Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 392.<\/p>\n
2
\n00:00:07,320 –> 00:00:10,440
\nquestions and comments.
\nI appreciate the all the input <\/p>\n
3
\n00:00:10,440 –> 00:00:13,040
\nHad a had a aha moment on my
\nown. <\/p>\n
4
\n00:00:13,160 –> 00:00:18,680
\nI’ll share with you.
\nJohn came over to defend his <\/p>\n
5
\n00:00:18,680 –> 00:00:23,120
\nfellow college students and, and
\nsaid that, you know, it’s not <\/p>\n
6
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\nnecessarily higher education
\nthat takes you away from God, <\/p>\n
7
\n00:00:26,200 –> 00:00:30,040
\nbut it’s the pride that often
\nfollows knowledge that that <\/p>\n
8
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\nmakes it hard.
\nSo that was an interesting <\/p>\n
9
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\npoint.
\nWe kind of enjoyed that comment.<\/p>\n
10
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\nAnd then someone else came up
\nand said that doubt and humility<\/p>\n
11
\n00:00:39,040 –> 00:00:42,920
\nare connected.
\nAnd I and I put those two <\/p>\n
12
\n00:00:42,920 –> 00:00:45,280
\ncomments together and I have to
\nexplore this a little bit <\/p>\n
13
\n00:00:45,280 –> 00:00:46,760
\nfurther.
\nBut there’s definitely a <\/p>\n
14
\n00:00:46,760 –> 00:00:51,320
\nconnection between certainty and
\npride and doubt and humility. <\/p>\n
15
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\nAnd I think it’s something for
\nus to spend a little time <\/p>\n
16
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\nthinking about, but not today.
\nToday we’re going to head down a<\/p>\n
17
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\ndifferent path.
\nWe’re going to talk about <\/p>\n
18
\n00:01:00,480 –> 00:01:03,880
\noutside the box.
\nNow, certainly outside the box <\/p>\n
19
\n00:01:03,880 –> 00:01:06,600
\nis a metaphor, unless your name
\nis Jack. <\/p>\n
20
\n00:01:08,880 –> 00:01:11,880
\nAnd, and we’re going to apply
\nthat in, in a couple of <\/p>\n
21
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\ndifferent ways.
\nSo you’re going to get a little <\/p>\n
22
\n00:01:13,640 –> 00:01:16,160
\nconfused.
\nIt’s not that I’m I’m getting <\/p>\n
23
\n00:01:16,160 –> 00:01:18,000
\nconfused, just that you’re
\ngetting a little confused. <\/p>\n
24
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\nWe’re going to talk not just
\nabout thinking outside the box, <\/p>\n
25
\n00:01:21,560 –> 00:01:26,200
\nbut about about seeing outside
\nthe box and about living outside<\/p>\n
26
\n00:01:26,200 –> 00:01:30,040
\nthe box.
\nAnd I want to start by looking <\/p>\n
27
\n00:01:30,040 –> 00:01:31,960
\nback to the good old days when
\nwe were young. <\/p>\n
28
\n00:01:32,720 –> 00:01:37,360
\nSo for 17 of you doesn’t really
\napply, but for the rest of us, <\/p>\n
29
\n00:01:37,360 –> 00:01:40,720
\nit applies.
\nMight I say I’ll go ahead and <\/p>\n
30
\n00:01:40,720 –> 00:01:43,720
\nsay it.
\nI feel like Ken Somerville when <\/p>\n
31
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\nI say this, but young, dumb and
\nhappy, That’s what Ken used to <\/p>\n
32
\n00:01:47,240 –> 00:01:52,520
\nsay all the time.
\nYou may start out happy, but the<\/p>\n
33
\n00:01:52,520 –> 00:01:57,440
\nfact that we want to talk about
\nis the more you become aware of <\/p>\n
34
\n00:01:57,440 –> 00:02:02,080
\nlife’s complexities and life’s
\ninjustices and life’s <\/p>\n
35
\n00:02:02,080 –> 00:02:06,560
\nuncertainties and hardships, the
\nharder it is to be happy as you <\/p>\n
36
\n00:02:06,560 –> 00:02:09,320
\nget older.
\nThat’s why we tend to look back <\/p>\n
37
\n00:02:09,320 –> 00:02:16,360
\non our youth with such fondness.
\nThe 21 year old Jeff didn’t know<\/p>\n
38
\n00:02:16,720 –> 00:02:21,720
\nas many things that I know about
\nnow that haunt my brain when I <\/p>\n
39
\n00:02:21,720 –> 00:02:25,320
\ncan’t sleep at night.
\nThings were easier when you were<\/p>\n
40
\n00:02:25,320 –> 00:02:26,560
\nyoung.
\nIn so many ways. <\/p>\n
41
\n00:02:26,560 –> 00:02:28,280
\nThey were easier when you were
\nyoung. <\/p>\n
42
\n00:02:28,560 –> 00:02:30,120
\nThings were more black and
\nwhite. <\/p>\n
43
\n00:02:32,640 –> 00:02:36,440
\nYou weren’t tormented by all the
\nsubtle nuances of life. <\/p>\n
44
\n00:02:37,200 –> 00:02:39,960
\nMaybe you looked at a situation,
\nlooked at a problem, looked at <\/p>\n
45
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\nsomething.
\nYou just say, well, yeah, this <\/p>\n
46
\n00:02:41,640 –> 00:02:44,440
\nis the answer.
\nYou didn’t say, well, yeah, but <\/p>\n
47
\n00:02:44,440 –> 00:02:47,840
\nthere’s this and there’s this
\nand and you know, all those, all<\/p>\n
48
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\nthose things that make it hard.
\nSo in that sense, I think young <\/p>\n
49
\n00:02:51,640 –> 00:02:53,760
\npeople are dumb.
\nThey’re not, they’re not yet <\/p>\n
50
\n00:02:53,760 –> 00:02:57,760
\naware of, of life’s
\ncomplications, of all the, all <\/p>\n
51
\n00:02:57,760 –> 00:03:03,640
\nthe particles that make up the
\nwhole, they, they think inside <\/p>\n
52
\n00:03:03,640 –> 00:03:06,480
\nthe box, everything is very
\nclear. <\/p>\n
53
\n00:03:06,480 –> 00:03:08,600
\nThere’s, there’s right and
\nthere’s wrong. <\/p>\n
54
\n00:03:12,120 –> 00:03:17,840
\nAnd it’s always clear which one
\nis which, or more importantly, <\/p>\n
55
\n00:03:17,840 –> 00:03:20,080
\nwho, who was, who was right, who
\nwas wrong. <\/p>\n
56
\n00:03:20,520 –> 00:03:22,680
\nAs you get older, you start to
\nbe able to think a little bit <\/p>\n
57
\n00:03:22,680 –> 00:03:27,200
\noutside that box.
\nAnd that’s good, that’s healthy.<\/p>\n
58
\n00:03:27,360 –> 00:03:29,280
\nI think it’s very important that
\nwe we do that. <\/p>\n
59
\n00:03:29,280 –> 00:03:31,160
\nWe have to mature to get to that
\npoint. <\/p>\n
60
\n00:03:31,480 –> 00:03:34,520
\nThe part they don’t tell you
\nthough, is that it’s going to <\/p>\n
61
\n00:03:34,800 –> 00:03:37,520
\nreally ruin your day.
\nYou know, it’s really going to <\/p>\n
62
\n00:03:37,520 –> 00:03:40,280
\nwhen you start to, when you
\nstart to see outside the box as <\/p>\n
63
\n00:03:40,280 –> 00:03:43,080
\nwell.
\nYou’re no longer entirely <\/p>\n
64
\n00:03:43,080 –> 00:03:49,040
\nconsumed with your own being and
\nyou start to look at those <\/p>\n
65
\n00:03:49,040 –> 00:03:52,920
\naround you and you start to be
\nconcerned for those around you. <\/p>\n
66
\n00:03:53,200 –> 00:03:55,920
\nYou start to worry for those
\naround you. <\/p>\n
67
\n00:03:56,000 –> 00:03:59,360
\nThe the welfare of others
\nbecomes your concern. <\/p>\n
68
\n00:04:00,200 –> 00:04:02,520
\nI just love how Paul describes
\nhis life. <\/p>\n
69
\n00:04:04,040 –> 00:04:06,120
\nHe says, oh, that’s what we’re
\ntalking about today. <\/p>\n
70
\n00:04:06,360 –> 00:04:08,040
\nNext slide Paul describes his
\nlife. <\/p>\n
71
\n00:04:08,360 –> 00:04:14,360
\nFive times I received at the
\nhands of the Jews the 40 lashes.<\/p>\n
72
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\nLess. 1\/3 times I was beaten
\nwith rods. <\/p>\n
73
\n00:04:19,200 –> 00:04:24,560
\nOnce I was stoned.
\nThree times I was shipwrecked a <\/p>\n
74
\n00:04:24,560 –> 00:04:28,040
\nday and a night I was adrift at
\nsea on frequent journeys and <\/p>\n
75
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\ndangers from rivers, Dangers
\nfrom robbers, danger from my own<\/p>\n
76
\n00:04:31,400 –> 00:04:34,920
\npeople, danger from gentiles,
\ndanger in the city, danger in <\/p>\n
77
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\nthe wilderness, danger at sea,
\ndanger from false brothers, and <\/p>\n
78
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\ntoil and hardship through many a
\nsleepless nights, and hunger and<\/p>\n
79
\n00:04:42,440 –> 00:04:46,480
\nthirst, often without food and
\ncold and exposure. <\/p>\n
80
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\nI, I, I can’t think of 1 of
\nthose things that have happened <\/p>\n
81
\n00:04:55,560 –> 00:04:59,280
\nto me.
\nAnd he, he’s had, you know, so <\/p>\n
82
\n00:04:59,280 –> 00:05:03,840
\nall of them, it sounds like it’s
\nalways makes me laugh when I <\/p>\n
83
\n00:05:03,840 –> 00:05:06,880
\nread that because it makes me
\nthink of one of those terrible <\/p>\n
84
\n00:05:07,040 –> 00:05:11,400
\nBible mission presentations at
\nBible school, you know, become a<\/p>\n
85
\n00:05:11,400 –> 00:05:13,880
\nBible missionary.
\nHave terrible, uncomfortable <\/p>\n
86
\n00:05:13,880 –> 00:05:15,920
\nthings happen to you in faraway
\ncountries. <\/p>\n
87
\n00:05:15,920 –> 00:05:18,600
\nYou know, if they, they come
\nback like, you know, I was, I <\/p>\n
88
\n00:05:18,600 –> 00:05:20,200
\nwas a Bible mission.
\nAnd this is, you know, I got <\/p>\n
89
\n00:05:20,720 –> 00:05:23,000
\nsome dysentery, you know, and
\nit’s like, I don’t really want <\/p>\n
90
\n00:05:23,000 –> 00:05:26,480
\nto hear about this.
\nBut the point I’m making, <\/p>\n
91
\n00:05:26,480 –> 00:05:32,800
\nthough, is Paul thought all of
\nthat was nothing compared to <\/p>\n
92
\n00:05:32,800 –> 00:05:36,160
\nthat.
\nApart from all these other <\/p>\n
93
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\nthings, there’s the daily
\npressure on me of my anxiety for<\/p>\n
94
\n00:05:41,360 –> 00:05:45,360
\nall the churches.
\nWhipped five times, beaten 3 <\/p>\n
95
\n00:05:45,360 –> 00:05:49,920
\ntimes, Stone once, shipwrecked
\nnot once, not twice, three <\/p>\n
96
\n00:05:49,920 –> 00:05:53,200
\ntimes.
\nHe needs a new travel agent, you<\/p>\n
97
\n00:05:53,200 –> 00:05:58,360
\nknow, 24 hours adrift at the
\nsea, dangers everywhere he went <\/p>\n
98
\n00:05:58,360 –> 00:06:03,120
\nin the city, in the country,
\nenemies, friends, sleepless <\/p>\n
99
\n00:06:03,120 –> 00:06:07,480
\nnights, hunger, thirst, exposed
\nto the cold. <\/p>\n
100
\n00:06:09,680 –> 00:06:13,800
\nBut worse and all those things
\nis the daily burden of my <\/p>\n
101
\n00:06:13,800 –> 00:06:17,520
\nconcern for the ecclesias.
\nThe 21 year old Jeff had none of<\/p>\n
102
\n00:06:17,520 –> 00:06:23,440
\nthat.
\nThe 61 year old Jeff lays awake <\/p>\n
103
\n00:06:23,440 –> 00:06:27,960
\nat night thinking about that
\nsister and what we can do to fix<\/p>\n
104
\n00:06:27,960 –> 00:06:34,400
\nthat, help that solve that.
\nWhen you really become aware of <\/p>\n
105
\n00:06:34,400 –> 00:06:36,840
\neveryone around you, you start
\nto see the pain. <\/p>\n
106
\n00:06:37,600 –> 00:06:42,400
\nEverybody hurts.
\nIt’s this, it’s this thing that <\/p>\n
107
\n00:06:42,400 –> 00:06:46,960
\nKelly and I say all the time and
\nand it’s just so true. <\/p>\n
108
\n00:06:47,000 –> 00:06:50,160
\nLike, you know, and you didn’t
\nknow it, you didn’t know it. <\/p>\n
109
\n00:06:50,160 –> 00:06:51,640
\nEverything was going really
\ngood. <\/p>\n
110
\n00:06:52,560 –> 00:06:55,640
\nAnd then the police arrest him
\nand put him in jail. <\/p>\n
111
\n00:06:56,520 –> 00:06:59,600
\nAnd she tells you, yeah, it’s
\nbeen going on for three years. <\/p>\n
112
\n00:07:00,440 –> 00:07:03,320
\nAnd I didn’t he, you know, he
\ntold me if I told anybody, he <\/p>\n
113
\n00:07:03,320 –> 00:07:05,560
\nwould beat me.
\nAnd and I haven’t told anybody. <\/p>\n
114
\n00:07:06,200 –> 00:07:09,800
\nAnd and you just didn’t know the
\npain that she was in. <\/p>\n
115
\n00:07:12,600 –> 00:07:15,800
\nEveryone is struggling with
\nsomething. <\/p>\n
116
\n00:07:20,520 –> 00:07:23,680
\nThose who are not aware of what
\nothers are caring don’t feel <\/p>\n
117
\n00:07:23,800 –> 00:07:26,920
\nthat same burden.
\nYou show up at church, <\/p>\n
118
\n00:07:26,920 –> 00:07:30,280
\neveryone’s dressed real nice.
\nEveryone smiles. <\/p>\n
119
\n00:07:30,400 –> 00:07:31,640
\nYou have a couple of nice
\nvisits. <\/p>\n
120
\n00:07:31,640 –> 00:07:34,920
\nYou talk about the score of the
\ngame last night, you hear a good<\/p>\n
121
\n00:07:34,920 –> 00:07:36,400
\ntalk.
\nYou go home. <\/p>\n
122
\n00:07:36,400 –> 00:07:38,760
\nYou mow the lawn, you play some
\npickleball. <\/p>\n
123
\n00:07:39,160 –> 00:07:42,400
\nYou enjoy another episode of
\nLongmire and you crawl into bed <\/p>\n
124
\n00:07:42,760 –> 00:07:44,360
\nand it’s just lather, rinse,
\nrepeat. <\/p>\n
125
\n00:07:49,080 –> 00:07:52,760
\nIt’s it’s the same way for
\nsomeone who’s ignorant or or <\/p>\n
126
\n00:07:52,760 –> 00:07:57,440
\nmakes the deliberate choice to
\noverlook certain truths, certain<\/p>\n
127
\n00:07:57,440 –> 00:08:00,120
\nrealities.
\nBut life is not simple. <\/p>\n
128
\n00:08:00,960 –> 00:08:03,560
\nLife is complicated and and it’s
\nnuanced. <\/p>\n
129
\n00:08:03,880 –> 00:08:08,560
\nThings are never nice and clean.
\nIt’s not about right and wrong. <\/p>\n
130
\n00:08:11,320 –> 00:08:13,400
\nWhen you open your eyes a bit
\nand you start looking outside <\/p>\n
131
\n00:08:13,400 –> 00:08:16,640
\nthe box, you’re able to see
\nthings so differently. <\/p>\n
132
\n00:08:16,840 –> 00:08:20,160
\nAnd there’s a tension, I think,
\nthat naturally exists in our <\/p>\n
133
\n00:08:20,160 –> 00:08:22,280
\nwalk in Christ.
\nThis tension exists because <\/p>\n
134
\n00:08:22,480 –> 00:08:26,720
\nhuman beings are complex and
\nthings are hardly ever black and<\/p>\n
135
\n00:08:26,720 –> 00:08:29,400
\nwhite.
\nBut we want to see things in <\/p>\n
136
\n00:08:29,400 –> 00:08:34,320
\nterms of either walking with God
\nor not walking with God. <\/p>\n
137
\n00:08:36,000 –> 00:08:38,799
\nAnd the reality of the situation
\nis much more confusing. <\/p>\n
138
\n00:08:39,159 –> 00:08:42,320
\nThere are people in the world
\nwho have chosen not to walk with<\/p>\n
139
\n00:08:42,320 –> 00:08:48,800
\nGod and yet do good things.
\nAnd likewise, we’re probably all<\/p>\n
140
\n00:08:48,880 –> 00:08:52,840
\ntoo familiar with people like
\nourselves who choosing to live a<\/p>\n
141
\n00:08:52,840 –> 00:08:56,440
\nlife of service to God and yet
\noccasionally find ourselves not <\/p>\n
142
\n00:08:56,440 –> 00:08:59,320
\neven coming close to living up
\nto that column. <\/p>\n
143
\n00:09:01,000 –> 00:09:05,320
\nI was getting the mail once and
\nwe have a community mailbox. <\/p>\n
144
\n00:09:05,320 –> 00:09:08,920
\nSo I walk up the street and I
\nget the mail and outcomes a <\/p>\n
145
\n00:09:09,320 –> 00:09:11,680
\nneighbor who I know to be
\nChristian. <\/p>\n
146
\n00:09:12,880 –> 00:09:19,440
\nAnd she just says a few things
\nto me and I pick up my mail and <\/p>\n
147
\n00:09:19,440 –> 00:09:23,240
\nI walk home thinking she’s such
\na better Christian than I am. <\/p>\n
148
\n00:09:25,520 –> 00:09:29,800
\nAnd that’s, that’s so it’s so
\ndisheartening and and troubling <\/p>\n
149
\n00:09:29,800 –> 00:09:32,560
\nand confusing when you’re
\nbrought up Chris at Elephants <\/p>\n
150
\n00:09:32,560 –> 00:09:34,920
\nand you know you have the truth
\nand she doesn’t. <\/p>\n
151
\n00:09:35,680 –> 00:09:38,120
\nI have the truth.
\nI was brought up in the truth. <\/p>\n
152
\n00:09:38,680 –> 00:09:42,600
\nThe truth will make you free.
\nAnd she and she talks about <\/p>\n
153
\n00:09:42,800 –> 00:09:47,360
\nthese things that are so far
\nabove my mind. <\/p>\n
154
\n00:09:47,840 –> 00:09:56,600
\nAnd I think there’s a there’s a
\nlaw that exists in our bodies, <\/p>\n
155
\n00:09:56,680 –> 00:09:58,600
\nright?
\nWe commit our lives to serve the<\/p>\n
156
\n00:09:58,600 –> 00:10:01,800
\nLord in our minds, but our
\nbodies are prone to sin. <\/p>\n
157
\n00:10:01,920 –> 00:10:05,440
\nWe dedicate our lives to walk
\nwith God, yet sometimes our <\/p>\n
158
\n00:10:05,440 –> 00:10:10,360
\nbodies don’t walk with us, even
\nthough our inward man and our <\/p>\n
159
\n00:10:10,560 –> 00:10:13,240
\nour fleshly members do not
\nalways walk in the same <\/p>\n
160
\n00:10:13,240 –> 00:10:15,640
\ndirection.
\nThat doesn’t mean you have to <\/p>\n
161
\n00:10:15,640 –> 00:10:18,480
\nabandon your calling to serve
\nthe Lord. <\/p>\n
162
\n00:10:19,840 –> 00:10:23,160
\nEven though you feel like you’re
\nnot living up to what you should<\/p>\n
163
\n00:10:23,160 –> 00:10:27,240
\nbe living up to, or that others
\nare doing a better job than you,<\/p>\n
164
\n00:10:28,920 –> 00:10:30,880
\nit doesn’t mean you should give
\nup. <\/p>\n
165
\n00:10:32,560 –> 00:10:35,160
\nIt’s easy to see this principle
\nworking in your life, but it’s <\/p>\n
166
\n00:10:35,320 –> 00:10:38,520
\nit’s harder to extend that same
\nunderstanding to those around <\/p>\n
167
\n00:10:38,520 –> 00:10:43,720
\nyou because you fully understand
\nthe complexities that go into <\/p>\n
168
\n00:10:43,720 –> 00:10:47,920
\neach of your decisions.
\nBut we’re often not able to <\/p>\n
169
\n00:10:47,920 –> 00:10:51,360
\nextend that same kind of grace
\nto other people’s conclusions. <\/p>\n
170
\n00:10:52,560 –> 00:10:55,040
\nNone of us really knows what’s
\ngoing on in the lives of those <\/p>\n
171
\n00:10:55,040 –> 00:10:59,480
\naround us.
\nWhen you see them walking in the<\/p>\n
172
\n00:10:59,480 –> 00:11:09,080
\nmeeting 11 minutes late and you
\nthink, oh man, you think you <\/p>\n
173
\n00:11:09,080 –> 00:11:12,160
\nknow what’s going on.
\nAnd that’s the problem. <\/p>\n
174
\n00:11:13,680 –> 00:11:15,920
\nWe think we’re really good at
\nreading people. <\/p>\n
175
\n00:11:16,960 –> 00:11:20,560
\nWe look at a few external
\nindicators and we think we have <\/p>\n
176
\n00:11:20,560 –> 00:11:26,480
\nthem all figured out, but we’re
\nwrong every time. <\/p>\n
177
\n00:11:28,240 –> 00:11:35,040
\nI want to consider a letter that
\nI have read from a brother, and <\/p>\n
178
\n00:11:35,040 –> 00:11:38,000
\nI want to see how well you are
\nat judging his heart. <\/p>\n
179
\n00:11:38,800 –> 00:11:40,120
\nYou don’t.
\nYou’ve never met him, you’ve <\/p>\n
180
\n00:11:40,120 –> 00:11:43,280
\nnever seen him.
\nBut this is a letter he wrote <\/p>\n
181
\n00:11:43,280 –> 00:11:46,720
\npouring, pouring his heart out.
\nAnd let’s see how well you are <\/p>\n
182
\n00:11:46,720 –> 00:11:52,080
\njudging his heart.
\nGod, you’re my last chance. <\/p>\n
183
\n00:11:53,360 –> 00:11:55,360
\nI spent the night on my knees
\nbefore you. <\/p>\n
184
\n00:11:56,040 –> 00:11:59,960
\nI’ve had my fill of trouble.
\nI’m written off as a lost cause.<\/p>\n
185
\n00:11:59,960 –> 00:12:02,080
\nOne more statistic, A hopeless
\ncase. <\/p>\n
186
\n00:12:02,560 –> 00:12:06,560
\nAbandoned is already dead.
\nOne more body in a stack of <\/p>\n
187
\n00:12:06,560 –> 00:12:09,520
\ncorpses, but not so much as a
\ngravestone. <\/p>\n
188
\n00:12:10,680 –> 00:12:12,680
\nYou’ve dropped me into a
\nbottomless pit. <\/p>\n
189
\n00:12:12,840 –> 00:12:16,960
\nI’m battered senseless by your
\nrage, relentlessly pounded by <\/p>\n
190
\n00:12:16,960 –> 00:12:20,520
\nyour waves of anger.
\nYou turn my friends against me. <\/p>\n
191
\n00:12:20,720 –> 00:12:23,120
\nI’m caught in a maze, and I
\ncan’t find my way out. <\/p>\n
192
\n00:12:23,120 –> 00:12:26,920
\nBlinded by tears of pain and
\nfrustration, I plead for help. <\/p>\n
193
\n00:12:27,560 –> 00:12:30,360
\nAre the dead Alive audience for
\nyour miracles? <\/p>\n
194
\n00:12:30,480 –> 00:12:32,720
\nDo ghosts ever join the choirs
\nthat praise you? <\/p>\n
195
\n00:12:33,000 –> 00:12:35,520
\nDoes your love make any
\ndifference in a graveyard? <\/p>\n
196
\n00:12:36,000 –> 00:12:38,520
\nIs your faithful presence
\nnoticed in the corridors of <\/p>\n
197
\n00:12:38,520 –> 00:12:40,480
\nhell?
\nAre your marvelous wonders ever <\/p>\n
198
\n00:12:40,480 –> 00:12:43,400
\nseen in the dark?
\nI’m standing my ground, God <\/p>\n
199
\n00:12:43,400 –> 00:12:45,960
\nshouting for help.
\nWhy, God, do you turn a deaf, <\/p>\n
200
\n00:12:46,080 –> 00:12:49,240
\ndeaf ear?
\nWhy do you make yourself scarce?<\/p>\n
201
\n00:12:50,000 –> 00:12:52,040
\nFor as long as I can remember,
\nI’ve been hurting. <\/p>\n
202
\n00:12:52,440 –> 00:12:55,200
\nI’ve taken the worst you can
\nhand out, and I’ve had it. <\/p>\n
203
\n00:12:56,000 –> 00:12:58,880
\nYour wildfire fire has blazed
\nthrough my life. <\/p>\n
204
\n00:12:59,120 –> 00:13:02,160
\nI’m bleeding black and blue.
\nYou’ve attacked me from every <\/p>\n
205
\n00:13:02,160 –> 00:13:04,960
\nside, raining down blows on me
\nuntil I’m nearly dead. <\/p>\n
206
\n00:13:05,680 –> 00:13:09,200
\nThe only friend I have left is
\nDarkness. <\/p>\n
207
\n00:13:12,160 –> 00:13:15,200
\nThe only friend I have left is
\nDarkness. <\/p>\n
208
\n00:13:17,920 –> 00:13:25,520
\nI lied to you.
\nYou know this, brother, That’s <\/p>\n
209
\n00:13:25,520 –> 00:13:32,160
\nPsalm 88.
\nNow, if I were to write a letter<\/p>\n
210
\n00:13:32,160 –> 00:13:35,880
\nlike this to you, I don’t think
\nyou would have asked me to come <\/p>\n
211
\n00:13:35,880 –> 00:13:42,320
\nspeak at your Bible school.
\nI imagined you would think I’m <\/p>\n
212
\n00:13:42,320 –> 00:13:48,640
\nhaving a crisis of my faith.
\nIf I gave an excitation like <\/p>\n
213
\n00:13:48,640 –> 00:13:51,560
\nthis, I’d be the subject of an
\nannouncement in the next <\/p>\n
214
\n00:13:51,560 –> 00:13:55,120
\nnewsletter.
\nPlease pray for Brother Jeff as <\/p>\n
215
\n00:13:55,120 –> 00:14:00,200
\nhe struggles.
\nDavid was honestly struggling <\/p>\n
216
\n00:14:00,200 –> 00:14:05,600
\nwith his feelings about God.
\nIt’s not wrong and it’s not <\/p>\n
217
\n00:14:05,600 –> 00:14:09,160
\nunique to David.
\nIt’s not unique in the life of a<\/p>\n
218
\n00:14:09,160 –> 00:14:12,480
\nbeliever.
\nNow would you? <\/p>\n
219
\n00:14:12,720 –> 00:14:14,720
\nNext time you see David, are you
\ngoing to tell him he needs to <\/p>\n
220
\n00:14:14,720 –> 00:14:16,840
\nstudy the Bible more so he can
\nget over this? <\/p>\n
221
\n00:14:17,360 –> 00:14:19,520
\nHe needs to do the readings more
\nregularly. <\/p>\n
222
\n00:14:19,880 –> 00:14:24,960
\nGo to a class, maybe listen to
\nsome podcasts you can recommend.<\/p>\n
223
\n00:14:26,640 –> 00:14:29,960
\nWould you really want him
\nteaching your Sunday school? <\/p>\n
224
\n00:14:31,600 –> 00:14:34,760
\nWould you really want him
\ntalking to the kids in your CYC?<\/p>\n
225
\n00:14:38,840 –> 00:14:42,880
\nYou see, feeling like God is far
\naway or or disinterested in you <\/p>\n
226
\n00:14:43,240 –> 00:14:47,360
\nis part of our Bible.
\nNo matter how offensive it may <\/p>\n
227
\n00:14:47,360 –> 00:14:51,640
\nseem, it’s never been shamed or
\nor criticized by God. <\/p>\n
228
\n00:14:53,840 –> 00:14:57,920
\nActing unjustly towards others
\nor worshipping other gods? <\/p>\n
229
\n00:14:57,920 –> 00:15:03,080
\nThat gets criticized in almost
\nevery chapter, but not honest. <\/p>\n
230
\n00:15:03,080 –> 00:15:06,200
\nTalk about feeling abandoned by
\nGod. <\/p>\n
231
\n00:15:06,680 –> 00:15:10,240
\nThese expressions of abandonment
\naren’t evidence that something’s<\/p>\n
232
\n00:15:10,240 –> 00:15:13,760
\nwrong and needs to be fixed.
\nThey signal not only what can <\/p>\n
233
\n00:15:13,760 –> 00:15:17,760
\nhappen in a life of faith, but
\nwhat does happen, frankly, what <\/p>\n
234
\n00:15:17,760 –> 00:15:23,160
\nwe should expect to happen, what
\nwe should be looking for and <\/p>\n
235
\n00:15:23,160 –> 00:15:28,120
\nexpecting and not not deluding
\nourselves into thinking that <\/p>\n
236
\n00:15:28,120 –> 00:15:32,080
\neverything’s fine.
\nIn my ecclesia in New England, <\/p>\n
237
\n00:15:32,400 –> 00:15:34,400
\nthat was the one word I hated
\nthe most. <\/p>\n
238
\n00:15:35,160 –> 00:15:40,120
\nFine because in New England they
\ngive you one word answers. <\/p>\n
239
\n00:15:40,840 –> 00:15:44,000
\nHow are you fine?
\nHow are things going? <\/p>\n
240
\n00:15:44,280 –> 00:15:46,480
\nFine.
\nHow’s the family? <\/p>\n
241
\n00:15:46,880 –> 00:15:50,320
\nFine, then why does your
\ndaughter have black and Blues on<\/p>\n
242
\n00:15:50,880 –> 00:15:59,570
\nher left eye?
\nPsalm 88 just leaves you there <\/p>\n
243
\n00:15:59,570 –> 00:16:03,370
\nat the end.
\nYou notice that only friend I <\/p>\n
244
\n00:16:03,370 –> 00:16:10,530
\nhave left is darkness.
\nHave you ever felt that your <\/p>\n
245
\n00:16:10,530 –> 00:16:16,610
\nlife is just a deep pit of blah
\nwhere you’re all alone? <\/p>\n
246
\n00:16:16,650 –> 00:16:18,010
\nThat’s what that’s how David
\nfelt. <\/p>\n
247
\n00:16:18,570 –> 00:16:24,840
\nThose times where you thought
\nyou knew what what you thought <\/p>\n
248
\n00:16:24,840 –> 00:16:28,200
\nyou could be certain of and
\ncount on turns out to be not so <\/p>\n
249
\n00:16:28,200 –> 00:16:31,720
\ncertain at all.
\nWe have to learn to embrace the <\/p>\n
250
\n00:16:31,720 –> 00:16:34,600
\nfact that faith looks like this
\nsometimes. <\/p>\n
251
\n00:16:35,280 –> 00:16:38,680
\nAnd you’re not alone.
\nYou’ve got David in your camp. <\/p>\n
252
\n00:16:39,840 –> 00:16:42,840
\nWe all have thoughts like that.
\nThat’s why that’s why Psalm 88 <\/p>\n
253
\n00:16:42,840 –> 00:16:45,840
\nis included in the Bible.
\nAnd just wait till you get to <\/p>\n
254
\n00:16:45,840 –> 00:16:51,400
\nPsalm 89.
\nNo matter how well we think we <\/p>\n
255
\n00:16:51,400 –> 00:16:55,080
\nknow what God’s next move is
\ngoing to be, things often don’t <\/p>\n
256
\n00:16:55,080 –> 00:16:59,400
\nturn out that way.
\nDavid thought He felt certain <\/p>\n
257
\n00:16:59,400 –> 00:17:03,000
\nabout what God’s plan was, and
\nyet things turned out quite <\/p>\n
258
\n00:17:03,000 –> 00:17:07,119
\ndifferently for him.
\nWith his own son trying to kill <\/p>\n
259
\n00:17:07,119 –> 00:17:11,680
\nhim, we shouldn’t be surprised
\nwhen we find ourselves in a <\/p>\n
260
\n00:17:11,680 –> 00:17:14,160
\nsimilar spot.
\nIn fact, I’m starting to believe<\/p>\n
261
\n00:17:14,160 –> 00:17:19,200
\nthat God doesn’t do anything the
\nway that I think it should be <\/p>\n
262
\n00:17:19,200 –> 00:17:23,280
\ndone as I read through the the
\nBible, especially the Old <\/p>\n
263
\n00:17:23,280 –> 00:17:25,720
\nTestament.
\nNot one of those stories is the <\/p>\n
264
\n00:17:25,720 –> 00:17:30,800
\nway I would have written it.
\nThat’s part of the idea. <\/p>\n
265
\n00:17:31,640 –> 00:17:34,360
\nGod isn’t beholden to to our
\nthinking. <\/p>\n
266
\n00:17:34,440 –> 00:17:38,240
\nGod doesn’t act according to our
\ncertainty, even if we have a <\/p>\n
267
\n00:17:38,240 –> 00:17:43,600
\nBible verse to back it up.
\nIt’s not about God acting in in <\/p>\n
268
\n00:17:43,640 –> 00:17:46,520
\nour time frame.
\nWe don’t control God. <\/p>\n
269
\n00:17:47,080 –> 00:17:50,400
\nEven if we read verses that make
\nus think that God has to do <\/p>\n
270
\n00:17:50,400 –> 00:17:53,720
\nthings in a certain way.
\nGod controls God. <\/p>\n
271
\n00:17:54,400 –> 00:17:57,920
\nYou don’t control God.
\nYou have to trust God. <\/p>\n
272
\n00:17:58,600 –> 00:18:01,800
\nAnd David learned that trust
\ngrows best when things are <\/p>\n
273
\n00:18:01,800 –> 00:18:03,920
\nfalling apart.
\nHe’s not the only one who got <\/p>\n
274
\n00:18:03,920 –> 00:18:07,120
\nthat memo.
\nMuscles grow when they’re being <\/p>\n
275
\n00:18:07,120 –> 00:18:11,040
\nstressed.
\nMuscles don’t grow on the bark <\/p>\n
276
\n00:18:11,040 –> 00:18:13,920
\nlounger.
\nThey don’t grow on the come in <\/p>\n
277
\n00:18:13,920 –> 00:18:18,560
\nthe comfortable seats.
\nThey grow where when pain and <\/p>\n
278
\n00:18:18,800 –> 00:18:27,160
\nand and soreness happens, trust
\nGod in the same way trust in <\/p>\n
279
\n00:18:27,160 –> 00:18:29,840
\nGod.
\nIt is the same way it it grows <\/p>\n
280
\n00:18:29,920 –> 00:18:34,440
\nin times of stress.
\nYour faith grows because it’s <\/p>\n
281
\n00:18:34,440 –> 00:18:38,680
\nstretched, because it’s worked,
\nbecause it’s pushed, because <\/p>\n
282
\n00:18:38,680 –> 00:18:42,800
\nit’s bent and and torn, and it
\nbuilds itself back together <\/p>\n
283
\n00:18:42,800 –> 00:18:49,040
\nstronger.
\nIf your faith in God makes zero <\/p>\n
284
\n00:18:49,040 –> 00:18:52,920
\nsense to you, and your reasons
\nfor trusting God have fallen off<\/p>\n
285
\n00:18:52,920 –> 00:18:56,480
\na Cliff, you’ve got a friend in
\nEcclesiastes. <\/p>\n
286
\n00:18:58,040 –> 00:19:01,400
\nEcclesiastes looks at life
\nthrough the eyes of humans, not <\/p>\n
287
\n00:19:01,400 –> 00:19:05,400
\nthe godly perspective, and life
\nplays out as one cruel joke <\/p>\n
288
\n00:19:05,400 –> 00:19:07,680
\nafter another.
\nAnd then you die. <\/p>\n
289
\n00:19:09,840 –> 00:19:12,680
\nIt’s an unhappy business that
\nGod has given the children of <\/p>\n
290
\n00:19:12,680 –> 00:19:16,280
\nmen to be busy with.
\nI’ve seen everything that’s done<\/p>\n
291
\n00:19:16,280 –> 00:19:20,240
\nunder the sun and behold,
\neverything is vanity and a <\/p>\n
292
\n00:19:20,240 –> 00:19:23,560
\nstriving after wind.
\nFrom a human standpoint, our <\/p>\n
293
\n00:19:23,560 –> 00:19:27,440
\nlives are full of unhappy
\nbusiness that God has given us, <\/p>\n
294
\n00:19:28,800 –> 00:19:33,400
\nand that is depressing.
\nIt’s a faith crisis at its best.<\/p>\n
295
\n00:19:34,200 –> 00:19:37,000
\nEverything is youth useless.
\nIt’s all it’s just a bunch of <\/p>\n
296
\n00:19:37,000 –> 00:19:40,480
\nnothing.
\nThe thing that drives the <\/p>\n
297
\n00:19:40,480 –> 00:19:43,480
\npreacher crazy is that you can
\nspend years of your life <\/p>\n
298
\n00:19:43,480 –> 00:19:47,000
\naccomplishing great things, and
\nwhen you die, it’s all <\/p>\n
299
\n00:19:47,000 –> 00:19:51,280
\nworthless.
\nThere’s no remembrance of former<\/p>\n
300
\n00:19:51,280 –> 00:19:55,040
\nthings, nor would be any
\nremnants of later things yet to <\/p>\n
301
\n00:19:55,040 –> 00:19:58,800
\nbe among those who come after.
\nI had a good friend who ran a a <\/p>\n
302
\n00:20:00,200 –> 00:20:06,400
\nhuge nonprofit and you know,
\nthese staff were. <\/p>\n
303
\n00:20:06,920 –> 00:20:11,600
\nBending down and helping the the
\npoorest and the, you know, be <\/p>\n
304
\n00:20:11,600 –> 00:20:13,760
\ntrod in the, the deaf, the
\nblind. <\/p>\n
305
\n00:20:13,760 –> 00:20:15,360
\nThey were, they were doing great
\nwork. <\/p>\n
306
\n00:20:15,800 –> 00:20:19,560
\nAnd if you ask someone to donate
\nto pay their salary, it’d be <\/p>\n
307
\n00:20:19,560 –> 00:20:24,480
\nlike, but if you ask someone to
\ndonate to buy a new building <\/p>\n
308
\n00:20:24,600 –> 00:20:28,760
\nwhere we can put your name on
\nthe wall, you’d get millions of <\/p>\n
309
\n00:20:28,760 –> 00:20:34,040
\ndollars because you know, we
\nwant our name to, to continue, <\/p>\n
310
\n00:20:35,080 –> 00:20:37,560
\nright?
\nWe don’t want all this work I’ve<\/p>\n
311
\n00:20:37,560 –> 00:20:41,120
\ndone to be useless.
\nWe want all that money I’ve <\/p>\n
312
\n00:20:41,120 –> 00:20:43,240
\ngenerated to, to have some
\nmeaning. <\/p>\n
313
\n00:20:44,240 –> 00:20:47,400
\nAnd the preacher goes on for 12
\nchapters looking at the <\/p>\n
314
\n00:20:47,400 –> 00:20:50,480
\nuselessness of our existence
\nthrough a human perspective. <\/p>\n
315
\n00:20:50,600 –> 00:20:54,160
\nAnd when it comes to the end, he
\nisn’t criticized by God for his <\/p>\n
316
\n00:20:54,160 –> 00:20:57,280
\nhonesty.
\nHe’s actually commended for <\/p>\n
317
\n00:20:57,280 –> 00:20:59,320
\ntalking about things that are
\nhard to hear. <\/p>\n
318
\n00:21:00,280 –> 00:21:02,440
\nAnd the end, it says the
\npreacher sought to find words of<\/p>\n
319
\n00:21:02,440 –> 00:21:04,880
\ndelight, and uprightly he wrote
\nwords of truth. <\/p>\n
320
\n00:21:06,000 –> 00:21:09,800
\nThe words of the wise are like
\ngoads and like nails. <\/p>\n
321
\n00:21:09,800 –> 00:21:14,000
\nFirmly fixed are the collected
\nsayings they’re given by the <\/p>\n
322
\n00:21:14,000 –> 00:21:17,760
\nshepherd.
\nWhat I should have here is a <\/p>\n
323
\n00:21:17,760 –> 00:21:21,680
\ngnarly, nasty slide of some
\ngoads. <\/p>\n
324
\n00:21:22,160 –> 00:21:25,320
\nYou know, that’s a weird word we
\ndon’t connect with, but it’s not<\/p>\n
325
\n00:21:25,320 –> 00:21:30,680
\npretty and it’s painful.
\nNails can come a little closer <\/p>\n
326
\n00:21:30,680 –> 00:21:33,440
\nto to our minds, right?
\nNails firmly fixed. <\/p>\n
327
\n00:21:35,760 –> 00:21:38,120
\nHe tried to say nice things, he
\nwanted to say nice things, but <\/p>\n
328
\n00:21:38,120 –> 00:21:41,640
\nin the end he just had to speak
\nthe truth and his words hurt and<\/p>\n
329
\n00:21:41,640 –> 00:21:43,760
\nthey’re supposed to.
\nAnd I love the conclusion <\/p>\n
330
\n00:21:43,760 –> 00:21:45,840
\nthough, right, of making many
\nbooks. <\/p>\n
331
\n00:21:45,840 –> 00:21:49,320
\nThere is no end and much study
\nis awareness of the flesh. <\/p>\n
332
\n00:21:50,360 –> 00:21:52,000
\nThe end of the matter.
\nAll has been heard. <\/p>\n
333
\n00:21:52,000 –> 00:21:54,080
\nFear God and keep his
\ncommandments. <\/p>\n
334
\n00:21:54,600 –> 00:21:57,240
\nThis is the whole duty of man.
\nHe isn’t saying to stop reading <\/p>\n
335
\n00:21:57,240 –> 00:21:59,560
\nbooks.
\nI think that what he is saying <\/p>\n
336
\n00:21:59,560 –> 00:22:03,120
\nthough is to stop obsessing on
\nstudying and trying to work it <\/p>\n
337
\n00:22:03,120 –> 00:22:05,440
\nall out in your head and have it
\nall make sense to you. <\/p>\n
338
\n00:22:05,960 –> 00:22:09,520
\nIt’s spiritually and emotionally
\nexhausting to try to understand <\/p>\n
339
\n00:22:09,520 –> 00:22:12,680
\nenough for it to make sense,
\nbecause it doesn’t. <\/p>\n
340
\n00:22:14,360 –> 00:22:18,200
\nIt’s all nothing.
\nIt’s all vanity. <\/p>\n
341
\n00:22:20,920 –> 00:22:23,920
\nJust trust.
\nJust trust in God. <\/p>\n
342
\n00:22:24,160 –> 00:22:26,920
\nBelieve that God is good and he
\nhas your best in mind. <\/p>\n
343
\n00:22:27,440 –> 00:22:29,240
\nFear God and keep his
\ncommandments. <\/p>\n
344
\n00:22:29,680 –> 00:22:33,120
\nEcclesiastes doesn’t try to hide
\nthe human point of view of the <\/p>\n
345
\n00:22:33,120 –> 00:22:37,240
\nreality of it that life is.
\nIt doesn’t. <\/p>\n
346
\n00:22:38,080 –> 00:22:40,800
\nBut it doesn’t let that that
\nhuman reality have the final <\/p>\n
347
\n00:22:40,800 –> 00:22:42,920
\nword, right?
\nYes, you’re right. <\/p>\n
348
\n00:22:43,000 –> 00:22:45,120
\nLife doesn’t make any sense.
\nIt really is vanity. <\/p>\n
349
\n00:22:45,120 –> 00:22:48,120
\nLife really is useless.
\nBut fear God anyway. <\/p>\n
350
\n00:22:49,680 –> 00:22:56,920
\nBut obey God anyway.
\nBut trust God anyway, we tend to<\/p>\n
351
\n00:22:56,920 –> 00:22:59,360
\nwant, I think we want to look at
\nin a scientific manner and say, <\/p>\n
352
\n00:22:59,360 –> 00:23:03,160
\nwell, you know, I’ve been
\nobserving life, God’s creation <\/p>\n
353
\n00:23:03,160 –> 00:23:07,280
\nand it doesn’t make any sense.
\nTherefore, and that’s not the <\/p>\n
354
\n00:23:07,280 –> 00:23:10,960
\nconnection we’re to make.
\nYes, this doesn’t make sense and<\/p>\n
355
\n00:23:10,960 –> 00:23:13,480
\nGod has something better planned
\nfor us. <\/p>\n
356
\n00:23:15,520 –> 00:23:19,160
\nAnd I realize that’s that’s
\nhard, hard to do. <\/p>\n
357
\n00:23:19,160 –> 00:23:22,240
\nIt’s hard to keep trusting in
\nGod when you see no possible <\/p>\n
358
\n00:23:22,240 –> 00:23:25,720
\nreason to around you.
\nThat’s what faith is, though. <\/p>\n
359
\n00:23:26,480 –> 00:23:31,280
\nFaith is continuing on.
\nWhen you don’t see why you can’t<\/p>\n
360
\n00:23:31,280 –> 00:23:34,640
\nunderstand the reason, no matter
\nhow deep your disillusion is. <\/p>\n
361
\n00:23:36,040 –> 00:23:39,160
\nMove toward God instead of away
\nfrom God. <\/p>\n
362
\n00:23:40,840 –> 00:23:43,840
\nWhen we reach that point where
\nthings simply make no sense. <\/p>\n
363
\n00:23:44,080 –> 00:23:47,120
\nWhen our thinking about God and
\nlife no longer line up. <\/p>\n
364
\n00:23:47,440 –> 00:23:49,200
\nWhen any sense of certainty is
\ngone. <\/p>\n
365
\n00:23:49,280 –> 00:23:53,280
\nWhen we can find no reason to
\ntrust God but we still do. <\/p>\n
366
\n00:23:55,120 –> 00:24:00,200
\nThat’s what trust is.
\nEcclesiastes isn’t a story of a <\/p>\n
367
\n00:24:00,200 –> 00:24:03,280
\nman who loses his faith.
\nEcclesiastes is a story of what <\/p>\n
368
\n00:24:03,280 –> 00:24:06,080
\nfaith looks like when all you
\nthought you knew about God and <\/p>\n
369
\n00:24:06,080 –> 00:24:11,040
\nhow the world works is ripped
\napart, when certainty just <\/p>\n
370
\n00:24:11,040 –> 00:24:15,240
\nvanishes like a vapor and you
\nstill trust God. <\/p>\n
371
\n00:24:17,320 –> 00:24:20,440
\nEcclesiastes never says you
\ndon’t have to know what to <\/p>\n
372
\n00:24:20,440 –> 00:24:25,640
\nbelieve, but it says trust God
\neven when you don’t know what to<\/p>\n
373
\n00:24:25,640 –> 00:24:30,720
\nbelieve.
\nAnd then there’s Job. <\/p>\n
374
\n00:24:34,160 –> 00:24:38,280
\nJob’s a great example of God not
\nacting like you would expect him<\/p>\n
375
\n00:24:38,280 –> 00:24:42,560
\nto.
\nNow, it’s a basic biblical <\/p>\n
376
\n00:24:42,560 –> 00:24:45,560
\nconcept, right?
\nActions have consequences. <\/p>\n
377
\n00:24:46,160 –> 00:24:47,880
\nIt’s all through the the Old
\nTestament. <\/p>\n
378
\n00:24:48,040 –> 00:24:51,840
\nProverbs 3 is a great example.
\nThe Lord Lord’s curse is on the <\/p>\n
379
\n00:24:51,840 –> 00:24:53,800
\nHouse of the wicked.
\nHe blesses the dwelling of the <\/p>\n
380
\n00:24:53,800 –> 00:25:00,640
\nrighteous.
\nSo if you didn’t read the first <\/p>\n
381
\n00:25:00,640 –> 00:25:06,320
\nchapter of Job, then your
\nresponses to Job would be the <\/p>\n
382
\n00:25:06,320 –> 00:25:11,760
\nexact same as his friends did.
\nIt’s perfectly normal biblical <\/p>\n
383
\n00:25:11,760 –> 00:25:13,520
\nidea.
\nActions have consequences, and <\/p>\n
384
\n00:25:13,520 –> 00:25:17,120
\nbased on the consequences you’re
\ncurrently facing, must be you’ve<\/p>\n
385
\n00:25:17,120 –> 00:25:18,840
\ndone some pretty terrible
\nactions. <\/p>\n
386
\n00:25:20,600 –> 00:25:25,400
\nSomething very wrong.
\nBy the looks, by the external <\/p>\n
387
\n00:25:25,560 –> 00:25:28,720
\nlook of what’s going on in your
\nlife, I can tell that <\/p>\n
388
\n00:25:28,720 –> 00:25:30,320
\nsomething’s very wrong with your
\nlife. <\/p>\n
389
\n00:25:30,320 –> 00:25:32,240
\nYou’re obviously doing something
\nvery wrong. <\/p>\n
390
\n00:25:34,040 –> 00:25:36,440
\nGod wouldn’t just punish you for
\nno reason. <\/p>\n
391
\n00:25:37,080 –> 00:25:42,320
\nAnd it goes on and on and on for
\n34 chapters. <\/p>\n
392
\n00:25:43,640 –> 00:25:47,720
\nWhy so much on that subject?
\nWhy so many friends? <\/p>\n
393
\n00:25:47,720 –> 00:25:54,000
\nWith so many opinions and so
\nmuch to say, I think God really <\/p>\n
394
\n00:25:54,000 –> 00:25:56,680
\nwants to drill into our heads
\nand make us come to grips with a<\/p>\n
395
\n00:25:56,680 –> 00:26:00,600
\nvery real idea.
\nWhat we think we know about God <\/p>\n
396
\n00:26:01,240 –> 00:26:06,160
\nmight not be so certain.
\nNo matter how certain we think <\/p>\n
397
\n00:26:06,160 –> 00:26:09,000
\nwe are, we might not have it
\nright. <\/p>\n
398
\n00:26:10,760 –> 00:26:13,880
\nOne of my favorite phrases I’ve
\njust learned recently is the <\/p>\n
399
\n00:26:13,880 –> 00:26:17,200
\nBible isn’t an owner’s manual to
\nGod. <\/p>\n
400
\n00:26:19,480 –> 00:26:21,400
\nIt’s not intended to be
\nsomething you can just open up <\/p>\n
401
\n00:26:21,400 –> 00:26:23,400
\nand read and figure out.
\nOh yeah, that’s what God is. <\/p>\n
402
\n00:26:24,760 –> 00:26:31,120
\nGod is beyond our mental reach,
\nand that’s what Job is told by <\/p>\n
403
\n00:26:31,120 –> 00:26:32,920
\nGod.
\nIn the last four or five <\/p>\n
404
\n00:26:32,920 –> 00:26:35,640
\nchapters.
\nGod makes it clear that he and <\/p>\n
405
\n00:26:35,640 –> 00:26:40,120
\nonly he is the Creator and he,
\nand we’re in no position to <\/p>\n
406
\n00:26:40,120 –> 00:26:43,840
\nquestion him.
\nWhere were you when I laid the <\/p>\n
407
\n00:26:43,840 –> 00:26:50,160
\nfoundations of the earth?
\nIs it by your understanding that<\/p>\n
408
\n00:26:50,160 –> 00:26:54,400
\nthe hawk soars through the sky?
\nAnd then Job says his last <\/p>\n
409
\n00:26:54,400 –> 00:26:56,960
\nwords.
\nI know that you can do all <\/p>\n
410
\n00:26:56,960 –> 00:26:59,480
\nthings and that no purpose of
\nyours can be thwarted. <\/p>\n
411
\n00:27:00,120 –> 00:27:04,080
\nTherefore I despise myself and I
\nrepent in dust and ashes. <\/p>\n
412
\n00:27:04,960 –> 00:27:09,720
\nIt’s after this that God says
\nhis final words as well and it’s<\/p>\n
413
\n00:27:09,720 –> 00:27:11,640
\na bit of surprise.
\nIt was to me, right? <\/p>\n
414
\n00:27:11,880 –> 00:27:15,280
\nDon’t forget God has done that
\nwhole 5 chapter long section <\/p>\n
415
\n00:27:15,280 –> 00:27:17,880
\nabout don’t question me because
\nI’m God. <\/p>\n
416
\n00:27:18,520 –> 00:27:21,920
\nAnd now he says and Lord has
\nspoken these words to Job. <\/p>\n
417
\n00:27:21,920 –> 00:27:26,080
\nThe Lord said to LFS, the team
\nthe night my anger burns against<\/p>\n
418
\n00:27:26,080 –> 00:27:28,440
\nyou and against your two friends
\nfor you have not spoken to me. <\/p>\n
419
\n00:27:28,440 –> 00:27:30,760
\nWhat is right as my servant Job
\nhas. <\/p>\n
420
\n00:27:31,760 –> 00:27:34,880
\nJob is right, his friends are
\nwrong. <\/p>\n
421
\n00:27:37,000 –> 00:27:39,920
\nI forget the percentage John
\nLaunchbury said it, but it’s <\/p>\n
422
\n00:27:39,920 –> 00:27:43,040
\nkind of like high eighties. 89%
\nof Job is wrong. <\/p>\n
423
\n00:27:44,120 –> 00:27:47,840
\nYeah, if you say, well, it’s in
\nthe Bible, it must be right, you<\/p>\n
424
\n00:27:47,840 –> 00:27:53,200
\nknow, no, it’s not 89% of the of
\nthe what’s recorded and and Job <\/p>\n
425
\n00:27:53,200 –> 00:27:59,280
\nis guys who got it wrong.
\nHis friends are wrong. <\/p>\n
426
\n00:27:59,440 –> 00:28:03,000
\nJob’s friends were technically
\nright if you’re going by the <\/p>\n
427
\n00:28:03,000 –> 00:28:05,720
\nbook.
\nBut when you get beyond the <\/p>\n
428
\n00:28:05,720 –> 00:28:09,720
\nbook, when you step outside the
\nbox and stop thinking inside the<\/p>\n
429
\n00:28:09,720 –> 00:28:14,400
\nbox the way that everyone else
\nwould would think, you realize <\/p>\n
430
\n00:28:14,520 –> 00:28:17,680
\nthey’re wrong.
\nThey had every reason to feel <\/p>\n
431
\n00:28:17,680 –> 00:28:19,640
\ncertain about what they were
\nsaying. <\/p>\n
432
\n00:28:19,920 –> 00:28:22,000
\nThey weren’t punking him.
\nThey weren’t being mean. <\/p>\n
433
\n00:28:22,440 –> 00:28:24,960
\nThey didn’t say, hey, Job’s
\nhaving a bad week, let’s go bash<\/p>\n
434
\n00:28:24,960 –> 00:28:28,280
\non him.
\nNo, these were these were better<\/p>\n
435
\n00:28:28,280 –> 00:28:33,360
\nfriends than you’ve ever had.
\nThey sat with him seven days. <\/p>\n
436
\n00:28:34,080 –> 00:28:44,160
\nJust sat there for seven days.
\nBut they’re wrong. <\/p>\n
437
\n00:28:45,400 –> 00:28:47,440
\nJob and his friends were all
\noperating under the same <\/p>\n
438
\n00:28:47,440 –> 00:28:51,160
\nassumption that God wants all
\nhumans to know what God expects <\/p>\n
439
\n00:28:51,160 –> 00:28:53,840
\nfrom us and the basic rules of
\nliving right. <\/p>\n
440
\n00:28:54,160 –> 00:28:55,760
\nAnd we should be able to
\nunderstand this. <\/p>\n
441
\n00:28:56,240 –> 00:29:00,080
\nYou know you’ve got bad sores.
\nMust be you said something <\/p>\n
442
\n00:29:00,080 –> 00:29:04,400
\nwrong.
\nJob doesn’t deny this way of <\/p>\n
443
\n00:29:04,400 –> 00:29:06,240
\nthinking.
\nThat’s why Job is in such <\/p>\n
444
\n00:29:06,240 –> 00:29:10,720
\ndistress because he can’t square
\nhis suffering with his biblical <\/p>\n
445
\n00:29:10,720 –> 00:29:15,200
\nview of how God works.
\nThis is this is my my paradigm. <\/p>\n
446
\n00:29:15,200 –> 00:29:17,360
\nThis is my understanding of how
\nGod works. <\/p>\n
447
\n00:29:17,360 –> 00:29:19,920
\nAnd yet I know I didn’t do
\nanything and yet this has <\/p>\n
448
\n00:29:19,920 –> 00:29:26,400
\nhappened to me.
\nSo I think the message from Job <\/p>\n
449
\n00:29:26,400 –> 00:29:31,320
\nthat I want to get is let go of
\nthis whole need to know <\/p>\n
450
\n00:29:31,640 –> 00:29:36,240
\nmentality, let go of this whole
\nI need to figure this out kind <\/p>\n
451
\n00:29:36,240 –> 00:29:41,800
\nof thinking and just trust in
\nGod. <\/p>\n
452
\n00:29:44,840 –> 00:29:48,720
\nI’m going to go so far as to say
\nlet go of the expectation that <\/p>\n
453
\n00:29:48,720 –> 00:29:52,560
\nyou can.
\nYou can even know the workings <\/p>\n
454
\n00:29:52,560 –> 00:29:56,200
\nof God.
\nNo matter how much we think we <\/p>\n
455
\n00:29:56,200 –> 00:30:03,560
\nunderstand God, I don’t think we
\ndo when we find ourselves in Job<\/p>\n
456
\n00:30:03,560 –> 00:30:06,880
\nlike moments.
\nThe way forward isn’t to expect <\/p>\n
457
\n00:30:06,880 –> 00:30:09,600
\nGod to give us some additional
\ninformation to make everything <\/p>\n
458
\n00:30:09,800 –> 00:30:13,720
\nall click and fall into place.
\nThe way forward is just to trust<\/p>\n
459
\n00:30:13,720 –> 00:30:17,880
\nin God.
\nGod exposes the limitations of <\/p>\n
460
\n00:30:17,880 –> 00:30:22,280
\nour thinking and job and and in
\nEcclesiastes and that should <\/p>\n
461
\n00:30:22,280 –> 00:30:25,800
\nhelp us to see the need for us
\nto just let go of this need to <\/p>\n
462
\n00:30:25,800 –> 00:30:28,720
\nknow and just trust in God.
\nAnyways. <\/p>\n
463
\n00:30:30,520 –> 00:30:34,640
\nTrusting in God is often
\nillogical. <\/p>\n
464
\n00:30:36,760 –> 00:30:39,360
\nNow for those logical people out
\nthere, going to hurt to say <\/p>\n
465
\n00:30:39,360 –> 00:30:42,280
\nthat, but I think trusting in
\nGod is sometimes against all <\/p>\n
466
\n00:30:42,280 –> 00:30:44,920
\nreason.
\nIt doesn’t make sense and when <\/p>\n
467
\n00:30:44,920 –> 00:30:47,520
\nyou explain it does.
\nYou know your buddy at work or <\/p>\n
468
\n00:30:47,520 –> 00:30:50,360
\nyour golf buddy and they say
\nthat’s just crazy, what are you <\/p>\n
469
\n00:30:50,360 –> 00:30:52,880
\nthinking?
\nI think that’s precisely the <\/p>\n
470
\n00:30:52,880 –> 00:30:55,920
\npoint though.
\nTrust doesn’t work because we <\/p>\n
471
\n00:30:55,920 –> 00:31:00,160
\nfigured it all out in our mind.
\nTrust works because at the end <\/p>\n
472
\n00:31:00,160 –> 00:31:02,800
\nof day, we literally can’t
\nfigure it out. <\/p>\n
473
\n00:31:04,320 –> 00:31:06,880
\nOur little minds can’t grasp
\nwhat’s going on. <\/p>\n
474
\n00:31:06,960 –> 00:31:09,480
\nWe have to get outside of the
\nbox. <\/p>\n
475
\n00:31:10,120 –> 00:31:12,400
\nWe have to look at things the
\nway God looks at things. <\/p>\n
476
\n00:31:13,160 –> 00:31:17,080
\nNow, this life outside the box
\nis very different than when you <\/p>\n
477
\n00:31:17,080 –> 00:31:20,120
\nremain cocooned in this warm,
\nsafe place, right? <\/p>\n
478
\n00:31:20,280 –> 00:31:23,600
\nIt’s not neat and tidy outside
\nthe box. <\/p>\n
479
\n00:31:24,320 –> 00:31:26,920
\nSo if you haven’t got outside
\nthe box yet, I’m going to warn <\/p>\n
480
\n00:31:26,920 –> 00:31:30,560
\nyou, you know, put your galoshes
\non before you get out, OK? <\/p>\n
481
\n00:31:31,520 –> 00:31:35,120
\nIt’s often not very comfortable
\noutside the box. <\/p>\n
482
\n00:31:35,400 –> 00:31:40,040
\nYou bump into reality and you
\nget it all over your nice clean <\/p>\n
483
\n00:31:40,040 –> 00:31:44,360
\ndress.
\nBut I would contend if you <\/p>\n
484
\n00:31:44,360 –> 00:31:48,040
\nreally want to grow spiritually,
\nyou have to be prepared to step <\/p>\n
485
\n00:31:48,040 –> 00:31:50,840
\noutside that box.
\nYou have to be willing to get <\/p>\n
486
\n00:31:50,840 –> 00:31:58,600
\noutside of your comfort zone.
\nDo you know how to enlarge your <\/p>\n
487
\n00:31:58,600 –> 00:32:04,680
\ncomfort zone?
\nYou stand at the edge. <\/p>\n
488
\n00:32:07,640 –> 00:32:10,640
\nIf you stand at the in the
\ncenter of your comfort zone is <\/p>\n
489
\n00:32:10,640 –> 00:32:13,720
\nnever going to grow.
\nYou’ve got to be willing to <\/p>\n
490
\n00:32:13,840 –> 00:32:19,760
\nstand at the edge to reach out
\nto people and the circumstances <\/p>\n
491
\n00:32:19,760 –> 00:32:24,280
\nand things that are beyond, just
\nbeyond, and bring them in. <\/p>\n
492
\n00:32:24,960 –> 00:32:28,040
\nAnd now your comfort zone
\nenlarges, and you can again <\/p>\n
493
\n00:32:28,120 –> 00:32:34,200
\nstand at the edge.
\nIf you say, stay safely inside <\/p>\n
494
\n00:32:34,200 –> 00:32:37,760
\nyour comfort zone, you’re not
\ngoing to grow and your comfort <\/p>\n
495
\n00:32:37,760 –> 00:32:43,280
\nzone is not going to grow.
\nGod is much, much larger than <\/p>\n
496
\n00:32:43,280 –> 00:32:45,320
\nany picture of him you’ve ever
\nvisualized. <\/p>\n
497
\n00:32:47,880 –> 00:32:53,000
\nThe God you worship is much,
\nmuch larger than the God that <\/p>\n
498
\n00:32:53,000 –> 00:33:02,520
\nyou think you do.
\nGod loves you more than you can <\/p>\n
499
\n00:33:02,840 –> 00:33:09,520
\nunderstand.
\nGod wants more joy for you than <\/p>\n
500
\n00:33:09,520 –> 00:33:14,800
\nyou’ve ever imagined.
\nAnd God wants you to be like <\/p>\n
501
\n00:33:14,800 –> 00:33:18,440
\nHim.
\nHe wants you to be that way, to <\/p>\n
502
\n00:33:18,440 –> 00:33:23,120
\nbe welcoming, to be open, to be
\ninviting, to be caring, to be <\/p>\n
503
\n00:33:23,120 –> 00:33:27,280
\naccepting, to be loving.
\nThat’s all that He wants. <\/p>\n
504
\n00:33:33,280 –> 00:33:35,280
\nGod doesn’t even know what
\nyou’re talking about. <\/p>\n
505
\n00:33:35,600 –> 00:33:43,440
\nWhen you focus on restricting.
\nGod’s not restricting God is <\/p>\n
506
\n00:33:43,440 –> 00:33:46,960
\nliberating.
\nGod’s not trying to keep people <\/p>\n
507
\n00:33:46,960 –> 00:33:49,200
\nin a box.
\nGod wants to set them free. <\/p>\n
508
\n00:33:50,160 –> 00:33:52,160
\nWhy am I trying to put everybody
\nin a box? <\/p>\n
509
\n00:33:52,320 –> 00:33:55,480
\nWhy am I trying to classify the
\nnerds and the geeks and the <\/p>\n
510
\n00:33:55,480 –> 00:33:58,440
\nweirdos and, and put everybody
\nin these, in these boxes and <\/p>\n
511
\n00:33:58,440 –> 00:34:01,200
\nsay, you know, he’s a Shiite
\nChristadelphian and this guy <\/p>\n
512
\n00:34:01,200 –> 00:34:02,960
\nover here is, you know, too
\nliberal. <\/p>\n
513
\n00:34:03,160 –> 00:34:07,400
\nAnd this one here does this.
\nGod doesn’t do that. <\/p>\n
514
\n00:34:09,400 –> 00:34:12,760
\nGet outside that box.
\nThink outside that box. <\/p>\n
515
\n00:34:14,840 –> 00:34:20,480
\nIn the Bible, a Sinner is often
\ncast in the role of an outcast. <\/p>\n
516
\n00:34:22,800 –> 00:34:25,880
\nThese were groups of people that
\nfelt unacceptable. <\/p>\n
517
\n00:34:26,400 –> 00:34:30,239
\nThey weren’t part of the crowd,
\nthey didn’t feel comfortable <\/p>\n
518
\n00:34:30,639 –> 00:34:33,840
\naround you.
\nThey were disgraceful and <\/p>\n
519
\n00:34:33,840 –> 00:34:37,920
\nshameful.
\nAnd Jesus strategy was simple. <\/p>\n
520
\n00:34:45,770 –> 00:34:50,489
\nHe sat beside him, he hugged
\nhim, he laughed with him, and he<\/p>\n
521
\n00:34:50,489 –> 00:34:57,520
\nliterally broke bread with them.
\nOver and over in the New <\/p>\n
522
\n00:34:57,520 –> 00:35:00,600
\nTestament, a simple statement
\nabout Jesus keeps coming up and <\/p>\n
523
\n00:35:00,600 –> 00:35:04,720
\nup and up.
\nHe had compassion on them. <\/p>\n
524
\n00:35:06,760 –> 00:35:09,880
\nCompassion isn’t just about
\nfeeling the pain of others. <\/p>\n
525
\n00:35:10,360 –> 00:35:12,600
\nIt’s about bringing them toward
\nyourself. <\/p>\n
526
\n00:35:13,040 –> 00:35:17,120
\nIt’s about drawing close to
\nthem, befriending them, hugging <\/p>\n
527
\n00:35:17,120 –> 00:35:20,040
\nthem, eating with them, sharing
\nwith them. <\/p>\n
528
\n00:35:23,440 –> 00:35:28,360
\nIt’s not easy.
\nDoes that sound comfortable to <\/p>\n
529
\n00:35:28,360 –> 00:35:30,040
\nyou?
\nIs that inside your comfort <\/p>\n
530
\n00:35:30,160 –> 00:35:33,400
\ncomfort zone?
\nYou see, society has cast them <\/p>\n
531
\n00:35:33,400 –> 00:35:36,480
\nout for a reason.
\nPeople aren’t just randomly <\/p>\n
532
\n00:35:36,480 –> 00:35:40,440
\nselected to be rejected.
\nSomething about them makes them <\/p>\n
533
\n00:35:40,440 –> 00:35:44,560
\nhard to be around.
\nYou know, they, they got some <\/p>\n
534
\n00:35:44,560 –> 00:35:49,000
\nweird thing or they smell, you
\nknow, or they got that stupid <\/p>\n
535
\n00:35:49,000 –> 00:35:51,760
\nthing they’re always saying, you
\nknow, or, or they got this hobby<\/p>\n
536
\n00:35:51,760 –> 00:35:53,960
\nhorse they want to talk about
\nall the time. <\/p>\n
537
\n00:35:55,960 –> 00:35:59,040
\nThey’re briskly, they’re hard,
\nthey’re noisy, they’re <\/p>\n
538
\n00:35:59,040 –> 00:36:02,640
\nuncomfortable.
\nAnd if you’re thinking like <\/p>\n
539
\n00:36:02,640 –> 00:36:06,400
\neveryone else thinks in the box,
\nyou don’t want to spend any time<\/p>\n
540
\n00:36:06,400 –> 00:36:11,640
\nwith them.
\nAnd eventually they’ll probably <\/p>\n
541
\n00:36:11,640 –> 00:36:13,400
\njust stop coming to meeting
\nafter all, so you don’t have to <\/p>\n
542
\n00:36:13,400 –> 00:36:20,760
\nspend time with them.
\nYou have to think outside the <\/p>\n
543
\n00:36:20,760 –> 00:36:22,800
\nbox to be loving to those
\noutside. <\/p>\n
544
\n00:36:24,520 –> 00:36:29,080
\nIf we love what God loves, then
\nin compassion we’re going to in <\/p>\n
545
\n00:36:29,080 –> 00:36:32,680
\nlower enlarge our borders and
\nlove more people. <\/p>\n
546
\n00:36:33,400 –> 00:36:37,440
\nMargins get erased.
\nOur circle grows. <\/p>\n
547
\n00:36:39,840 –> 00:36:42,840
\nI got some questions for you
\nsome I’d love to hear some of <\/p>\n
548
\n00:36:42,840 –> 00:36:46,880
\nyour thoughts.
\nIt’s been super helpful for me <\/p>\n
549
\n00:36:46,880 –> 00:36:49,160
\nand and will be will continue to
\nbe. <\/p>\n
550
\n00:36:49,520 –> 00:36:53,400
\nSo here’s five other questions
\nfor you to to think about. <\/p>\n
551
\n00:36:56,280 –> 00:37:00,520
\nI’ll read it to tonight in bed
\nand last night I had a little <\/p>\n
552
\n00:37:00,520 –> 00:37:04,280
\ncry and fell asleep.
\nIt was nice. <\/p>\n
553
\n00:37:13,190 –> 00:37:15,510
\nKelly and I love to visit
\nFrance. <\/p>\n
554
\n00:37:17,910 –> 00:37:24,960
\nWe’ve been several times and
\nwhen I tell that to Americans, a<\/p>\n
555
\n00:37:24,960 –> 00:37:27,880
\nlot of them will tell me that
\nthey visit France and they found<\/p>\n
556
\n00:37:27,880 –> 00:37:31,480
\nthe French very rude and off
\nputting. <\/p>\n
557
\n00:37:35,640 –> 00:37:38,200
\nFor those of you who’ve been to
\nFrance and been sitting in a <\/p>\n
558
\n00:37:38,600 –> 00:37:43,720
\nbeautiful cafe having some foie
\ngras, oh gosh, no. <\/p>\n
559
\n00:37:43,720 –> 00:37:45,840
\nHaving, you know, just some
\nlemonade. <\/p>\n
560
\n00:37:48,920 –> 00:37:54,080
\nRead that wine, right?
\nHave you ever seen an American <\/p>\n
561
\n00:37:54,360 –> 00:37:57,560
\nin France?
\nI mean, even I don’t like them <\/p>\n
562
\n00:37:59,720 –> 00:38:04,200
\nand I’m one of them.
\nIf you think that nothing is as <\/p>\n
563
\n00:38:04,200 –> 00:38:08,200
\ngood as it is in America, the
\nFrench people are going to be <\/p>\n
564
\n00:38:08,200 –> 00:38:15,600
\nrude.
\nBut if you love France and you <\/p>\n
565
\n00:38:15,600 –> 00:38:21,640
\nfind their culture so developed
\nand and intelligent and cultural<\/p>\n
566
\n00:38:21,640 –> 00:38:27,960
\nand refined and better than
\nyours, and you look forward to <\/p>\n
567
\n00:38:27,960 –> 00:38:31,600
\ntalking to the people, you’re
\ngoing to find them very <\/p>\n
568
\n00:38:31,600 –> 00:38:35,120
\nfriendly.
\nIsn’t that strange? <\/p>\n
569
\n00:38:40,770 –> 00:38:46,530
\nMeeting the world with love in
\nyour heart will determine what <\/p>\n
570
\n00:38:46,530 –> 00:38:54,520
\nyou find in the world.
\nI knew a brother who worked 40 <\/p>\n
571
\n00:38:54,520 –> 00:39:00,320
\nyears and never had anyone nice
\nthat he worked with. <\/p>\n
572
\n00:39:01,320 –> 00:39:04,840
\nEverybody was terrible.
\nHe didn’t like them all and none<\/p>\n
573
\n00:39:04,840 –> 00:39:08,320
\nof them liked him.
\nAnd I knew a brother who worked <\/p>\n
574
\n00:39:08,320 –> 00:39:12,840
\n40 years and had the best people
\nhe’d ever worked with, and they <\/p>\n
575
\n00:39:12,840 –> 00:39:14,920
\nwere all nice and they all liked
\nhim. <\/p>\n
576
\n00:39:17,080 –> 00:39:24,200
\nThey worked at the same place.
\nLes Miserables says it the best.<\/p>\n
577
\n00:39:24,760 –> 00:39:28,120
\nTo love another person is to see
\nthe face of God. <\/p>\n
578
\n00:39:29,160 –> 00:39:32,000
\nWe all have a circle.
\nWe all have this circle of <\/p>\n
579
\n00:39:32,000 –> 00:39:35,280
\ncompassion.
\nHow far does your circle extend?<\/p>\n
580
\n00:39:36,400 –> 00:39:40,920
\nTerrible people find only
\nthemselves inside that circle. <\/p>\n
581
\n00:39:42,440 –> 00:39:46,160
\nMany people find maybe their
\nimmediate family members are in <\/p>\n
582
\n00:39:46,160 –> 00:39:49,960
\nthe circle.
\nA few have added some trusted <\/p>\n
583
\n00:39:49,960 –> 00:39:54,560
\nlongtime friends.
\nBut how blessed we are to have <\/p>\n
584
\n00:39:54,560 –> 00:39:57,920
\nmembers of our cliche we can add
\nto our circle of compassion. <\/p>\n
585
\n00:39:58,880 –> 00:40:02,280
\nThat’s great.
\nHow much further can you extend <\/p>\n
586
\n00:40:02,280 –> 00:40:05,120
\nit?
\nHow much further beyond that? <\/p>\n
587
\n00:40:06,040 –> 00:40:07,760
\nIt’s not going to feel
\ncomfortable. <\/p>\n
588
\n00:40:08,880 –> 00:40:14,520
\nIt’s going to be darn right
\nscary and the committee in the <\/p>\n
589
\n00:40:14,520 –> 00:40:23,680
\ncenter is not going to like it.
\nCan you bring in even more? <\/p>\n
590
\n00:40:25,680 –> 00:40:29,840
\nGo out to the highways and the
\nhedges and compel people to come<\/p>\n
591
\n00:40:29,840 –> 00:40:34,480
\nin that my house may be filled?
\nSure, it’s easy to include your <\/p>\n
592
\n00:40:34,480 –> 00:40:37,320
\nfamily, your friends, and even
\nsome members of your ecclesia. <\/p>\n
593
\n00:40:37,320 –> 00:40:40,800
\nBut look what Jesus says when
\nyou give a dinner or a banquet. <\/p>\n
594
\n00:40:41,000 –> 00:40:44,840
\nDon’t invite your friends or
\nyour brothers or your relatives <\/p>\n
595
\n00:40:45,040 –> 00:40:48,840
\nor your rich neighbors.
\nLeslie also invite you in return<\/p>\n
596
\n00:40:49,200 –> 00:40:53,800
\nand you be repaid.
\nFor many years, my brother and I<\/p>\n
597
\n00:40:54,040 –> 00:40:58,280
\nwould send each other Christmas
\ncards every year and he would <\/p>\n
598
\n00:40:58,280 –> 00:41:01,840
\ninclude $100 check in his and I
\nwould include $100 check in <\/p>\n
599
\n00:41:01,840 –> 00:41:06,760
\nmine.
\nAnd one year I called him and <\/p>\n
600
\n00:41:06,760 –> 00:41:10,120
\nsaid, hey Mick, let’s do
\n$1,000,000 checks this year. <\/p>\n
601
\n00:41:12,720 –> 00:41:16,320
\nAnd we realized how stupid it
\nwas that we were doing. <\/p>\n
602
\n00:41:16,880 –> 00:41:19,520
\nI was inviting him to my house
\nfor dinner, and he was inviting <\/p>\n
603
\n00:41:19,520 –> 00:41:21,520
\nme to his house for dinner.
\nI was inviting him to my house <\/p>\n
604
\n00:41:21,520 –> 00:41:23,240
\nfor dinner.
\nHe was inviting me to his house <\/p>\n
605
\n00:41:23,240 –> 00:41:30,580
\nfor dinner.
\nPretty boring. <\/p>\n
606
\n00:41:33,180 –> 00:41:39,180
\nBut when you give a feast,
\ninvite the poor, the crippled, <\/p>\n
607
\n00:41:39,540 –> 00:41:43,700
\nthe lame, the blind, and you
\nwill be blessed because they <\/p>\n
608
\n00:41:43,700 –> 00:41:49,020
\ncannot repay you, for you will
\nbe repaid at the resurrection of<\/p>\n
609
\n00:41:49,020 –> 00:41:52,720
\nthe just.
\nHow about the ones that are on <\/p>\n
610
\n00:41:52,720 –> 00:41:56,000
\nthe margins?
\nHow about the outcast, the ones <\/p>\n
611
\n00:41:56,000 –> 00:41:59,440
\nyou don’t feel connected to?
\nReach outside the box. <\/p>\n
612
\n00:41:59,760 –> 00:42:03,600
\nGo outside your comfort zone.
\nBring in that person who isn’t <\/p>\n
613
\n00:42:03,600 –> 00:42:06,720
\nfeeling their worth and make
\nthem feel wanted. <\/p>\n
614
\n00:42:06,720 –> 00:42:09,320
\nMake them feel loved.
\nMake them feel needed. <\/p>\n
615
\n00:42:09,440 –> 00:42:11,520
\nMake them feel like they’re a
\npart of something. <\/p>\n
616
\n00:42:12,720 –> 00:42:21,400
\nMake them feel God’s love.
\nI know it’s hard, but it’s right<\/p>\n
617
\n00:42:21,800 –> 00:42:26,520
\nand you know it’s right.
\nI also know that you’re going to<\/p>\n
618
\n00:42:26,520 –> 00:42:28,800
\nsucceed sometimes and you’re
\ngoing to fail sometimes. <\/p>\n
619
\n00:42:29,280 –> 00:42:32,680
\nThat’s life.
\nIt’s just the way things are. <\/p>\n
620
\n00:42:32,680 –> 00:42:36,800
\nThere’s ups and there’s downs
\nand there’s hills and there’s <\/p>\n
621
\n00:42:36,800 –> 00:42:38,800
\nvalleys and that’s tomorrow’s
\nclass.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 392. 1 00:00:02,040 –> 00:00:07,320 Thank…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/8765608\/podcast\/play\/117249210\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-20%2F860fb83f-2c0d-e44f-3fc1-96804d94afd0.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:42:39","filesize":"97.65M","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"tags":[],"series":[18],"class_list":["post-1458","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","series-gct-ext"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t