WEBVTT

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 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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 Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

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 Pray with me, if you will, as we get started.

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 Father, we're grateful for your love and your care for us, your people.

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 So, greedy and thankless as we can be, you showed us love that we can't fathom or imagine in your son, Jesus.

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 You chase us down in time and space and put us in a place like this, even this morning, to hear your word.

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 I pray that your Holy Spirit would be active and present among us individually and amongst us as a group

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 to illumine our hearts and minds to the truth that you want to show us today.

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 Pray that the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts will be pleasing unto you

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 for the sake of your kingdom and in the name of King Jesus. Amen.

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 We're going to continue our break from the book of Luke today and we'll be in the book of 1 Thessalonians.

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 So, if you have your Bibles, you're welcome to turn there. I'll start out in chapter 1.

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 Paul's relationship to the Thessalonians is a really interesting and wonderful story.

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 Paul went there and ministered to them.

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 And as I was telling the children earlier, he came to Thessalonica, which is a metropolitan city in Macedonia.

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 And he showed up to the synagogue and he started preaching Jesus in the synagogue.

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 And they let him do it for three weeks in a row.

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 And then people got sick of hearing about this Jesus.

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 And they kicked him out.

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 And it didn't stop him.

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 Paul continued to preach about this Jesus on the streets to the Gentiles that were around.

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 And there was great response, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.

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 And many people turned to Jesus in ways that were miraculous and powerful

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 and can only happen because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

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 As was wont to happen to Paul, a lot of people were really upset by it as well.

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 And the Jewish people who were in some kind of power petitioned the Romans and the Greeks

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 and a lot of the people that were around and found some rabble-rousers.

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 And they began to form mobs and to persecute Paul heavily,

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 to persecute the converts heavily.

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 And things went really bad for them and continued to be really bad for them,

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 to the point that Paul had to leave just to try to lighten the tension on what was going on there.

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 And he writes a letter to them.

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 This letter will be in today, 1 Thessalonians, which is a little different for Paul.

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 Because Paul, if you read Romans, you know, this great diatribe theological masterpiece

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 that you can hang everything on.

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 Or he writes to the Corinthians because of all of the terrible things going on in their church

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 to guide them in back-and-forth communication on how to right the ship,

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 how to correct things, how to do things better.

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 And this letter to the Thessalonians is really unique

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 because Paul so wanted to know what was going on with him,

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 so he sent Timothy back to him.

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 And Timothy came to Paul with a report of a people who were remaining faithful.

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 who had some simple questions about life and theology that Paul hadn't answered.

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 And so this letter is actually the letter of a pastor

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 whose heart is broken for a people that he's led to Christ.

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 He's in wonder and awe of what the Holy Spirit is doing,

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 keeping them together, faithful,

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 even in the midst of rampant idolatry and wanton sexuality

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 and things like that that were just regular parts of everyday life

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 in a mixed culture like this.

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 And Paul is grieving for these people

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 and his heart is breaking for these people

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 as they continue in this persecution.

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 And he sends them a letter that's a love letter,

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 encouraging them how to stay faithful.

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 There are a couple of different parts to the letter,

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 but we're going to focus on the very beginning and the very end today.

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 So join me as I read 1 Thessalonians 1,

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 beginning in verse 1,

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 and we'll read through verse 10.

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 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

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 to the Church of the Thessalonians,

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 in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

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 grace to you and peace.

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 We give thanks to God always for all of you,

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 constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

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 remembering before our God and Father

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 your work of faith and labor of love

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 and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 For we know, brothers loved by God,

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 that he's chosen you.

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 Because our gospel came to you not only in word,

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 but also in power,

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 and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction,

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 you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

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 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord.

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 For you received the word in much affliction,

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 with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

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 so that you became an example to all the believers

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 in Macedonia and Achaia.

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 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you,

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 in Macedonia and Achaia,

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 but your faith has gone forth everywhere,

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 so that we need not say anything.

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 For they themselves report concerning us

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 the kind of reception we had among you,

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 and how you turned to God for Midals

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 to serve the living and true God,

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 and to wait for his Son from heaven,

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 whom he raised from the dead,

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 Jesus,

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 who delivers us from the wrath to come.

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 And for a couple chapters,

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 he goes on about how he wants to see them,

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 what's going on with him,

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 what his relationship is to them.

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 He encourages them to live lives

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 worthy of their calling.

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 They had a question,

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 because people were dying around them,

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 and their hearts were broken,

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 because it had almost been 20 years

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 since Jesus died,

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 and he was supposed to come back,

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 and these people were dead.

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 Are they going to be with us forever,

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 as you promised?

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 And he lovingly answered those questions.

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 And then he turns at the end of chapter 5,

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 beginning in verse 16,

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 from a focus on themselves

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 and a focus on human questions,

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 to a focus on God

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 and who he is.

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 Rejoice always.

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 Pray without ceasing.

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 Give thanks in all circumstances,

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 for this is the will of God

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 in Christ Jesus for you.

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 One of the hardest moments

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 extended periods of time in my life,

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 certainly in my marriage,

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 began at the end of 2009,

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 as many dominoes began to fall,

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 and I lost my businesses

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 that up to that point

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 had been somewhat prospering.

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 And it took,

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 I've mentioned this in many forms,

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 I'm hopeful to give a more personal take

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 on it this time,

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 it took away from us

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 a sense of stability,

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 a sense of things

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 that we were building toward.

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 I had to sell our automobiles,

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 my bank account dwindled,

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 and then my savings account dwindled,

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 and then there was nothing.

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 I wasn't able to take a paycheck

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 for a long time,

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 I wasn't able to have any money coming in.

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 And most importantly,

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 what was happening to me

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 was the thing I had poured myself into

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 was going away,

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 was going away rapidly.

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 And my identity in that

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 began to show itself.

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 My identity was not steeped in

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 anything but that at the time.

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 As a person,

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 I was made to feel worthless.

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 And as a failure,

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 letting that many employees go,

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 letting my family down,

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 letting my pride issues

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 from business partners

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 and things like that

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 begin to affect my life.

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 As a husband,

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 I was unreliable.

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 My wife had decided,

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 my wife could do anything.

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 She's probably the most

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 incredible person I know.

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 And she decided she wanted

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 to stay home and have kids.

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 And my end of the bargain was,

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 okay,

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 I'll make that happen for you.

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 And so I became unreliable.

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 I was somebody that she

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 couldn't count on anymore

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 because I couldn't do

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 what I had promised to do.

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 I had two sons at the time,

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 and I was absent.

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 I was working 90, 100,

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 120 hours a week.

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 You kind of have to.

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 And it was taken away

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 by something that

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 a Monday morning quarterback

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 could have seen.

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 But really,

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 it was just a bigger fish

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 swam into my pond

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 and ate me.

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 There's nothing I could do about it.

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 It's business.

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 But at the time,

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 I didn't see it that way.

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 What I was doing was,

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 I was working so hard

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 at this business

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 to insulate myself

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 from suffering

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 and from want

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 and from the need

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 of anything else

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 that I couldn't supply

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 for myself,

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 that I was lost.

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 And I was in that moment.

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 And in April of 2011,

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 I closed my last business

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 and liquidated

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 the last set of items

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 that were there.

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 and there I was

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 with a house to pay for,

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 a family to raise,

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 and really feeling

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 completely destitute

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 because I was so wounded

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 and ashamed

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 that I didn't even want

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 to take another step forward

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 in life.

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 And I didn't know

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 how to do it.

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 There's a sense there

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 of true grief

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 and true human emotion

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 that needs to be engaged

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 and I need to walk through.

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 But there's also a sense there

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 of an unprepared,

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 immature Christian

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 who encountered

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 a hardship in life

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 and I didn't know

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 what to do with it.

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 I was so focused

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 on myself

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 and the things

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 that I was doing

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 that I'd lost focus

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 on God,

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 on my Heavenly Father

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 and the things

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 that He is doing

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 in the world.

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 We ought to do

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 what God's commanded us to do,

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 not because of some set

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 of rules that earns us

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 a righteous place

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 in His sight,

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 but because His Son

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 came for us

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 and gave us

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 His righteousness.

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 and rose again

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 to an eternal hope

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 for all of us.

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 The commands are a joy.

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 It allows us to live

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 as a taste

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 in the world

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 of His kingdom.

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 That's what we're seeing

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 from the Thessalonians.

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 They didn't know

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 what they were doing.

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 For a lot of these people,

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 this is a brand new thought.

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 And Paul comes along

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 and encourages them

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 in the way

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 that they should go,

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 how to focus on God

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 and not focus on themselves,

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 even in these difficult

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 times of trial.

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 And he did it in three ways there.

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 We see them.

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 He tells them to rejoice,

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 to pray,

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 and to give thanks.

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 If you see your outline,

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 that's as simple as it gets.

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 We're going to spend

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 the next few minutes

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 walking through those things.

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 The first thing he tells them

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 to do is rejoice.

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 I don't know how helpful

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 that is

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 to a group of people

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 who are

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 having their livelihoods destroyed.

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 Many of them have been

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 ostracized from their families.

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 We read of Jason

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 in Acts 17

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 who actually had to

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 pay the Romans.

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 Him and a lot of people

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 had to pay the Romans

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 to continue protecting them

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 because so many people

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 were coming after them.

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 And then people

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 are trying to kill them.

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 And every day

00:12:54.419 --> 00:12:55.639
 is a real life struggle

00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:56.559
 to do anything.

00:12:57.860 --> 00:12:58.939
 I don't think many of us

00:12:58.939 --> 00:12:59.620
 are thinking about

00:12:59.620 --> 00:13:00.299
 going to Publix

00:13:00.299 --> 00:13:01.220
 or to a restaurant

00:13:01.220 --> 00:13:01.879
 after church

00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:02.740
 or even going home

00:13:02.740 --> 00:13:03.360
 and considering,

00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:04.860
 well, what am I going to stumble upon

00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:05.580
 along the way?

00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:08.919
 But that's a real life

00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:10.139
 encounter for these people

00:13:10.139 --> 00:13:11.080
 who Paul says,

00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:12.460
 hey, rejoice always.

00:13:16.580 --> 00:13:18.279
 So what does rejoicing look like?

00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:22.879
 Why do they rejoice?

00:13:22.939 --> 00:13:23.860
 Because these circumstances

00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:25.439
 don't offer much room

00:13:25.439 --> 00:13:26.620
 for rejoicing.

00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:28.159
 So I went to the Psalms

00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:29.819
 and I pulled a few passages

00:13:29.819 --> 00:13:30.600
 out of the Psalms

00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:31.459
 to give us an idea

00:13:31.459 --> 00:13:32.439
 of what true rejoicing

00:13:32.439 --> 00:13:33.120
 might look like.

00:13:33.319 --> 00:13:35.519
 The first one is from Psalm 32.

00:13:35.740 --> 00:13:36.360
 It's verse 11.

00:13:39.059 --> 00:13:40.539
 Be glad in the Lord

00:13:40.539 --> 00:13:42.659
 and rejoice,

00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:43.379
 O righteous,

00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:45.199
 and shout for joy

00:13:45.199 --> 00:13:46.939
 all you who are upright in heart.

00:13:46.940 --> 00:13:47.680
 Why are you glad?

00:13:47.780 --> 00:13:48.660
 Why are they rejoicing?

00:13:49.060 --> 00:13:50.160
 Simply in the Lord.

00:13:51.020 --> 00:13:52.620
 It doesn't give us a context

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:53.620
 of circumstance

00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:54.940
 or what's going on.

00:13:56.460 --> 00:13:57.440
 Psalm 92.4,

00:13:57.560 --> 00:13:58.580
 For you, O Lord,

00:13:58.660 --> 00:13:59.840
 have made me glad

00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:01.340
 by your work.

00:14:01.860 --> 00:14:03.120
 At the works of your hands

00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:03.760
 I rejoice.

00:14:05.460 --> 00:14:06.580
 Psalm 119,

00:14:06.940 --> 00:14:08.760
 I encourage all of you

00:14:08.760 --> 00:14:09.920
 to spend a lot of time

00:14:09.920 --> 00:14:10.700
 in Psalm 119

00:14:10.700 --> 00:14:11.740
 even though it seems daunting.

00:14:13.040 --> 00:14:14.420
 Psalm 119.162,

00:14:14.520 --> 00:14:15.860
 I rejoice at your word

00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:17.159
 like one who finds

00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:18.159
 a great spoil.

00:14:20.779 --> 00:14:21.879
 Rejoicing comes from

00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:23.560
 a gladness in the Lord,

00:14:24.940 --> 00:14:26.300
 a knowledge of his works,

00:14:26.379 --> 00:14:28.460
 his actual things happening

00:14:28.460 --> 00:14:29.960
 in time and in space

00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:33.740
 and at his word.

00:14:35.419 --> 00:14:36.320
 In the New Testament,

00:14:36.500 --> 00:14:37.879
 we hear Jesus talking about it

00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:39.860
 in Luke 10, verse 20.

00:14:40.420 --> 00:14:41.379
 One of us preached

00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:42.320
 a great sermon on this.

00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:42.800
 I don't remember

00:14:42.800 --> 00:14:43.700
 which one of us it was.

00:14:43.700 --> 00:14:46.320
 Do you not admit

00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:47.620
 that he sent out some people

00:14:47.620 --> 00:14:48.700
 and they came back to him

00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:49.660
 and they were amazed

00:14:49.660 --> 00:14:50.620
 at the power that they had

00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:51.220
 over the demons

00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:52.220
 and over the spirits

00:14:52.220 --> 00:14:53.300
 as they were going forth

00:14:53.300 --> 00:14:54.100
 in the name of Jesus.

00:14:54.580 --> 00:14:55.060
 And Jesus said,

00:14:55.180 --> 00:14:55.740
 wait a second,

00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:56.960
 don't rejoice in this

00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:57.500
 that the spirits

00:14:57.500 --> 00:14:58.480
 are subject to you.

00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:01.500
 Rejoice that your names

00:15:01.500 --> 00:15:02.300
 are written in heaven.

00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:06.800
 Philippians 4.4,

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:07.580
 Paul writes,

00:15:07.940 --> 00:15:08.920
 the famous one, right?

00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:10.120
 Rejoice in the Lord always.

00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:11.340
 Again, I say rejoice.

00:15:11.340 --> 00:15:11.580
 Grace.

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:14.820
 In Romans 5.2,

00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:16.139
 through Jesus,

00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:17.300
 we've obtained access

00:15:17.300 --> 00:15:18.920
 by faith into this grace

00:15:18.920 --> 00:15:19.960
 in which we stand.

00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:22.200
 We rejoice in the hope

00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:23.320
 of the glory of God.

00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.879
 All of this rejoicing

00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:27.580
 from the Psalms

00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:29.160
 and through the New Testament

00:15:29.160 --> 00:15:30.280
 has nothing to do

00:15:30.280 --> 00:15:31.200
 with our circumstances.

00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:33.340
 It has nothing to do

00:15:33.340 --> 00:15:33.940
 with us.

00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:36.860
 It has everything to do

00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:38.100
 with the perfection of God

00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:38.940
 and who he is

00:15:38.940 --> 00:15:39.759
 and what he's doing

00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:40.460
 in the world.

00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:42.740
 His constant faithfulness

00:15:42.740 --> 00:15:43.340
 to us.

00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.779
 The way he's shown us that.

00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:48.819
 Rejoicing is not

00:15:48.819 --> 00:15:49.580
 some cognitive

00:15:49.580 --> 00:15:51.399
 ascent to something.

00:15:51.539 --> 00:15:52.639
 Rejoicing is an emotion

00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:53.779
 that you can't control.

00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:55.779
 It's a gift.

00:15:58.659 --> 00:16:00.379
 I was about 10 or 9.

00:16:01.059 --> 00:16:02.100
 We would go every year

00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:03.399
 to my grandparents' house

00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:04.500
 in Charleston, South Carolina.

00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:05.179
 Well, Somerville,

00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:06.279
 for anybody that's actually

00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:06.600
 been there,

00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:08.040
 for Thanksgiving.

00:16:08.860 --> 00:16:09.720
 And while we were there,

00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:10.680
 we would do Thanksgiving,

00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.180
 of course.

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.320
 And then we would do Christmas

00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:14.159
 because we didn't see

00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:15.139
 my grandparents all the time.

00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:16.720
 These are my fraternal

00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.139
 grandparents.

00:16:17.540 --> 00:16:17.840
 And man,

00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:19.159
 I loved my grandpa.

00:16:19.920 --> 00:16:21.440
 He and I had this

00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:22.580
 like super special

00:16:22.580 --> 00:16:23.159
 relationship

00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:26.460
 that I can't really

00:16:26.460 --> 00:16:27.800
 think about any other way.

00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:29.300
 It was just amazing.

00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:30.040
 He would call me.

00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:31.300
 He made me like the Braves

00:16:31.300 --> 00:16:32.000
 when they were terrible

00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:32.779
 and watch them.

00:16:32.779 --> 00:16:35.399
 He also saved

00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:36.500
 all his Kellogg's box tops

00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:37.019
 to get me the

00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:38.139
 worst to first t-shirt

00:16:38.139 --> 00:16:39.579
 when they won.

00:16:41.439 --> 00:16:42.659
 In this particular year,

00:16:43.199 --> 00:16:44.799
 I went and my brother

00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:46.620
 got some really cool

00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:47.899
 electronic gadget

00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:49.000
 from them of some sort.

00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:50.899
 My sister got something

00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:52.059
 really cool as well.

00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:54.379
 And I got

00:16:54.379 --> 00:16:56.480
 a giant pack

00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:58.120
 of Calvin Klein underwear.

00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:03.600
 and I turned

00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.359
 into the

00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.779
 most childish

00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:08.819
 child

00:17:08.819 --> 00:17:09.740
 I could possibly

00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:10.460
 be at the time.

00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:12.559
 And I remember

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.220
 getting up

00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:13.900
 out of the room

00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:14.660
 that we were in

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:16.420
 and angry crying.

00:17:16.579 --> 00:17:16.740
 You know,

00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:17.359
 I wasn't like,

00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:17.759
 oh, cute,

00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:18.740
 the kid's really sad crying.

00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:19.160
 It was like,

00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:20.319
 wow, what a brat crying.

00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:21.680
 And I got up

00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:22.299
 and I went into

00:17:22.299 --> 00:17:23.119
 the other room

00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:23.880
 and I continued

00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:24.500
 in my fit

00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:26.319
 and my poor grandfather

00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:27.000
 follows me

00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:28.519
 and he was a huge man

00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:28.839
 as well.

00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:29.920
 And he came in

00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.359
 and he was like,

00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:30.539
 buddy,

00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:31.339
 don't you want these?

00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:31.799
 Look,

00:17:31.859 --> 00:17:32.839
 they're Calvin Kleens.

00:17:32.940 --> 00:17:33.779
 They're really nice.

00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:36.960
 And I just continued

00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:37.559
 to persist

00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:40.200
 in my ways there

00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:41.059
 in my childishness.

00:17:44.740 --> 00:17:45.819
 About 15 years ago,

00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:46.700
 it will be 15 years

00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:48.640
 this coming May,

00:17:49.099 --> 00:17:50.380
 I had the opportunity

00:17:50.380 --> 00:17:52.759
 to sit with him

00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:54.519
 for about his last week

00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:55.160
 of hospice,

00:17:55.380 --> 00:17:56.059
 I guess the last

00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:56.900
 five days or so.

00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:59.500
 And

00:17:59.500 --> 00:18:01.359
 as sad as it was

00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:01.900
 to sit there

00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:02.920
 with my grandfather

00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:03.599
 who was this mountain

00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:04.200
 of a man

00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:05.099
 who'd wasted away

00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:06.200
 to nothing

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:09.099
 to hold his hand

00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:10.599
 to see that he needed

00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:11.619
 everything done for him.

00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:16.440
 It was really incredible

00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:17.539
 just to be there

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:18.299
 with my grandpa

00:18:18.299 --> 00:18:20.599
 and to

00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:23.119
 experience that

00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:24.279
 love

00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:25.359
 that I have

00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:25.379
 that I have

00:18:25.379 --> 00:18:25.899
 for him

00:18:25.899 --> 00:18:28.119
 and the relationship

00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:29.579
 that we had.

00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:31.220
 He was a good man.

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:32.720
 He was a nice guy.

00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:34.960
 And he worked hard.

00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:36.399
 And he taught me

00:18:36.399 --> 00:18:37.220
 a lot of things.

00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.660
 And I was able

00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:40.960
 to be in that space

00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:42.519
 just simply rejoicing

00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:43.279
 over him

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.299
 and his life

00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:46.259
 and who

00:18:46.259 --> 00:18:47.500
 he was,

00:18:48.299 --> 00:18:48.960
 who God

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:49.799
 had made him to be.

00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:54.460
 And I feel like

00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:55.200
 that reflects

00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:55.879
 in

00:18:55.879 --> 00:18:57.839
 all of our stories

00:18:57.839 --> 00:18:58.279
 a little bit,

00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:59.180
 certainly in mine,

00:19:00.220 --> 00:19:00.980
 that

00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:02.119
 more often

00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:02.740
 than not

00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.200
 I do

00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.339
 the navel-gazing thing.

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:06.559
 And I kick

00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:07.200
 and I scream

00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.059
 because the gift

00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:08.639
 I got

00:19:08.639 --> 00:19:10.119
 was a pair

00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:10.579
 of underwear

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:11.639
 when the other people

00:19:11.639 --> 00:19:12.079
 around me

00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:12.500
 got bigger

00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:13.299
 and better stuff.

00:19:13.299 --> 00:19:16.299
 or because

00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:18.079
 the providential hand

00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:19.259
 handed me something

00:19:19.259 --> 00:19:20.000
 that I wasn't

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.119
 wanting or expecting.

00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:23.319
 Whereas the people

00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:23.799
 around me

00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:24.740
 don't have

00:19:24.740 --> 00:19:26.139
 any problems.

00:19:27.899 --> 00:19:28.680
 And I picked

00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:29.539
 out six passages

00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:30.579
 but what we see

00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:32.039
 from the entire

00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:32.919
 corpus of scripture

00:19:32.919 --> 00:19:34.099
 is that that's

00:19:34.099 --> 00:19:35.159
 not what joy

00:19:35.159 --> 00:19:35.779
 is.

00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:37.799
 Joy

00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:39.680
 is the Holy

00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:40.279
 Spirit

00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:41.659
 given experience

00:19:41.660 --> 00:19:43.400
 of God's

00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:44.320
 fatherly love

00:19:44.320 --> 00:19:45.000
 for us

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.440
 shown in

00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:47.240
 Jesus Christ.

00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:49.800
 It's an experience.

00:19:51.620 --> 00:19:52.440
 And rejoicing

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.320
 is an expression

00:19:53.320 --> 00:19:54.200
 of what that

00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:55.240
 experience is.

00:19:56.060 --> 00:19:56.640
 This is my

00:19:56.640 --> 00:19:57.040
 definition.

00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:57.600
 This isn't a

00:19:57.600 --> 00:19:58.320
 concrete definition.

00:19:58.519 --> 00:19:58.840
 You're welcome

00:19:58.840 --> 00:19:59.540
 to try to tear it

00:19:59.540 --> 00:20:00.180
 apart at places

00:20:00.180 --> 00:20:00.900
 but I feel like

00:20:00.900 --> 00:20:01.560
 it's pretty solid.

00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:05.779
 And this rejoicing,

00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.440
 this recognition

00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:07.580
 of who Jesus is,

00:20:08.019 --> 00:20:09.320
 it's Holy Spirit

00:20:09.320 --> 00:20:09.740
 given.

00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:11.140
 It's not something

00:20:11.140 --> 00:20:11.980
 we can drum up

00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:12.600
 in and of

00:20:12.600 --> 00:20:13.000
 ourselves.

00:20:13.100 --> 00:20:13.820
 We can't do it.

00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:16.020
 When your mind

00:20:16.020 --> 00:20:16.520
 is illumined

00:20:16.520 --> 00:20:17.140
 to the reality

00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:18.120
 of who God is,

00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:18.840
 you can't help

00:20:18.840 --> 00:20:19.320
 but rejoice

00:20:19.320 --> 00:20:20.200
 in his character

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:22.920
 and begin to dwell

00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:23.660
 more and more

00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:24.040
 there.

00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:24.560
 And you're not

00:20:24.560 --> 00:20:25.360
 expected to.

00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:25.860
 It's actually

00:20:25.860 --> 00:20:26.400
 a promise

00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:27.360
 that that's

00:20:27.360 --> 00:20:28.220
 what is going

00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:28.759
 to be given

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.280
 to you.

00:20:31.020 --> 00:20:31.720
 The only thing

00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:32.240
 we can do

00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:32.820
 is dwell

00:20:32.820 --> 00:20:33.940
 on ourselves

00:20:33.940 --> 00:20:34.400
 more

00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:35.900
 and try to

00:20:35.900 --> 00:20:36.280
 thwart that

00:20:36.280 --> 00:20:36.960
 process.

00:20:38.060 --> 00:20:38.420
 And that's

00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:39.000
 not what God

00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:39.680
 would have for us.

00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:39.980
 That's not what

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:40.519
 God would have

00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:41.220
 for us

00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:41.640
 in our lives

00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:42.059
 at all.

00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:45.880
 So Paul's

00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:46.200
 giving us

00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:46.599
 these three

00:20:46.599 --> 00:20:47.000
 things,

00:20:47.120 --> 00:20:47.599
 rejoicing,

00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:48.160
 prayer,

00:20:48.819 --> 00:20:49.700
 and thanksgiving

00:20:49.700 --> 00:20:51.920
 as a set

00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:52.559
 of building blocks

00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:53.120
 to go one

00:20:53.120 --> 00:20:53.640
 on top of

00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:54.059
 the other.

00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.120
 Because once

00:20:56.120 --> 00:20:56.539
 you're able

00:20:56.539 --> 00:20:57.259
 to rejoice,

00:20:57.440 --> 00:20:57.819
 then you're

00:20:57.819 --> 00:20:58.200
 able to

00:20:58.200 --> 00:20:58.940
 understand

00:20:58.940 --> 00:20:59.940
 prayer

00:20:59.940 --> 00:21:01.559
 and what

00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:02.059
 prayer should

00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:02.480
 be.

00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:07.759
 prayer to

00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:08.099
 us

00:21:08.099 --> 00:21:08.360
 and to

00:21:08.360 --> 00:21:08.680
 a lot

00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:08.799
 of

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.039
 people.

00:21:09.140 --> 00:21:09.299
 I don't

00:21:09.299 --> 00:21:09.640
 know how

00:21:09.640 --> 00:21:10.180
 you pray

00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:10.559
 in your

00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:10.900
 home.

00:21:12.900 --> 00:21:13.259
 Perhaps

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:13.640
 it's over

00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:14.019
 breakfast

00:21:14.019 --> 00:21:15.279
 as a meal.

00:21:16.620 --> 00:21:16.980
 Perhaps

00:21:16.980 --> 00:21:17.660
 it is

00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:18.299
 with your

00:21:18.299 --> 00:21:18.620
 kids as

00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:18.740
 you're

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:18.960
 tucking

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:19.160
 them in

00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:19.500
 at night.

00:21:20.140 --> 00:21:20.500
 Perhaps

00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:20.740
 you go

00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:20.980
 to lunch

00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:21.200
 with a

00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:21.480
 friend.

00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:23.299
 Maybe

00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:23.660
 you have

00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:23.920
 legit

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.200
 quiet

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:24.519
 times

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:24.740
 in the

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:24.920
 morning

00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:25.200
 as a

00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:25.559
 discipline.

00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:27.500
 Prayer

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:27.900
 tends to be

00:21:27.900 --> 00:21:28.099
 pretty

00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:28.720
 ritualistic

00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:29.180
 for us.

00:21:29.259 --> 00:21:29.400
 And it

00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:29.680
 was certainly

00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:30.039
 no different

00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:30.500
 for the

00:21:30.500 --> 00:21:31.139
 Thessalonians,

00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:31.599
 especially a

00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:31.779
 lot of

00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:32.099
 them coming

00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:32.420
 out of a

00:21:32.420 --> 00:21:32.579
 pagan

00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:33.119
 background,

00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:34.119
 even a

00:21:34.119 --> 00:21:34.299
 Jewish

00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:34.680
 background.

00:21:34.779 --> 00:21:35.079
 You pray

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:35.460
 when you're

00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:35.899
 supposed to

00:21:35.899 --> 00:21:36.119
 pray.

00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:38.399
 But it

00:21:38.399 --> 00:21:38.720
 feels like

00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.859
 this distant

00:21:39.859 --> 00:21:40.659
 thing that

00:21:40.659 --> 00:21:41.359
 we have to

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:42.359
 work through

00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:42.859
 because we

00:21:42.859 --> 00:21:43.279
 don't know

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:43.759
 how to do

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:43.960
 it.

00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:44.579
 I'm

00:21:44.579 --> 00:21:44.839
 certainly

00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:45.139
 there.

00:21:47.819 --> 00:21:48.399
 I was

00:21:48.399 --> 00:21:49.180
 listening to

00:21:49.180 --> 00:21:49.579
 someone speak

00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:49.859
 the other

00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:50.180
 day and

00:21:50.180 --> 00:21:50.460
 they said,

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:50.680
 you know,

00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:51.700
 I'm not

00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:52.220
 sure I know

00:21:52.220 --> 00:21:52.519
 how to

00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:52.980
 pray anymore.

00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:53.299
 I'm not

00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:53.579
 sure I

00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:53.940
 have the

00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:54.339
 words.

00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:56.460
 I

00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:56.740
 certainly

00:21:56.740 --> 00:21:57.119
 understand

00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:57.559
 that as

00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:57.799
 well.

00:21:59.420 --> 00:21:59.779
 But

00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:00.339
 prayer as

00:22:00.339 --> 00:22:00.960
 an activity

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:02.099
 is not

00:22:02.099 --> 00:22:02.619
 really what

00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:02.920
 Paul's

00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:03.559
 talking about

00:22:03.559 --> 00:22:03.759
 here.

00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:04.059
 He's talking

00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:04.500
 about prayer

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:04.819
 as a

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:05.200
 posture.

00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:05.759
 Because he

00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:06.299
 says pray

00:22:06.299 --> 00:22:06.859
 always.

00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:07.139
 Pray

00:22:07.139 --> 00:22:07.639
 continually.

00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:07.940
 Don't

00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:08.420
 stop doing

00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:08.680
 it.

00:22:09.899 --> 00:22:10.440
 And he's

00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:11.000
 not saying

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.379
 to these

00:22:11.379 --> 00:22:11.619
 people,

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:11.859
 hey,

00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:12.379
 whatever you're

00:22:12.379 --> 00:22:12.579
 doing,

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:13.259
 just stop

00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:13.480
 and you

00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:13.740
 be in

00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:14.139
 prayer all

00:22:14.139 --> 00:22:14.500
 the time.

00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:14.920
 That's not

00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:15.099
 it.

00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:15.779
 There's some

00:22:15.779 --> 00:22:17.039
 literary device

00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:17.599
 happening here.

00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:17.859
 This is

00:22:17.859 --> 00:22:18.440
 hyperbole.

00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:20.240
 But it's

00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:20.700
 speaking to

00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:21.339
 what your

00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:21.980
 relationship to

00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:22.319
 God is

00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:22.759
 supposed to

00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:23.259
 be based

00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:23.920
 upon prayer.

00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:25.299
 Because I

00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:25.799
 think for a

00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:26.220
 lot of us,

00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:26.960
 we don't have

00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:27.359
 a posture

00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:27.659
 that's

00:22:27.659 --> 00:22:29.159
 willing to

00:22:29.159 --> 00:22:29.459
 pray.

00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:31.579
 And so

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:31.959
 Paul says,

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.259
 have a

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:32.759
 posture that

00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:33.179
 is willing

00:22:33.179 --> 00:22:33.679
 to pursue

00:22:33.679 --> 00:22:34.459
 communication.

00:22:36.179 --> 00:22:36.919
 The writer of

00:22:36.919 --> 00:22:38.019
 Hebrews said

00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:38.339
 this,

00:22:38.339 --> 00:23:06.959
 That's not

00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.160
 what he

00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:07.559
 says.

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:09.340
 He says,

00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:10.039
 because he

00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:10.559
 who is

00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:12.620
 faithful has

00:23:12.620 --> 00:23:13.279
 promised it.

00:23:15.340 --> 00:23:15.819
 That's

00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:16.140
 why.

00:23:17.900 --> 00:23:18.559
 We have

00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:19.039
 this access

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.720
 to God

00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:20.360
 that we

00:23:20.360 --> 00:23:20.819
 take for

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:21.019
 granted.

00:23:21.100 --> 00:23:21.360
 I take

00:23:21.360 --> 00:23:21.740
 for granted.

00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:25.240
 It's not

00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:25.740
 intended to

00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:25.980
 be a

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:26.620
 ritualistic,

00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:27.620
 cold thing.

00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.019
 It's

00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:29.460
 supposed to

00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:29.819
 be some

00:23:29.819 --> 00:23:30.200
 kind of

00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:30.960
 constant line

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.759
 of communication.

00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:32.900
 And when we

00:23:32.900 --> 00:23:33.440
 forget that

00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.259
 Jesus actually

00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:35.039
 tore the

00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:35.299
 veil,

00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:35.759
 we're able

00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:36.319
 to go

00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:37.140
 before God

00:23:37.140 --> 00:23:39.019
 because Jesus

00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:39.779
 is intercessing

00:23:39.779 --> 00:23:40.519
 for us.

00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:41.819
 It should

00:23:41.819 --> 00:23:42.319
 change our

00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:43.019
 attitude toward

00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:43.539
 prayer at

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:43.879
 all.

00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:45.460
 From a

00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.119
 willingness to

00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:48.559
 try to

00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:49.039
 something more

00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:49.599
 of a need

00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.279
 to try,

00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:52.420
 a need to

00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:52.960
 pursue this

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.559
 communication.

00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:55.680
 Y'all,

00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:56.579
 I'm lost.

00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:57.519
 I know it.

00:23:57.640 --> 00:23:58.240
 I'm amazed

00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:59.140
 every single

00:23:59.140 --> 00:23:59.799
 day when I

00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:00.480
 consider who

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.039
 I am.

00:24:02.140 --> 00:24:03.059
 My past,

00:24:03.160 --> 00:24:03.680
 my present,

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:04.460
 the sins that

00:24:04.460 --> 00:24:05.240
 confront me all

00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:05.599
 around,

00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:07.839
 that I am

00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:08.539
 able to

00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:09.539
 do anything

00:24:09.539 --> 00:24:11.940
 that remotely

00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:13.000
 seems encouraging

00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:13.700
 to believers,

00:24:14.339 --> 00:24:15.160
 certainly not to

00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:15.779
 be a vocational

00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:16.220
 Christian.

00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:21.019
 And I can't

00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:21.420
 help but see

00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:22.240
 myself in some

00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:23.039
 of these verses

00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:23.799
 as I consider

00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:24.559
 my posture

00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:25.160
 needing to

00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:25.420
 pursue

00:24:25.420 --> 00:24:26.140
 communication.

00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:28.039
 Psalm 10

00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.460
 4,

00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:29.620
 this is me

00:24:29.620 --> 00:24:30.160
 and the pride

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:30.759
 of his face,

00:24:30.859 --> 00:24:31.160
 the wicked

00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:31.559
 does not

00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:32.099
 seek him.

00:24:32.819 --> 00:24:33.299
 All his

00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:33.779
 thoughts are

00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:34.440
 there is no

00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:34.759
 God.

00:24:34.840 --> 00:24:35.140
 Maybe I

00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:35.420
 don't say

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:35.740
 that out

00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:35.940
 loud,

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:36.220
 but I

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:36.720
 function that

00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.320
 way a lot.

00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:39.519
 Psalm 58

00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:39.860
 3,

00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:40.299
 the wicked

00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:40.980
 are estranged

00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:41.400
 from the

00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:41.779
 womb.

00:24:42.820 --> 00:24:43.220
 They go

00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:44.100
 astray from

00:24:44.100 --> 00:24:44.799
 birth speaking

00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:45.500
 lies.

00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:46.960
 The good

00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:47.620
 Calvinist in

00:24:47.620 --> 00:24:48.740
 me wants

00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:49.340
 to say that.

00:24:50.380 --> 00:24:51.039
 Romans 8

00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.460
 7,

00:24:52.539 --> 00:24:53.080
 the mind

00:24:53.080 --> 00:24:53.600
 that's set

00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:53.940
 on the

00:24:53.940 --> 00:24:54.500
 flesh is

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:55.059
 hostile to

00:24:55.059 --> 00:24:55.440
 God.

00:24:55.820 --> 00:24:56.860
 It doesn't

00:24:56.860 --> 00:24:57.340
 submit to

00:24:57.340 --> 00:24:57.900
 God's law

00:24:57.900 --> 00:24:58.100
 and it

00:24:58.100 --> 00:24:58.480
 can't.

00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:01.120
 Then here's

00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:01.379
 the big

00:25:01.379 --> 00:25:01.679
 one and

00:25:01.679 --> 00:25:01.979
 a great

00:25:01.979 --> 00:25:02.379
 place to

00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:02.819
 start when

00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:03.319
 we consider

00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:04.139
 prayer and

00:25:04.139 --> 00:25:04.899
 its importance.

00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:06.319
 If we say

00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:06.759
 we have no

00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:07.159
 sin, we

00:25:07.159 --> 00:25:07.479
 deceive

00:25:07.479 --> 00:25:08.099
 ourselves and

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:08.500
 the truth

00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:08.959
 isn't in

00:25:08.959 --> 00:25:09.319
 us.

00:25:10.459 --> 00:25:11.059
 But if we

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.779
 confess our

00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:13.599
 sins, he's

00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:14.099
 faithful and

00:25:14.099 --> 00:25:14.699
 he's just to

00:25:14.699 --> 00:25:15.199
 forgive us of

00:25:15.199 --> 00:25:16.799
 our sins and

00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:17.419
 to cleanse us

00:25:17.419 --> 00:25:17.839
 from all

00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:18.839
 unrighteousness.

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:21.099
 Because if we

00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:21.679
 say we haven't

00:25:21.679 --> 00:25:22.500
 sinned, we

00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:22.959
 make him a

00:25:22.959 --> 00:25:24.500
 liar and we

00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:24.919
 know that his

00:25:24.919 --> 00:25:25.500
 word is not

00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:25.959
 in us.

00:25:28.359 --> 00:25:28.819
 That's not

00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:29.239
 where we want

00:25:29.239 --> 00:25:29.519
 to be and

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:29.759
 that's not

00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:30.159
 where Paul's

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:30.759
 encouraging us

00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:31.019
 to be.

00:25:31.100 --> 00:25:31.720
 Believer, he's

00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:32.860
 saying, this

00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:33.480
 isn't you.

00:25:36.060 --> 00:25:36.740
 Jesus has

00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:37.140
 done something

00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:37.540
 in you that

00:25:37.540 --> 00:25:38.019
 you couldn't

00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.360
 earn and

00:25:38.360 --> 00:25:38.600
 that you

00:25:38.600 --> 00:25:39.360
 can't maintain.

00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:42.019
 And what

00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:42.480
 God wants

00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:43.779
 for you is

00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:44.480
 to continue

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:46.019
 in prayer all

00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:46.540
 the time and

00:25:46.540 --> 00:25:46.860
 to have a

00:25:46.860 --> 00:25:47.420
 dialogue with

00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:47.680
 him that

00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.600
 recognizes that

00:25:48.600 --> 00:25:50.080
 and that

00:25:50.080 --> 00:25:51.040
 understands that.

00:25:53.120 --> 00:25:53.720
 So we go

00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:54.060
 from this

00:25:54.060 --> 00:25:54.880
 willing posture,

00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:56.620
 and I'm

00:25:56.620 --> 00:25:56.960
 talking about

00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:57.700
 sanctification as

00:25:57.700 --> 00:25:58.060
 I'm saying,

00:25:58.140 --> 00:25:58.500
 so we go from

00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:58.960
 this willing

00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.420
 posture,

00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:00.800
 to this

00:26:00.800 --> 00:26:01.100
 needing

00:26:01.100 --> 00:26:01.620
 posture,

00:26:02.620 --> 00:26:04.300
 and we

00:26:04.300 --> 00:26:04.640
 get to this

00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:04.940
 wanting

00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:05.400
 posture.

00:26:05.540 --> 00:26:05.960
 Jesus says

00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:06.320
 this great

00:26:06.320 --> 00:26:06.640
 thing in

00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:07.240
 Matthew 7,

00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:08.380
 a lot of

00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:08.700
 great things

00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:08.940
 in Matthew

00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:09.200
 7.

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:09.460
 I'm going to

00:26:09.460 --> 00:26:09.800
 pick this

00:26:09.800 --> 00:26:10.019
 one.

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:11.080
 7 verse

00:26:11.080 --> 00:26:11.500
 11,

00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:12.660
 if you then

00:26:12.660 --> 00:26:13.200
 who are evil

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:13.700
 know how to

00:26:13.700 --> 00:26:14.040
 give good

00:26:14.040 --> 00:26:14.500
 gifts to your

00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:14.900
 children,

00:26:15.740 --> 00:26:16.140
 how much

00:26:16.140 --> 00:26:16.519
 more will

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.000
 your father

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.440
 who's in

00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:18.860
 heaven give

00:26:18.860 --> 00:26:19.580
 good gifts

00:26:19.580 --> 00:26:20.920
 and good

00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:21.360
 things to

00:26:21.360 --> 00:26:21.700
 those who

00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.160
 ask him?

00:26:24.180 --> 00:26:24.759
 That's our

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:25.540
 relationship with

00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:25.920
 God.

00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:29.059
 That was

00:26:29.059 --> 00:26:30.379
 2005, I

00:26:30.379 --> 00:26:30.799
 was on a

00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.519
 job site in

00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:32.059
 West Ocean

00:26:32.059 --> 00:26:32.779
 City, Maryland,

00:26:32.920 --> 00:26:33.579
 the first time I

00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:34.279
 received a text

00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:34.920
 message on my

00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:35.159
 phone.

00:26:37.339 --> 00:26:38.399
 At the time, I

00:26:38.399 --> 00:26:39.240
 made a vow to

00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:39.720
 the people who

00:26:39.720 --> 00:26:40.200
 were around me

00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:40.559
 that I would

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:41.299
 never again

00:26:41.299 --> 00:26:43.420
 receive a text

00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:44.000
 message or send

00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:44.579
 a text message.

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.119
 I was going to

00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:45.480
 get rid of

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:45.879
 whatever this

00:26:45.879 --> 00:26:46.200
 thing was

00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:46.720
 happening that

00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:47.359
 caused people to

00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:47.720
 not want to

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:48.019
 pick up the

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.420
 phone and call

00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:48.799
 each other

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:51.079
 and not try

00:26:51.079 --> 00:26:51.779
 to sit there

00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:52.220
 and tap my

00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:52.500
 phone.

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.639
 Youth in the

00:26:54.639 --> 00:26:55.119
 room, you

00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:55.659
 used to have to

00:26:55.659 --> 00:26:56.440
 tap every button

00:26:56.440 --> 00:26:57.419
 multiple times in

00:26:57.419 --> 00:26:58.000
 order to get a

00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:58.659
 letter to appear

00:26:58.659 --> 00:26:59.079
 and if you

00:26:59.079 --> 00:27:00.159
 missed it, you

00:27:00.159 --> 00:27:00.539
 had to do it

00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:01.279
 all over again

00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:02.480
 and you got the

00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:02.960
 numbers and the

00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:03.319
 symbols and

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:03.700
 everything that

00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:04.220
 was associated

00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:04.559
 with it.

00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:04.859
 It was a very

00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:05.839
 frustrating process.

00:27:07.859 --> 00:27:08.399
 It wasn't very

00:27:08.399 --> 00:27:09.000
 long after that

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:09.579
 that I saw that

00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:10.019
 this was going to

00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:11.740
 catch on and

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.399
 so I showed some

00:27:12.399 --> 00:27:12.759
 kind of a

00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:14.819
 willingness to do

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:15.339
 it because it

00:27:15.339 --> 00:27:16.099
 just made sense.

00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.680
 Two-way radios

00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:18.559
 are cumbersome.

00:27:19.159 --> 00:27:19.680
 Phone calls

00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:20.579
 became cumbersome.

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.159
 Everything that

00:27:21.159 --> 00:27:21.799
 I'd ever believed

00:27:21.799 --> 00:27:22.599
 in my whole life

00:27:22.599 --> 00:27:23.099
 ever since the

00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:23.579
 first time I

00:27:23.579 --> 00:27:24.259
 turned a phone

00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:26.159
 was thrown out

00:27:26.159 --> 00:27:27.440
 the window for

00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:28.059
 text messaging.

00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.819
 And I see it

00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:32.419
 today a lot,

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.240
 especially working

00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:33.659
 with youth.

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:35.419
 The beauty of

00:27:35.419 --> 00:27:36.460
 your Galaxy S

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.440
 and your iPhone

00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:39.119
 is that when you

00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:40.259
 do text messaging

00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:41.779
 it holds your

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:42.480
 whole conversation

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:43.000
 there, right?

00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:46.619
 So I went from

00:27:46.619 --> 00:27:47.159
 this willingness

00:27:47.159 --> 00:27:48.159
 to participate

00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:50.740
 to seeing this

00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:51.519
 need, this

00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:52.720
 technological need

00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:53.380
 to reach out

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:53.960
 and be connected

00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:54.519
 to people,

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:56.019
 not by calling

00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:56.500
 them or going

00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:57.180
 to visit them,

00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:58.259
 but by texting

00:27:58.259 --> 00:27:58.640
 them.

00:27:59.000 --> 00:27:59.700
 There's an absolute

00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:00.580
 need for it.

00:28:01.860 --> 00:28:02.380
 But when I can

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:03.140
 open up my phone

00:28:03.140 --> 00:28:04.620
 and see every bit

00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:05.840
 of the conversation

00:28:05.840 --> 00:28:06.460
 that my wife

00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:08.120
 and I just had

00:28:08.120 --> 00:28:09.320
 and have had

00:28:09.320 --> 00:28:10.620
 over recent time,

00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:13.059
 I really want to

00:28:13.059 --> 00:28:13.959
 be texting my

00:28:13.959 --> 00:28:14.519
 wife and I want

00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:14.899
 to look back

00:28:14.899 --> 00:28:15.239
 at the funny

00:28:15.239 --> 00:28:15.659
 things we've

00:28:15.659 --> 00:28:16.099
 said to each

00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:16.500
 other, the

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:16.899
 picture that

00:28:16.899 --> 00:28:17.359
 she sent me

00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:17.879
 of the boys

00:28:17.879 --> 00:28:18.539
 or the dogs

00:28:18.539 --> 00:28:20.659
 or whatever.

00:28:21.199 --> 00:28:22.039
 Friends that are

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.739
 all around the

00:28:22.739 --> 00:28:23.539
 country, we can

00:28:23.539 --> 00:28:24.299
 have this

00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:24.879
 never-ending

00:28:24.879 --> 00:28:25.659
 conversation.

00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:29.379
 And we keep

00:28:29.379 --> 00:28:30.059
 ourselves locked

00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:30.679
 into this

00:28:30.679 --> 00:28:31.479
 ritualistic

00:28:31.479 --> 00:28:32.439
 communication with

00:28:32.439 --> 00:28:32.859
 the Heavenly

00:28:32.859 --> 00:28:34.579
 Father who sent

00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:35.419
 us a book about

00:28:35.419 --> 00:28:36.399
 His love for us

00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:38.140
 and chased us

00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:38.880
 down in time

00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:39.460
 and space

00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:39.940
 through His

00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:41.420
 works because

00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:42.400
 of who He is,

00:28:43.580 --> 00:28:44.240
 told us about

00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:44.720
 it in His

00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:45.100
 Word.

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:47.940
 And I don't

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:48.220
 want to

00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:48.940
 communicate with

00:28:48.940 --> 00:28:49.580
 God in that

00:28:49.580 --> 00:28:50.380
 way, the way

00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:50.780
 that I want to

00:28:50.780 --> 00:28:51.340
 communicate with

00:28:51.340 --> 00:28:51.860
 my wife.

00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.940
 Certainly it's

00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:54.740
 more than that.

00:28:56.040 --> 00:28:56.600
 Every metaphor

00:28:56.600 --> 00:28:57.320
 breaks at some

00:28:57.320 --> 00:28:57.620
 point.

00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:00.259
 But it's at

00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:01.100
 least that too.

00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:02.840
 That's the

00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:03.660
 wanting posture

00:29:03.660 --> 00:29:04.380
 Paul's talking

00:29:04.380 --> 00:29:04.860
 about, about

00:29:04.860 --> 00:29:05.740
 praying constantly.

00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:07.200
 It's this

00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:08.019
 constant attitude

00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:08.680
 of knowing

00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:09.860
 where you stand

00:29:09.860 --> 00:29:10.960
 with your

00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:11.660
 Heavenly Father.

00:29:11.780 --> 00:29:12.220
 It's a gift

00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:12.800
 to us.

00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:14.640
 You're rejoicing

00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:15.580
 in who He is.

00:29:17.600 --> 00:29:18.460
 Pray continually.

00:29:20.900 --> 00:29:21.800
 And that can

00:29:21.800 --> 00:29:22.640
 bring us to

00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:23.540
 the third thing

00:29:23.540 --> 00:29:24.060
 there, giving

00:29:24.060 --> 00:29:24.600
 thanks.

00:29:28.800 --> 00:29:29.680
 This is the

00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:30.259
 most unnatural

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:31.440
 one, in my

00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:31.720
 opinion.

00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:35.300
 People who

00:29:35.300 --> 00:29:35.900
 have lived

00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:36.380
 through hard

00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:37.220
 times in our

00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:39.100
 country, understand

00:29:39.100 --> 00:29:41.259
 that it's not

00:29:41.259 --> 00:29:41.960
 easy to give

00:29:41.960 --> 00:29:42.380
 thanks.

00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:43.360
 I grew up in a

00:29:43.360 --> 00:29:44.019
 pretty privileged

00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:44.640
 generation, I

00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:44.940
 would say.

00:29:45.860 --> 00:29:46.640
 People behind me

00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:47.420
 are pretty privileged

00:29:47.420 --> 00:29:47.940
 as well.

00:29:49.560 --> 00:29:50.200
 And we live in

00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:51.259
 this place now, as I

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:52.120
 said about me in

00:29:52.120 --> 00:29:52.560
 the intro.

00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:54.200
 My goal is to

00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:55.820
 insulate myself from

00:29:55.820 --> 00:29:56.880
 suffering because I

00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:57.580
 think it can't touch

00:29:57.580 --> 00:29:57.800
 me.

00:29:57.799 --> 00:30:02.359
 And so when even a

00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:03.339
 small thing happens

00:30:03.339 --> 00:30:06.619
 to me, the idea

00:30:06.619 --> 00:30:07.559
 of giving thanks is

00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:08.480
 not the first place

00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:08.940
 I rush.

00:30:10.059 --> 00:30:11.079
 Not by a long

00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:11.339
 shot.

00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:16.099
 And Paul's writing

00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:17.359
 to these Thessalonians.

00:30:17.539 --> 00:30:18.500
 These aren't unique

00:30:18.500 --> 00:30:19.339
 to the Thessalonians,

00:30:19.399 --> 00:30:19.519
 right?

00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:20.259
 If you look at

00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:21.099
 other books and

00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:21.639
 letters that Paul's

00:30:21.639 --> 00:30:22.599
 written, he gives

00:30:22.599 --> 00:30:23.359
 these commands to

00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:23.759
 everybody.

00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:25.680
 But especially to

00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:26.140
 this group of

00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:26.680
 people who he's

00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:27.299
 thankful for and

00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:28.099
 he's seen are

00:30:28.099 --> 00:30:29.240
 faithful and who

00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:30.299
 are living in this

00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:31.960
 time of constant

00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:32.559
 persecution.

00:30:35.980 --> 00:30:36.700
 Imagine just being

00:30:36.700 --> 00:30:37.359
 thrown out by your

00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:38.220
 family and figure it

00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:38.440
 out.

00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:41.640
 Your last dime's

00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:42.200
 paid so that

00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:42.720
 someone else can't

00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.579
 come and kill you,

00:30:43.819 --> 00:30:44.480
 but you might not

00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:45.000
 be able to work

00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:47.559
 because how are

00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:47.980
 you going to eat?

00:30:52.379 --> 00:30:53.059
 And Paul says

00:30:53.059 --> 00:30:53.720
 give thanks all

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.079
 ways.

00:30:55.380 --> 00:30:55.960
 And as I shared

00:30:55.960 --> 00:30:56.480
 there, Paul,

00:30:56.660 --> 00:30:57.180
 with the kids,

00:30:57.299 --> 00:30:58.779
 Paul was stoned,

00:30:58.940 --> 00:31:01.559
 beaten, spent two

00:31:01.559 --> 00:31:02.220
 years of his life

00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:02.960
 on house arrest,

00:31:03.860 --> 00:31:06.620
 finally imprisoned

00:31:06.620 --> 00:31:07.620
 again in Rome and

00:31:07.620 --> 00:31:08.360
 killed by Nero.

00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:12.579
 And he still didn't

00:31:12.579 --> 00:31:13.420
 think he was worthy

00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:14.279
 of the call.

00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:18.400
 He is the worst

00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:19.120
 sinner of everybody

00:31:19.120 --> 00:31:19.880
 according to himself.

00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:20.660
 We don't know why.

00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:21.380
 Maybe there were some

00:31:21.380 --> 00:31:22.360
 sins that we don't

00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:22.880
 know about.

00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:24.700
 But I bet it was

00:31:24.700 --> 00:31:25.559
 more than rhetorical.

00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:26.200
 I think that that

00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:26.980
 was a real emotion

00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:27.740
 that he felt.

00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.339
 And yet he could

00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:32.140
 say things like he

00:31:32.140 --> 00:31:32.880
 says in Colossians

00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:33.620
 3.17,

00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:35.779
 whatever you do

00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:37.519
 in word or in deed,

00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:39.480
 do everything in the

00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:39.980
 name of the Lord

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:40.360
 Jesus,

00:31:41.420 --> 00:31:42.500
 giving thanks to God

00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:43.299
 the Father through

00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:43.660
 him.

00:31:46.660 --> 00:31:47.480
 It's insanity.

00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:50.620
 I'm supposed to be

00:31:50.620 --> 00:31:51.720
 thankful watching my

00:31:51.720 --> 00:31:52.579
 grandfather die.

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:54.960
 I'm supposed to be

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:56.140
 thankful watching

00:31:56.140 --> 00:31:57.319
 friends die,

00:31:58.019 --> 00:31:58.700
 people around me

00:31:58.700 --> 00:31:59.579
 commit suicide,

00:31:59.700 --> 00:32:00.720
 my business fail,

00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:03.299
 heartache upon

00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:04.500
 heartache of people

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.680
 around me from

00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:08.000
 miscarriage to

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:10.860
 you name it.

00:32:10.859 --> 00:32:15.979
 bad diagnoses,

00:32:16.579 --> 00:32:17.559
 lost jobs,

00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:19.919
 giving thanks

00:32:19.919 --> 00:32:20.779
 always and in all

00:32:20.779 --> 00:32:21.879
 circumstances is

00:32:21.879 --> 00:32:23.319
 kind of a crazy

00:32:23.319 --> 00:32:25.399
 thing.

00:32:27.159 --> 00:32:27.979
 And we're usually

00:32:27.979 --> 00:32:28.919
 not very helpful to

00:32:28.919 --> 00:32:29.659
 each other, are we,

00:32:29.699 --> 00:32:30.299
 in that time?

00:32:30.639 --> 00:32:31.599
 We try to minimize

00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:32.699
 what's going on.

00:32:33.419 --> 00:32:34.099
 We try to minimize

00:32:34.099 --> 00:32:35.139
 the process that Paul

00:32:35.139 --> 00:32:35.879
 is actually walking

00:32:35.879 --> 00:32:36.459
 us through,

00:32:37.459 --> 00:32:38.899
 focusing on rejoicing

00:32:38.900 --> 00:32:39.860
 and who God is

00:32:39.860 --> 00:32:40.720
 because that'll let

00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:41.800
 you pray to him

00:32:41.800 --> 00:32:42.820
 about what he's

00:32:42.820 --> 00:32:43.240
 doing.

00:32:44.800 --> 00:32:45.560
 And ultimately,

00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:46.840
 that knowledge is

00:32:46.840 --> 00:32:47.720
 where we can sit in

00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:49.040
 a place of gratitude

00:32:49.040 --> 00:32:49.880
 and thanksgiving.

00:32:51.900 --> 00:32:52.400
 I don't know if

00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:52.860
 you've ever seen the

00:32:52.860 --> 00:32:53.640
 movie Shadowlands.

00:32:53.840 --> 00:32:54.540
 I like it a lot.

00:32:55.940 --> 00:32:58.780
 It stars Anthony

00:32:58.780 --> 00:33:00.019
 Hopkins as C.S.

00:33:00.080 --> 00:33:00.820
 Lewis' character

00:33:00.820 --> 00:33:02.580
 and basically goes

00:33:02.580 --> 00:33:04.620
 through the life

00:33:04.620 --> 00:33:06.720
 of the relationship

00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:07.480
 between C.S.

00:33:07.540 --> 00:33:08.540
 Lewis and his

00:33:08.539 --> 00:33:09.299
 wife Joy.

00:33:10.420 --> 00:33:11.700
 And spoiler alert,

00:33:11.899 --> 00:33:12.460
 Joy dies.

00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:15.220
 That wasn't meant

00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:15.920
 to be humorous.

00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:17.319
 That's where it's

00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:17.960
 leading and you know

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.539
 it from the beginning.

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:21.119
 And after Joy's

00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:21.500
 death,

00:33:22.859 --> 00:33:24.000
 C.S.

00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:24.720
 Lewis' character

00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:26.779
 named Jack.

00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:28.220
 I don't know

00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:28.500
 C.S.

00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:29.200
 Lewis, I didn't,

00:33:29.299 --> 00:33:29.879
 so I don't know if

00:33:29.879 --> 00:33:30.500
 Jack is what people

00:33:30.500 --> 00:33:31.019
 called him, but

00:33:31.019 --> 00:33:31.700
 that's what I believe

00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:32.200
 because the movie

00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:32.740
 told me so.

00:33:34.339 --> 00:33:35.920
 He brings himself

00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:39.240
 out of being a

00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:40.380
 recluse and finally

00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:41.560
 gets back around

00:33:41.560 --> 00:33:42.100
 his colleagues

00:33:42.100 --> 00:33:43.300
 and he enters a

00:33:43.300 --> 00:33:45.000
 cigar and brandy

00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:45.720
 kind of party

00:33:45.720 --> 00:33:46.560
 where people are

00:33:46.560 --> 00:33:47.200
 talking and

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:49.180
 one of the people

00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:49.539
 you've seen

00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:50.340
 throughout the movie,

00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:52.080
 a guy named Harry,

00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:53.240
 walks up to him

00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:53.660
 and says,

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:54.200
 well done,

00:33:54.340 --> 00:33:54.600
 Jack.

00:33:55.480 --> 00:33:56.759
 Life must go on.

00:33:56.759 --> 00:33:59.099
 Have you ever

00:33:59.099 --> 00:33:59.480
 said that to

00:33:59.480 --> 00:33:59.980
 somebody trying

00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.579
 to comfort them

00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:03.180
 and then immediately

00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:03.640
 wish you hadn't

00:34:03.640 --> 00:34:04.220
 opened your mouth?

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:06.339
 You know,

00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:06.819
 I feel like I do

00:34:06.819 --> 00:34:09.119
 that because you

00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:09.579
 don't know what to

00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.199
 say but you want

00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:11.139
 to be comforting

00:34:11.139 --> 00:34:14.360
 or sometimes you're

00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:15.099
 really just frustrated

00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:15.659
 that people are

00:34:15.659 --> 00:34:16.300
 living in a place

00:34:16.300 --> 00:34:16.840
 that you've not

00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:19.199
 experienced or that

00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:19.840
 you didn't let God

00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:20.579
 work on your heart

00:34:20.579 --> 00:34:21.019
 and so you've

00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:21.539
 hardened yourself

00:34:21.539 --> 00:34:22.280
 to that situation

00:34:22.280 --> 00:34:22.719
 and they're not

00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:23.219
 allowed to exist

00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:24.000
 there either so I'm

00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:24.300
 going to push

00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:25.059
 them past that.

00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:32.580
 Well,

00:34:32.600 --> 00:34:33.320
 Jack responds,

00:34:34.640 --> 00:34:36.080
 well I don't know

00:34:36.080 --> 00:34:37.620
 if life must go on

00:34:37.620 --> 00:34:39.840
 but it does

00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:43.920
 and he kind of

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.500
 sits there

00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:45.480
 broken hearted

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:46.200
 for a little while

00:34:46.200 --> 00:34:46.720
 frustrated,

00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:47.460
 irritated and

00:34:47.460 --> 00:34:48.040
 eventually walks

00:34:48.040 --> 00:34:48.580
 out of the party

00:34:48.580 --> 00:34:50.640
 and there's several

00:34:50.640 --> 00:34:51.280
 scenes that lead

00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:51.860
 up to that

00:34:51.860 --> 00:34:55.120
 but we have

00:34:55.120 --> 00:34:55.820
 this expectation

00:34:55.820 --> 00:34:56.500
 from each other

00:34:56.500 --> 00:34:56.940
 that we take

00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:57.500
 these statements

00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:58.099
 in a vacuum

00:34:58.099 --> 00:34:59.920
 and for some

00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.679
 reason give thanks

00:35:00.679 --> 00:35:01.199
 is the place

00:35:01.199 --> 00:35:01.960
 that we rush to.

00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.119
 Oh, you lost

00:35:05.119 --> 00:35:05.460
 a kidney?

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:06.739
 Give thanks that

00:35:06.739 --> 00:35:07.179
 you have another

00:35:07.179 --> 00:35:07.659
 one and they're

00:35:07.659 --> 00:35:08.659
 dialysis machines.

00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:10.219
 These things

00:35:10.219 --> 00:35:10.739
 might be true

00:35:10.739 --> 00:35:11.139
 and they might

00:35:11.139 --> 00:35:12.679
 be helpful in

00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:13.079
 time, it's

00:35:13.079 --> 00:35:13.519
 probably not

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:13.860
 what someone

00:35:13.860 --> 00:35:14.500
 needs to hear

00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:15.179
 at the cusp

00:35:15.179 --> 00:35:15.799
 of a diagnosis.

00:35:24.299 --> 00:35:25.799
 Because of God

00:35:25.799 --> 00:35:26.739
 revealing himself

00:35:26.739 --> 00:35:27.659
 to us through

00:35:27.659 --> 00:35:28.359
 his spirit,

00:35:28.819 --> 00:35:31.139
 because of him

00:35:31.139 --> 00:35:31.919
 inviting us

00:35:31.919 --> 00:35:32.619
 into communion

00:35:32.619 --> 00:35:33.500
 and relationship

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:34.119
 with him,

00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:36.859
 it has to alter

00:35:36.859 --> 00:35:37.559
 our minds

00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:38.239
 away from

00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:38.819
 ourselves,

00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:40.259
 away from who

00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:40.880
 we are

00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:43.100
 in and of

00:35:43.100 --> 00:35:43.560
 ourselves

00:35:43.560 --> 00:35:44.240
 and who he

00:35:44.240 --> 00:35:44.800
 is and what

00:35:44.800 --> 00:35:45.500
 he's doing.

00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:48.200
 And the only

00:35:48.200 --> 00:35:49.140
 way to be able

00:35:49.140 --> 00:35:50.140
 to give thanks

00:35:50.140 --> 00:35:50.960
 in a circumstance,

00:35:51.200 --> 00:35:51.860
 especially a really

00:35:51.860 --> 00:35:52.780
 dark circumstance,

00:35:52.780 --> 00:35:54.140
 for anything

00:35:54.140 --> 00:35:56.280
 is through an

00:35:56.280 --> 00:35:57.020
 acknowledgement of

00:35:57.020 --> 00:35:58.360
 God, who he is

00:35:58.360 --> 00:35:59.040
 and what he's doing

00:35:59.040 --> 00:35:59.760
 in the world,

00:36:00.760 --> 00:36:02.020
 the promises

00:36:02.020 --> 00:36:03.180
 he's made to us.

00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:06.379
 He's bringing

00:36:06.379 --> 00:36:07.379
 all things,

00:36:08.419 --> 00:36:09.059
 reconciling them

00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:09.839
 all to himself.

00:36:12.139 --> 00:36:13.199
 And this ability

00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:14.239
 to give thanks

00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:15.119
 is the ultimate

00:36:15.119 --> 00:36:16.480
 gift given

00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:17.079
 by the Holy

00:36:17.079 --> 00:36:19.239
 Spirit to

00:36:19.239 --> 00:36:20.279
 those who

00:36:20.279 --> 00:36:21.239
 have experienced

00:36:21.239 --> 00:36:22.099
 God's fatherly

00:36:22.099 --> 00:36:22.960
 love for us,

00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:25.059
 shown in Jesus.

00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:25.839
 Our Father

00:36:25.839 --> 00:36:27.779
 wouldn't bring

00:36:27.779 --> 00:36:28.460
 something like

00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:29.419
 this or allow

00:36:29.419 --> 00:36:30.319
 this to happen

00:36:30.319 --> 00:36:31.899
 unknowingly

00:36:31.899 --> 00:36:32.859
 or unwittingly

00:36:32.860 --> 00:36:33.460
 because it's

00:36:33.460 --> 00:36:34.260
 not who he is.

00:36:35.780 --> 00:36:36.579
 This isn't

00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:37.120
 the person

00:36:37.120 --> 00:36:37.640
 with whom

00:36:37.640 --> 00:36:38.099
 I have a

00:36:38.099 --> 00:36:38.680
 relationship.

00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:41.680
 If there's

00:36:41.680 --> 00:36:42.300
 a misunderstanding

00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:43.180
 in the party,

00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:43.800
 it's certainly

00:36:43.800 --> 00:36:44.680
 my misunderstanding.

00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:46.660
 It's not

00:36:46.660 --> 00:36:47.039
 God's

00:36:47.039 --> 00:36:47.579
 misunderstanding.

00:36:50.559 --> 00:36:51.280
 But we don't

00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:51.760
 practice that

00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:52.240
 very well.

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:53.620
 I've heard a few

00:36:53.620 --> 00:36:54.180
 things recently

00:36:54.180 --> 00:36:54.640
 that I thought

00:36:54.640 --> 00:36:55.079
 were great.

00:36:57.519 --> 00:36:58.220
 Do you ever

00:36:58.220 --> 00:36:58.820
 sit down with

00:36:58.820 --> 00:36:59.519
 these types of

00:36:59.519 --> 00:37:00.240
 things and write

00:37:00.240 --> 00:37:02.559
 down five ways

00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:02.900
 that you could

00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:03.460
 rejoice over

00:37:03.460 --> 00:37:04.000
 God today?

00:37:06.299 --> 00:37:06.900
 Five little

00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:07.460
 prayers you

00:37:07.460 --> 00:37:07.779
 could have

00:37:07.779 --> 00:37:08.099
 said.

00:37:10.039 --> 00:37:10.679
 Five things

00:37:10.679 --> 00:37:11.199
 to be thankful

00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:11.539
 for.

00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:12.619
 It's a 60

00:37:12.619 --> 00:37:13.320
 degree day in

00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:13.900
 late November.

00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:14.380
 We're going to

00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:15.000
 drive out of here

00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:15.559
 one way or the

00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:16.320
 other on Carl T.

00:37:16.779 --> 00:37:17.480
 You're going to,

00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:18.119
 well, some of you

00:37:18.119 --> 00:37:18.659
 might go that way.

00:37:18.779 --> 00:37:18.980
 Sorry.

00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:20.440
 You're going to see

00:37:20.440 --> 00:37:22.119
 beautiful blue sky

00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:23.099
 and a sun and

00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:24.219
 green mountain and

00:37:24.219 --> 00:37:25.139
 all of this amazing

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:25.460
 stuff.

00:37:25.500 --> 00:37:26.079
 And it's little,

00:37:26.279 --> 00:37:27.019
 it's really little,

00:37:27.219 --> 00:37:27.799
 but it's stuff that

00:37:27.799 --> 00:37:28.559
 we can look at and

00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:29.119
 go, man,

00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:31.599
 that's amazing.

00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:34.079
 Maybe it needs to

00:37:34.079 --> 00:37:34.480
 be a little more

00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:35.159
 simple than that.

00:37:35.339 --> 00:37:36.199
 You woke up this

00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:36.480
 morning.

00:37:38.699 --> 00:37:39.440
 We're breathing.

00:37:39.699 --> 00:37:40.139
 We're here.

00:37:41.219 --> 00:37:42.139
 We have ailments.

00:37:42.259 --> 00:37:42.799
 We have all sorts

00:37:42.799 --> 00:37:43.559
 of stuff going on

00:37:43.559 --> 00:37:44.079
 in life.

00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:45.880
 But we rush past

00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:46.460
 these things we're

00:37:46.460 --> 00:37:46.900
 supposed to be

00:37:46.900 --> 00:37:47.579
 thankful for.

00:37:49.259 --> 00:37:50.259
 And we rush to

00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:50.920
 what's wrong.

00:37:52.900 --> 00:37:53.579
 And that's my

00:37:53.579 --> 00:37:54.279
 heart's inclination

00:37:54.279 --> 00:37:55.079
 to be focused on

00:37:55.079 --> 00:37:55.739
 me, not to be

00:37:55.739 --> 00:37:56.460
 focused on God

00:37:56.460 --> 00:37:56.940
 and what he's

00:37:56.940 --> 00:37:57.440
 doing in the

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:57.699
 world.

00:37:59.119 --> 00:38:05.900
 The end of my

00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:08.179
 story is I

00:38:08.179 --> 00:38:08.880
 became a pastor

00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:09.380
 at Southwood

00:38:09.380 --> 00:38:10.199
 Presbyterian Church

00:38:10.199 --> 00:38:10.739
 in Huntsville.

00:38:10.960 --> 00:38:11.599
 Again, that was a

00:38:11.599 --> 00:38:12.179
 spoiler alert.

00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:15.619
 But from April

00:38:15.619 --> 00:38:17.219
 through August of

00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:18.319
 that year, we had

00:38:18.319 --> 00:38:19.440
 no idea what we

00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:19.980
 were going to do.

00:38:22.359 --> 00:38:23.460
 And the

00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:24.880
 pettiness of

00:38:24.880 --> 00:38:26.480
 what was going

00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:27.719
 on has become

00:38:27.719 --> 00:38:28.679
 really evident to

00:38:28.679 --> 00:38:29.779
 me over time.

00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:31.219
 We lived in a

00:38:31.219 --> 00:38:31.679
 very progressive

00:38:31.679 --> 00:38:32.519
 state in Maryland.

00:38:32.899 --> 00:38:33.859
 I can assure you,

00:38:34.460 --> 00:38:35.539
 nobody in Maryland

00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:38.500
 who pursues it

00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:39.339
 will go hungry.

00:38:39.739 --> 00:38:40.339
 Nobody's kids will

00:38:40.339 --> 00:38:41.000
 go without health

00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:41.299
 care.

00:38:41.879 --> 00:38:42.739
 I had great

00:38:42.739 --> 00:38:43.519
 business relationships.

00:38:43.659 --> 00:38:43.960
 People were

00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:44.879
 offering me jobs.

00:38:47.339 --> 00:38:48.559
 You know, my

00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:49.659
 well-being was not

00:38:49.659 --> 00:38:50.699
 at stake as far

00:38:50.699 --> 00:38:51.619
 as personal care

00:38:51.619 --> 00:38:52.119
 in the world

00:38:52.119 --> 00:38:52.559
 goes.

00:38:54.619 --> 00:38:55.699
 And somehow God

00:38:55.699 --> 00:38:56.799
 brought us through

00:38:56.800 --> 00:38:58.060
 that process.

00:38:58.060 --> 00:38:58.620
 I would say me,

00:38:58.700 --> 00:38:59.200
 I won't speak for

00:38:59.200 --> 00:39:00.820
 Emily, kicking and

00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:01.080
 screaming.

00:39:02.700 --> 00:39:03.400
 Because I became

00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:04.220
 very content in

00:39:04.220 --> 00:39:04.740
 whatever was

00:39:04.740 --> 00:39:05.580
 happening next and I

00:39:05.580 --> 00:39:06.080
 didn't know what

00:39:06.080 --> 00:39:06.960
 was happening next.

00:39:07.820 --> 00:39:08.420
 And it didn't make

00:39:08.420 --> 00:39:08.920
 sense and people

00:39:08.920 --> 00:39:09.560
 would ask me and I

00:39:09.560 --> 00:39:10.200
 didn't give them a

00:39:10.200 --> 00:39:10.860
 great spiritual

00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:11.660
 platitude like,

00:39:12.100 --> 00:39:12.860
 well, I'm rejoicing in

00:39:12.860 --> 00:39:13.800
 who God is and I've

00:39:13.800 --> 00:39:14.300
 prayed about it

00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:15.019
 thoroughly so now I

00:39:15.019 --> 00:39:15.780
 give thanks for all

00:39:15.780 --> 00:39:16.519
 of my situations.

00:39:16.900 --> 00:39:17.519
 I didn't say things

00:39:17.519 --> 00:39:17.780
 like that.

00:39:17.820 --> 00:39:18.340
 I didn't know what

00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:18.940
 was going on.

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:19.620
 I was a very wounded

00:39:19.620 --> 00:39:20.440
 and hurting person.

00:39:20.980 --> 00:39:21.920
 And all I knew was,

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:23.019
 well, somehow this is

00:39:23.019 --> 00:39:23.780
 all going to be okay.

00:39:23.900 --> 00:39:24.519
 I have no idea

00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:24.900
 what's going to

00:39:24.900 --> 00:39:25.160
 happen.

00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:28.040
 And we moved to

00:39:28.040 --> 00:39:28.460
 St. Louis.

00:39:28.580 --> 00:39:29.240
 That was a miraculous

00:39:29.240 --> 00:39:30.100
 story again.

00:39:30.860 --> 00:39:32.080
 And we began to have

00:39:32.080 --> 00:39:32.740
 these little things

00:39:32.740 --> 00:39:33.380
 that we could write

00:39:33.380 --> 00:39:34.760
 down where we

00:39:34.760 --> 00:39:35.440
 didn't have to trust

00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:36.240
 in God's faithfulness

00:39:36.240 --> 00:39:36.780
 for other people.

00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:37.460
 We could see it in

00:39:37.460 --> 00:39:38.120
 our own lives.

00:39:41.420 --> 00:39:42.600
 And he led us to a

00:39:42.600 --> 00:39:43.920
 place now where we're

00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:45.000
 still working on all

00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:45.600
 of those things and

00:39:45.600 --> 00:39:46.380
 trying to understand

00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:46.760
 it.

00:39:47.580 --> 00:39:48.300
 But I'm kind of

00:39:48.300 --> 00:39:49.120
 headed back down into

00:39:49.120 --> 00:39:50.060
 that place of,

00:39:50.220 --> 00:39:50.940
 well, everything's okay

00:39:50.940 --> 00:39:51.260
 now.

00:39:52.220 --> 00:39:53.200
 And the danger for me

00:39:53.199 --> 00:39:53.859
 is that I can live

00:39:53.859 --> 00:39:54.739
 in self-sufficiency.

00:39:57.179 --> 00:39:58.019
 And I can return to

00:39:58.019 --> 00:39:58.939
 that place very easily.

00:39:59.299 --> 00:39:59.819
 And I heard somebody

00:39:59.819 --> 00:40:01.599
 say recently that the

00:40:01.599 --> 00:40:02.799
 reason you give thanks

00:40:02.799 --> 00:40:03.619
 in all of the small

00:40:03.619 --> 00:40:04.919
 things, it becomes

00:40:04.919 --> 00:40:05.699
 easier and it becomes

00:40:05.699 --> 00:40:06.759
 a habit to give thanks

00:40:06.759 --> 00:40:07.439
 in all of the small

00:40:07.439 --> 00:40:07.839
 things.

00:40:09.279 --> 00:40:09.899
 And when you can give

00:40:09.899 --> 00:40:10.579
 thanks in all of the

00:40:10.579 --> 00:40:12.259
 small things, whenever

00:40:12.259 --> 00:40:13.259
 a big thing hits you,

00:40:13.319 --> 00:40:14.480
 you're more prepared to

00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:15.779
 give thanks in that

00:40:15.779 --> 00:40:16.759
 situation as well.

00:40:19.339 --> 00:40:20.099
 And I thought, man,

00:40:20.179 --> 00:40:20.980
 pop psychology is

00:40:20.980 --> 00:40:21.539
 fantastic.

00:40:21.719 --> 00:40:22.419
 They must have read

00:40:22.420 --> 00:40:22.880
 what I've been

00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:23.240
 studying.

00:40:24.559 --> 00:40:25.380
 And then I realized,

00:40:25.440 --> 00:40:26.420
 man, that must be so

00:40:26.420 --> 00:40:27.380
 hopeless because it's

00:40:27.380 --> 00:40:28.320
 based on nothing.

00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:32.380
 If you have that hope

00:40:32.380 --> 00:40:33.519
 and your hope is not

00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:34.500
 in Jesus, it's not

00:40:34.500 --> 00:40:34.880
 hope.

00:40:36.260 --> 00:40:37.039
 Because all that's

00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:37.760
 waiting to happen is

00:40:37.760 --> 00:40:38.599
 for you to screw up

00:40:38.599 --> 00:40:39.180
 again and start

00:40:39.180 --> 00:40:40.039
 forgetting and then

00:40:40.039 --> 00:40:40.820
 everything goes back

00:40:40.820 --> 00:40:41.320
 in the toilet.

00:40:42.920 --> 00:40:44.099
 What Paul's given us

00:40:44.099 --> 00:40:45.079
 here, he's more Tony

00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:45.800
 Robbins than Tony

00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:46.200
 Robbins.

00:40:46.659 --> 00:40:47.639
 He says rejoice.

00:40:48.820 --> 00:40:49.180
 Always.

00:40:49.500 --> 00:40:50.320
 Pray constantly.

00:40:50.320 --> 00:40:52.380
 Give thanks in all

00:40:52.380 --> 00:40:52.980
 things.

00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:55.280
 This is the best

00:40:55.280 --> 00:40:56.240
 advice he could give

00:40:56.240 --> 00:40:56.880
 to people who are

00:40:56.880 --> 00:40:57.660
 going through trials

00:40:57.660 --> 00:40:58.440
 and tribulations.

00:41:00.200 --> 00:41:01.300
 It's the best advice

00:41:01.300 --> 00:41:02.120
 he can give to

00:41:02.120 --> 00:41:03.240
 privileged people in

00:41:03.240 --> 00:41:03.900
 South Huntsville.

00:41:06.960 --> 00:41:08.240
 Turn our minds from

00:41:08.240 --> 00:41:08.920
 ourselves.

00:41:10.940 --> 00:41:12.280
 And be patient and

00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:13.620
 aware that God is

00:41:13.620 --> 00:41:14.600
 working in the world.

00:41:16.780 --> 00:41:18.000
 He promised it.

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:25.559
 God, thank you for

00:41:25.559 --> 00:41:26.440
 your love and your

00:41:26.440 --> 00:41:27.460
 care shown to us.

00:41:28.860 --> 00:41:29.739
 Thank you for your

00:41:29.739 --> 00:41:30.079
 word.

00:41:31.360 --> 00:41:32.440
 Thank you for the

00:41:32.440 --> 00:41:33.639
 ability to come

00:41:33.639 --> 00:41:35.039
 together without

00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:36.079
 persecution, worship

00:41:36.079 --> 00:41:36.980
 you and proclaim your

00:41:36.980 --> 00:41:37.260
 name.

00:41:37.360 --> 00:41:37.880
 And I pray that you

00:41:37.880 --> 00:41:40.260
 would equip us to see

00:41:40.260 --> 00:41:41.420
 you for who you are.

00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:45.019
 Be receptive to the

00:41:45.019 --> 00:41:46.179
 relationship that you

00:41:46.179 --> 00:41:48.159
 activate in us and

00:41:48.159 --> 00:41:49.359
 bring about in us.

00:41:51.440 --> 00:41:52.980
 I pray that we would

00:41:52.980 --> 00:41:54.719
 learn many different

00:41:54.719 --> 00:41:56.359
 ways to give thanks to

00:41:56.359 --> 00:41:56.659
 you.

00:41:58.000 --> 00:41:59.039
 That we would

00:41:59.039 --> 00:42:00.699
 understand that giving

00:42:00.699 --> 00:42:02.819
 thanks is indeed

00:42:02.819 --> 00:42:04.879
 your will for us.

00:42:06.519 --> 00:42:08.119
 Not your will because

00:42:08.119 --> 00:42:09.899
 you've sovereignly

00:42:09.899 --> 00:42:12.039
 said this is how you're

00:42:12.039 --> 00:42:12.859
 going to give thanks,

00:42:13.059 --> 00:42:14.399
 but because it's how you

00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:15.200
 want us to operate.

00:42:16.579 --> 00:42:17.639
 It's the way you

00:42:17.639 --> 00:42:19.039
 showed the Thessalonians

00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:20.780
 how to live in the

00:42:20.780 --> 00:42:21.840
 world and they became

00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:23.480
 a people that reeked

00:42:23.480 --> 00:42:24.019
 of you.

00:42:25.220 --> 00:42:26.160
 That were able to

00:42:26.160 --> 00:42:27.240
 encourage the other

00:42:27.240 --> 00:42:28.460
 people from around

00:42:28.460 --> 00:42:30.860
 their area to know

00:42:30.860 --> 00:42:31.800
 who you are.

00:42:31.960 --> 00:42:32.980
 To become renowned

00:42:32.980 --> 00:42:33.880
 not because of how

00:42:33.880 --> 00:42:34.920
 great they were, but

00:42:34.920 --> 00:42:35.519
 because of their

00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:36.559
 faithfulness to you.

00:42:38.320 --> 00:42:39.780
 I pray that you would

00:42:39.780 --> 00:42:41.000
 bring that about in us

00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:43.639
 in a powerful way

00:42:43.639 --> 00:42:45.500
 through the work of

00:42:45.500 --> 00:42:46.440
 the person of your

00:42:46.440 --> 00:42:48.079
 Holy Spirit, not by

00:42:48.079 --> 00:42:48.519
 accident.

00:42:50.380 --> 00:42:51.239
 And again, we pray

00:42:51.239 --> 00:42:52.199
 this for the sake of

00:42:52.199 --> 00:42:53.059
 your kingdom and in the

00:42:53.059 --> 00:42:53.860
 name of King Jesus.

00:42:54.519 --> 00:42:54.739
 Amen.

00:42:58.739 --> 00:42:59.780
 For more information,

00:43:00.179 --> 00:43:01.480
 visit us online at

00:43:01.480 --> 00:43:02.380
 southwood.org.

00:43:02.380 --> 00:43:03.380
 Thank you.