00:36:29.199 Don't do it alone. 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:35.840 Life change happens best, not in rows like this, but in circles as we grow together in community. 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:44.480 Uh, several years ago, I did my first, and as of now, my last triathlon. 00:36:44.639 --> 00:36:48.239 Um, I had hopes of doing another one, but uh, it just hasn't happened yet. 00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:49.679 COVID and things like that. 00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:54.239 Uh but I did a triathlon and I had four of my buddies were doing it together. 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:58.159 And I remember the day, you did I I didn't train a lot, but I did a little training. 00:36:58.320 --> 00:37:08.079 I remember the day we're so excited, get up early, it's dark, drive down there, we're getting our bikes set, and a triathlon has three events swimming, biking, and running. 00:37:08.239 --> 00:37:18.559 And so I'm excited for this moment, and you know, we're all hyped, and you're starting to see the sun come up, and you you wear this um like little wetsuit thing. 00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:20.559 I had rented it, it was a little too small. 00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:28.880 I should have tried it on at the store, but anyways, and I hop in the water, we're kind of floating, it's it's just magical moments, you know. 00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:32.400 I'm talking to uh the guys next to me, like, isn't this great? 00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:34.079 This is gonna be amazing, you know. 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:38.559 And then the horn goes up, you know, and so so then I just start swimming. 00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:40.800 And I'm a pretty good swimmer, I surf. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:47.920 Uh, I'm not I'm no Olympic swimmer, but I'm I'm a strong swimmer, so I'm like, this is gonna be easy, and like, oh Jesus, this is serene. 00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:55.119 And so I'm I'm swimming, I'm like thanking God, I'm like having this like spiritual moment, and all of a sudden, boom, I get hit in the face. 00:37:55.199 --> 00:37:56.480 I'm like, what in the world? 00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:59.920 Someone swimming next to me, just their hand came down and hit me in the face. 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:10.800 I'm like, oh, it's fine, it's all right, I'm gonna walk back in, you know, and so then I'm swimming again and I get kicked, and then I get hit again, and now I'm like kind of like thrown off. 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:16.559 And I had something in the water that uh to up to this point I hadn't hadn't experienced before. 00:38:16.719 --> 00:38:20.159 I had a full-on, full-fledged panic attack. 00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:27.920 The the wetsuit was a little too tight, so it was pushing in on my throat, so I was struggling to breathe, and then all of a sudden in the water, I begin to flail. 00:38:28.079 --> 00:38:34.960 Like I'm like, I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I'm like starting to flail, and then I'm like trying to take the wetsuit off in the water. 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:40.400 Um, there's guys in kayaks, uh I swear, like 20 yards away. 00:38:40.480 --> 00:38:42.320 I'm like, come on, dude, get over here. 00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:44.079 You're supposed to keep me from dying. 00:38:44.320 --> 00:38:45.840 They didn't move, they didn't move. 00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:50.559 I started to wave to one, and I know a lie. 00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:53.760 I was this close from quitting. 00:38:54.719 --> 00:38:56.559 I wanted to give up. 00:38:57.679 --> 00:39:02.559 And then I remembered there's four other guys with me. 00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:11.760 There's four other guys going through the same thing, and if they're going through it with me, I can get through this. 00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:15.920 And gosh darn it, I'm really good at floating. 00:39:16.159 --> 00:39:20.960 And so if I have to float this whole thing on my back, I'm gonna float it on my back. 00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:43.360 There's something so powerful because the reality is as we take this journey to get unstuck, as you take this journey through some of the big significant areas, there's gonna be a quick start, there's gonna be fresh motivation, but then you're gonna hit a wall, you're gonna hit a moment where you're going like, I'm tired, I wanna give up, I wanna give in, I can't do this anymore. 00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:45.519 I've tried and it hasn't worked. 00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:57.280 And what you need is you need some people around you that you're linked arms, that you're moving in the same direction, that are strong when you're weak, and that you can be strong when they're struggling. 00:39:57.760 --> 00:40:00.320 Don't go it alone. 00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:03.360 Do you have your crew? 00:40:03.679 --> 00:40:07.519 Do you have your squad this year? 00:40:07.599 --> 00:40:17.440 If you don't, get into a crew, and above all else, guard your heart for everything you do. 00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:25.039 Heavenly Father, thank you for your word, your wisdom. 00:40:25.599 --> 00:40:37.280 That you didn't leave us just to try to figure things out, but you actually gave us a path to take. 00:40:39.760 --> 00:40:41.760 I pray for my friends right now. 00:40:41.840 --> 00:40:50.639 I don't know all the things that they're struggling with or stuck with, and the hurt and the heartache and the pain and the disappointment. 00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:53.440 Right now, would you meet them? 00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:54.719 Would you speak to them? 00:40:54.960 --> 00:40:57.519 Would you breathe hope and would you breathe life? 00:40:57.599 --> 00:41:10.320 And would you surround them with three, four people to link arms with, to do life with, to experience your grace and strength with. 00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:13.119 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:41:14.239 --> 00:41:16.480 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:41:16.719 --> 00:41:21.119 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:41:21.280 --> 00:41:23.360 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:29.440 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.