WEBVTT 00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:03.120 So are y'all ready for our weekly review? 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:07.200 If you've been with us, we've been reviewing as we go through this book of Colossians. 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:13.759 If you haven't been with us, we've been going through the book of Colossians and sort of catch you up and to drill it into the rest of us. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:16.079 We'll do our quick review like we've been doing. 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:18.239 So Colossians has four chapters in it. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:40.240 And what we see in this book, this letter that Paul wrote to this little church in Turkey, modern-day Turkey, what we see is in chapters one and two, it is chop full, full throttle promises of God to us, one promise after the next, his love for us, his finished work in Jesus for us, everything he's done for us over and over and over and over again. 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:44.079 And these things are called the indicatives. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:44.560 Very good. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:47.520 We're getting stronger and bolder, and our answers indicative. 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:49.840 So what's been indicated to you? 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:50.240 Right? 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.359 So it's been indicated to you that God loves you and it's secure. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:54.719 All right, then we see this switch. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:56.560 Then it's chapter two, going to chip chapter three. 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:58.719 It's pretty clear and it happens pretty quickly. 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:02.479 And then all of a sudden, there's all these in chapters three and four, all these things we should be doing. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:03.359 The Christian life. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:05.359 What's the Christian life look like? 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:06.159 What should we be doing? 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:07.200 The application. 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.799 And these things are called the imperatives. 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.799 And so you have the indicatives and the imperatives. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:18.879 And what we see in this letter is we see how the Christian life should work, and that is that the imperatives come out of the indicatives. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:29.680 And how quickly we miss that, and how quickly we just move on to chapters three and four, and we skip over one and two, and all the promises and the security we have in what God has done for us, and we just go to work. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:33.280 Or we think chapters one and two are the way in. 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:35.359 That's like that's just the front door into the Christian faith. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:43.439 Now I'm a believer, and now I'm going to move on, but I'm not going to be rooted in and coming out of a continual renewing and resting in the promises. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:45.840 I'm just going to go to work. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:54.400 And what we see Paul doing for us is laying out this great theology and philosophy for life of what life should be like. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:57.200 That we're rooted in the grace of God and his love for us. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:58.799 It's secure and it's over. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:01.760 You know, failure, success, it's over, it's secure. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:05.599 And then out of that is what we should do and what we should live like. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.479 And so we're going to read this passage in Colossians 4. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:16.000 There's three verses we're going to read this morning, two through four, and we're going to talk about this and see what God has for us. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:21.840 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:31.360 And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ for which I am in chains. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:34.719 So remember, Paul's writing this letter in prison. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:40.080 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:44.479 So, like I said, we were on this marriage retreat this week. 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:55.360 So the first day, wake up real early, sun's coming in the windows, get my phone, you know, head out, go for a nice morning walk. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.080 It's sunny, it's crisp, it's kind of cold. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:03.199 Walk a couple blocks to the marsh, and the sun's coming up and the beautiful marsh. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:08.400 You know, you're having this great moment, listening to worship music and walking and just praying. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:10.560 You know, God, thank you for God, it's beautiful. 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:34.560 It's reminding me how good you are and how good you've been to me and for my life and my family, my children, your and your grace over your grace over me and my brokenness, and even in the midst of all this goodness, how messed up I still am, and you still love me, and you know, praying this, and just walk like five blocks across the island to the other side and see the ocean and just be reminded of how big his forgiveness is, how big his love is. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.960 And then in the midst of that, you know, you're walking. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:39.439 I was walking around these beautiful homes. 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:53.280 I mean, just jaw-dropping beautiful homes, and slowly uh the prayer starts to switch, like, Lord, I could, you know, I I could I could use a retreat place like this, you know, and I would I would use it for your you know, your great glory. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:56.879 You know, I I would um I would use it more to your glory than these people are. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:01.680 They're not even here, and I would have retreats here, and you know, and that I'm praying this. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:03.199 And you go, what am I praying? 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:07.680 You know, like that'd be great, but I don't know if I'd pray for this, and you know, and then you're like, what am I praying? 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:11.599 And it's like God's Santa Claus, you're catching, I'm so consumeristic and materialistic. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.560 Why do I think I need this to feel like I'm somebody? 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:25.120 And you catch yourself doing, then you then the prayer comes back to like, I'm broken, that even in the midst of like I'm work, I was worshiping one moment, and all of a sudden I'm like just a consumer of stuff. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:34.399 And you catch yourself and you kind of bring the prayer back a little bit, and you go, God, you know, forgive me for even thinking I need this to feel like I'm somebody. 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:34.959 Right? 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:42.399 We know this, we know these feelings even within when we pray, like we're praying for one thing, all of a sudden you catch yourself praying for something else, and you're I don't know if I should be praying for that. 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:44.240 But we pray, right? 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:45.279 Like we pray. 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:56.240 We pray for houses, we pray for second houses, we pray for our children, we pray for our careers, we pray for raises and promotions, we pray for, we pray for all sorts of things. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:01.199 We pray for our marriages, we pray for what school our children should go to. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:03.839 We pray for a possibility of a spouse one day. 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:07.439 We pray we pray about all sorts of things. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:19.279 Years ago, our in our first home that we were in, so there's about 10 years ago, it was a beautiful spring day, we had Bermuda grass, and if you know about Bermuda grass in the spring, you have to cut the thatch away, that brown stuff that builds up. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.360 You either got to cut it away or burn it away. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:24.160 And I grew up, and my neighbor, I remember he used to burn it. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.439 He used to burn it off. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:30.240 And I think, well, that's gonna be quicker than dealing with all this cutting it and bagging it. 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:31.199 I don't want to deal with that. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:33.519 I'm gonna I'm gonna burn it, is what I'm gonna do. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:38.879 And so, you know, I don't do any research, I just walk out there with a garden hose and a lighter. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:43.360 And it happened to be a day that was a little windier than you probably want it to be. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:52.319 And I get up in the front corner of the lawn, a pretty big lawn, and I have my garden hose, me and my little garden hose, uh, and I light it. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:58.160 And at first, at first it just just a little bit, and you're feeling pretty good. 00:05:58.319 --> 00:05:59.439 I'm feeling pretty good. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:00.399 It's under control. 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:02.800 I have this under my garden hose, it's under control. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:15.759 And then the wind just a little picks up, and what I didn't think about, I lit in the corner, and you think it spreads in all directions, kind of, and all of a sudden you can't reach, and the wind picks up a little bit, and there's this there's this moment. 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:21.839 You know, it was a moment you might describe with words I wouldn't use in a sermon, right? 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:23.600 That kind of moment. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:32.720 And your stomach drops and and in the midst those other words, is you you you start to pray, God. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:38.800 Like, I don't want to burn down my house or my neighbor's house, and like do I go to prison for this? 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:41.519 I don't even know if I'm allowed to burn my lawn in the suburbs. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:51.600 I don't I don't I don't know about any of this, and and and I have my garden hose, and I'm I'm running, I'm running from like flame to flame just to get it back under control. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:53.199 I get it back under control. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:55.120 Here's the point. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:59.360 Well, part of the point is I went on and I've successfully burned the rest of the lawn, so I didn't learn my lesson too much. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:12.480 But the point is that this moment, this moment when your garden hose is not enough and it's out of control, the issues inside of you are beyond your control. 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:22.160 Circumstances around you are beyond your control, and finally there's some honesty in your life for what's always been there. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:24.879 For what's it's been there the whole time. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:29.040 There's some honesty, and then we pray. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:31.839 Like real, real prayers. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:33.519 Like real heart stuff. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:36.959 We actually let our heart open to God. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:38.879 And there's a freedom here. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:49.279 There's a freedom when that little hose is not enough to handle that fire because now you're open to the fact that you actually need somebody outside of yourself. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:55.199 You need outside saving, outside delivering, outside help. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:58.959 And we wish in our fallen nature, right? 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:01.680 Like I wish in my fallen nature that I could handle it all. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:03.120 I want to be my own savior. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:06.399 I don't want to need God, I don't want to need Jesus. 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:09.199 I want to be my own savior. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:11.360 I don't want to have to pray. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:16.480 I want to have to just just make my own list of things I can accomplish, I can handle it, right? 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:28.560 Then I'm in control of all of it, but we that's not life, and we know that, and we rub up against this reality all the time, but there's so much freedom when we come into the honesty to say there's a lot of stuff I can't control. 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:32.639 There's stuff in my heart, there's stuff in people's lives. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:37.120 I don't even control all the goodness that comes into my life. 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:41.600 And to think you do is the illusion. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:51.039 And thus the text this morning, that this the text this morning is about a different way of life, like living as a spiritual being needing outside help. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:54.799 And what we see in this text, we see three very clear things in that verse too. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:09:01.200 We see uh be devoted to prayer, be watchful in prayer, and be grateful in prayer. 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:03.120 So classic three-point sermon this morning. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:07.039 Be devoted to prayer, be watchful in prayer, be grateful in prayer. 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:08.879 So that first one, be devoted to prayer. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:12.399 So we're gonna be word nerds here for just a little bit and dig into it. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:16.000 The word devoted, that word means to persevere. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:19.120 It means constant readiness. 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:24.240 Not like fit some prayer in and bow your head on Sunday morning. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:26.159 It means to wait on. 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:36.559 And so this is the picture like when you when you on anniversary night you go to that nice restaurant, like the restaurant where you don't have one waiter, you have like several. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:49.519 You don't know the system, but all you know is there's like several people coming at you at different moments, and you're starting to notice there's one guy, like there's the main guy who kind of comes and goes and checks on you, and there's the wine guy, and then there's like a drink guy. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:59.600 There's and and and then there's the guy who just sort of like stands to the side, and he's just watching, and he is ready at any moment. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:04.960 He is there to wait on constant readiness. 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:10.559 That's what this word means, devoted, that you you are constantly ready. 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:19.039 So it's not like I'm the I'm gonna, man, I'm just gonna like mope into the prayer booth once a week or I'm gonna lay my mat out three times a day. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:19.919 It's bigger than that. 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:22.000 It could be that, but it's bigger, it's deeper. 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:24.480 It's it's a moment by moment. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:36.720 In the shower, your dressing, your driving, your traffic, in the meeting, in the hallway, the conversation, in the test. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:42.320 You're you're calling somebody, tough conversation. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:50.720 I was thinking back to when I had to call, you know, call for that first date and the rotary phone, right? 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:52.879 We've talked about the rotary phone before, right? 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:58.159 Stick that finger, then you zip it up, and by that that last digit, Lord, if I ever needed you, I need you now. 00:10:58.320 --> 00:10:59.600 Let her dad not pick up. 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:00.799 I don't want that conversation. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:03.919 Like you had to go through the parents to the girl, and you couldn't text them. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:11.519 You had to ask them, you had to man up, and you're praying on that last, that last one, and you are praying, Lord, I need you, right? 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:14.159 We did we know we constant ready. 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.799 Always constantly. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:21.039 And then the word prayer. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.919 So the word prayer means a place set apart. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:29.120 So the this is a so devoted means constantly ready, yet prayer means a place set apart. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:34.320 So devoted constantly waiting on prayer, a place set apart. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:48.720 So I love this putting these together because what this means is it means there are places in you that are set apart for union and for talking to God, and they're not for anybody else. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:59.440 That you should be have some part in you that is constantly waiting on and engaging, and it is set apart. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:10.080 So you can be in the conversation with your buddy or your boss or your boyfriend or your teacher, and there's this other conversation in a place that has been set apart. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:17.120 Now, why would you have to be devoted? 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:20.399 Because it's hard. 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:22.080 It's just hard, right? 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:25.759 It's never easy to humble yourself and ask for help. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:30.399 That doesn't come naturally to let go of that garden hose and admit you're in need. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:34.720 Nobody loves being desperate, and nobody loves admitting they're broken. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.519 Yet you are. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.000 And I am. 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:47.519 And so much of our lives are about self-protecting against it and pretending like it doesn't exist and it's not there. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:59.360 And to think that there's a place in you that could be secure enough in Jesus that you can just voice anything anytime, you can let it rip. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:03.200 An unbelievable privilege. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:04.720 What a freedom. 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:09.840 It's just us saying to God, I'm not as I should be, but you are everything for me. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:16.720 And then prayer can become more like breathing and not like I have to get my act together before I pray something. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:28.879 And just all day you can voice your inabilities, you can voice what's going on, you can voice God to help you see clearer, you can voice what's going on inside of you or outside of you, you can voice your gratitude. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:32.799 That's what this passage talks about, voicing your gratitude. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:35.600 But most days we don't want to sing the song, right? 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:36.960 You know the song. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:39.759 Lord, I need you. 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:43.519 Oh, I need you. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.120 My one defense. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:52.879 My righteousness. 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:54.960 Oh God. 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:00.879 We don't want to sing that. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.600 We just don't want to sing anything most days. 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:11.120 Or we just want to sing, Lord help me just need myself. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:14.480 Just put me in a position where I don't need you anymore. 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:21.840 Like, like, help me form a life where I no longer need you. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:25.039 Right? 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:31.600 Singing prayers of trust and require brokenness and require us to go into fears and and stuff like that. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:33.679 I don't I don't know about that, right? 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:35.679 I don't know if I want that. 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:44.399 This idea in this passage about being watchful. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:53.840 Like to be watchful like to today, what's going on today, because it's so easy to look into the future, and either you get escape into the future. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:54.399 That's me. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.919 I love to escape into the future. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:59.200 Escape into the future, or become anxious by the future. 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:04.720 Or to look into the past and be so ashamed of the past. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:09.519 And most of us, we swing all around between these things. 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.799 We carry these stories in us. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:23.519 We grew up with wounds, words spoken to us, or unspoken parents who didn't care, they neglected, they overprotected, they over-demanded, but to say being watchful. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:30.159 So today, today, live today, here, now, the goodness that is given to you today. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.840 Be watchful. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.000 Eyes open today. 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:36.480 And that's the second point. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:37.919 Be watchful in prayer. 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:42.559 So watchful means cautious, active attention. 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:44.240 Right now. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:52.799 Being watchful today helps us not sit in the shame of yesterday or the anxiety or escape for tomorrow. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:54.480 And we all have this tendency. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:55.759 See, but here's the key. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:16:09.919 Listen, by remembering you are loved and secured in Jesus today, it helps us begin to properly deal with the shame of yesterday or the anxiety of tomorrow. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:14.960 Rather than these things controlling you today. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:20.320 So be devoted to prayer, be watchful in prayer. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.840 Third point, be thankful in prayer. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:28.159 So at the retreat this week, you can tell I wrote the sermon while I was on the retreat. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:32.320 At the retreat this week, uh our room, well, our room had a foyer. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:39.120 Okay, I mean that right away just kind of you know I don't often say places where my room has a four-year. 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:51.200 So I mean you walked in, it's a beautiful archway, the room has like a four-year, and it's I mean, beautiful decorated huge room, and it had two beds, which was kind of cool because I go cuddle with Christy and then just spread out another bed. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:54.639 You know, that was nice, the 1950 style, sorry. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:59.759 Uh and beautiful, great room, huge windows, palm trees outside. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:04.480 You know, and you walk, you walk in and you're just like, you're so grateful, and somebody else is treating us. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.319 I mean, I mean, unbelievable. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:08.079 And you're just so grateful. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.119 Day one. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:13.200 Day two, you're like pretty grateful. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.000 The foyer thing's worn off. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:19.519 It just has your clothes are all kind of laying around. 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:23.680 That extra chair in the corner, you know, you thought you were gonna have great quiet times. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:25.519 It's just stacked with stuff. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:30.240 Day three, you're like little grateful. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.039 It's just kind of normal at this point. 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:33.839 Right? 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:39.279 You know what I'm talking about when we normalize goodness that's been given to us. 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:59.599 And we do it, I mean we do it with a job that came through out of nowhere, or a bonus we didn't see coming, or a friendship, somebody came to your rescue, or you know, somebody gave you a stack of Chick-fil-a coupons, and that first one you are so thankful for truit and what he's done, and then by the like 10th or 20th one, you're just going, I don't, I don't know, you know, just here you go. 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:01.519 You know, just it's normal. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:07.359 It's just so easy to normalize goodness and forget to be grateful. 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:14.400 There's this story in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy chapter 8, and Moses is leading uh the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:15.680 So a little bit of history here. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:23.599 The Israelites are in Egypt, and they're in, they're enslaved, and God is moving them out back to their land, back to Canaan. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:28.240 And the Lord just provides for them over and over and over and over again. 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:29.599 I mean, it's the Lord doing it. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.000 I mean, the storyline is so incredible. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:33.599 Glory to God in this. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:34.880 And we get this passage. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:39.200 Hang with me as I read it, starting in verse 10 of Deuteronomy 8. 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:45.039 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God, for the good land he has given you. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:52.079 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws, and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 00:18:53.039 --> 00:19:15.039 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase, and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:21.839 He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land with its venomous snakes and scorpions. 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:33.680 He brought you water out of hard rock, he gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known to humble and to test you, so that in the end it might go well with you. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:40.799 You may say to yourself, My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:41.359 Right? 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:45.519 So it's so easy to say, I'm the cause, I'm the source, I'm the strength, I'm the man. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:58.960 But verse 18, but remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant which he swore to your forefathers as it is today. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:06.160 And Moses has one overarching point God's the provider of goodness. 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:08.319 See it. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.440 Be watchful for it. 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:10.240 That's what Paul's saying. 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:12.559 Be watchful for it and thank him. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:19.279 And that's what we're to do when we live when we live today, is to see it. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:22.319 You know, like I see that car, thank you. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:32.799 I see that job, thank you, I see that paycheck, I see that child, I see that husband or that wife or that roommate or that friend, I see that food, thank you. 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:36.319 I see that health. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:40.160 I I I see that redemption through my illness. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.279 Thank you. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:51.119 I I see that I see that flower, I see that sky, I see that breath of fresh air. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:52.799 Thank you. 00:20:54.880 --> 00:21:01.920 I see that truth that I never thought I would ever embrace or learn or let it sink into my heart. 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:03.519 Thank you. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.400 We got back in town on Thursday and Friday morning. 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:19.200 I'm sitting in my study and I'm reflecting back over all these discussions we had at the retreat, and a lot of kind of sort of discussing like how we grow up and how that's affecting how we live today and how we relate and stuff like that. 00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:23.839 And I'm just thinking about my life and I have so much to be grateful for. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:29.359 I mean, even in like all the brokenness, the amount of redemption that's come out of it, I have so much to be grateful for. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:33.599 But then it hit me that in many ways I still don't trust the Lord. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.440 It's real spotty. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:42.480 And and that's why I get very anxious about things. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.559 I just don't need to trust him. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:54.799 Like I'll be your friend and I'll love you, but I'm gonna rely on me. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.839 That's why the charge can produce a lot of anxiety. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:03.599 For me, because I think, well, I'm gonna build it off my talent. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:11.119 You know, family, the health of my children is gonna the health of that's gonna be based on my intentionality. 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:15.440 The security of my family is gonna be based on money. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:16.720 Right? 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:22.720 And the pressure adds because I'm not tapping into any trust in the Lord. 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:35.039 And there's this loving, healing father above, the creator of my soul, the one who came in the form of a man, Jesus, to prove this love and show this love to us so we can understand it. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:43.839 And he wants to free me and free you to be watchful, to see the goodness, and to be thankful for it. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:50.400 And when we begin to live this way, how healthy this is, how humbling this is, how freeing this is. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:23:02.880 So if we look back at this passage, what we see in this transition in this Colossians passage from verse 2 and to verse 3 and 4, we see the gospel and gratitude. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:05.440 It moves us beyond ourselves. 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:06.640 Right? 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:11.039 Like be watchful, be thankful, and then Paul says, and pray for me. 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:13.119 And pray for the move of the kingdom. 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:15.200 Right? 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:17.119 So, hey, I see you, Paul. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:32.079 That you could see Paul, or you could see Cindy or Billy Joe or your neighbor or your coworker, or you could see the work that's going on in Marietta and pray for it, or in India, or Uganda, that you could see beyond yourself, but it's the gospel and it's gratitude that gets you beyond yourself. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:37.519 That you could begin to pray for that and have concern for that. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:40.799 I look at this passage, I really need this passage. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:55.920 Like to pray like breathing, because I'm messed up at every breath, and to learn to open my eyes to the good and the truth of today, and that I'm not controlled by yesterday or by tomorrow. 00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:59.839 Maybe all of this, the passage just feels a little condemning. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:05.039 You go, well, be devoted to prayer, like I'm not doing too good at that one. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:12.640 Like if you clocked me, it's not going too well, or be caught like praying constantly, like that's a strong ask, or being thankful always? 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:14.559 Well, that's just impossible. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:17.519 Well, we we can breathe easy, and here's why. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:25.039 Because our awareness and our gratitude do not create the love and the goodness and the help God gives us. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:29.039 It doesn't create it, it just creates our awareness of it. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.400 That's a freeing thing. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:31.200 I'll say that again. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:37.119 Our awareness and our gratitude do not create the love and the goodness and the help from God. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:39.839 It just creates our awareness of it. 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:42.079 The goodness is already there. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:48.640 The position, your position in God, sealed and secured, is already, it's already over, it's already done. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:50.480 He's already for you. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:57.519 The Bible says the Father already knows what you need before you pray it. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:02.240 It says that Jesus is interceding on your behalf. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:04.720 He is for you. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:12.400 So remembering what's always true in chapters 1 and 2 of Colossians, remembering that, tuning into that. 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:18.960 Just that He is loving us, and the work of Jesus is enough for us. 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:25.119 And you don't have to use your prayers to earn this or to prove something. 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:32.559 But your prayers can help you tap into an awareness of the goodness and the love that's always there. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:40.559 Our prayers clue us into this reality and help us remember and help us heal. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:42.240 Let's pray together. 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:58.400 God, we we stop to say thank you, thank you for the goodness in our lives, and some of us having uh quite tragic lives today. 00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:02.880 Circumstances are not good. 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:16.079 Would you help us to see in the midst of tragedy little pieces of goodness that you have not left and that we are not alone? 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:37.759 Many of us putting on the dinner jacket over and over and over again and quite exhausted, and we need to see your goodness and your grace in a way that would revolutionize our lives, that we could trust in your sufficiency and not in our work, and we would know greater freedom. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:46.960 And many of us just needing to be reminded this morning that you are so good to us, and you are enough. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:55.920 And whether we pray all day or we or we don't pray at all, that you're good to us, and Jesus' work is enough for us. 00:26:57.359 --> 00:27:10.799 And would you help create a heart in us that sets apart places in us that are watching and waiting and thanking you. 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:12.960 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:14.079 Amen.