257: Eric McKelvie – Exhortation: 1% Marginal Gains

1
00:00:13,880 –> 00:00:15,600
Welcome to good Chris Selfian
talks.

2
00:00:15,600 –> 00:00:17,320
I’m Levi.
And I’m Chris.

3
00:00:17,560 –> 00:00:19,480
And I’m Brian.
Thank you for joining us this

4
00:00:19,480 –> 00:00:23,080
week on this podcast.
We select one talk a week to

5
00:00:23,080 –> 00:00:26,240
help us get the Bible in our
Daily News feed.

6
00:00:26,560 –> 00:00:28,520
We post a new episode at the
start of each week.

7
00:00:28,950 –> 00:00:31,550
With a short intro beforehand to
kind of set the stage for the

8
00:00:31,550 –> 00:00:35,470
talk you’re about to listen to.
And now, let’s talk more about

9
00:00:35,470 –> 00:00:51,430
this week’s talk.
Welcome to the good Chris

10
00:00:51,430 –> 00:00:53,990
Adelphian Talks Podcast.
This is Brother Brian.

11
00:00:55,110 –> 00:00:57,790
This week’s talk is an
exhortation by brother Eric

12
00:00:57,790 –> 00:01:00,340
Mckelvey.
Which was given last month at

13
00:01:00,340 –> 00:01:02,140
the Moorestown ecclesia here in
New Jersey.

14
00:01:03,300 –> 00:01:06,820
His ex are was entitled 1%
marginal gains.

15
00:01:07,820 –> 00:01:12,020
And it borrows from the true
story of the British National

16
00:01:12,020 –> 00:01:16,180
Cycling team, which I guess was
like the laughingstock of the

17
00:01:17,380 –> 00:01:23,500
bicycle world, and how they
hired a coach who implemented

18
00:01:23,500 –> 00:01:27,650
this 1% rule.
In order to improve every facet

19
00:01:27,650 –> 00:01:30,210
or every overlooked advantage
that they could possibly try.

20
00:01:31,890 –> 00:01:36,490
They’ve evidently won numerous
Olympics and Tour de France

21
00:01:36,570 –> 00:01:41,530
awards in recent years, and the
the true story is incredible.

22
00:01:42,490 –> 00:01:47,130
And Brother Eric suggests taking
this method and applying it to

23
00:01:47,130 –> 00:01:50,410
our spiritual lives, recognizing
first that yes.

24
00:01:51,500 –> 00:01:54,780
No, we cannot earn our salvation
by works.

25
00:01:54,780 –> 00:01:57,940
It’s a gift of grace.
But that we would greatly

26
00:01:57,940 –> 00:02:01,500
benefit from thinking about God
as our coach and a coach who

27
00:02:01,500 –> 00:02:06,900
wants us to succeed, and then
following the example of Christ,

28
00:02:07,060 –> 00:02:11,380
our true champion, looking at
his accomplishments from a

29
00:02:11,380 –> 00:02:17,060
spiritual strategy of consistent
improvement and recognizing that

30
00:02:17,060 –> 00:02:20,300
for ourselves this is not
possible.

31
00:02:21,390 –> 00:02:26,030
In these massive, unattainable
leaps and bounds, like, I’m just

32
00:02:26,030 –> 00:02:28,670
not overnight going to be able
to get rid of some of the things

33
00:02:28,670 –> 00:02:32,950
that plague me, but I can start
implementing these tiny little

34
00:02:32,950 –> 00:02:36,230
habits that over time will add
up.

35
00:02:37,630 –> 00:02:41,830
So the idea is mastering any
tiny advantage you can on a week

36
00:02:41,830 –> 00:02:48,270
by week basis to improve just
ever so slightly the mastering

37
00:02:48,270 –> 00:02:51,390
of these spiritual habits.
Is what will better prepare

38
00:02:51,390 –> 00:02:55,830
ourselves to be workers and
builders for our God and His

39
00:02:55,830 –> 00:03:01,950
Kingdom.
The 1% gains methodology and the

40
00:03:01,950 –> 00:03:06,150
true story behind it was very
memorable and it translates so

41
00:03:06,150 –> 00:03:10,110
well to our daily walk that we
recognized it’s not a Sprint,

42
00:03:10,710 –> 00:03:16,310
it’s a marathon and our Heavenly
Father knows we will stumble and

43
00:03:16,310 –> 00:03:20,940
we’re going to have setbacks.
But if we implement this rule,

44
00:03:21,140 –> 00:03:27,500
it’s these points of repeatable
structure that will help us to

45
00:03:27,500 –> 00:03:31,660
gain control of a pace that will
keep us at the front of the

46
00:03:31,660 –> 00:03:38,260
pack, seeking to fill our time
and fill our minds with the good

47
00:03:38,260 –> 00:03:43,140
works of our Lord.
So as always, we hope this

48
00:03:43,140 –> 00:03:47,140
strengthens your faith and
brightens your day, Brother Eric

49
00:03:47,140 –> 00:03:51,140
Mckelvey. 1% marginal gains.
Good morning.

50
00:03:54,340 –> 00:03:57,540
How are you?
It’s kind of a funny question to

51
00:03:57,540 –> 00:03:59,900
ask to a group of people you
don’t expect a response from.

52
00:03:59,900 –> 00:04:03,700
But we are commanded to examine
yourselves when you come before

53
00:04:03,700 –> 00:04:07,460
the the bread in the wine.
A man ought to examine himself

54
00:04:07,460 –> 00:04:10,260
before he eats of the bread and
drinks of the wine.

55
00:04:10,260 –> 00:04:14,340
So how are you thinking of
myself?

56
00:04:14,340 –> 00:04:18,870
I know that I need improvement.
There are plenty of areas in my

57
00:04:18,870 –> 00:04:22,750
life which I am lacking in.
I can be covetous,

58
00:04:23,070 –> 00:04:26,790
materialistic.
I know I need to control my

59
00:04:26,790 –> 00:04:30,710
tongue as I can say foolish
things at time times.

60
00:04:30,830 –> 00:04:35,630
I spend too much time with
worldly activities that lead me

61
00:04:35,630 –> 00:04:40,190
away from God and 100 other
areas of fault.

62
00:04:42,670 –> 00:04:46,110
Often times when we when we.
Look at where we are and how

63
00:04:46,110 –> 00:04:49,430
much we need to improve.
It can be intimidating.

64
00:04:51,510 –> 00:04:53,950
For instance, if you want to
improve yourself by learning a

65
00:04:53,950 –> 00:04:58,030
language, it can seem like a
mountain of work to take on.

66
00:04:58,830 –> 00:05:02,390
This can scare people away and
deter them from even starting.

67
00:05:05,110 –> 00:05:09,510
There is, however, a concept
called the 1% marginal gains

68
00:05:09,510 –> 00:05:13,310
rule, and this is the concept of
aiming to improve yourself.

69
00:05:14,180 –> 00:05:19,100
By only 1% each day, and these
tiny changes will compound and

70
00:05:19,100 –> 00:05:21,460
generate massive growth over
time.

71
00:05:22,100 –> 00:05:26,260
It might not seem like much in
the beginning, but each day

72
00:05:26,260 –> 00:05:31,020
these improvements start to
compound on each other and

73
00:05:31,020 –> 00:05:34,940
gradually you will see the
effect that these changes have

74
00:05:34,940 –> 00:05:37,860
on your life, even if you only
learn a couple new words in this

75
00:05:37,860 –> 00:05:43,280
language each day.
Over time this would add up.

76
00:05:43,480 –> 00:05:47,440
If one improves just 1% each
day, then after a year they

77
00:05:47,440 –> 00:05:52,680
would be 37 times more
proficient at the task or goal

78
00:05:52,680 –> 00:05:57,000
which they were performing.
So in the spirit of the Tour de

79
00:05:57,000 –> 00:06:00,280
France which just finished up,
I’d like to tell the story of

80
00:06:00,280 –> 00:06:04,120
the British Cycling team.
And this story was highlighted

81
00:06:04,120 –> 00:06:06,480
in the in the book Atomic
Habits, which some of you may

82
00:06:06,480 –> 00:06:11,120
have heard, heard of, or read,
and in this book the author.

83
00:06:11,880 –> 00:06:16,560
Writes that in 2003 the British
Cycling team hired a coach named

84
00:06:16,560 –> 00:06:22,240
Dave Brailsford and at the time,
professional cyclists in Great

85
00:06:22,240 –> 00:06:26,440
Britain had endured nearly 100
years of mediocrity.

86
00:06:27,680 –> 00:06:32,880
Since 1908, British riders had
won just a single gold medal at

87
00:06:32,880 –> 00:06:36,880
the Olympic Games and they had
fared even worse in the

88
00:06:36,880 –> 00:06:38,840
cycling’s biggest race, the Tour
de France.

89
00:06:39,530 –> 00:06:43,450
In 110 years, no British cyclist
had ever won the event.

90
00:06:44,290 –> 00:06:47,530
In fact, the performance of the
British team had been so

91
00:06:47,530 –> 00:06:51,410
underwhelming that one of the
top bike manufacturers in Europe

92
00:06:51,410 –> 00:06:54,770
refused to sell bikes to them
because they were afraid that it

93
00:06:54,770 –> 00:06:58,050
would hurt their image and hurt
their sales if other

94
00:06:58,050 –> 00:07:00,210
professionals saw the Brits
using their gear.

95
00:07:01,410 –> 00:07:06,370
So this guy Brailsford had been
hired to the British team to put

96
00:07:06,370 –> 00:07:10,550
them on a new trajectory.
And what made him different from

97
00:07:10,550 –> 00:07:14,030
previous coaches was his
relentless commitment to a

98
00:07:14,030 –> 00:07:18,030
strategy called the aggregation
of marginal gains, or the

99
00:07:18,030 –> 00:07:21,870
marginal gains rule, which was
the philosophy of searching for

100
00:07:21,870 –> 00:07:27,230
mighty, mighty, tiny margins of
improvement in everything that

101
00:07:27,230 –> 00:07:30,110
you do.
And he said that the whole

102
00:07:30,110 –> 00:07:32,310
principle came from the idea
that if you break everything

103
00:07:32,310 –> 00:07:36,990
down, everything that goes into
riding a bike and then improve

104
00:07:36,990 –> 00:07:40,320
it by 1%.
You will get significant

105
00:07:40,320 –> 00:07:46,120
increase when you put them all
together, so Brailsford and his

106
00:07:46,120 –> 00:07:48,680
coaches began making these small
adjustments that you might

107
00:07:48,680 –> 00:07:50,640
expect from a professional
cycling team.

108
00:07:51,360 –> 00:07:53,840
They redesigned the bike seats
to make them more comfortable,

109
00:07:54,520 –> 00:07:57,600
and they rubbed alcohol in the
tires for better grip.

110
00:07:58,560 –> 00:08:01,720
They asked riders to wear
electrically heated shorts to

111
00:08:01,800 –> 00:08:04,240
maintain ideal muscle
temperature while riding.

112
00:08:07,340 –> 00:08:11,460
They tested various fabrics in a
wind tunnel and had their

113
00:08:11,460 –> 00:08:14,660
outdoor riders switched to
indoor racing suits, which

114
00:08:14,660 –> 00:08:16,580
proved to be lighter and more
aerodynamic.

115
00:08:19,380 –> 00:08:23,340
But they also continue to find
1% improvements in overlooked

116
00:08:23,500 –> 00:08:26,900
and unexpected areas.
They tested different types of

117
00:08:26,900 –> 00:08:30,220
massage gels to see which one
led to the fastest muscle

118
00:08:30,220 –> 00:08:32,940
recovery.
They hired a surgeon to teach

119
00:08:32,940 –> 00:08:35,460
each rider how to properly wash
their hands.

120
00:08:36,470 –> 00:08:40,630
To reduce the chances of
catching a cold, they determined

121
00:08:40,630 –> 00:08:44,230
the type of pillow and mattress
that led to the best night’s

122
00:08:44,230 –> 00:08:47,790
sleep for each rider.
And they even painted the inside

123
00:08:47,830 –> 00:08:52,230
of the the team’s truck white,
which helped them spot little

124
00:08:52,750 –> 00:08:56,310
little bits of dust that would
normally slip unnoticed but

125
00:08:56,310 –> 00:08:59,990
could degrade the performance of
the finely tuned bikes over

126
00:08:59,990 –> 00:09:03,900
time.
So as these hundreds of small

127
00:09:03,900 –> 00:09:07,900
changes and improvements
accumulated, the results came

128
00:09:07,900 –> 00:09:10,300
faster than anyone could have
imagined.

129
00:09:10,900 –> 00:09:14,780
Just five years after Brailsford
took over, the British Cycling

130
00:09:14,860 –> 00:09:19,940
team dominated the road and
track cycling events at 2008

131
00:09:20,260 –> 00:09:24,340
Olympic Games in Beijing, where
they won 60% of the gold medals.

132
00:09:25,040 –> 00:09:27,280
And four years later the Olympic
Games came to London.

133
00:09:27,280 –> 00:09:31,280
The Brits raised the bar as they
set 9 Olympic records and seven

134
00:09:31,280 –> 00:09:35,880
world records.
That same year this guy, Bradley

135
00:09:35,880 –> 00:09:38,680
Wiggins, became the first
British cyclist to win the Tour

136
00:09:38,680 –> 00:09:42,120
de France.
And then next year his teammate

137
00:09:42,120 –> 00:09:47,640
won the race and would go on to
win again in 2015, sixteen and

138
00:09:47,640 –> 00:09:51,760
17, giving the British Team 5
Tour de France victories in six

139
00:09:51,760 –> 00:09:55,480
years.
So this is clearly a pretty good

140
00:09:55,720 –> 00:09:59,600
powerful method of self
improvement and it’s easy enough

141
00:09:59,600 –> 00:10:05,080
to take on as the changes which
are asked of you are minor if

142
00:10:05,080 –> 00:10:07,520
they need to be consistent and
continual.

143
00:10:09,800 –> 00:10:14,520
While you may find a serious
benefit through this method in

144
00:10:14,520 –> 00:10:18,960
your your work or your school
performance, the real value to

145
00:10:18,960 –> 00:10:22,520
us as believers.
Lies in its application to our

146
00:10:22,520 –> 00:10:26,960
spiritual lives.
We realize that no matter how

147
00:10:26,960 –> 00:10:30,640
much we improve ourselves in
something like controlling or

148
00:10:30,640 –> 00:10:34,000
suppressing covetousness, we
cannot earn salvation.

149
00:10:34,720 –> 00:10:37,720
There’s no winning the Tour de
France of covetousness.

150
00:10:38,920 –> 00:10:43,400
No matter how little we covet or
how well we control our tongues,

151
00:10:43,400 –> 00:10:45,920
we cannot earn a place in God’s
Kingdom.

152
00:10:47,020 –> 00:10:51,380
It is a gift by God’s grace that
he will bestow upon his Saints.

153
00:10:52,180 –> 00:10:55,860
Roman 6 tells us from our
reading this morning.

154
00:10:55,860 –> 00:11:01,100
The wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life

155
00:11:01,860 –> 00:11:06,740
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So all we can earn in our lives

156
00:11:06,740 –> 00:11:10,180
is death, but Ephesians 2 tells
us.

157
00:11:10,740 –> 00:11:14,940
But God, who is rich in mercy
for his great love wherewith you

158
00:11:14,940 –> 00:11:18,270
loved us.
Even when we were dead and sins

159
00:11:18,270 –> 00:11:23,230
hath quickened us together with
Christ by grace you are saved.

160
00:11:24,590 –> 00:11:27,950
So we’ll keep that in mind that
we cannot earn salvation.

161
00:11:29,070 –> 00:11:32,110
But that does not mean that we
should stop improving ourselves.

162
00:11:32,910 –> 00:11:37,390
Shall we continue in sin that
grace may abound, God forbid.

163
00:11:40,110 –> 00:11:43,750
So how do we apply this
technique to improve ourselves

164
00:11:44,470 –> 00:11:47,900
before God?
And I think it only makes sense

165
00:11:47,900 –> 00:11:51,540
that we look to the only man to
to live this ideal.

166
00:11:53,060 –> 00:11:56,780
If we copied the ways in which
Christ dealt with temptation,

167
00:11:57,420 –> 00:12:01,620
the ways in which he dealt with
opposition and malice from those

168
00:12:01,620 –> 00:12:04,500
around him, we would benefit our
own characters greatly.

169
00:12:06,460 –> 00:12:09,740
So the biggest thing which the
British Cycling team did was to

170
00:12:09,740 –> 00:12:14,340
hire a new coach.
This new coach required these

171
00:12:14,340 –> 00:12:18,950
changes of them.
Changes which pushed them to to

172
00:12:18,950 –> 00:12:22,070
change how they lived and change
how they prepared and recovered

173
00:12:22,070 –> 00:12:26,510
from races.
And likewise, in looking at

174
00:12:26,510 –> 00:12:31,150
Christ’s life we see that he had
a coach in his Heavenly Father.

175
00:12:31,630 –> 00:12:35,910
Christ followed every word which
his Father instructed him from a

176
00:12:35,910 –> 00:12:38,310
youth.
He was always about his Father’s

177
00:12:38,310 –> 00:12:40,950
business.
God trained him up from a boy,

178
00:12:41,830 –> 00:12:44,030
and Jesus did not depart from
his way.

179
00:12:45,490 –> 00:12:49,250
Jesus, as it says in Luke
chapter 2, increased in wisdom

180
00:12:49,250 –> 00:12:51,810
and stature, and in favor with
God and man.

181
00:12:52,610 –> 00:12:54,690
And this was not due to his own
wisdom.

182
00:12:55,330 –> 00:12:58,650
For we know that in our nature
of which Jesus shared dwelleth

183
00:12:58,650 –> 00:13:04,210
no good thing in the Messianic
Psalm 16 in the Rsvs is protect

184
00:13:04,210 –> 00:13:06,970
me, oh God, for in you I take
refuge.

185
00:13:08,050 –> 00:13:10,090
I say to Yahwah, you are my
Lord.

186
00:13:10,090 –> 00:13:15,220
I have no good apart from you.
Christ drew in wisdom and

187
00:13:15,220 –> 00:13:19,500
stature because he meditated
daily upon God’s instructions

188
00:13:19,900 –> 00:13:25,500
and his principles.
A Psalm which certainly has

189
00:13:25,540 –> 00:13:30,100
application to Christ’s life, is
Psalm 119, also quoted this

190
00:13:30,100 –> 00:13:34,180
morning, or says in verse 10.
With my whole heart I have

191
00:13:34,180 –> 00:13:37,500
sought thee.
Let me not wander from thy

192
00:13:37,500 –> 00:13:40,660
commandments, Thy Word.
Have I hidden my heart?

193
00:13:41,330 –> 00:13:44,290
That I might not sin against
thee, Blessed art thou or

194
00:13:44,290 –> 00:13:49,010
Yahweh, teach me thy statutes.
With my lips have I declared all

195
00:13:49,010 –> 00:13:53,410
the judgments of thy mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of

196
00:13:53,410 –> 00:13:57,050
Thy testimonies, as much as in
all riches.

197
00:13:57,450 –> 00:14:02,050
I will meditate in thy precepts,
and have respect unto Thy way.

198
00:14:02,850 –> 00:14:05,370
I will delight myself in Thy
statutes.

199
00:14:06,170 –> 00:14:11,420
I will not forget thy word.
Though this was written by

200
00:14:11,420 –> 00:14:16,180
David, it was also Christ’s
mindset and seemingly applies

201
00:14:16,180 –> 00:14:24,340
directly to him.
When we become a disciple of

202
00:14:24,340 –> 00:14:29,100
Christ, we take, we take on God
as our coach as well.

203
00:14:29,980 –> 00:14:32,860
God said to his people in Isaiah
chapter 41.

204
00:14:32,940 –> 00:14:37,140
Fear not, for I’m with you.
Be not dismayed, for I am your

205
00:14:37,140 –> 00:14:40,480
elohim, your mighty one.
I will strengthen you.

206
00:14:40,560 –> 00:14:43,280
I will help you.
I will uphold you with my

207
00:14:43,280 –> 00:14:48,520
righteous right hand.
Our God is the ideal coach.

208
00:14:48,520 –> 00:14:52,920
He encourages us and reminds us
that we are not alone on our

209
00:14:52,920 –> 00:14:54,840
walk.
He will never leave us nor

210
00:14:54,840 –> 00:14:58,840
forsake us.
Though we may be weak, our

211
00:14:58,840 –> 00:15:01,160
strength comes from God, who is
mighty.

212
00:15:03,400 –> 00:15:05,600
We also know from First
Corinthians 10 that God is

213
00:15:05,600 –> 00:15:07,980
faithful.
And he will not let you be

214
00:15:07,980 –> 00:15:12,100
tempted beyond your ability, but
with the temptation he will also

215
00:15:12,100 –> 00:15:16,500
provide a way of escape that you
may be able to endure it.

216
00:15:18,460 –> 00:15:23,340
So God as our coach pushes us to
perform and endure, yet he knows

217
00:15:23,340 –> 00:15:26,220
our limits and will not push us
past them.

218
00:15:26,220 –> 00:15:30,660
And I find it helpful to think
of God in this, in this light.

219
00:15:30,660 –> 00:15:34,940
As a coach, he wants us to
succeed and will help us to do

220
00:15:34,940 –> 00:15:37,910
so.
Strengthening us and pushing us,

221
00:15:38,190 –> 00:15:44,150
though never beyond our limits,
Christ as our forerunner, an

222
00:15:44,150 –> 00:15:49,150
example, showed us the level to
which we need to respect and

223
00:15:49,150 –> 00:15:54,390
meditate upon God’s precepts.
With his whole heart he sought

224
00:15:54,390 –> 00:15:58,990
him and delighted in his
statutes, and he grew to know

225
00:15:58,990 –> 00:16:03,160
the Scriptures so well.
That we are told in John Chapter

226
00:16:03,160 –> 00:16:07,080
7, the Jews marveled, saying how
knoweth this man letters having

227
00:16:07,080 –> 00:16:11,600
never learned.
Jesus never had any formal

228
00:16:11,600 –> 00:16:16,200
training, he didn’t train at the
feet of any famous rabbi, and he

229
00:16:16,200 –> 00:16:20,040
taught with authority and knew
the scriptures better than any

230
00:16:20,040 –> 00:16:22,720
of them.
And this came from time and

231
00:16:22,720 –> 00:16:28,600
effort in the word Christ’s
answer to their question.

232
00:16:29,700 –> 00:16:33,660
How knoweth this man letters
comes in the next verse in John

233
00:16:33,660 –> 00:16:36,380
Seven.
My doctrine or teaching is not

234
00:16:36,380 –> 00:16:41,620
mine but his that sent me.
Christ only learned what God had

235
00:16:41,620 –> 00:16:44,020
left for us through the
scriptures.

236
00:16:45,100 –> 00:16:48,180
There were some divine and
angelic ministrations for sure,

237
00:16:49,580 –> 00:16:53,580
but he learned scriptures just
like any of us by putting in the

238
00:16:53,580 –> 00:16:56,300
time and effort to read and
study.

239
00:16:56,860 –> 00:17:00,660
This is how he grew in wisdom
and in stature with God and man.

240
00:17:01,540 –> 00:17:05,740
And this is how we, too, learn
from our God how to live in a

241
00:17:05,740 –> 00:17:08,700
way which is pleasing unto him.
So let U.S.

242
00:17:08,700 –> 00:17:12,780
Open Scripture every day to
learn from it, and learn from

243
00:17:12,780 –> 00:17:17,300
Christ’s example, as God
instructed Joshua.

244
00:17:18,060 –> 00:17:21,700
This book of the law shall not
depart from thy mouth, but thou

245
00:17:21,700 –> 00:17:24,020
shalt meditate therein day and
night.

246
00:17:25,060 –> 00:17:28,220
That thou mayst observe to do
according to all that is written

247
00:17:28,220 –> 00:17:31,860
therein.
For then thou shalt make thy way

248
00:17:31,860 –> 00:17:35,540
prosperous, and then thou shalt
have good success.

249
00:17:40,380 –> 00:17:44,420
One of the techniques which
people suggest when teaching

250
00:17:44,420 –> 00:17:48,060
self improvement is to surround
yourself with likeminded

251
00:17:48,060 –> 00:17:50,900
individuals.
If you’re learning a language,

252
00:17:50,900 –> 00:17:52,660
then you might join a study
group.

253
00:17:53,890 –> 00:17:57,170
If you are training for the Tour
de France, you probably join a

254
00:17:57,170 –> 00:18:00,610
cycling team.
Christ used this technique as

255
00:18:00,610 –> 00:18:03,090
well.
If you’re training, sorry.

256
00:18:03,970 –> 00:18:06,890
Though he was their teacher,
Jesus gained the strength from

257
00:18:06,890 –> 00:18:11,410
his 12 disciples.
We may remember the account in

258
00:18:11,410 –> 00:18:14,410
the garden of Gethsemite when
Jesus asked his disciples to

259
00:18:14,410 –> 00:18:18,010
watch and pray and they left him
alone and fell asleep.

260
00:18:18,690 –> 00:18:20,930
And we may think of this and how
they let him down.

261
00:18:22,480 –> 00:18:24,560
And think that they did not
bring him strength.

262
00:18:25,520 –> 00:18:28,600
Yet I don’t think that’s true.
I think that Christ’s love for

263
00:18:28,600 –> 00:18:32,920
his disciples, these men, is
evident throughout the gospels.

264
00:18:33,720 –> 00:18:36,360
And though they let him down on
that occasion in Gassem, and he

265
00:18:36,360 –> 00:18:39,880
greatly benefited from having a
group of friends surrounding

266
00:18:39,880 –> 00:18:46,040
him, people can do hard things
when they are prompted by love.

267
00:18:47,560 –> 00:18:50,320
A love of exercise can prompt
people to wake up early before

268
00:18:50,320 –> 00:18:53,750
work and go for a run.
A love of knowledge can push

269
00:18:53,750 –> 00:18:57,990
people to work hard in school to
become scientists, and the love

270
00:18:58,230 –> 00:19:02,270
one feels from another person
can be even stronger.

271
00:19:02,750 –> 00:19:07,150
People all over the world go to
jobs that they hate every day

272
00:19:07,630 –> 00:19:10,110
for years in order to support
their family.

273
00:19:11,750 –> 00:19:14,790
There are single parents that
work multiple jobs to put their

274
00:19:15,150 –> 00:19:18,830
kid through college.
People can do hard things when

275
00:19:18,830 –> 00:19:24,980
they’re prompted by love.
And I think that the the love

276
00:19:24,980 –> 00:19:32,100
Christ felt for his disciples
and from his disciples was a

277
00:19:32,100 –> 00:19:34,980
great strength unto him and
enabled him to carry on.

278
00:19:35,700 –> 00:19:39,860
When he was being scorned by the
chief priests and rabbis, or

279
00:19:39,860 –> 00:19:43,620
when he was rejected by those he
grew up with in his hometown of

280
00:19:43,620 –> 00:19:52,600
Nazareth, Christ was kept sharp.
By the love of his friends, as

281
00:19:52,600 –> 00:19:56,080
Proverbs tells us, as iron
sharpeneth iron, so a man

282
00:19:56,520 –> 00:19:58,640
sharpens the countenance of his
friend.

283
00:20:01,520 –> 00:20:06,920
And in John 15 we read of
Jesus’s love for his disciples,

284
00:20:06,920 –> 00:20:09,640
his friends.
This is my commandment, that you

285
00:20:09,640 –> 00:20:11,960
love one another as I have loved
you.

286
00:20:12,640 –> 00:20:17,520
Greater love hath no one than
this, that someone lay down his

287
00:20:17,520 –> 00:20:21,460
life for his friends.
You are my friends.

288
00:20:21,940 –> 00:20:25,340
If you do what I command, you no
longer do.

289
00:20:25,340 –> 00:20:28,900
I call you servants, for the
servant does not know what his

290
00:20:28,900 –> 00:20:31,540
master is doing, But I have
called you friends.

291
00:20:32,540 –> 00:20:35,900
For all that I have heard from
my father, I’ve made known to

292
00:20:35,900 –> 00:20:41,420
you.
Christ showed how great His love

293
00:20:41,420 –> 00:20:47,860
was through His sacrifice, not
just for His 12 disciples, but

294
00:20:47,860 –> 00:20:53,300
for all of us.
Also, the love that we feel when

295
00:20:53,300 –> 00:20:56,220
we interact with our brothers
and sisters can have a great

296
00:20:56,220 –> 00:21:01,500
positive effect on our lives.
And this is one of the reasons

297
00:21:01,500 –> 00:21:05,220
for the establishment of
ecclesias, that we may sharpen

298
00:21:05,220 –> 00:21:08,820
each other and encourage each
other in love.

299
00:21:09,140 –> 00:21:14,260
When one person is going through
an ordeal, another can show love

300
00:21:14,260 –> 00:21:17,580
and hospitality and uplift that
brother or sister.

301
00:21:18,540 –> 00:21:22,620
When one is dealing with grief,
often the company of loved ones

302
00:21:23,620 –> 00:21:29,780
brings warmth and comfort when
an issue arises that we may not

303
00:21:29,780 –> 00:21:34,340
know how to handle.
Others in the ecclesia may have

304
00:21:34,340 –> 00:21:38,740
experience in that area and may
be able to greatly assist.

305
00:21:40,460 –> 00:21:44,580
So I encourage all those
watching virtually those who are

306
00:21:44,580 –> 00:21:48,920
able to attend to do so, Some we
haven’t seen for years.

307
00:21:50,120 –> 00:21:53,520
This world is tough, but it’s
made easier by the company of

308
00:21:53,520 –> 00:21:57,960
your friends, especially those
who share your beliefs and can

309
00:21:57,960 –> 00:22:00,320
strengthen you and encourage you
to endure.

310
00:22:04,200 –> 00:22:08,040
Even Christ needed his friends,
so it’s important for all of us

311
00:22:08,040 –> 00:22:12,000
to meet together regularly that
we may be strengthened and

312
00:22:12,000 –> 00:22:20,400
uplifted.
Another tip which is often given

313
00:22:20,400 –> 00:22:23,560
to those looking to improve
themselves is to practice

314
00:22:23,560 –> 00:22:28,520
mindfulness or to meditate.
Meditation can give you give you

315
00:22:28,520 –> 00:22:33,800
a sense of calm or peace that
can benefit both your emotional

316
00:22:33,800 –> 00:22:37,440
well-being and your overall
health, including lowering

317
00:22:37,440 –> 00:22:40,240
stress or anxiety or even blood
pressure.

318
00:22:41,680 –> 00:22:45,820
And this time of self reflection
can have a powerful effect on

319
00:22:45,820 –> 00:22:49,380
your mental health, leaving
behind harmful memories or

320
00:22:49,380 –> 00:22:55,540
habits, managing impulses, or
resolving conflicts.

321
00:22:57,820 –> 00:23:01,020
And this idea involves setting
time apart to reflect upon

322
00:23:01,020 –> 00:23:04,980
yourself.
One was put down their phone and

323
00:23:05,180 –> 00:23:11,100
turn off the TV and think about
how you’re doing, where you’re

324
00:23:11,100 –> 00:23:13,140
going in life, how you are
progressing.

325
00:23:14,240 –> 00:23:17,200
It’s a time to consider the hard
things which are still yet to

326
00:23:17,200 –> 00:23:20,160
come and those which are still
ongoing.

327
00:23:22,320 –> 00:23:27,960
It’s also a time to remember the
things you have which you have

328
00:23:27,960 –> 00:23:31,160
to be grateful for.
Practicing gratitude or

329
00:23:31,160 –> 00:23:34,440
thankfulness is a great way to
improve yourself.

330
00:23:37,280 –> 00:23:41,280
Imagine the impact self
reflection and meditation can

331
00:23:41,280 –> 00:23:45,250
have when we then take the
issues that we are trying to

332
00:23:45,250 –> 00:23:47,970
leave behind.
When we recognize bad habits, we

333
00:23:47,970 –> 00:23:50,730
must leave behind and we bring
them to God.

334
00:23:52,410 –> 00:23:55,170
When we ask for God’s help to
accomplish the hard thing we

335
00:23:55,170 –> 00:24:03,210
must do or keep doing in prayer,
if you think about it, is a form

336
00:24:03,210 –> 00:24:07,050
of meditation from which we gain
those mental health benefits.

337
00:24:08,640 –> 00:24:12,040
But prayer is also communication
with the creator of the

338
00:24:12,040 –> 00:24:15,480
universe, who has the the power
to carry out those requests.

339
00:24:16,600 –> 00:24:20,200
And Christ knew this obviously
and spent hours at a time in

340
00:24:20,200 –> 00:24:26,200
communication with his father.
Christ told the parable of the

341
00:24:26,440 –> 00:24:31,400
persistent widow in Luke 18 to
teach his disciples to pray.

342
00:24:34,440 –> 00:24:41,200
So Luke 18 starting at verse
one,

343
00:24:51,520 –> 00:24:55,080
actually verse two, there was in
a certain city, there was a

344
00:24:55,080 –> 00:24:58,560
judge who neither feared God nor
respected man, and there was a

345
00:24:58,560 –> 00:25:00,960
widow in that city who kept
coming to him and saying, give

346
00:25:00,960 –> 00:25:05,720
me justice against my adversary.
For a while he refused, but

347
00:25:05,720 –> 00:25:09,380
afterward he said to himself,
Though I neither fear God nor

348
00:25:09,380 –> 00:25:13,260
respect man yet, because this
widow keeps bothering me, I will

349
00:25:13,260 –> 00:25:16,660
give her justice so that she
will not beat me down by her

350
00:25:16,660 –> 00:25:20,700
continual coming.
And the Lord said, hear what the

351
00:25:20,700 –> 00:25:25,220
unrighteous judge says.
And will not God give justice to

352
00:25:25,220 –> 00:25:27,700
his elect who cried to him day
and night?

353
00:25:28,540 –> 00:25:33,620
Will he delay long over them?
I tell you he will give justice

354
00:25:33,620 –> 00:25:39,120
to them speedily.
Christ told this parable to his

355
00:25:39,120 –> 00:25:42,800
disciples, as it says in verse
one, to the effect that they

356
00:25:42,800 –> 00:25:46,000
ought always to pray and not
lose heart.

357
00:25:47,320 –> 00:25:50,560
Let us learn from Jesus the
importance of prayer.

358
00:25:52,200 –> 00:25:54,760
Christ spent hours at a time in
prayer.

359
00:25:54,760 –> 00:25:58,200
He would often go apart from his
disciples in order to pray.

360
00:25:59,320 –> 00:26:03,700
We read in Matthew 14, after
feeding the 5000 people, that

361
00:26:03,700 –> 00:26:06,620
when he had sent the multitudes
away, he went up into a mountain

362
00:26:06,620 –> 00:26:11,780
apart to pray.
In Mark 14 in the garden of

363
00:26:11,780 –> 00:26:15,100
Gethsemane, we’re told they came
to a place which was named

364
00:26:15,100 –> 00:26:19,620
Gethsemane, and he saith to his
disciples, Sit ye here while I

365
00:26:19,620 –> 00:26:22,420
shall pray?
And then in verse 37 he cometh

366
00:26:22,420 –> 00:26:26,220
and findeth them sleeping, and
saith under Peter Simon,

367
00:26:26,300 –> 00:26:28,220
Sleepest thou couldest thou not
watch?

368
00:26:28,620 –> 00:26:32,640
One hour.
Then he goes away again.

369
00:26:32,640 –> 00:26:36,800
And a third time, probably at
least another hour each time.

370
00:26:38,840 –> 00:26:41,920
So he’s in prayer for hours here
in communication with his father

371
00:26:43,440 –> 00:26:46,080
and in Luke 6 we’re told it came
to pass.

372
00:26:46,080 –> 00:26:49,280
In those days he went out into a
mountain to pray and continued

373
00:26:49,280 –> 00:26:57,320
all night in prayer to God.
So Christ’s example to us shows

374
00:26:57,840 –> 00:27:00,120
that prayer needs to be a part
of our day.

375
00:27:01,590 –> 00:27:05,710
Often times I will utter a 32nd
prayer before bed, called a

376
00:27:05,710 –> 00:27:09,310
night.
And that’s fine.

377
00:27:09,310 –> 00:27:11,710
We know of many quick prayers
throughout Scripture.

378
00:27:13,910 –> 00:27:16,630
Even the Lord’s Prayer only
takes 30 seconds to say.

379
00:27:17,990 –> 00:27:20,790
But I think it’s also important
that we set aside time for

380
00:27:20,790 –> 00:27:22,950
deeper conversations with our
Father.

381
00:27:24,190 –> 00:27:27,760
Not lengthy for the sake of
feeling pious or proud, but

382
00:27:27,760 –> 00:27:31,160
meaningful and sincere.
Prayers are something which

383
00:27:31,160 –> 00:27:35,960
Christ showed us are important.
It’s important not only so that

384
00:27:35,960 –> 00:27:39,960
we may make requests of our
Father, but so that we may build

385
00:27:40,040 –> 00:27:42,000
our relationship with our
Father.

386
00:27:46,600 –> 00:27:50,040
Now I would like to cover one
last piece of advice which

387
00:27:50,040 –> 00:27:55,240
people suggest when when
describing how to improve

388
00:27:55,240 –> 00:27:59,220
yourself, and that is to set
goals for yourself.

389
00:28:01,260 –> 00:28:03,660
When learning a language, maybe
you set the goal of being able

390
00:28:03,660 –> 00:28:07,020
to converse with a native
speaker in a year’s time.

391
00:28:08,980 –> 00:28:12,460
Setting goals for yourself is
very helpful way of keeping

392
00:28:12,460 –> 00:28:14,780
yourself accountable and staying
consistent.

393
00:28:15,980 –> 00:28:18,780
If you have nothing to strive
for, no reason to continue

394
00:28:18,780 –> 00:28:23,380
pushing yourself, then at any
point at which you grow tired

395
00:28:23,980 –> 00:28:27,160
you may just give up.
But if you have something

396
00:28:27,160 –> 00:28:31,040
important to keep pushing for,
keep working towards, then you

397
00:28:31,040 –> 00:28:34,280
cannot give up.
It gives you a reason to

398
00:28:34,280 –> 00:28:36,560
persevere when you have tough
days.

399
00:28:38,200 –> 00:28:41,080
And Christ knew this as well.
Christ had spent so much time in

400
00:28:41,080 –> 00:28:44,840
the Word and in communication
with his Father.

401
00:28:44,920 –> 00:28:48,680
He knew all the prophecies about
himself, and his goal was to

402
00:28:48,680 –> 00:28:52,440
fulfill them.
And, for instance, he knew that

403
00:28:52,440 –> 00:28:54,400
he was to begin his ministry in
Galilee.

404
00:28:56,060 –> 00:28:59,980
Matthew 4 says that he departed
from Nazareth and went into

405
00:28:59,980 –> 00:29:03,660
Galilee, that it might be
fulfilled, which was spoken by

406
00:29:03,660 –> 00:29:06,660
Isaiah.
And so he began his ministry.

407
00:29:07,260 –> 00:29:10,100
And from that time Jesus began
to preach and to say, repent,

408
00:29:10,100 –> 00:29:12,020
for the Kingdom of heaven is at
hand.

409
00:29:14,020 –> 00:29:18,060
Jesus knew the prophecy in
Zechariah 9 about the Messiah,

410
00:29:18,460 –> 00:29:22,180
where it says, rejoice greatly,
O daughter of Zion, Shout, O

411
00:29:22,180 –> 00:29:24,860
daughter of Jerusalem, Behold
thy king cometh unto thee.

412
00:29:25,620 –> 00:29:30,540
He is just in having salvation
lowly and riding upon an ass and

413
00:29:30,540 –> 00:29:34,780
upon a cult the full of an ass.
In this picture of meekness,

414
00:29:35,220 –> 00:29:38,780
that lowliness was fulfilled
literally by Christ in Matthew

415
00:29:38,780 –> 00:29:43,620
21 and tells us in verse 4 all
this was done, that it might be

416
00:29:43,620 –> 00:29:46,460
fulfilled which was spoken by
the prophet.

417
00:29:49,740 –> 00:29:53,740
Jesus knew the prophecies about
himself, and his goal was to

418
00:29:53,740 –> 00:29:58,120
fulfill them all.
And on one hand, having so many

419
00:29:58,120 –> 00:30:01,520
prophecies about him, Christ may
have felt some enormous,

420
00:30:01,600 –> 00:30:04,520
enormous pressure to fulfill
them.

421
00:30:06,040 –> 00:30:09,720
Some were fulfilled by
happenstance, things like his

422
00:30:09,720 –> 00:30:11,520
lineage and where he would be
born.

423
00:30:13,080 –> 00:30:15,240
Yet others he had to make sure
to fulfill.

424
00:30:16,480 –> 00:30:18,800
And there are hundreds of Old
Testament prophecies about him,

425
00:30:20,280 –> 00:30:23,800
so we would have felt this
weighing pressure to fulfill

426
00:30:23,800 –> 00:30:27,800
them.
Yet on the other hand, I think

427
00:30:27,800 –> 00:30:30,400
maybe all these prophecies also
would be a blessing unto him,

428
00:30:31,400 –> 00:30:36,120
acting as a guide for him,
acting almost like a blueprint

429
00:30:36,120 –> 00:30:40,560
for his life, as if God was
guiding him, holding his hand

430
00:30:41,680 –> 00:30:43,680
throughout his life, never
leaving him alone.

431
00:30:47,760 –> 00:30:51,420
So Christ had the blessing of
his Father’s guidance throughout

432
00:30:51,420 –> 00:30:56,220
his life, and perhaps this gave
him the strength to and to face

433
00:30:56,220 –> 00:30:59,700
the cross, which he knew he had
to do from Leviticus.

434
00:30:59,700 –> 00:31:03,220
Christ knew that he was to be
sacrificed for the life of a

435
00:31:03,220 –> 00:31:06,500
creature is in the blood, and
I’ve given it to you to make

436
00:31:06,500 –> 00:31:08,260
atonement for yourselves on the
altar.

437
00:31:08,660 –> 00:31:11,060
It is the blood that makes
atonement for one’s life.

438
00:31:12,620 –> 00:31:16,260
Christ was the Passover lamb who
had no defect.

439
00:31:17,540 –> 00:31:22,520
He knew he must be lifted up on
the cross, John Three tells us.

440
00:31:22,520 –> 00:31:26,680
And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, Even

441
00:31:26,680 –> 00:31:30,360
so must the Son of Man be lifted
up, that whosoever believeth in

442
00:31:30,360 –> 00:31:34,000
him should not perish, but have
eternal life.

443
00:31:38,320 –> 00:31:43,320
Christ was able to live this
perfect life, and was able to

444
00:31:43,320 –> 00:31:48,680
endure the cross, because he had
his eyes fixed on his goal,

445
00:31:50,570 –> 00:31:54,330
looking to Jesus, the founder
and perfector of our faith, who

446
00:31:54,330 –> 00:31:59,490
for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising

447
00:31:59,490 –> 00:32:03,850
the shame, and is seated at the
right hand, the throne of God.

448
00:32:04,650 –> 00:32:09,930
Consider him who endured from
sinners such hostility against

449
00:32:09,930 –> 00:32:15,010
himself, so that you may not
grow weary or fainthearted.

450
00:32:17,530 –> 00:32:22,360
So let us look to Jesus for our
example on how to endure, to not

451
00:32:22,360 –> 00:32:26,920
give up or grow weary.
The goal of being here there in

452
00:32:26,920 –> 00:32:31,520
the Kingdom with Him should keep
us awake and active in the Word.

453
00:32:33,240 –> 00:32:37,800
There are still prophecies which
Christ has not fulfilled, and

454
00:32:37,800 –> 00:32:42,720
you can bet He’s looking forward
to fulfilling them, such as

455
00:32:42,720 –> 00:32:45,920
Psalm 9.
The Lord shall endure forever.

456
00:32:46,960 –> 00:32:49,440
He hath prepared his throne for
judgment.

457
00:32:50,250 –> 00:32:52,490
He shall judge the world in
righteousness.

458
00:32:53,330 –> 00:32:56,890
He shall minister judgment to
the people in uprightness.

459
00:32:57,890 –> 00:33:02,450
The Lord will be a refuge for
the oppressed, a refuge in times

460
00:33:02,450 –> 00:33:06,010
of trouble.
And they that know thy name will

461
00:33:06,010 –> 00:33:09,930
put their trust in thee.
For thou Lord, hast not forsaken

462
00:33:09,930 –> 00:33:15,970
them that seek thee.
So let us not forsake our God or

463
00:33:15,970 –> 00:33:21,720
His Son, but rather focus on the
joys set before us so that we

464
00:33:21,720 –> 00:33:25,480
may not grow faint hearted until
that time comes.

465
00:33:25,480 –> 00:33:29,120
Let us remember the sacrifice
which our Messiah has made for

466
00:33:29,120 –> 00:33:32,240
us and continue to walk humbly
before our God.

467
00:33:33,720 –> 00:33:37,000
If we just try to make these
small changes, they will add up

468
00:33:38,120 –> 00:33:39,800
one day.
They will add up to you and I

469
00:33:40,440 –> 00:33:44,360
reigning as kings and priests
with our Savior in His Kingdom.

470
00:33:59,190 –> 00:34:01,470
Thank you for listening to the
good Christadelphian Talks

471
00:34:01,470 –> 00:34:04,310
Podcast.
We hope this talk helped you in

472
00:34:04,310 –> 00:34:06,470
your walk.
If you would like to hear more,

473
00:34:06,710 –> 00:34:09,230
please subscribe for new
episodes and leave a review, an

474
00:34:09,230 –> 00:34:12,110
Apple podcast, or whichever
service you are using to help

475
00:34:12,110 –> 00:34:13,909
more people find the show when
they search for it.

476
00:34:14,750 –> 00:34:16,350
If you enjoyed this particular
talk.

477
00:34:16,980 –> 00:34:18,980
Please share it with someone who
you think might enjoy it as

478
00:34:18,980 –> 00:34:21,219
well.
For show notes on the talk you

479
00:34:21,219 –> 00:34:25,260
just listened to, visit our show
page at anchor dot FM slash gct

480
00:34:25,540 –> 00:34:28,100
or check the Show notes section
of your podcast player.

481
00:34:29,260 –> 00:34:31,620
Please share your thoughts on
the talk from this week on our

482
00:34:31,620 –> 00:34:34,460
Facebook or Instagram pages
where we are at good

483
00:34:34,460 –> 00:34:39,340
Kristadelphian talks, on Twitter
where we are at GCT under score

484
00:34:39,340 –> 00:34:42,580
Podcast, or leave a comment on
our YouTube channel where these

485
00:34:42,580 –> 00:34:45,620
talks are posted as well.
If you know of a great talk, we

486
00:34:45,620 –> 00:34:48,730
want to know about it too.
Send a suggestion to our e-mail

487
00:34:48,730 –> 00:34:51,050
at
[email protected]

488
00:34:51,290 –> 00:34:53,530
or message us on any of our
social media accounts.

489
00:34:54,449 –> 00:34:57,250
Thank you for listening.
God bless and talk to you next

490
00:34:57,250 –> 00:34:57,530
week.