Mission Sent
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Mission Sent
Rejecting Conformity: Embracing Spiritual Transformation and Purposeful Living
Ever ponder why it's so hard to resist fitting in with societal norms, or why our beliefs are so easily swayed? Imagine stepping into a world where Romans 12:2 guides us not just to resist the urge to conform, but also to transform our hearts and minds. We share personal stories, like a candid conversation with a child about conspiracy theories. We'll explore how our perceptions are shaped and the profound impact this has on our understanding of faith and the world around us.
We tackle the tough questions about allegiance, examining how our rebellious nature can actually propel us toward meaningful action. Drawing insights from Ephesians 6, we dive into the imperfections of human institutions and challenge the notion that neutrality is an option. Whether through the antics of classic cartoons or the drama of modern TV shows, media subtly shapes our moral compass. We discuss how to recognize these influences and anchor ourselves in Christian values, ensuring our spiritual growth is rooted in something far deeper than fleeting cultural trends.
Join us as we confront the distractions that pull us away from what truly matters. Reflecting on historical events and pop culture phenomena, we encourage a reevaluation of our daily choices and how they align with a purpose-driven life. Through the wisdom of Paul's letters, learn how to craft a life plan that prioritizes spiritual practices and aligns with divine teachings. This episode is a call to action, urging you to reject conformity in favor of a life filled with intention and a commitment to spiritual transformation.
All right, well, good morning. Like I said in the announcements, we are going to jump back into Romans, chapter 12. I'm going to be honest for the next month we're going to be in the same verse. All right, like there's that much in what we're going to be starting to cover today. So, as we jump into this, we have to understand, like we looked at last week, that Paul is shifting his entire focus of his letter. In fact, most people, when they're going through Romans, it's kind of like hurry up and get to Romans 12, because this is where all of the practical and practicalities of walking out our faith actually exist. Like, this is all the nitty-gritty things, this is all the things that we should do, and that's why last week we looked at, therefore, so what Paul was saying is is in reference to everything I've said over the past 11 chapters, and remember when he was writing this letter, there weren't chapters, it's just one long letter. So now he's got to a different point in his thought, where he went hey, therefore, based on all of this, based on your right relationship with Christ, based on all of the things I have covered before, now, now, if you're sitting here saying I believe, if you're sitting here saying that I am in Christ, if you're sitting here saying that I am a Christian. Therefore, here's how your life needs to be, here's how your life should look, here's how the things you should be doing, all right. So that should catch us up, and we need to understand that if we do not view Jesus properly, then none of this is going to matter to us anyway, because at that point it's just going to be oh hey, here's some good life hacks, right? All right, so I will pray and we will jump into it. Dear jesus, I pray this morning as I begin to preach the father, I feel so under, I don't know, no, not under prepared, but that father, I just I don't feel like I deserve to even be speaking your word, father, and I pray as we go through it this morning, that, father, you just use me, that you speak through me, that, father, you speak to your people and that you cut us to the heart, that we may be changed to be more like you, father. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen, all right.
Speaker 1:Romans 12.2 says do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. All right, like I said, we're going to spend about a month in this verse, because there's that much in it, and I'm going to start with today. All we're going to look at is this idea of not conforming, because most of the time when we read something like this and we see that do not conform to the ways of this world, we think about it in actions. Right, like, well, you know people of the world, they do this, they drink, they party, they smoke, they do this kind of stuff. So what Paul's saying is is if I don't want to conform to the world, then I don't need to do that kind of stuff. Well, here's the problem with that.
Speaker 1:If you read through the Gospels, guess where Jesus went parties. Guess what Jesus did? He turned water. I mean, his first miracle is turning water into wine. And understand it's actual wine, like I have heard people go. Well, it's not. Like you know that it's wine, but it's like a non-alcoholic wine. No, it's not, because if you read through that miracle, the owner of the house gets complimented for saving the best wine for last. Like it's good wine, all right.
Speaker 1:And see, and we turn this into, just like with so many other things in our faith, we turn it into our ability to not look like the world, our ability to be better than to not sin. Well, here's the sad fact of the matter. If you can hear me right now, you are a sinner. So guess what? It's not our ability. And I'll even go a step further. Paul isn't talking about don't conform to the ways of this world in the thought of don't do what the world does.
Speaker 1:See, most of us are like when we hear stuff like this. We're like oh yeah, you know we're in the world, but not of it. Well then, how are we ever going to reach those in the darkness if we don't go in the darkness, if we don't go in the darkness? Like most of us, we view this Christian life as we're just standing at the edge of the darkness, yelling into the darkness for them to come out, but we don't see that anywhere. Scripturally, jesus goes into the darkness. Jesus is called a friend of sinners. He's called a drunkard. Why? Because those are the people he chooses to be around. Why? Because those are the people he chooses to be around. How can Jesus be around them, though, and not get sucked into and that's what this not conforming thing is really going to push us into.
Speaker 1:And I'll tell you, I've struggled with this a lot this week, see, because, understand, we live in this weird culture right now, right, where you are actually part of, like the in-group, if you are actually on, like the conspiracy theory train, right, like there is no shortage of different conspiracy theories that just like rip through every single, every single like channel on YouTube, like. One of the things I am tired of this week with my own child is this did we land on the moon? Because, if I hear one more thing, because we have a field trip coming up to Kennedy Space Center, and my own child was like I'm boycotting that because that's all built on lies, and I went you're kidding me, right? What do you actually know? Well, daddy, I saw a video this guy on YouTube said and I was like oh yes, because everything on YouTube is 100% correct and accurate, right, but that's what this culture, this weird space we live in, right, our motto is don't be a sheep, think for yourself. But here's the funny thing the same people that are saying this, the same groups that are yelling the loudest for free thought and free speech. Here's what they're actually really saying, really saying, but actually think like me, be a sheep, Be one of my sheep. Conform to what I'm saying, because what I'm saying is right. We're the ones that are actually standing up to fight the power.
Speaker 1:And here's the thing. All of us in this room if you can hear my voice right now you are rebellious by nature Some of us a little more than others but if you can hear me right now, you are rebellious by nature. Think about it. The easiest way to get me to do something is to tell me I can't Like you. You try. I'm going to be honest. Someone one of my friends, right, he gave me his drone to fix and I'm looking at this thing and I'm like I got this. You know why? Because I watched a video and I went there's no way I'm going to be able to fix this. So I actually challenged myself with the same way that people challenge me by going. You can't do that. Do you know how many muscles I have ripped throughout my life by someone looking at me going? I bet you can't lift more than me Like. I have like at least 11 different scars countered on my head somewhere because someone looked at me and went I bet you can't See, all of us are rebellious by nature.
Speaker 1:We love to rebel, and so, like, this whole idea about fighting the power like this resonates with us deep in our spirits, because all of us have this sense of like justice that we want to see. Here's the problem, though what power are you supposed to be fighting? And I hate to be political, but I'm going to go ahead and tell you this it ain't a donkey or an elephant you're supposed to be fighting, because, I'm going to tell you right now, there are democratic ideas that are good, that are biblical, like, let me ask you, should we feed the poor? Yeah, should we give them clothes? 100%? Should there be some kind of welfare for those who are sojourners in your land? Well, according to the Bible, absolutely. Now, on the other hand, should we give people tools so that they can provide for themselves? 100%, Because let he who not work not eat.
Speaker 1:See, what I want us to understand is JT. Actually and I don't even know how this came to his brain we were headed out shrimping the other night, and he launches into an entire conversation about the differences between Marxism, communism, fascism and capitalism and, lo and behold, it was like a hugely intelligent conversation, in which here is the conclusion he came to Daddy there is no such thing as a perfect form of government, because all government is created by sinners. So there are good things that exist in all of them, but there are also evil and wicked things that exist in all of them at the same time, to which I looked over and went oh my God, did I do something correct as a parent at some point here? See, what he was saying is the same thing.
Speaker 1:Our fight, according to Ephesians 6, is this Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand the schemes of the devil, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces. See, our battle to not conform is not with people of this world. Our battle to not conform is against the spiritual realm that we can't even see, is against the spiritual realm that we can't even see. Our battle to not conform isn't against like do you like this brand or that brand, or do you do this or not do this. Our battle to not conform is against the ruler of this world and who rules this world? Because, as a Christian, like isn't our first answer? Well, jesus says all authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me. But understand the ruler of this world.
Speaker 1:When we hear that term throughout scripture, it is not talking about Jesus. In fact, in John 16, 11, jesus himself is talking about what will happen when we receive the Holy Spirit, and he says that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is this to convict the world of sin. And then he keeps going and by the time you get to verse 11, he says this concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. Well, is Jesus judging himself? No, he isn't right. And then in 1 John 5 19, it says this we know that we are from God and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Okay, again, that can't be Jesus he's talking about.
Speaker 1:Even when we look at Matthew 4 and the temptation of Jesus, one of the things that the devil tempts Jesus with is this, and it's found in verse 18. Again, the devil took him that him being Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to me all these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me. Well, how is the devil giving away kingdoms of the earth? Because he's the one who controls the kingdoms of the earth. See, when Paul says do not conform to this world, he isn't talking about like your neighbor. He isn't sitting here going hey, don't dress like so-and-so. He's not even sitting here going hey, don't go to a party. What he's sitting here saying is is don't bow down to the ruler of this world. See, and what we're going to look at next week is to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.
Speaker 1:But this is setting that up because, as we have talked about many times, you are either in christ or not. There is no third option. There is no. Oh, I'm kind of like pondering you know, is jesus real? I'm kind of just wrestling with that, like no, no, no, no, no. You are either in Christ or you are not in Christ. There is no neutral. You are either for Jesus or you are against Jesus. You are either belonging to the kingdom of this world and its ruler, the devil, or you belong to the kingdom of God with King Jesus. See, that is the world that Paul is talking about here. He's not talking about like us. He is talking about the ruler of this world. So what does the Bible mean by not conforming to this world? Well, let me ask you a just kind of litmus test to see which world you are conforming to.
Speaker 1:Number one where do your morals and values come from, like those things that you think are important, those things that you're trying to instill in your children? Like those things that you think are important, those things that you're trying to instill in your children, those things that you guide your life from? Like, when it comes to let's just look at marriage, for instance. Where is your idea of marriage formed, is it? Hey, well, I saw my parents' marriage and it was good, so I'm trying to like copy that. Or maybe it was. I saw my parents' marriage and it was bad, so I'm just trying to do the opposite of that.
Speaker 1:Like, where do you get your value of marriage from? Where do you get your value of parenting? Those of you in here that have kids like what dictates how you parent your kid? Like, is it? Oh well, you know, I talked to my mom and she said this is what she used to do to me, or maybe it's even like hey, I remember, like when I lied, my parents marched me into the bathroom. They took that bar of soap. They put it in my mouth. I'm going to tell you right now.
Speaker 1:We tried that with one of our kids, gabby. It backfired. Gabby got to the point where we had to, like, check the soap before and after the shower because she would go in to take a shower and start eating the soap because she actually liked the way it tasted. Kayla did the same thing. We used whatever bar of soap, put it in her mouth, because she lied and she was like, mm, this is yummy. So I went I'm going to up the ante, went to the kitchen, grabbed a nice bottle of hot sauce. Go back, you know, dump it in a spoon. And I'm not talking about a little spoon, I'm talking about like a spoon, like a mixing spoon. Go back in the bathroom and I'm like open up that mouth, little girl. And I dumped it in and she went Daddy, this would be good on tacos.
Speaker 1:But where do you get your values in parenting, like, because this is what I saw growing up when do your values and your morals come from? And I know those are only two examples. We can go on and on and on. Like how do you treat others? What about strangers that you don't even know? Where does all of that come from? Number two what music or podcast do you listen to, guys? I want us to understand this very clearly Lucifer, before he is cast out of heaven, is in charge of what Music? He's the angel in charge of worship, and this is what remember earlier when I said like this is something that's been convicting me all week.
Speaker 1:All right, jt was so excited last week, right, when you found the new radio station I know most of you in here are not from this region right? However, back in the mid-90s, there was a radio station called 102 Jams, and 102 Jams actually played music and it was like 90s music, so it was amazing. Well then, it went like wayward. It got into all of this like crazy, like just music that I just did not care for. So I haven't listened to this since, like the mid-90s. Jt came in one day, last week I think, and he's like Daddy, you know what I was listening to on the way up here. They have a 90s throwback channel on the radio and I was like for real, like what channel he's like? It's called 102 Jams and I was like no, no, now for those of you that're at the 90s night, our 90s trivia night. Obviously my family digs the 90s. Right Like.
Speaker 1:If me, jt, kayla and Gabby were on a team, it would have been even a bigger blowout than what you guys saw, right Like. It wouldn't even have been close, even though Joe and Mandy were the ones that carried my team. So I get in the truck and I turn the radio on and I, for the first time, heard a song on the radio that I have not heard on the radio since 1998. And I was blown away. And for the next three days I have been looking for reasons to go places just so I can listen to the radio. Okay, yesterday we're driving, we're driving actually up here. We had to come up to set up the building and everything, and on our ride up here I'm listening to the radio and it dawned on me.
Speaker 1:You know why I think the way I do, or why I did think the way I did? I should say Because I'm listening to the music and the radio and I'm going oh my gosh, this entire song is about sex. And do you know what I used to listen to for hours and hours and hours, because I haven't heard this song in almost 20 years but yet still remembered every single word. And I'm not just talking about, like the main lyrics, I'm talking about like the background stuff. You know, like where they go onto the high falado what is it? Falados, or whatever it's called? Falsettos. They're like, ah, like. I remembered all of that too and I went. No wonder my mind viewed things the way it did, because I was sitting here for hours and hours and hours filling it with that.
Speaker 1:Some of the greatest conversations I've ever had with Josh existed between the hours of like 11 pm and 3 am, out in like our front yard or in a parking lot of Tijuana flats as we were talking about the latest conspiracy theory. You know where I was getting all of my information from that, from One YouTube podcast. That was it. I was like, hey man, did you hear about these Anunnaki? He's like, wow, yeah. And like, next thing you know we're sitting here talking about, could man have come from all of like this genetic, like, like manipulation from aliens? We're just trying to mine gold from our planet so that they can fix their atmosphere? It all came from one podcast. And next thing, I know, you know what? Jesus is becoming less and less and less part of that conversation as the greatest, newest conspiracy theory is coming out. So, what music or podcast do you listen to? What kind of movies or TV shows do you watch? What kind of books do you read? Like I don't know about you.
Speaker 1:And again, this is, this is going to go back to the nineties, but for actually even further than that. Like let's go back to the eighties. Actually, even further than that, like let's go back to the 80s. Has anyone in here, like, do your kids ever watch a show that at the end of the show, one of the cartoon characters comes up, breaks the fourth wall is like talking to your kid and goes, hey, you shouldn't be a bully, because being nice to people is the right thing to do. And then at the end they go. And the more you know, remember, knowing is half the battle. You know they don't have that in SpongeBob, right? Bluey ain't coming on going, hey, look, you know, if your friends hurt, you should go help them out.
Speaker 1:Nowadays, though, just on a regular network TV show, I mean, they have full-on sex scenes. I mean, guys, we're only talking about 20 years apart. Like, I mean we're not sitting here going like, hey, like a hundred years ago we actually had some kind of morals and values in society. You don't think that the powers that be have been doing this since the beginning of time? Now it's just this turn. Think about it. Your child, if you have a child right now who has a phone, has more computing power in their pocket than all of NASA had in June of 1969 when they quote unquote allegedly landed on the moon. And whether you believe they landed on the moon or not, they still sent a couple ton rocket ship up into the air to crash into the firmament and blow up anyway. It's still more than you can do in your garage. And yet the supercomputer that exists in your kid's pocket has access to all of the things that you were told as a child you weren't allowed to even think of touching. And yet you go here, johnny, have at it.
Speaker 1:And then you wonder why our kids' minds are the way they are. Why? Because we have conformed to the ways of this world, because we do not stand up and fight anymore, because, let's be honest, our morals and values are not shaped by what scripture says. You know how? I know that? Because none of us follow what scripture says. Go all the way back to Romans 3, right, there is none righteous? No, not one. Why? Because my morals and values don't come from what the Bible actually says. My morals and values come to what I think or what I feel. Oh, it was about to shoot out. Cannot stand that word. Hate the word feel. Hate it Because you know what your heart is wicked and deceitful. Above everything, I care less what you feel about, or could not care less, Because if you're driven by what you feel, you're a leaf in the wind. You're going to go wherever your heart feels, and I go. And that is where our worldview gets shaped from.
Speaker 1:Let me ask you the last question is where do you get? Who gives you your advice? Like, when you are in trouble, when you have something, something going on, who is the person you call and go? Hey, I want your advice because, understand, if you're calling someone that you know is not a christian, guess whose world you're confiding to theirs, because we'll understand when you go. Can you help me figure this out? You're sitting here, going.
Speaker 1:I like how you view all of this and I want to view it like that. See, we have to understand this. Every single one of us in this room is a disciple. Every single one of us in this room is a disciple. Every single one of us in this room is a follower of something, and I know you're sitting here and you're like I'm not a follower, I'm a leader. You follow something.
Speaker 1:Still, even Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 would say this imitate me as I imitate Christ. See, we're following something, every single one of us, and this is why the Bible says to deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus. You know what the Bible doesn't say Make a decision for Jesus. You know what the Bible doesn't say Ask Jesus into your heart and you'll be saved. Here's what the Bible says Pick up your cross, deny yourself and follow Jesus. Which means, if I'm conforming to something, I need to be conforming to Christ, which means I should probably take the Bible a lot more serious than I actually do. That it's not just suggestions for how to live a happy life, that it's literally sitting here, going. There is something fundamentally flawed inside of me that I need to be killed and resurrected, to give a new life so that I can fight against that. That was the whole point of Romans, chapter seven. And see, I bring all of that up because I go, what we put in matters, that's how you're discipled.
Speaker 1:The music you listen to, the podcast, you listen to the books you read Like, understand, like this whole book banning controversy, bullcrap. There are literally books in libraries that are in schools, that are sitting here condoning violent rape. What happens when you put that in? That becomes your normal. You know why pornography is so dangerous? Because it causes you now to go. That's normal, that's how it should be. So then, when I am being with my wife, jt, plug your ears. So then, when I am being with my wife, jt, plug your ears. I go, oh, I remember this movie. I saw this one time. Let's try that Because it looks pretty enjoyable for them. Like, understand, you are literally rerouting the neurons in your brain. You are literally changing your brain the more you consume. See, everything you consume the music you listen to, the movies you watch, the books you read, everything you consume is literally changing the pathways of the cells in your brain, of the cells in your brain. You are literally changing who you are. This is why it's so important to sit here and go.
Speaker 1:When we understand about conforming to this world, it's not necessarily the things we do. It's the thoughts we're going to have, because your thoughts are gonna become your. What actions like I hate when I'm sitting there and and like I'm talking to the kids and I'm like why'd you do that? And they're like you know exactly why you did that. Because it was a voluntary action, like, unless it was an involuntary, like spasm. Like you know exactly why you did what you did. You don't want to admit it out loud because that means hey, I got to say I was wrong.
Speaker 1:I wanted that marker from that child. I'm bigger than they are, so I just reached over and grabbed it. Why? Because I'm a butthole and I think because I'm bigger or that I can fight better or that, whatever the case may be, I deserve it more than they do. You know who else did that? Lamech. Everybody in here like good on who. Lamech is Cool. He's the first person in the Bible we see is evil and you know why the Bible says he's evil? Because he has two wives. He's the one that actually goes and builds the city that Cain eventually goes and lives in. But he was this guy who just went like, hey, because I'm bigger and I can take it from you. I should Let me ask you, though, why, as an adult, if I have the same reaction to a child, I'm the butthole Like.
Speaker 1:If I look at, like you know, if I go, let's say, instead of even dealing with middle and high school, like I go over to elementary, okay, and since they're not here today, I'm going to go ahead and use them as an example. And I see Everett has some cool toy and I walk over to him and I like, push him down on the ground, I take his toy. Do you think his mom and dad are going to have a problem with that? Why? Because when I call and tell their mom and dad that your kid did that, you don't have a problem with your kid doing it. Oh, but you're an adult, you're supposed to act different. Then why aren't we teaching our kids to act different? Because we're conforming to the ways of this world. We're sitting here going oh, no, no, no, no. That deals with them, not me.
Speaker 1:See, our problem is the music we listen to tells us this Indulge in your own pleasures, and you know what the hardest thing for me is Is the music I listened to growing up is good music. I really enjoy it. I could sing every single word and you know what it tells me. You want it, go get it. The movies I watch just have no problem showing me sex after sex, after sex, and you know what that's going to train my brain to do the same thing. Right, that this is the only way to find enjoyment.
Speaker 1:See, we live in a society that has no morals. Why? Because the content we consume has no morals. Because we have conformed to the ways of this world, because we like comfort, we like being entertained, like you know how many times I talk to people and they're like I don't understand why football players or basketball players or whatever make so much money. They're just playing a game. Here's why they make money. Because you spend so much money to be entertained, because you know what If you weren't buying the merchandise and you weren't watching the games and you didn't go to the stadiums, guess what they wouldn't do? Pay their players. But hey, we just want to be fat and lazy and entertained here. Take my money and I'm just going to sit Like understand, and I'm not against people who watch sports, but understand, there are going to be people who do absolutely nothing today but sit in front of a TV and shove food and drink into their mouth and watch people run up and down a field. The only thing worse than that is next weekend in Daytona, there are going to be thousands, hundreds of thousands of people who sit and watch a driver make a left-hand turn for five straight hours.
Speaker 1:You mean to tell me you have nothing better to do in your life? And here's our excuse. Right? Well, I worked hard all week. I need to relax. God rested, why can't I? And that's why I said I'm not against. If that's what you do to rest, I get it. But here's why they make the money they make because you're willing to sit there and pay their salaries. See, think about it. How many of us, as Christians, are stepping up and going. This is not good. Like how many of us are fighting with our kids because you know the stuff your kids are doing is self-destructive, it is hurting them, it is going to create adults that are not going to be able to perform in society, and you should love them enough to go. Hey, I have no problem fighting, even you, for you. I know at this point in his life, jt is tired of hearing that and I'm gonna go ahead and tell you when he did not have his phone for what? Two and a half years, do you think?
Speaker 1:I dealt with an attitude and it was like formative times too. It was like sixth to eighth grade or something like that, and I went no, you ain't having that. Yeah, there was attitudes, a lot of them, and you know what? I was still man enough to look at him and go. But I love you more. You can hate me, all you want to. Is anyone in here you ever looked at? God shook your fist to the heavens. Okay, so I'm the only one that's done that. Cool, whatever, got a bunch of liars in here and you know what God said. You can hate me if you want to, but this is for your own good.
Speaker 1:I have literally throughout my life prayed to God. Either take this temptation from me or allow me to sin and enjoy the temptation. But this thing in the middle, where you like convict me when I do things that are wrong. God, I hate this and I go. Yeah, god goes, but I love you enough that I will fight you for you. We don't look at it as love, right? Just like JT never looked at me and went. Daddy, you know what? Thank you so much? No, it was. You're taking everything away from me because you don't want me to enjoy life and have fun and be a normal kid like everybody else and I go. Here's the deal, though, jt, I don't care what their parents let them do, I don't. And when they grow up and they are just living, doing whatever, I want you to be further along than them.
Speaker 1:The other day I had told him because he was getting a little used to that phone. Again told him because he was getting a little used to that phone. Again I said JT, if you don't have the discipline for it, I can put discipline on it. I'm good with that, son. Why? Because I'm not going to let a little six-inch screen conform you to the ways of this world. Because just because you sit there and he doesn't have TikTok, do you? No, he has to ask for apps. I had to think through that.
Speaker 1:Sometimes you can catch him in lies like that too. Right, if you just like quickly ask. They don't have time. Like I'm just telling you it's an interrogation technique I learned as a cop Like they don't have time to think of a lie real quick. So they like just blurt out the truth and you're like whoa, be prepared though, if you do that, okay, because sometimes you will get into stuff you weren't expecting.
Speaker 1:But anyway, when you're sitting there for hours and hours, and hours, and hours and hours consuming that content, guess what is happening to you? You're going. This is normal, I'm conforming to the world and I go, and that is what the Bible is saying. We shouldn't do why? Because, understand, just like with food, right, you are what you eat. You know, anything you eat or drink goes to every single cell in your body. You are literally what you eat and drink and you are just like that. You are what you consume. So if you consume garbage, you're going to get garbage, get garbage. See in Luke 6, 45,.
Speaker 1:Jesus says this the good person, out of the good treasure of his heart, produces good. You put good stuff in. That's the good treasure. What do you produce? Good? But the evil person, out of the evil treasure, produces what Evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. You are what you put in. Why do you think like, when I'm listening and seriously, this was a fight all week within myself Going, but, god, you know the memories tied to this music, like I can literally remember where I was when I heard this song for the first time. I can literally remember what I was wearing at that dance. Like I can remember. Like all of these things, god, there's good memories tied to this God and he's sitting here going cool. Put it back in, because what you put in matters, because what you put in is going to come back out, and that's what Jesus is sitting here saying, out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
Speaker 1:So you want to know why you look so negatively at the world, at your life. What are you putting into it, like, what are you consuming? I've told you guys this for years and I would challenge each and every one of you in here If you have social media, delete it. What are you consuming on there? Let's be honest, you're flipping through there and you're either wasting time because you're bored which means you do have time to serve because you're bored enough to just sit there and thumb through that for hours. So if you need help, I can give you plenty of things to do. Miss Holly said if you need even more help, she can help you out too, see, because we take care of one another like that.
Speaker 1:So you're either sitting there, bored, thumbing through stuff, or you're looking at other people's stuff and you're going that should be me and I know. None of you in here ever look at other people's stuff and you're going that should be me and I know none of you in here ever look at someone else's pictures and go that's not fair, like that person you went to high school with, and you're like how are they in shape? Hard work, but get rid of it. What are you doing with it? I'm going to tell you right now have social media. And you're like no, no, no. We're friends on facebook. No, no, no, no. You are friends with debbie, who is posing as me on facebook. I'm gonna tell you that right now. You know why? Because I go what's the point of it if we haven't talked in 20 years? We don't have a relationship, like if. If you don't have my phone number, you don't need to be able to message me and, honestly, I don't care about someone who lives in another country that I've never met. Okay, I hear how that sounds as it's coming out. It's not that I don't care. We support many people in other countries but what I'm saying is it has no bearing on my life, like during 90s trivia, right?
Speaker 1:One of the questions was hey, which person died? Because the paparazzi were chasing or whatever. It's Princess Di. Okay, you know what I didn't do? I was not heartbroken in mourning I'm sad. I mean, I know she has a family and I know there were people that loved her and I understand that and I can mourn with those who mourn like that, but my life didn't stop because Princess Dies did. I was going to say Princess Die died, but I was like it's been 20 years. Okay, we've passed that right. So then, why do I care if Louie from England bought a new shirt? Is that really going to affect my life in any way, shape or form?
Speaker 1:I'm going to tell you right now, my hardest one to fight right now is YouTube, and you can find anything on YouTube. You can also find three hours of your life gone because of YouTube, but then I'm going to go. I'm so tired. I never have time. I have time, it's just what I do with it.
Speaker 1:See, this is why we have to fight to not conform to this world. We have to not let the world entice us with all its glamour and glitz. So how do we not conform? Well, we start with 1 Corinthians 9 26. Paul says this I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air. Do you have a plan? Because I'm going to tell you right now, people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan. So if you have no plan, if you're just like willy-nilly, you know what's going to happen. You are running aimlessly and you are never going to get to where you are going, like if I was just like hey guys, all right, meet me there. And I ran out the door.
Speaker 1:Okay, maybe some of you are like well, he took off running, so I'm going to take off running because there's obviously something wrong. But how many people are going to meet me there? Maybe JT, because he kind of thinks like me, so he might go. Oh, I know where he went, but other than that, everyone else is going to go. I don't know where he went. How am I going to meet him there? But if I went, hey, meet me at my house. We got two briskets on the smoker right now. You are more than welcome to come over and eat, we don't. So do not show up at my house. But at that point would you not go? Oh, okay, cool, I know. Even if you were like I don't know your address, you'd be like, oh, what's your address? Right, cool, it's ah. And you thought I was going to say it, but no, because this gets posted and I don't want that many people having my address.
Speaker 1:See, if you have no goal in life, if you have no end in mind, how are you going to get there? Like, if you tell me, hey, I want to get here, I could very easily go okay, here's how you get there. But if you have no idea where you're going, how are you going to get there? So the first thing is we got to stop running aimlessly. What habits do you have? How much of your routine involves Jesus in any way, shape or form? Like anybody in here? Like you're waking up, you're going. Hey, I'm doing my devotional, starting my day in prayer and then getting into my day. Liar JT doesn't, and he was the one that raised his hand. Notice, I'm not raising my hand either, because that's not how my day starts. Shame on me.
Speaker 1:Men, are you like sitting here going? Hey, I'm making time to read so that when Wednesday comes, I'm actually going to be able to offer into this group. Women, are you, or is it? Hey, like Wednesday at five, I'm just going to skim through, I'm going to find that one quote and I'm going to be like, oh, this is what stood out to me, man, listen to how deep this is. One day I oh man, that's the wrong line, my bad, see. Understand what you're putting in matters, and if you're not putting Jesus in, how is he going to come out? But understand what world you're conforming to and be okay with that. And if you're sitting here going, hey, no, you're conforming to and be okay with that. And if you're sitting here going, hey, no, I'm conforming to the wrong word or the wrong world, not word. It ain't too late Now.
Speaker 1:That being said, I will say this If you aren't training and just floating through life, bless you, understand this. If you're not training and you were just sitting here kind of floating through your life today, you have one less day to live. Whether Jesus comes back or you go see Jesus comes back or you go see Jesus, you have one less day to live today. You know what's going to happen tomorrow, men, you're going to get a text, at whatever time Debbie wakes me up, and that text is going to say this you have one less day to live. I don't mean like that, like seven days. I don't mean like that like seven days, like that kind of thing. But some of us, yeah, we need to start understanding that this ain't going on forever.
Speaker 1:Some of you that are getting older, you know that Because you're like man, I wake up with weird pains. Now, it's never happened to me when I was 18. I'd get hit by a bus, the the next day be back at school. Now I stub my toe and I'm like Debbie, I need the week off, which might happen tonight, just on accident. But we have to understand, like today, we have one less day, so what are you doing with it?
Speaker 1:You have a limited amount of time. What are you doing with it? You can only consume so much. What are you consuming? You can only watch TV for so long. What are you watching? You can only listen to radio for so long. What are you listening to?
Speaker 1:As we close today, which world are you conforming to? Are you filling your life with Jesus? Are you filling your life with the ruler of this world? With the ruler of this world, are you consuming Christ or are you consuming the world? So, father, I ask and I pray that God as we move forward from today, that God, those of us in here that have made that realization nope, I am conforming to the ways of this world.
Speaker 1:Father, I pray for repentance. Father, I pray for repentance, father, myself included. I pray, father, that you just work in our hearts, that God, you reveal to us which world we're trying to conform to. And I ask, and I pray, father, for repentance, in that I pray, god, that those of us that are sitting here going, hey, I need to consume something else, that God you give us an appetite for that. Father, I pray that, through the power of your Spirit, we do not conform to this world, but that, father, we set our gaze and our eyes on you and conform to your kingdom, to look like in your likeness, to be sanctified into the image of Jesus. Father, we pray this in Jesus' name, amen.