WEBVTT

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 I recently saw a video of two boats on the water.

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 They were in the ocean, right next to each other.

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 Same make, same model, exactly the same design.

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 And it was choppy.

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 The water was choppy, and so waves were sort of coming in regular intervals

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 and smacking against these boats.

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 And the video was amazing because of the difference between these two boats.

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 They looked exactly the same.

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 And the boat on the right was rocking sort of violently,

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 I mean, to the point that it would be difficult to stand on the deck

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 without holding on to something, lest you lose your balance.

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 The boat on the left was remaining perfectly calm, perfectly even keeled.

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 The waves were hitting it, but the boat remained unmoved,

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 and the waves passed by.

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 And the reason is because the boat on the left had an internal stabilizer.

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 It's this technology used for mid-sized boats.

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 It's based on the movement of a gyroscope.

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 You may be familiar with this in segways.

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 It's the thing that keeps them upright.

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 And so this has been developed for boats as a way to keep them steady in the water.

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 But it was fascinating to see the difference between two boats that on the outside look exactly the same,

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 and yet one is being rocked by the waves, and the other is remaining perfectly even keeled.

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 And the reason I bring that up here is because in our study of Philippians,

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 which has been going on for a couple of months, we've come to chapter 4,

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 and we've come to this interesting kind of series of exhortations that Paul gives.

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 Philippians chapter 4, verses 2 through 9.

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 And this is a place where Paul actually shows us that the same kind of thing is possible for human beings,

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 that it's possible for a person to develop internal stabilization

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 that keeps us steady, keeps us even keel,

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 regardless of what is happening in our outer world.

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 And as we planned this series months ago,

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 we could have had, you know, no knowledge that anything like the past week would have happened.

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 And as I was praying about this Sunday, I was wondering what we should do,

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 and I was looking again at these verses and thinking that, in fact,

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 this is a strangely appropriate topic for us to focus on.

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 And as we look at the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile,

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 as we look at the deaths of these five police officers in Dallas in retaliation,

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 these are just the most recent examples that highlight that our society feels as though it's being torn apart.

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 It feels as though the very fabric of our society is being ripped to shreds.

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 I mean, if you look at the news and you hear and you talk to people,

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 it almost feels as though we are at war within ourselves.

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 And I've heard that said more and more and more.

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 And interestingly, this passage, the context of these verses,

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 we don't often remember that the context of, you know,

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 for those of us who have been Christians, this is a very familiar passage,

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 and some of us have even memorized it over the years.

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 But we forget that the whole context of this is actually the context where reconciliation is needed.

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 Paul is speaking about this internal stability in the context of two women in the church in Philippi,

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 Euodia and Syneche.

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 And they are fighting.

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 They are at odds with one another.

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 And there's good reason to think that their conflict is actually tearing the church apart.

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 And so what Paul does in a very interesting way is to entreat them each to be of one mind in the Lord.

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 And then he turns his attention to the rest of the community.

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 And he essentially says, their conflict is actually your responsibility.

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 In other words, all of you, he actually uses the word fellow, my yoke fellow,

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 my true companion, my true yoke fellow.

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 And that's actually, I think, a reference to all of the Christians in the church,

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 because this letter would have been read aloud.

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 So Paul is addressing everyone, and he's saying,

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 they're fighting, and you have a role to play in their reconciliation.

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 Do all that you can.

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 But, what he next does is he doesn't get into the specifics of their disagreement,

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 but rather he focuses on the hearts and minds of the whole community.

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 And it's as though in this passage Paul is saying,

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 if you're going to be the kind of person who is able to contribute to peace and reconciliation,

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 before you're able to do that, you need something to be true within yourself.

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 So it's almost as though he's saying, and the principle really is this,

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 that we cannot hope to promote peace, to promote reconciliation,

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 to be a part of the solution,

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 until we have experienced peace within ourselves.

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 In other words, peace out here flows from peace in here.

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 To put a finer point on it, if you want to make peace in the world,

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 begin by finding peace with God,

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 because that's the only peace that will actually make a difference in the world.

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 And so the question tonight is, how do we get that peace?

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 And that's what Paul concerns himself with here.

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 How do we develop this kind of internal stabilization

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 that allows us to remain even-keeled,

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 to have the kind of perspective and compassion and self-awareness and empathy needed,

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 to actually bring about peace in the world?

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 And he calls us to three practices.

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 This is what we're going to look at tonight.

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 Three practices.

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 First, he calls us to practice the presence of God.

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 And if you're not familiar with what that means,

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 or if that's an odd phrase to you,

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 it is an odd phrase.

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 We'll talk a little more about it.

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 To practice the presence of God.

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 Then he calls us to practice grateful prayer.

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 Not just prayer, but prayer that is laced with gratitude.

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 And then thirdly, he calls us to practice another odd phrase,

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 good spiritual hygiene.

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 So these are the three things that we'll look at.

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 Let's pray for the Lord to lead us.

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 Heavenly Father, we have heard a lot of words this week,

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 a lot of wisdom offered.

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 But we know that ultimately our hope and the hope for this world

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 is not going to be found in human wisdom or in human power,

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 but in your wisdom, in your word, and in your power.

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 And we are here because we desperately need your word and your power.

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 And we believe that you are here and that you will speak to us.

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 And so it's your voice that we crave and need.

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 So please give it to us, Lord, and open our hearts to receive it.

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 In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, amen.

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 So the first thing that Paul calls us to is God's presence.

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 And by the way, if you're wondering why we know that these are practices

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 rather than simply kind of thoughts to bear in mind,

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 all of the verbs, and this gets a little geeky, so bear with me,

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 but all of the verbs here, all of the verbs that Paul calls us to,

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 they're all present imperatives.

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 And in the Greek, you translate a present imperative as an ongoing habit.

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 So these are really three lifestyle commitments that Paul calls us to,

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 calls all Christians to.

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 Practice God's presence.

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 In verse 4, he says this,

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 Rejoice in the Lord always.

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 Again, I will say rejoice.

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 Let your reasonableness, meaning let the fact that you are for people,

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 that you're on their side, that you want their well-being,

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 let that be known to everyone.

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 And then the kind of bomb, the Lord is at hand.

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 And I love this because he begins by reminding Christians,

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 reminding us of the great truth at the heart of the gospel.

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 You know, I think we can sometimes forget that the reason that Jesus came

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 was in part to fulfill a promise that God made.

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 He said, I will be the God who dwells with you.

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 I will be your God, you will be my people, and I will be with you.

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 And so Jesus comes and does everything necessary to fulfill that promise

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 so that God is actually with us here in this very moment.

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 For Christians who know God by faith through Jesus,

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 God is never out there, which is something that we forget.

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 Because often, and I say it, we all say it,

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 you know, we go through, if you've been a Christian for any length of time,

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 you can go through a phase of feeling like God is distant.

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 You know, I just feel like, and that's just a part of being a Christian,

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 but God is actually never distant.

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 God is always right here.

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 Here's the reason we're talking about this.

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 There are countless strategies, books, conferences

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 that promise contentment, how to deal with your stress,

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 how to deal with your anxiety.

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 But the problem with these things, and you know,

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 when you look at the practices as breathing techniques,

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 meditation, you know, mindfulness practices, yoga,

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 these are all helpful things.

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 They all help with stress and anxiety,

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 but they all share one limitation.

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 And that is that they only focus on technique.

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 And they don't ever start with the ultimate questions.

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 They don't ever begin with the existential source of anxiety.

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 So, I mean, if I'm stranded on the side of the road

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 in the middle of nowhere, in the pitch black dark,

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 in the middle of the night, and I'm waiting on a tow truck,

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 my car's dead, you know, I can do some deep breathing

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 to kind of get me through.

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 I can do some meditative practices, practice some mindfulness,

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 but what I really need is a tow truck, right?

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 I mean, if I'm sick and the ambulance is on its way

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 and I'm on the floor of my house and I can't move,

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 and I need, you know, I can do some deep breathing

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 and that maybe will bring my heart rate down

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 and that's good, but I really need a doctor, right?

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 In the same way, our anxiety is sourced

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 in this existential angst that we feel.

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 In other words, we know that we live in a world

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 that's bigger than we are.

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 And we know that we have very little control

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 over that world, over our own lives,

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 over our own bodies.

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 And we know that we can't even control

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 what's going to happen in the next moment.

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 And the source of most of our anxiety

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 is that lack of control.

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 It's trying to have control

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 over things that we can't ultimately control.

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 And so much of life feels like

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 we are stranded in the dark

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 or sick and lying on the floor

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 and we're sort of crying out,

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 wondering, is there someone out there?

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 You know, is there someone

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 who can make sense of all of this?

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 I mean, this past week,

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 when you look at these horrible, tragic deaths,

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 you're filled with anger and despair,

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 but under that, again, you wonder,

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 is there anyone out there watching this?

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 Is there anyone who is going to make it right?

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 In other words, is there anyone

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 who's going to come and save us from this?

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 Or are we doomed to see these things play out

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 again and again and again and again?

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 Is someone coming?

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 Paul says true peace begins

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 when we recognize that there is someone

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 and that he has come.

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 That he has come.

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 So the first thing we need to do

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 in order to develop this kind of internal stability

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 is to recognize this

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 and to practice the presence

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 of the one who has come.

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 Practice the presence of God

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 in our daily lives.

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 And I know that's an odd phrase.

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 You know, you say, well,

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 those of you who are Christians,

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 and some of you are and some of you aren't,

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 but those of us who are Christians,

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 typically being a Christian involves

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 at least assenting to the fact

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 that there is a God

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 and that he's present.

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 But I think functionally,

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 most of us don't actually live that way.

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 We live functionally as though

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 there is no one,

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 that no one came.

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 In other words,

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 we live with a kind of functional atheism.

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 So Paul's calling us to cultivate

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 an awareness of God's presence

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 in our daily lives.

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 And that's why he says in verse 4

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 that we should rejoice always.

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 You say, what do you mean always?

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 Like at the hospital,

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 at a funeral,

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 we should always rejoice?

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 And Paul says, yes,

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 you should rejoice always.

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 Why?

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 Because there's always a reason to rejoice.

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 Because no matter what,

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 no matter where you are,

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 no matter how hard it gets,

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 God is with you.

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 God is there in it.

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 You know, it's amazing

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 when the author of Hebrews says

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 that there's no human experience

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 of weakness or suffering

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 that God is unable to sympathize with

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 because he's been there.

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 He is there.

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 God grieves the loss

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 like the losses

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 that we experienced this past week.

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 He grieves those with us.

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 And so we need to cultivate

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 an awareness of his presence.

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 There was a young soldier

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 named Nicholas Herman.

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 You've probably not heard of him.

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 He fought in the 30 Years' War.

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 That was hundreds of years ago.

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 But Nicholas Herman

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 had a kind of a dramatic conversion

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 to Christianity

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 and later joined a monastery.

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 And he didn't have

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 the education needed

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 to become a legitimate cleric.

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 So he joined as a lay brother

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 and he took on a new name.

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 And the name that he took

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 was Brother Lawrence

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 of the Resurrection.

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 And over the decades,

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 because he wasn't an actual cleric,

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 they gave him a job

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 repairing sandals

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 and working in the kitchen.

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 And so he does this menial labor.

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 And yet over the decades

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 of doing this seemingly menial work,

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 he actually developed a reputation

00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:22.980
 far and wide

00:14:22.980 --> 00:14:24.580
 for being a man of great peace.

00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:26.779
 Have you ever known anybody like that?

00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:27.320
 The kind of person

00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:28.580
 that they just put you at ease?

00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:30.879
 You're around them

00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:31.759
 and there's just such a sense

00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:32.600
 of inner calm

00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:33.960
 that you feel at ease

00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:34.480
 in their presence?

00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:35.840
 Well, he was that kind of person.

00:14:35.940 --> 00:14:36.700
 And so people would come

00:14:36.700 --> 00:14:37.600
 and seek his wisdom

00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:39.080
 and his advice.

00:14:39.180 --> 00:14:40.519
 This guy who worked in the kitchen

00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:41.879
 pulling weeds in the garden.

00:14:43.540 --> 00:14:44.879
 And the reason that he was able

00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:46.580
 to develop this sense of peace

00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:48.040
 is because he devoted himself

00:14:48.040 --> 00:14:48.700
 to the practice

00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:50.420
 of the presence of God,

00:14:50.419 --> 00:14:52.139
 which essentially meant this for him.

00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:53.000
 Two things.

00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:54.179
 He committed himself

00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:55.019
 to doing everything

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:56.039
 for the love of God

00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:57.740
 rather than for the praise

00:14:57.740 --> 00:14:58.459
 of human beings.

00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:01.059
 And he committed himself

00:15:01.059 --> 00:15:01.599
 lifelong,

00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:03.959
 whether he was weeding the garden

00:15:03.959 --> 00:15:04.959
 or scrubbing pots

00:15:04.959 --> 00:15:05.979
 or sweeping the floor,

00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:08.379
 to regularly conversing with God.

00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:10.579
 Literally in the midst

00:15:10.579 --> 00:15:11.139
 of his chores

00:15:11.139 --> 00:15:12.279
 as he's scrubbing pots,

00:15:12.979 --> 00:15:13.939
 talking to God

00:15:13.939 --> 00:15:14.959
 about the work

00:15:14.959 --> 00:15:15.639
 that he was doing,

00:15:15.779 --> 00:15:16.659
 talking to God

00:15:16.659 --> 00:15:18.059
 about his experiences

00:15:18.059 --> 00:15:18.879
 in that moment.

00:15:19.879 --> 00:15:20.859
 And here's what he says

00:15:20.859 --> 00:15:21.439
 about this.

00:15:21.839 --> 00:15:22.199
 He says,

00:15:22.479 --> 00:15:23.539
 there is not in the world

00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:24.439
 a kind of life

00:15:24.439 --> 00:15:25.879
 more sweet and delightful

00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:27.799
 than that of a continual

00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:29.099
 conversation with God.

00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:31.799
 Those only can comprehend it

00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:32.419
 who practice

00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:34.559
 and experience it.

00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:37.159
 So this is a weighty call

00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:38.099
 because it's a call

00:15:38.099 --> 00:15:39.679
 to decompartmentalize

00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:40.879
 our lives,

00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:43.500
 to break down the barriers

00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:45.439
 so that we are cultivating

00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:47.060
 a sense of closeness

00:15:47.060 --> 00:15:47.660
 with God

00:15:47.660 --> 00:15:49.200
 at whether we're at work,

00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:51.920
 whether we're scrubbing pots

00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:52.420
 in the kitchen,

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:53.800
 whether we're in church.

00:15:55.820 --> 00:15:56.820
 There's a compilation

00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:57.940
 of his letters

00:15:57.940 --> 00:15:59.820
 and correspondence

00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:00.320
 called

00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:01.420
 The Practice of the Presence

00:16:01.420 --> 00:16:01.760
 of God.

00:16:02.040 --> 00:16:02.820
 Someone randomly

00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:03.700
 put it into my hands

00:16:03.700 --> 00:16:04.180
 years ago,

00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:04.760
 not long after

00:16:04.760 --> 00:16:05.520
 I became a Christian.

00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:07.320
 And a guy just kind of

00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:07.920
 busted in.

00:16:08.180 --> 00:16:09.060
 I barely knew him.

00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:09.840
 We had met once.

00:16:10.280 --> 00:16:11.180
 He looked at me.

00:16:11.260 --> 00:16:11.560
 He said,

00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:11.880
 you know,

00:16:12.160 --> 00:16:13.220
 I have this book.

00:16:13.280 --> 00:16:13.980
 I was going to give it

00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:14.700
 to somebody else

00:16:14.700 --> 00:16:15.879
 and he had written

00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:17.120
 a note to give it

00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:17.820
 to somebody else

00:16:17.820 --> 00:16:18.519
 as a kind of gift.

00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:19.180
 And he said,

00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:19.480
 but you know,

00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.320
 I have a sense right now

00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:21.279
 that I need to give it to you.

00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:22.820
 And so he tore the cover off

00:16:22.820 --> 00:16:23.600
 because it had the kind

00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:24.580
 of personal note on it

00:16:24.580 --> 00:16:25.659
 and he gave me this book

00:16:25.659 --> 00:16:26.279
 with no cover.

00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:27.879
 But it was this little book

00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:28.440
 called The Practice

00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:29.340
 of the Presence of God.

00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:31.019
 And it has radically,

00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:32.360
 radically impacted my life.

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.200
 So I commend it to you.

00:16:33.420 --> 00:16:34.039
 But he says this,

00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:34.800
 for many of us

00:16:34.800 --> 00:16:35.340
 who are hearing this

00:16:35.340 --> 00:16:35.680
 and we're thinking,

00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:36.519
 how could I ever

00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:37.560
 get started doing that?

00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:39.379
 Banging away at my laptop,

00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:40.259
 answering emails

00:16:40.259 --> 00:16:41.240
 in the middle of my work day

00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:42.279
 and talking to God.

00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:43.240
 That sounds insane.

00:16:44.460 --> 00:16:45.519
 And yet here's what he says.

00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:46.539
 He says,

00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:47.700
 do not be discouraged

00:16:47.700 --> 00:16:48.500
 by the resistance

00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:49.300
 you will encounter

00:16:49.300 --> 00:16:50.940
 from your human nature.

00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:52.700
 You must go against

00:16:52.700 --> 00:16:54.120
 your human inclinations.

00:16:55.060 --> 00:16:55.899
 Often in the beginning

00:16:55.899 --> 00:16:56.700
 you will think

00:16:56.700 --> 00:16:57.740
 that you're wasting time,

00:16:57.920 --> 00:16:59.180
 but you must go on.

00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:00.220
 Be determined.

00:17:00.940 --> 00:17:01.759
 Persevere in it

00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:02.639
 until death,

00:17:02.899 --> 00:17:04.220
 despite all the difficulties.

00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:08.200
 So it begins with a bang.

00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:09.860
 Do you want to cultivate

00:17:09.860 --> 00:17:12.779
 that sense of internal stability?

00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:13.480
 Do you want to actually

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:14.579
 be the kind of person

00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:15.899
 who is able to be present

00:17:15.899 --> 00:17:16.940
 and compassionate

00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:18.440
 and have the kind of empathy

00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:19.799
 and self-understanding

00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.399
 and awareness

00:17:20.399 --> 00:17:21.799
 and humility necessary

00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:22.740
 to be a part of

00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:23.819
 bringing peace

00:17:23.819 --> 00:17:24.740
 in the world?

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:25.879
 It begins with cultivating

00:17:25.879 --> 00:17:26.399
 a sense

00:17:26.399 --> 00:17:27.759
 of what it means

00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:28.879
 that God has made peace

00:17:28.879 --> 00:17:29.379
 with you.

00:17:30.399 --> 00:17:31.319
 And that because of that

00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:32.440
 he is present here

00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:33.160
 with you

00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:34.420
 at this very moment.

00:17:36.579 --> 00:17:37.920
 So that's where it begins.

00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:39.579
 Then as Paul goes on,

00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:41.039
 this naturally flows

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:41.859
 into the next thing.

00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:44.259
 Paul says we need

00:17:44.259 --> 00:17:44.899
 to cultivate

00:17:44.899 --> 00:17:46.759
 grateful prayer,

00:17:46.879 --> 00:17:48.059
 prayer that is laced

00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:49.639
 with gratitude

00:17:49.639 --> 00:17:50.399
 and thanksgiving.

00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.200
 He says this,

00:17:51.539 --> 00:17:52.539
 the Lord is at hand.

00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:54.599
 Do not be anxious

00:17:54.599 --> 00:17:55.579
 about anything,

00:17:55.659 --> 00:17:56.659
 but in everything,

00:17:57.659 --> 00:17:59.079
 by prayer and supplication,

00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:00.480
 with thanksgiving,

00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:02.259
 let your requests

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:04.099
 be made known to God.

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:05.099
 Now, I want to look

00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:05.879
 at what he's saying here

00:18:05.879 --> 00:18:06.759
 because there's a negative

00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:07.359
 and a positive.

00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:09.599
 The negative is this,

00:18:09.719 --> 00:18:10.359
 don't be anxious

00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:11.019
 about anything.

00:18:12.439 --> 00:18:12.759
 You know,

00:18:12.899 --> 00:18:13.979
 if you're anything like me,

00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:14.699
 you think,

00:18:15.159 --> 00:18:16.279
 I mean,

00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:17.659
 do you know my life?

00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:20.359
 That sounds like

00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:21.379
 a religious platitude.

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:22.759
 That sounds like

00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:23.779
 somebody who hasn't lived.

00:18:25.299 --> 00:18:26.139
 Don't be anxious

00:18:26.139 --> 00:18:26.819
 about anything.

00:18:27.719 --> 00:18:28.899
 The word anxious

00:18:28.899 --> 00:18:29.659
 actually means

00:18:29.659 --> 00:18:30.659
 disproportionate

00:18:30.659 --> 00:18:31.979
 or kind of

00:18:31.979 --> 00:18:32.959
 undue fear.

00:18:34.459 --> 00:18:35.240
 Think about a lot

00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:35.740
 of the anxiety

00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:36.220
 in our life.

00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:36.700
 A lot of it

00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:37.960
 is disproportionate.

00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:40.319
 And then the positive

00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:40.680
 is this,

00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:41.440
 in everything,

00:18:41.579 --> 00:18:42.620
 by prayer and supplication,

00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:43.299
 with thanksgiving,

00:18:43.579 --> 00:18:44.259
 let your requests

00:18:44.259 --> 00:18:45.299
 be made known to God.

00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:46.980
 And you know,

00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:47.740
 I used to read this

00:18:47.740 --> 00:18:48.720
 and even when I memorized it,

00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:48.980
 I thought,

00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:49.220
 okay,

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:49.799
 there's two things

00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:50.380
 I've got to do here.

00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:51.720
 I've got to never be anxious

00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:53.279
 and then I've got to

00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:53.859
 always pray.

00:18:54.940 --> 00:18:55.400
 And you know,

00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:55.720
 it's like,

00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:55.880
 well,

00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:56.759
 okay,

00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:57.380
 you know,

00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:58.319
 no.

00:18:58.940 --> 00:18:59.779
 It's not happening.

00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:00.759
 But what you need

00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:01.480
 to realize is

00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:03.220
 that it's a choice

00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:03.799
 and the one

00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:04.839
 displaces the other.

00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:05.259
 In other words,

00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:05.879
 the one makes

00:19:05.879 --> 00:19:06.679
 the other possible.

00:19:07.159 --> 00:19:07.399
 Right?

00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:08.619
 So how do you begin

00:19:08.619 --> 00:19:09.339
 to displace

00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:10.679
 the anxiety

00:19:10.679 --> 00:19:12.159
 that has taken hold?

00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:15.079
 You channel that anxiety

00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:15.799
 into prayer.

00:19:17.059 --> 00:19:18.399
 And it's a kind of prayer

00:19:18.399 --> 00:19:19.019
 that is laced

00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:19.699
 with gratitude.

00:19:21.379 --> 00:19:21.819
 Paul says,

00:19:21.879 --> 00:19:22.359
 no matter what

00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:23.119
 our circumstances,

00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:24.819
 whenever we pray,

00:19:25.399 --> 00:19:26.220
 we should express

00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:26.759
 gratitude.

00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.199
 And just to be clear,

00:19:29.740 --> 00:19:30.339
 he's saying,

00:19:30.959 --> 00:19:31.740
 thank God

00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:33.120
 in advance

00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:35.620
 before you know

00:19:35.620 --> 00:19:36.200
 the outcome.

00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:38.440
 I don't know

00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:39.000
 whether I'm going

00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.579
 to get into this

00:19:39.579 --> 00:19:40.220
 program or not.

00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:40.559
 I don't know

00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:41.019
 whether you're going

00:19:41.019 --> 00:19:41.559
 to save this

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:42.400
 person's life or not.

00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:42.779
 I don't know

00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:43.279
 whether you're going

00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:43.859
 to heal me

00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:45.000
 from this or not.

00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:46.220
 But thank you.

00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:48.120
 Now,

00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:49.240
 that's a tall order.

00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:52.480
 Pray with gratitude.

00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:53.380
 Always.

00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:55.660
 See,

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.940
 that's only possible,

00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:58.019
 and this is,

00:19:58.340 --> 00:19:59.660
 if you feel any,

00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:00.320
 you know,

00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:01.279
 just kind of difficulty

00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:01.680
 with that,

00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:02.180
 I'm glad.

00:20:02.299 --> 00:20:03.039
 I feel it too.

00:20:03.120 --> 00:20:03.940
 And the reason is this,

00:20:04.100 --> 00:20:04.920
 because it's really

00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:05.900
 calling us to decide,

00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:07.160
 do we trust God's

00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:08.039
 character or not?

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:09.799
 Do you trust

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:10.860
 his goodness or not?

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:11.980
 See,

00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:12.799
 you can't pray

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:13.500
 with gratitude

00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:14.240
 before you know

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:14.900
 the outcome

00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:18.000
 unless you trust

00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:18.700
 God's character.

00:20:21.120 --> 00:20:21.559
 Implicitly,

00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:22.259
 completely,

00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:23.340
 unreservedly.

00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:24.740
 See,

00:20:24.820 --> 00:20:25.519
 our anxiety,

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:26.139
 the anxiety

00:20:26.139 --> 00:20:26.680
 that you feel

00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:27.139
 in your life

00:20:27.139 --> 00:20:27.639
 that I feel

00:20:27.639 --> 00:20:28.500
 is not just

00:20:28.500 --> 00:20:29.400
 because we act

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:30.339
 like God isn't there.

00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:31.119
 That's part of it.

00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:32.119
 But it's also

00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:32.900
 because even if you

00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:33.440
 believe that God

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:33.740
 is there,

00:20:33.900 --> 00:20:34.700
 you don't trust him.

00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:36.660
 I don't trust him.

00:20:36.740 --> 00:20:37.379
 I don't actually

00:20:37.379 --> 00:20:38.099
 trust that God

00:20:38.099 --> 00:20:38.579
 knows better

00:20:38.579 --> 00:20:39.059
 than I do

00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:39.680
 what I need.

00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:42.259
 I don't trust

00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:42.720
 that when God

00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.359
 says no,

00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:44.160
 or when he doesn't

00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:44.599
 do what I want

00:20:44.599 --> 00:20:44.940
 him to do,

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:45.500
 I don't trust

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:46.059
 that that's actually

00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:46.680
 better for me.

00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:48.519
 I get angry

00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:49.160
 because I assume

00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:49.539
 that I know

00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:50.400
 better than he does.

00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:54.059
 And again and again

00:20:54.059 --> 00:20:54.460
 and again

00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:55.079
 in scripture,

00:20:55.079 --> 00:20:55.639
 and I think

00:20:55.639 --> 00:20:56.279
 this is because

00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:57.299
 all people struggle

00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:57.699
 with this

00:20:57.699 --> 00:20:58.199
 and so we need

00:20:58.199 --> 00:20:58.799
 to be reminded,

00:20:59.779 --> 00:20:59.980
 you know,

00:21:00.159 --> 00:21:00.740
 the Israelites

00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:01.639
 struggle with this.

00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:02.639
 Again and again

00:21:02.639 --> 00:21:02.919
 and again,

00:21:03.019 --> 00:21:03.579
 you read it

00:21:03.579 --> 00:21:04.199
 in the Psalms

00:21:04.199 --> 00:21:06.099
 and yet again

00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:06.359
 and again

00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:06.679
 and again

00:21:06.679 --> 00:21:07.460
 you see example

00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:08.059
 after example

00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:08.500
 of people

00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:09.059
 like Moses

00:21:09.059 --> 00:21:09.619
 and David

00:21:09.619 --> 00:21:10.399
 and Joseph

00:21:10.399 --> 00:21:11.199
 and Paul

00:21:11.199 --> 00:21:13.079
 where you see

00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:14.220
 horrible circumstances

00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:15.500
 and then you see

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:16.480
 God wielding

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.439
 those horrible

00:21:17.439 --> 00:21:18.159
 circumstances

00:21:18.159 --> 00:21:19.839
 like a paintbrush

00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:21.220
 and using them

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:21.759
 to paint

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.439
 this beautiful

00:21:22.439 --> 00:21:22.879
 portrait

00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:23.640
 of redemption.

00:21:26.360 --> 00:21:27.260
 And he does it

00:21:27.260 --> 00:21:27.680
 again

00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:28.440
 and again

00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:29.280
 and again

00:21:29.280 --> 00:21:31.300
 and it doesn't

00:21:31.300 --> 00:21:31.820
 justify

00:21:31.820 --> 00:21:32.900
 the bad,

00:21:33.020 --> 00:21:33.400
 it doesn't

00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:34.460
 excuse the bad,

00:21:34.520 --> 00:21:35.400
 it doesn't cover up

00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:35.840
 the bad,

00:21:35.880 --> 00:21:36.560
 it doesn't minimize

00:21:36.560 --> 00:21:37.020
 the bad,

00:21:37.080 --> 00:21:37.780
 the bad is bad,

00:21:37.840 --> 00:21:38.500
 there's no excuse

00:21:38.500 --> 00:21:38.820
 for it,

00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:39.400
 there's no way

00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:40.260
 to justify it

00:21:40.260 --> 00:21:42.700
 and yet God

00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:43.760
 repurposes it,

00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:45.000
 he redeems it,

00:21:45.080 --> 00:21:46.340
 he commandeers it

00:21:46.340 --> 00:21:47.100
 and uses it

00:21:47.100 --> 00:21:47.540
 for his

00:21:47.540 --> 00:21:48.660
 redemptive

00:21:48.660 --> 00:21:49.340
 purposes.

00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:50.500
 It's amazing

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:51.159
 to see God

00:21:51.159 --> 00:21:52.220
 wield suffering

00:21:52.220 --> 00:21:54.500
 and wield tragedy

00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:56.220
 and bring beauty

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:56.720
 out of it.

00:21:57.679 --> 00:21:58.220
 You know I was

00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:58.799
 just talking

00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.639
 last night

00:21:59.639 --> 00:22:00.220
 with a good friend

00:22:00.220 --> 00:22:00.539
 of mine,

00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:00.980
 a guy named

00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:01.379
 Perrin

00:22:01.379 --> 00:22:02.299
 who pastors

00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:02.939
 the Triumphant

00:22:02.939 --> 00:22:03.539
 Church here in

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:03.879
 D.C.

00:22:03.899 --> 00:22:04.339
 and he and his

00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:05.019
 wife are good

00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:06.139
 friends of Laura

00:22:06.139 --> 00:22:06.500
 and I's

00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:07.859
 and we were

00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:08.419
 just talking

00:22:08.419 --> 00:22:09.480
 obviously we've

00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:09.980
 had a lot of

00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:10.659
 conversations over

00:22:10.659 --> 00:22:11.139
 the past few

00:22:11.139 --> 00:22:12.539
 days about

00:22:12.539 --> 00:22:13.179
 these deaths

00:22:13.179 --> 00:22:13.919
 and just how

00:22:13.919 --> 00:22:14.379
 to make sense

00:22:14.379 --> 00:22:14.559
 of it

00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:14.839
 and I was

00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:15.419
 just asking

00:22:15.419 --> 00:22:16.019
 his thoughts

00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:16.419
 I said what

00:22:16.419 --> 00:22:16.720
 are you guys

00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:17.000
 going to do

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:17.359
 at church,

00:22:17.459 --> 00:22:17.759
 how are you

00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.599
 going to approach

00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:19.980
 this and just

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:20.379
 kind of two

00:22:20.379 --> 00:22:21.199
 pastors sort

00:22:21.199 --> 00:22:21.539
 of praying

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:22.339
 together about

00:22:22.339 --> 00:22:23.679
 about how

00:22:23.679 --> 00:22:24.240
 to respond

00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:26.719
 and he said

00:22:26.719 --> 00:22:27.139
 one of the

00:22:27.139 --> 00:22:27.459
 things that he

00:22:27.459 --> 00:22:27.859
 said that really

00:22:27.859 --> 00:22:28.519
 struck me is he

00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:28.939
 said you know

00:22:28.939 --> 00:22:29.719
 as I as I

00:22:29.719 --> 00:22:30.159
 look at this

00:22:30.159 --> 00:22:30.819
 these these

00:22:30.819 --> 00:22:31.279
 deaths are

00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:31.619
 horrible

00:22:31.619 --> 00:22:33.159
 you know

00:22:33.159 --> 00:22:34.439
 these there's

00:22:34.439 --> 00:22:35.099
 no there's

00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:35.719
 no there's

00:22:35.719 --> 00:22:36.319
 no way to

00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:37.359
 even put words

00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.459
 to to this

00:22:39.459 --> 00:22:40.099
 and we're all

00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:40.639
 grieving it and

00:22:40.639 --> 00:22:41.319
 said and yet

00:22:41.319 --> 00:22:41.719
 at the same

00:22:41.719 --> 00:22:43.019
 time I see

00:22:43.019 --> 00:22:43.679
 God bringing

00:22:43.679 --> 00:22:45.159
 beauty out of

00:22:45.159 --> 00:22:45.819
 it in ways

00:22:45.819 --> 00:22:46.419
 that only God

00:22:46.419 --> 00:22:47.000
 could and I

00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:47.359
 said what do

00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:47.679
 you mean and

00:22:47.679 --> 00:22:48.279
 he said well

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:49.039
 look at the

00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:49.359
 way the

00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:49.859
 churches are

00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:50.500
 banding together

00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:51.660
 you know the

00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:52.259
 rally that we

00:22:52.259 --> 00:22:52.759
 had today

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.160
 there were I

00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:53.660
 don't know how

00:22:53.660 --> 00:22:54.379
 many churches

00:22:54.379 --> 00:22:55.079
 were represented

00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:55.500
 but there were

00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:56.879
 all kinds of

00:22:56.879 --> 00:22:57.960
 churches down in

00:22:57.960 --> 00:22:58.539
 Freedom Plaza

00:22:58.539 --> 00:22:59.160
 right off Penn

00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:00.059
 Ave in the

00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:00.799
 heart of DC

00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:01.460
 right next to the

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:01.819
 White House

00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:02.519
 and there are

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.359
 pastor after

00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:03.940
 pastor leader

00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:04.359
 after leader

00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:05.519
 police commissioners

00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:06.740
 and chiefs

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:08.480
 and all kinds

00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:08.720
 of people

00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.619
 just one after

00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:10.639
 another one

00:23:10.639 --> 00:23:11.039
 after another

00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:12.220
 reminding us to

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:13.139
 put our hope in

00:23:13.139 --> 00:23:14.180
 Jesus saying that

00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:14.740
 there will be a

00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.240
 time when God

00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:15.819
 overcomes this

00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:16.119
 and to see

00:23:16.119 --> 00:23:16.599
 that many

00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.000
 churches

00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:17.659
 that many

00:23:17.659 --> 00:23:18.319
 pastors from

00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:19.039
 all traditions

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.799
 and denominations

00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:20.299
 and backgrounds

00:23:20.299 --> 00:23:21.220
 all gathered

00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:21.819
 together in the

00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:22.339
 name of Christ

00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:23.279
 it was a picture

00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:23.859
 of the kingdom

00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:26.079
 it was a foretaste

00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:26.579
 of the kingdom

00:23:26.579 --> 00:23:27.259
 parents said

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:29.759
 it's what an

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:30.559
 amazing God who

00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:30.899
 could bring

00:23:30.899 --> 00:23:31.720
 something beautiful

00:23:31.720 --> 00:23:32.539
 like that out of

00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:33.179
 such tragedy

00:23:33.179 --> 00:23:34.399
 and of course the

00:23:34.399 --> 00:23:35.339
 ultimate example of

00:23:35.339 --> 00:23:36.619
 this is the cross

00:23:36.619 --> 00:23:38.759
 the worst evil

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.720
 ever committed

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:41.759
 the worst evil

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:42.500
 ever committed

00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:43.819
 and yet out of

00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:44.400
 it God brings

00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:44.799
 the greatest

00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:45.240
 redemption

00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:46.200
 ever achieved

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:47.920
 bringing hope

00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:48.259
 to the whole

00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:48.519
 world

00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:49.859
 so this second

00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:50.819
 practice is the

00:23:50.819 --> 00:23:51.440
 practice that we

00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.160
 need in order to

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:52.980
 develop internal

00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:53.420
 stability

00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:54.160
 it's the habit

00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.180
 of regular

00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:56.500
 grateful prayer

00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:57.740
 of taking our

00:23:57.740 --> 00:23:58.599
 anxiety

00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:00.859
 and channeling it

00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:02.059
 into prayer

00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:02.500
 that says

00:24:02.500 --> 00:24:03.640
 God I thank you

00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:04.759
 whatever you do

00:24:04.759 --> 00:24:05.400
 with this I thank

00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:05.680
 you

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:07.160
 because I trust

00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:07.400
 you

00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:09.559
 the one

00:24:09.559 --> 00:24:10.460
 displaces the

00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:10.700
 other

00:24:10.700 --> 00:24:12.740
 so very

00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:13.180
 practically

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:13.819
 when anxiety

00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:14.500
 surges up in

00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:14.860
 your life

00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:15.720
 stop and give

00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:16.180
 thanks

00:24:16.180 --> 00:24:19.220
 channel it

00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:20.980
 and when we do

00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:21.799
 this Paul says

00:24:21.799 --> 00:24:22.480
 in verse 7

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.539
 the peace of God

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:24.420
 which surpasses

00:24:24.420 --> 00:24:25.140
 all understanding

00:24:25.140 --> 00:24:26.160
 will guard your

00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:26.680
 hearts and your

00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:27.319
 minds in Christ

00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:27.600
 Jesus

00:24:27.600 --> 00:24:28.180
 the word guard

00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:28.840
 actually means to

00:24:28.840 --> 00:24:29.299
 garrison

00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:30.600
 so imagine

00:24:30.600 --> 00:24:32.220
 the peace of God

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:33.460
 garrisoning

00:24:33.460 --> 00:24:34.519
 like soldiers

00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.539
 marching around

00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:36.259
 your heart and

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:37.220
 mind guarding it

00:24:37.220 --> 00:24:38.140
 keeping it safe

00:24:38.140 --> 00:24:40.340
 it's an amazing

00:24:40.340 --> 00:24:40.800
 image

00:24:40.800 --> 00:24:42.300
 so these are the

00:24:42.300 --> 00:24:43.140
 first two practices

00:24:43.140 --> 00:24:43.840
 practice the

00:24:43.840 --> 00:24:44.520
 presence of God

00:24:44.520 --> 00:24:44.960
 and practice

00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.780
 grateful prayer

00:24:45.780 --> 00:24:48.060
 this leads into

00:24:48.060 --> 00:24:49.140
 the third practice

00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:50.740
 which concerns

00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:52.020
 our own minds

00:24:52.020 --> 00:24:52.620
 and our own

00:24:52.620 --> 00:24:53.380
 hearts

00:24:53.380 --> 00:24:54.360
 in verse 8

00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:55.080
 Paul calls us

00:24:55.080 --> 00:24:55.620
 to practice

00:24:55.620 --> 00:24:56.180
 what you might

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:56.720
 call good

00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:57.640
 spiritual hygiene

00:24:57.640 --> 00:24:58.740
 he says in

00:24:58.740 --> 00:24:59.220
 verse 8

00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:00.860
 finally brothers

00:25:00.860 --> 00:25:02.240
 whatever's true

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:03.140
 whatever's honorable

00:25:03.140 --> 00:25:04.360
 whatever's just

00:25:04.360 --> 00:25:05.280
 whatever's pure

00:25:05.280 --> 00:25:06.259
 whatever's lovely

00:25:06.259 --> 00:25:07.619
 whatever's commendable

00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:08.700
 if there's any

00:25:08.700 --> 00:25:09.379
 excellence

00:25:09.379 --> 00:25:10.740
 if there's anything

00:25:10.740 --> 00:25:11.599
 worthy of praise

00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:12.519
 think about these

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:13.000
 things

00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:16.680
 one of the best

00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:17.200
 ways to keep

00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:18.140
 healthy is to

00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:18.680
 practice good

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.480
 physical hygiene

00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:20.079
 right

00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:20.700
 it's

00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:22.640
 my dad was a

00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:23.539
 doctor who for

00:25:23.539 --> 00:25:24.359
 years dealt with

00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:25.160
 very sick people

00:25:25.160 --> 00:25:25.579
 and we would

00:25:25.579 --> 00:25:26.539
 always marvel that

00:25:26.539 --> 00:25:27.460
 we all got sick

00:25:27.460 --> 00:25:28.079
 a lot more than

00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:28.480
 he did

00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:29.079
 we were

00:25:29.079 --> 00:25:29.720
 you know we

00:25:29.720 --> 00:25:30.200
 would say you're

00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:30.900
 around all of

00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:31.279
 these sick

00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.059
 contagious people

00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:32.559
 all the time

00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:33.240
 and yet he rarely

00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:33.740
 got sick

00:25:33.740 --> 00:25:35.000
 and we always say

00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:35.460
 well it's because

00:25:35.460 --> 00:25:36.200
 I probably washed

00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:36.880
 my hands a lot

00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:37.319
 more than you

00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:37.519
 did

00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.920
 that his job

00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:39.440
 just required

00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:40.000
 that he washed

00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:40.400
 his hands

00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:41.360
 dozens of times

00:25:41.360 --> 00:25:42.059
 every day

00:25:42.059 --> 00:25:43.240
 he said it's one

00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:43.819
 of the best ways

00:25:43.819 --> 00:25:44.279
 you can keep

00:25:44.279 --> 00:25:44.840
 yourself healthy

00:25:44.840 --> 00:25:45.340
 is just wash

00:25:45.340 --> 00:25:45.840
 your hands

00:25:45.840 --> 00:25:47.279
 and we can expand

00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:47.920
 this to good

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.620
 grooming we can

00:25:48.620 --> 00:25:49.279
 expand it to what

00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:49.819
 we put in our

00:25:49.819 --> 00:25:51.039
 bodies the kind

00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:51.539
 of food that we

00:25:51.539 --> 00:25:52.740
 eat taking good

00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.400
 care of your body

00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:55.180
 so here Paul's

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:56.000
 talking about good

00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.200
 spiritual hygiene

00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:59.259
 the thing is

00:25:59.259 --> 00:26:00.200
 most of us take

00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:00.779
 good I mean I

00:26:00.779 --> 00:26:01.759
 think that most of

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:02.380
 you have good

00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:03.140
 grooming practices

00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:04.279
 I think that most

00:26:04.279 --> 00:26:05.160
 of you wash and

00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:05.819
 bathe and shower

00:26:05.819 --> 00:26:06.519
 fairly regularly

00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:08.200
 I don't I've not

00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:08.939
 heard any complaints

00:26:08.939 --> 00:26:09.599
 about any of you

00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:10.579
 and I think that

00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:11.259
 most of us have

00:26:11.259 --> 00:26:12.339
 good physical

00:26:12.339 --> 00:26:12.899
 hygiene

00:26:12.899 --> 00:26:14.279
 so the question

00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:15.019
 is how can we

00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:17.079
 be so so careful

00:26:17.079 --> 00:26:18.059
 about our grooming

00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:19.399
 and our physical

00:26:19.399 --> 00:26:20.659
 hygiene and be so

00:26:20.659 --> 00:26:22.240
 completely indiscriminate

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:22.879
 when it comes to

00:26:22.879 --> 00:26:23.720
 spiritual hygiene

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:26.819
 so completely

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.460
 indiscriminate

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.319
 you know I was just

00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:29.220
 thinking about what

00:26:29.220 --> 00:26:29.779
 are all of the

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:30.539
 things you know I

00:26:30.539 --> 00:26:31.539
 would never expose

00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:32.939
 my body knowingly to

00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:35.059
 illness but look at

00:26:35.059 --> 00:26:35.680
 all the things I

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.779
 expose my heart and

00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:38.180
 my mind to right

00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:39.000
 the things that I

00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:39.740
 watch the things that

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.840
 I read I mean you

00:26:40.840 --> 00:26:41.500
 know I mean those of

00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:42.299
 you who know you

00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:42.900
 know Laura and I

00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:43.980
 rarely rarely do we

00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:45.100
 have a night just kind

00:26:45.100 --> 00:26:46.799
 of at home and which

00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:48.039
 is great we we love

00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:48.860
 that part of our lives

00:26:48.860 --> 00:26:49.940
 but rarely do we have

00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:50.759
 an opportunity and

00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:51.720
 when we do what do we

00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:52.960
 love to do we put the

00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:54.240
 kids down we fix good

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:55.380
 food we make strong

00:26:55.380 --> 00:26:56.519
 drinks and we turn on

00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:58.580
 Netflix that's what we

00:26:58.580 --> 00:27:00.019
 do and we will crush

00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:02.500
 some Netflix we will

00:27:02.500 --> 00:27:03.680
 crush some Netflix we

00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:04.619
 will work I mean like

00:27:04.619 --> 00:27:05.559
 I mean we will get

00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:06.420
 into it it's a late

00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:07.700
 night when when

00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:08.759
 Netflix is on because

00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:10.259
 we love it and then

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:11.019
 I think about these

00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:11.680
 shows that we

00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.599
 admittedly love to

00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:13.200
 watch and I think

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:13.779
 about and I'm not

00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:15.000
 just talking about you

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:16.019
 know sex and nudity

00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:17.559
 I'm talking about the

00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:18.420
 kind of wanton

00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:20.519
 violence I'm talking

00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.680
 about the kind of

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:24.000
 hardened cynicism I'm

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.680
 talking about the kind

00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:25.799
 of fatalism the kind

00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:27.480
 of closed worldview that's

00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:28.420
 not even open to the

00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:29.579
 possibility of a God

00:27:29.579 --> 00:27:31.099
 I'm talking about the

00:27:31.099 --> 00:27:32.460
 incredible disregard for

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:36.819
 human life and and we

00:27:36.819 --> 00:27:40.199
 watch these shows and

00:27:40.199 --> 00:27:40.980
 it's entertainment I

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:41.559
 mean that kind of stuff

00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:44.099
 makes for good drama it

00:27:44.099 --> 00:27:46.480
 draws us in I think about

00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:47.460
 the stuff that we read I

00:27:47.460 --> 00:27:48.419
 mean after a week like

00:27:48.419 --> 00:27:50.879
 this one my goodness the

00:27:50.879 --> 00:27:52.339
 amount of kind of just

00:27:52.339 --> 00:27:54.579
 vitriol that this kind of

00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:56.639
 oozing through our social

00:27:56.639 --> 00:27:58.519
 media feeds is is

00:27:58.519 --> 00:28:01.299
 astounding it's it's it's a

00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:02.379
 lot of uninformed

00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:04.359
 emotionally charged

00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:05.460
 ranting and attention

00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:06.879
 seeking that's masking

00:28:06.879 --> 00:28:09.920
 itself as commentary and

00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:10.740
 I'm amazed at how many

00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:13.259
 Christians take part and

00:28:13.259 --> 00:28:15.920
 contribute to that and

00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:16.960
 Paul would say we need to

00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:18.500
 curate very carefully what

00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:19.559
 we expose our hearts and

00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:22.099
 minds to we need to be

00:28:22.099 --> 00:28:24.720
 thoughtful about this the

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:26.079
 word think about means to

00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:28.179
 dwell on what is it that

00:28:28.179 --> 00:28:29.419
 kindles and captures your

00:28:29.419 --> 00:28:30.439
 imagination what do you

00:28:30.439 --> 00:28:33.519
 ruminate on you know it's

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:35.939
 very easy to ruminate on the

00:28:35.939 --> 00:28:37.619
 latest plot twist in Game of

00:28:37.619 --> 00:28:39.980
 Thrones right I mean it is it's

00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:43.379
 an it's an amazing series and

00:28:43.379 --> 00:28:44.659
 yet by ruminating on that what

00:28:44.659 --> 00:28:46.419
 is the impact over time on my

00:28:46.419 --> 00:28:48.939
 heart and on my mind and if

00:28:48.939 --> 00:28:50.039
 that's the only thing and

00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:51.139
 here's the point if that's the

00:28:51.139 --> 00:28:52.480
 only thing I'm ruminating on

00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:54.539
 what's the impact over time

00:28:54.539 --> 00:28:56.420
 you know so that you know

00:28:56.420 --> 00:28:58.440
 it's so interesting that we

00:28:58.440 --> 00:28:59.519
 expect to be able to watch a

00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:00.680
 couple of shows with people

00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:01.940
 shooting and stabbing each

00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:03.980
 other and then lay in our

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:05.720
 beds and flip open Facebook

00:29:05.720 --> 00:29:07.819
 or Twitter and read a handful

00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:10.559
 of stories where not only have

00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:12.000
 people shot and stabbed each

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.339
 other but then there's a lot of

00:29:13.339 --> 00:29:14.620
 other people pointing fingers

00:29:14.620 --> 00:29:16.480
 and spewing hate and blame and

00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:20.200
 and and and vitriol and read

00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:21.160
 that and then go to bed and

00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:22.500
 expect to wake up a perfectly

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.900
 balanced emotionally healthy

00:29:23.900 --> 00:29:25.880
 stable even killed person it's

00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:28.220
 not going to happen you wonder

00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:29.340
 what kind of impact this is

00:29:29.340 --> 00:29:32.480
 having so the point isn't

00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:34.060
 should Christians watch our

00:29:34.060 --> 00:29:36.759
 rated movies I mean come on the

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:38.400
 point is we need to be

00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:39.759
 thoughtful consumers of culture

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:41.700
 we need to be thoughtful

00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:44.279
 consumers of content we need to

00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:45.560
 be as mindful of what we're

00:29:45.560 --> 00:29:46.860
 exposing our minds and hearts

00:29:46.860 --> 00:29:49.019
 to as we are what we expose our

00:29:49.019 --> 00:29:54.099
 bodies to so how do we become

00:29:54.099 --> 00:29:57.240
 people who are what verse five

00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:59.619
 says how do we become people who

00:29:59.619 --> 00:30:02.759
 are known for our reasonableness

00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:06.319
 right if anything I would hope

00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:07.799
 that Christians in our culture are

00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:09.700
 known for their reasonableness

00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:12.200
 often that's not the case how does

00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:15.319
 that become the case it's by

00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:17.059
 developing a kind of internal

00:30:17.059 --> 00:30:20.740
 stabilization and Paul says that

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:22.759
 that that comes from three ongoing

00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:25.200
 practices people who practice the

00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:26.980
 presence of God on a daily basis

00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:29.019
 people who practice and channel

00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:30.980
 their anxiety into grateful prayer

00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:32.899
 and people who are thoughtful

00:30:32.899 --> 00:30:36.399
 they're good curators and they

00:30:36.399 --> 00:30:39.279
 practice good spiritual hygiene and

00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:40.799
 he sums all this up in verse nine he

00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:42.299
 says what you have learned and

00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:44.599
 received and heard and seen in me

00:30:44.599 --> 00:30:46.799
 practice these things there it is

00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:48.879
 and the God of peace will be with

00:30:48.879 --> 00:30:49.099
 you

00:30:49.099 --> 00:30:53.159
 so when the waves do come as we are

00:30:53.159 --> 00:30:54.839
 continuing to process and to try to

00:30:54.839 --> 00:30:56.799
 figure out how to respond to this

00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:59.799
 tragedy as future tragedies God

00:30:59.799 --> 00:31:01.480
 forbid happen

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:06.099
 while everyone else is being rocked

00:31:06.099 --> 00:31:07.899
 being overturned

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:10.140
 like the boat on the right

00:31:10.140 --> 00:31:14.240
 my prayer and my hope is the more

00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:16.160
 that we as Christians will be able to

00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:17.360
 bring the kind of balanced

00:31:17.360 --> 00:31:20.019
 perspective the kind of empathy the

00:31:20.019 --> 00:31:21.940
 kind of compassion frankly the kind of

00:31:21.940 --> 00:31:22.420
 humility

00:31:22.420 --> 00:31:25.660
 especially those of us in this church

00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:27.580
 the willingness to be the first to

00:31:27.580 --> 00:31:28.160
 confess

00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:31.440
 you know we talk in our church every

00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:33.180
 week we confess sins of omission and

00:31:33.180 --> 00:31:34.660
 sins of commission things we've done

00:31:34.660 --> 00:31:35.820
 and things we've left undone

00:31:35.819 --> 00:31:39.879
 friends we have a lot of confessing to

00:31:39.879 --> 00:31:40.059
 do

00:31:40.059 --> 00:31:42.639
 if we ever hope to heal

00:31:42.639 --> 00:31:46.179
 the racial division in our country we

00:31:46.179 --> 00:31:47.579
 have a lot of confessing to do

00:31:47.579 --> 00:31:49.579
 things that we have done and many many

00:31:49.579 --> 00:31:51.159
 many many things that we have left

00:31:51.159 --> 00:31:52.079
 undone

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:54.899
 to be those kind of people who are

00:31:54.899 --> 00:31:56.359
 able to go to our knees like that

00:31:56.359 --> 00:31:59.720
 we need this kind of internal

00:31:59.720 --> 00:32:01.679
 stabilization a realization that any

00:32:01.679 --> 00:32:03.639
 outward peace is going to be rooted

00:32:03.640 --> 00:32:05.240
 ultimately in the kind of peace that

00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:06.840
 comes from God

00:32:06.840 --> 00:32:08.960
 so whether it's in the lives of

00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:09.900
 people like you Odea

00:32:09.900 --> 00:32:12.060
 and Synechi or whether it's in this

00:32:12.060 --> 00:32:13.680
 city right here where there's a lot of

00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:14.300
 work to be done

00:32:14.300 --> 00:32:16.440
 this is where it begins if you want to

00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:18.200
 make peace in the world begin by

00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:19.280
 finding peace in God

00:32:19.280 --> 00:32:20.440
 let's pray

00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:24.580
 our heavenly father we recognize

00:32:24.579 --> 00:32:28.819
 we recognize that merely human words and

00:32:28.819 --> 00:32:31.879
 wisdom as we said a moment ago have no

00:32:31.879 --> 00:32:35.919
 power but your word does and your word is

00:32:35.919 --> 00:32:38.519
 that word which has become flesh and

00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:42.519
 given his life to make peace you've

00:32:42.519 --> 00:32:44.960
 promised peace you've made peace

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.699
 through your son Jesus and we hope and

00:32:47.699 --> 00:32:49.839
 pray that one day that peace would be

00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:52.599
 established across the whole earth that

00:32:52.599 --> 00:32:54.159
 as your word says you would gather all

00:32:54.159 --> 00:32:55.659
 peoples together as one

00:32:55.659 --> 00:32:58.179
 in the name of your son Jesus Christ

00:32:58.179 --> 00:33:00.139
 and it's in his name that we pray

00:33:00.139 --> 00:33:01.459
 amen