WEBVTT 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:08.160 Sir? 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:08.880 I'm going to show you. 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:09.839 Okay. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.560 All right. 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:15.759 Chris, that last song was uh really good. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:21.120 Um in the words, it just um I hadn't planned to do this, but I'm I'm going to anyway. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:23.039 I just want to share a quick testimony. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:27.839 Part of that song said, Your goodness is running after me. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:30.000 Your goodness is running after me. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:33.280 God's goodness caught somebody last night. 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:36.079 And that goodness was my grandson. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:42.880 Nine years old, he came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior last night. 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:48.719 God is faithful, and his goodness runs after us. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:53.039 And the good thing is we can't run faster than God's goodness. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:53.600 Okay? 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:55.600 And I just wanted to share that with you. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.039 Um, I gotta get off the mic before I start setting a tear. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:05.359 But God is good, and he called my grandson last night to the kingdom, and uh, it's just a great thing. 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:08.480 So love the Lord, and his testimonies are true and faithful. 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:09.120 Thank you. 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:11.280 Thank you, Tommy. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:14.319 Bless you, bless you, bless you. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:16.879 Um, welcome to Christ Community Church. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:25.200 Cherly and I greet you in the name of our Savior who saved Tommy's grandson and um and us? 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:27.760 Yeah, and us too, and us too. 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:44.079 Um, real quickly before I forget it, there are little bags back over by Turk for you to take home and put in your car and distribute to folks that might be standing on the corner and need a little word of encouragement and a little expression of love. 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:49.840 And so um Jason puts these together for us to distribute, and so I hope you will do that. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:54.719 Um, too much going on here. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:57.040 David, I'm gonna put that right there. 00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:58.079 There you go. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:22.960 Uh I have thought and thought and thought and thought about what God wanted us to talk about today, and um I'm still not exactly sure where this is supposed to go or uh where how it's supposed to end, but we'll just move forward and see what the Lord does. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:31.199 Um I read a little article, um, I think it was this past week, and I sent it to you. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:03:02.879 Um somebody uh interviewed some of the most successful people in the world and asked them regarding their rearing, their growing up, what did their parents do or what did their parents give them that was the most impactful on them becoming successful? 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:10.800 What would they attribute their success to as it relates to their upbringing? 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:12.400 Do you remember the three? 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:13.599 I remember the one. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:18.960 Okay, well, uh I wrote them down to the one you said we were going to talk about. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:24.319 Well the uh the one of them was which would make my daughter very happy, empathy. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:25.199 Yes, that's right. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:26.159 Um that was the first thing. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:35.520 Growing up in a home where there is an abundance of empathy shown to one another, that's one of the qualities. 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:36.719 It's taught too, right? 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:38.560 I mean, it's taught you can you can always learn. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:47.680 Um, another one was that the parents shared in the children's interest. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:58.319 Whatever the kids were interested in, the parents got involved in that and owned that and participated in that. 00:03:58.479 --> 00:03:59.039 Yeah. 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:04.879 And then the last one, I wanted to write it down so I would say it well. 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:25.920 It says that they grew up in homes with parents that were optimistic, positive, hopeful, thankful, and that emphasized the good rather than the bad. 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:28.160 I want to say one more time. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:59.600 Some of the most successful people in the world said that they attributed their success to the upbringing that they received as children, and that part of that upbringing that helped them become successful was that they grew up in homes with parents that were optimistic, positive, hopeful, thankful, and that emphasized the good instead of the bad. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:12.720 That hit me in a profound way. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:21.600 And I hope it will in some way maybe hit you in a similar fashion. 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:32.560 Um my bride and I, um, one of the things we love to do is uh we love to go down to New Orleans. 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:37.680 It's one of our favorite American cities to visit. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:42.639 And uh we try to go down once a year or so and just spend a few days. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:54.079 We love the the restaurants and the food and we love the music and um we love the antique shops and the art stores. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:57.600 Um we love taking walks down by the Mississippi. 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:03.839 Um we we really do enjoy going down there um every year for a few days. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:07.680 It's just a it's a wonderful place for us to visit. 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:24.560 And um I always find it interesting that when I say that to people, very often somebody will respond with, ooh, we went to New Orleans and we hated it. 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:36.399 We did not find it enjoyable, it was dirty and immoral and uh threatening in some ways. 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:43.600 We just did not they they focused on the bad instead of focusing on the good. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:46.800 And nothing that they said wasn't true. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:54.079 It can be dirty, it can be bad, it can be immoral. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:07:01.839 I mean, there was nothing that was that's ever been said as far as describing it in a negative way that wasn't true. 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:30.639 It's just what hit me, or what hits me when I hear that is how people can go to the same place, go through the same experience, and one person or people focus on the bad or the negative or the problems, which are real. 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:41.360 But other people can go to the same place or go through the same experience and focus on totally different things. 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:46.879 And when we go to New Orleans, which we're gonna go between Christmas and New Year, I can't wait. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:53.519 In fact, I wanted to snag her and go this afternoon, and but she won't go. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:56.800 Um so uh go. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:59.199 You don't have to call in. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:12.399 Um but how we can go and focus on the good and be blessed by that choice of what we focus on. 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:20.879 And other people can focus on bad things and they miss the blessing. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:24.399 Well, I'm glad you used that word choice, because that's where I was going, of course. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:25.839 It is a choice, isn't it? 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:27.680 It is, it is a choice. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:35.360 How we think, what we say, the words that come out, what we view, how we view, all of it is a choice. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:37.919 It's ours. 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:39.840 I mean, and there's such power in that. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:41.679 I love that we have choice. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:52.320 It's it's and and and there are things to be said like, well, it's just so bad out in the world, or it just all you hear is the bad, and and and what about this? 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.879 And I'm so you know, everything's so scary. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:09:13.919 Again, what you view, how you view, and what you say, I should what we say, um, and how I view it is my active, God-given, straight out of the Garden of Eden choice. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:17.759 Um there's so much power in it. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:19.759 There's a great example in it. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:36.720 Because the abundance of positive options and possibilities of focus, they weren't overshadowed or blocked by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:40.240 It was just there was that tree. 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:43.200 And there was all these other trees. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:56.159 And Adam and Eve, and I didn't think of it until you just said it, but how they chose which tree to focus on. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:08.480 And their choice of focus had a huge impact upon their future and our futures as well. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:39.279 Um it's easy to miss the blessings that God places in our lives by our choice to focus to an extreme on problems and pains and wrongs and needs in our life. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:49.120 I'm not in any way suggesting that the problems, the pains, the failures, the needs, the wounds aren't real. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:11:01.120 This is not a challenge for us to pretend or to live in denial in any way. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:30.639 But I was just thinking all week long about how many people in the New Testament, especially when they came in contact with Jesus, they missed the opportunity to experience something incredible, something life-changing. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:45.519 And it wasn't that, oh, let's let's hype up the crowd, let's whip up the crowd, let's do a good sales uh uh plan or sales pitch with the crowds to make Jesus more wonderful than he is. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:12:27.759 He's, you know, he's a nice average regular guy, uh, hadn't done a lot bad, hadn't done that much good, but uh man, if we really whip the ground up and really get the word out and we really do a um a social media thing, um, we can we can really build his reputation and his image in the eyes of the people, but for that to happen, we Jesus needs our help to make him the wonderful person that we want other people to believe him to be. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:28.879 No. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:39.679 Nobody, Jesus never needed anybody to make, never once did Jesus ask anybody to defend his reputation. 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:54.720 Never once did Jesus ask anybody to say big, miraculous things about him as if that would somehow make him bigger in the eyes of other people. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:39.279 What the New Testament, especially the gospels, consistently testify to is how person after person after person missed literally and truthfully the experience of a lifetime or more because they were so focused on problems that they missed the blessing, and I think that happens to us every day, every day. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:43.759 Um like everything else about being a human, it becomes a habit. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:14:02.480 We the things that we do habitually then become what we do, and so you know, if I'm if I'm constantly seeing viewing my spouse, my children, my life, the world, the earth in a negative view, then that that's what I that's it. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:05.120 That's my that's my the glasses that I put on my face. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:05.840 Yes. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:08.399 To to see it that way. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:10.080 But again, it's choice. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:10.960 Yes. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:14.559 I gate have some I jotted down some examples. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:33.039 Matthew 15, Jesus said to the religious leaders, y'all are so consumed about your traditions and rituals that you are blinded to what God is doing in your very midst. 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:35.840 Very next chapter. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:40.320 Jesus gets in a boat with his disciples. 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:41.759 Now think about that. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:43.200 About what? 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:52.960 Depending on, I don't know how a sailboat would do, maybe an hour and a half ride across the Sea of Galilee. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:15:02.080 Can you imagine being given the opportunity to get into a boat with Jesus and sail across the Sea of Galilee with him? 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:04.720 They get in the boat. 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:10.399 And they're all over there whispering and, you know, you know, did you bring some lunch? 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:12.559 No, I thought you were gonna bring the lunch. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:13.759 No, I thought you were gonna bring the lunch. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.120 He's supposed to bring the lunch. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:16.960 Why didn't you bring the lunch? 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:24.159 Jesus has just in the last couple of days fed 5,000 people and 4,000 people. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:27.919 And Jesus says, guys, what are y'all whispering about? 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:29.759 Well, somebody forgot lunch. 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:39.039 And you can just see Jesus going, I just fed thousands upon thousands of people. 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.759 Y'all are screwing around worrying about lunch? 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:43.279 Who cares about lunch? 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:44.240 We need lunch. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:44.960 I'll get lunch. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:46.000 I'm in charge of lunch. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:47.679 I'm actually in charge of everything. 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:49.759 Don't worry about lunch. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:51.519 Let's talk. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:55.679 You've been given the privilege to talk to the Son of God. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:57.519 Don't miss that. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:15:58.480 Don't miss that. 00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.759 Don't miss that. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:06.159 Jesus said again to the uh religious leaders in Matthew 23. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:15.360 Y'all are so consumed with making sure that you follow the rules. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:41.600 That you go out in your backyard garden and you harvest your garlic and cumin and parsley and oregano and all your little gar uh spices, and you go in and you weigh them, and you make sure that you tithe your spices. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:17:08.240 And while you're busy doing that, you miss, you miss all that God is doing in you and for you, and you miss the opportunity to focus on giving justice and mercy and compassion to other people. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:14.799 A man is healed on the Sabbath of his blindness or the or lameness. 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:16.400 Um healed. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:17.200 Lameness. 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:18.319 Lameness. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:24.000 And the first response from the human beings are, well, now you're not supposed to do that on a Sunday. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:25.200 Why are you giving your mat? 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:26.160 What's that about? 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:26.640 Yeah. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:29.680 Mat carrier, mat carrier. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.519 That's it. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:35.440 It's just so frankly, it's predictable. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:40.079 Just people that would be, it's a great example. 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:43.599 A man has not walked for 38 years. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:44.480 And everybody knows it. 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:45.920 They've been walking past him. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:48.480 For 38 years he hadn't taken a step. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:50.559 Jesus heals this man. 00:17:50.799 --> 00:18:00.960 And rather than standing there in awe, focused on the miracle that a man's life and family are being changed today forever. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:03.680 They focus on a mat. 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:09.119 Disciples. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:16.079 I remember the story of Jesus and the disciples walk through the temple, Herod's temple. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:20.640 And they're all going, wow, man, look at these stones. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:24.720 Look at this architecture, look at the structure. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:26.799 Man, isn't this impressive? 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:35.119 And Jesus stops and says, guys, in just a couple of years, everything you see is going to be level to the ground. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.960 It's all going to be gone. 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:56.079 And I think what Jesus was trying to teach the disciples there is since the Shekinah glory of God left the temple five or five hundred years earlier, the glory of God had never been in that temple. 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:06.480 And now literally the incarnate Shekinah glory of God is in the temple once again. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:09.359 Through the person of Jesus Christ. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:15.599 And y'all are y'all y'all are talking about rocks. 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:31.759 And you're not, you're, you're not focusing on what is amazing, that that which you as a society have grieved over for 500 years and prayed for. 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:36.720 It's being fulfilled in your very sight. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:39.359 And you're missing it. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:43.039 The twelve walking by the Samaritan lady. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:46.799 Jesus has just changed her life. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:50.160 The Samaritan lady's going back into town. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.359 The disciples are walking out of town carrying some lunch. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:55.200 They see this lady leaving Jesus. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:56.079 Who's she? 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.200 What have they been talking about? 00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:58.319 Why is she talking to Jesus? 00:19:58.480 --> 00:19:59.920 Did she slip him some lunch? 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:02.160 She's going to mess up everything. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:10.720 They miss the miracle that Jesus just changed that lady's life. 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:15.680 The blind man, they're walking down the road, I think, if I remember this correctly. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:21.200 And the disciples look at this blind dude on the road, on the side of the road begging. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:27.839 They have witnessed Jesus heal hundreds of people. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:29.680 Eyewitness. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:39.599 And they walk by a blind man, and the only thing they can say is, wonder who caused that blindness. 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:43.279 And don't you know Jesus is like? 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:47.359 Anybody want to just ask me to heal him? 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:52.720 Let's not worry about who caused the blindness. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:57.519 Anyone want me to just ask me? 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:00.720 Ask me and I will, which he did. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:05.519 But nobody even thought about the per. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.319 How many times do we pull up to a street corner? 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:10.799 And there's somebody on the corner begging. 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:16.079 And rather thinking, wonder who that person's mom is. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:18.079 Wonder if he has any siblings. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.759 Wonder if he has any children. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:21.759 Wonder if he ever had a job? 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.599 Did he go to school? 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:24.480 What's going on? 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.599 Wonder. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:27.920 Bum. 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:32.559 He's trying to sponge off society. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:35.839 If I give him some money, wonder what he'll do with it. 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:40.880 And I could go on and on and on. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:41.759 The twelve. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:44.000 Having dinner with Jesus one night. 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:46.000 Mary Magdalene comes in. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.880 Bible says a lady that was a prostitute and was demon possessed. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:55.440 And she falls down at the feet of Jesus and starts worshiping him. 00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:59.279 And they were so consumed. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:10.400 With what Mary Magdalene was that they could not focus on what was happening. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:23.359 A previous wicked demon-possessed person is now bowing before the Son of God in worship. 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:30.640 The older brother, you know, he hadn't seen his brother possibly in years. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:33.200 And he comes back home. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:42.160 And the older brother, he can't see the miracle of the return of his brother. 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:49.359 All he can focus on are the previous wounds and the wrong that was done. 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:52.559 And I could go on and on. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:53.920 Mary and Martha. 00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:58.640 Why is my sister not helping? 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:07.680 I'll tell you why she's not helping because she knows that she only has a brief time to listen to Jesus one-on-one, and she doesn't want to waste it. 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:10.079 To Hades with the food. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:11.920 We'll eat some other time. 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:16.079 I won't hurry near helping me. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:19.279 And she's blind. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:23.839 She's blinded to what's going on. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:27.839 Because her focus is somewhere else. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:29.759 We do it in the future too, don't we? 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:32.400 Those are all like in the present and the past. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:38.319 Those examples are in the present and the past in those people's lives, but we do it forward as well, I think. 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:44.079 I'm hyper focused on the negative or the sad or the weird or the scary today. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:45.920 Because what might it look like in ten years? 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.440 What might it look like in ten minutes? 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:54.720 What might it look like, you know, so so I I clutch those around me and squeeze real hard and hunker down. 00:23:54.799 --> 00:24:03.680 Is it if I can that's gonna change one thing in the future, except for make these people that I'm around more neurotic and scared of the future? 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:04.319 Yes. 00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:07.599 So I think it it works in presentation. 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:24.240 Yes, it's well and it taints, and it taints, we literally taint the perspective of those that we care the most about. 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:45.039 Um everyone in this room has lives that are filled with problems and pains and failures and wounds and wrongs and uh people that irritate the crud out of you, people that have wronged you. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:48.480 Uh everybody in here has unfulfilled dreams. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:54.640 No one's exempt, as your dear mentor says, if you live long enough, you get a turn. 00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:20.559 But as Tommy reminded us, in the midst of the problems in our lives, we can choose to focus on the good things, the blessings, things that give us joy. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:24.000 If we'll just open our eyes. 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:37.599 That's what it is. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:39.759 Oh, we're a great no, no, no. 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:41.599 Bring your checkbook. 00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:43.039 That's the whole deal. 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:51.119 And I was about halfway uh not annoyed, but it just I was I I saw exactly what was going on. 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:59.680 And uh we we walk in to see his room and you know, and all the stuff, and he, you know, and then and then we go to this little chapel. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.119 They have chapel. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:22.000 And and y'all, we went in this chapel and uh service, and um right in front of my eyes, my great, it was the simplest, most unpretentious thing you've ever seen. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:28.240 It was not nobody, I don't think anybody in the room, maybe some other people did, I hope so. 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:38.559 But I looked over, and my grandson was sitting between the two of us, and he was quoting the apostles' creed. 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:40.880 Seven years old. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:44.799 He was quoting the Lord's Prayer. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:28:01.519 He was singing these deep, rich, ancient hymns that he had been listening to and participating in for weeks and months. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:08.240 Um man, it just it hit me like a ton of bricks. 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:13.200 What a blessing, what a blessing. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:19.359 Um and I just stood there and I cried the entire chapel. 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:20.400 I couldn't help it. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:26.000 It just it was just a blessing to see my little seven-year-old grandson. 00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:40.160 There was there was no show, there was no, it was just, it was the most lovely, simple thing that I've seen in a long time. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:50.480 And I was just, I was grateful, I was thankful that that was being invested in his life. 00:28:51.039 --> 00:29:01.839 Uh I'm gonna talk about this next week, but I said it, I mentioned it last week, and I'm gonna mention it again today, and then I'm gonna talk about it next week. 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:12.240 Um I have been praying about something for six months. 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:14.400 I mean, every deadcum day. 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.279 More. 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:25.279 And I've been working um harder than I've worked in a long time, along with my prayers. 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:38.079 And um there was this moment four or five months ago where I had this this, I thought, oh my gosh, God has answered this prayer. 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:41.359 And and it's, you know, praise the Lord. 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:50.880 This is what I this is what I believe is right and good and best, and God, we need you to do this, and danged if God didn't do it. 00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:56.319 And um, yay. 00:29:57.519 --> 00:30:11.119 And over the period of about, I don't know, a month or two months, um, there came a point where I where literally I was told, no, this is not gonna happen. 00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:13.039 No. 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:16.480 Your request has been denied. 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:17.839 That was the word. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:18.799 Denied. 00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:23.599 No, we're thinking about it, we're you know, we're praying about it, we're gonna check. 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:26.400 Your request has been denied. 00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:35.440 And I, Shirley will tell you, can't fight City Hall. 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:39.519 And so I just laid that down and let I buried that. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:42.319 I thought that was what we were supposed to do. 00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:44.640 I asked the Lord to do it. 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:51.839 I thought he did it, and I was told no, and I buried that. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:57.119 And then what? 00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:57.920 Two weeks ago. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:00.240 Two weeks ago, week and a half ago. 00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:08.799 Literally out of the blue, I get an email from this lady that said, your request has been denied. 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:16.720 And she was not mean, she was not, she just In fact, more than that, it was it's formulaic, right? 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:18.400 I mean, it's like a stock response. 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:18.720 Yeah. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:19.440 Nope. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:21.920 It's not even, oh, we're so sorry. 00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:23.279 Nope, nope. 00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:25.279 It happens. 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:44.319 And um, she she sent me this email, and she just said um after further investigation and discussion with the people that would be involved, um, your request has been approved. 00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:58.160 I cannot express to you the the God's provision concerning the need took my breath away. 00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:02.400 I had to sit down and just stop for just a second. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:08.799 It was such a such a deal. 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:17.920 It was such a huge pro example of provision, and but it was so much more than that. 00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:44.240 I took it as just an indication from God that He still hears and answers my prayers. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:48.960 Maybe you never worry about that. 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:52.640 Maybe that thought doesn't cross your mind. 00:32:53.680 --> 00:33:08.480 But I can go through seasons where, God, I don't struggle that you're here, but are you listening? 00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:13.920 I know you care, but I don't know. 00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:31.119 And it was just a huge blessing for me to be reminded in a very practical way that God hears and answers my prayers. 00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:39.839 And uh I don't know, I just wanted to, I just wanted to. 00:33:44.559 --> 00:34:34.320 It's just easy for us to forget that we have been given an intimate personal relationship with the God of Abraham and the God of Moses and the God of David, that I know and am indwelt by the very same God that those people, and Ruth and Esther, and Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jesus, that that God lives in me, that he does hear my prayers, and he is at work in response to what I'm praying about. 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:47.840 And even better than that, I just read it today, he is continually before his father, making intercession for us. 00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:53.119 It's one thing for me to pray for myself, or even for you to pray for me. 00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:54.320 Thanks. 00:34:54.880 --> 00:35:02.880 But for Jesus to say, Dad, that's a deal. 00:35:03.119 --> 00:35:04.320 That's a deal. 00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:32.639 And for us to be given that, that we've been given a copy of the scriptures that we can read, and it's filled with the promises of God and with examples of who God is and what he's like, and that we've been given people who actually care about us. 00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:51.760 I mean, for you to have anybody in your life who genuinely cares about you, they know you and they still like you, and they still care about you and put up with you. 00:35:53.119 --> 00:35:57.679 To know that, I mean, she knows me better than anybody on the planet. 00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:04.800 And she she does put up with me every day, but she still cares about me. 00:36:04.880 --> 00:36:07.119 She still wants to go to New Orleans with me. 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:12.800 And uh that's a that I take that very um seriously. 00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:25.920 To know that I've been given God's promise that no matter what you do to me, you you have the power, Jerry Bowden, to wrong me, to hurt me. 00:36:26.559 --> 00:36:36.159 But you do not have the power to keep God from using that hurt and wrong ultimately for my good. 00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:51.519 There's not a person on the planet that can stay God's hand from taking whatever you might do to me and ultimately using it for my good. 00:36:54.800 --> 00:37:27.920 I wonder if this worrisome, scared, negative view of things, cautious, overly cautious uh view of things, isn't such a um, I want to use the word idle, but such a such a draw that to even consider giving it up seems ridiculous. 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:30.320 Irresponsible almost. 00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:31.760 Well, what about? 00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:39.760 What about well if you think about it, I don't know what yours would be, but most of those things are out of our control anyway. 00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:42.880 To a large degree, any of them. 00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:43.519 Yes. 00:37:46.239 --> 00:37:58.159 And so how how absurd is it to spend my energy with those who are around me and over whom I have maybe a tad bit of influence, like children or grandchildren. 00:38:00.800 --> 00:38:20.000 For them to know me as a person who talks about loving God and trusting God, but really I am bowing to them, to the idol of the world. 00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:22.960 Yes. 00:38:27.360 --> 00:38:40.079 You know, just the blessing of knowing that we're a part of something that's gonna ultimately last and that we get to win. 00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:41.199 It's already won. 00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:49.679 You know, she spends every stinking weekend watching these goofball teams uh play these silly games, and uh, you know, who's gonna win? 00:38:49.840 --> 00:38:51.199 Who's gonna win? 00:38:51.519 --> 00:38:55.440 You know, and sometimes the person she likes wins, and sometimes the person she likes doesn't win. 00:38:55.599 --> 00:38:56.960 No one thought Michigan would win. 00:38:57.920 --> 00:39:00.960 I I promise I didn't think Michigan, Michigan was gonna win. 00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:02.559 I didn't even know they played. 00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:11.679 But to be re I was reminded I read Daniel chapter three this morning. 00:39:11.920 --> 00:39:14.480 Chuck and I read Daniel chapter three this morning. 00:39:14.639 --> 00:39:16.960 Uh chapter two and three. 00:39:18.559 --> 00:39:20.719 And uh Daniel chapter two. 00:39:21.679 --> 00:39:25.360 Just this morning, I was getting ready to come be with y'all. 00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:29.440 Nebuchadnezzar, one of the most wicked men that have ever lived. 00:39:29.760 --> 00:39:53.119 He has this dream, this uh statue, and it's made of different ingredients or materials, and part of it's gold and silver and bronze and iron and clay and all this stuff, and each material represents a different, huge world kingdom. 00:39:56.480 --> 00:40:04.079 And God gave this dream to Nebuchadnezzar, and Daniel explained it to him, and the end of the dream was this. 00:40:05.760 --> 00:40:20.880 One day, God is gonna cut a stone out of a mountain, and he's gonna take that stone and smash all those kingdoms. 00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:33.039 And out of that mountain, a kingdom is gonna be created that will last forever. 00:40:34.639 --> 00:40:39.760 Tommy's grandson is a part of that kingdom that's gonna last forever. 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:46.639 I'm a part of that kingdom that's gonna last forever. 00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:56.559 Doesn't mean those kingdoms aren't gonna operate, doesn't mean they're not gonna have influence, it doesn't mean that they're gonna not uh, you know, whatever. 00:40:56.880 --> 00:41:11.679 But at the end of the day, the kingdoms of the world, including your precious United States of America and my precious United States of America, they're gonna be blown away like the dust. 00:41:13.440 --> 00:41:26.559 And what's gonna last, what's gonna matter, who's gonna win, are the people that are a part of that kingdom that's made out of that stone, that rock. 00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:38.800 We all, there's not a person in this room that has a life absent of problems and pains. 00:41:39.119 --> 00:41:45.360 But there's also not a person in this room that doesn't have a life or that has a life absent of blessings. 00:41:46.639 --> 00:41:56.880 We get to choose where we spend the lion's share of our focus on the problems or on the blessings. 00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:14.159 And um the point of that article that we started off with is what I choose to focus on the most doesn't just influence me. 00:42:15.199 --> 00:42:18.159 It influences those around me. 00:42:20.079 --> 00:42:24.639 They sense it, they feel it, they hear it, they see it. 00:42:26.559 --> 00:42:40.159 And I think if we focus more on the blessings, we look for the blessings, we enjoy the blessings, we give thanks for the blessings, we share the blessings. 00:42:40.639 --> 00:42:51.280 The more we choose to do that, the more hope we have for a bright future. 00:42:53.119 --> 00:43:01.119 And I think that's a a word worthy for us to consider and ponder and embrace. 00:43:01.360 --> 00:43:03.440 I think it's a word from our Savior. 00:43:03.920 --> 00:43:05.440 Anything you want to add, buddy Bear? 00:43:05.679 --> 00:43:05.840 Nope. 00:43:06.239 --> 00:43:06.559 Okay. 00:43:14.480 --> 00:43:23.119 We're going to take the Lord's Supper, and I'm going to read something to you, just to prepare. 00:43:25.199 --> 00:43:26.159 You listen to this. 00:43:26.320 --> 00:43:30.320 This is from Henry Nowen, one of my heroes. 00:43:31.920 --> 00:43:34.400 He's talking about Christian community. 00:43:35.599 --> 00:43:56.639 And he says this Christian community is the place where we keep the flame of hope alive among us and take it seriously so that it can grow and become stronger in us. 00:43:57.440 --> 00:43:59.760 In this way, we can live with courage. 00:44:00.719 --> 00:44:18.079 Trusting that there is a spiritual power in us when we are together that allows us to live in this world without surrendering to the powerful forces constantly seducing toward despair. 00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:27.760 This is how we dare to say that God is a God of love even when we see hatred all around us. 00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:36.320 This is why we can claim that God is a God of life even when we see death and destruction and agony all around us. 00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:38.800 We say it together. 00:44:39.199 --> 00:44:52.000 We affirm it in each other, waiting together, nurturing what has already begun and expecting its fulfillment. 00:44:54.320 --> 00:44:58.559 Christian community, Christ Community Church. 00:45:01.199 --> 00:45:07.679 Us gathering together on a regular basis. 00:45:09.360 --> 00:45:20.159 Not just to do a duty or check off some spiritual thing or obey a law. 00:45:21.920 --> 00:45:30.719 But we gather together as a community to declare to one another, this is real. 00:45:31.199 --> 00:45:32.639 This matters. 00:45:33.760 --> 00:45:36.559 God is still changing lives. 00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:45.119 He's changed minds before, and I'm hoping he'll change it again, and I'm hoping he'll change your life too. 00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:57.599 That gathering together, it gives our hope, our prayers, our desires power. 00:45:58.320 --> 00:46:00.559 It's important that we do that. 00:46:01.039 --> 00:46:07.679 It's important that we celebrate the life, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus together. 00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:15.519 Our declaration, His life, death, burial, and resurrection, that saved me and it changed my life. 00:46:15.760 --> 00:46:18.400 And it's my hope for eternity. 00:46:19.760 --> 00:46:24.559 It's important that we see that declaration in each other's lives. 00:46:25.760 --> 00:46:28.639 It gives us strength in our hope. 00:46:29.760 --> 00:46:31.920 I just wanted you to think about that. 00:46:34.719 --> 00:46:39.920 Um and Larry, y'all come up here and help me, please. 00:46:42.639 --> 00:46:44.480 Now don't grab a sleigh. 00:46:45.599 --> 00:46:47.840 Grab the Lord's Supper. 00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:56.960