WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.560 --> 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. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:23.600 We're in a series called 201, it's called About the Profile of the Disciple. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:26.000 You heard our mission and vision a couple of weeks ago. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.039 We talked about what kind of church we want to be, a general overview. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:36.799 Last week, Ryan taught about compelling faith, essentially just sharing Jesus what it looks like to be a Christian that loves the Lord so much that you want other people to also know him. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:39.439 And today we're going to talk about life-giving practices. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:41.759 Okay, so our setup is gonna be pretty simple. 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:44.479 They gave me an iPad because I was too stressful last time. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:47.840 I don't know why, because you know iPad kids are crazy, and I'm definitely one of those. 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:49.039 But what's gonna happen? 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:54.640 We're gonna talk through a little bit of scripture and set up the reason for the life-giving practices, and then just like Dave said, and you can see these chairs. 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:59.359 I'm gonna have some people come up here because you know the collective mind is greater than the singular one. 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:06.959 And these people, in some ways, probably a lot of ways, know Jesus a lot better than I do, have a lot better habits than I do, but somehow I have the job. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:07.439 Okay? 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:09.599 Anyways, thanks. 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:14.000 Maybe a little bit of a strange place, a little spooky place. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:17.840 Our core scripture today is gonna be in Revelation. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:21.359 Um, and it is kind of crazy, but it's not that crazy. 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:28.319 So the day behind Revelation is John, one of Jesus' disciples, is um, you know, he's been exiled, he's done work for ministry. 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:30.799 They send him off to an island to die, essentially. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:38.640 And while he's walking around kicking the stones, Jesus shows up and he's like, oh, here's a vision, and talks about essentially like, oh, here's what's happening, here's what's going to happen. 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:42.560 He sees lots of creatures, lots of things, and people will argue about what it means. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:47.040 Um, but generally it's all about Jesus, okay, and we're gonna focus on him today. 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:51.840 Okay, so I'm gonna talk through our scriptures in our main one. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:52.959 I should back up, shouldn't I? 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:54.000 I should, my bad. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:02:01.519 Our scripture is in chapter two, but we're gonna talk through uh chapter one just a little bit to uh just give us a reference for what we're gonna be seeing. 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:02.319 Does that make sense? 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:03.519 Yes? 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:05.840 Okay, does it make sense to anyone else besides my friends? 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:07.280 Okay, good. 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:08.879 Alright, so what's gonna do? 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:12.719 We're gonna look at uh, Chris, will you help me, Revelation 1, verses 1 and 2? 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:15.039 So the first thing, I think it's on your notes. 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:17.039 Maybe it's not, either way, it's on the screens. 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:19.280 Uh it says, Jesus is the point of revelation. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:20.800 We're gonna look at verses 1 and 2. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:26.879 There is a revelation, or this is a revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:31.919 He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant, John, who faithfully reported everything he saw. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:36.080 This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:37.840 So here's the thing: Jesus is the point. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:39.520 Look at the highlighted portions. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:47.039 This verse tells you that Jesus is uh both the one doing the revealing and the person and the thing that's being revealed. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:48.080 Does that make sense? 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:49.840 Does that make sense? 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:50.639 Yes. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:51.680 Thanks. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:53.360 We're gonna keep going. 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:57.199 We're gonna look at verse three, or yeah, uh, verse three, and which is our second point. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.840 What Jesus has to say about himself is important. 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:06.800 God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to his message and obey what it says for the time is near. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:09.039 Love the first line because it's about me, you know? 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.599 God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy. 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:12.560 I'm blessed. 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:13.120 Okay. 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:16.879 And how we can all be blessed is if we listen to what he says, right? 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:18.719 If we pay attention to what these scriptures say. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:22.319 If we look at the book of Revelation, try to understand it and apply it to our lives. 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:25.280 What Jesus has to say about himself is important. 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:27.039 It's worth changing your life over. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:27.759 Does that make sense? 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:30.560 Oh my gosh, you guys are getting so good at saying yes to me. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:31.039 I love it. 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:32.240 Give me money. 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:40.000 Point number three is this. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:44.560 It skips down a little bit to the second half of verse 5 and verse 6. 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:48.879 All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:51.439 He has made us the kingdom of priests for God his Father. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:53.840 All glory and power to him forever and ever. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:54.560 Amen. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:56.479 The gospel of Jesus is our why? 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:00.960 Looking at Jesus, talking about Jesus, paying attention to what he has to say, right? 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:03.039 Being changed by what he has to say. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:07.199 You can't talk about him too much without talking about the gospel. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:08.000 Right? 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:11.840 To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:13.439 We talk about the cross so much. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:21.279 The greatest thing in history, especially for the believer, is that Jesus took us who are far off from him and made a way for us to be close to him. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:23.759 He gave us the opportunity to know him. 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:25.839 There was a giant gap. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:31.680 We were born in this gap, born with separation, born into sin, born with iniquity. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:34.560 I think Isaiah says. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:38.639 But he took it away, he washed it away by shedding his blood. 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:41.279 The gospel is the main thing. 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:44.160 That's why we worship Jesus, that's why we lift Jesus high. 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:46.079 That's why we talk about him, that's why we give our lives to him. 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:50.319 That's why Dave's like, hey, show up to this thing, and we show up. 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:52.079 Not because this is a really cool high school. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:54.639 One of us, like, we really want to relive our glory days. 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:55.600 I definitely don't. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:58.399 I peeped, but it's fine. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:01.759 But because Jesus really is the reason. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:02.639 Does that make sense? 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:02.959 Yeah. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:05.360 Okay, it makes sense to her. 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:06.160 Does that make sense? 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:07.439 Also, don't say yes. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:08.720 If you're like, no, it doesn't make sense. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:09.839 Give me a thumbs down. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:10.959 I can talk some more. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:12.240 I won't, though. 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:13.040 Alright. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:14.319 So here's what we're gonna do. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:18.879 Um, so we get there to that's essentially about the first half of Revelation chapter one. 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:23.920 In the second half, um, John is walking around and he hears Jesus' voice behind him, right? 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:25.839 And he turns around and he describes Jesus. 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:31.120 He sees a vision of him, and he's like, he's tall and bronze, like me, probably a little bit more muscular. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:37.680 Um, and he says his eyes are like flames of fire, his hair is white as wool, okay, and his voice sounds like many rushing waters. 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:39.120 It's a thunderous sound, right? 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:44.160 And of all the things, God essentially is like, write this down, you know? 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:46.639 Which takes us to chapter two, okay. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:48.879 I was raised Apostolic Pentecostal. 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:49.839 I told you last time. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:53.680 So, what happens when in those kind of churches is when you read the scriptures, you stand up together. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:56.720 So I'm gonna do I'm gonna invite the panel up so we can all stand up together. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:57.920 Yep, yep, come on, guys. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:05:59.279 The panel. 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:03.680 Everyone else will stand up so that Shadi and Saya and Emmanuel and Ella. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:04.480 Yep, come on. 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:06.079 By up, I mean up on stage. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:06.720 Yep. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:11.439 We're gonna read the scripture together, uh, then we're gonna pray. 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:13.600 Uh, we're gonna talk some life-giving practices. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:15.680 I'm gonna get out of your face, okay? 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.839 Bible says this in uh Revelation chapter 2. 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:23.120 I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:28.720 I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them false. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:34.720 You have preserved and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary, yet I hold this against you. 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:37.040 You have forsaken the love you had at first. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:38.639 Consider how far you have fallen. 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:40.480 Repent and do the things you did at first. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:42.079 We already talked about knowing Jesus, right? 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:44.319 We talked about seeing Jesus, about being changed by him. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:50.240 But here, right, we see Jesus, he's being revealed to us in this book, in this chapter, like in this, in this whole thing. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:53.519 The whole thing is about him knowing us, or us knowing him. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:54.639 And he says this. 00:06:55.519 --> 00:06:57.120 We see him, but hey, here's what I want. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:58.480 I want a relationship with you. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:06:59.439 I want to know you. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:04.560 So the whole framework for today is like, how do you cultivate a relationship with Jesus? 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:07.040 The main thing, right? 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:11.519 So the whole of the Christian life flows from the love of God. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:13.120 First receiving it, right? 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:18.319 Understanding that he died for us and was raised again on our behalf, and then reciprocating and sharing it. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:22.000 So we'll answer the question today, like, how do you cultivate the love of God in your life? 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:24.560 So you guys come on over, we'll pray, and then you can sit back down. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:25.920 Lord Jesus. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:28.160 Uh thank you so much for today. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:34.800 Thank you for these people, thank you for this opportunity we have to talk through uh the scriptures, God, to talk about our experiences. 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:37.920 Lord, I pray um that you'd meet us through today. 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:48.639 You know, the most beautiful thing about having uh a diverse body, God, about being in relationship with other people, God, about being in church community, is that we get to see different facets of you. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:53.040 We get to see your power and your glory, God, and your purpose, God, your plans. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:55.360 We get to understand you a different way through the lens of other people. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:57.360 So I pray that that would happen today. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:10.399 Or if um anything crazy is set up here, or I ask that you would uh just cast it into the sea of forgetfulness, Lord, that it would not stick, that it wouldn't hold in our memories, Lord, but you would only cause the things to take root and produce good fruit uh that you want to see in our lives. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:11.120 In Jesus' name. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:11.759 Amen. 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:12.319 Amen. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:13.600 You guys are gonna miss it down. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:15.439 Welcome. 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:21.040 Okay, so you already met uh Shadi, you know, incredible. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:24.319 This is her husband Saya, he serves on our leadership council, right? 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:29.279 I was gonna say something in Farsi, the one thing that I know, but I'm afraid to mess it up on the internet, so I won't. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:33.200 Um this is Emmanuel, he's the nicest person in the entire world, literally. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:36.639 If you ask him, he's like he's like, How are you doing? 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:38.480 I actually care about the answer. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:39.279 Incredible. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:43.039 Was her protege last season, is still serving, absolutely amazing. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:44.240 And this is Ella Ingram. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:47.600 You probably have no idea who this is, never heard of her family before in your life. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:49.360 Never, right? 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:50.799 You don't know who that is. 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:51.840 Yeah, me either, sis. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:58.080 Anyway, she's a college student, super awesome, loves Jesus, also says things to me sometimes that hurt my feelings in the best way. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:01.519 So that I can live in love like Jesus a little bit more. 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:02.720 It's really good. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:05.120 Anyways, so we're gonna talk through four key areas. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:10.000 There's a lot of things that you can say um about life-giving practices, there's a lot of things that uh you can talk about. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:15.519 We're gonna talk about four key areas that I thought uh were really applicable for our church that might be really helpful. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:20.159 Um take notes if you want, or you can like voice memo the whole thing, or it's gonna be on the internet. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.200 So if they say something really great, you can go back and listen to it. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:25.840 Okay, but here's the four areas that we're gonna talk about today. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:31.279 Um it's Bible reading, it's praying, it's worshiping, uh, and we're gonna talk a little bit about community today. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:31.679 Okay? 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:33.759 So um, here's what's gonna happen. 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:39.360 It would be a blind reaction, and then they told me you can't give them a blind reaction, you have to like help them be prepared. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:44.240 So we plug some verses out, um, and then we're just gonna talk about them. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:48.000 Talk about what they mean to these people, talk about what they could mean for us. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:55.840 I got some questions if I do a bad job facilitating and it gets a little stale, and we'll keep moving, and then Isaac's gonna come back up here and sing, and then we'll be done, okay? 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:58.240 Alright, let's go to Bible reading. 00:09:58.559 --> 00:09:59.519 There's two verses. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:12.480 Uh Hebrews 4 12 says this for the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:18.720 And Psalm 119, 105 says this your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.159 What do you guys think of those verses? 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:22.480 Anything? 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:23.679 Anything stick out to you? 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:24.559 Anything? 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:26.960 Jump out of the page. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:33.519 What do you think? 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:33.759 Yeah. 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:35.279 Yeah, you can share it. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:57.759 I would say, you know, it's not so much about reading the scripture to get the information that's packed in it, but what this scripture actually does to you when you spend the time. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:03.519 And it's the word of God, and uh it's powerful. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:10.960 I love the fact that it's alive, like that passage says, that it's not some dead text that we read. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:15.039 It's actually the word of God that's alive and it's active. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:37.919 And like a surgeon's knife, it actually will do some work in you by, you know, there's this constant battle between our flesh and the spirit, and and the word of God helps us distinguish that where our minds are governed by the flesh and where they need to be governed by the spirit. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:56.799 I have a friend at Nate Travis, he lives in Virginia, and he says talking about like doing spending life with Jesus and reading the scriptures, it's it's like going through surgery, you know, like it is you're creating a wound to get better, right? 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:06.480 There's something about like reading it that does kind of attack kind of the things that you have on the inside, but it's removing the bad stuff and like it's creating a wound like for greater healing is really good. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:09.519 What do you think about these verses, Ella? 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:11.440 Yeah, I told you I was gonna ask. 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:12.639 You directly, I did. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:13.759 I I know. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:22.399 Um I don't these verses, I mean, the bottom one, my dad has literally like prayed over me since I was a little kid. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:36.240 So I I'm very well acquainted with um the lamp is is at my feet and and the word is is my light, and so whenever I feel like I'm in darkness, I know, okay, I need to bring out my little lamp. 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:43.279 Um, but I also know that God walked with me through the valleys, and so even if I don't have my lamp, I'm not alone. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:50.879 Um and yeah, I mean the word is alive, so it changes every time you read it, which is one of my favorite parts. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:52.799 Um, what does that mean? 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:53.919 It changes every time you read it. 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:58.399 Well, technically the words do not change, but you do. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:05.440 Um and it it shows you something different every time, and that's like the best part. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:09.759 So you can reread the same thing over and over again and find something new every single time. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:11.679 And it will relate to you every single time. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:12.799 That's true. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:14.159 That's true. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:18.000 Uh how about Emmanuel uh Bubbles Relevance? 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:18.639 What do you think? 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:36.080 Because what people like have a lot of critiques about it, and some of them I think are warranted, but um, you know, it's translated into our language from a different spoken language, and is written, you know, hundreds of years ago over the course of like hundreds of years. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:44.080 Do you do you find that the scriptures are relevant to your life, or is it kind of like you have to work really hard to see yourself in them or see them apply for you? 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:45.759 What's that like for you? 00:13:46.320 --> 00:14:12.000 I mean, um absolutely the word is totally and uh absolutely relevant to my life, and I think it's relevant to every Christian's life, because um, just like what um Saya was trying to explain the other time, it's just the understanding that the scripture in itself gives a revelation of somebody, and that is Jesus, which I was happy we read from Revelation 1. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:18.159 It's just the understanding that the revelation of Jesus in itself is a blessing to all. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:34.240 So meaning that when Jesus is revealed, we are able to get the blessings in the aspect of the fact that our life changes by the fact that the word is active and interpreted through the Holy Spirit. 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:47.759 Because remember the words that we are talking about here, they are written, um documented by different people, but we are also told that those words that are written are actually inspired by the Holy Spirit. 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:56.720 So, meaning that through the help of the Holy Spirit who gives us interpretation of those words, we are able to have a transformed mind. 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:06.720 And just looking at Psalm 119 and 105, it says, Your word is a lamp for my feet, meaning that it's a light on my path too. 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:15.120 Meaning that when I read God toward daily, when I expose myself to God toward daily, I will never be misdirected. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:25.039 Even if I've been going in the wrong way before, by the space and by the message of God through his word, I can be redirected to the right direction. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:32.000 So I think that is one of the ways that um the word is really applicable to us as Christians in this day. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:33.600 He knows Jesus. 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:38.480 You read the word, you will never be misdirected. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:39.600 I know that's right. 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:40.639 That blessed me. 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:41.840 Write that down. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:44.080 That was good. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:46.240 I'm gonna watch that. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:52.159 Uh Shadi, do you have like uh like rhythms of Bible reading or like studying? 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.879 Like, what does that look like for you in your regular life? 00:15:55.120 --> 00:16:00.639 You are a mom, you have big kids, you work, you have a husband, you have a life and responsibilities. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:05.600 Like, what uh what's it like uh for you to read the Bible on a regular day? 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:24.559 So one of the rhythms of uh uh my uh day as far as Bible reading has been for the last few years that I have promised myself I'm not gonna look at my phone before I read a word first. 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:28.320 So I practice that faithfully every morning. 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:37.759 I have one of my memory verses right in front of me, and I just recite that in my mind before even I get out of the bed. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:53.679 And then I get my phone and go on the Bible app and just read it, meditate on it, just try to soak my mind before starting our busy day and thinking about all those things that we need to do. 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:58.720 It just takes a few minutes and just reshifts my day, I feel. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:11.920 And we have another rhythm together that as Saya goes to work, I work from home, Saya goes to work and he calls me up when he's driving to work and we pray together. 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:18.319 And that is such a blessing for both of us just to pray together. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:24.000 So if you get a chance, it had really changed our life so much. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:30.960 Uh just reshifting our mind to his word and just praying together. 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:31.680 Yeah. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:33.039 I love you, Donna. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:35.440 So good. 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:39.039 Also, um clearly these people really know Jesus, right? 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:39.839 You see that? 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:42.559 I'm here to bring the human element, okay? 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.400 Sometimes I can't stand reading my Bible. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.559 I think it is boring. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:54.480 Like sometimes, like some of especially like, you know, like um Numbers, Leviticus. 00:17:54.559 --> 00:18:00.559 Well, go Leviticus is crazy if you read it, but uh Numbers, and it's like somebody had this kid and this kid and this kid, you know. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:02.319 I'm like, what what kind of life is there? 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:03.279 I don't really get it. 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:08.880 Do you guys um ever struggle to uh read the Bible or like want to? 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.799 And like how do you make it something that is like enjoyable? 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:14.319 Obviously, it's life-giving, right? 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:23.920 You talk about it like, oh, this is really good, it's good for my life, it's good for me to understand, it's good for me to build my relationship with Jesus to see this, but um all good things aren't always enjoyable all the time. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:28.640 Is there like a specific way that you're like, oh, I've made this has helped me want to read the Bible? 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:32.400 I've done XYZ and it's helped me want to spend time in the scriptures too. 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:34.640 Any of you guys have anything with that? 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:35.920 Can I respond first? 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:38.079 Yeah, you can because I have the microphone. 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:39.440 She got the mic. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:42.160 Dave, she got the mic. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:46.240 I'm never gonna let that go. 00:18:47.920 --> 00:19:02.960 So it has been very difficult to read the Bible at times for me, especially uh going through a very difficult season of my life with the diagnosis that I received last year. 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:05.599 It was very difficult. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:22.480 It was like I was angry, I was frustrated, I was down, I was depressed, I was anxious, and I would just read the Bible and I would just say, you know, I don't know how I can digest it, how I can receive it. 00:19:22.880 --> 00:20:02.400 But as you said, it's amazing how his word is just alive and just so powerful, and just during even the hardest time of your life, when you think you are at the end of your rope, it just gives you hope, it just lifts you up, it just encourages you, it just uh uh takes your focus from uh your small world and just take it to a much bigger place where you need to be, and it just reminds you uh of his love, his compassion. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:03.039 Yeah. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.400 I know that's good. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:06.079 How about you all that? 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.880 Um I've always struggled to read my Bible. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:11.519 I also find it quite difficult and boring. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:17.119 Um it's I'm not a good reader and it's a lot of reading, so yeah. 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:18.960 But I'm very loud. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:28.400 But the the Bible lab, they have these little widgets, and so I have uh the daily Bible verse on my phone every time I open my phone. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:31.759 And so that has helped me read the Bible like every day. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:34.960 And I have like a I have like a streak of like 50. 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:36.799 So um, that's right. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:45.200 I'm just saying, but it's in college, that's pretty but it's also like super helpful because then I learn new verses. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:54.480 And like today it was about um it was about like being a believer and like get rid of my disbelief. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:21:07.599 And it was about a father begging for the life of his uh son, and it was so interesting, and I didn't like fully know the the context and like everything, so I got to read the whole chapter and it was it was so good. 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:13.920 And then I also I really like cartoons, so the Bible project is amazing. 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:17.359 Yeah, the Bible project, it makes me understand everything better. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:25.759 So if I'm if I'm like, oh, I'm too tired to read the Bible, I'll watch the chosen, I'll watch the Bible project, I'll listen to the Bible on my way to class. 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.400 Yeah. 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:28.319 That's good, that's good. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:34.240 Um, we're gonna keep going with prayer, but just all two things that I realize that are fault in design. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:38.799 We're talking about a lot of things and a lot of resources that aren't up on the screens. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:45.279 Um, if you want to talk about it afterward or you need some help or something, come and talk to me after this service. 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:55.359 Uh, we can relist all of the things that are talking about or explain what the Bravo project is or how to get those apps on your phone to be actually helpful because we're talking about this for practical understanding. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:56.319 So I'm really sorry about that. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:58.319 I just that just clicked with me just now. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.599 Um, thank you. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.880 Those are good things. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.440 Don't stop. 00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:02.720 Say it again next service. 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:08.319 The other thing is this too that's really helpful for me, and then we'll move on to prayer casually. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:11.839 You notice like NASB, NIV, NLT, stuff like that. 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:14.000 There's a lot of different translations in the Bible. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:19.440 I, when I became a Christian, and the church that I was going to when I was a little kid had like New King James. 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:21.680 So it was written in like God knows what year. 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:24.640 And it's like these thousands, and like what is betwixt. 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:25.759 I have no idea. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:34.079 But looking at a translation in different translation of English with uh different language around it is really helpful. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:45.680 Um and the Bible app, like she was talking about, also has this thing where you can highlight a verse and then add different translations so you could see different interpretations of the same thing, and it kind of just means different things and hits you differently. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:47.839 Anyways, does that make sense? 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:48.960 Is that helpful? 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.640 They were like, oh, the Bible is good. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:51.680 You should read it. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.519 It's good and helpful. 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:56.480 It's hard sometimes, but here's some good ways to give it a shot. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.440 Does that make sense? 00:22:57.839 --> 00:22:58.160 Yeah? 00:22:58.319 --> 00:22:59.119 Do you have any questions? 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:00.079 Don't ask right now. 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:01.680 Alright, we'll keep going. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:04.400 Grace will help us go to uh prayer. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:05.680 Uh praying. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.759 The Bible says this in Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 25. 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:13.519 Uh, he lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:17.359 This is he being Jesus, our behalf, talking about Christians and the saints. 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:21.759 Jesus lives forever to intercede with God or on their behalf. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:27.119 Uh and then Mark 1, 35, very early in the morning, speaking about Jesus again while it was still dark. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:31.920 Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place where he prayed. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:36.319 And then Mark McGovern is a pastor at Experience Church in San Francisco. 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:40.720 And he says this, you are never more like Jesus than when you're praying. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:43.680 You're most like Jesus when you're praying. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:44.880 Pretty cool. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:46.720 What do you guys think of those verses? 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:49.839 Or what comes to you as you as we are? 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:53.839 We love the fact that he intercedes for us. 00:23:54.720 --> 00:24:00.480 Kind of a reminder that we don't have to be perfect. 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:09.200 And that he cares about where our heart is more than anything else, not our performance as a believer. 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:17.359 And I love the fact that that we could just pray to God. 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:27.039 I mean, that's you know, it's through his work on the cross that the scripture says that veil was ripped, so we have access. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:38.000 But really, we're like princesses or princes who could just run to the king without asking permission from anyone. 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:41.599 Can we enter or need to make an appointment to see him? 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:43.359 We could just run to him. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:56.079 And I think it's a practice like anything else in in life that doesn't come naturally, maybe, but as you do it more and more you get used to it. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:01.759 So often there is no good prayer, I think, or someone who prays a great prayer. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:06.079 I think it's you know, it's just something that we just have to get used to. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:13.359 And and like you said earlier, God wants a relationship with us, and that's how we relate to Him. 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:18.240 I have a question for you. 00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:21.440 We you text me about it, about one of the questions, but no, it's okay, it's good. 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.960 You do what's coming to you next. 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:29.759 Um prayers allowed to look different, you know, from like person to person, depending on what your relationship with God is like. 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:34.079 And I love what you said about not needing to make appointment, you can just talk to the Lord or talk to God. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:38.400 What is like, what do you do when you don't know what to pray? 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:43.440 Or like, um what would you tell someone that's like, I don't actually know what to say to God? 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:46.880 Yeah, I can you're telling me that I can talk to him, but what do I actually say to him? 00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:47.599 What's that? 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:51.680 Well, I always say everyone tell everyone that God's my best friend. 00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:54.000 So we just talk. 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:56.000 Like, I'm just like, God, how's your day? 00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:58.079 Which I realize is silly because he can't respond. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:00.960 I mean, he can't respond, but he doesn't respond like that. 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:05.359 Anyway, um, but you're doing great. 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:05.839 Okay. 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:08.000 But I just I just talked to him about my day. 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:09.200 I talked to him about everything. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:13.359 I talked to him on my car right over, I talked to him when I woke up. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:17.200 It's like I always just talk to him. 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:21.759 And it doesn't have to be about anything, it'd be like, God, I do not want to eat this food right now. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.799 This does not look good. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:24.799 I've never prayed that before in my life. 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:28.000 You move into my cafeteria, but let me tell you. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:33.599 I'm like, oh my goodness, I do not want to eat whatever's on that plate. 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:37.519 But then you're like, okay, but you have blessed me with this, so I'll I'll eat it. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:41.599 Um but it can literally be about anything, and that's the best part. 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:43.039 He is your best friend. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:46.319 And so you just talk to him like one. 00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:50.960 And so you can cry to him, you can get mad at him, and he'll he'll forgive him. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:52.160 Well, you get mad at God? 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:52.960 Yeah. 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:54.400 It's okay though. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.920 He's he's forgiving. 00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:56.400 Yeah. 00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:56.799 Yeah. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:58.400 I'm sure he's mad at me sometimes. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:26:59.279 No, he loves you. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:00.319 That's friendship. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:04.720 You get mad at each other, you you cry at each other, it's it's a whole thing. 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:08.400 I'd be mad at God too, but probably for less holy reasons than you. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:08.960 Oops. 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:13.039 Shadi, you're talking about uh going through hardship. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:17.119 Um, what what's it like to pray to God in a hard season? 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:23.839 I know like when for me, uh it's really easy to pray when I need something, you know what I mean, or like want something. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:27.680 Um like I'm feeling like I'm in lag, but when stuff's hard, I don't know. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:36.799 I feel like I go either way, whether it's like maybe I'll just take this to God and hope they can do something, or sometimes uh I feel like I'm inconsistent, like sometimes I shy away, you know, when things are hard. 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:38.400 Like I don't know if I really want to talk to him. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:44.000 What's it what's prayer like for you in like a tough season, if I may approach the subject? 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:49.599 Uh I think uh I cried a lot, and that's okay. 00:27:49.920 --> 00:28:09.759 Yeah, I think that's allowable, uh, you know, and just sit and just wait and just be patient and just submit and just remembering what Jesus Himself did in the Garden of Gethsemane and ultimately submitting to him. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:37.920 And uh that took me a long time for me personally to get there and sometimes even to be angry, you know, when people just write and left, give you verses, or just you know, and just expect you to just uh perform or get out of your pain, but uh it it just it requires a time and you need to get there. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:57.599 And God is so patient with us and just so gentle and just so loving, and he doesn't push us or rush us and just uh hangs out with us, and just I learned to just remain in him, and he promises that he would remain in us. 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:13.200 Um that second verse there talks about that Mark chapter one, very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up and left the house and went to a solitary place where he prayed. 00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:17.920 I think another version talks about like he prayed, it was like before the sun came up, like he was out there. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.039 What do you think? 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:21.920 Um, like the getting alone portion with God? 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:29.279 You know, obviously, like we pray together, we do it at church, you guys pray together in the car um on your way to work, which is really awesome, I'm sure. 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:33.920 You pray with your parents, even like talking about your dad praying those verses and scriptures over you. 00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:35.599 What's it like for you? 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:39.440 Like uh some people describe it as like the secret place or like the solitary place. 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:41.519 Like, what is that like for you? 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:43.279 I was just about to say that. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:49.759 Like the secret place is something that is so important in the sense that it's just you and God. 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:58.960 And I don't know if you really understand the dynamic of love relationship, and which I think a lot of people that are married here would understand. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:02.559 It's the fact that there has to be communication. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:24.960 And I think one of the things that we begin to understand in the place of communication is God really in himself wants to relate with us and he wants us to be willing to care whatever it is that we are ongoing in, whatever fit we are, and he really wants to change our heart, he really wants to help us grow in those things. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:30.960 So I feel the secret place is always an opportunity for us to communicate our minds. 00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:34.240 And I I see it this way. 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:38.720 In the place of communication, like a lot of things happen. 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:47.359 Like sometimes it could just be the place of just experiencing God's peace, most especially at the start of the day, like E.E. 00:30:47.519 --> 00:31:02.480 was saying, and um getting to like just digest God's word in itself, because sometimes uh while we are praying or while we are doing or having those communications, some words, some thoughts drops in our mind. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:08.960 And I tell you, those thoughts, those words could be something that will keep us through the day. 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:22.000 And I think this is one of the reasons why uh Matthew was putting it this way, that we should um um, it said, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:38.160 So meaning that each day, the word that proceeds out of God's mouth in the place of communication, whether it is you studying the scripture or it's you praying, having those thoughts, they are really very important for our survival as Christians each day. 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:43.519 So that is why the secret place is something that we should, as Christians, never neglect. 00:31:43.680 --> 00:31:47.119 It should be the place to the source of strength. 00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:52.319 Because the reality is we are never left to do life on our own. 00:31:52.559 --> 00:32:02.079 We are not like we are not like those that like I mean the unbelievers, but we have God with us, and I think that changes everything. 00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:04.400 That's good. 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:17.599 There's um there's a lot you can say about prayer, and even listening to it, I'm like, uh, you know, like when you try to show somebody a movie and you're like, I all of a sudden see this movie for the first time, like through someone's eyes. 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:21.599 I'm thinking about like just right now in this moment, definitely good learnings for next time. 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:39.839 But I'm like, oh, it sounds, well, it is really mystical, it is really spiritual, it's really crazy and supernatural, even just like the concept, like the terminology of the secret place and uh some of the scriptures we're talking about, like Ella was saying, at the very same time, it's really simple and really personal. 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:40.559 Does that make sense? 00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:45.359 Do you see like the spectrum of uh things that are all true about prayer, you know? 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:50.880 And so even a secret place, I know uh my grandmother, Big Mama has um, she has a room. 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:56.240 No one's allowed to sleep in there, like it's got a couch and stuff like that, but you're only allowed to go into this room if you're praying. 00:32:56.400 --> 00:32:57.680 Like that's her secret place. 00:32:57.759 --> 00:33:02.319 She's got her Bibles in there, she only listens to worship music in there, and like that's her secret place. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:04.720 For me, I've got one-year-old twins. 00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:06.720 I don't have any secret places in my house. 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:18.960 And so my secret place is at 12 minutes from from you know Willow Glenn to uh Delmar High School, where it's like I can just listen to worship or like not listen to anything and just speak to God. 00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:25.599 Sometimes the Bible talks about like I don't really know what to say, and so the spirit intercedes on your behalf with groans and utterances. 00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:28.079 Have you ever just had a thing where you're like, da, you know what I mean? 00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:28.799 Like, I don't know. 00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:31.039 I have this feeling that I can't quite put words to. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:36.400 God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, interprets that and it reaches him the way that it's supposed to, and he moves on your behalf. 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:37.359 Does that make sense? 00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:38.960 The book of Daniel. 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:46.319 Uh Daniel's walking alongside the riverbank, and he's praying about what's going on in his life and in his nation, and then being in captivity. 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:56.960 The angel shows up to Daniel, I think in the old translations of the Bible it says, as soon as you began to pray, I was dispatched towards you, and I've been warring through the heavens to meet you, to give you this vision of what the Lord has to say. 00:33:57.119 --> 00:33:59.359 And I was like, oh, that's a really good thing. 00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:09.119 Me and my physical world, like I send my prayers up, and God literally moves on my behalf and the things that I cannot see, just start working stuff out for my good and for his glory. 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:10.000 Does that make sense? 00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:10.960 Yeah? 00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:13.519 So just talk to the Lord. 00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:16.079 Uh and it's so simple. 00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:17.599 She was talking about being angry. 00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:19.440 I cuss at him sometimes. 00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:21.119 What in the world is going on? 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:24.079 But with some few other four-letter words in there. 00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:28.079 Because I don't get it, but I think because he wants a relationship, right? 00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:30.239 You get mad at your best friend, you know what I mean? 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:34.960 He can take it and he can translate it and interpret it and change your heart as you make the connection. 00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:35.920 Does that make sense? 00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:38.239 Okay, we're gonna move on to worship. 00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:40.079 Clearly, best part. 00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:43.360 Just kidding. 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:46.800 It's the shortest thing because I knew it was me and you listen to me all the time. 00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:49.760 Psalm 100, 123 says this in the passion translation. 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:51.760 Controversial, we talk about why later. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:54.880 Um lift up a great shout of joy to Yahweh. 00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:55.840 Go ahead and do it. 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.800 Everyone, everywhere. 00:34:56.880 --> 00:35:02.239 Worship Yahweh with gladness, sing your way into his presence with joy and realize what this really means. 00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:06.800 We have the privilege of worshiping Yahweh our God, for he is our creator and we belong to him. 00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:09.760 We are the people of his pleasure. 00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:18.159 And so, one of the things we have on this list that we sent on the notes is that uh worship is so much more than singing, but it's not less, you know. 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:26.400 I would talk about our spiritual worship, presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord, as Romans 12 says, but um, it's not less than music. 00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:28.079 What do you what do you guys think? 00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:30.239 Uh what do you guys think of worship at awakening? 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:30.639 You know? 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:31.840 Just kidding. 00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:34.159 Don't say that until night. 00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:34.639 No. 00:35:34.800 --> 00:35:38.079 Um what's what is your experience of worship like? 00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:41.280 You know, uh, specifically like in a church context. 00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:43.280 Like you come, what are you saying? 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:46.159 15 minutes, like what's that, what is that like for you? 00:35:46.239 --> 00:35:48.000 What is your experience when we gather together? 00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:50.320 I can say a word about that. 00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:56.639 I was drawn to Christianity by music because of my love of music. 00:35:56.880 --> 00:36:04.320 Growing up as a Muslim, Muslims don't have music in their service, or at least it's very sad. 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:05.760 I don't want to get into that. 00:36:05.920 --> 00:36:29.199 But what attracted me were the words that worshipers were singing, and it's amazing that God opens this channel through music, which we all relate to emotionally, and I think it engages our emotions more than anything else when you read or sing along with worshipers. 00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:36.320 So that's what that's when I look back in the 25 years of being Christian, the starting point was worship. 00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:43.119 And I remember the first few weeks at service, I was like bawling, and I didn't even know why. 00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:54.239 Later I realized it's actually the Holy Spirit working its magic, its work in me, to bring me to repentance, to realize that I am a sinner. 00:36:54.480 --> 00:37:03.920 And then being preached the word of God, something else that we growing up as a Muslim never knew, that Jesus claims to be Lord. 00:37:04.239 --> 00:37:06.800 We always thought Jesus was another prophet. 00:37:07.039 --> 00:37:18.559 So that combination of worship and then preaching was amazing in in making it so easy for me to accept and just raise my hand and say, God, I want you. 00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:21.199 So and then I became a worship pastor. 00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:21.599 Yeah, yeah. 00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:22.960 You probably didn't know that. 00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:24.079 Oh, I did know that. 00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:28.239 And I've I've I've written some songs. 00:37:28.320 --> 00:37:29.679 I actually have a CD. 00:37:30.079 --> 00:37:32.880 And uh I could go along. 00:37:33.199 --> 00:37:36.559 Come on, club! Shameless club! Where can we buy it? 00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:39.760 Where the CD at Farsi. 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:44.239 I don't think you probably I got friends that know Farsi, they can translate it from me. 00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:49.119 He's like, come get this ministry. 00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:50.079 Anyway. 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:53.760 What about the rest of you guys' worship music? 00:37:54.960 --> 00:38:17.679 I think for me, uh worship starts with the acknowledgement of who God is, and which is like really very important for me because I think um a lot of times, like just acknowledging, even just waking up in the morning, having still having that bread is not just that I am the best person on earth. 00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:23.119 It's just like the Bible puts it, it says it's by the mercies of the Lord that we are not consumed. 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:35.760 So, meaning that like acknowledging that place, that it is really God who has given me that bread, the bread that I have, that I'm still alive today and LD, like I just want to give that glory to him. 00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:37.519 I want to worship him for that. 00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:41.440 And that really forms a good basis to pray. 00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:49.599 And in fact, a lot of times it helps you quiet every other thing that is ongoing because it shifts your focus. 00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:51.599 It like your gaze changes. 00:38:51.679 --> 00:39:08.239 Oh, you've been going through your day has been rough, things have been going really bad, but the moment you just worship, your gaze shifts away from those particular bad things and shifts towards God, acknowledging him and just inviting him into the situation. 00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:09.840 Yeah, yes. 00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:10.960 That's good. 00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:12.480 Charlie, you have anything? 00:39:13.760 --> 00:39:18.239 The same, it's uh just acknowledging God, praising him. 00:39:19.039 --> 00:39:33.360 Uh also as uh I worship, I uh start just thanking God and remembering uh the miracles that he has done for me in my life. 00:39:33.599 --> 00:39:42.239 And that is, I feel like it's so powerful because the testimonies we each have is just the whole truth. 00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:44.480 No one can argue against it. 00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:49.519 We know it's the truth, we know it's something that God had done in our life. 00:39:49.679 --> 00:40:04.480 So just remembering that and just like soaking in that and just uh praising God and thanking Him for all He had done, it just encourages my day and gives me a lot of hope for uh future. 00:40:06.239 --> 00:40:08.239 Uh how do you engage with worship music? 00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:16.079 Like what's it like for you in church or like at home or like walking into class or like what's it literally everywhere? 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:17.199 Yeah, yeah. 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:24.320 Um I grew up in a household where you wake up to worship music, so I always start my mornings with worship music if I can. 00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:25.599 That's like my go-to. 00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:28.480 Um which I think starts your day off. 00:40:28.719 --> 00:40:41.519 I think worship music is kind of like a reset, and so like it resets your your mind and like your spirit to like look up at God and be like, okay, I'm gonna start my day looking at God, and I think that's the best way to start your day. 00:40:41.760 --> 00:40:53.360 Um, but then I also I listen to it on my walks, on my way to school, um, to classes, in when I'm feeling down, when I'm feeling up, every ever all the time. 00:40:53.679 --> 00:40:57.679 There's not no bad time to listen to worship music, I think. 00:40:58.079 --> 00:41:00.480 So I appreciate that. 00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:02.960 Specifically me as a worship pastor. 00:41:04.159 --> 00:41:04.960 It's so fun. 00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:13.360 Two things uh before we keep going, uh, at least for me, one of the things that's really powerful about worship, talking about reshifting your focus or thanking God. 00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:22.960 I remember uh there's a scripture in Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas are in prison uh for preaching the gospel, and I think it they're performing a healing on like the wrong day or something like that. 00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:25.119 And so the Bible says, like in the midnight hour, right? 00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:32.719 It's the middle of the night, they're in prison, they're shackled up, uh laying in the dirt, uh, there's chains on these cells. 00:41:32.880 --> 00:41:37.440 They began to sing and praise God, and as they sang, there was a great earthquake, right? 00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:40.719 Their chains fell off, um, and the prison doors opened. 00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:44.320 And it wasn't just them, you know, it was everyone in the prison. 00:41:44.400 --> 00:41:48.400 And as a result of it, someone who did not know God came to know the Lord. 00:41:48.559 --> 00:41:55.119 And so I just think about like practically, I don't know if we've ever been singing here and there's been an earthquake, you know, because of our singing. 00:41:55.360 --> 00:42:04.559 Um man, we really have no idea like what our worship does for other people, you know, when you really pay attention to Jesus and shift your focus, you know. 00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:15.039 If we to even like Bob says in somewhere else in the Psalms that like he inhabits our praises, like we actually sing and he's like, oh, let me sit down in here and like rest here in this spot. 00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:23.199 As an encouragement to you, as we gather together to sing and stuff, you have no idea what it's like when you start paying attention to Jesus and talk about how good he is. 00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:26.320 You have no idea what happens. 00:42:26.800 --> 00:42:30.079 The freedom that gets unlocked for other people, you know? 00:42:30.320 --> 00:42:35.360 The ministry that happens, how God speaks to someone through your singing, through your worship, and through your demonstration. 00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:36.800 And I recognize it's hard, right? 00:42:36.880 --> 00:42:40.239 Not everyone knows how to play guitar and sing and feels comfortable standing on stage. 00:42:40.480 --> 00:42:43.280 Um but it's worth engaging with. 00:42:43.599 --> 00:42:45.840 Not just because it makes me feel better, you know? 00:42:46.719 --> 00:42:49.280 But it actually is life-changing. 00:42:49.760 --> 00:42:51.920 Worship was the thing that drew me to Jesus first, too. 00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:53.199 Like we have a similar story. 00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:55.599 So if I can drop and be like you, that'd be awesome. 00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:57.679 But so far I'm on my way, I think. 00:42:59.760 --> 00:43:02.480 Um anyways, last thing. 00:43:02.559 --> 00:43:07.519 I'm gonna invite Isaac, I don't know where you are, uh, but will you uh come back up really quick? 00:43:07.760 --> 00:43:10.880 Because he's gonna sing a little bit um as we get ready to go. 00:43:11.119 --> 00:43:14.239 Um we're gonna go to community really quick. 00:43:14.480 --> 00:43:17.199 Um These two verses say this. 00:43:17.280 --> 00:43:33.360 Uh Hebrews 10, 24, and let us consider thoughtfully how we may encourage one another to love and do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together as believers for worship and instruction, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more faithfully as you see the day of Christ's return approaching. 00:43:33.519 --> 00:43:37.039 Um essentially, like, hey, keep coming to church and like meeting up with people. 00:43:37.199 --> 00:43:44.639 Um then the second verse in Galatians 6, carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 00:43:47.119 --> 00:43:49.199 Do you see how that kind of happened today? 00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:51.760 You know? 00:43:52.480 --> 00:43:58.960 Like because uh we were able to gather together, because we were able to meet together, and this time in this designated space. 00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:04.079 You have to see a few people's relationship with God. 00:44:05.920 --> 00:44:09.599 Like, is uh is that good for you? 00:44:10.239 --> 00:44:11.360 Is that helpful? 00:44:12.320 --> 00:44:14.000 I mean, does that like truth? 00:44:14.239 --> 00:44:15.920 If it's no, then like let's talk about it. 00:44:16.079 --> 00:44:21.519 But like, does that help you uh like or it helps me, if I'm asking you, because I'm on stage and you're not. 00:44:22.159 --> 00:44:24.480 Does it help you like want to pray a little bit more? 00:44:24.800 --> 00:44:26.159 I mean, and trying to find a way to pray. 00:44:26.239 --> 00:44:29.360 Does it want to help you worship a little bit differently, help to sing to God? 00:44:29.519 --> 00:44:32.880 Does it help you want to spend time reading your Bible? 00:44:32.960 --> 00:44:42.320 Do you see like how these different people with different walks and different experiences have a similar relationship with God and it's encouraging in different ways? 00:44:42.480 --> 00:44:43.119 Do you see that? 00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:45.760 That's the whole point of this whole thing. 00:44:46.400 --> 00:44:46.800 You know? 00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:48.719 I'm so glad that we get to be here together. 00:44:48.960 --> 00:44:51.039 And think together is like the operative word. 00:44:51.280 --> 00:44:52.960 I understand some people can't make it sometimes. 00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:59.280 You travel, you work, you do things, you are sick, unable, you got crazy babies, you need to stay home and watch online, it is what it is. 00:44:59.519 --> 00:45:05.039 But there's something about seeing Jesus in the face of someone else. 00:45:05.440 --> 00:45:06.000 You know? 00:45:06.400 --> 00:45:11.920 What would you say to someone that is struggling to engage in church community? 00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:16.800 Like struggling to want to come to church or want to interact with someone or even like talk about Jesus with the believers. 00:45:16.880 --> 00:45:22.000 Like, what would you say to someone who maybe is a little bit hesitant about engaging that way? 00:45:22.400 --> 00:45:27.039 I mean, if they're going through a hardship in life, we have to be sensitive. 00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:29.840 I mean, you don't really want to be pushy. 00:45:30.559 --> 00:45:40.159 But my experience as a Christian in the last 25 years has been community is actually probably the most important aspect of that faith. 00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:42.079 You need to have that relationship. 00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:46.400 And unfortunately in a Sunday service, you only get to say hi and bye to people. 00:45:46.480 --> 00:45:48.480 You don't really get to know them. 00:45:48.719 --> 00:45:57.840 And looking back, like at the 10 years in our small groups and people I've met and sort of did groups together, we grew closer to each other. 00:45:57.920 --> 00:46:12.639 And then there are moments where you're vulnerable, and especially if there is trust, and I'm sure there is trust among many of us, we get closer to each other when we hear each other's struggles. 00:46:12.800 --> 00:46:15.679 We get a chance to pray for each other. 00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:20.239 Or maybe there is a word of encouragement that somebody needs to hear. 00:46:20.400 --> 00:46:25.440 And often I think as a group, that's the best the best time to do it. 00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:28.400 And then the best part is breaking bread together too. 00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:29.119 I love that. 00:46:29.199 --> 00:46:33.840 You know, we as a group we love to host and and have food. 00:46:33.920 --> 00:46:43.119 And there's nothing like being around the table and laughing and breaking bread and eating uh together. 00:46:43.280 --> 00:46:44.559 So yeah, community. 00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:50.159 I mean, without it, I think if you I don't think you could do Christianity in isolation. 00:46:50.559 --> 00:46:52.159 I don't think it's possible. 00:46:56.559 --> 00:47:03.519 Um well when I first read this question, I was like, oh, you could do this, you could do that, you could do, I don't know, all these things. 00:47:03.840 --> 00:47:14.719 But um I felt like I was kind of being hypocritical because I'm in college right now and I have not found a church yet, and I still don't want to get involved with the community. 00:47:14.960 --> 00:47:16.559 It's really scary, guys. 00:47:16.719 --> 00:47:25.039 Um and I was like, oh, bring an extroverted friend, but I'm the extroverted friend, so like it's really problematic. 00:47:25.199 --> 00:47:27.119 Um I was like, go multiple times. 00:47:27.199 --> 00:47:31.920 I've been multiple times, and I still don't know anyone at the churches I've been trying out. 00:47:32.159 --> 00:47:44.400 So I don't know, I feel like just follow God and God will point someone out to you, and if if he it might take a little bit of time, but God has a plan and just put your trust in him. 00:47:45.199 --> 00:47:46.159 Can I just add to that? 00:47:46.239 --> 00:47:47.119 Sorry, let me get away. 00:47:47.599 --> 00:47:48.000 Yeah, you can. 00:47:48.159 --> 00:47:56.159 Um Shadi and I felt a calling 10 years ago to come and be a part of a church of a younger generation. 00:47:56.559 --> 00:47:59.360 But the first year we couldn't connect. 00:47:59.519 --> 00:48:02.239 We felt like, are we in the right place? 00:48:02.559 --> 00:48:07.280 So I would just say be patient and just hang in there, and the right timing will come. 00:48:07.519 --> 00:48:11.519 But now looking back, that season, there was a reason for that. 00:48:11.679 --> 00:48:21.519 And I cherish that because I had to like just be still and realize my identity in Christ and who I am, not what I do for him. 00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:23.199 So there's a season for that. 00:48:24.159 --> 00:48:25.280 Amen, amen. 00:48:26.159 --> 00:48:28.400 We hope you were blessed by this message. 00:48:28.559 --> 00:48:32.960 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:48:33.119 --> 00:48:35.280 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:48:35.440 --> 00:48:41.360 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.