WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.639 I'm very impressed you are up on daylight savings time. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:12.000 I believe that uh the daylight savings time, this version of it, now the fall back part, I'm I'm all for. 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:18.559 The spring forward, I believe that is a tool of Satan and uh should not be allowed. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:20.079 I just think we should fall back. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:24.160 Just keep falling back, just get an extra hour of sleep every day. 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:26.239 And man, it was so good sleep, too. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.559 It was raining, it was just aw. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:32.399 Anybody else love to just take a nap or sleep when it's raining? 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:32.960 Oh. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:36.799 It has nothing to do with what we're talking about. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:38.079 I just love that. 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:45.439 Um, I did share last week, and we're looking at these uh four weeks, we're looking at like Jesus. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:53.039 Because I believe with all my heart, if we want to experience the life to the fullest, Jesus is the perfect example of that. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:56.880 And we're gonna look in uh John chapter 8 today. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:01.039 And if you have a Bible, I strongly encourage you to open it up to John chapter 8. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:02.320 I'm gonna share a couple verses. 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:05.120 And this morning we're gonna see how Jesus thought. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:08.719 How did Jesus think so we can think like Jesus? 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:15.920 And uh last week I shared about pray like Jesus, and I want to ask because I said I was gonna start out this week this way. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:24.239 We talked about how when Jesus was in the garden, he says, Father, if there's any way this cup can pass, let it be, but not my will but yours be done. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:28.159 And what that was was this relationship that he had with the Father. 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:33.599 And he prayed boldly, prayed boldly, and he and he surrendered completely. 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:44.319 And I challenged this last week to take an area of our life, whether it was a hope or a frustration or a fear or an anxiety, and in that area to pray boldly. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:54.000 God, here's my heart in this area, but then surrender completely in that area and pray this week that simple pattern to pray like Jesus. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:58.879 And I said, I'm gonna ask you if you did that at all, even if it was one time this week, I want you to raise your hand. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:00.640 So go ahead and raise your hand if you did that this week. 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:02.079 Awesome, very cool. 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:07.760 And let me ask you this: if you had some kind of result, now here's what I mean by result. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:20.319 It may not have been a resolution, but if you experienced a perspective that you didn't have before, or a power to get through it, or maybe it was just a peace in the midst of that, would you raise your hand real quick? 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:21.039 Awesome. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:23.759 See, because that's what God does, that's how God works. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:29.439 This morning, when we look at think like Jesus, it's gonna be in those same areas of life. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.719 And how would Jesus think and how did he think? 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:44.240 Because if we have two thoughts, this week, if we just focus on these two thoughts, we will literally experience our world the way Jesus intended and the way he desires us to. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:50.560 So in John chapter 8, verses 29 through 32, we get a glimpse of these two thoughts. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:53.439 Let me just read it out and we'll we'll go through it. 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:58.960 The one who sent me, this is Jesus speaking, the one who sent me is with me. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:03.439 He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:06.159 Even as he spoke, many believed in him. 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:13.439 To the Jews who had believed in him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:18.319 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:19.360 Let me pray. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:26.719 Father, I pray that you would show us how you thought so that we can think like you think, so that we can experience life. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:28.319 Speak during this time. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:29.599 In Christ's name. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:30.479 Amen. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.800 The first thought that Jesus had is in that first part. 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.560 He says, the one who sent me is with me. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:40.319 He has not left me alone. 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:47.520 The first thought Jesus thought on a regular, ongoing, daily, moment-by-moment basis is that God is always with me. 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:49.680 That God the Father is with me. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:51.280 He's not left me alone. 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:58.240 And if we act in that way, think in that way through our day, our day is going to be different. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:02.080 But our world tends to creep in on us, doesn't it? 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:12.159 Because we kind of think too often, we get some truth, we get the realization, and we know in our hearts God is there, but it doesn't affect our thoughts. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:15.199 Because here's the deal: what we think, we do. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:16.720 What we do becomes our habits. 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:18.000 Our habits form our character. 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:20.319 Our character will determine our destiny. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:21.839 So it starts with a thought. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:23.279 Where are my thoughts? 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:31.199 And if we look at our society, and if we're honest with ourselves, there's probably been a moment where we've had the thought, well, you know what? 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:33.360 I do believe in God and that, but you know what? 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:38.079 If if I had a little more money, my life would just be easier. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:39.759 And that's our society. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:55.600 And right now there's a big Powerball and all, and I actually looked up one of these and I looked through winners of the lottery, because I think we kind of tend to lean towards the lie that if we made it big, then we would be okay. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:03.600 And yet, how many of you have ever read a story or heard about somebody who won the lottery and it literally ruined their life? 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:08.560 And I read through several of these stories, and this one kind of tended to be the epitome of them. 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:16.639 And shockingly, one of the gentlemen of the early services went to high school with this guy in West Virginia, and he told me the story even more detailed. 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:25.199 But Jack Whitaker in 2002, he owned a construction company that that year grossed about$16 million. 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:27.360 He was literally a millionaire. 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:35.680 And yet, as if we believe in this idea that money is going to make us happy and be the answer, it wasn't enough. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.800 Because the root of all evil is money, not money. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:42.480 Money's not evil, but the root of this is what's going to make me happy. 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:46.319 If that's my thought, that's the evil part, and it will destroy. 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:55.600 Because Jack bought the Powerball ticket and won$315 million in one pop. 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:00.879 At that point, people would say, Well, that's it. 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:02.079 That makes you happy. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:03.920 You got more than you than is enough. 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:07.199 But here's what happened: just some of the highlights. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:15.839 In the first year of him having won that, he spent over$3 million in lawsuits of people trying to get money from him. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:18.240 He said he could not go out in public. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:20.240 They would go to a high school football game. 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:27.360 He said there would be between 100 to 150 people, strangers, that would just come up to him and ask for money. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:30.000 He said, everywhere I went, this happened. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:31.839 Well, money's, he said, you know what? 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:34.560 But I want to take care of my family and I want to give some away. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:39.680 And he even went on the media and said, I'm going to immediately tithe a tenth of everything I have. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:46.480 And the gentleman who was his friend in high school, knew him in high school, said that never happened. 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:53.519 And the truth is, what Jesus said, he says, if you're not faithful with a little, you will not be faithful with much. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:56.319 It will just reveal who you really are. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:02.079 He said, but I want to do for my family, and surely this will be the answer to their happiness as well. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:04.079 And he just lavished them. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:09.759 And he says, this whole world changed when his granddaughter came into the world, and he just wanted to lavish on her. 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:17.040 So on her 17th birthday, he had given her four cars and a$2,000 a week allowance. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:20.639 Because surely that's what a 17-year-old needs. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:30.000 And the tragedy goes on because within a couple years, both his daughter and his granddaughter had overdosed on drugs and were dead. 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:32.240 And he had lost the majority of it. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:34.160 One time he went to a strip club. 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:40.959 Why you carry it around, I don't know, but he had a half a million dollars in a briefcase, and he was it was stolen out of his car. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:43.759 And I mean, that's just one example. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:45.199 And then it ended this way. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:52.480 He says, you know, and this is a quote from Jack, my wife had said she wished that she had torn the ticket up. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.600 Well, I wish that we had torn the ticket up too. 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:59.920 Whitaker believes that money isn't what makes people happy. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:03.439 He says, quote, family is what is dear. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.360 And he goes on to say, I don't know where it will end. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:11.360 But you know, I just don't like myself. 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:14.639 I don't like the hard heart I've gotten. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:17.439 I don't like what I've become. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:19.839 He is now bankrupt. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:23.360 Not only financially, but in his heart. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:33.360 And that's an example if we buy this lie, but to think like Jesus thought, to think like Jesus thought, we literally win the lottery of life. 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:43.600 If I know that God is with me no matter what, last week I told you about an example that a friend of mine gave me that if you see the scripture, this truth is a bow tie. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:51.440 There's the Old Testament leading into and pointing to the knot, which is Jesus, and then the rest of the New Testament where we live is the other side. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:09:00.720 Well, those who followed Christ who said, I'm following God, the one true God, in Isaiah 41, 10, it says, Do not fear, for I am with you. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:03.919 Do not be mismaid, because I am your God. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:08.799 I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:11.039 God Himself with us. 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:18.000 As we heard in the testimonies of these wonderful baptisms days, people going, I knew of something missing, and it was God Himself. 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:25.440 Once we come to that point where we realize that, it makes all the difference in the world, but we have to make that a fundamental decision. 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:26.720 Who is God? 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:28.559 Is it God or is it me? 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:29.679 We have that choice. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.320 Love has to have a choice, and God gave it to us. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:34.960 And I know there's people out there that just go, you know what? 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.320 I don't believe in God. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:38.799 Whether they're agnostic or they say they're atheists. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:40.159 You can't really be atheists. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.159 It's not intellectually possible. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:46.720 And I've shared this before, but I actually have talked to people like, well, I don't believe in God. 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:48.240 And so, well, here's the deal. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:49.200 Do you know everything? 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:51.919 And they're like, well, if they're honest, I've say, no, I don't know everything. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:54.960 Well, it doesn't necessarily reason outside of what you know God could exist. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:58.639 And most acknowledge that, but some will go, no, no, God can't exist. 00:09:58.799 --> 00:09:59.600 He doesn't exist. 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:03.759 So yes, I know everything, which I tell them by definition, then you're omniscient. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.200 By definition, you are God, and you don't believe in you. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:10.799 So I can't, I can't really follow you on that. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.679 And uh that is not my thought. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.559 I heard that from an amazing apologist, Robbie Zacharias. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:19.039 But the truth is, we have a choice. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:20.720 I can be my God. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:26.320 I can say what I think, what I feel, what I reason is what I'm gonna do and is gonna make me happy. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:32.559 The problem is if we're honest and we go down that path long enough, we realize it's empty and something is missing. 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:34.639 Or I can say, you know what, God? 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:38.399 I believe that you are who you said you are. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:42.240 I believe and I confess with my mouth, Jesus is Lord. 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.600 And I believe in my heart God did raise him from the dead. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:52.080 And I believe that you sent him for my sin and you sent your Holy Spirit to live in me when I invite you in. 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:59.840 And when I, when you knock on the door of our hearts and we open that door, you say, To as many as receive him, those he gives the right to be called the children of God. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:03.200 When we do that, God is with us. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:04.000 Period. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:05.360 From that point forward. 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:10.720 As Jesus put it in John chapter 8, he says, The one who sent me is with me. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:13.440 He has not left me alone. 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:17.200 And I love what he says, for I always do what pleases him. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:23.279 If we really believe that God is who he said he is, he is in our hearts, he is with us. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:28.320 I pray it this way: I, the one who sent me is with me. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:33.440 He has not left me alone, for I always strive to do what pleases him. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:35.600 And God, I need your help in that. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:47.919 And Jesus in John 14, he is about to send, he says, the advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the whole the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything that I have said to you. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:58.480 And if we look at the rest of that New Testament, we see throughout multiple parts of the letters to the early Christians, it says, set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:00.720 Don't get caught in the circumstances. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:02.879 But we live life, don't we? 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:07.440 But do we live it as if God is with me every step of the way? 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:09.279 Let me give you two examples of this week. 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:12.879 So I'm praying through these different prayers of boldly ask and surrender. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:15.519 I'm like, teach me how to do this, Lord, and God, how do I walk with you? 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:16.960 How do I acknowledge you're with me? 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:22.879 I know you're with me, and that works great until life happens, until I get into my day. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:24.879 And even through there, I'm learning to pray through that. 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:26.320 And I'll give you the perfect example. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.039 This past week, we got all the documents. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:30.159 Um, we have four kids. 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:32.799 Our youngest was official last November. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:34.080 We adopted a young man. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:35.519 Doc is 12 years old. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.840 He's doing great, but it's tax time. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:39.519 Who's excited about tax time? 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:40.879 Not me. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:46.480 But we got to have his new tax number, so we're like, okay, so I got to go to the Social Security office. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:49.279 I don't know if you've been there before. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:53.120 It's kind of like the DMV, just not as exciting or well run. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:56.159 Okay, it's it's just it's there. 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:59.440 But I got my stuff together and I literally was praying through this. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.519 I'm like, God, will you help me expect this? 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:03.039 I don't want to have a negative experience. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:05.519 I kind of know, I've heard the rumors about it. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:07.440 So I get all my documents together. 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:11.919 But God just laid on my heart, Ken, don't go in thinking this is gonna be simple. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.080 Don't go in thinking it's gonna be easy. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.000 You're gonna make more than one trip. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:18.320 So I went in and I just said, Lord, thank you for that. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:18.799 Wasn't it? 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:27.600 I walk in, and sure enough, it's this mass of people, and I get my number and I sit there for an hour and I got my stuff together, and they call my number finally. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:36.240 An hour later, and I go up and and I get my my little window, and I'm like, okay, I've got here's the uh here's the adoption papers from the court, signed, sealed, and delivered. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:40.879 Here's his birth certificate, here's his former uh social security card, here's his name, I got everything. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:41.679 There you go. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:49.200 And she goes, okay, and she's looking through it, she goes, gosh, you know, we need something that has his birth date on it. 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:50.480 And I said, Okay. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:52.159 And I wasn't being sarcastic. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.159 I said, okay, well, follow me on this. 00:13:54.320 --> 00:14:06.480 This is his birth certificate sealed by the state of Arkansas, and it has his name and his birth date on there, but it's his new name, but here's the court documents and that. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:10.320 She goes, Yeah, this doesn't, this doesn't count. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:13.600 And I was I was trying my best. 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:17.919 I mean, at this point, I'm just like, okay, can you can you help me? 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:18.879 And she goes, sure. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:30.240 And I was like, if a sealed birth certificate with his birth date on it doesn't count, what does? 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:39.759 And she said, Well, you need to go to the doctor and get a uh one of his records with his name and his birth date on one of the records, and the doctor has to sign it, it can't be a stamp. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:41.600 And I said, Okay. 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:47.600 And I took it and she goes, Oh, make sure you make sure you take the birth certificate. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.679 They're gonna need to see that. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.159 Okay, gotcha. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:01.759 So I take it and I get that done, and I come back the next day, and sure enough, I come back, I get the same one. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.039 I said, Hey, here's the document, here's this, this, and this. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:09.039 And she says, Okay, that's great, go over there, and we get through it and I get done. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.600 But it's two trips, five hours worth of time, but I got it done. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:17.840 I feel like I did well, and God was teaching me this week about perseverance. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:20.159 And I'm like, okay, Lord, thanks for teaching me that. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:20.799 I got the truth. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:23.279 God, can we consider blessed those who persevere? 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:29.600 Now, on the other end of the spectrum, where I really fall short is when I get blindsided. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:32.480 During a day, I'm going through the day, and it's not traffic. 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:35.759 I expect I'm getting better about traffic, going, you know what, go ahead. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.720 Hey, don't mention it. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:38.080 I'll let you in, don't worry about it. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:40.960 Yeah, hey, I'd use another finger, but that's okay. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:44.559 And just, you know, I just I'm I'm good with that. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:48.240 But I I fly into uh Northwest Tennessee. 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:53.679 I've got a show up there, and I fly in, it's the last flight of the day, and I come up to get my rental car. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.519 Now I rent cars every week. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.440 I'm in this particular company. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:01.679 I'm like uh gold premium president, platinum, plutonium. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:06.559 I mean, I just I could own a car for what I've spent on in rental cars. 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:09.600 And I walk up to the counter and she goes, Oh, okay, um, wow. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.639 And she types in her thing, and I'm like, Is it not a reservation? 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:15.440 And no, I say, Well, I because normally it's gold. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:16.639 Usually they just go, Oh, Mr. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:17.679 King, here's your keys. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.519 Thanks a bunch, show me your ID, go. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:22.879 She goes, Um, I'm gonna need to see your card. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:25.120 And I'm like, Okay, here's my card. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:27.759 She goes, Oh, gosh, okay. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:30.799 Um, we have a new we have a new policy. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:40.159 Um, if you have a debit card, then um then we have to run a credit check and we have to call your insurance and we charge you an extra$15 a day. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:45.120 And I was like, no, no, you you you don't. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:49.679 Um it's I'm I'm the gold platinum president premium platinum. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:54.399 I said, she goes, yeah, I see that, but it's a new policy, and there's nothing I can do about that. 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:56.000 And it just it just hit me. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:08.480 And I can I tell you, I've just like, well, that are you see, you're telling me from this point forward, every time I rent a car with your company, you're gonna run a credit check, and you're gonna call my insurance, and you're gonna charge me more. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:11.279 She goes, Well, we have we have to do that if it's not a major credit card. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.720 I said, Well, look on this card. 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:15.200 Visa, that's major. 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:19.200 And Visa is a major, and you can run it as a credit card. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:21.920 Well, it says debit, but you can run it as a credit, but it's a corporate card. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:23.279 And I can't do that, I'm really sorry. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:24.000 It's our policy. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.920 I'm like, you have got to be kidding me. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:26.799 And she goes, No. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:30.319 And so now I'm feeling trapped and I'm feeling blind. 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:33.440 So I'm like, I'm gonna be stuck in this airport tonight. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:45.279 I've got to drive an hour and a half, they're not gonna come and get me, and I'm gonna have to figure this out, and I'm gonna have to get up and my mind's spinning on circumstances, and I'm not acknowledging God, you're with me. 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:49.680 And I and I I can tell you this this was the epic fail of my week. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:56.240 I said a few things I should not have said, and I said them in a way that was not merciful. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:02.480 And the funny part, not funny, the ironic, horrible part, is that day God was teaching me about mercy. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:05.440 You know, bless those who show mercy, for they will be shown mercy. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:07.680 And and and mercy is better than judgment. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:09.759 But if we don't show mercy, we will be judged. 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:13.599 And I'm like, God, I'm and I'm just so frustrated. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:16.799 And and and I literally stopped for a half a second. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.720 I'm just like, Lord, help. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:22.000 And in that moment, the thought came into my mind, it wasn't there before. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:24.000 Well, go ahead and get your luggage while she's doing that. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:26.880 And I look, and there's my luggage is not there. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:30.559 And I'm like, great, now I don't have any clothes, and I don't have a car. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.519 I'm gonna be homeless in Virginia tonight. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:34.720 This is great. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:36.400 And and and then I thought, you know what? 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:40.799 I'm gonna go, and I told her, I said, I'm I'm gonna go get my bags while you do this. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:49.440 And I and I walk down, I get there, and as I'm walking, God was like, hey, maybe your luggage came in early and they just took it off. 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:50.319 I'm like, okay. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.079 And sure enough, it did, and I got it. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:58.960 And as I'm walking the 100 yards back, God just kind of, this is the way when we ask for help, thoughts come in our mind we don't have. 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:00.240 God is with us. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:09.039 And he's like, you know, maybe, just maybe you could stop at one of the other car rental counters and just see what they might have. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:14.799 And I mean, the first one, I look, there's this girl that she's a little depressed because she's got to be there until everybody's out of the airport. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:17.039 And I said, Hey, can I can I ask you a question? 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.160 She's like, sure. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:20.400 I said, Do you have any cars available? 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:22.160 She goes, Yeah. 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.960 We're a car rental company. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:29.680 And I was like, I said, This is can I get one? 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:30.720 And I handed her to the card. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:32.720 She's like, I said, Do you do you take this? 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.480 And she's like, Yeah. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:36.319 Okay. 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:43.200 And she signed it, and in two minutes, I had a car and it was a third of the price of what I was gonna pay. 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:44.640 And I'm like, okay. 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:53.920 And I had to walk back by the other counter, and and in the smallest, I'm talking minuscule measure of of mercy, because God had started to convict me about it. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:20:00.559 I just went by and I'm like, um, I will you just cancel my reservation, please? 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:02.400 And she goes, Yeah, I'll do that. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.000 And I was like, thanks. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:12.720 And I just I left and I'm sitting there thinking, God, I I failed epically here to show mercy, and I didn't turn to you. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:20.480 And if we will think like Jesus, Jesus walked around in every situation, he literally was like, Father, what do you want to do here? 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.599 What are we doing here? 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.960 We, we, we, we, we. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:24.079 What are we doing? 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:25.440 I want to get to that point. 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:31.680 If we will think like Jesus, that God is always with us, and then secondly, if we'll take the time to say, you know what? 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:35.519 Not only is God with me, the truth is in me. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:41.440 At the end of that, in verse 32, it says, Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.119 Here's my question to you and I. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.880 What do we want to be free from? 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:49.839 And when we're in the midst of those frustrating moments, will we stop and ask for freedom? 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:52.559 Because when we know the truth, the truth will set us free. 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:55.599 Do we know the truth or do we know about the truth? 00:20:55.920 --> 00:21:03.119 Because if we have accepted Christ, Jesus says in John 14, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am life. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:05.200 You don't come to the Father except through me. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:07.759 And if I've accepted Christ, the truth is in me. 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:11.200 But am I thinking about the truth being in me? 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:16.079 And God, what truth that I'm that I need right now am I going to put forth? 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:18.400 What am I going to do at this point? 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:21.200 And we just need that word. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:29.359 And if we'll stop and if we're in his truth on a regular basis, he will bring his truth to mind as we need it and as we go. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:35.519 And if you look at the bow tie in Old Testament, New, and there, we see this in Psalm 119, 11. 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:40.240 It says, Lord, I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:45.759 It says this in Colossians 3 16 let the word of God dwell in you richly. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:48.559 In other words, let it just be the first thing in our minds. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:59.680 And in James 1 21, it says, Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent in our society, and accept humbly accept the word. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.559 Word planted in you. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.079 Here's the deal. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:17.359 When I am taking this truth and I'm getting honest with God, here's what I'm going through, what truth applies, and I'm reading a chapter and I'm taking a verse and I'm memorizing those, it's like I hear God in high death when those tough times come. 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:20.319 When I start thinking, Lord, what verse applies? 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:22.640 Which one of your truths is real? 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:26.160 Because Jesus said this in Matthew 5, 17. 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:29.920 He says, Do not think that I've come to abolish the law of the prophets. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:34.640 I have come to abolish, I've not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:40.400 This truth that He has given us was meant to be in us to be fulfilled through us. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:45.440 If we'll take the time to say, okay, God, what truth is it that you have? 00:22:45.599 --> 00:23:02.799 But I can tell you this, in my life, too often, too long, I have segmented my life unconsciously to think, okay, here's the God parts, but then there's the parts either where I'm tempted or I struggle, and I just kind of go about and I'm going to control those areas. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:05.119 But see, that's not the way it works. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:10.160 Now, humor me for a minute because it is March Madness, and I love March Madness. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:17.039 And I'm watching some games and I see this one interview with a coach, the head coach of Kentucky, uh Calapari. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:20.240 Now, you may not be a Kentucky fan, that's fine. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:25.200 I'm not a big Kentucky fan, but I was so impressed with what he said. 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:33.759 Because for those of you who don't follow basketball, he's the coach that gets the best players in the country that he knows are going to stay for one year, and then they're going to go to the NBA. 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:34.880 They're that talented. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.559 But he's like, I'll take them for a year. 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:38.000 And he made this comment in the interview. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:49.759 He says, you know what's, it takes three months for these gentlemen to understand and grasp the concept that it's all together. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:24:06.720 He says, What I mean by that is simply this you cannot live undisciplined, selfish, and just your own way off the court, and then somehow step on the court and expect to be team and disciplined and focused. 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:08.400 It's both. 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:13.279 And he says, it takes about three months before they go, oh, I get it. 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:27.839 You can't be slack in class, just oblivious with your time, and not care about others, and then steck on the court and experience, oh, well, I care about my teammates, I'm completely focused and I'm disciplined to do what we have to do. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:29.279 He says, You can't. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:31.599 It's you're the same person in both. 00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:34.960 And when we take that truth and say, God, will you bring the truth to me? 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:41.599 So when circumstances get tough, I want the truth on the forefront of my mind, thinking like Jesus. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:46.799 If I could put it this way, I had my one-year cardiology appointment. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:54.160 For those of you who don't know my story, about a year and four months ago, I had emergency quadruple bypass open heart surgery. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:59.839 And this past year has been a year of physically getting better, but it's been more mental. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:04.799 I'll have twinges, I'll have unanswered questions, and it just plays on my mind. 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:15.279 And I sat down with a cardiologist, and I just needed to hear him, the one who has studied, the no who knows what he's doing, and he just said, So there's no family history. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:16.640 I said, Not really. 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:18.559 And he says, and then look at you. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:20.720 He says, You why are you here? 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:25.759 And I'm like, you're supposed to tell me that, you know, and he's like, well, let's run some tests. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:32.160 They ran a few tests, he did a couple, he says, Ken, I can't tell you why this has happened, but I can tell you this. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:37.839 You're in incredible shape, and you're doing everything right, and you're gonna outlive all of us. 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:45.519 And when you hear somebody with authority speak that, it's like, oh, I just needed to hear that. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:52.400 Now, see, when we hear the truth, now we live in a society that says, well, your truth is yours and my truth is mine, it's all relative. 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:54.160 No, no, it's not. 00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:57.279 Because if it is debatable, it is not truth. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:25:59.680 Truth is non-debatable. 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:06.000 When you and I get to the point where we realize this is the truth, Jesus says, I am the way and the truth and the life. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:08.160 Here's the deal: his truth is true. 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:13.920 Whether I believe it or not, whether I do it or not, whether I listen to it or not, it is still true. 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:19.759 I'll tell you, one of the most tragic days in history is going to be the day that we all stand before God. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:25.440 Because we will be there and the truth will be made revealed to all in the clearest sense. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:42.880 And even the most staunch atheist agnostic will sit there and the truth will be obvious because it says every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and we'll know it's true, and we will experience love and peace and joy and fulfillment in a way we cannot imagine. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:54.640 And it is the greatest day and the most somber day of eternity, because those who have accepted Christ will realize this is the experience of my eternity. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:27:06.319 And those who have the realization that this word is true and they chose to reject it will at that point, after seeing and experiencing euphoria, will hear the words, Depart from me. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.319 I never knew you. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:11.200 And will be separated from that for eternity. 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:17.359 See, that truth is also the truth that in our daily lives, God is saying, I want to be a part of your life. 00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:19.519 I want to be in this in your world. 00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:22.960 Then you'll know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:25.759 Not know about it, not read it, but know it. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:27.839 It's an experiential truth. 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:33.440 So my challenge to you and I is to say, take that truth and say, what applies to my world today? 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:35.279 I want to think like Jesus. 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:40.480 And if I don't know if it applies or not, memorize it anyway because God will make that truth become real. 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:43.680 When he says know the truth, it is experiential. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.240 It is the same. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:46.640 I'm gonna try to keep this as clean as possible. 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:54.240 It's the same when he says know the truth, it is the same no, that same concept in the Old Testament where he says, you know what? 00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:59.039 He knew his wife, and they had a baby. 00:27:59.359 --> 00:27:59.680 Okay? 00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:05.680