Aug. 24, 2025

Where is God When Life Hurts? - The Elephant In The Room

If God is really good, why does He allow so much pain? Why does it feel like some prayers go unanswered? Why do I still feel broken, lonely, or unseen?

These are the questions we carry in secret, but here’s the good news:

God is not afraid of your questions. In fact, His Word shows us that He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm34:18), He hears our cries, and even our tears are like prayers before him.

This message you’ll discover:

✅ Why God doesn’t waste your pain

✅ How His patience and kindness are designed to lead us to Him, not push us away

✅ What to do when God feels silent or distant

✅ How to join Christ’s victory procession and let Him give your pain a purpose Don’t carry your questions alone

-The Elephant in the Room is a safe place to wrestle with doubts, find hope in Jesus, and discover you are never alone.

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Hey, good morning.
Real life church welcome you

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excited to be here today, man,
we're excited to have you here

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today.
It's going to be a great

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morning.
I know God's got something big

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for us today.
I just invite you to stand to

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your feet.
We're going to kick off with

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some worship this morning.
And I just invite you just to

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lift hands, sing out, clap along
with us.

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Really just how do the Spirit
leads?

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I just invite you just to lean
into that this morning and

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really just give all of our
worship to Him today.

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Give them some glory.
So just sing out with us.

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Give you glory for all you've
brought me through.

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And now I'm ready for whatever
you want to do.

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I'm moving forward to follow
after you.

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Now I'm ready for whatever you
want to do.

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Your presence is an open door.
Your presence is an open door.

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So come now though, like never
before.

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Amen.
If you want to join us as a

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Clapper, keep singing.
In every season the grace has

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been eater and I believe it.
The best is yet to come.

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Do you believe that This morning
the cross before me.

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I hope all things are above.
And did you, Jesus, The best is

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yet to come.
Your presence is an open door.

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We want you though, like never
before.

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Your presence is an open door.
S Come now, Lord, I've never

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before.
It's a bold prayer to pray,

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isn't it?
That we want your presence here

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more than ever before?
But man, we believe that when we

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pray that prayer, God breaks
down some strongholds.

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Amen.
You ready for a breakthrough?

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Let's sing it.
I know breakthrough is coming

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and by faith I see a miracle.
My God made me a promise and it

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won't stop now.
I know breakthrough is coming.

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By faith I see a miracle.
My God made me a promise and it

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won't stop now.
Come on, Church, declare this

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this morning.
I know breakthrough is coming.

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I see a miracle, my God, maybe a
promise, and it won't stop now.

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Why settle for the status quo
when he's ready to give us a

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breakthrough?
Amen.

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Amen.
I invite you just to keep

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worshiping this morning as we
continue to sing.

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Feel free to lift your hands.
Just sing this to him.

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It's just you and him this
morning.

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Come on, Your presence is an
open door.

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We want you, Lord, like never
before.

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Your presence is an open door.
So come now, Lord, Lord, like

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never before.
Amen.

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Let's say.
I know breakthrough is coming by

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faith.
I see a miracle, my God maybe a

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promise, and it won't stop now.
I know breakthrough is coming by

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faith.
I see a miracle my God made me a

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promise that it won't stop now.
Breakthrough.

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Is coming by made me a.
Promise that it.

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Won't stop now.
Do you believe that is for the

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church?
Do you believe he's a God of

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breakthrough?
Do you believe that he won't

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stop?
And then come on, let him hear

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you this morning.
All the praise, all the glory

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from you to him.
Amen.

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Amen.
Give.

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Him some praise this morning.
Amen.

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And in the darkness we were
waiting.

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Without hope, without light.
From heaven you came running.

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There was mercy in your eyes to
fulfil the law and prophets.

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To a virgin came the world, my
throne of endless glory.

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To a cradle in the dirt.
And praise the Father, praise

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the Son, praise the Spirit. 3 In
one God of the glory, majesty,

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praise forever to the King of
peace, to reveal the Kingdom

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coming, and to reconcile the
lost, to redeem the whole

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creation.
You did not God despise the

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cross, for even in your
suffering gives all to the other

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side, knowing this was our
salvation.

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Jesus, for our sake you die.
Lift it up to Him today, say.

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Praise.
The Father praise the Son.

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Raise must be red. 3IN the wild
God of the rain, Manchester,

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Raise whatever to the king.
Of king, in the morning that you

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rose, all of heaven held its
breath till that stone was moved

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for good.
For the Lamb it conquered.

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Death in the dead rose from
their tombs, And the Angel stood

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in arm.
For the souls of all who'd come.

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To the Father our restored, and
the Church of Christ was born.

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Then the spirit.
With the flame and now this

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gospel true love shall not be,
shall not faint, and by his

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blood in his name and in.
His freedom I have free, for the

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love of Jesus Christ, who has
rested me.

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Sing praise, our Father, praise.
The sun praise the Spirit free

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in one God of the glory that
shall see.

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Praise forever to the King of
Kings, we pray.

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Forever to the King of Kings.
Father, we sing your praise.

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Father.
Praise forever to the King of

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Kings, to the only one who's
worthy of our praise this

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morning.
Father, we lift you up in this

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place.
Father, we love you.

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We have to sing of your name.
We thank you God for who you

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are.
Jesus name.

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I was rich.
I remember who I was.

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I was lost.
I was blind.

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I was running out of time.
Sin separated.

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The breach was far too high, but
from the far side of the chasm

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you had me in your side, so you
made away across the crate.

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Divide left behind Heaven's room
to build it here, inside there

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at the cross, you pay the debt I
owed, broke my chains, freed my

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soul.
For the first time I had heard

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you, Jesus boy, the blood of the
plight.

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You, Jesus, as you wash me away,
thank you Jesus, You have saved

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my life, brought me from the
darkness into glorious

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You took my place, laid inside
my tomb of sin, and you were

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buried for three days, but then
you walked right out of it.

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And now Ted has no steal and
life has no it.

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For I have been transformed by
the blood of you, and she's a

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spoken word of God.
When Jesus has washed me wild,

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thank you Jesus, You have saved
my life, brought me from the

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darkest into glorious life.
There's nothing stronger in the

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wonder working power up the
world because the sons and

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daughters we are handsome by our
father through the world.

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There is nothing stronger then
the wonder working Power up the

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below, the below, because the
Suns and tortoises be your

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ransom.
Power farther through the below,

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the below.
Jesus, come along.

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Thank you Jesus.
Jesus, wash me away.

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Thank you Jesus, you have saved
my life.

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Brought me from the tortoise
into glorious light.

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Glory to his word, glory to His
name.

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There to my heart, was the blood
of glory to His.

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Near man Amen.
Amen.

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Man who's thankful for Jesus.
Can we give it up this morning?

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Man, I love that song.
And just think about what God's

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done and God's given and God's
sacrifice for you and for me.

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Man, what an opportunity.
Just come in and worship him

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today.
Man, we're so excited that you

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chose to worship with us here in
real life.

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Want to take this opportunity to
let you guys know that we have

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some new people with us today.
They are online with this in

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person.
Can we show those guys some

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love?
Just give them a round of

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applause.
Amen.

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Amen.
Hey, won't you guys take 30

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seconds, find somebody around
you and greet them?

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all right, you The guys can go
ahead and be seated.

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Hey, what you guys know about
something awesome that you are

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sitting on or it's in a chair
next to you and that is our

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awesome connection card.
If you call real life home, we

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would love it when you guys fill
these out.

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Let us know what's going on in
your life.

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Maybe you've got a prayer
request.

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Something is going on in your
life, something you need prayer

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for or maybe God has just showed
up in your life in a miraculous

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this way this week and you've
got to praise.

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If you guys write those down.
We look at these week in week

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out, we pray over them.
We love to stay connected with

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knowing what's going on in your
life.

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Don't have to pin just on
Facebook.

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So if you guys send those in,
man, we love it.

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If you call real life home, if
you're neuter or newer to real

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life, this is a great
opportunity for you guys as

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well.
And I'm going to make you guys a

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simple promise.
We're not going to ask one other

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thing from you today except for
this one simple thing.

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Just introduce yourself when we
want to know who you are.

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And we just want to just thank
so thankful that you're here

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with us.
And if you feel that out to the

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level that you're comfortable
with, we're not going to do

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anything weird.
We won't show up your door, but

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we'd love to send you some
information this week about real

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life, let you know a little bit
about who we are.

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And so again, we're so excited
that you chose to worship with

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us today here in real life.
We like to say that we're a

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church on a mission here.
And that mission is, is to see

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people far from God discover the
real life and purpose in Jesus.

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That's why we do what we do.
That's why we make our

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decisions.
That's how we move throughout

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our week because we know that
lives get messy sometimes,

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right?
They get broken, they get jacked

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up, but we believe that we have
and know the person that has the

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answer for you to get connected
and be back on mission and

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that's Jesus.
So we love the living community

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here and we live as a body as,
as a fellow believers and, and

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disciples and we are reaching
out in our community and across

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the world to get people on
mission with God.

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So I have something awesome
before we get into, into the

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message today.
So this is calling all 6th

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graders through 12th.
We are going back to Sporting KC

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for our second annual sporting
event.

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Man, you guys heard about it
last year.

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The kids loved it.
So parents, teens, don't miss

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this opportunity.
This is a free event.

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This is for leaders and youth
that are in that age group and

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part of real life youth.
So don't miss out.

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Get signed up early.
I think they're playing Austin.

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This is on September the 7th and
they'll be sitting in the South

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stands.
So your, your kid does not want

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to miss this.
So get signed up early.

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So we are launching into a new
four part series called Elephant

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in the Room, right?
So do you guys love the elephant

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in the room?
It's the question nobody wants

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to ask, but everybody's thinking
about, right?

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And so today we're going to dive
into what the word of God says

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about some of the biggest
questions you guys have in your

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life.
And maybe it's a question about

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faith, eternity, pain.
And it's the thing that you're

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thinking about that you think
you're the only person dealing

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with and that's not true.
And today we're not going to go

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into a bunch of church cliches
try answers, but we're going to

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give some honest answers from
God's word about what God and

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Jesus have for you to answer
these questions.

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So once you guys take.
This opportunity give a big

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round of applause to Pastor Sean
as he comes up and he brings the

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word.
He gave me that a boy.

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Go get him, pastor.
Well, welcome today I want to

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say first of all, was that
worship awesome today?

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Come on, give it for Jesus one
more time.

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Love him that you love him.
It's always such a reminder of

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who we are and who God is.
And so in that line that Jesus

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did God set aside on us and that
that song was just fantastic.

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If you're new with us, I want to
welcome you guys one more time.

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Or new where I know a lot of
guys have been coming out

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recently.
I know we have some new faces

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today.
Will you guys make everybody

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feel welcome one more time?
Come on.

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So there's two families you got
to congratulate.

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This is pretty cool.
So last week we did the

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celebration Sunday to the youth
camp, kids camp, kind of just

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celebrate the stories, impact
and just all that God's doing

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and it's really cool.
We had two families that said

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yes, God just speaking to them
to serve and our kids program.

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So you can congratulate them,
let them know we love them for

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jumping on the team.
Come on, we love that some

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you're like, it wasn't me, but
it could be right?

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Oh man.
So just just amazing stuff.

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So one last thing before we jump
into the message.

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I just want to encourage you
guys, if you have a star

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relationship with Jesus, if you
commit your life to Christ

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recently or you have in the past
but not been baptized, I'd

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encourage you guys to get
baptized.

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We were baptizing on our, I
can't believe it said 8th

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birthday.
Come on somebody, and I'll

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invite you guys to be a part of
this.

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And so if you called on Jesus,
maybe I baptized as a baby or

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something, but I would encourage
you to take that step.

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It's really going public through
faith, just telling the whole

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world, you're unashamed of
Jesus.

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You're just confessing to the
world.

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Man, I love Jesus.
Jesus did something in me I want

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to show you.
And so really that we're dead

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and sin and now we're alive to
Jesus.

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And we have so many stories of
people doing this.

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This is amazing.
This picture, you guys who this

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is Jerry.
Jerry, I knew it was going to

250
00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,840
happen.
This is this is my

251
00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,200
father-in-law, Jerry.
He came to Christ a few years

252
00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,080
ago here at real life.
Thank you Jesus, Amen.

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And he got baptized.
This was Easter this year, so

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about 5 months ago.
And I see this picture and it's

255
00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:09,440
it's very special because This
is why we launched a church.

256
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Really something special about
somebody close to you but far

257
00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,320
from God.
You see God moving their life

258
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and take those steps of faith.
And this is just a significant

259
00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,800
moment for me.
This makes every moment worth

260
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it.
There's a lot of like things we

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do behind the scenes and a lot
of energy and effort, activity

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things.
But this is the stories of

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impacting people, Amen.
And they see families change,

264
00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:30,600
lives change.
This is this is personal, Amen.

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And this can be personal for you
too.

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And I'm encouraging if you have
not been baptized, this is the

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impact.
Like somebody's gonna be

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excited.
We'll be excited, we'll be

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excited.
Church.

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Amen.
I mean, just I'll encourage you

271
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guys if you're like on the
fence, they can baptize.

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It is exciting.
It's a great day.

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And I'll encourage you a part of
that.

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We would just love to be a part
of your story.

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And if you're unsure what that
looks like, if you sign up on

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there, it's not like you sign up
and just like you get thrown the

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00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:55,280
deep end, all that be kind of
fun.

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But we're gonna actually walk
you through this like help you

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00:22:58,200 --> 00:22:59,960
understand, make sure it's the
right fit for you.

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00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:02,080
And so don't feel like you sign
up and just like you're just

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gonna not know anything, we're
gonna walk you the whole

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process.
So today we're jumping to a new

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series, the Elephant in the
room.

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I don't know what I was thinking
when I started this series.

285
00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:13,400
So this elephant's getting, I'm
going to have to obviously

286
00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:15,440
preach some interesting messages
to talk about the elephant in

287
00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,400
the room.
We all have questions.

288
00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,000
Sometimes we don't even tell
anybody these questions.

289
00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,160
Maybe you tell your best friend,
maybe your spouse.

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00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,440
Maybe you have questions that
you feel guilty about even

291
00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:27,960
having the question.
Like I don't know if I'd seem

292
00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:29,320
appropriate even thinking this
question.

293
00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,920
And sometimes we just don't say
anything to anybody and we walk

294
00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,760
around this these taboo thoughts
and we don't want to interact.

295
00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:36,840
And I also encourage the church
that God can handle your

296
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:37,600
questions.
Amen.

297
00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:40,040
God, contend your hard
questions, your weird questions,

298
00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:42,160
all these different questions.
And some of the questions might

299
00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:43,480
be why?
Where is God?

300
00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:45,560
Why would God allow bad things
to happen?

301
00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,120
And is the Bible really true?
And no one's ever struggled that

302
00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:52,640
one, right?
Like, can he be trusted?

303
00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:54,320
I mean, I've asked all these
questions too.

304
00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,400
Amen.
Some of the questions are just

305
00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,120
like, maybe more personal, like,
you know, what's wrong with

306
00:23:58,120 --> 00:24:00,240
having sex outside of marriage
or sex before marriage?

307
00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,360
Like, you know, there's the
world, like just teaches a lot

308
00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:04,200
of stuff, right?
And I would encourage you guys

309
00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,760
as you walk through this to
really be open handed.

310
00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,240
I was at a church when I, when I
grew up that you couldn't ask

311
00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,840
these questions.
Like it was almost like if you

312
00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,280
confess Jesus, like if you
called on Jesus that you were

313
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,000
perfect immediately.
You've been in this type of

314
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,120
church before.
Like there's no room for saying

315
00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:20,840
like we trust you for salvation,
but but not for sanctification,

316
00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:22,600
not for growth.
And you just everybody's just

317
00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:24,920
perfect and you can never ask
the question.

318
00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:26,720
And so I would encourage you
guys that we're we're on a

319
00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:30,200
journey together, Amen.
Like the words discovery, like,

320
00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,120
like wandering, like just
seeking out God, like we're all

321
00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:35,000
coming from different faith
journeys and points.

322
00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,560
And these questions may you
might have like solved the

323
00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:39,560
question for yourself.
And it might be something next

324
00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:41,920
to you that like is just blown
out the water by that question.

325
00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,280
And some people maybe have gone
to church today and you've not

326
00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:46,920
been in church or followed God
because of these hard questions.

327
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,160
And we're going to dive into, I
mean, definitely the easiest

328
00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,160
question, right?
Where is God?

329
00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,000
When I heard the questions of
pain and suffering, this might

330
00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,920
be one of the the heavier
questions and just going to go

331
00:24:57,920 --> 00:24:59,920
in the deep end and walk through
what God has for us.

332
00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:02,280
I would encourage him and
praying that you have an aha

333
00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,400
moment about your suffering,
like an aha moment about pain,

334
00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:06,840
like where is God?
Why God?

335
00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:08,280
That God would just show you
things.

336
00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:10,520
Holy Spirit would just come on
you and you maybe see things

337
00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,920
differently and actually worship
God for your suffering.

338
00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:15,400
So it's been a big prayer.
Amen.

339
00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:17,400
It's a big prayer.
So this is one of the main

340
00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,760
reasons people don't follow God
to go to church because of the

341
00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:22,920
pain that happens in their life.
And so where is God when life

342
00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,400
hurts?
A few weeks ago had the

343
00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,600
privilege and honor of speaking
and sharing God's word at my

344
00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:30,720
step brothers celebration of
life.

345
00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,200
My stepbrother Chad, he is 4
years older than me, so it makes

346
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,760
him 44 and he passed away
unexpectedly.

347
00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,440
He was at work working at
Walmart and they found him in

348
00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:43,840
the backroom, in the storeroom
and he had passed away and it

349
00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:45,720
was a brain aneurysm, a heart
attack.

350
00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,000
Like, you know, people are
they're figuring things out, but

351
00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,480
it's just one of those things
like so unexpected, right?

352
00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,240
And so much pain, so many things
around it.

353
00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:54,800
And you know, it's just weird
for me.

354
00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:56,960
Like I've done a lot of funerals
and been in church for a long

355
00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,560
time, done a lot of ministry
stuff, but it's just different

356
00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,040
when it's like your sibling.
Like that was a different level

357
00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,000
for me.
Like I've never, you know, I

358
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,800
thought a million years, like I
am going to be doing my

359
00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:09,640
stepbrothers funeral like this
year.

360
00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,920
I mean, it's just I just kept
thinking it's just too young,

361
00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:13,600
right?
This is he's just young, but

362
00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:14,600
anyway, I want to show you a
picture.

363
00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,560
I met Chad when I was 6.
My mom got married by step dad

364
00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:18,800
when I was 7, became part of
family.

365
00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,000
So this is my family.
Come on, somebody, this is

366
00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:22,640
awesome.
This is a great picture of the

367
00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,480
90s.
Come on on the right, the

368
00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:26,800
redhead.
That's my that's my brother

369
00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:27,640
Adam.
Come on.

370
00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,840
I met other Adam today.
The visitor guy down the corner

371
00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:32,600
there.
That's Alana.

372
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:33,880
Where you at?
Alana?

373
00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:35,360
She in there.
Oh, she's back there.

374
00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:39,000
Everybody say oh, oh, that's so
cute.

375
00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,600
Yeah.
And then Tricia is my step

376
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,280
sister in the middle, Chad.
So there's Chad he he he's the

377
00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,200
big guy in the front there.
He's always big.

378
00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,320
He's bigger than everybody just
larger than life down here at

379
00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,880
the glasses on the on the lower
level, that's the lower level

380
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,200
that that's Gabe that's that's
my stepbrother Gabe.

381
00:26:54,360 --> 00:26:57,080
He he's six months younger man
the life of the party.

382
00:26:57,440 --> 00:26:59,320
This is my step.
My stepdad Alan, he passed away

383
00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:03,800
a couple years ago.
And then you'll words can't

384
00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:08,280
describe that picture of me that
that my mom's here.

385
00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:12,480
Where are you, Mom?
Thank you.

386
00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,200
I think you're trying to keep me
single as long as possible.

387
00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,240
Alan Jackson was not very proud
of that.

388
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,560
It used to be really flowy and
amazing bullet and that turned

389
00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:23,160
like I was some kind of French
person there.

390
00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:27,480
It's really cool.
I think Dumb and Dumber found

391
00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:30,000
this picture and they bottled
the movie kind of after that a

392
00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,360
little bit there.
Oh, man, God can use anybody.

393
00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:35,240
Amen.
You never like that picture.

394
00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:36,840
You'd be like, that's the man's
going to play at the church.

395
00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:39,720
And I was a Chiefs fan proof
right here before they were

396
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:41,560
good.
Amen.

397
00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,440
Praise the Lord.
All right, enough of that

398
00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:44,560
picture.
You can keep looking at that.

399
00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,960
That's awesome, man.
Oh, that's good.

400
00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,520
I'm going back in here.
We're in the I'm in a generation

401
00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,560
now where it's like it's going
to be like after maybe like

402
00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,600
1518, the pictures can be like,
man, that's really cool.

403
00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:01,240
And before 18 like you're so
old, you know, like I was going

404
00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:03,600
through the pictures of my
stepbrother, you know, and it's

405
00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,720
just like it's either you're
scanning it, it's old school or

406
00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:08,560
it's like a digital awesome
picture and there's like nothing

407
00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,160
between.
So anyway, this thoughts for

408
00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,480
you, but the thought about my
family, like where's God in the

409
00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,440
midst of suffering and hurt?
And there's verses I've been

410
00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:19,840
traveling through Psalms this
last year and there's been

411
00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:21,960
verses that just stick out to me
and speak to me.

412
00:28:22,120 --> 00:28:24,160
And this just was easy to go
back to as I walk through the

413
00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,840
Lord, like some verses that
remind me where God is and

414
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,160
suffering.
And so this is Psalm 3418.

415
00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:30,800
This is what something has been
on my heart.

416
00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:33,840
It says this is the Lord is
close to The Who.

417
00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:36,480
What's it say?
Yeah, broken hearted.

418
00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:37,600
Yeah.
Where is he?

419
00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:39,640
He's right there.
He he's with you.

420
00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:41,920
It says that he saves those who
are what?

421
00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:44,040
Yeah.
Crush the spirit.

422
00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:45,000
This is good news.
Amen.

423
00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:47,320
Here's what about the Bible.
It's what makes it not a fable

424
00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:49,560
makes it real because you have
people that are struggling with

425
00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:51,760
real humanity, struggling to
follow God and they're being

426
00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,720
pressed down and and hurt and
they're emotionally broken.

427
00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,280
But the Bible says clear that
God is with us.

428
00:28:57,280 --> 00:28:58,600
I love it as a personal God.
Amen.

429
00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:00,520
I love it's not like, oh, he's
out there.

430
00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:02,720
Hope you hope you, you know, do
good enough and he loves, you

431
00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:05,840
know, God's a personal God and
he wants relationship with and

432
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:07,960
he's close enough to us.
And I could have bridged the

433
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:11,160
sermon down about, I don't know,
about 5 minutes and just answer

434
00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,680
the question, where is God when
you're hurting with you?

435
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:16,480
Amen.
And we could just pray and be

436
00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:20,040
gone.
You're like, yes, not quite

437
00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,120
chiefs in the game today, but
one day you'll say Amen to that,

438
00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:25,320
right?
But Psalm 6, this is another

439
00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:26,760
Psalm that just sticks out to
me.

440
00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:28,960
This is one of the Psalms I
Amelium.

441
00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,080
I've read it and I just put it
in my heart, my mind, and I go

442
00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,200
back to the Psalm very often.
And this is something that I

443
00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,160
thought through with my family.
This is David Rice says have

444
00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:41,280
mercy on me, Lord, for I am what
even those seasons where you're

445
00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,760
just you're just overwhelmed,
you're weary like you're feeble

446
00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,560
minded, like you just have no
more energy to go forward.

447
00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,040
And this is this what I love
about the Bible.

448
00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:50,960
It's just so real because I can
relate to this, right?

449
00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:54,600
I lack the ability to move.
I'm uncertain, I'm unsettled.

450
00:29:54,920 --> 00:30:00,080
He says heal me, Lord, for my
bones are and what in agony?

451
00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,040
I mean, that's the emotional
pain that he's walking through

452
00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:06,400
that even to your core, you're
hurt.

453
00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,360
And there's moments of life
where the unexpected happens or

454
00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:13,040
the tragic happens or the things
around you are so broken that it

455
00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,400
actually bothers you to the to
your bones.

456
00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,160
You guys been here before.
You know, you're in that season

457
00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,680
when you wake up and then you
feel like man, God's good and

458
00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:23,880
everything is perfect and
they're not 20 or 30 seconds And

459
00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,480
after waking up, you just
remember what you're going

460
00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,360
through.
Like, you know, you forget the

461
00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:29,880
season went right at that
moment.

462
00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:31,320
That's how you know you're in
agony.

463
00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:33,680
And for some of us are walking
that season right now.

464
00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,200
For some of us, it's usually a
broken relationship.

465
00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:39,800
There's like a powerful loss and
we walk that season emotional

466
00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:41,240
pain.
And this is what David's doing

467
00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:43,000
is walking through there through
this agony.

468
00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,240
He says this in verse 3 says my
soul is in deep anguish.

469
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:50,160
Just how long, Lord, How long
says turn, Lord, deliver me,

470
00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,360
save me because of your what
what to say?

471
00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:56,320
There's failing love.
Who knows, God is full of

472
00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,680
failing love.
You can call on God's life.

473
00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:01,880
It's just motivation for save me
because of your character, God,

474
00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,320
because you love me.
God speak to me, changed me, he

475
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:07,080
said, worn out from my
groanings.

476
00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,760
I mean, there's this is like
pain without words, right?

477
00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,000
I just don't know what.
It just hurts.

478
00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,440
So all night long I flood my bed
with what?

479
00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,320
Yeah, weeping.
We've all been there in seasons.

480
00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:22,000
You just there's no comfort.
There's no solace.

481
00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:24,880
You're just beyond yourself.
He said drench my couch with

482
00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,000
tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow.

483
00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:30,080
They fail because of my foes.
In this situation, David is

484
00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,440
surrounded by his enemies.
He thinks he's being overtaken.

485
00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,240
He's tired of seeing his friends
die, his commanders die, the

486
00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:37,600
people around him being
persecuted, and he feels like

487
00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,600
he's up against the wall that
he's being buried and there's no

488
00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,000
way out.
Verse A says away from me all

489
00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:46,440
you do evil and I love this.
So it says for the Lord has

490
00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:50,040
what?
How many guys knew that the Lord

491
00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:53,280
hears your weeping.
It's pretty good, Amen that the

492
00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,520
Lord isn't isn't absent like
he's not gone.

493
00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,600
We can make the mistake of
thinking and mistaking silence

494
00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,920
for God's absence, but God's not
absent, Amen.

495
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,640
Just because he's not speaking
doesn't mean he doesn't hear.

496
00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:09,360
Just because he's not speaking
doesn't mean he is not hearing.

497
00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:11,720
You're weeping.
So the Lord has heard my cry for

498
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:16,160
mercy and the Lord accepts my
prayer that in my pain God is

499
00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:19,040
close.
I'll give you some some stories,

500
00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,160
some guys to talk about these,
the scripture and the pain to

501
00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,760
walk through This man who wrote
second most, second most famous

502
00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,080
book in history, John Bunyan,
pilgrims progress and he writes

503
00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,840
this about tears.
He says it's not the mouth that

504
00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:31,440
is the main thing in prayer, but
the heart.

505
00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:35,240
And if it is the heart that
prays, it matters not what the

506
00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,480
mouth if the mouth is silent.
So the prayer is the cry of the

507
00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:42,640
heart, sometimes with words and
sometimes without words.

508
00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,880
Amen.
I mean, God knows exactly what

509
00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,160
you're feeling, what you're
what's, what's inside of you,

510
00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:51,760
and you don't have to maybe even
mature even to express it or

511
00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,280
even figure out why it's
happening, but the Lord knows

512
00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,040
exactly the language of your
heart.

513
00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:58,640
Others say about this scripture,
it says that these prayer, these

514
00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,760
tears are the tears or liquid
prayers, Amen.

515
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,040
That God had actually hear your
tears.

516
00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,800
He's listening to your weeping.
They're silent prayer requests.

517
00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:10,840
God knows exactly why you're
crying.

518
00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,600
He knows exactly what you're
walking through In that season.

519
00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,000
Spurgeon said this.
He said tears are the diamonds

520
00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:18,560
of heaven.
Sighs are part of prayer, and

521
00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:20,200
tears are the blood of the
heart.

522
00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:24,880
They're the essence of prayer
and the substance of devotion.

523
00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,320
Tears are almost paved the way
for God's will and our broken.

524
00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:31,840
This guy is going to speak to us
and this what it says about

525
00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:33,520
suffering and tears in the
Bible.

526
00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:37,960
Psalm 56, eight says this.
It says you being God have kept

527
00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:42,720
count of my what tossings
Anybody been in the season where

528
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:46,600
they can't sleep through the
night right and you tried new

529
00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:47,880
pillows and it's still not
working right.

530
00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,760
Like you just there's anxiety
and there's worry and there's it

531
00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:53,360
catch you off guard.
Every season has a temptation

532
00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:55,080
like don't ever think you get
mature enough.

533
00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:57,640
We're like your life isn't going
to have some arrows and some

534
00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,120
attacks like God is always
showing us things about

535
00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,280
ourselves.
I actually bought 4 pillows

536
00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:03,520
yesterday.
I slept through the night,

537
00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,920
praise God, Hallelujah, but it
wasn't because of these kind of

538
00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,639
season, but my pillows were
dying's like I picked the $6

539
00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:11,239
pillows up all the time.
I'm like, let's just not do that

540
00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:13,360
anymore.
Let's get a $10 pillow.

541
00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:16,280
Let's move up, you know, but it
says this is amazing.

542
00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:21,400
He said, he says he puts my
tears in your bottle and they're

543
00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:24,639
not or they're not in your book.
He's not absent.

544
00:34:24,639 --> 00:34:26,960
Amen.
Like like your your pain isn't

545
00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:30,320
wasted with God to think that
God knows exactly what you're

546
00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:32,320
going through, exactly what
you're walking through,

547
00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:35,480
understands the situation and
it's collecting your tears.

548
00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,639
He's listening to your weeping.
He knows and he's close.

549
00:34:38,639 --> 00:34:41,400
Amen.
He's not distant, he's not gone,

550
00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:43,280
he's not absent, he's not
apathetic.

551
00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,840
He is there.
Romans 826 says this says the

552
00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:51,239
spirit Spirit of God intercedes
for us with what to say with

553
00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:56,480
groanings too deep for words
that even when we our words

554
00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:00,240
fail, our logic fails, our
emotions are heavy.

555
00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:05,080
The Holy Spirit is groaning and
having prayer requests for us

556
00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:08,760
and over us to the Father in
heaven, Amen.

557
00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,800
That's good news that that we're
not alone that that that the

558
00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:14,640
Holy Spirit is also called the
comforter.

559
00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,360
He is comforting us.
He's he's he's giving us what we

560
00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,040
really need to have.
He's praying prayer requests

561
00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:22,840
that we not even ever mutter.
These lead us to places that we

562
00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,080
don't even need that we know
don't need to go yet.

563
00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:27,320
We don't know we need to go
there yet And so we can find

564
00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,560
solace that got us close enough
to whisper that he, he knows us

565
00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:31,480
better.
We know ourselves.

566
00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,400
Amen.
But there are times, if you're

567
00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,520
real honest, that we we don't
feel God.

568
00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:37,840
There are times where it feels
distant.

569
00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:39,440
It feels cold.
Your prayers feel like they're

570
00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:41,200
hitting the ceiling.
You're wondering what's going

571
00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:42,000
on.
You're kind of getting

572
00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,680
aggravated like I, why'd you
leave me this far to, to kind of

573
00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,200
feel like you're not in this
season, like why am I feel like

574
00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:49,920
I'm a little abandoned?
Have you guys been that season

575
00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:51,200
before?
Real honest, show hands.

576
00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:52,840
Real honest.
Yeah.

577
00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:55,360
I think most of us have been
that season maybe more than

578
00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:57,640
once, right.
I feel like it just kind of

579
00:35:57,640 --> 00:35:59,880
comes with the journey.
And I think God wants us to

580
00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:03,200
teach us something like in the
deserts and the valleys where we

581
00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:04,560
don't have this awestruck
moment.

582
00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:07,800
He wants to show us a few things
about prayer, about our lives.

583
00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:12,040
What's interesting about prayer
is that when you pray, God does

584
00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:16,720
not often download the answer
that you're praying to your

585
00:36:16,720 --> 00:36:19,280
life.
It doesn't usually come if I can

586
00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:20,680
use this Good.
Met a guy that's in charge of

587
00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,600
this right now.
He doesn't fly the package of

588
00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:27,320
your prayer request with a blue
bow on it and drop it at your

589
00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:31,000
front porch, Amen.
It doesn't usually work that

590
00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:32,880
way.
God does usually answer your

591
00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:34,680
prayer with this an immediate
thing.

592
00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:36,560
Now there's two things the Bible
he'll do that for.

593
00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:40,040
But most of the time God gives
you the gift of an opportunity

594
00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:42,400
to become what you're praying
for.

595
00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:45,000
Like think about this when you
pray for patience, God doesn't

596
00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:48,120
download patience into your soul
typically, but God gives the

597
00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:52,760
opportunity to be patient, Amen.
God gives you circumstances and

598
00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,280
people and relationships and you
give those moments where you can

599
00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:58,560
trust in him and rely on him,
but very few times you can say,

600
00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:00,960
OK, now you're a patient person
that that's not typical works.

601
00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:02,400
He wants to develop your
character.

602
00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:04,240
Matter of fact, God is more
interested in developing

603
00:37:04,240 --> 00:37:07,280
character than for you to
download your wish list.

604
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:10,760
Amen.
Because it doesn't doesn't

605
00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:12,400
change anything because gives
you the answer.

606
00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,240
He wants you to become something
that you're not.

607
00:37:15,240 --> 00:37:17,200
Think about this.
We pray for strength.

608
00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:20,520
He put you in seasons where you
feel weak, you feel like, oh

609
00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:21,920
Lord, I'll be strong.
What He's going to give you

610
00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:24,800
circumstance with your family or
your friends or whatever it is

611
00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:27,480
where you have to rely on Him
and His power and His strength

612
00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:30,440
made perfect in your weakness
and lean on Him.

613
00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:32,800
You pray for faith.
Typically it's because He's

614
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,400
walking through a circumstance
where you don't have sight, like

615
00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,000
you have to walk by faith.
You have to hold His hand, lean

616
00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:41,840
His direction to seek His will,
and you're asking for faith, but

617
00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:45,040
He's given the circumstance.
If you pray for love, God often

618
00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:46,800
brings people in your life
that's hard to love.

619
00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:54,080
Amen because now a good time to
point, but often times it's just

620
00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:56,480
how it works, right.
And so in other words, God

621
00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:58,440
answer a purse, but it's always
the way we expect.

622
00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:01,960
Like instead of shortcuts, he
gives us soil, right?

623
00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,400
He gives you a place to grow.
He doesn't give you the the

624
00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,520
quick easy path.
Now sometimes God can do that,

625
00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,600
but often times he doesn't.
He takes a long way around the

626
00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,920
barn instead of comfort, he he
wants to develop our character.

627
00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:15,400
There's a couple things Bobby
can pray for though and get

628
00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:19,080
wisdom.
You can pray for wisdom and God

629
00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:21,040
will give it to you liberally as
long as you're asking faith.

630
00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:23,000
If you don't ask in faith, don't
expect anything.

631
00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,520
That's exactly what it says in
James one verse 5 and 6.

632
00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:27,720
And so you can ask for wisdom,
but by faith that God, I want

633
00:38:27,720 --> 00:38:28,880
wisdom.
I trust you.

634
00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:30,000
You know everything.
I'm gonna follow.

635
00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:32,240
You gotta give me divine wisdom.
And he will download it.

636
00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:35,360
Amen.
Amen.

637
00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:38,200
That's a daily prayer by the
way, like I'm not very smart,

638
00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:40,720
but God right.
He gives you peace beyond

639
00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:42,520
understanding is the Philippians
4.

640
00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:44,360
If you if you continue in
prayer.

641
00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:46,840
That was those who give you
peace by understanding of guard

642
00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:48,240
your hearts and mind Christ
Jesus.

643
00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:50,520
Those are two things you can
have, but everything else it's

644
00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:53,440
almost like God is giving the
opportunity to develop your

645
00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:55,720
character.
He's giving you the opportunity,

646
00:38:55,720 --> 00:38:58,920
the gift of growth to be the
kind of person that you're

647
00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:02,240
praying God to turn you into.
He's given opportunities to

648
00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:03,880
shape you.
And often times we walk through

649
00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:07,040
suffering and hardship and we
kind of get mad at God or we're

650
00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:10,960
upset about God's character and
God's timing and we don't like

651
00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:12,440
it.
Instead of send back to God, I

652
00:39:12,440 --> 00:39:14,800
know you're using this to
develop me, God.

653
00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:16,960
You're putting this in my life
to show me things about myself I

654
00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:18,960
need to develop.
God, I trust you in this season.

655
00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:22,440
God, I'll walk with you even
closer in this season.

656
00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:24,440
It's very easy though, to get
jaded.

657
00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,320
It's very easy to, to step back
and, and to get upset.

658
00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:29,720
And honestly, there's times
where you feel like you're,

659
00:39:29,720 --> 00:39:32,240
you're just, you're irritated.
God, things are broken.

660
00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:34,880
There's things in our past.
I see this quite often.

661
00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,680
I've seen this with my own
foster kids and different things

662
00:39:38,240 --> 00:39:41,800
where it's the heavy question
like elephants in the room.

663
00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:43,760
But now we can kind of put on
the table.

664
00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:45,680
It's fun as a leader, by the
way, put an elephant on the

665
00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:47,320
table.
Don't you like doing that?

666
00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,080
There's problems and people are
upset and you're like, hey, you

667
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,080
know, let's just let's go on.
Just take that.

668
00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:54,320
It's over here.
It's actually pretty big and

669
00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:55,360
we're going to go put that right
here.

670
00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:59,240
We're going to talk about Amen.
That's what leaders do, Amen.

671
00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:02,600
That's kind of culture I love to
be in like families get real

672
00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:05,440
sideways when the elephant
Duggan talked about in a healthy

673
00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:07,480
God honoring way.
Amen.

674
00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:09,160
And just be real honest with
you.

675
00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:13,280
There's there's a lot of pain
that same causes that sin causes

676
00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:16,520
that the world causes that's
affected so many of our lives.

677
00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:19,240
Ever been in this room?
People, you know, could be watch

678
00:40:19,240 --> 00:40:22,840
things all the time and they're
they're the question like, why

679
00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:26,480
would God allow me to be abused
as a child?

680
00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:29,440
Why would God allow my dad to
hit me?

681
00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:33,960
Why, why would God allow my
parents to be Alcoholics and to

682
00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:36,720
be in the foster system?
Like, why would God put me

683
00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:39,240
through all this?
And those are the questions that

684
00:40:39,240 --> 00:40:41,640
we're not going to ask.
Typically we're going to ask God

685
00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,640
will you mad about it may tell a
friend, but then a day like the

686
00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:46,960
wrestle that I want to wrestle
through the hard elephant.

687
00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:48,680
Amen.
Yeah, I did that today.

688
00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:51,480
I told you to keep it real.
It's on the sign, you know?

689
00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:54,440
So I'm gonna put it on the table
and it's gonna talk through the

690
00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:55,440
through the.
Yeah, you know what you're

691
00:40:55,440 --> 00:40:58,120
getting into there, right?
About to talk through that hard

692
00:40:58,120 --> 00:40:59,400
question.
What does it look like?

693
00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:02,280
Like, why would God allow this?
Like, where is God and all his

694
00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:03,520
hurt and his suffering, this
pain?

695
00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:06,360
And I'm gonna do is just walk
through really a conversation.

696
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:09,200
I saw it.
It's really a video I watched

697
00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:11,440
and I just turned into, I can't
play it, so I'm just gonna read

698
00:41:11,440 --> 00:41:12,720
it.
And it's very powerful.

699
00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:15,280
And there's this this lady
that's been through a ton and

700
00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:19,440
she's probably in her 60s and
she's asking this this preacher

701
00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:21,720
what where was God when?
And so I'm just going to read it

702
00:41:21,720 --> 00:41:24,560
for you guys ready.
Don't act too excited.

703
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:29,000
Well, I'll just hear this is
what she said says where was

704
00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:32,240
your Jesus when young kids were
in institutions and being raped?

705
00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:34,360
Just I'm a survivor of being
raped.

706
00:41:34,720 --> 00:41:36,480
So you tell me where Jesus
really was.

707
00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:38,720
I love this guy's answer.
It's profound.

708
00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:41,320
He said the reasons why, the
reason why you went through what

709
00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:44,600
you went through is because of
the human heart of sinful

710
00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,200
actions of people.
Your parents, your community has

711
00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:50,440
opened the door, has affected
everybody else.

712
00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:52,640
It's sad.
You want to know where Jesus

713
00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:54,040
was?
I love this.

714
00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:56,920
He said Jesus was on the cross
dying for our sins.

715
00:41:57,320 --> 00:42:00,080
Before that he was calling
people to repent of their sins.

716
00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:04,360
But your family, your ancestors,
those around you have decided

717
00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:06,760
not to repent of their sins, and
it affected your life.

718
00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:10,680
And all those who harmed you and
did that will have their day

719
00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:12,520
before God.
And if they don't repent,

720
00:42:12,520 --> 00:42:15,200
they'll be sent to hell.
They'll face the wrath of God

721
00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:17,000
for what they did.
And God is going to bring

722
00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:19,680
justice to every person.
So in the meantime, don't let

723
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:21,720
your past become your burden
forever.

724
00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,600
But because of the one man's
decision, Jesus Christ, you can

725
00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:27,560
now be delivered from your sin,
set free from your bondage, and

726
00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:30,400
you can be brought back to into
God's Kingdom.

727
00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:33,880
That was straight truth.
Amen.

728
00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:36,360
Now that that's pretty trite
when you're talking to somebody

729
00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:39,240
in the season, but if you think
about why the suffering happened

730
00:42:39,240 --> 00:42:42,600
and he put it on to the, to the
sin, to the human condition of

731
00:42:42,600 --> 00:42:47,280
sin, to to community, to family,
to those around you, we, we get,

732
00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:50,520
we get into some big issues when
we start to blame God for sin.

733
00:42:51,480 --> 00:42:54,680
Amen.
When we say God authored this

734
00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:58,360
God, why would you?
And we get mad at God, you know

735
00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:00,960
who she's mad at?
And he lays out your family,

736
00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:04,200
your community, the world.
Sin itself saved himself.

737
00:43:04,320 --> 00:43:07,400
That's to blame, Amen.
God is not to blame.

738
00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:10,640
And he said it so, so perfectly.
And I love how he gave the

739
00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:12,520
justice side of it too, because
we often think, well, they're

740
00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:13,160
getting away.
They're not.

741
00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:14,120
Nobody's getting away with
nothing.

742
00:43:14,720 --> 00:43:16,040
God's tails are just.
Amen.

743
00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:18,840
And when you stand before him,
which I mean face down on the

744
00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:23,120
ground, prostate on the ground,
right, you're prone and you're

745
00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:25,800
just like, there's no friends
there, there's no family,

746
00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:27,760
there's no, it's you and the
Lord.

747
00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:31,200
His skills are just Amen.
The Bible says you can account

748
00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:33,080
for every other word, for every
deed.

749
00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:35,920
Everything will go through the
fire in the judgment of God.

750
00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:39,280
There's wood, hay and stubble
and there's the things of God.

751
00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:42,280
And, and, and so I trust deeply
in God's justice.

752
00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:44,760
And it reminds me of like, well,
why do we, why would God allow

753
00:43:44,760 --> 00:43:46,760
this to even happen in this
season?

754
00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:47,960
I keep coming back to this
thought.

755
00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:52,040
How much God must love us to
endure such depravity in sin?

756
00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:57,960
Like how much must God love us
to tolerate all this junk?

757
00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:00,360
It's just just hear me out.
Just think about this.

758
00:44:00,520 --> 00:44:02,600
Second, Peter 39 says this.
This is Peter.

759
00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,080
He's he's speaking to one of the
most persecuted group of people

760
00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:06,960
in history.
There's a church that was

761
00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:10,280
started in a Rome and it was
persecuted by the emperor Nero,

762
00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:12,720
who blamed the Christians.
Nero burned down his own city of

763
00:44:12,720 --> 00:44:14,040
Rome and then blamed the
Christians.

764
00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:16,760
And now being arrested,
persecuted and they're being put

765
00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:19,240
on trial.
Peter will be crucified by Nero

766
00:44:19,240 --> 00:44:21,440
under his orders.
His wife would be crucified

767
00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:23,200
right before him.
Peter be crucified upside down.

768
00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:26,120
This is the kind of suffering we
don't even see right now.

769
00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:28,840
This is one of those wicked
leaders in all of history as

770
00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:31,560
Emperor Nero and he writes this
these people that are suffering

771
00:44:31,560 --> 00:44:34,360
greatly.
He says the Lord verse 9 says

772
00:44:34,360 --> 00:44:37,680
the Lord is not slow and keeping
his what his promise.

773
00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:39,680
He's not he's not slow in
keeping it but as some

774
00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:41,920
understand slowness that what
they're saying is where's God

775
00:44:41,920 --> 00:44:44,680
and all this Why is this
happening?

776
00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:48,400
I thought I prayed for Jesus my
life would get easier like any

777
00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:49,960
remember Jesus on the cross
right.

778
00:44:50,240 --> 00:44:52,560
This guy mentioned so so
eloquently like where was Jesus?

779
00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:55,800
He was suffering for us and to
think just as a holistic picture

780
00:44:55,960 --> 00:44:59,960
that if Jesus were to suffer at
the hands of sinful people, why

781
00:44:59,960 --> 00:45:03,240
would we be any different?
Like why would our lives be any

782
00:45:03,240 --> 00:45:06,240
more innocent or easy than
Jesus's life?

783
00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:08,880
Like to think that we prayed a
prayer that it was our life is

784
00:45:08,880 --> 00:45:11,360
going to be perfect is the
complete opposite of the gospel.

785
00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:15,240
And that Jesus would suffer and
die for us and we still have

786
00:45:15,240 --> 00:45:18,480
this brokenness and this humane
has fallen that we wouldn't

787
00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:21,200
somehow like partake in some
suffering as well.

788
00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:23,080
And this is what Peter's telling
him.

789
00:45:23,080 --> 00:45:24,520
He's not slow.
He knows exactly what he's

790
00:45:24,520 --> 00:45:26,920
doing, his promise.
God is seldom early, but never

791
00:45:27,240 --> 00:45:29,600
late.
I've learned this about people

792
00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:32,120
sometimes Satan.
He uses things in your life,

793
00:45:32,120 --> 00:45:37,000
voices and people, circumstances
to bury you to, to, to get you

794
00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:40,760
off of God's journey off of
God's path to keep you quiet,

795
00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:44,160
silent, to to be non active, for
the gospel, to not to share his

796
00:45:44,160 --> 00:45:47,560
goodness, to think less of God
and to bury under guilt, shame

797
00:45:47,880 --> 00:45:50,680
and all these things to stop you
from doing things of God.

798
00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:52,880
And I remember when I was
planting this church, it came

799
00:45:52,880 --> 00:45:54,480
out of season.
It was one of those seasons, you

800
00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:57,720
know, it was a hard season.
It was all I don't have time to

801
00:45:57,720 --> 00:46:00,440
go through it and I'd probably I
just came to say all the things

802
00:46:00,440 --> 00:46:02,640
I want to say about it.
It was a difficult season.

803
00:46:03,000 --> 00:46:05,240
And I just this, somebody said
this in that season and it

804
00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:08,320
always stuck with me is that
Satan didn't know when he when

805
00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:10,960
he buried you that you're a seed
being planted.

806
00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:14,280
He didn't know that you were
being planted in the things of

807
00:46:14,280 --> 00:46:15,920
God.
And oftentimes we don't

808
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:18,200
understand that.
Like Satan has a agenda and God

809
00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:20,760
has an agenda.
We kind of forget that, that God

810
00:46:20,760 --> 00:46:22,560
is who he is.
He loves us and cares for us.

811
00:46:22,720 --> 00:46:24,400
And this is exactly what Peter
is saying.

812
00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:25,920
He's not.
He's not slow.

813
00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:27,360
He'll be on time when he wants
to be.

814
00:46:27,680 --> 00:46:31,720
Instead, he is What?
What's to say he is patient.

815
00:46:31,720 --> 00:46:33,600
I think that's the lost verse.
Yeah, we're still on the verse.

816
00:46:33,600 --> 00:46:34,960
Sorry, guys.
I'm preaching forever here.

817
00:46:36,280 --> 00:46:39,720
He is patient with you, not
wanting anyone to perish, but

818
00:46:39,720 --> 00:46:43,200
everyone to come to repentance.
He's patient.

819
00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:46,440
What's that mean?
He's patient with you like he's

820
00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:48,600
patient letting us to grow
towards Christ.

821
00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:49,960
We didn't pray a prayer of
perfection.

822
00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:51,280
We prayed a prayer of
confession.

823
00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:54,360
We said to Jesus, I talked to a
man yesterday who who's

824
00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:57,600
struggling, He's defeated.
He's walking through a valley, a

825
00:46:57,600 --> 00:47:01,040
very difficult season that's
going to cost him a lot and he

826
00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:03,240
just can't get his head up.
And I'm like, listen, it's a set

827
00:47:03,240 --> 00:47:05,840
back.
It's not the future, right?

828
00:47:06,560 --> 00:47:08,640
And and we think we're defeated,
not defeated.

829
00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:12,120
Like what is God trying to teach
you is the lesson you can learn

830
00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:15,320
when you look at this God as an
intention to the suffering?

831
00:47:15,440 --> 00:47:17,560
He's patient with us.
He's patient with humanity.

832
00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:21,440
But like, ultimately God could
come back any second he wanted

833
00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:25,160
to and he could wipe away all
sin from the earth, all

834
00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:27,040
suffering from the earth.
Do you guys believe you could do

835
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:29,800
that right now if you want to?
He could do it right this

836
00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:31,320
second.
And one day he will.

837
00:47:31,680 --> 00:47:33,520
Amen.
The first time he came as a

838
00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:34,520
child.
The next time he comes as a

839
00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:37,720
warrior, he rides a horse.
Next time, first time he was a

840
00:47:37,720 --> 00:47:39,040
donkey.
You know what I mean?

841
00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:40,680
Like he could do what he wants
to.

842
00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:42,600
He wants to.
So why is God waiting like he's

843
00:47:42,600 --> 00:47:43,800
suffering?
He's watching the suffering,

844
00:47:43,800 --> 00:47:47,600
watch the genocides and and the
wars and the, and all the sex

845
00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:49,680
trafficking and all these
difficulties.

846
00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:53,400
Why he says right here, he's
patiently waiting through all

847
00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:58,160
the sin and depravity and the
pain with the with intention

848
00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:00,960
that no one perish.
But everyone comes repents to

849
00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:04,640
him like God's longing is for
people to know him, and by his

850
00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:08,600
mercy he allows suffering
because he's delaying his

851
00:48:08,600 --> 00:48:11,640
judgment so more people can
repent.

852
00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:15,000
So to think about if you wish
suffering away, you wish every

853
00:48:15,000 --> 00:48:17,560
person who doesn't know Jesus to
hell.

854
00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:20,040
That's what you're wishing for
right this second.

855
00:48:20,560 --> 00:48:23,280
You're saying my suffering is so
significant that nobody else has

856
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:26,000
a chance of finding the good
news of Jesus.

857
00:48:26,640 --> 00:48:29,120
Am I preaching today?
Just keep it real.

858
00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:32,640
That's what we idolize ourself.
All this pain.

859
00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:35,600
I'm so mad.
What about other people I need

860
00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:37,160
Jesus.
There's a man I met today that

861
00:48:37,160 --> 00:48:39,600
spent a year in a wheelchair.
I'm about to get surgery on my

862
00:48:39,600 --> 00:48:41,320
shoulder.
You might not know that yet and

863
00:48:41,720 --> 00:48:43,440
and I'm like, it's going to kind
of like, oh man, this is going

864
00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:44,440
to suck.
Take forever.

865
00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:47,080
It's six months and that it's
like, brother, it could be

866
00:48:47,080 --> 00:48:48,680
worse.
Amen.

867
00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:51,760
It's not about me, it's about
Jesus.

868
00:48:52,080 --> 00:48:55,120
And so in my mind, suffering is
not the proof of God being evil.

869
00:48:55,200 --> 00:48:57,600
Suffering is the proof of
actually God being loving

870
00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:00,880
suffering actually a proof of
God's love.

871
00:49:01,240 --> 00:49:05,280
Paul says even better in Romans
2, four he says or do or do I

872
00:49:05,280 --> 00:49:09,680
show or do you show contempt for
the riches of listeners of God's

873
00:49:09,680 --> 00:49:13,680
kindness, usual contempt for
God's forbearance and God's

874
00:49:13,680 --> 00:49:16,640
patience loses us not realizing
like you're not smart, you don't

875
00:49:16,640 --> 00:49:18,200
know yet.
Not realizing, understanding

876
00:49:18,360 --> 00:49:23,120
that God's kindness is intended
to what, Yeah, lead us to

877
00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:26,720
repentance, like God's kindness,
intend to lead us to things of

878
00:49:26,720 --> 00:49:29,040
God like.
And what's God's kindness?

879
00:49:29,040 --> 00:49:30,960
And you know, we like the second
part of the verse.

880
00:49:31,240 --> 00:49:33,120
I've always thought of the
second part of the verse.

881
00:49:33,720 --> 00:49:35,840
So the first part of the verse
is, is God's forbearance.

882
00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:37,240
You know what it means to
forbear?

883
00:49:37,240 --> 00:49:43,880
Yeah, it means to put up with
forbear is just like, OK, this

884
00:49:43,880 --> 00:49:46,760
is the verse for all the teenage
parents in the house, right?

885
00:49:47,240 --> 00:49:49,840
Just put up with some things.
If you're married, you forbear.

886
00:49:49,840 --> 00:49:51,920
It's actually in the Bible.
You know, it says right there,

887
00:49:52,280 --> 00:49:53,720
there's forbearance.
There's things you just put up

888
00:49:53,720 --> 00:49:55,360
with, but there's patience as
well.

889
00:49:55,600 --> 00:49:58,120
And then there's God's kindness
and the reason that we have

890
00:49:58,120 --> 00:49:59,240
this.
You show contempt.

891
00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:03,280
God, why you so patient?
Yeah, why you put up all this

892
00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:06,200
stuff right now?
Should we be mad at God for

893
00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:09,120
being patient and forbearing and
having kindness?

894
00:50:09,560 --> 00:50:11,120
And he said, what's the
intention of all those things?

895
00:50:11,120 --> 00:50:12,400
What's it?
What does allow this, allow

896
00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:14,120
suffering?
What's the intention of

897
00:50:14,120 --> 00:50:19,400
suffering to lead you to
repentance?

898
00:50:20,440 --> 00:50:22,040
God's kindness, forbearance and
patience.

899
00:50:22,080 --> 00:50:25,440
The suffering has a purpose to
lead us to repentance.

900
00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:28,200
Amen.
These are hard truths, but

901
00:50:28,200 --> 00:50:28,960
they're real.
Amen.

902
00:50:29,720 --> 00:50:31,880
So one final word about the
elephant in the room, because we

903
00:50:31,880 --> 00:50:33,480
there's a lot of different
truths on this, right?

904
00:50:33,960 --> 00:50:35,840
This isn't like a touchy feely
certainly at the moment, right?

905
00:50:35,880 --> 00:50:38,400
But there's a lot of different
things you can talk about.

906
00:50:38,400 --> 00:50:40,080
I would just encourage you to do
this.

907
00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:43,360
Don't waste your pain.
Don't waste your pain.

908
00:50:44,520 --> 00:50:46,800
Don't waste it.
I think it's Charles Spurgeon.

909
00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:49,400
He said something like this.
He talked about the soul.

910
00:50:49,720 --> 00:50:54,760
He said how precious must the
soul be that both God and the

911
00:50:54,760 --> 00:51:00,680
devil are after it.
How precious must a soul be that

912
00:51:00,680 --> 00:51:05,880
wars are fought in heaven and
hell for a soul like how

913
00:51:05,880 --> 00:51:09,280
precious must it be and you're
going to war and sometimes at

914
00:51:09,280 --> 00:51:13,280
war you get you get hurt and you
suffer and Satan has a season

915
00:51:13,280 --> 00:51:16,480
and uses people they do evil
things that they hurt you like

916
00:51:16,480 --> 00:51:18,840
Joseph and his brothers and they
throw them in a pit to die and

917
00:51:18,840 --> 00:51:22,280
it's all I have some compassion
some the slavery and when all

918
00:51:22,280 --> 00:51:24,280
these things happen, but God
redeems Amen.

919
00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:29,320
And if you write this story
where Satan gets the glory of

920
00:51:29,320 --> 00:51:31,360
your story, you miss the point
of the story.

921
00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:34,680
Like if you don't purpose your
pain for God, your pain is

922
00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:37,280
wasted.
If your story doesn't end with

923
00:51:37,280 --> 00:51:40,400
but Jesus changed my life, I'm
here to share my story with

924
00:51:40,400 --> 00:51:43,400
somebody else.
Then we're missing the point of

925
00:51:43,400 --> 00:51:47,120
what God is asking us to do 7
Corinthians 214 says this.

926
00:51:47,960 --> 00:51:52,240
But thanks be to God, who always
leads us in triumphal procession

927
00:51:52,280 --> 00:51:55,560
in Christ.
It always leads us in this

928
00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:59,440
procession, this parade for
Christ, and who makes known.

929
00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:03,880
Listen to this through us the
fragrance that consists of the

930
00:52:03,880 --> 00:52:09,760
knowledge of him in every place
that God has lead us this pray

931
00:52:09,760 --> 00:52:14,760
to victory so that through us
the fragrance of God's victory

932
00:52:14,760 --> 00:52:18,120
goes out to every place.
Now think about this.

933
00:52:18,120 --> 00:52:20,720
In Jesus's time, there's
something very famous.

934
00:52:20,720 --> 00:52:23,440
It was actually called the
triumph, which is why this is

935
00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:25,840
written this way.
Paul knew this.

936
00:52:26,200 --> 00:52:29,080
The triumph is where a Roman
general will go to war, and

937
00:52:29,080 --> 00:52:31,280
they're pretty good at that.
And they come back after a

938
00:52:31,280 --> 00:52:33,440
victory and the whole city of
Rome will come out of the

939
00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:38,040
streets and they cheer maximus
maximus maximus.

940
00:52:38,320 --> 00:52:41,880
They would just go on in a
triumph of victory.

941
00:52:42,240 --> 00:52:44,960
There's a victory prey that was
well known in the Roman culture.

942
00:52:45,280 --> 00:52:49,200
And So what Paul is saying here
is that we are in the triumph of

943
00:52:49,320 --> 00:52:51,000
Christ.
Amen.

944
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:54,480
Amen.
The victory parade of Christ.

945
00:52:54,640 --> 00:52:57,640
We're not on the sidelines.
We're not the ones cheering.

946
00:52:58,200 --> 00:53:02,480
We're the ones in the parade.
We're the victors in Christ.

947
00:53:02,480 --> 00:53:05,640
Amen, That He's given us the
victory to defeat sin.

948
00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:07,840
He's given the heart and the
mindset of the Holy Spirit of

949
00:53:07,840 --> 00:53:11,160
God inside of us to reconcile
and put those things in our

950
00:53:11,160 --> 00:53:13,840
lives that were broken on
suffering and bring it back to

951
00:53:13,840 --> 00:53:16,240
God.
And we can be in that parade and

952
00:53:16,240 --> 00:53:22,240
we can shout and share the
fragrance and the aroma of God's

953
00:53:22,240 --> 00:53:24,840
victory to all people
everywhere.

954
00:53:25,280 --> 00:53:27,040
It's not an accident what you've
been through.

955
00:53:28,200 --> 00:53:29,840
God could have.
He could have, in His

956
00:53:29,840 --> 00:53:33,040
sovereignty, stopped it.
But he wants to redeem it.

957
00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:37,000
Amen.
He wants to redeem your pain and

958
00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:39,960
now you get the opportunity and
it's a blessing that when you

959
00:53:39,960 --> 00:53:43,760
serve Jesus, God will bring you
into relationships with people

960
00:53:43,880 --> 00:53:47,680
where you can share your
brokenness and God's goodness

961
00:53:47,680 --> 00:53:52,040
together and be an aroma to
people who need saving knowledge

962
00:53:52,040 --> 00:53:54,280
of God.
There are so many people I get

963
00:53:54,280 --> 00:53:58,160
to talk to and share about the
hardships and the pain or this

964
00:53:58,160 --> 00:54:01,120
alcoholism or a loss in the
family or there's been sexual

965
00:54:01,120 --> 00:54:04,400
abuse in somebody's life.
And I get to share, like through

966
00:54:04,400 --> 00:54:07,600
my personal journey or through
experiences I see, I get to

967
00:54:07,600 --> 00:54:09,520
point people back to the
goodness of God, Amen.

968
00:54:09,520 --> 00:54:13,480
And if you take your story and
you're willing and you say, God,

969
00:54:13,480 --> 00:54:17,000
I want to purpose my pain.
I don't want to waste one tear

970
00:54:17,200 --> 00:54:20,280
or one moment of shame.
I want to use it for your glory.

971
00:54:20,480 --> 00:54:21,880
God will allow you to do that,
Amen.

972
00:54:22,560 --> 00:54:24,880
He will bring stories and
relationships and people into

973
00:54:24,880 --> 00:54:26,840
your life.
I can tell you this, you cannot

974
00:54:26,840 --> 00:54:29,520
change your past, but you can
change where you place the

975
00:54:29,520 --> 00:54:32,400
blame.
You can change what you learn

976
00:54:32,400 --> 00:54:36,040
from it, and you can change who
gets the glory.

977
00:54:37,120 --> 00:54:41,240
Who is getting the glory for the
story that God has put in your

978
00:54:41,240 --> 00:54:42,360
life.
Who?

979
00:54:42,360 --> 00:54:45,680
Who's the one, the only one?
And we look down and we're full

980
00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:49,000
of shame and pain and regret and
anger.

981
00:54:49,120 --> 00:54:50,560
There's only two people going to
glory.

982
00:54:50,880 --> 00:54:55,600
That's you and the devil.
Satan wants to rob you from

983
00:54:55,600 --> 00:54:58,960
God's goodness and his power.
If you can look at your pain and

984
00:54:58,960 --> 00:55:02,200
say God, I don't understand why,
but I trust you because you

985
00:55:02,200 --> 00:55:04,360
could do anything you want.
There is somebody in this world

986
00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:06,720
that needs your story.
You don't have to go very far to

987
00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:08,600
tell it.
I've had so many conversations

988
00:55:08,600 --> 00:55:11,000
with people, encourage them to
share their story.

989
00:55:11,120 --> 00:55:13,160
And I'm not saying go up here
and spill the beans about all

990
00:55:13,160 --> 00:55:15,360
this stuff.
Maybe that's what it is.

991
00:55:15,360 --> 00:55:18,000
As a preacher, I get to do some
of that and share some some

992
00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:19,360
wounds.
Sometimes people are still

993
00:55:19,360 --> 00:55:22,720
alive.
You can't share stories, Amen?

994
00:55:23,480 --> 00:55:25,000
But sometimes you can.
And there's sometimes there's

995
00:55:25,000 --> 00:55:27,560
people that you get in a
relationship with your life grip

996
00:55:27,560 --> 00:55:31,080
with, you're sitting next to or
you see somebody's upset, you

997
00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:32,840
see somebody hurting.
I was on the phone yesterday for

998
00:55:32,840 --> 00:55:34,520
an hour with a man.
He kept apologizing for taking

999
00:55:34,520 --> 00:55:35,880
my time up and he's really
struggling.

1000
00:55:36,000 --> 00:55:37,880
I said, stop apologizing.
I don't hear about that.

1001
00:55:38,440 --> 00:55:39,960
God put me here to talk to you,
Amen.

1002
00:55:40,840 --> 00:55:42,360
Like there's a reason on the
phone today.

1003
00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:44,280
I could be doing a lot of stuff,
but I'm here because God, I

1004
00:55:44,280 --> 00:55:47,280
picked the phone up.
You called like use that story,

1005
00:55:47,280 --> 00:55:49,040
weaponize it for the things of
Christ.

1006
00:55:49,200 --> 00:55:53,120
Let Christ purpose your pain.
Don't mistake God's patience for

1007
00:55:53,120 --> 00:55:55,600
his absence.
Don't confuse his silence for

1008
00:55:55,600 --> 00:55:58,080
apathy.
God wants to use your pain.

1009
00:55:58,640 --> 00:56:01,560
God wants to weaponize your pain
for his Kingdom.

1010
00:56:01,880 --> 00:56:03,880
We'll have scars, We'll have
skeletons.

1011
00:56:04,160 --> 00:56:05,960
We've all shed blood.
Amen.

1012
00:56:06,840 --> 00:56:11,240
And what if we said, Lord, I can
use this like you give me a

1013
00:56:11,240 --> 00:56:14,360
gift, like I can connect with
these people I can never connect

1014
00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:17,400
with before God, you didn't
write the story, but God in your

1015
00:56:17,400 --> 00:56:20,480
sovereignty and with this
brokenness we live in, I expect

1016
00:56:20,480 --> 00:56:22,800
to take some shots.
I expect people to come after

1017
00:56:22,800 --> 00:56:25,040
me.
I expect Satan to come after the

1018
00:56:25,040 --> 00:56:28,640
all the force of hell to stop me
from speaking up and sharing and

1019
00:56:28,640 --> 00:56:31,480
living out the love of God and
to keep my head down and step my

1020
00:56:31,480 --> 00:56:34,680
head up like I'm not a victim,
I'm a victor.

1021
00:56:35,080 --> 00:56:37,760
This isn't the victim parade,
it's the victory parade, Amen?

1022
00:56:37,760 --> 00:56:41,080
And I can just point to Jesus.
I like if he can help me, he can

1023
00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:43,240
help you, Amen.
This is the kind of people we

1024
00:56:43,240 --> 00:56:46,960
got to become and we got to stop
holding on to the past and

1025
00:56:46,960 --> 00:56:50,880
letting it dictate our life.
Like the past is over, like it's

1026
00:56:50,880 --> 00:56:53,160
gone.
You don't get it back, Amen.

1027
00:56:53,920 --> 00:56:55,600
But what does God wants to do?
Stand up.

1028
00:56:55,600 --> 00:56:58,280
Like be bold, be courageous.
He, he knows exactly what he's

1029
00:56:58,280 --> 00:57:01,280
doing and his perfect timing.
I trust when he comes back,

1030
00:57:01,520 --> 00:57:04,200
revenge is the Lords.
Like I'll have to get even,

1031
00:57:04,200 --> 00:57:06,720
Amen.
I don't, I don't have to like do

1032
00:57:06,720 --> 00:57:09,800
all this stuff and be angry.
Like do that, change it, dude.

1033
00:57:09,800 --> 00:57:10,960
That's not changing anybody
else.

1034
00:57:11,680 --> 00:57:14,600
Like let God work through your
life and be a be a picture of

1035
00:57:14,600 --> 00:57:16,960
God's grace and God's mercy and
God's love.

1036
00:57:17,240 --> 00:57:20,160
Speak up when you have the
opportunity and weaponize that

1037
00:57:20,160 --> 00:57:22,520
story.
Don't let Satan take it.

1038
00:57:23,240 --> 00:57:24,640
Use it.
Amen.

1039
00:57:25,520 --> 00:57:28,960
So Father, come before you.
I pray God, as we search out

1040
00:57:28,960 --> 00:57:31,720
where are you and we're hurting,
God, we have the aha moment

1041
00:57:31,720 --> 00:57:34,080
today, like some of us have
maybe seen through Scripture and

1042
00:57:34,080 --> 00:57:37,080
just reminded that man that
brokenness is used for God as we

1043
00:57:37,080 --> 00:57:38,320
struggle and walk through the
season.

1044
00:57:38,320 --> 00:57:40,400
God, I pray for somebody there
that say, no, I'm not wasting

1045
00:57:40,400 --> 00:57:43,200
one ounce of my pain.
Like Lord, I'm using it for your

1046
00:57:43,200 --> 00:57:45,080
Kingdom.
God, it's going to drive my

1047
00:57:45,080 --> 00:57:47,080
purpose.
It's going to drive my calling.

1048
00:57:47,440 --> 00:57:48,760
I'm not going to keep my head
down.

1049
00:57:48,760 --> 00:57:50,880
I'm going to put the head up
exactly where God wants it.

1050
00:57:51,200 --> 00:57:54,080
I trust you, Lord, with my pain.
I'm in your procession of

1051
00:57:54,080 --> 00:57:56,360
victory.
It's not my story that I'm

1052
00:57:56,360 --> 00:57:58,880
writing God, it's your story.
And so God, I trust you even

1053
00:57:58,880 --> 00:58:01,720
though I have all the answers,
God, I know right now I'm

1054
00:58:01,720 --> 00:58:03,520
waiting patiently for you
because you're being patient

1055
00:58:03,520 --> 00:58:05,320
with me.
So you got to trust you in this

1056
00:58:05,320 --> 00:58:06,880
season.
I'm going to say the day that

1057
00:58:06,880 --> 00:58:08,400
today you're not going to waste
your pain.

1058
00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:09,560
We just put your hand there
today.

1059
00:58:09,840 --> 00:58:11,720
Let the Lord see it.
Not going to waste your pain

1060
00:58:11,720 --> 00:58:13,640
today.
Are you going to use it?

1061
00:58:14,240 --> 00:58:16,600
That pain will drive our
purpose, will drive our

1062
00:58:16,600 --> 00:58:19,480
direction, will show us the
things of God.

1063
00:58:19,880 --> 00:58:22,360
So Lord, teach us through our
pain, teach us through our

1064
00:58:22,360 --> 00:58:23,600
suffering.
God, thank you.

1065
00:58:24,320 --> 00:58:28,920
Thank you, Lord, for the
opportunity to grow in patience

1066
00:58:29,160 --> 00:58:33,360
and grace and forgiveness and
love to be more like Jesus.

1067
00:58:33,880 --> 00:58:37,720
Thank you the opportunity to do
the hard things, not the easy

1068
00:58:37,720 --> 00:58:39,680
things.
Thank you God, that I can live

1069
00:58:39,680 --> 00:58:42,880
out a path that is maybe wronged
or maybe I'm persecuted or hurt

1070
00:58:42,880 --> 00:58:45,120
or offended.
But God, I still trust you.

1071
00:58:45,120 --> 00:58:47,680
And while other people would
have been angry and upset and

1072
00:58:47,680 --> 00:58:50,880
small, I don't have to do all
these things because of you.

1073
00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:52,840
And so God teach me to walk like
you.

1074
00:58:53,080 --> 00:58:54,560
God, forgive me when I've fallen
short.

1075
00:58:54,800 --> 00:58:57,400
Forgive me for being upset.
Forgive me for holding on to my

1076
00:58:57,400 --> 00:58:59,520
past so much.
And God free me today.

1077
00:58:59,520 --> 00:59:02,760
God set me free in your name
through your spirit.

1078
00:59:02,760 --> 00:59:04,480
God, you're groaning.
You've been praying for this

1079
00:59:04,480 --> 00:59:06,960
moment.
So God, we trust you.

1080
00:59:07,520 --> 00:59:08,880
I'll pray for a more group of
people in the room.

1081
00:59:08,880 --> 00:59:10,840
That's those you say, you know
what, I need to join the

1082
00:59:10,840 --> 00:59:14,120
procession of victory.
I need to be in the triumph of

1083
00:59:14,120 --> 00:59:17,040
Christ.
I have maybe been upset with God

1084
00:59:17,040 --> 00:59:20,040
because my past that you walked
in today and you have all these

1085
00:59:20,040 --> 00:59:22,800
wounds and these things have
happened and not recognizing

1086
00:59:22,800 --> 00:59:26,680
until today that's actually
God's grace that the kindness

1087
00:59:26,680 --> 00:59:28,400
and the goodness and the
forbearance and the patience of

1088
00:59:28,400 --> 00:59:31,880
the Lord is intended to lead you
to repentance today.

1089
00:59:32,200 --> 00:59:35,000
The greatest thing you could do
today is turn the Lord Jesus and

1090
00:59:35,000 --> 00:59:37,440
turn from your sin and say
Jesus, thank you for down a

1091
00:59:37,440 --> 00:59:40,360
cross for me.
Thank you for loving me, even

1092
00:59:40,360 --> 00:59:42,320
those unlovable God.
Thank you for loving me and

1093
00:59:42,320 --> 00:59:45,040
those around me.
God, in this season, I know I

1094
00:59:45,040 --> 00:59:48,080
was wronged and it wasn't from
you, but you will use it.

1095
00:59:48,720 --> 00:59:50,720
You'll turn to Jesus.
The Bible says that Jesus came

1096
00:59:50,720 --> 00:59:52,480
2000 years ago down a cross for
us.

1097
00:59:53,000 --> 00:59:55,880
He was on that cross while the
world was at its worst.

1098
00:59:55,880 --> 00:59:58,960
God was at his best, He was
allowing sinful humanity to

1099
00:59:58,960 --> 01:00:02,280
crucify himself so he could
become a substitute as a

1100
01:00:02,480 --> 01:00:07,080
sacrifice for our sin and make
the full payment, the permanent

1101
01:00:07,080 --> 01:00:10,840
perfect sacrifice for our sin.
The Bible says we call name of

1102
01:00:10,840 --> 01:00:13,400
Jesus to be saved, forgiven and
made new today for you Jesus.

1103
01:00:13,400 --> 01:00:15,720
That's a promise of God.
It will come true in this very

1104
01:00:15,720 --> 01:00:16,800
instant.
The Holy Spirit come in your

1105
01:00:16,800 --> 01:00:20,320
life and give you a name, a new
purpose, the purpose, your pain.

1106
01:00:20,480 --> 01:00:23,040
He'll be with you, His presence
be inside of you.

1107
01:00:23,720 --> 01:00:25,600
He made new from Christ to be
forgiven.

1108
01:00:26,200 --> 01:00:28,520
So if you need Jesus, I'm
looking around, you'll call on

1109
01:00:28,520 --> 01:00:30,760
Jesus.
You recognize who he is today.

1110
01:00:30,760 --> 01:00:31,840
Will you put your hand high in
this place?

1111
01:00:31,840 --> 01:00:34,000
I need Jesus all across this
room.

1112
01:00:34,480 --> 01:00:36,800
That's you Holy Spirit, just
pull my heart.

1113
01:00:37,600 --> 01:00:39,080
It's the Holy Spirit calling you
to himself.

1114
01:00:40,480 --> 01:00:42,040
Just pray this prayer.
The prayers not save you.

1115
01:00:42,520 --> 01:00:46,280
Is your heart towards Christ.
It's hard to believe to say,

1116
01:00:46,280 --> 01:00:47,520
Lord, thank you so much for
loving me.

1117
01:00:47,520 --> 01:00:50,520
Thanks for down the cross.
Thank you for doing what I could

1118
01:00:50,520 --> 01:00:53,200
ever do in a million lifetimes.
God, it's beginning to make

1119
01:00:53,200 --> 01:00:55,040
sense the story been writing
God.

1120
01:00:55,040 --> 01:00:57,560
I can't change my past God, but
I can change my future God, I

1121
01:00:57,560 --> 01:01:00,120
trust you.
I see the day God from your word

1122
01:01:00,360 --> 01:01:02,800
who you are is true that you
love me.

1123
01:01:03,120 --> 01:01:06,720
I'm being a procession of
victory, no longer a victim of

1124
01:01:06,720 --> 01:01:10,040
sin, a victim of humanity, a
victim of Satan, no longer in

1125
01:01:10,040 --> 01:01:12,280
that Kingdom God, I'm a Kingdom,
I'm your son, I'm your daughter

1126
01:01:12,280 --> 01:01:16,200
today and I pray that in Jesus
name and the church said Amen.

1127
01:01:16,200 --> 01:01:17,520
Come on, give it for Jesus.
Amen.

1128
01:01:21,040 --> 01:01:24,920
And such a word today, just a
reminder that God doesn't waste

1129
01:01:24,920 --> 01:01:27,080
our pain, but that he redeems
it.

1130
01:01:27,080 --> 01:01:30,520
That even the hard stuff, even
the, the shame and the sorrow

1131
01:01:30,520 --> 01:01:32,800
and all the things that we walk
through in our life, even that

1132
01:01:33,200 --> 01:01:35,560
can be used to point people to
the gospel.

1133
01:01:36,000 --> 01:01:38,560
And that we don't have to walk
in that, but that we can walk in

1134
01:01:38,560 --> 01:01:40,760
the parade of victory.
So what a word today and

1135
01:01:40,760 --> 01:01:43,360
encouragement today.
Some of you are walking in that

1136
01:01:43,360 --> 01:01:46,200
parade of victory today.
For the very first time you

1137
01:01:46,200 --> 01:01:48,480
accepted Jesus as your Lord and
Savior today.

1138
01:01:48,640 --> 01:01:51,440
Congratulations, we are so
excited for you.

1139
01:01:51,440 --> 01:01:53,920
We have a couple things for you.
If you would grab that

1140
01:01:53,920 --> 01:01:56,480
connection card, fill out your
information and just check that

1141
01:01:56,480 --> 01:01:59,360
box that says I committed my
life to Jesus.

1142
01:01:59,360 --> 01:02:01,320
You can drop it in the giving
buckets here in just a few

1143
01:02:01,320 --> 01:02:03,280
minutes.
But by doing that allows us to

1144
01:02:03,280 --> 01:02:05,760
get you a few things.
The first one is a free resource

1145
01:02:05,760 --> 01:02:06,600
for you.
It's a book.

1146
01:02:06,920 --> 01:02:08,680
It's called begin.
We'll drop it in the mail

1147
01:02:08,680 --> 01:02:10,520
tomorrow.
We would love to get that to

1148
01:02:10,520 --> 01:02:11,880
you.
Really will be a blessing to you

1149
01:02:11,880 --> 01:02:13,680
as you take these next steps
with Jesus.

1150
01:02:13,960 --> 01:02:15,920
And if you pray that prayer,
you're right here in the house

1151
01:02:15,920 --> 01:02:18,840
today as you exit the worship
center, there is a table with

1152
01:02:18,840 --> 01:02:21,520
some red bags as you leave.
Please grab one of those as

1153
01:02:21,520 --> 01:02:23,000
well.
There's a free Bible for you in

1154
01:02:23,000 --> 01:02:25,120
there and a list with some other
resources.

1155
01:02:25,120 --> 01:02:26,960
But we would love to get that to
you today.

1156
01:02:26,960 --> 01:02:30,360
And once again, congratulations
if that's you for accepting

1157
01:02:30,440 --> 01:02:33,800
Jesus at today.
Hey, I've got something exciting

1158
01:02:33,800 --> 01:02:36,640
today as well that's happening.
That's fall life groups.

1159
01:02:36,840 --> 01:02:39,360
They are live online today for
signups.

1160
01:02:39,600 --> 01:02:41,640
You can check them online.
You can check them out in the

1161
01:02:41,640 --> 01:02:43,440
hub.
We have groups meeting almost

1162
01:02:43,440 --> 01:02:46,120
every night of the week in both
Raymour and Belton.

1163
01:02:46,560 --> 01:02:48,920
They actually don't start
meeting until September 7th.

1164
01:02:49,240 --> 01:02:51,040
They're Live Today for you to
sign up.

1165
01:02:51,480 --> 01:02:54,920
And I could tell you story after
story of a life change that's

1166
01:02:54,920 --> 01:02:56,680
happened throughout these
semesters.

1167
01:02:56,680 --> 01:02:59,200
But what's better than me
telling you is for you to hear

1168
01:02:59,200 --> 01:03:01,120
it first hand from somebody
who's experienced that

1169
01:03:01,120 --> 01:03:02,720
themselves.
So I'm going to invite right

1170
01:03:02,720 --> 01:03:05,000
Megan Duvall to the stage, give
her some encouragement.

1171
01:03:05,280 --> 01:03:09,240
There we go.
But I've had the joy of

1172
01:03:09,440 --> 01:03:13,120
attending Life Group with Megan
this last semester and I just

1173
01:03:13,120 --> 01:03:16,160
wanted her to share with you
guys the impact that Life Groups

1174
01:03:16,160 --> 01:03:18,480
has made in her life.
So here's Megan.

1175
01:03:21,360 --> 01:03:25,400
So I've actually done 2 life
groups and I started right after

1176
01:03:25,400 --> 01:03:30,600
I started church here And I will
say that doing that, I have

1177
01:03:30,600 --> 01:03:33,720
found a community of multiple
different people that have made

1178
01:03:33,720 --> 01:03:37,920
me feel completely welcome along
with myself and my daughter.

1179
01:03:37,920 --> 01:03:40,680
And it has been an amazing
experience and I recommend it

1180
01:03:40,680 --> 01:03:44,440
for anybody that is looking for
people to make them feel welcome

1181
01:03:44,440 --> 01:03:46,120
in the church and in the
community.

1182
01:03:47,400 --> 01:03:49,120
I love that.
Okay, that's right, give it up

1183
01:03:49,120 --> 01:03:50,880
for her.
And that's what it's all about.

1184
01:03:50,880 --> 01:03:55,720
It's it's real people, it's real
growth, it's real community and

1185
01:03:55,720 --> 01:03:57,520
real relationships.
That's what you're signing up

1186
01:03:57,520 --> 01:03:59,320
for when you sign up for a life
group.

1187
01:03:59,320 --> 01:04:00,440
So we'd love for you guys to
sign up.

1188
01:04:00,440 --> 01:04:02,120
You can check them out on the
hub or online.

1189
01:04:02,120 --> 01:04:03,840
Give it up for Megan one more
time.

1190
01:04:04,560 --> 01:04:07,000
Thank you.
Well, if you're newer in the

1191
01:04:07,000 --> 01:04:09,400
house with us today, thank you
so much for being here.

1192
01:04:09,400 --> 01:04:11,880
You really are honored guests.
We have thought about you this

1193
01:04:11,880 --> 01:04:13,200
week.
We have prayed for you this

1194
01:04:13,200 --> 01:04:15,680
week, and we're just so glad
that you're here with us this

1195
01:04:15,680 --> 01:04:17,440
morning.
We really don't want anything

1196
01:04:17,440 --> 01:04:20,240
from you except for this.
And that's just to introduce

1197
01:04:20,240 --> 01:04:22,720
yourself to us.
If you can do that by grabbing

1198
01:04:22,720 --> 01:04:25,200
that same connection card, fill
out your information on the top

1199
01:04:25,200 --> 01:04:28,440
there and just check that box
that says it's your first time

1200
01:04:28,440 --> 01:04:30,320
here.
You can take that to the new

1201
01:04:30,320 --> 01:04:32,760
here booth as you exit.
We have a free gift for you.

1202
01:04:33,000 --> 01:04:35,320
Just our way of saying thank you
so much much for spending your

1203
01:04:35,320 --> 01:04:38,720
day here with us and we would
love to see you back next Sunday

1204
01:04:38,960 --> 01:04:43,120
right here at Kentucky Trail.
And hey, I get to share a really

1205
01:04:43,280 --> 01:04:45,960
super cool story with you guys
about generosity.

1206
01:04:46,440 --> 01:04:49,400
We have a lady in our church
who's really walking through

1207
01:04:49,560 --> 01:04:52,720
just a hard season.
She's had to move and relocate,

1208
01:04:52,720 --> 01:04:54,200
make some adjustments in her
life.

1209
01:04:54,480 --> 01:04:57,640
She actually was renting a car
to make it to to church on

1210
01:04:57,640 --> 01:04:59,240
Sundays and to run all of her
errands.

1211
01:04:59,520 --> 01:05:01,640
And she just found herself in a
difficult season.

1212
01:05:02,000 --> 01:05:04,920
And we had the opportunity this
week because of somebody's

1213
01:05:05,000 --> 01:05:08,640
generosity in our Church of
donating car, we had the

1214
01:05:08,640 --> 01:05:10,760
opportunity to gift this car
back to her.

1215
01:05:10,760 --> 01:05:13,520
So check out this picture.
Go God.

1216
01:05:14,400 --> 01:05:18,680
That's right.
So cool and the Bible calls us

1217
01:05:18,680 --> 01:05:21,440
to take care of the widows and
the orphans and those who are in

1218
01:05:21,720 --> 01:05:23,840
a tough season.
We had the opportunity to do

1219
01:05:23,840 --> 01:05:25,600
that.
And as somebody who was there

1220
01:05:25,600 --> 01:05:29,440
first hand to watch her get
those keys, I can tell you that

1221
01:05:29,440 --> 01:05:32,320
it is more blessed to give than
to receive.

1222
01:05:32,760 --> 01:05:35,520
To see the tears in her eyes and
her heartfelt gratitude.

1223
01:05:36,040 --> 01:05:39,440
It really is a blessing to be a
blessing.

1224
01:05:39,680 --> 01:05:42,760
And so we really did just get to
be conduits of that wasn't

1225
01:05:42,760 --> 01:05:44,560
anything we did.
We just got to be a conduit of

1226
01:05:44,560 --> 01:05:47,000
God's blessing through our
church and to her.

1227
01:05:47,000 --> 01:05:50,000
And so I you to be a blessing to
others as well.

1228
01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:53,040
And so if you call real life
church home, you can do that

1229
01:05:53,040 --> 01:05:54,400
too.
You can head on over to our

1230
01:05:54,400 --> 01:05:59,240
website reallifechurchkc.com.
You can click give on the

1231
01:05:59,240 --> 01:06:02,120
website there, you can scan the
QR, you can text, you can drop

1232
01:06:02,120 --> 01:06:04,360
it in the giving buckets in the
box in the back.

1233
01:06:04,360 --> 01:06:07,480
So many ways that you can take
part in that at today.

1234
01:06:07,760 --> 01:06:10,560
And hey, if you find yourself in
immediate need of food, of

1235
01:06:10,560 --> 01:06:13,080
clothing, of shelter this week,
whatever that looks like that

1236
01:06:13,080 --> 01:06:16,120
you need, please reach into the
giving buckets as they pass here

1237
01:06:16,120 --> 01:06:18,720
in just a few minutes.
Grab any loose cash in there.

1238
01:06:18,720 --> 01:06:20,520
We really do want to be a
blessing.

1239
01:06:20,520 --> 01:06:22,520
We want to help you in your time
of need.

1240
01:06:25,200 --> 01:06:27,360
Man, what an awesome day man, if
you guys were blessed by God

1241
01:06:27,360 --> 01:06:31,400
today, can you give it up for
God man those elephants in the

1242
01:06:31,400 --> 01:06:34,160
room, they're the questions we
all ask but I guarantee you guys

1243
01:06:34,160 --> 01:06:37,320
got an answer for you.
Hey so before we get out of here

1244
01:06:37,320 --> 01:06:41,160
one last awesome thing.
So we are getting ready to throw

1245
01:06:41,160 --> 01:06:43,760
a party here real life.
You guys ready party people

1246
01:06:44,040 --> 01:06:48,080
there we go Hey our 8th birthday
party September 21st be looking

1247
01:06:48,080 --> 01:06:50,400
for information on it.
We're going to do baptism we're

1248
01:06:50,400 --> 01:06:53,000
going to pull out all the steps.
One of the other awesome things,

1249
01:06:53,000 --> 01:06:55,120
once you guys mark your
calendars for anybody on the

1250
01:06:55,200 --> 01:06:57,720
Dream team or interested in the
dream team, on September the

1251
01:06:57,720 --> 01:06:59,760
16th, we are going to do a pig
roast.

1252
01:06:59,760 --> 01:07:02,000
I've never been a part of one.
I've heard they're awesome.

1253
01:07:02,000 --> 01:07:05,000
But we're going to do, we're
going to do a pig roast.

1254
01:07:05,000 --> 01:07:07,320
S'mores yard games, man.
You guys are invited to mark

1255
01:07:07,320 --> 01:07:09,280
your calendars and get ready for
that.

1256
01:07:09,600 --> 01:07:12,360
So hey, if you guys need prayer
for any reason, somebody will be

1257
01:07:12,360 --> 01:07:14,480
up here to pray with you,
whether it's individuals or as

1258
01:07:14,480 --> 01:07:16,400
families.
And we would love to pray with

1259
01:07:16,400 --> 01:07:17,680
you.
I can't wait to see you guys

1260
01:07:17,680 --> 01:07:19,920
again next week at 9:15 or
10:45.

1261
01:07:19,920 --> 01:07:22,840
And as always, remember, whoever
finds Jesus discovers real life

1262
01:07:23,080 --> 01:07:29,720
and purpose.
This is the end of this podcast.

1263
01:07:29,720 --> 01:07:32,400
We hope you've enjoyed it.
If you have, be sure to hit the

1264
01:07:32,400 --> 01:07:34,800
subscribe button so you don't
miss another inspirational

1265
01:07:34,800 --> 01:07:36,800
podcast.
For more great content and

1266
01:07:36,800 --> 01:07:39,680
updates, visit
reallifechurchkc.com.