Hope, When Control Slips

What if hope isn’t something you squeeze out of perfect plans, but a confidence you receive from a faithful God? We open Romans 15 and sit with Paul’s claim that Scripture was written for our instruction “so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” That line reframes everything: control is not your safety net; Christ is. From market crashes and medical surprises to everyday anxieties, we wrestle with why planning is wise but placing hope in plans is a trap, and how Jesus can tell us to expect tribulation while also offering real peace.

We get practical about building a Scripture-shaped life—moving beyond emergency verses toward a steady, daily intake that equips you before the storm hits. You’ll hear why memorizing even a single passage can stabilize a week, how to handle confusing books like Leviticus and Numbers without giving up, and simple ways to turn questions into growth. We also tackle unity. Paul’s vision is a people who glorify God “with one voice.” That doesn’t mean uniformity; it means a shared center in Jesus. We talk about laying down intramural fights, choosing humility over point‑scoring, and leaning into embodied practices like asking for prayer, praying for others, and showing up when it’s awkward.

By the end, you’ll have a clearer path to anchor your hope where it belongs: in Christ who began the work, sustains the work, and will complete the work. If your grip is tired, let this conversation put strength back in your hands. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review to help more people find a steadier hope.

Chapters

• 0:00 Hope Written Into Scripture
• 2:00 What Believers Have That The World Doesn’t
• 6:30 Control, Anxiety, And Realistic Hope
• 11:00 Christ Begins And Completes The Work
• 14:30 Nothing Separates Us From God’s Love
• 18:00 Peace In Tribulation, Not Ease
• 22:00 Scripture As Our Lamp And Lens
• 26:45 America’s Bible Literacy Problem
• 31:30 From Headwinds To Hope: Read And Ask
• 36:00 Unity: One Voice, Real Power
• 41:30 Stop Fighting Each Other, Fight Darkness
• 47:00 Practical Unity: Prayer, Laying On Hands
• 51:30 Choose Scripture As Your First Anchor

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:01

Alright, well, good morning. We are jumping back into Romans chapter 15. We're gonna pick up verse 4. Um, I was gonna go to verse 7, but I got up to like slide 25, and I was like, let's just leave seven for another week. Um, so I'm gonna pray, I'll read, and then we'll jump into it. Father, we thank you so much for your word, and I ask and I pray, God, that as we go through your word today, that through the power of your spirit, you illuminate your word to us. Father, for your word is the only thing we have to hold on to. It is the only thing that gives life. And Father, I just pray that as I speak, it is your word. Father, we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, starting in verse 4, it says this for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, it sounds kind of strange the way that Paul words this in the middle of what he's saying, because it's like he's talking and then has like this side thought where he goes off and he's like, Well, hold on, I want to encourage you with this. I want to equip you with this, and I want you to like walk away from this in a certain mindset. So I'm gonna start because it's one of the things that is just how my brain works, and I want to talk about something that's really, really practical that Paul is talking about right now. And that is this. What benefit does a believer have over an unbeliever? Like when we really stop and think about this, what benefit is there for you to sit here and go, hey, I follow Jesus? Because a lot of people, like, we think the benefit is like, well, at the end of this, I get to go to heaven. In fact, when this came up this week during Bible class at school, that's the same answer that most kids get. Like, I trust in Jesus because that way when I die, I get to go to heaven. And I go, and if that's all we're getting out of this, you are missing like 95% of what it means to be in Christ. Like you are missing the big part because if that was the goal, if that was Christ's goal, that just so you could eventually go to heaven, which by the way, scripturally we don't see, so keep that in mind. But if that was all we got out of it, then why when you get saved would you not just immediately go be with God? Why would he leave us here until he calls us home? See, there's a huge difference for a Christian, and there is a benefit for us here and now. And that is this those who are not in Christ cannot have hope. And I know you're sitting here going, well, that doesn't make sense. They can hope for things all they want to. Right, but this word hope in Greek, it's this word, it's elpis, and it's super fun to say, but it means this a confidence or security for a good or pleasurable outcome. See, I can have that in Christ. Why could I not have that if I wasn't in Christ? Because at that point, this is all I got. This is it. This life is all I have. And let's be honest, I know some of us in this room we struggle with this thing called control, where we feel we need to control every single aspect of our life, and then you drive yourself crazy because you realize you don't have control. None of us do. And I know you're sitting here going, no, no, no, I make my own decisions, and I hear you. But in 2008, how much control did you have over the housing market? And if your retirement was tied up in that, what happened to your retirement? In 2001, um, September 11th, my dad lost 75% of his retirement in one day. So you've been working your whole life to get to this end goal, and in one day, through no fault of your own, 75% of your end goal is gone. Added another decade of work to his career. Like, think about this. Raise your hand if you chose who your parents were. Raise your hand if you chose where you were born at. And I'll bet some of you in here even think that you're sitting in here because you chose to. See, what we have to understand is there is so little in this life that I have control over. So if I just got dealt a bad hand, what does that mean? Well, how can I hope for a pleasurable outcome? How can I sit here and go at the end of this, it's going to work out? Or as Paul would say in Romans 8.28, that all things work together for good. See, I can have that hope in Christ. But if I'm outside of Christ, what hope do I have? Think about this. We don't even get to choose how long our life is. And again, for those of us in here that are like, I eat pretty healthy and I use all the oils. Cool. I will tell you right now, Debbie is a thousand times more healthy than I am. Debbie watches everything she eats. She does not eat anything that has taste in it because what is taste, right? That just fatty deliciousness that kind of, you know. Okay, look, we got a barbecue coming up. We're gonna try some new food. Um, I am gonna try to do a pork belly burnt end. Okay, all it is is you take fat and you put it on a smoker and then you glaze it with some sauce. And it tastes like if you could encapsulate happiness, it makes you feel good. And you know what aggravates Debbie the most is when I go to the doctor and they draw my blood, they go, oh no, you're healthy as an ox. And I don't watch anything. Because we can't control stuff like that. In fact, in James 4, it says this come now, you who say today or tomorrow, we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make profit. See, that's some of us, right? We're sitting here going, I got control of this, and I'm gonna put this plan together, and here's how everything's gonna work out. And then he follows that up in verse 14. Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Uh-oh. Here's what James is saying. Should you plan for the future? 100%. Should your hope be in that plan for your future? Not at all. Those of you in here that struggle with anxiety, those of you in here that are sitting here going, hey, I'm overwhelmed. Those of you that are sitting in here going, I just, I just, I just, I just, I get it. But here's what the Bible is telling you. You have no control over it. And the tighter you squeeze, it's like this. Anybody in here ever like tried to grab water? That's what you're doing. A better illustration, because it comes from the Bible, comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, where he says it's a striving and a chasing after the wind. I love watching our new puppy at the house try to grab his tail. And you know what he forever can't do? Get a hold of it. Because every time he lunges at it, it just moves that much more. And some of us, this is how we're living our life, and we're going, but if I can just squeeze tighter, I can have control over it. You know who lives like this? The world. Because they have nothing to anchor hope into, they have nothing to anchor anything into, so you have to control every single aspect of what is happening so that you can artificially create this hope inside of you. Because if you can't control it, you can't hope for it. But for those of us in Christ, and the reason why Paul stops in this letter and he has this little like side quest is he's sitting here going, if you're in Christ, you have all the hope in the world. Why? Because, like we just looked at, Romans 8.28 says, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. In Philippians 1, it says this, and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of Christ. Who began the work? Jesus. Who's going to bring it to completion? Jesus. See, I can hope in that because it doesn't depend on me. And thank God. One of the most nerve-wracking things for me, just because I have an evil and wicked heart, I'm gonna go ahead and tell you that. Is anytime, like, and I'm just gonna use Gabby in softball. Anytimes there's like two outs, runners in scoring positions, they're down by like a run, and then you watch your daughter go from on deck to the batter's box. Because I'm sitting here going, please don't be that one. Get hit by the ball, walk, please, God, let her get a hit. Like, please don't let it all fall apart on her. Because even though at the end of that game, let's say she went up and struck out, was it her fault they lost the game? No, because one play doesn't make the entire game. But we all do this if it was left up to me and my own devices, let's be honest. I'm not winning every single time. I'm not strong enough for that. Mentally, I just don't have it all the time. Some days, I don't know about you, but I just wake up fighting mad. For no reason whatsoever. Friday, what's that day? Debbie came home and I was like, look, I don't know what's going on inside here right now, Deb, but I am just like full of anger. Like I could go, like I understand why rage rooms are a thing. We didn't go, which now would have made more sense, but I just kind of figured it out on my own. See, but what Paul is sitting here going, is I can have hope. Because Christ started it and Christ will complete it. And then in Romans 8, 38 and 39, he says this, for I am sure. In other words, I know, I hope, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. You know why? Because the one who holds creation in his hand, the one who holds all things together, the one that created and then went here, spin, is sitting here going, I got you too. Anyone in here like you, you're a chicken little? You know the sky is falling? I'm gonna be honest, if I get on enough conspiracy videos, I get where they're coming from. Ozone's being depleted, polar bears are dying, like it's just going that way. But yet Jesus is the one sitting here going, but I'm holding it together. So you're saying I can't do it. And then lastly, in 1 John 4, 4, it says, This, little children. Understand that's how God looks at us. As smart as we call ourselves to be, little children. You are from God and have overcome them. For he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Any of us walk around like that? Greater is he living in me than he who that is living in the world? No. None of us walk around like that. Why? Because why not hold on to this hope? Now, why can I have this hope as a believer? Super easy. And it's another children's Christian song. Because the Bible told me so. See, I can have this hope because this book that was written over the course of 1,500 years by 40 different authors, which is the most scrutinized work of literature that has ever existed, and yet how many times has it been proven wrong? Anybody? Not once. Now there are people who go, I don't agree with it, I don't believe with it, but how many times have they been able to come out and go, hey, this is wrong? Think about this, it's the most selling book of all time. More copies of this book have been produced than any other book in existence. How many scholarly genius people have set out to go, I'm gonna prove this whole Christian thing wrong? And yet, how many times have they? None. They've come up with hypotheses and they've come up with theory, and they've been like, well, what about this? Lee Strobel, every anyone familiar with him? Like that was his whole point. His wife came and and and Jesus found her, and he went, I can't have my wife doing this, so I, as an investigative journalist, am going to prove this wrong. Has a great book called The Case of Christ. It's also a movie if you don't read like me. Movie's much easier, it's only like two hours long. The book took me like three years, so take your pick. Josh McDowell, great apologist of our time, same thing, was a full-fledged atheist, sat down and went, hey, I'm going to prove this Bible thing wrong. And guess what happened? Jesus said, No, you ain't. And his son is now a teacher and doctor of apologetics at a Christian school out in California. See, I can have this hope because this is what the Bible says, and this is the entire point of the scriptures. This is why Paul is sitting here going, hey, whatever was written in the former days, it was written for us. I say this all the time. The Bible is for us, it's just not about us. God gave us his word so that we may know who God is. God gave us his word so I may know everything I need to know about who Jesus is and who I am in Christ. Think about that. This is why this has to be what I shape my world through. Too many though, too many times, we're gonna get in this in just a second. The Bible is not what I use to shape my worldview. It's what I go to when I need peace. You know how many people I know who are like, oh, I didn't even know where to start reading, so I just opened it up and I just started reading. And it doesn't make any sense. Well, yeah, because if you opened up to the book of Jeremiah right in the middle, you would have no idea what was going on either. And not everything in the Bible is prescriptive. In other words, not everything in there is for me right now, today. Some of it is descriptive so that I may know who God is in this moment. But see, too many of us don't understand the power we can have and the hope we can have for the future. Just think about it. Jesus in John 16, 33 says this. He's talking to his disciples. He's about to leave. He goes, I have said these things to you that in me you may have what? Peace. So if you're sitting in this room this morning and you're sitting here going, That's all I want. I just want peace. I just want joy. Here's how. In the world, you will have tribulation. Here's what the Bible does never, ever, ever, ever promise. I don't care what televangelists you were watching, I don't care what podcast you heard, I don't care what title that person had in front of their name, the Bible does not promise you an easy life. Nowhere in Scripture does it say if you follow Jesus, it's going to be easy. In fact, of the 12 disciples who followed him the closest, who are with him every day, 11 of them died martyrs, penniless and homeless. So if we're getting into this because we're like, hey, I could get something out of it, you're in it for the wrong reason. Now, the 12th one. Anybody know how John went out? Yeah, they tried to kill him. That didn't work. Some people think he was poisoned. Some people have said he was boiled alive. But when that didn't work, it freaked out the Romans. And so they just went, hey, go to Patmos, which was what we call a penal colony. It's an island where you send your prisoners because they can't escape. Think Alcatraz, but first century. And they're like, just we don't care, we're not feeding you. Okay, this wasn't like we took X amount of the government money and we took care of you. They just went, go to that island, that's where you're gonna live. If you can figure it out, great. If not, we don't care. You're out of our hair. And think about that. Do you know where we wrote the book of Revelation from? Patmos. So think about this. Like, even in the worst, what happens? God brings his glory into this, but in this world, you will have tribulation. But take heart. I have overcome the world. Here's what Jesus is saying. This isn't where my hope is. This isn't where I find my peace. This isn't the end of it for me. This is just a spot that I am in. And there's nothing that can happen to me that I need to worry about because Jesus has already overcome this. So if I am in that, if I am in Christ, what hope do I have? Well, the same way the one who is inside of me overcame this, I can overcome too. So no matter how bad it gets, I can overcome. See, the Bible isn't given to us, so we have a list of do's and don'ts. It's not given to us so that we can sit here and go, okay, if I do more good than bad. And there's a lot of Christians that believe that. There's a lot of Christians that look at Jesus and go, okay, he got me in the door, but now it's up to me to stay here. That's not what the Bible is for. The Bible is to give me hope so that in those times where I feel hopeless, I can put one foot in front of the other. I can sit here and go, yes, through Christ, I can do all things. No matter how dark it is, no matter how bleak it is, no matter how bad the news is, no matter what the doctor says, no matter how my marriage looks, no matter how my job is going, because I don't put my hope in any of this. How many times has someone went to the doctor? The doctor went, hey, here's what's gonna happen, and the doctor wound up being completely and utterly wrong. There's a reason why they call it practicing medicine. How many times you took your car to the mechanic and they're like, oh, you gotta replace the engine. Turns out it was just a$40 sensor. See, how many times has the world went, hey, here's how you're not gonna make it, but Christ went, no, I got you. I overcame this already, so let's go and you can just follow with me. But how many times do we lean on that? Because let's be honest, when when crap hits the fan, what's your first thing? I gotta figure this out. I gotta make sure this happens. And then what do we do? Those of us that love to have control, we're trying to grab water again. If I just squeeze tighter, no, you know what? Cut out all family time because right now we're in crisis mode and we gotta figure this out. No, I'm not running out to the beach to watch the rain fall on the ocean. Who cares how peaceful that is? I have to hold this water. And then you wonder why you're miserable and tired. Because the tighter you squeeze, the more that water is just shoving out of your hand. Until you look at your hands and you're like, I don't have anything anymore. See, and that's what the Bible is meant to give us. That you can put one foot in front of the other. This is why the scripture is so important, and this is why I never understand why, as believers, we do not take time to memorize scripture. Like we memorize other things. You memorize all 15,000 passwords you have nowadays. We don't memorize phone numbers anymore, but those of us that were old enough to remember before cell phones, I bet most of us can tell me your childhood phone number and your best friend's number. But we don't memorize scripture, and yet here's what scripture says about that. In Psalm 119, 105, the Bible tells us, your word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path. You know what he's saying? Scripture is what should guide me. I was just having a talk with someone yesterday. We were talking about feelings versus truth. And I know that's crazy that I would talk about something like that, right? Can you guys guess what side I was on? Here's the deal feelings are how we experience life. Truth should be what guides me through life. The reason why Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life is no one, and no one comes to the Father but through me, is because he's sitting here going, I am the truth that should guide you through that life. I should be the first thought that comes to mind. But when things go wrong in your life, what is the first thought that comes to your mind? I'll tell you, JT last night spontaneously, if you have teenagers, you get this, just got into this super deep conversation with me. And we're talking, and I'm like, but JT, this is why the Bible says this. This is why the Bible says that. This is how this that seems completely obscure to you at 17 actually factors into everything about your life. Because you have a worldview. If you are alive, you view the world a certain way. What is it though that actually forms your worldview? What is it in those times of stress that you sit here and go, this is my anchor? This is what I'm gonna hold it on. Because we all have things. For some of us, it's our marriage. You like look at your spouse and you're like, you're what gets me through. You know the problem with that? What happens when they fail? Some of us we look at like our jobs and we take all of our identity through what we do. What happens when you lose said job? Or what happens when you retire? Why do you think there are so many older people who have to completely reinvent themselves? Because for the past 35, 40, 50 years, their identity was tied up in who, what they did. Well, then they retire, and it's like, well, now who am I? If your identity is tied up in your children, you're a parent, you're a mom, you're a dad. What happens when you're an empty nester? Because now all of a sudden I don't have something to take care of. See, but when my identity is tied up in the everlasting word of God, that the psalmist is sitting here saying, it is what guides my feet. In other words, everything else is darkness compared to what the word of God says, because the word of God is what should be driving me. And like I said, we were gonna get into this. Let's look at how this plays out here in America, though. You ready? JT, put up that barna one. Only 11% of Americans read their Bible daily. That's out of 330 million, that would be what? anybody? 3.3 million. Only 11%, right? I think it's 3.3. It's either that or 330,000. Should have probably done the math beforehand. And 45% of those who identify as a Christian rarely or never read it. You want to know why you don't know what the Bible says about things? Because you don't take time to read the Bible. I love when people come up to me and they're like, oh, you're a pastor. You know, I just want to know what the Bible says. And I go, Do you know how to read? And they're like, Yes. Like, you can know what the Bible says then. And we live in a time where honestly, all you gotta do is open up Google and go, what does the Bible say about fill in the blank? Open Bible info, I think it's called, will pop up and it will just list every verse that has what you just typed in in it. And then you can go back and read that in context. Only 35% of Americans can name the four gospels. Think about less than half can go Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. And if you were born in the 80s, name on you because those were like super popular names back then. Sixty percent of the Americ of Americans can't name five commandments. It didn't even say ten. And if you look over here to your left, my right, we were teaching them in English and Spanish. Why? Because more than half of Americans can't name five of them. Why can't we live our life right? Because you don't know what a life right is or a right life is supposed to even look like. Only six percent of Americans hold to a Christian worldview. That is terrible. And we wonder why we have the problems we have. Because of what's the other worldview? Atheism, agnostic, Islamic, all these other worldviews, and make no mistake, regardless of what you believe, you still have a worldview. And then lastly, less than 10% of Americans can identify the first five books of the Bible. What if we did this in here? How would you rank on all of those stats? Some of you probably like ASIC. Some of you are like, nope, I definitely fall into one of those categories. Why? Because this is the only Jesus. You get a week. This is it. You come in here, and for half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on what I'm preaching on that day, you're like, I can just sit here and be quiet. And then there's nothing throughout the week. I mean, there's things. You young kids in here, there were video games. Because that's all that matters in my life, right? Is just being entertained. Because heaven forbid I have to be bored. Which, by the way, I just found a really good article about the power of boredom. So if you're a parent in here, I'm gonna go ahead and let you know. Make your kids be bored because then they have to. They have to deal with the stuff that's up in their head. When you're not letting them be bored because you're just giving them an electronic, their mind just goes on autopilot. And guess what? All of that stuff that they have to suffer through and work through just goes to the back. Because they're just sitting here going, I can fly this airplane. But think about this. If you're an adult in here, you need to make time to be bored. You need to start dealing with the stuff that's going on. Stop distracting yourself with everything going on in your life. You need to take time and go, I need to sit here in this. Why? Because I can have hope. Why can I have hope? Because the Bible told me to. Because if you're not dealing with it, it's going to come out in some way, shape, or form in your life. If you got stuff on the inside, it doesn't just stay there. It is going to come out. And I'm sitting here going, how do I know that? Well, the Bible. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Take time every day. Even if you're like, hey, I'm just gonna read a chapter a day, and I'm gonna tell you what I tell everyone else. If you're one of those people that are like, but I don't understand anything I'm reading, you know what you can do? Write it down. Go, I just read this verse, have no idea what this means. And then text me. Call me. Show up on the last Wednesday because that's the whole point of the last Wednesday of the month. It is literally just questions and answers. But here's the thing: you don't have questions because you're not doing any of the research of it. And it's too easy for us to go, well, I just don't understand when I read. Because I will tell you, you get into numbers, it's a whole book about numbers. It can be kind of confusing. The women last year of the year before started doing Leviticus. And they got like four chapters in it, and they were like, why are we talking about the same sacrifice over and over and over and over? Because God was foreshadowing the sacrifice that is going to come. And if I don't understand it here, I'm not gonna understand it there. But we have to start reading the Bible because that is where my hope comes from. The reason the church has no hope, the reason the church in general, not just us, seems to be doing everything else to attract people in the crowd, but we do not see the life-changing power that we see in Scripture. The reason it is so easy for wolves to show up in sheep's clothing and no one be able to go, that's a wolf, is because we have no idea what scripture is actually saying. I'm gonna quote this brand new theologian that we just found as a family. His name's Josiah Queen, and he says this we got dust on our Bibles and brand new iPhones. We wonder why we feel this way. Because there's no power in your phone. Unless you're reading the Bible on your phone. I get that, right? I'm preaching from an iPad. I get that. But if all I'm doing is escaping, there's no power in that. What battle are you actually fighting if all you're doing is distracting? And then Paul goes on. And we're gonna move on from this word el peace, hope, and we're gonna move into this word hitones. And what Paul is using, and this word right here, is this word we have that we use to say unity. Okay, he finishes and in, oh wow. I didn't put it on that slide. Anyway, so Paul moves on to this word unity, which just means oneness. And just so we're all on the same page in John 17, 11, the same thing Paul is preaching about, Jesus prays about. See, most of us we go, the Lord's prayer is what? Come on, yes. Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come. That's not the Lord's prayer, though. In John 17, we see, and the subtitle is actually the high priestly prayer. This is right before Jesus is about to be betrayed. He goes into the garden and he's praying this. And here is Jesus' last prayer to the Father. He says, and I am no longer in the world. In other words, events have already started, I'm headed out. But they are in the world. Us. And I am coming to you, Holy Father. Keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. There are 3.3 billion people in this world that identify as Christian. What if we acted like it though? See, think about it. Does anybody in here know the secret to military might? Like if you're in the army, do you know what they just beat in your head over and over and over? You are a one fighting unit. Do you guys remember and what got me, late 90s, early 2000s? There are 212 ways to be a soldier, be an army of one. Okay, and it's like a double entendre here because they're talking about just you as one person, but they're also talking about as a unit, as a military force, we are one. See, because I can guarantee you right now, in the Battle of Fallujah, just because you were a soldier didn't mean you weren't helping out the Marines. And if you're a Marine in here or a former Marine, I already know what's going through your mind. We were the ones helping out the soldiers. Yeah. But you know what we weren't doing? Going, I'm not gonna shoot with you because you're a Marine. But yet, you know what we do as the church is we are in spiritual war with the forces of darkness? Well, I'm not gonna do it with you because you're a Pentecostal. Cool. Last time I checked, though, we can both believe in Jesus and have differing ideas of what tongues is. And if we both believed and both came together, we are stronger than any one of us could ever possibly be. But we don't do that. Here's how we spend most of our time, especially as reform people. Because you know what we love to do? We love to argue. Ain't that right, Christy? Like we love to be right. And notice I said we, because this is one of my hardest areas of struggle. Because as soon as I hear something that I know the Bible says is different, everything inside of me like starts welling up. And I'm like, but in John it says, and that's how we live life. And yes, it comes from a place of going, like, hey, but if you were to see this like this, this could be the outcome of what we're talking about. And and then 100%, I'm trying to do it to the best of my ability so that we can be one. But do you know what it causes more times than odd? Two! Because who wants to be around and know it all? This is why I do so much stuff by myself. Because I sit here and go, if we could just act as one. But the church, we would rather fight with each other than help one another. And you don't think that the devil knows that? You don't think that the devil could just be sitting there going, you heard what he just said? Took that out of context. 100%. I had a conversation with a student this week. Somehow, not 100% sure. Predestination came up during Bible class, wasn't even talking about it. Someone brought it up because this is just what kids like to do. So we can have these fun debates. And in this conversation, I went, here's the deal. You, your church, and your family may not agree with what the way I am explaining this. And that's okay. This isn't something we need to fight about. This isn't something we need to sit here and disagree on. Because at the end of the day, I can't explain my side 100% either. All I know is somehow God being sovereign allowed me to choose, but knew that choice to begin with. I can't explain it any greater than that. Because I am a finite human being with a finite mind and cannot understand. Or as Isaiah would say it, God's ways are higher than mine and his brain is bigger than mine. My paraphrase, of course. So why do we split on all of this? Paul is sitting here going, you guys need to glorify God with one voice. Because if we ever hope to be able to push back against the darkness, we can't do this by ourselves. I don't care how strong we are. If we are not working together, we are not strong enough. For you millennials in here, you guys remember a movie called Three Ninjas? So only two of us. Okay, I get it. But the grandfather's wise advice to the grandkids who he has taught since birth to be ninjas. Okay? Yes, you've seen it. My kids love it. Because growing up, guess what I wanted to be? A ninja. Like, had the outfits and the throwing stars and a wooden katana. Once I realized I couldn't turn into a turtle, I was like, well, ninjas were actually people too. They're actually farmers from feudal Japan who used the tools that they had and just used them in a lethal way. It's like special forces, right? Then I saw Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Whew. Never have I been so close to parkour on accident. But anyway, in the movie Three Ninjas, the grandfather quotes this: remember, four strands of rope apart you can snap. But together, be strong. Now get out there and kick butt. That is a quote paraphrased of what Paul is talking about. When he's sitting here going, glorify God with one voice. Here's what he's saying. Christians, if we want to come together and be one as the Father and the Son are one, you could go out there and kick the devil's butt. But instead, here's what we want to do. I want to be close, just not that close. Anybody? And so that we're all singing the same song at the same spot. Because if if Christy came up and started singing Blessed Assurance, but you're like, no, I really like, you know, on uh our God Chris Tomlin, is it gonna sound right in here? No, and everyone's gonna be looking at you going, dude, what are you doing? I think you guys should try it when we close. One of you just pick a different song besides Blessed Assurance, start singing it, and let's see how it works. And all of us are like, nope, not gonna be that guy. But yeah, this is how we live our life. Like this lone Christian kind of living where I don't need my brothers and sisters. Again, I told you this last week. How much time did you make for someone else this week? Did anyone go out and make time this week for someone else? I know, even me, I went, I gotta send text out. And lo and behold, Thursday came and I was like, crap, I haven't sent a text out. Like, I go, why? Let me get as many out. I go, because I have to do that. I have to tell myself I have to do this. Because we are not all different, but as Jesus said, we should be one. Because when we act as one, you're a fighting force. When we try to do this by ourselves, the devil is going to kick your teeth in every time. Because you can't fight them by yourself. There were seven brothers of Stiva. One demonic oppressed man or possessed man. They not only got beat up, but got left naked. Do you know how bad you have to lose a fight to not have your clothes on after it? Like I've like been in some fights. But that is getting the brakes beat off you when they snatch your clothes with it. And it's a whole another felony now. But think about it. Why? Because how did they say it? We come in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches. The church doesn't sit here and go, no, no, no, we come in Jesus' name. This is what's up. And the ones who say stuff like that, most of us look at and go, they're the weird ones, right? So you don't hang around them. Where I'm sitting here going, they might be the ones you want to start hanging around. Because they're the ones that are going to look at you in your face and go, in the name of Jesus, you will start acting right. In the name of Jesus, your marriage can be restored. In the name of Jesus, your child could be found. In the name of Jesus, you can overcome this temptation. In the name of Jesus, this sickness doesn't have to be a part of you. In the name of Jesus, you can have hope and peace. But because you feel weird when people start talking like that, you're like, mm-mm. I'm just gonna kind of keep my distance. That person that's next to you, like during praise, they start swaying. Any of you are like, mm, let's give them room. I've told people before when they're like, hey, are we allowed to dance? 100%. Why? Because David danced through the streets with no clothes on. Keep your clothes on, but you are more than welcome to dance in here. You want to lift your hands? Lift your hands. You want to sing in a different key? I'm gonna go ahead and tell you this. You ready? No one knows what key you're singing in. I can promise you, your neighbor is not gonna be like, mm, this is A flat.

unknown: 46:28

Joy called us.

SPEAKER_00: 46:30

I can promise you that. But here's what we have to do with one voice, glorify God. With one voice, sit here and go, in the name of Jesus, so that we can stop getting our butts kicked by the devil. Because here's another thing that the Bible says, you ready? You have an enemy. And he is prowling like a lion. To kill, steal, and destroy. That's his whole purpose in life. To rob you of your happiness, to rob you of your peace, to rob you of your health, to rob you of your joy, to make your hope here and now. And yet the Bible comes along and goes, why is your hope in that? I've overcome this world. This world has nothing on me. What's the worst they can do? You know why Paul in Philippians 1 says this? For me to live as Christ, to die as game. How are you gonna mess with him? We're gonna throw you in jail, Paul. Cool. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna convert your jailer and we're gonna start a church right here. We're gonna kill you. Cool. I get to go be with Jesus. How do you mess with a guy like that? You can't. Why? Because where's his hope? Not here. He's not sitting here going, man, if I can just have a happy marriage, if I can just get the right test results. Your enemy is out here stalking you day and night. He doesn't sleep. He's sitting here going, I got you on the ropes. And how many of us are sitting here going, I need to go to my brother and sister because I know they're the ones that will sit here and go, in Jesus' name, and pray over me and lay hands on me, and not in a bad way. When was the last time you asked someone, hey, can you lay hands on me and pray? I'll tell you right now. I've never asked anyone that because I go, don't touch me. I don't like to be touched like that. Are you gonna touch me like you're in charge of me? But you know what the Bible says? Go to your elders, anoint them with oil, lay hands on, and pray. Don't give her ideas, Miss Holly. I have to take it up so you can pray. This is what we're called to do. That's why at the end of service, no, I don't do an invitation. I don't want you to make an emotional decision because you feel a certain kind of way right now. But if you were sitting here at the end of any service, you know why I end with this? If you need someone to talk to or pray with, I am here. I am here to serve you. That is my whole purpose in being here. So if you're sitting here and you're like, you know what, I do need to talk to somebody. You need to come find me. Because I'm here usually until 12:30, 1 o'clock. If I'm not in this room, I'm usually next door. But we gotta start sitting here and going, well, hold on, the Bible said it. And if the Bible said it, I need to actually do it. And everything needs to be framed and looked at through this. So as we close this morning, ask yourself, are you doing what you should be doing? Are you reading the Word of God so that you may have hope? I've already told you, if you read and you don't understand, cool, jot down. I'll tell you right now, and I don't want to call them out by name because I don't like embarrassing people. One of you in here has no problem texting me like a text this long because you were reading. And in Hebrews it said this, but in John it said this. Can you help me understand this? I go, I get joy out of that. I love that. That is why I became a pastor. Because I went, I love being able to walk alongside with someone like that. When you sit here and you're like, oh, I ain't got no questions. I'm good, I'm good. Hey, I'm gonna give you an illustration. Kids do it all the time. You guys sure you understand. No questions, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mr. Lively, I'm good, I'm good, I'm good. Okay, go ahead and open up Delta Math. What do you think happens 15 seconds later?

unknown: 51:01

I don't understand.

SPEAKER_00: 51:02

Um why are there letters in this? Did you not see the four examples we just did on the board? They all had letters in it too. But yeah, that's how most of us act. There's letters in your Bible, too. So I go, we have to sit here and go, we need to start taking that next step. You can have hope. You know why? Because the Bible said you could. You can overcome, you know why? Because the Bible said you could. You can have assurance, you can have blessed assurance because the Bible says you can. So, Father, I ask and I pray that if there is anyone in this room right now, Father, that is sitting here just holding on by a thread, I ask and I pray, God, that that's it. You tighten that thread, you add extra strands through the power of your word, you create that rope that cannot be broken. Father, I ask and I pray that if there is anyone in here that's just sitting here going, I've run out of things to hold on to, that God, you overflow their spirit with hope. That you go, you know what, I have more than enough of this. Here you can have some. Father, I ask and I pray that if there is anyone in this room that is sitting here and they're going, I am facing a difficulty or a trial, that Father, you just come alongside of them and you go, hey, that's cool. I'm gonna walk with you through this. Father, I ask and I pray that if there is anyone in this room, Father, that is sitting here going, this is too much for me to lift, that Father, you undergird them, come up into them, and that Father, you give them the strength to keep going. Father, I ask and I pray that if there is anyone in this room that does not know you, that Father, you grab a hold of their heart and you go, Here, let me introduce you to who I am. I ask that you breathe the life into them, Father. And I ask and I pray, God, that by the power of your spirit we are transformed from the inside out. Father, I pray all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.