WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.839 But when we give and we give consistently, God uses it to great effect. 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:07.280 He uses it for us, for this church, but also for this whole community. 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:14.480 One of the things that we do every single month here is that we give 10% of whatever comes here back to the community, no strings attached. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:19.359 So if you grew up in church and you heard about tithing, we believe in tithing the tithe, if that makes any sense. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:29.679 And we have several organizations that we support, and uh and I'm really excited today because Cindy O'Leary, who leads the Hope Center, which is a local ministry, it's a crisis pregnancy center. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:32.799 Uh, she's here today just to share with us for a second about what they do. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:36.320 And so, Cindy, if you'll come out, give her a big round of applause. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.880 I thought it would be weird if we stood the whole time, and so I'm gonna do my best impression of like a talk show host. 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:51.759 So uh I've never done this before, just forgive me in advance. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:55.920 But this is Cindy, and uh, and Cindy, I just thank you for being here, number one. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:01:01.520 I want to give you a chance to share a little bit about the Hope Center in your own words so we can hear it from your perspective. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:03.280 Tell us what the Hope Center is. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:04.319 Why do you exist? 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:07.040 Well, thank you for the opportunity. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:10.560 I really appreciate being here today. 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:16.319 Um, the overarching reason that the Hope Center exists is to share the love of Jesus Christ. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:19.359 Which is, I think we can be behind that just a little bit, so that's good. 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:28.879 And you know, we have our kingdom niche, and uh we are a medical clinic specializing in pregnancy diagnosis and decision support. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:35.200 There are probably three words that could best describe the Hope Center help, hope, and healing. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:51.120 And the help and hope come into play for those who may be experiencing an unplanned, an unwanted, an unexpected pregnancy, and need someone to talk that through with to help with those decisions, even to confirm. 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:53.680 So we have the pregnancy testing and ultrasound. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:02:10.800 The healing comes into play for those who may have experienced abortion or maybe are walking through a season with someone who has been pushing it down and wants to fully receive the forgiveness that is offered and walk in that beauty of a forgiven and healed life. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:11.840 That's awesome. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:12.800 That's awesome. 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:18.319 Um, can you tell us a little bit about some of your successes and wins this last year? 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:20.319 I sure can. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:24.960 Um one comes to mind just because it was so recently conveyed to me. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:29.599 We actually had a training class for our advocates here on Friday. 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:33.840 And um I'm sure we all experience this from time to time. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:37.919 The enemy comes against us and says, You're not making any difference, you're spinning your wheels, you're not. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.360 Well, this is the experience of an advocate who came that day to the Hope Center. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:47.199 And she was just kind of like, Lord, I just I know I shouldn't ask to see fruit, but I need to see fruit. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.360 Well, she, her first client that she spoke with was just beaming. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.280 She said, How are you? 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:54.960 She said, I'm fantastic. 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:56.879 I got married on Friday. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:05.759 And that's just one of those things that, you know, not all unplanned pregnancies end up in any certain way, but that's one of the things that we celebrate. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:14.159 And then later that day, she had both the female and the male client she was serving make professions of faith in Jesus Christ. 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:15.759 So God gave it to her. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:23.759 So if uh if if you're not familiar with with the Hope Center, they do so many things. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:33.919 They have a uh they have a mobile unit that goes out that provides free ultrasounds for for young women who are pregnant, and it gives them a chance to see their child before they make that important decision to keep the child. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:42.800 Uh they also help with with anyone that's had a baby, you can take classes and you earn credit to get free baby supplies, diapers, formula, clothes, I mean that kind of thing. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:49.680 You shared in the first service the number of children this last year uh that exist because of the Hope Center. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:50.800 What was that number again? 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:51.599 Because I can't remember it. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:52.159 Yes. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:04:04.000 And you share in that because we have been so blessed all through 2013, all through 2014 to be the recipients of your financial donations. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:11.120 We have among you a prayer intercessor and volunteers, and you've welcomed people from the ministry. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:25.120 But that number that I shared, and this is just, you know, it can only go up because the most one recent one that I ran was that 193 life decisions were made among abortion vulnerable or abortion-minded men and women. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:26.959 Wow, that's awesome. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:48.800 One of the things that that Cindy has shared with me is that it uh I think it was through an email, is that it costs uh$1,500 on average per child in order to get them from you know the point where their their mom is debating the options to going all the way through with that pregnancy, and and that's something that hopefully we're able to help you guys with and can continue to do that. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:49.519 Absolutely. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:56.879 And that particular statistic came right off of our mobile initiative, which we launched in 2013 with your support. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:02.639 And um that the Hope Center, which in case you don't know, is right across the street. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:07.040 Like literally right there, including the Baby and Moore store. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:13.920 Um, as you mentioned, we continue on with our moms and dads until the baby is two years old. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:19.680 So it's not just it's not just about a life decision, it's about ongoing life decisions. 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:30.720 Um, but yes, that is the mobile initiative, and that mobile unit goes out and primarily in Fulton County, where there's a 32% abortion rate. 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:35.680 And so we're not only welcoming those who come to us, we're also going out and reaching out. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:41.199 Well, you're doing a great job, and I think all of us uh can definitely celebrate Cindy and what she's doing at the Hope Center. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:43.120 So let's give her another round of applause. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.560 Thank you so much for being with us. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:56.480 Um, I just didn't want to miss the chance to invite any who wanted to be a part of what we're doing. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:01.199 Already you are by your financial giving, and many of you are because of your prayers. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:06.879 Um we're starting both an advocate training um in January. 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:09.120 We offer those typically three times a year. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:11.920 We also have Men of Hope who serve with the ministry. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:19.600 We also have the baby store, which donations and donations and donations are wonderful, and then they all need to be processed and go back out. 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:22.639 So thank you in every way that you're supporting us. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.839 Thank you in any way that the Lord tenders your heart to continue. 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:28.879 We just so appreciate your leadership as well. 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:30.160 Well, you're doing a great job. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:31.279 Thank you very much, Cindy. 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:34.560 We look forward to helping you out as the years go on. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:43.680 One of the reasons I was so glad to have Cindy here is because it's so important for us to help our community. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:47.680 But it's important, I think, for us to remember that these aren't just nameless, faceless organizations. 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:53.120 There are people that are giving their lives to these causes, and I think it's an honor for us to stand with them. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:54.399 So thank you for giving. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:58.959 Thank you for continuing in that way, because those are the kind of things that are gonna happen as a result. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:03.040 That was the longest announcement uh I've ever given. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:04.959 Is anyone still with me mentally? 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:06.480 Is anyone still honed in? 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:07.120 You're here? 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:07.600 Okay. 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:09.120 All right, let's pray. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:11.279 We're gonna jump into what we're gonna talk about today. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:14.079 Um, Jesus, thank you so much for this amazing group of people. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:19.040 Every single Sunday, it doesn't matter if it's rain, shine, or if water's pouring through the roof like last week. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:24.319 You are with us, you are here, and we are blessed just to be a family that can learn from you. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:26.959 Holy Spirit, we ask that you speak to our hearts right now. 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:29.839 Make sure that we leave this place better than when we walked in. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:32.000 And we ask all this in your name, Jesus. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:32.800 Amen. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.199 Well, last Sunday we started a brand new series called First Things First. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:40.079 We are going to have a really good 2015. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:45.439 And I want you to know that I believe very much God wants you to have a good 2015. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:47.839 Good and easy are not the same thing. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:54.959 In fact, it's often when we have things very easy that we have a difficult time appreciating how good our lives are. 00:07:55.120 --> 00:08:00.079 I know many people who will look back on 2014 and say it was the hardest year of their life. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:08.399 They experienced tragedy, they experienced very difficult circumstances, but we have a God that is so much bigger than our circumstances. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:14.639 That's one of the reasons we're here today, is that we have a hope that's bigger than any problem we could ever face. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:16.959 And we have a God that wants good things for us. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:21.120 In fact, in Ephesians 2.10, the Bible says we are God's masterpiece. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:26.879 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:36.080 How awesome is it that we have a God that not only knows us, that not only knows our names, but a God that's actually planned good things for our lives. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:40.320 We're gonna have a good year this year because God has planned good things for us. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:43.679 But we've got to make sure we enjoy those good things. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:50.720 I've had seasons in my life where great things were happening, I had blessings, galore, but I couldn't enjoy any of it. 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:56.639 I couldn't just sit there and bask in the greatness of all that God was doing because my mind was elsewhere. 00:08:56.720 --> 00:09:01.039 I was focused on my problems, I was I was discouraged, you name it. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:07.279 So having these good things that God wants to give us is great, but we've got to make sure that we enjoy them. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:11.840 That's what we're gonna talk about this morning is how do we safeguard the joy in our lives. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:17.919 This series is called First Things First, because we're looking at all the things in Scripture that Jesus tells us to do first. 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:21.759 Jesus very much understood the importance of the order of things. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:24.639 And I'm someone that can get things out of order very easily. 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:31.200 There are many situations in life where I forget to do an important early step and I pay for it down the road. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:38.639 My wife is a teacher, and so she's really studied how people learn, and there's all these different ways that our brains work and they have different names. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:40.720 One of those is spatial intelligence. 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:42.960 I have zero spatial intelligence. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:44.399 So my wife has told me. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:52.559 And what spatial intelligence means is that you can look at something and you can really understand how large it is, how it would fit in a space, how things go together. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:54.000 I cannot do that at all. 00:09:54.159 --> 00:10:01.440 I can't tell you how many times I've been at a store and I've bought something only to find that when I take it to my car, it does not fit in my car. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:04.000 Now I drive my car every single day. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:07.519 We've had it since 2007, I believe, 2008. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:13.200 So I've spent a lot of time in this car, and I'm not talking about something that's barely too big for my car. 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:23.279 I've had times where where an employee at Target or somewhere has walked out with me to help me load this in, and he looks at my car and he looks at the item that I bought, and he's like, seriously? 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:26.399 And I just say, Oh, we're not taking your car? 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:30.320 I'm sorry, I was, you know, I thought, it's embarrassing. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:31.200 I have to play it off. 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:31.919 I do that all the time. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:40.159 In fact, a few years ago, I was out of town and I saw this shirt that I thought my son, who was one year old at the time, would love, and I thought Megan would think it was really cute. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:44.559 So I bought it, and it looks amazing on him this year as a four-year-old. 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:45.600 It's awesome. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:46.559 It's a great shirt. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:53.440 I brought it home, and I'll never forget this because I brought it home and I said, Look at this shirt I got Liam, and Megan just sort of looked at me, puzzled. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:54.480 And I said, What's wrong? 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:55.279 Don't you like the shirt? 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.080 She said, Yes, but that's like three times his size. 00:10:58.320 --> 00:10:59.759 And I looked at it and I said, Really? 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:00.320 Are you sure? 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:05.840 And you know, we picked him up and she looked at me, she said, You hold him every night, you rock him to sleep. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:09.440 How could you look at this shirt and not know it was too big? 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:12.000 And I just said, Hey, don't worry, he'll grow into it. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:13.519 And he has, and it's great. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:18.080 As a side note, that is why I never buy clothes for my wife. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:23.519 Because can you imagine, can you imagine me holding up a pair of pants? 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:25.759 I saw these, I thought they were cute. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:27.279 Don't worry, you'll grow into them. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:31.200 That would never would never fly in my marriage. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:33.519 So I never buy clothes for my wife. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:39.679 I never do it because I just think things are way, way smaller than they actually are, and that would not work out well for me. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:49.360 In my life, measuring something, checking what size someone in our family is before I buy, that is an important early step, and I have to do it, or I pay the price. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:51.200 Life is so much like that. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:59.039 There are so many things that are very, very crucial that we need to do early on in order to experience those good things that God has for us. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:07.120 Last week we looked at Matthew 6.33, and Jesus said, Seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:10.799 Those things, by the way, are the cares that we have in life. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:12.320 It's our needs being met. 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:22.559 And Jesus says, if you seek God's kingdom first, and another way to say that is if you desire what God desires, you will have your needs met. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:27.519 Today we're gonna look at another first thing, something Jesus actually tells us to do first. 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.960 It's in Matthew chapter 7. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:31.840 So if you have a Bible, turn there or your phone, bring up the app. 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:33.679 We'll put the verses on the screen as well. 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:38.320 Matthew 7, I'm gonna be in the New Living Translation, starting in verse 1. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:42.480 Jesus says, Do not judge others and you will not be judged. 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:44.960 For you will be treated as you treat others. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:49.279 The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:53.679 And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? 00:12:54.080 --> 00:13:00.960 How can you think of saying to your friend, Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye when you can't see past the log in your own eye? 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:02.080 Hypocrite. 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:07.919 First get rid of the log in your own eye, and then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.759 Now, if it sounds like Jesus is being intense here, it's because he is. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:17.679 If you read the Gospels, sometimes you get this impression of Jesus like he is the moodiest person that has ever lived. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:31.519 Because at times he's saying things like, You're blessed when you're meek, because you're gonna inherit the kingdom of God, and it's very uplifting, and it sounds like he's being very soft-spoken, and then other times he's saying things like hypocrite and brood of snakes and really intense things. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:43.679 And Jesus is not schizophrenic, Jesus, we have to remember, is someone who spent a lot of time talking to a lot of different people, and when you read the gospels, it's three years of his life condensed into a very small package. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:50.799 You can almost draw this perfect line in the Gospels and see times when Jesus is speaking really intensely. 00:13:51.519 --> 00:14:03.200 Where he's saying things like hypocrite, he's talking to the Pharisees, he's talking to the hyper-religious people who loved to use their their pious lives as a way of showing others how how far away from God they were. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.600 They love to put others down, make others feel small. 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:08.240 Jesus did not get along so much with them. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:18.000 And when Jesus is speaking and he's encouraging and he's soft-spoken and he's tender, he's speaking to everyday people like you and me who have long since stopped pretending that we're perfect. 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:22.799 You can almost draw a perfect line in the gospels and know who he's talking to by the tone of his voice. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:29.759 And here he's talking to these Pharisees, these people that use their knowledge of God to oppress other people. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:34.000 And he says, Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:39.360 The standard by which you use to judge someone else is the standard they will judge you by. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:42.639 The way you see the world is the way the world will see you. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:47.360 The lens through which you view others is the lens through which they will view you. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:51.200 And I love that because it's so intensely practical. 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:52.960 It's just so true. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:15:03.759 This is one of the most important things that Jesus ever said, and tragically, it's something that many people in history who have associated themselves with Jesus have chosen to ignore. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:11.519 And let me just say, first and foremost, that if you're someone who has been judged harshly by people who claim to be close to Jesus, I'm really sorry. 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:13.919 But this is a place where you will be loved. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:16.159 We believe in loving people to Jesus. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.360 That doesn't mean that he doesn't have plenty of things he needs to work on in us. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:20.879 We'll talk about that in a little bit. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:27.039 What we mean is that we believe that it's his love that leads us into a relationship with him. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:34.399 And so if you're new here, please know what you're gonna receive is love, not judgment, because we believe very seriously in doing what Jesus says. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:40.159 And he says, Don't judge and you won't be judged, because the way you judge others is the way you will be judged. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:48.320 We have this amazing ability as people to easily see the flaws in the people around us, even the people we love the most. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:53.919 We don't have to work very hard to see things in others that we believe they really need to work on. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:56.559 I can be like that, for sure. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:01.440 We also have this ability to even project our own flaws onto other people. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:05.919 So we get frustrated with other people for doing things that we do ourselves. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:11.600 In Genesis chapter 4, we see the very first sibling rivalry that ever existed, Cain and Abel. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:13.519 It doesn't go well if you know the story. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:23.360 Cain becomes very envious and jealous of his younger brother Abel, so he murders Abel, and God banishes him from the garden, banishes him from the place in which they live. 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:26.080 And in verse 14, this is Cain's response to God. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.279 He says, You have banished me from the land and from your presence. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.919 You've made me a homeless wanderer. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:34.480 Anyone who finds me will kill me. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:40.879 And this is so interesting because at this point in history, Cain is the only person who has ever murdered anyone. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:45.519 He's the only killer on the earth, and yet in his mind, everyone out there is a killer. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:47.360 Everyone's gonna murder him. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:55.759 We have this very natural ability to see in others the things that we really struggle with ourselves. 00:16:56.240 --> 00:17:03.440 And when we focus on those things in others, it distracts us from our ability to actually work on those issues personally. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:11.119 I know many of us have experienced that, where you've you've maybe gotten mad at someone for either doing something or not doing something. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:20.559 In other words, you've been married, and uh, and then in your in your argument with them, maybe you've discovered that what you were upset about with them was actually your fault. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:21.759 Have you ever had that experience? 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:23.279 So I had that happen last week. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.720 I shared with you last week that I have a gift for losing things. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:31.119 One of the things I talked about was uh the fact that we used to have eight or nine screwdrivers at my house. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:33.440 I lose tools all the time, and now we have one. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.920 On Monday, I got to my desk and there were like 15 screwdrivers on my desk. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:45.039 So, to whatever anonymous people left those, either you were making fun of me or you were wanting to help me. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:48.799 Um it seemed a bit extreme, but thank you. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:53.839 I now have a plethora of screwdrivers, and I still know where most of them are. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:55.119 So uh I appreciate it. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:56.559 I actually used them last week. 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:01.759 Well, last Sunday, when we got home, we had some people that were coming over to our house and we needed to get some things ready. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:06.480 Megan needed to go to the store to pick up some things, but she could not find her debit card. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:07.839 And we didn't have much time. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:09.119 I got a little frustrated. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:17.519 I didn't get mad, I wasn't yelling, it wasn't worth that, but I very, very obviously, in my tone and words, communicated my irritation. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:21.440 And so I started saying things like, seriously, honey, people are gonna be here any minute. 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:23.920 We do not have time to look for your debit card. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:25.039 It's your debit card. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:25.759 This is our money. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:27.200 You can't you can't just lose that. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:27.839 Where is it? 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:29.759 She said, Oh, I think it's in my purse. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:33.200 And as a guy, let me just say, men, you might be with me. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:36.160 I do not understand the concept of a purse at all. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:39.759 My wife is the most organized woman I have ever met. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:44.559 For Christmas, what she wanted most was a new planner for 2015. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:45.440 A planner. 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:48.000 And she got one, and it's like the Cadillac of planners. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:58.960 It is color-coded, it's cute, it has like interchangeable covers, and she and her friends got the same planner, and yesterday they're at my house having a planner party. 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:05.039 They are they're at my house, they are planning how they're going to use their planners. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:09.119 And they've decided to meet monthly about this. 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:14.160 Monthly to plan how they're gonna use the thing that they use to plan. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:19.359 I love parties, and I can think of many occasions worth a party. 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:21.599 Organization, not one of them. 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:31.839 And yet, my wife, who believes so passionately in organization, carries this giant bag full of everything with her everywhere we go, and when we need something, she's like, hold on, and she starts digging in it. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:36.160 Sometimes it's like a cartoon, like an anvil's gonna come out of it, or something that shouldn't fit. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:39.440 And I'm blown away by by times where she says, It's in my purse. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:40.400 Guys, you're with me, right? 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:40.960 It's in my purse. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.400 And you're like, oh, how long could that take? 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:45.039 And you're, where's the bottom of this thing, right? 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.400 When is it gonna end? 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:48.160 And it doesn't sometimes. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:50.559 And so we dumped her purse out, we couldn't find it. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:53.599 And at this point, I'm I'm getting really, really irritated. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:56.640 And so I said, Oh, come on, Megan, retrace your steps. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:57.519 Where have you been? 00:19:57.680 --> 00:19:58.720 Did you use it for lunch? 00:19:58.880 --> 00:19:59.759 And she said, No. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.640 I didn't. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:01.839 Did you use it for breakfast? 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:02.720 She said no. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:04.559 And then she asked me this question. 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:06.400 This is pretty bad. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:09.200 Um, she said, Did you use it for breakfast? 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:17.359 And then all of a sudden, my memory was jogged. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:27.759 And I remember distinctly handing my wife's debit card to the person at Dunkin' Donuts, and I remember the person handing it back to me. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.160 And then it's dark from that point on. 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.279 I have no idea what happened afterwards. 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:37.279 And you might ask yourself, why were you using her debit card for breakfast? 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:39.680 And the answer is simple, I lost mine. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:40.160 Okay? 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:42.240 I don't know where it is. 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.039 It's very easy to understand. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:46.640 But see, here's the thing. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:54.960 Had I had I gone to Megan when she first came to me and said, I don't know where my debit card is, saying, honey, if anyone knows what it's like to lose something, it's me. 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:56.240 Don't worry. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:57.519 Not a big deal. 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.640 We'll find it. 00:20:58.799 --> 00:20:59.759 It's replaceable. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:02.640 We can call right now and have another one to us in a heartbeat. 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:06.559 We can go to Bank of America tomorrow and get a temporary card, which is what I did this week for me. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:09.119 And uh we still haven't found hers. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.680 It's okay. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:19.599 You know, had I gone to her and been understanding and sweet, it probably would have been really okay when she realized that I was the one that lost it. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:23.680 But that is not how I did it. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.200 That was not my tone. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:34.000 And because I chose to communicate frustration and irritation whenever I thought she lost it, when she discovered that it was me, oh my goodness. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:39.039 We are still married, we love each other very much. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:42.880 But I was in the doghouse for about two days, not literally in a doghouse. 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:47.440 We don't have a doghouse, we don't have a dog, but but I was I was walking around the house like, is there anything I can do for you? 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:48.240 You look beautiful. 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:50.559 When you stand to the side, I can't even see you. 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:54.480 Like, how can I make this up to you? 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.200 What do you? 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:59.359 I mean, it was it was bad, it was bad, but she's a loving, beautiful woman. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:21:59.759 She forgets. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.039 Gave me, and we're going forward from here. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:10.640 The standard we use to judge others is the standard that they use to judge us. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:16.400 And when Jesus talks about this, he's really talking about having a critical spirit. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:22.640 He's saying to us that if we want to have joy in our lives, do not have a critical spirit. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:26.000 Don't look at this world and pay attention to all the problems. 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:28.079 Don't see all the issues. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:33.759 Be someone that is not defined by having a critical spirit. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:40.319 Because I'll tell you this, there is nothing, there is nothing that will threaten your joy more this year than a critical spirit. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:50.480 Your circumstances, the biggest problems you can imagine, do not have as much power over your ability to experience joy as a critical spirit will have. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:58.799 I know people who are going through and have gone through unspeakable difficulties in the last year and yet they have joy in their lives. 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:10.880 I know others that I love very much who have really, really good lives, but they're so focused on the one or two things that aren't the way they should be, they can't enjoy any of it. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:14.240 A critical spirit robs us of joy. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:22.960 A critical spirit is something that threatens our ability to enjoy the good things that God has for us, so we have to guard against having a critical spirit. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:27.039 The problem though is it's not like we wake up in the morning and go, hey, today I'm gonna be critical. 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:31.920 Today I'm gonna look at my spouse and I'm gonna say, what needs to change in this person, right? 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:38.799 I'm gonna go to work today and I'm gonna focus on all the things my employees or employers or coworkers do that just bug me. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:39.680 That's my day. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:41.839 We don't do that, it just sort of sneaks up on us. 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:44.799 Some days, at the end of the day, people might say, Why are you in such a bad mood? 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:45.920 And we're like, I don't know. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.119 It's been a good day. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:49.119 I just, I'm critically minded right now. 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:51.839 I'm just seeing everything that frustrates me. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:53.680 It's so easy to fall into that. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:56.960 I've had a critical spirit in so many seasons in my life. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:00.400 One of the things I can be the most critical of is actually church culture. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:02.400 I love, I love this church. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:09.680 And if you're new here, please know that this church is a family, and we believe very much that this should be a church that Jesus would love to be at, right? 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.799 So we want to make it that. 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:13.119 That's why Jesus is the only one that gets famous here. 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:13.920 We love Jesus. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:15.920 We're all about loving one another like him. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:17.599 But I'm young. 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:28.960 And so in my youth, uh I have this amazing ability to be arrogant at times, and I've looked at other church cultures that I have no part of, that I've never been a part of, and I've just gone, ah, see, they do it wrong. 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:30.640 And I used to say things like this a lot. 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:34.480 I'd say things with my friends like, you know what the problem with the church in America is today? 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:37.119 And that would be followed by some stupid statement. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:44.240 And now, now I've realized through through God convicting me, through other people in my life convicting me, which I'm all about. 00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:46.799 I need people in my life to hold me accountable. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:49.200 People in my life who have helped me see the truth. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:51.759 Now I know what the real problem with the church is in America. 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:54.400 You know what the real problem with the church in America is? 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:58.240 People who say things like, you know what the problem with the church in America is? 00:24:58.480 --> 00:24:59.279 That's the problem. 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:00.640 It's a critical spirit. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:02.160 We got to guard against it. 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:07.039 But thankfully, thankfully, Jesus tells us exactly how. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:10.240 We go back to Matthew chapter 7. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.519 We'll start in verse 3. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:15.839 He says, Why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:23.359 How can you think of saying to your friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye when you can't see past the log in your own eye? 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:24.559 Hypocrite. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:26.960 First, that's our first thing. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:29.039 First, get rid of the log in your own eye. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.880 Then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friends. 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:36.160 Jesus says, Hey, you want to safeguard your joy? 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:38.640 You want to guard against a critical spirit? 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:39.599 Here's how. 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:41.759 Be a me first person. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:46.319 I want us to be the most me first church that has ever existed. 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:48.240 And what I mean by that is really simple. 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:56.000 We are going to be people that when we are tempted to point out the flaws in someone else, we say, no, me first. 00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.000 God, what do I need to work on? 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:00.400 God, what do you want to change in me? 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:08.240 When we look at the people in our lives and we see problems and we see things that really need to change, maybe things that even offend us. 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:13.599 Before we even think about bringing those things up to them, we say, God, me first. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.839 Show me what I need to change. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:18.000 Show me what you want to do in me. 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.759 That's what Jesus says to do. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:22.960 First, deal with yourself. 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:26.720 Then you'll be able to worry about what other people struggle with. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:28.160 And here's the wonderful beauty of that. 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:31.920 If we spend our time saying, me first, God, what do I need to work on now? 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:38.799 We'll have very little time to worry about what other people struggle with because there will always be something God wants to work on. 00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:41.440 And I hope you know that that's a beautiful thing. 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:43.359 God working on our issues. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:46.400 It may not sound like it, that doesn't sound like an amazing experience. 00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:48.640 Hey, how would you like God to work on your issues today? 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.920 No, thank you, right? 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:55.759 Ephesians 3.20, and we don't have this on the screens, this is the message version. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:27:00.559 Ephesians 3.20 says, God can do anything, far more than you could ever imagine. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:07.519 He does it not by pushing us around, but by working within us, his spirit deeply and gently within us. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:12.559 So when we say, God, me first, this person is really getting on my nerves. 00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:15.119 God, this person is doing something and I really dislike it. 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:16.319 I want to tell them about it. 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:18.960 But before I even worry about that, me first. 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:29.440 Work on me, the way that looks is God's spirit coming into us and deeply and gently working within us. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:33.920 It is not God saying, do this, fix this, change this, or else. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:35.920 It's God saying, Let me partner with you. 00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:37.839 Let me come into your life. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:43.279 Let me be within you, and deeply and gently I'm gonna do this with you. 00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:48.400 Does that sound like an experience that we would like to have? 00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:49.680 For me, it is. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:59.119 Because I don't want this year to be a year where I miss out on the joy of all the good things that my God has planned for me because I have a critical spirit. 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:02.000 A critical spirit will help me none in my marriage. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:04.640 How many of us say, hey, you know what would really help my marriage? 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:08.880