WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.720 This podcast is the Ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church. 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:06.240 For more information on our church, please visit grandparkway.org. 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:20.719 My prayer for us today is this is that not only does God always win, but very practically today, that we know that God's word is said to be living. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:30.879 And I pray today as we go through various passages of scripture that the first of all the Holy Spirit will lift some of the words of God's living word off the page to you. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:32.880 That it does that at times. 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:42.159 If you're open to what God is wanting to show you, as we read a passage and as we stop and look at it, sometimes He'll just kind of lift it off and put it there for you to pay attention to it. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:46.719 So I pray that that God's word would be irresistible to you today. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:55.920 Also pray that God's prompting for what he asks you to do with his word would be irresistible today, that that you cannot fail to do what he asks you to do with it. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:57.840 Hope that happens for you. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:00:59.280 Because God always wins. 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.799 So if he always wins, if we believe that, then we got to go with what he says. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:04.319 You know what I'm saying? 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:05.200 All right. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:09.760 Now I live in uh Blue Springs, Missouri, which is east of Kansas City. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:11.920 Um I love sports. 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:19.439 My favorite time of the year is August and a few months following because in August we have the run for the playoffs in Major League Baseball. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:21.599 I think God's favorite sport is baseball. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:23.200 We will play that forever. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:24.879 Just like in the movie Sandlot. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:30.319 If you ever saw the movie Sandlot years and years ago, they just kind of played and played and played until it was time to eat. 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:32.319 I think that's what we're gonna do in heaven. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:38.239 So if you're not a baseball fan, I would encourage you to become one. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:47.200 In August, the playoffs, there's a playoff run going on in Major League Baseball, but at the same time, football is beginning. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:48.640 I love football as well. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:50.400 That's just my favorite time of the year. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:02:00.959 And one of the things that God has blessed me with an opportunity with is that where I live, one of our high schools, Blue Springs High School, for the last 12 years I've gotten to be the unofficial chaplain for the team. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:05.200 I can't be an official chaplain because they can't really say those things. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:12.319 But through a relationship with the head coach there, I get to be their chaplain, which means I get to come out to practice every day. 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:15.120 I get to help them run drills from time to time. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:18.240 Yeah, I get to spend time with the players, the coaches. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:20.879 He just kind of tells them, hey, Joey's here. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:23.199 He's a pastor at a church in town. 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:25.039 Just get to know him, he can help you. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:31.919 I get to leave the devotional time to the team every Thursday after their walkthroughs before the game on Friday. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:43.360 And it's always fun to be around that team, especially when the football season is going on, because when I go out to practice every day, there's something that happens every single day before practice. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:50.319 As the players are coming down out of the locker room, bringing down their helmets and their shoulder pads and all that kind of stuff, and they're gathering up on the field. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:55.680 I'll be there a lot of times while they're doing that because it gives me uh just some casual time to talk to the players. 00:02:55.919 --> 00:03:00.960 Well, while they're doing that, there's always something that happens every single time. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:09.439 The big uglies, the offensive linemen, they're called big and ugly because they're usually the biggest guys and they do the ugliest work on the field. 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:13.120 They always grab the footballs from the quarterbacks. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:18.960 And before the coaches arrive, the offensive linemen are always out there running around like they're a quarterback. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:26.159 Yeah, they want the ball, they take the ball from the quarterbacks before conditioning starts, and they get out there and they start acting like quarterbacks. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:30.080 And they want wide receivers to go catch their passes and things like this. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:34.639 But all the linemen are out there with all the balls and they're acting like quarterbacks. 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:44.000 Well, that lasts for a few minutes, and the coaches start coming down the hill and they get on the field and they start kind of, you know, doing their little jazz talk with each other. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:49.520 And the coaches will eventually get to a point to say, okay, offensive linemen, put the balls down. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:52.479 I'm gonna remind you, you're not a quarterback. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:53.599 You know what I'm saying? 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:54.639 You're not the quarterback. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:04:00.960 Because if you ever watch these guys throw a ball or try to move around, I mean, when they throw the ball, they don't spin it like a spiral. 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:03.840 It's kind of like a duck flying through the air. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.080 And their footwork is very slow, it's very ugly. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:25.040 They're terrible looking at a quarterback, and a coach just always laughs because the linemen during conditioning, when the coach is walking around talking to the players as they're kind of doing their calisthenics and their stretching and things like that, offensive linemen are always going, hey coach, I could run this play if you just let me do it. 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:27.839 Could you put in a play for me where I get the ball? 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.240 I could throw the ball, I could run the ball, whatever. 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:33.439 He goes, No, that's not who you are. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:35.279 That's not what we ask you to do. 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:40.720 But it's hilarious to watch these guys go through this every single day before practice. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:47.120 They think all these offensive linemen think they're a quarterback in this big mound of a body. 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:47.920 You know what I'm saying? 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:48.639 That's what they think. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:52.959 But somebody has to remind them every day that's not who you are. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:05:02.399 That's a little bit on the humor side of identity, but there's things that God shows us every day about identity that we need to pay attention to. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:07.360 That identity is so critical for us to understand who we are. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:19.759 And God is all the time trying to get our attention either in Scripture or through life experiences or circumstances, that He wants to tell us, this is who I am, and this is who you are. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:24.959 That God wants us to understand that who we are is defined in who He is first. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:33.199 Like when we sing songs about when it says, God is victorious, he goes, You will be too if you're mine. 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:37.360 Our identity is shaped in who God is. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:39.600 Then that tells us who we are. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:44.160 Now, those offensive linemen having a little bit of fun with them, they think they're a quarterback. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:46.480 Someone has to remind them you're not one. 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:52.560 But God does something more serious to us a lot of times in life, and he goes, Are you paying attention to me? 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:56.240 Are you trying to be something I didn't ask you to be? 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.199 You need to stop and ask me, what do I say about you? 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:02.639 Who are you listening to? 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:08.240 But when it comes to your identity, when you when you if you had to answer the question, who am I? 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:09.759 How would you define that? 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:11.839 What how would you answer that question? 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:12.959 Who am I? 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:25.920 Would you base it upon, well, I'm a football player, I'm a teacher, I'm a mom, I'm a dad, I'm an engineer. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:28.879 How would you define that question? 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:32.480 You see, God has an answer for us in scripture. 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:37.199 And when we go with his answer, that answer is always victorious for us. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:45.040 That's always going to give us meaning and always gonna anchor us and hold us strong in the midst of no matter what's going on. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:51.199 But many times, many of us sitting in this room will base that question on something of performance. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:57.120 For many years in my life, many years in my life, I was a baseball player. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:58.480 That's how I answered that question. 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:01.519 My identity was based on performance. 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:09.040 If I had a bad game, oh my gosh, I was a wreck until we could play again. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:10.079 You know what I'm saying? 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:11.199 You ever been like that? 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:20.079 Maybe performance in the classroom for you, to where I get my identity on my grades and say you took a test or you didn't score as well as you thought. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:25.040 If your identity is based upon your scores, you're a wreck until you can take another test. 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:32.560 Maybe your identity is based upon an image about your personal appearance. 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:44.879 I don't get it because, well, I guess I just believe scripture that scripture teaches us in Proverbs that beauty is fleeting, which means that means the word is running from you. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:46.560 Okay, physical beauty. 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:54.160 So it started running for me, and I it just got so far out in front, I just quit. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:55.680 Okay. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:06.160 But you know, there are people that they're they're not gonna quit, and they will do all kinds of things to make themselves look better because that's where their identity is based on, it's about what they look like. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:09.279 And they'll do all kinds of things to kind of fix themselves. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:19.439 And I'm sorry, but you know, Jerry Jones, I know he's the Cowboys owner, but to sit here denying he hasn't had plastic surgery. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:27.920 If you put a picture of him up ten years ago, what it's like now it's like someone grabbed his skin, like some he saw some whore flick, and his skin went back and it just kind of stayed. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:29.600 You know what I'm saying? 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:33.679 All because someone's concerned about what they look like. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:35.360 Is that where your image is based upon? 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:38.240 Is some kind of physical appearance or whatever it is. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:41.679 The issue is that when you have to answer the question, who am I? 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.919 Is it based upon who God is and what he says about you? 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:53.919 Because Scripture is full of hundreds and hundreds of references where God says, This is who I am, now this is who you are. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:57.440 And he does that to us all the time. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:08:59.519 He reminds us all the time. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:16.320 One of the things I will challenge you on today, a little bit later this morning, is for you do you have a statement to that question that's based upon scripture, not your opinion, not what somebody else says about you, but what God says that holds you. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:20.480 It's true, it's a strength for you because you're gonna need that. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:27.600 Because God's gonna show you who he is all the time, and he's gonna show you then here's what you are in relation to me. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:50.240 God has shown me that a lot of times in my life, and Neil referenced a situation that's going on with me that this uh past December 20th, the week of Christmas, um that Monday on December the 20th, was things happened to me physically that had never happened before in my life. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:51.200 Never. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:10:01.759 So I end up in an ER room late in the night, and eventually we're told that I have cancer. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:06.799 I have a a tumor the size of a football on my kidney. 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:19.600 So the first thing that happened is I'm sitting there in an ER room, laid on a bed, my wife is sitting there next to me, and this is my wife, by the way, this is Dawn right here. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:29.039 The first thing that God said, Okay, now I'm gonna tell you something about who I am and who you are. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:32.480 Jeremiah chapter 18, if you're there. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:35.600 This is the first thing he told me. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:43.919 This is the word that Jeremiah, this is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:48.159 Go down to the potter's house, and there I'll give you my message. 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:59.120 And the first thing when you're looking here at this scripture is this pay attention to all the things around you, your location, everywhere you're at, every circumstance, because you never know when God's about to say. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:00.320 Are you paying attention? 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:02.000 Because I'm about to show you something. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:09.200 Because you would think that in Jeremiah's case, as a prophet, that God would say, Well, if I'm gonna get a word from the Lord, why not go to the temple? 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:13.519 How many of you sit here today and you think, well, I'm going to church today because this is where I'm going to hear the word of God? 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:19.440 Well, yes, you will hear the word of God, but that's not the only place the word of God will show up through your week. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:20.480 You know what I'm saying? 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:28.559 So you need to pay attention that when you go to work, and if you are a mechanic and you go to your shop, you need to be ready for God to show up at your shop and show you something. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:34.480 If you're a carpenter and you show up at your workplace to build something, pay attention because the word of the Lord may come. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:41.440 That's something I think a lot of believers don't pay attention to when we're looking for how God revealed Himself to us. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:43.519 Where are you? 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.559 Because he told Jeremiah to go to the potter's house. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:50.159 He says, Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message. 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:58.960 Maybe you're a school teacher, and God says today, hey, tomorrow, when you get to your classroom, sit down and listen to me. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:04.799 Well, he sent Jeremiah to the potter's house for his message in verse 3. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:13.840 He says, So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel, but the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:19.519 So the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:28.080 Then the word of the Lord came to me, O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does, declares the Lord. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:34.159 Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:46.159 The very first thing, when I'm sitting in the ER room, the very first thing God said was, Alright, I'm the potter, you're the clay. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:52.000 And I'm gonna shape you as I see fit. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:13:02.000 Not your intentions, not my grand scheme of how I want to orchestrate my life and all the plans that I have and all this kind of stuff like that. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:09.200 God made it very clear look, I'm the potter, you're the clay, and I'm gonna shape you as I see fit. 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:10.480 You okay with that? 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:12.320 Right off the bat. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:22.720 That's one thing I'd say to you today, all of us sitting in this room, one thing you better get a hold of is that God's the potter and we're the clay. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:28.080 We're in his hands, and that was one of the next things God said about that passage right there. 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:30.960 I'm it, I got you. 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:34.240 I'm not gonna let you go. 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.519 Nothing can take you away from me. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:39.679 We know that in other passages of scripture. 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:43.519 He goes, You're in my hands, I got you, nothing can take you away from me. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.480 But here's the deal I'm gonna shape you. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:51.360 And I want to shape you in a way that I can use you the way I need to use you. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:14:00.240 It may not be what you want, but I'm gonna make something of you, and it's gonna be good. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:20.399 Now, I don't know if you've ever watched someone make pottery, but if you ever get a shot, that'll be one of the things you put on a list of things to go watch is watch someone make pottery because they're shaping things, they're making things, and then all of a sudden, as that thing's spinning on its wheel, sometimes they'll just boom, stick their thumb in it and just make it all wobble. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:30.559 And they took something out of it and they started to shape it a different way because they needed something out of it to shape it a certain way, and sometimes that's kind of like what I felt that night in the ER room. 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:43.120 It's that everything's kind of rocking along in my life, and it's like God just said, boom, now you're in my hands, I got you, but I'm gonna shape you. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:50.799 You see, because later in scripture, go with me over to Second Corinthians in the New Testament. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.240 Second Corinthians chapter four. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:14.080 Verse five, and following. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:27.200 Apostle Paul teaching here, starting verse five of chapter four, second Corinthians, he says, For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ is Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:36.080 For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:41.519 Then verse 7, but we have this treasure, this light, in jars of clay. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.919 We want to shape you. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:46.480 You're the clay. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:50.480 We have this treasure, this light of Christ. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:54.080 He goes, You're in my hands, I'm the pot or you're the clay. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:54.960 I got you. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:57.840 And I'm gonna shape you, and I'm gonna put something in you. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:06.720 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that all this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:19.200 See, God is shaping us, and we're in his hands, and he's shaping us in a way to be used, in a powerful way, in a very powerful way, but he wants everybody to understand and wants you to understand that it's not about you. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:22.000 It doesn't come from you. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:27.039 That this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:38.000 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:42.000 And you talk about a very encouraging, powerful passage. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:46.480 God says he's the potter, we're the clay. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:52.320 And we have this great treasure within us that God wants to use in a very powerful way. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:58.799 Are you gonna let him or you're gonna fight against him shaping you? 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:03.440 So part of your identity today needs to be is that how does God want to shape you? 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:06.640 What's he shaping you to become? 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:08.880 How's he want to use you? 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:13.599 Are you letting him dictate that, or are you trying to orchestrate everything? 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:20.640 If it helps you today, it helps me every single day, because I'll never forget that night. 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:32.160 When God reminded me, once again, in a very real way, I'm the potter, you're the clay, I'm gonna shape what I do with your life. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:39.039 The next thing, a few days after that, what God showed me was this. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:42.319 He reminded me if he gave me the Psalm chapter 46. 00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:01.440 Psalm chapter 46, starting in verse 1, very classic verse in scripture. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.359 Many of you probably already know it. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:09.920 Says that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:20.880 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake where they're surging. 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:29.279 Verse 1 of that of that chapter, in verse in chapter 46 of Psalm, it says, For God is our refuge and strength and ever-present help in trouble. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:33.200 You see, God is ever present. 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:36.160 We are not fearful then. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:42.000 See how that works when you look at scripture about when you start with who God is, then what does that mean we are? 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:46.880 God is ever present, then it says we're not, we're not to be fearful. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:54.000 And when you think about things in life, about when you have fear, a lot of times when we have fear is when we forget Jesus. 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:55.279 Think about it. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:19:04.880 A lot of times when you start to have fear, when you start to feel fear sense up, you know, creep up in your life, it's because in that moment you have forgotten Jesus. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:08.160 But he says, Here, I'm an ever-present help. 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:10.319 There's no need for fear. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:13.599 I mean, you guys saw the news this morning in Italy, there was an earthquake. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:23.119 Because see, here in this verse right here, I would imagine some believers in Italy this morning are going to Psalm 46, going, Well, God is our refuge in strength and ever-present help in trouble. 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:26.000 Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:34.640 I mean, they're living that today, having to claim that, hey, you know, God is ever present, we're not fearful. 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:44.559 And if in this room, if you struggle with fear, you need to ask yourself the question about an identity statement, about an identity piece about is God ever present with you? 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:46.000 Do you believe that? 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:51.920 And when we have fear, a lot of times it's because we forget the promises of God. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.200 We forget to cling to them, we forget that He's ever present. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:20:03.920 And that's one of the things God reminded me of is that when we found out that I had this incurable cancer, excluding a miracle from God. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:08.160 It's like you start thinking about all these things that need to be worked out. 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.799 This and this and that and that. 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:15.839 And one of the first things that God said was, is this He goes, Do you know that I love you? 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:16.720 Yes. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:20.640 And I will show you that love every single day. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:26.480 First John chapter 4, verse 18, where it says, The love of God cast out all fear. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:28.160 I know what that's like. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:33.759 Because a lot of times people will come to me and go, dude, aren't you afraid? 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:35.599 Aren't you angry? 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.119 No. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.839 Why is that? 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:42.319 Because God is present. 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:44.640 And I have no fear. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:46.480 I have no anger. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:51.839 He shows me every single day a demonstration of his love. 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:56.319 From his spirit straight to mine, a reminding me that I'm loved. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:58.960 He does it through the body of Christ. 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:07.839 Through these people that are sitting on this road right here, they're willing to drive who knows how many hours to get here just to be with us. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:11.839 Now, of course, they also want to know if Neil's really married. 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:12.480 Okay. 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:13.759 Okay? 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:20.880 Because Neil's been to our church a few times and he talks about his wife, and we think, surely, can someone really commit their lives to that man? 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:21.839 Okay. 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:31.359 So the first thing is that when we went out to eat last night, they wanted to see this phantom wife, and she really does exist. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:36.960 And they were thrilled to death that there's actually someone that would be committed to Neil for the rest of his life. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:42.799 But what happens is that because God is ever present, I'm not fearful. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:58.720 Because God has not only brought himself to me, and he's present with me, but he's also brought the body of Christ with people that God stirs to do things that show the love of God that you just can't you can't describe. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.440 It's timely. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.839 You don't even have to. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:05.440 I mean, you start to even think about something that you think, well, God, what about this? 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:19.279 And next thing you know, the door ring, the doorbell rings, or you get something in the mail, or somebody comes by for a visit, or you have a wife that has not moved from your side. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:27.920 We've sort of joked some of the times. 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:37.440 She goes, now could you do for me what she's been, I mean, could I do for her what she's been doing for me if the roles were reversed? 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:39.039 I said, you know, I don't know. 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:43.599 You're you're you're too good. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:47.440 Maybe it's the best this way. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:55.440 God's presence in my wife. 00:22:57.839 --> 00:22:59.440 God is ever present. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:01.519 I am not fearful. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:04.000 God is ever present in your life. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:06.319 You don't have to be fearful. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:13.200 And then we found out, well, we're going to Houston to do stuff at MD Anderson. 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.200 I think, my gosh, to Houston? 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:15.599 Really? 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:17.279 We got to go that far. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:20.880 I call Neil and kind of tell him what's going on. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:28.079 And dude, we love coming to Houston because we get to see Neil and Marcy and all the people that they introduce us to. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:30.480 And God is ever-present here. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:40.319 Through Neil and Marcy and the people that we get to meet through them, and how you guys are so generous. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.200 God's presence. 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:48.160 If you're sitting out here today and you're struggling with who am I? 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:54.079 You can start with is that, well, God is present in your life and you don't have to be fearful. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.519 You can start there. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:59.119 God says you don't have to fear. 00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:11.200 I don't know another way to put it to you, but maybe this is an analogy that helped for you, just how great God can be to take care of you. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:21.680 In recent weeks, God's allowed has prompted me and allowed me an opportunity to connect with a former student when I did student ministry years ago. 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:29.119 Found out in recent weeks that what he's doing now is that he's on Navy. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:34.799 I mean, he's uh he's uh Navy SEAL team six. 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:38.480 You guys have heard about some of the things they've been doing, right? 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:41.200 Navy SIL Team Six. 00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:51.039 I'm like, so I just started immediately started asking questions, and he's like, well, I can't really confirm or deny any of that stuff. 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:55.119 I mean, you're talking about some of the baddest guys on the planet. 00:24:56.799 --> 00:25:05.839 So we get to talking about his life, and he says, it was very interesting that I called when I called because he's like, you know, I've been thinking about God again in my life. 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:07.759 And here you go, you call. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:10.079 I said, why are you thinking about God? 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:13.359 And he goes, Well, I'm about to get married in June. 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:21.039 I just, I just, we need to be connected to God together. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:24.640 I need, what would you have to say about marriage? 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:33.599 So we've been trading messages back and forth, send him a care package of resources and stuff. 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:35.599 We've been talking back and forth. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:40.079 And I was sitting here thinking, I was telling him about, you know, here's how to serve your wife and take care of her. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:44.720 And I'm thinking, I've never met her yet, but we're going to meet her sometime this summer when they come through town. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:52.799 But I was thinking, you know, if I were her, I would think, I would have no fear being married to this guy. 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:54.880 What could ever happen to me? 00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:59.200 I got Navy SIL Team 6 lying in the bed next to me. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:09.200 I mean, you would you would think at least part of her identity would have no fear involved in it because of who she's connected to every day. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:14.000 I mean, what could possibly happen that he couldn't rescue her from? 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.200 Same thing with God. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:22.160 You got better than Navy SIL Team 6 with you. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:24.319 You know what I'm saying? 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:28.559 So God is ever present. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:30.480 We're not fearful. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:41.200 The next thing that God showed me was this is that He reminded me again that if you go with me to Jeremiah chapter 10, and we'll start moving kind of quicker. 00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:47.119 In Jeremiah chapter 10, starting with verse six. 00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:03.839 Jeremiah 10, starting verse six. 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:05.920 No one is like you, O Lord. 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:10.079 You are great, and your name is mighty in power. 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:13.680 Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:15.200 This is your due. 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:20.880 Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is no one like you. 00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:23.920 They are all senseless and foolish. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:27.200 They are taught by worthless wooden idols. 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:33.759 Hammered silver is brought from Tarsus, and gold up from Euphaz. 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:44.400 What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple, all made by skilled workers, but the Lord is the true God. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:48.960 He's the living God, He's the eternal King. 00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:56.000 And one of the things God has been reminding me of again these last few weeks and months is that He says, I'm eternal. 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:57.759 God is eternal. 00:27:58.079 --> 00:28:00.720 That means He's forever. 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:02.880 Just forever. 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:04.799 Try to get your head around that. 00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:06.160 Forever. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:10.240 God's eternal. 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:13.839 And he offers us eternal life. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:24.480 But for this period of time that we live here, God is eternal, but he says, we were temporary residents here. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:33.039 Go with me to first Peter chapter two in the New Testament. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:46.880 In First Peter chapter two, verse nine. 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:56.799 God's word says, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. 00:28:58.480 --> 00:29:03.680 That you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:07.119 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:10.799 Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:15.599 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world. 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:20.640 See, God's eternal, but we're temporary residents here. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:22.799 This is not our home. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:25.200 This is not our home. 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:32.880 He goes, live as aliens and strangers in this world to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul. 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:41.519 Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:48.480 When we find out the news that boring a miracle from God, that I'm gonna die at some point. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:54.160 They don't know when, can't give us a timetable, but boring a miracle, it's gonna happen. 00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:56.880 But you start thinking, and you start, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. 00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:59.279 And then you start realizing, well, God's eternal. 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:00.720 Okay? 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:04.559 And he's giving me eternal life, and I have that. 00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:12.400 And now he says why you live here, God's eternal because we're temporary residents, which means that this is not your home. 00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:18.960 So the one big thing that he's been showing me about how to productively live is that live with urgency. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:21.039 This is not your home. 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:27.680 Get ready for your home and get as many people as ready as possible to go with you. 00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:29.359 You know what I'm saying? 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:32.559 And he goes, live as aliens and strangers in this world. 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:36.559 This is not our temper, this is not our permanent home or temporary residence. 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:38.799 So don't take up ownership here. 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:45.519 And many times in our identity, we start thinking, well, my identity is wrapped up in what I own right now. 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:49.519 I gotta have this, I gotta own this, I gotta own this, I gotta own this. 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:52.640 And God says, you're just temporary residents. 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:57.279 Live with urgency for the home that's permanent. 00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:00.000 The eternal home. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:04.960 Live as an alien and stranger in this world. 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:06.880 This is not your home. 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.240 Live with urgency. 00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:14.559 Take advantage of every opportunity you get, every restaurant you go to, every neighbor that you have. 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:16.079 It doesn't matter. 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:17.519 Live with urgency. 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:21.680 And when God, when I when I've been asking God, God, how long do I have? 00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:23.920 He hasn't given me an answer. 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:27.039 He just keeps saying, live with urgency. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:29.920 Live that way. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:33.839 And I start thinking, well, we should all live like that. 00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:37.279 This is not our home. 00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:40.000 Live with urgency. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:45.359 Every opportunity you have, every relationship you have, take advantage of it. 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:47.920 So that's what I've been trying to do. 00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:54.240 I could not have orchestrated the conversations I'm getting to have with people just because of what's going on with me. 00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:56.400 People I would have never thought about. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:02.480 That God would give me a chance to share my faith or to share Christ with or encourage them or whatever it is. 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:04.160 It just happens all over the place. 00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:15.599 Whether it's nurses in ER rooms, whether it's you know players and coaches, you know, we're in the offseason and they're calling me going, hey, can you can I talk with you? 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.799 I know what's going on with you. 00:32:16.880 --> 00:32:19.279 I have questions about my life. 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:22.160 You know what I'm saying? 00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:26.480 Live with urgency. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:31.920 Take advantage of every shot you got today. 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:34.640 You never know what God wants to do with it. 00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:41.519 And keep this in mind: when God's the potter and worthy clay, we don't dictate when he wants to shape us. 00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:46.559 We don't dictate the circumstances because in the Bible it teaches us that God's spirit moves like the wind. 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:51.519 And how many of us can control the wind and predict the wind and tell you where it's going to go next? 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:52.559 We don't. 00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:59.440 So when God prompts you, so like today, what I asked you at the very beginning, when God prompts you to do something, go do it. 00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:03.200 Because you're not guaranteed another prompting to do the same thing. 00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:06.400 When God prompts you, go. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:08.640 When God moves you, go. 00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:12.799 You're not in charge of your schedule and who you impact. 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:14.960 God's a potter, we're the clay. 00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:15.920 He's shaping us. 00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:18.319 When he asks you to move, move. 00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:23.759 Now that'll make your heart beat fast. 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:28.160 Because a lot of times when he's going to ask you to move, you're like, well, I didn't plan on that. 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:29.359 Exactly. 00:33:29.759 --> 00:33:30.720 But he did. 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:34.319 He'll make great things come of it. 00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:36.640 All day long. 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:43.599 Today, maybe the issue for you today is who are you? 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:47.200 And is it based on starting with who is God? 00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:50.799 I've told you today that God's the potter, you're the clay. 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:52.319 God is ever present. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:54.559 You're not fearful. 00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:56.240 God is eternal. 00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:58.160 We're temporary residents. 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:05.440