WEBVTT
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Welcome to Off Script, a conversation with no fakes, no filters, just real conversations about how faith and flesh meet in the everyday life, where we experience a God who made us on purpose for his purpose.
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This is off script.
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Let's talk.
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All right, Morgan.
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Um, tell the room how many sports you tried out for in middle school.
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I feel like high school.
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Okay, we started out real hot.
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Let me just let me just try it in.
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Okay, so here's the can I tell you the things that I was a part of that I did.
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Some people say they're a three sport athlete, two sport athlete.
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What would you say?
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I was in the band.
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I know.
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Feel this sport athlete, you know, like I'm a you know, I'm also getting better at pickleball.
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Not me.
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I'm great at puzzles.
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Let's start with the things that I'm good at.
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Let's not just go straight to what I wasn't good at.
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No, I tried out for I think four.
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I tried out for track when I was in elementary school, and the poor coach told me it was not my spiritual gift because I think it had one of the longest miles on what was that time?
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You know what?
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It's not necessary.
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She's its own record.
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It was bad.
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And then I'm trying to think, I tried out for nucleum because I really wanted the cool matching set and the the they had really matching socks and they were really cute.
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Didn't that one didn't didn't make either.
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I was told again I want my spiritual gift.
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And then I did dance for like two semesters.
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And again, they were like, sweet baby child, you are awesome.
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How old were you?
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Seven.
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Oh, okay.
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Yes.
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And they were like, This is not.
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I mean, have you guys, y'all know me?
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No, my I don't have any natural rhythm.
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If somebody wanted to watch a video of you doing a dance, where would they go?
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Oh, they just text me.
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I've got probably six on my phone.
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I showed y'all one on Monday.
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So I just don't have natural rhythm.
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I have a lot of people in my life, Aliyah, she's a great dancer, but for me, nope, nope.
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That's just not for me.
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The the worst sport that I ever tried was volleyball.
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And it was just in just in PE.
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And I would cry literally every day that we would do volleyball because I hated it.
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And then because I cried, the PE coach who nobody wanted would make me serve because I was crying.
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And it was, I'll never forget that.
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That was terrible.
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Also, middle school is hard, y'all.
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It is.
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And then in middle school, so my grandfather is this big time like pole vault coach.
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And so everyone wanted me to try pole vaulting.
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And I am 5'2, which is not the height for pole vaulting.
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And he tried and he tried and he tried.
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And he was very honest if that was not the thing for you.
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And even now, he's 86.
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He still roasts me for how I tried to pole vault.
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I tried distance running.
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That was pretty bad.
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And then I also, but I did make the all metro team because they took the top three from each event top three boys, top three girls.
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We had three girl pole vaulters.
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So I made the all metro meeting.
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Meanwhile, on the pod, we have our boss who did go six feet though.
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So that's great, Sydney.
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It's hard.
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Because you were really good, Caleb.
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Like you had newspapers.
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Meanwhile, I had my glasses broken in four square.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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And I'll make volleyball.
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It's a true story.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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I would say there's probably a lot of people that try to wonder when when am I supposed to stop doing, you know, it could be a sport, it could be band, it could be educated.
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When do I stop doing something and when am I quitting on it?
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When is it time to back out of it and when is it not?
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And I think you I don't know if you guys have the right answer to that question.
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I have a theory that I have in my own mind, but what do you where you guys land with it?
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Oh, I think I want to hear your theory first.
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Well, the thought process from the this specific episode came from hearing a lot of kids just say, Well, I'll just quit.
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I'll just quit.
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Like something gets hard, and say, take sports, for example, like a kid fumbles on a play, and then he just walks over to the sideline.
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He's like, I'm just gonna quit.
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And it's like one little piece of adversity.
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And I think it that I mean that just goes far beyond just sports.
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Like at that point, you're not even really teaching anything about like the sport itself.
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That is just like a a life thing.
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That's kind of where like the whole idea for this episode came from.
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So I'll tell you, I I have a I need to preface what I'm about to do because I do feel like I'm about to go on a rant.
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And this rant might be five minutes, might be ten minutes, and I do feel like I am gonna go on a rant a little bit.
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We love a Caleb Wade.
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I might go on one.
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And I think it it begins with this.
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I think a little bit of what Sydney said is, hey, well, things aren't going the way I want them to, so I'm just gonna quit and try something else because we do live in a generation, there's multiple options.
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They're not just, hey, there's only one thing to do, and if you don't, if you're not good at it, you just need to get better.
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I now, if you don't like something, that's fine.
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There's 400 other things you can try out and you can find community all over the place.
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You don't have to have community with your neighborhood, you can have community with people on the other side of Birmingham, you can have community with somebody in California, you know.
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You so I would say when people feel like I'm gonna stop doing something and I'm gonna try something else, there's a lot of opportunities everywhere.
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And so we've built a culture of I don't like where I'm at right now, I'm uncomfortable, I'm gonna quit.
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And so that's where I want to speak into.
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So let me begin with just letting you know every night I tell my kids something, I tell my daughter she's beautiful and brave.
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I remind her she's a daughter of the Most High, and that he has made her beautiful and brave, and he said he's never gonna leave you.
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So I remind her that because one day she's gonna go through things tough, and she has already gone through things that are tough.
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She's gonna go through things that are tough, and I just have to remind her, not what I said, but what the Lord has said about her.
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And so for the boys, I just tell them never give up, fight hard.
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And so every night they'll I'll just say before they walk to their room, hey, never give up, fight hard, love you, you know, and then what I'm meaning by that is at some point things are not gonna go the way they want to.
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And the last option that they come to it it better not be never give up.
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That better not be an option at all.
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Like I don't want you to quit.
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Like I don't want you to compromise on your faith.
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I don't want you to compromise in your marriage.
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I don't want you to compromise when it comes to, I don't want you to go, I don't want you to take the easy rate out.
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I want there to be, when it comes to sports, I want there to be competition.
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I want somebody to start over you and make you better.
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Like I want there to be always a bigger giant in front of you, and I don't want you to quit on it.
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And so you that doesn't just happen one day where you just show up and you think, oh man, all of a sudden I have courage.
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That's something that has to be instilled in you.
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That's something that you have to like dive into and find on your own through going through moments that make you uncomfortable.
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And so just to begin this whole segment before I start going, I just want to tell you this is when I start talking, I'm not talking only to guys or young males or men, but when I tell them never give up, fight hard, I am talking to a guy.
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Okay, and so this can apply to anybody.
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I would also say, I'm probably gonna be if you have a pendulum to the left and to the right, I'm probably far on one side of do not quit.
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I don't, I don't care how bad this hurts.
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I don't care where you are in this struggle, like do not stop.
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All right, and so I'm probably there more than somebody's like, well, you know, they're the arms broke.
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Do you sure you want them to keep going?
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You're like, yeah, keep going.
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You know, I'm probably way more on the other side than somebody else showing compassion and mercy and love that the Lord told us to show.
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All right, so just to know my own faults and blindsides before I start into this.
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All right.
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So can I talk about it?
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Or do you guys have any questions?
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Speaking of someone breaking their arm, did you see this is so random.
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Did you see the video of the South Carolina Towson game?
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Did you see this?
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The punter for Towson was trying really the last one that can make the tackle, sticks his arm out, breaks his what is this?
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What is this phone?
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That's your humorous?
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No.
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No, I can't remember.
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The top part of your arm.
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And there's a video of it.
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Would you tell him to I'm just kidding.
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Yeah.
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I'm just kidding.
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I would say, what is your problem, and the Lord gave you another arm, you know?
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Like block with the other arm.
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I mean, I think if you really want to know where I stand with this, I mean, think about a couple years ago, my son, we blew up a firework and it blew up in his hand, and his hand had skin hanging all off of it, like a third-degree burn all over the thing.
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Didn't know if he was ever going to be able to squeeze his hand again.
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He looked right at me and said, Am I ever going to be able to throw a football again?
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He's a quarterback, and he said, Am I ever going to be able to throw a quarter ball again?
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And I looked at him, I said, Well, the Lord gave you another hand, man.
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It's time to start learning how to do that.
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And we're still standing outside with the smoke around us.
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So just to tell you where I usually land with that.
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But anyway, he's cringing.
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Sorry, it's going to work.
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Yeah, hurt my hand.
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My hand.
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So never give up and fight hard.
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I want to say it probably starts off with 1 Corinthians 16, 13.
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In that it says to be watchful, to be on guard.
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So the first before you do anything, it says don't be lazy to to have your head on a swivel when you walk into any room, when you walk into a crowded space, an empty space, to be to be on guard no matter what happens, to stand firm.
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Be on guard, stand firm.
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Act like a man and be strong.
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That's what that verse says.
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Be on guard.
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Stand firm in what you believe in, stand firm on your faith, act like a man and be strong.
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And so when I tell somebody, hey, I don't want you to give up, it really just starts from that passage right there of be on guard, which means before you start anything, you better know how to put on the armor of the Lord.
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And if you're away from the Lord, this whole conversation is not going to make sense.
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But if you are someone that says, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, it says to put on the full armor of God, God, full armor of God, which means you've got to put it on, which means start out with the belt of truth, put that on.
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If you don't know what truth is, then any girl that touches you, winks at you, you're going to listen to whatever she tells you to.
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And so you got to learn to be on guard.
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If you sit there and say, hey, man, I've got everything handled.
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I don't need anything.
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I can rest on my own abilities, my own talents.
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Next thing you know, you're going to put on your breastplate of your righteousness, which means everything is going to come down to how good you are, how great you are, how perfect you can be.
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And when that happens, you're just going to end up being stressed out all the time because you're trying to be perfect.
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You're trying to be somewhere and arrive somewhere where you're never going to arrive.
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That is the breastplate of righteousness, of his righteousness, not your, not your own.
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And the and if you walk into somewhere and you're not on guard and you're not standing firm in your faith, you're going to put a breastplate of righteousness, your own righteousness on, which will fail every single time.
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It will get you through maybe a day or a season, but at some point, whatever you put your hope and trust in, it will come down crashing because it was something in this world.
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And if you say, Okay, I'm gonna start out and I'm gonna put on, I'm gonna learn some verses and I'm going to attend church, that that's not just putting on the armor of God.
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That's not what that is.
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It's understanding what the helmet of salvation is, what the Lord has done for you and what He is, what He has walked through, the the moments in your life where you say, Man, things are getting tough.
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Well, I bet the cross was tough.
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I bet that was corrupt.
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When you don't want to forgive somebody, well, the Lord looks at you and forgives you, and he tells you 70 times seven, do it that many, so many times that you've forgotten.
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There's so many ways where the Lord has told you to stand firm in your faith.
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Act when he says act like a man, this isn't like a gender thing of like this passage is only for men.
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He's telling you when he gets ready to give you this passage, is hey, be courageous.
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Like don't live in fear.
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Like when you live in fear, you will compromise, and compromise will ruin your walk with the Lord more than anything else.
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Will compromise it, it's it literally is just a lack of faith.
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That's all that is.
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If you say, Well, I'm just, I mean, every time you show up, uh and take sports, for example.
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If you show up and you play sports, there's always gonna be somebody that's bigger, faster, stronger, and better than you.
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That doesn't mean that you walk away.
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That does not mean that.
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Like, hopefully that pushes you to another limit.
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Hopefully that gets to a point where like you don't look at anything else, but always shocked by the fact that like when you show up at a game, the personality and the feel of a game, people already feel like they're lost or they they've they're already defeated and the game hasn't even started yet.
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And you've already walked away.
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Now, I know I'm talking about sports, but that's just a metaphor for many things.
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Like you get in a conversation with somebody and you're like, man, I want to share the gospel.
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You already walk away because you think, well, I'm gonna walk away because uh they're gonna ask me something I don't know, and you've already defeated yourself because you haven't put on the belt of truth, his truth that says, I'm never gonna leave you and I'm never gonna forsake you.
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So you can boldly say with confidence, the Lord is my helper, then whom shall I fear?
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And when you walk with those things, you walk with the shoes of peace, which means no matter what door you walk into, no matter where you go, the Lord is gonna go with you.
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The Lord is with you.
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And and so if somebody walks in this door with the worst news ever, the worst news ever, I know that I can sit here with peace in my heart.
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I didn't say I'm gonna feel good about it.
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I didn't say I'm gonna sit here and think this is the greatest day that's ever made, but I know that the Lord has given me peace no matter where I go.
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If I walk into a door, I know I can walk into any locker room, I can walk into any classroom with peace.
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Why?
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Because I'm not gonna give up on it, I'm not gonna quit on it.
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I I think it all goes back to like when you think of, I'm thinking of multiple situations with my own family, with my own kids, and when I'm telling them never give up, fight hard.
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And they're walking through something tough, or maybe a spiritual struggle, or maybe an addiction, or maybe even a student that I walked through through addiction.
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And the a big question to ask somebody when I'm telling them, hey, don't you quit, don't you give up on something?
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Sometimes I'm really asking them, hey, do you do you just want to, do you want to feel better, or do you want to be healed?
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Which one is it?
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Like that, which one is that?
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Like if all you want to do is feel better, I promise you you'll give up on something.
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Like if you want to be healed, that is something completely different.
00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:53.919
If you just want to feel better than the pain that you feel, okay, well, take you're going through loneliness, and the way that you answer that is through a relationship with a guy or a girl or sexting somebody makes you feel like I'm not lonely anymore.
00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:57.519
Well, that might make you feel better, but I promise you that doesn't heal you.
00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:16.240
And so, like if you get here and you get to the point where you say, Well, I I'm, you know, I'm I'm bored, and so I'm gonna try drugs or I'm gonna try something, you know, from I'm gonna look at pornography or I'm gonna masturbate or I'm gonna do, you know, when you get to that point, well, those things might make you feel better, but none of that will heal you.
00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:25.600
And if you get to the point and say, Well, I'm not on guard, if you're not on guard, the next thing you know, you're not, you're not gonna stand firm in your faith.
00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:29.039
You will not do that because the devil is a sly one.
00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:35.519
He's someone who is sneaky, which means that he will go and he will find you and get you in places that you did not see coming.
00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.960
The places that you thought were off-limits are not off-limits to him.
00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:46.720
And the things that you keep in darkness, the things that are dark in your life that you think, hey, I'm just gonna keep this to the side, I'm gonna put this to the side of me.
00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.679
Those are those are the things that the enemy will hold on to you.
00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:52.000
It will hold on to you and it will not let you go.
00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:56.240
It holds on to you, holds on to you until you decide to put it into the light.
00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:59.440
And when you put it into the light, the enemy cannot hold on to it anymore.
00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:05.679
And many times that you begin to say, I'm gonna quit something or I'm gonna stop doing something, it's because something is in the dark.
00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:10.559
And it could be your attitude, it could be your, you, your, your, your, your status.
00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:12.480
You think I'm losing status staying here.
00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:15.919
You could be a friendship, it could be a group, whatever it is.
00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:22.639
And the real reason why you don't want something or why you do want something could be, it could be sin, is why you want this.
00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:24.480
I'm not getting the status that I want.
00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:26.960
Like I want notoriety, I'm not getting it.
00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.480
I want my physical needs to be met, and I'm not getting it.
00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:32.399
And so, but you really don't say that.
00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:39.440
You really just hide it under the blanket of another Bible study, or you hide it under the blanket of the right words to say or the right scripture to say.
00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:50.480
And because of that, you only find yourself feeling better with love from this world, or feeling better from love from somebody else, or something that you're doing on your phone.
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:54.960
You, you feel you, you get, you, you feel better that way, but you never are healed.
00:16:55.120 --> 00:17:01.279
You're never healed because you always end up quitting something, walking away from it, and you compromise on your faith.
00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:04.640
And when you do that, it just it literally just shows me you have a lack of faith.
00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.680
That's all that is.
00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:06.960
Over and over again.
00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:17.759
It says to to be on watch, to be on guard, to understand what's happening all around you, to stand firm in your faith, to act like a man, maybe for the first time, to act like a man.
00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:24.000
And really what that's saying is to be a be courageous, but act like a man and to be strong and to do those things.
00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:26.720
And if you don't do those things, you will quit.
00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:29.279
You'll stop because this world will beat you down.
00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:31.359
It'll show you something else, it will distract you.
00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:32.480
That's what I mean.
00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:37.119
How many times are we distracted by something that never really captures our attention?
00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:37.920
It just moves on.
00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.559
We just got to have something else, you know, two days later, two weeks later, 20 minutes later.
00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:47.039
You think you're being fed and you just feel better, but nothing ever heals you.
00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:53.039
And to be in order to be healed, it takes confession, it takes commitment, it takes all these things.
00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:58.640
And, you know, somebody heard recently an amateur, an amateur, what is it?
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:03.200
An amateur is disciplined based off its feelings.
00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:07.119
A professional is disciplined based off its commitments.
00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:09.279
It means this like, what are you committed?
00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:10.319
What are you committing to?
00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.599
Like, what are you committing to?
00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:14.640
If you're committing to, I'm not gonna give up and I'm not gonna fail.
00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.319
Well, you made a commitment to who?
00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.079
To yourself, to to the Lord.
00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.279
Who did you make that to?
00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:23.759
And so I think some of that just goes back to you got to put on the armor of the Lord.
00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:28.960
You got to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of his righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shoes of peace.
00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:32.480
You got to take what what the Lord has given us, the the word of the Lord.
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:42.640
You gotta learn how to use the word of the Lord to defeat the enemy, to defeat when the enemy comes your way, when when e when demons come your way, when the when the world comes at you, how do you defeat it?
00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:46.000
Because it's gonna look good, it's gonna taste good, it's gonna feel good.
00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:50.720
And so your your desire is always gonna be do whatever it's asking me, even if it's asking me to quit.
00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:52.319
I got to do what it's asking me to do.
00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:55.759
And you're many times you're paralyzed by it if you don't know how to open up the word.
00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:58.720
And when you know how to open up the word, you'll get behind a shield.
00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:01.440
And when you get behind that shield, your entire body's behind it.
00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:05.519
So it doesn't matter what kind of fiery arrow comes your way, you can stand firm.
00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:07.200
You can stand firm and be strong.
00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:11.039
And so, really, that's all I tell my kids is to never give up fighting hard.
00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:14.960
Well, I was thinking, like, now you can take a breath.
00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.000
Was that good?
00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.000
Was that healthy?
00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:18.640
I'm just kidding.
00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:20.240
I just had to get that off my chest.
00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:21.440
I've been holding it there for a little bit.
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:23.759
I feel like, I mean, y'all do y'all know this too.
00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:33.920
Like, my distraction is being kind of like paralyzed by fear to where I don't necessarily give up on something, I just never begin it, I never start it to begin with.
00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:38.720
Like I know I'm capable of something, but I'm so scared to do it that I don't.
00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:43.920
But I will say, like, if I if you don't know God's word, okay, so yes, I have that feeling.
00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:53.920
But if I didn't know those things, like he will never leave you, he'll never forsake you, like all those things, then I I am stuck in that, like paralyzed by fear.
00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:57.680
But if I know those things, then I also know that those are that's just an emotion.
00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.680
And fear can also just tag along.
00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:04.079
Like I can also step into something while also being a little bit scared.
00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:08.319
And I feel like that that's okay too, instead of just not stepping into anything at all.
00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:11.599
So, like mine is not like I start something and then give up on it.
00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:16.559
It's more of like I never began it, I never started it to begin with because I was always so scared.
00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:17.519
Does that make sense?
00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.400
Yeah, it does.
00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:24.000
Yeah, I think um mine probably, Sydney, is I I appreciate your partake.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:28.960
I think mine is I'll start something and then I will lose passion for it.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:33.519
And I think that's part of why I quit things is because I've lost the feeling for it.
00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.519
And that's what Caleb was talking about, you know.
00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:51.119
And I think just for me, thinking about just all these things, I think about Revelation when John is writing to those who conquer that phrase to those who conquer, to those who conquer, to those who conquer will inter and will inherit eternal life.
00:20:51.440 --> 00:21:01.680
It I just finished the book of Revelation with one of our girls last year, and I just was amazed at how many times he's writing to those that persevere, that keep going.
00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:08.160
In that first two chapters, even into the third chapter of Revelation, you know, he writes to seven different churches.
00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.400
Some of them are doing great, some of them are doing horrible.
00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:15.599
And he writes really hard things, like to the church of Ephesus, you have forgotten your first love.
00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:18.160
You know, the church of Pergamon, what are you doing?
00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:25.039
You know, like all these different things he's just instructing, but it's to the one who conquers, the one that overcomes, the one that endures.
00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:30.480
I mean, Galatians 6 9, Paul talks about this, you know, we will reap in due time if we do not give up.
00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:35.839
And I think a lot of the problem for me has been, okay, Lord, would you continue to give me a passion?
00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:47.920
There's a difference between, you know, I think going back to the sports analogy, quitting in the middle of a season and waiting an entire year and not giving up and fighting, but at the end of the season, yeah, that's called retirement.
00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:48.880
Yeah, okay.
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.079
I mean, like, you know what?
00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.640
This is the this is the season of the Lord's ending in my life.
00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:58.799
And I think, you know, what how are you stewarding, you know, the things that the Lord has put in front of you?
00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.680
And I think if we can.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.599
Continue to rely on emotions, it puts us in a very dangerous place.
00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:06.880
Like my dad will tell me all the time, your emotions will lie to you every day.
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.279
What never lies to you is the word of God.
00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:11.359
You know, I think about the prophets.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:17.200
How different would their lives have been if they had not endured?
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:21.599
How, you know, I mean, we think about, and God asked them to do some crazy things.
00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:23.680
Like Elijah, I just read this story the other day.
00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:26.400
I don't know how I've never read this in 32 years of life.
00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:31.200
You know, God asked him to walk around butt naked for three years.
00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.720
That is the crazy.
00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.240
I'm sorry, was I zoned out?
00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:34.880
What'd you say?
00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:43.839
That is the craziest story to me because he was such a stark image to get Israel's attention of you are living in sin.
00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:50.079
And I'm gonna address this and I'm gonna, you know, basically leave you naked, is his that was his imagery there.
00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:52.559
And I'm just like, can you imagine Isaiah?
00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:57.039
Like, God asked him to do something just insanely hard.
00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:59.759
Can you imagine if he just gave up after day one?
00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:01.680
And I think about Hosea.
00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:03.680
God asked him to marry a prostitute.
00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:12.640
I I I we can't, you know, interview Hosea here on the podcast, but I bet you he would say, you know what, that wasn't my plan.
00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:19.359
But God asked him to do really hard things that not only impacted a nation, but it strengthened their walk with the Lord.
00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:24.799
And thinking about, you know, this idea of never give up fight hard and enduring.
00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:28.720
I finished the book of Hosea today in chapter 10, verse 12.
00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:30.480
It says, so for yourselves righteousness.
00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:32.079
This is verse 12 and verse 13.
00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:40.960
Reap steadfast love, break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord that he may come and reign righteousness upon you.
00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:42.559
This is the part I want you to listen to.
00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:53.119
But you have plowed iniquity, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies, because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors.
00:23:53.279 --> 00:24:02.240
He's saying, You have trusted in your own strength, you've done what you've wanted to do, you have not endured, you have not sought my face, you have not reaped righteousness, and reaping takes time.
00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:08.000
Go, how many times in scripture does the Lord give this idea of the harvest and reaping, but it takes time.
00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:11.279
He's saying, You have not sought the Lord, you have not endured till the end.
00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:13.359
And that is where laziness comes in.
00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:14.000
Yeah.
00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:18.559
The there's many reasons why people will quit something.
00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:27.279
I will just r rest back on the commandment that the Lord gives you more than any other commandment in the entire Bible.
00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:32.000
He gives this commandment more than anything else in the entire word.
00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:34.000
And it is simple.
00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.920
Do not be in fear.
00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:37.279
That's it.
00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:42.720
Unless it is fear of the Lord, nothing else should put fear in you.
00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:49.839
And I do, and I do think that is the biggest commandment he gives, and he gives it more than any other commandment in the entire Bible is do not be afraid.
00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:50.880
Do not be afraid.
00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:55.599
So much so that multiple times in the Bible it says the kingdom of heaven is not for a coward.
00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:58.799
I I think there he I think he multiple times he's trying to send you a message.
00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:04.079
And I do think fear, anything that is fear, but not fear of the Lord, anything that is fear is a sin.
00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:05.279
Why are you afraid?
00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.240
What what are you gonna?
00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:11.599
I mean, Psalm 23 says that uh he he's he there is nothing to fear in this world.
00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:12.720
There is nothing else to fear.
00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:13.759
What are you afraid of?
00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:14.880
Like, what are you afraid of?
00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:16.559
Well, I'm afraid that I'm gonna die.
00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:24.880
Well, the Lord says, well, don't fear the one that can kill the body, but feel the one that can kill uh fear the one that can kill the body and the soul and throw them both into hell.
00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.920
What are you afraid of?
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.519
Like quit acting so afraid.
00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:28.400
What are you afraid of?
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:29.599
You afraid you're gonna lose status?
00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:32.160
You afraid that you're you're gonna go through something tough?
00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:42.960
Well, I will in the Bible, there's so many times where somebody walks through the toughest battle that they've ever, the biggest moment of depression, the biggest moment of loneliness they feel like they're walking through.
00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:47.680
And uh nearly every time it is followed by the greatest moment in their life.
00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:51.920
It is go the lowest moment is usually followed by the greatest moment that happens.
00:25:52.079 --> 00:26:00.240
And it's those moments where they realize they got nothing else left, there's nowhere else to turn, and they finally look up to the Lord and say, Lord, please, I need you.
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:03.519
And it's always followed by the greatest moment of their life.
00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:05.279
And so what are you afraid of?
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:06.480
Like, why are you quitting?
00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:11.680
You're afraid of a loss of status, you're afraid of a loss of a relationship.
00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:12.400
Why are you quitting?
00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:15.039
Or maybe it's just because you're lazy, period.
00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:16.000
That is it.
00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.359
Like you are lazy.
00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:19.839
You are a lazy human and you quit on it.
00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:25.119
You don't like being coached up, you don't like people getting after it, you don't like people telling you what to do.
00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:27.440
And maybe that was a lifestyle that you created.
00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:41.680
And even now, like it's a lifestyle that you created because your your parents didn't discipline you, know everybody let you do whatever you wanted to, and now all of a sudden you get to a hard moment and all you know is quit because that is something that that's all you you you've been around.
00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:44.559
And you say, Well, I'm I'm blaming that on my parents.
00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:47.519
No, you you you are old enough to make your own decisions.
00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:49.440
You're old enough to listen and understand.
00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:52.240
Hey, I'm gonna keep fighting, I'm gonna keep doing the right thing.
00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:55.119
You're old enough to do those things if you're listening to this.
00:26:55.279 --> 00:27:00.640
And I would say if you clicked on to this, you're wanting to know about never give up and fight hard.
00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:03.759
You're like, there's something within you that says, I don't need to be a quitter.
00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:06.720
I don't, and it's not just standing, just take this.
00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:13.920
Just because you are on a team, uh, for instance, I got on to my son the other day, actually last night.
00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:25.359
I uh they were in a game and the starters had all come out of the game, and he was off to the side, way off to the other 20-yard line when the other teams at the 20-yard line.
00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:27.920
And it looked terrible.
00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:36.400
I hated the way that looked because all it did was it just said, hey, I'm not in the game, but when I'm in the game, everybody better be cheering us on and be able to be ready to go.
00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:41.200
But when I'm not in the game, hey, everybody, y'all just do y'all's own thing, and I'm gonna come over here and do my own thing.
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:42.240
What is that about?
00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:45.200
Take your tell over there and encourage the people around you.
00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:48.400
Don't just give up on something, don't just step away because you're losing.
00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:49.440
Are you kidding me?
00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:50.559
Like, that looks terrible.
00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:53.599
Like, what sign, like, where in the Bible does the Lord do that?
00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:54.559
He doesn't do that at all.
00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:56.000
Then why are you acting that way?
00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:57.279
Because that's what the enemy does.
00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:00.640
It tells you, like, hey, you're okay, you're you're you're totally fine.
00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:03.200
And even in the moment, he did not feel anything about it.
00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:09.119
But yet, but yet, when I brought it to the light, all of a sudden the enemy had no more hold onto it.
00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:17.759
And I I'm just I'm obviously using a football analogy, but it happens multiple times all the time, is people get comfortable with walking away.
00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:21.839
People get comfortable in their own skin and they begin to blame something on somebody else.
00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:23.599
And so they just walk away from it.
00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:34.559
So, what are like, you know, you've talked about a couple of things you do for kind of like create some like mental toughness, discipline in your life.
00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:41.440
Like, what are some things that you feel like practically like that they can do today to kind of like physically help with?
00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:42.160
Does that make sense?
00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:55.440
Like, what for example, the one I'm thinking of, and Caleb, you kind of taught me this, is like at the gym, not putting your hands on your hips, not putting your hands above your head, not sitting down, because that really does nothing for you.
00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:02.319
And it just teach teaches you this mental discipline to get through something physically hard.
00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:09.119
And it's like this this little training piece for when you're actually dealing with like a life thing that's hard.
00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:09.440
Yeah.
00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:18.160
I would say two things in that one, it's it's hard to mentally, physically, and spiritually, spiritually know how you handle that until you're in the you're in the moment.
00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:21.039
So begin to learn how to put yourself in those moments.
00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:21.920
Like do that.
00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:23.599
So physically put yourself in the moment.
00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:25.200
Something to do, that's hard.
00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:33.759
And so, like Sydney was saying, like I think it all begins with the first thing with me is do you believe that the Lord is a liar or he's telling the truth?
00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:35.200
I think you have to start there.
00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:41.839
And if you if you don't start there, I think it'll it'll kind of go off on tangents of what you see is right in your own eye, okay?
00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:44.880
But do you think the Lord is telling the truth in the Bible or a liar?
00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:50.160
So if you think he's telling the truth, then you better know what he said and you better know what he has told you to go do.
00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:52.240
If you think he's a liar, then don't read anything.
00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:53.839
Then do whatever you want to.
00:29:54.000 --> 00:30:03.599
But if you sit here and say, I believe that the Lord is telling the truth, then know what he has told you and what he has promised you and act like you know that that is true.
00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:06.640
Like when somebody tells you that, hey, you're ugly.
00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:13.839
Well, that's why I tell my daughter, hey, that she's beautiful and brave and she's a daughter of the most high, and that the Lord is never going to leave her side.
00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:16.720
Like I, those are things that like I'm instilling in her now.
00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:18.720
But at some point she's got to tell herself that.
00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:20.079
It can't just be me.
00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:25.200
When I go to the gym or when I'm working out somewhere, physically I'm gonna get tired.
00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:26.240
I'm gonna get tired.
00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:33.440
Now, is again is it against the law to lay down on the ground when you're totally exhausted?
00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:36.000
No, everybody else actually is doing that.
00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:43.440
Like, is it against the law to like bend over after I just got finished running and like hold my knees and get my breath and then stand back up?
00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:45.440
No, everybody is doing that.
00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:51.759
Is it against the law to, and is it uh against the gym rules to put my hands on top of my head so that I can breathe better?
00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:55.039
Actually, it probably would help you to breathe better if you put your hands on your head.
00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:58.400
Like, no, these are all things that there's nothing wrong with them.
00:30:58.559 --> 00:31:02.400
But here's the thing if I do not bend over and grab my knees, am I gonna die?
00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:03.279
Nope, I'm not.
00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:04.240
I'm gonna be fine.
00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:07.759
It's just gonna, it's just gonna be terrible for the next few minutes.
00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:10.480
Like I just have to slow, slow down.
00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:11.599
I have to breathe right.
00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:15.680
I have to know, hey, I'm in extreme pain right now, but I'm gonna be just fine.
00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:19.920
And so it teaches me like, oh, I can I can get through this, I can handle those.
00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:27.119
So physically it teaches me those things, but mentally you have to have those moments too, where like I've seen the faithfulness of the Lord last week.
00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:32.559
I've seen the faithfulness in the Lord and the the Holy Spirit and how it moved in people and the adrenaline rush that it gives people.
00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:34.240
I've seen that multiple times.
00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:38.640
So it's not like, well, I got to think back 10 years ago when something awesome happened.
00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:40.640
It's like I saw that last week.
00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:43.920
I saw that days ago, I saw that minutes or hours ago.
00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:49.119
I can rest on these things, and I know no matter what door I walk into, I know that he will give me peace.
00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:54.160
There's mental moments of snapshots I've taken in my life where I've seen people walk through something terrible.
00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:56.880
And at the lowest part of their life, they begin to praise the Lord.
00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:58.559
And I know that is powerful.
00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:00.000
And I've seen those things happen.
00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:05.440
And it's people that did, when it got to something tough, they didn't quit on their faith, they didn't quit on their team, they didn't quit on their marriage.
00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:10.640
Like they stuck through when it was highly difficult and unpleasant to do.
00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:13.920
And it wasn't like somebody was just saying, hey, well, I just want to feel better.
00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:18.640
And so I'll find, I'll have this void inside of me and I'll just fill it with something in this world.
00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:20.799
It was people that said, I want to be healed.
00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:21.519
That's what I want.
00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:22.880
I don't want to just feel better.
00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:24.160
I need to be healed.
00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:27.599
And so it that came from an attitude of like, I'm not gonna quit.
00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:28.640
I'm not gonna give up.
00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:33.200
I'm gonna be watchful, I'm gonna stand firm in my faith, I'm gonna act like a man and I'm gonna be strong.
00:32:33.359 --> 00:32:35.200
And you go from that mindset.
00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:37.440
And that's not something that just happens when you wake up.
00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:41.920
It takes time, it takes moments, it takes dedication to get to that point.
00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:46.319
I would say, too, like very practically what Caleb's talking about, like what's right in front of you?
00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:49.200
Like just whatever it is right in front of you when you're listening to this.
00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:51.440
If it's driving in a car, would you drive well?
00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:53.680
If you're about to go to practice, do practice well.
00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:57.039
If you're sitting there and you're procrastinating a paper, do that well.
00:32:57.119 --> 00:33:00.079
Like whatever is right in front of you, do that well.
00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:11.599
I think about just a couple of situations that I've had with uh students in the past couple of days where I was texting a girl last night that's dealing with some stuff with friends, and she was like, I just gosh, I'm so nervous to go to school tomorrow.
00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:19.599
Her thing that I told her to do was you need to get up and you need to go to school and you need to be on the offense and be kind to that person that's unkind to you.
00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:33.039
You know, I think with laziness, one of the best ways to overcome laziness is to continue to endure, to continue to get up and to continue to do, to not just be a hearer of the word, but a doer of the word.
00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:40.160
I also think about a conversation I had on Sunday with one of our students that's walking through a, he's having a hard time understanding a tough passage in scripture.
00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:46.400
And I said, you can go sit outside right now and you can skip this entire time of life groups, or you can come in and you can fight.
00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:53.359
It doesn't mean that you're gonna understand absolutely everything, but you can come and you can sit and you can learn and you can fight to understand.
00:33:53.599 --> 00:34:07.039
So I think with this idea, you know, sorry, I use these extreme examples of Isaiah, sorry, not Elijah, Isaiah and Hosea, but you think about their faith, Daniel, David, all these examples that you have in scripture where the Lord asked them to do something hard.
00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:10.639
Jonah, my goodness, where the Lord asked them to do something hard.
00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:13.840
You can run like Jonah, or you can run to it.
00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:16.960
You know, think about how many examples that we have in scripture.
00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:18.400
Daniel, my word.
00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:21.760
Daniel is literally his life's on the line, and he continues to pray.
00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:26.559
He continues to go up and he does what he does every single day by going up to the window and praying.
00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:31.920
So I would say, whatever it is right now that's right there in front of you, do it well.
00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:41.039
Give it everything that you've got, not just your emotion, give it your best, give it your eyes, give it your your feet, give everything that was right in front of you, and do it well.
00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:14.800
Welcome to Off Script, a conversation with no fakes, no filters, just real conversations about how faith and flesh meet in the everyday life, where we experience a God who made us on purpose for his purpose.
00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:16.239
This is off script.
00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:17.600
Let's talk.
00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:21.280
All right, Morgan.
00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:26.640
Um, tell the room how many sports you tried out for in middle school.
00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:27.600
I feel like high school.
00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:29.359
Okay, we started out real hot.
00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:31.359
Let me just let me just try it in.
00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:34.880
Okay, so here's the can I tell you the things that I was a part of that I did.
00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.000
Some people say they're a three sport athlete, two sport athlete.
00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:38.799
What would you say?
00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:40.079
I was in the band.
00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:40.640
I know.
00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:46.000
Feel this sport athlete, you know, like I'm a you know, I'm also getting better at pickleball.
00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:47.200
Not me.
00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:48.960
I'm great at puzzles.
00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:51.359
Let's start with the things that I'm good at.
00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:54.240
Let's not just go straight to what I wasn't good at.
00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:57.520
No, I tried out for I think four.
00:00:57.840 --> 00:01:07.439
I tried out for track when I was in elementary school, and the poor coach told me it was not my spiritual gift because I think it had one of the longest miles on what was that time?
00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:08.079
You know what?
00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:08.799
It's not necessary.
00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:10.400
She's its own record.
00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:11.920
It was bad.
00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:20.319
And then I'm trying to think, I tried out for nucleum because I really wanted the cool matching set and the the they had really matching socks and they were really cute.
00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:23.200
Didn't that one didn't didn't make either.
00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:25.040
I was told again I want my spiritual gift.
00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:28.560
And then I did dance for like two semesters.
00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:32.799
And again, they were like, sweet baby child, you are awesome.
00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:33.920
How old were you?
00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:34.640
Seven.
00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:35.680
Oh, okay.
00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:36.159
Yes.
00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:37.359
And they were like, This is not.
00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:38.799
I mean, have you guys, y'all know me?
00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:40.959
No, my I don't have any natural rhythm.
00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:44.000
If somebody wanted to watch a video of you doing a dance, where would they go?
00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:45.120
Oh, they just text me.
00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:47.599
I've got probably six on my phone.
00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:49.439
I showed y'all one on Monday.
00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:51.200
So I just don't have natural rhythm.
00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:54.480
I have a lot of people in my life, Aliyah, she's a great dancer, but for me, nope, nope.
00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:56.480
That's just not for me.
00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:59.599
The the worst sport that I ever tried was volleyball.
00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:02.640
And it was just in just in PE.
00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:08.159
And I would cry literally every day that we would do volleyball because I hated it.
00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:15.759
And then because I cried, the PE coach who nobody wanted would make me serve because I was crying.
00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:17.360
And it was, I'll never forget that.
00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:17.840
That was terrible.
00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.560
Also, middle school is hard, y'all.
00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:21.120
It is.
00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:26.560
And then in middle school, so my grandfather is this big time like pole vault coach.
00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:30.400
And so everyone wanted me to try pole vaulting.
00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:36.639
And I am 5'2, which is not the height for pole vaulting.
00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:39.680
And he tried and he tried and he tried.
00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.599
And he was very honest if that was not the thing for you.
00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:45.840
And even now, he's 86.
00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:49.520
He still roasts me for how I tried to pole vault.
00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:51.039
I tried distance running.
00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:52.240
That was pretty bad.
00:02:52.479 --> 00:03:03.120
And then I also, but I did make the all metro team because they took the top three from each event top three boys, top three girls.
00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:05.199
We had three girl pole vaulters.
00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:08.879
So I made the all metro meeting.
00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:13.919
Meanwhile, on the pod, we have our boss who did go six feet though.
00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:15.759
So that's great, Sydney.
00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:16.639
It's hard.
00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:18.400
Because you were really good, Caleb.
00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:19.520
Like you had newspapers.
00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:22.560
Meanwhile, I had my glasses broken in four square.
00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:22.960
Yeah.
00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:23.280
Yeah.
00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:24.879
And I'll make volleyball.
00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:25.599
It's a true story.
00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:26.159
Yeah.
00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:26.800
Yeah.
00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:27.360
Yeah.
00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:38.560
I would say there's probably a lot of people that try to wonder when when am I supposed to stop doing, you know, it could be a sport, it could be band, it could be educated.
00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:41.840
When do I stop doing something and when am I quitting on it?
00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:44.319
When is it time to back out of it and when is it not?
00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:48.719
And I think you I don't know if you guys have the right answer to that question.
00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:53.199
I have a theory that I have in my own mind, but what do you where you guys land with it?
00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:55.599
Oh, I think I want to hear your theory first.
00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:03.039
Well, the thought process from the this specific episode came from hearing a lot of kids just say, Well, I'll just quit.
00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:03.919
I'll just quit.
00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:14.319
Like something gets hard, and say, take sports, for example, like a kid fumbles on a play, and then he just walks over to the sideline.
00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:15.680
He's like, I'm just gonna quit.
00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:18.480
And it's like one little piece of adversity.
00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.839
And I think it that I mean that just goes far beyond just sports.
00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:26.480
Like at that point, you're not even really teaching anything about like the sport itself.
00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:29.120
That is just like a a life thing.
00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:34.079
That's kind of where like the whole idea for this episode came from.
00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:42.639
So I'll tell you, I I have a I need to preface what I'm about to do because I do feel like I'm about to go on a rant.
00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:48.160
And this rant might be five minutes, might be ten minutes, and I do feel like I am gonna go on a rant a little bit.
00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:49.600
We love a Caleb Wade.
00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:50.639
I might go on one.
00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:53.360
And I think it it begins with this.
00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:02.800
I think a little bit of what Sydney said is, hey, well, things aren't going the way I want them to, so I'm just gonna quit and try something else because we do live in a generation, there's multiple options.
00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:08.560
They're not just, hey, there's only one thing to do, and if you don't, if you're not good at it, you just need to get better.
00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:11.120
I now, if you don't like something, that's fine.
00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:16.879
There's 400 other things you can try out and you can find community all over the place.
00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:25.040
You don't have to have community with your neighborhood, you can have community with people on the other side of Birmingham, you can have community with somebody in California, you know.
00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:33.759
You so I would say when people feel like I'm gonna stop doing something and I'm gonna try something else, there's a lot of opportunities everywhere.
00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:40.240
And so we've built a culture of I don't like where I'm at right now, I'm uncomfortable, I'm gonna quit.
00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:42.720
And so that's where I want to speak into.
00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:51.120
So let me begin with just letting you know every night I tell my kids something, I tell my daughter she's beautiful and brave.
00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:57.600
I remind her she's a daughter of the Most High, and that he has made her beautiful and brave, and he said he's never gonna leave you.
00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:03.279
So I remind her that because one day she's gonna go through things tough, and she has already gone through things that are tough.
00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:08.160
She's gonna go through things that are tough, and I just have to remind her, not what I said, but what the Lord has said about her.
00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:11.920
And so for the boys, I just tell them never give up, fight hard.
00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:24.720
And so every night they'll I'll just say before they walk to their room, hey, never give up, fight hard, love you, you know, and then what I'm meaning by that is at some point things are not gonna go the way they want to.
00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:30.800
And the last option that they come to it it better not be never give up.
00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:32.480
That better not be an option at all.
00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:34.079
Like I don't want you to quit.
00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.160
Like I don't want you to compromise on your faith.
00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:37.759
I don't want you to compromise in your marriage.
00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:42.879
I don't want you to compromise when it comes to, I don't want you to go, I don't want you to take the easy rate out.
00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:46.480
I want there to be, when it comes to sports, I want there to be competition.
00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:49.360
I want somebody to start over you and make you better.
00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:54.639
Like I want there to be always a bigger giant in front of you, and I don't want you to quit on it.
00:06:54.720 --> 00:07:00.399
And so you that doesn't just happen one day where you just show up and you think, oh man, all of a sudden I have courage.
00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:02.240
That's something that has to be instilled in you.
00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:08.720
That's something that you have to like dive into and find on your own through going through moments that make you uncomfortable.
00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:26.560
And so just to begin this whole segment before I start going, I just want to tell you this is when I start talking, I'm not talking only to guys or young males or men, but when I tell them never give up, fight hard, I am talking to a guy.
00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:29.279
Okay, and so this can apply to anybody.
00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:38.480
I would also say, I'm probably gonna be if you have a pendulum to the left and to the right, I'm probably far on one side of do not quit.
00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:40.959
I don't, I don't care how bad this hurts.
00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:45.279
I don't care where you are in this struggle, like do not stop.
00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:50.720
All right, and so I'm probably there more than somebody's like, well, you know, they're the arms broke.
00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:52.000
Do you sure you want them to keep going?
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:53.199
You're like, yeah, keep going.
00:07:53.439 --> 00:08:00.319
You know, I'm probably way more on the other side than somebody else showing compassion and mercy and love that the Lord told us to show.
00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:05.680
All right, so just to know my own faults and blindsides before I start into this.
00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:06.240
All right.
00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:08.240
So can I talk about it?
00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:09.360
Or do you guys have any questions?
00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:13.199
Speaking of someone breaking their arm, did you see this is so random.
00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:17.680
Did you see the video of the South Carolina Towson game?
00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:18.480
Did you see this?
00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:27.360
The punter for Towson was trying really the last one that can make the tackle, sticks his arm out, breaks his what is this?
00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:28.639
What is this phone?
00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.279
That's your humorous?
00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:31.600
No.
00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:32.399
No, I can't remember.
00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:33.919
The top part of your arm.
00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:35.919
And there's a video of it.
00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:38.639
Would you tell him to I'm just kidding.
00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:39.360
Yeah.
00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:40.320
I'm just kidding.
00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:43.679
I would say, what is your problem, and the Lord gave you another arm, you know?
00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:45.679
Like block with the other arm.
00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:58.480
I mean, I think if you really want to know where I stand with this, I mean, think about a couple years ago, my son, we blew up a firework and it blew up in his hand, and his hand had skin hanging all off of it, like a third-degree burn all over the thing.
00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:00.879
Didn't know if he was ever going to be able to squeeze his hand again.
00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:04.960
He looked right at me and said, Am I ever going to be able to throw a football again?
00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:07.919
He's a quarterback, and he said, Am I ever going to be able to throw a quarter ball again?
00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:10.240
And I looked at him, I said, Well, the Lord gave you another hand, man.
00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:11.600
It's time to start learning how to do that.
00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.960
And we're still standing outside with the smoke around us.
00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:18.320
So just to tell you where I usually land with that.
00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:21.679
But anyway, he's cringing.
00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:23.440
Sorry, it's going to work.
00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:24.720
Yeah, hurt my hand.
00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:25.360
My hand.
00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:28.159
So never give up and fight hard.
00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:32.960
I want to say it probably starts off with 1 Corinthians 16, 13.
00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:37.279
In that it says to be watchful, to be on guard.
00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:55.360
So the first before you do anything, it says don't be lazy to to have your head on a swivel when you walk into any room, when you walk into a crowded space, an empty space, to be to be on guard no matter what happens, to stand firm.
00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:57.840
Be on guard, stand firm.
00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:00.320
Act like a man and be strong.
00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:01.919
That's what that verse says.
00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:03.600
Be on guard.
00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:09.279
Stand firm in what you believe in, stand firm on your faith, act like a man and be strong.
00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:20.320
And so when I tell somebody, hey, I don't want you to give up, it really just starts from that passage right there of be on guard, which means before you start anything, you better know how to put on the armor of the Lord.
00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:23.759
And if you're away from the Lord, this whole conversation is not going to make sense.
00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:34.559
But if you are someone that says, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, it says to put on the full armor of God, God, full armor of God, which means you've got to put it on, which means start out with the belt of truth, put that on.
00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:40.639
If you don't know what truth is, then any girl that touches you, winks at you, you're going to listen to whatever she tells you to.
00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:42.399
And so you got to learn to be on guard.
00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:45.120
If you sit there and say, hey, man, I've got everything handled.
00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:45.840
I don't need anything.
00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:48.320
I can rest on my own abilities, my own talents.
00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:58.720
Next thing you know, you're going to put on your breastplate of your righteousness, which means everything is going to come down to how good you are, how great you are, how perfect you can be.
00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:03.600
And when that happens, you're just going to end up being stressed out all the time because you're trying to be perfect.
00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:07.120
You're trying to be somewhere and arrive somewhere where you're never going to arrive.
00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:11.679
That is the breastplate of righteousness, of his righteousness, not your, not your own.
00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:23.039
And the and if you walk into somewhere and you're not on guard and you're not standing firm in your faith, you're going to put a breastplate of righteousness, your own righteousness on, which will fail every single time.
00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:32.000
It will get you through maybe a day or a season, but at some point, whatever you put your hope and trust in, it will come down crashing because it was something in this world.
00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:42.559
And if you say, Okay, I'm gonna start out and I'm gonna put on, I'm gonna learn some verses and I'm going to attend church, that that's not just putting on the armor of God.
00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:43.360
That's not what that is.
00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:52.639
It's understanding what the helmet of salvation is, what the Lord has done for you and what He is, what He has walked through, the the moments in your life where you say, Man, things are getting tough.
00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:54.480
Well, I bet the cross was tough.
00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:55.600
I bet that was corrupt.
00:11:55.679 --> 00:12:03.360
When you don't want to forgive somebody, well, the Lord looks at you and forgives you, and he tells you 70 times seven, do it that many, so many times that you've forgotten.
00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:06.960
There's so many ways where the Lord has told you to stand firm in your faith.
00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:11.840
Act when he says act like a man, this isn't like a gender thing of like this passage is only for men.
00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:16.960
He's telling you when he gets ready to give you this passage, is hey, be courageous.
00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:18.960
Like don't live in fear.
00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:24.799
Like when you live in fear, you will compromise, and compromise will ruin your walk with the Lord more than anything else.
00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:28.399
Will compromise it, it's it literally is just a lack of faith.
00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.360
That's all that is.
00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:34.000
If you say, Well, I'm just, I mean, every time you show up, uh and take sports, for example.
00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:39.679
If you show up and you play sports, there's always gonna be somebody that's bigger, faster, stronger, and better than you.
00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:41.519
That doesn't mean that you walk away.
00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:42.559
That does not mean that.
00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:44.879
Like, hopefully that pushes you to another limit.
00:12:45.039 --> 00:13:01.360
Hopefully that gets to a point where like you don't look at anything else, but always shocked by the fact that like when you show up at a game, the personality and the feel of a game, people already feel like they're lost or they they've they're already defeated and the game hasn't even started yet.
00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:02.639
And you've already walked away.
00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:06.480
Now, I know I'm talking about sports, but that's just a metaphor for many things.
00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:10.159
Like you get in a conversation with somebody and you're like, man, I want to share the gospel.
00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:22.879
You already walk away because you think, well, I'm gonna walk away because uh they're gonna ask me something I don't know, and you've already defeated yourself because you haven't put on the belt of truth, his truth that says, I'm never gonna leave you and I'm never gonna forsake you.
00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:27.279
So you can boldly say with confidence, the Lord is my helper, then whom shall I fear?
00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:34.879
And when you walk with those things, you walk with the shoes of peace, which means no matter what door you walk into, no matter where you go, the Lord is gonna go with you.
00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:35.840
The Lord is with you.
00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:43.679
And and so if somebody walks in this door with the worst news ever, the worst news ever, I know that I can sit here with peace in my heart.
00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:45.360
I didn't say I'm gonna feel good about it.
00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:51.840
I didn't say I'm gonna sit here and think this is the greatest day that's ever made, but I know that the Lord has given me peace no matter where I go.
00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.799
If I walk into a door, I know I can walk into any locker room, I can walk into any classroom with peace.
00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:57.200
Why?
00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:00.000
Because I'm not gonna give up on it, I'm not gonna quit on it.
00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:09.840
I I think it all goes back to like when you think of, I'm thinking of multiple situations with my own family, with my own kids, and when I'm telling them never give up, fight hard.
00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:18.879
And they're walking through something tough, or maybe a spiritual struggle, or maybe an addiction, or maybe even a student that I walked through through addiction.
00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:24.240
And the a big question to ask somebody when I'm telling them, hey, don't you quit, don't you give up on something?
00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:30.080
Sometimes I'm really asking them, hey, do you do you just want to, do you want to feel better, or do you want to be healed?
00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:30.879
Which one is it?
00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:32.240
Like that, which one is that?
00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:36.399
Like if all you want to do is feel better, I promise you you'll give up on something.
00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:39.519
Like if you want to be healed, that is something completely different.
00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:53.919
If you just want to feel better than the pain that you feel, okay, well, take you're going through loneliness, and the way that you answer that is through a relationship with a guy or a girl or sexting somebody makes you feel like I'm not lonely anymore.
00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:57.519
Well, that might make you feel better, but I promise you that doesn't heal you.
00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:16.240
And so, like if you get here and you get to the point where you say, Well, I I'm, you know, I'm I'm bored, and so I'm gonna try drugs or I'm gonna try something, you know, from I'm gonna look at pornography or I'm gonna masturbate or I'm gonna do, you know, when you get to that point, well, those things might make you feel better, but none of that will heal you.
00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:25.600
And if you get to the point and say, Well, I'm not on guard, if you're not on guard, the next thing you know, you're not, you're not gonna stand firm in your faith.
00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:29.039
You will not do that because the devil is a sly one.
00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:35.519
He's someone who is sneaky, which means that he will go and he will find you and get you in places that you did not see coming.
00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.960
The places that you thought were off-limits are not off-limits to him.
00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:46.720
And the things that you keep in darkness, the things that are dark in your life that you think, hey, I'm just gonna keep this to the side, I'm gonna put this to the side of me.
00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.679
Those are those are the things that the enemy will hold on to you.
00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:52.000
It will hold on to you and it will not let you go.
00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:56.240
It holds on to you, holds on to you until you decide to put it into the light.
00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:59.440
And when you put it into the light, the enemy cannot hold on to it anymore.
00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:05.679
And many times that you begin to say, I'm gonna quit something or I'm gonna stop doing something, it's because something is in the dark.
00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:10.559
And it could be your attitude, it could be your, you, your, your, your, your status.
00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:12.480
You think I'm losing status staying here.
00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:15.919
You could be a friendship, it could be a group, whatever it is.
00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:22.639
And the real reason why you don't want something or why you do want something could be, it could be sin, is why you want this.
00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:24.480
I'm not getting the status that I want.
00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:26.960
Like I want notoriety, I'm not getting it.
00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.480
I want my physical needs to be met, and I'm not getting it.
00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:32.399
And so, but you really don't say that.
00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:39.440
You really just hide it under the blanket of another Bible study, or you hide it under the blanket of the right words to say or the right scripture to say.
00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:50.480
And because of that, you only find yourself feeling better with love from this world, or feeling better from love from somebody else, or something that you're doing on your phone.
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:54.960
You, you feel you, you get, you, you feel better that way, but you never are healed.
00:16:55.120 --> 00:17:01.279
You're never healed because you always end up quitting something, walking away from it, and you compromise on your faith.
00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:04.640
And when you do that, it just it literally just shows me you have a lack of faith.
00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.680
That's all that is.
00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:06.960
Over and over again.
00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:17.759
It says to to be on watch, to be on guard, to understand what's happening all around you, to stand firm in your faith, to act like a man, maybe for the first time, to act like a man.
00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:24.000
And really what that's saying is to be a be courageous, but act like a man and to be strong and to do those things.
00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:26.720
And if you don't do those things, you will quit.
00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:29.279
You'll stop because this world will beat you down.
00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:31.359
It'll show you something else, it will distract you.
00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:32.480
That's what I mean.
00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:37.119
How many times are we distracted by something that never really captures our attention?
00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:37.920
It just moves on.
00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.559
We just got to have something else, you know, two days later, two weeks later, 20 minutes later.
00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:47.039
You think you're being fed and you just feel better, but nothing ever heals you.
00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:53.039
And to be in order to be healed, it takes confession, it takes commitment, it takes all these things.
00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:58.640
And, you know, somebody heard recently an amateur, an amateur, what is it?
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:03.200
An amateur is disciplined based off its feelings.
00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:07.119
A professional is disciplined based off its commitments.
00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:09.279
It means this like, what are you committed?
00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:10.319
What are you committing to?
00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.599
Like, what are you committing to?
00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:14.640
If you're committing to, I'm not gonna give up and I'm not gonna fail.
00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.319
Well, you made a commitment to who?
00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.079
To yourself, to to the Lord.
00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.279
Who did you make that to?
00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:23.759
And so I think some of that just goes back to you got to put on the armor of the Lord.
00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:28.960
You got to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of his righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shoes of peace.
00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:32.480
You got to take what what the Lord has given us, the the word of the Lord.
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:42.640
You gotta learn how to use the word of the Lord to defeat the enemy, to defeat when the enemy comes your way, when when e when demons come your way, when the when the world comes at you, how do you defeat it?
00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:46.000
Because it's gonna look good, it's gonna taste good, it's gonna feel good.
00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:50.720
And so your your desire is always gonna be do whatever it's asking me, even if it's asking me to quit.
00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:52.319
I got to do what it's asking me to do.
00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:55.759
And you're many times you're paralyzed by it if you don't know how to open up the word.
00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:58.720
And when you know how to open up the word, you'll get behind a shield.
00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:01.440
And when you get behind that shield, your entire body's behind it.
00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:05.519
So it doesn't matter what kind of fiery arrow comes your way, you can stand firm.
00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:07.200
You can stand firm and be strong.
00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:11.039
And so, really, that's all I tell my kids is to never give up fighting hard.
00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:14.960
Well, I was thinking, like, now you can take a breath.
00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.000
Was that good?
00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.000
Was that healthy?
00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:18.640
I'm just kidding.
00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:20.240
I just had to get that off my chest.
00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:21.440
I've been holding it there for a little bit.
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:23.759
I feel like, I mean, y'all do y'all know this too.
00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:33.920
Like, my distraction is being kind of like paralyzed by fear to where I don't necessarily give up on something, I just never begin it, I never start it to begin with.
00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:38.720
Like I know I'm capable of something, but I'm so scared to do it that I don't.
00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:43.920
But I will say, like, if I if you don't know God's word, okay, so yes, I have that feeling.
00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:53.920
But if I didn't know those things, like he will never leave you, he'll never forsake you, like all those things, then I I am stuck in that, like paralyzed by fear.
00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:57.680
But if I know those things, then I also know that those are that's just an emotion.
00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.680
And fear can also just tag along.
00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:04.079
Like I can also step into something while also being a little bit scared.
00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:08.319
And I feel like that that's okay too, instead of just not stepping into anything at all.
00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:11.599
So, like mine is not like I start something and then give up on it.
00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:16.559
It's more of like I never began it, I never started it to begin with because I was always so scared.
00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:17.519
Does that make sense?
00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.400
Yeah, it does.
00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:24.000
Yeah, I think um mine probably, Sydney, is I I appreciate your partake.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:28.960
I think mine is I'll start something and then I will lose passion for it.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:33.519
And I think that's part of why I quit things is because I've lost the feeling for it.
00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.519
And that's what Caleb was talking about, you know.
00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:51.119
And I think just for me, thinking about just all these things, I think about Revelation when John is writing to those who conquer that phrase to those who conquer, to those who conquer, to those who conquer will inter and will inherit eternal life.
00:20:51.440 --> 00:21:01.680
It I just finished the book of Revelation with one of our girls last year, and I just was amazed at how many times he's writing to those that persevere, that keep going.
00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:08.160
In that first two chapters, even into the third chapter of Revelation, you know, he writes to seven different churches.
00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.400
Some of them are doing great, some of them are doing horrible.
00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:15.599
And he writes really hard things, like to the church of Ephesus, you have forgotten your first love.
00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:18.160
You know, the church of Pergamon, what are you doing?
00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:25.039
You know, like all these different things he's just instructing, but it's to the one who conquers, the one that overcomes, the one that endures.
00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:30.480
I mean, Galatians 6 9, Paul talks about this, you know, we will reap in due time if we do not give up.
00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:35.839
And I think a lot of the problem for me has been, okay, Lord, would you continue to give me a passion?
00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:47.920
There's a difference between, you know, I think going back to the sports analogy, quitting in the middle of a season and waiting an entire year and not giving up and fighting, but at the end of the season, yeah, that's called retirement.
00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:48.880
Yeah, okay.
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.079
I mean, like, you know what?
00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.640
This is the this is the season of the Lord's ending in my life.
00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:58.799
And I think, you know, what how are you stewarding, you know, the things that the Lord has put in front of you?
00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.680
And I think if we can.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.599
Continue to rely on emotions, it puts us in a very dangerous place.
00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:06.880
Like my dad will tell me all the time, your emotions will lie to you every day.
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.279
What never lies to you is the word of God.
00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:11.359
You know, I think about the prophets.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:17.200
How different would their lives have been if they had not endured?
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:21.599
How, you know, I mean, we think about, and God asked them to do some crazy things.
00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:23.680
Like Elijah, I just read this story the other day.
00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:26.400
I don't know how I've never read this in 32 years of life.
00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:31.200
You know, God asked him to walk around butt naked for three years.
00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.720
That is the crazy.
00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.240
I'm sorry, was I zoned out?
00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:34.880
What'd you say?
00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:43.839
That is the craziest story to me because he was such a stark image to get Israel's attention of you are living in sin.
00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:50.079
And I'm gonna address this and I'm gonna, you know, basically leave you naked, is his that was his imagery there.
00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:52.559
And I'm just like, can you imagine Isaiah?
00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:57.039
Like, God asked him to do something just insanely hard.
00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:59.759
Can you imagine if he just gave up after day one?
00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:01.680
And I think about Hosea.
00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:03.680
God asked him to marry a prostitute.
00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:12.640
I I I we can't, you know, interview Hosea here on the podcast, but I bet you he would say, you know what, that wasn't my plan.
00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:19.359
But God asked him to do really hard things that not only impacted a nation, but it strengthened their walk with the Lord.
00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:24.799
And thinking about, you know, this idea of never give up fight hard and enduring.
00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:28.720
I finished the book of Hosea today in chapter 10, verse 12.
00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:30.480
It says, so for yourselves righteousness.
00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:32.079
This is verse 12 and verse 13.
00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:40.960
Reap steadfast love, break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord that he may come and reign righteousness upon you.
00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:42.559
This is the part I want you to listen to.
00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:53.119
But you have plowed iniquity, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies, because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors.
00:23:53.279 --> 00:24:02.240
He's saying, You have trusted in your own strength, you've done what you've wanted to do, you have not endured, you have not sought my face, you have not reaped righteousness, and reaping takes time.
00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:08.000
Go, how many times in scripture does the Lord give this idea of the harvest and reaping, but it takes time.
00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:11.279
He's saying, You have not sought the Lord, you have not endured till the end.
00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:13.359
And that is where laziness comes in.
00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:14.000
Yeah.
00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:18.559
The there's many reasons why people will quit something.
00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:27.279
I will just r rest back on the commandment that the Lord gives you more than any other commandment in the entire Bible.
00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:32.000
He gives this commandment more than anything else in the entire word.
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And it is simple.
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Do not be in fear.
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That's it.
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Unless it is fear of the Lord, nothing else should put fear in you.
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And I do, and I do think that is the biggest commandment he gives, and he gives it more than any other commandment in the entire Bible is do not be afraid.
00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:50.880
Do not be afraid.
00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:55.599
So much so that multiple times in the Bible it says the kingdom of heaven is not for a coward.
00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:58.799
I I think there he I think he multiple times he's trying to send you a message.
00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:04.079
And I do think fear, anything that is fear, but not fear of the Lord, anything that is fear is a sin.
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Why are you afraid?
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What what are you gonna?
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I mean, Psalm 23 says that uh he he's he there is nothing to fear in this world.
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There is nothing else to fear.
00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:13.759
What are you afraid of?
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Like, what are you afraid of?
00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:16.559
Well, I'm afraid that I'm gonna die.
00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:24.880
Well, the Lord says, well, don't fear the one that can kill the body, but feel the one that can kill uh fear the one that can kill the body and the soul and throw them both into hell.
00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.920
What are you afraid of?
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.519
Like quit acting so afraid.
00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:28.400
What are you afraid of?
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:29.599
You afraid you're gonna lose status?
00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:32.160
You afraid that you're you're gonna go through something tough?
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Well, I will in the Bible, there's so many times where somebody walks through the toughest battle that they've ever, the biggest moment of depression, the biggest moment of loneliness they feel like they're walking through.
00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:47.680
And uh nearly every time it is followed by the greatest moment in their life.
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It is go the lowest moment is usually followed by the greatest moment that happens.
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And it's those moments where they realize they got nothing else left, there's nowhere else to turn, and they finally look up to the Lord and say, Lord, please, I need you.
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And it's always followed by the greatest moment of their life.
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And so what are you afraid of?
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Like, why are you quitting?
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You're afraid of a loss of status, you're afraid of a loss of a relationship.
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Why are you quitting?
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Or maybe it's just because you're lazy, period.
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That is it.
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Like you are lazy.
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You are a lazy human and you quit on it.
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You don't like being coached up, you don't like people getting after it, you don't like people telling you what to do.
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And maybe that was a lifestyle that you created.
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And even now, like it's a lifestyle that you created because your your parents didn't discipline you, know everybody let you do whatever you wanted to, and now all of a sudden you get to a hard moment and all you know is quit because that is something that that's all you you you've been around.
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And you say, Well, I'm I'm blaming that on my parents.
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No, you you you are old enough to make your own decisions.
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You're old enough to listen and understand.
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Hey, I'm gonna keep fighting, I'm gonna keep doing the right thing.
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You're old enough to do those things if you're listening to this.
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And I would say if you clicked on to this, you're wanting to know about never give up and fight hard.
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You're like, there's something within you that says, I don't need to be a quitter.
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I don't, and it's not just standing, just take this.
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Just because you are on a team, uh, for instance, I got on to my son the other day, actually last night.
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I uh they were in a game and the starters had all come out of the game, and he was off to the side, way off to the other 20-yard line when the other teams at the 20-yard line.
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And it looked terrible.
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I hated the way that looked because all it did was it just said, hey, I'm not in the game, but when I'm in the game, everybody better be cheering us on and be able to be ready to go.
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But when I'm not in the game, hey, everybody, y'all just do y'all's own thing, and I'm gonna come over here and do my own thing.
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What is that about?
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Take your tell over there and encourage the people around you.
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Don't just give up on something, don't just step away because you're losing.
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Are you kidding me?
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Like, that looks terrible.
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Like, what sign, like, where in the Bible does the Lord do that?
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He doesn't do that at all.
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Then why are you acting that way?
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Because that's what the enemy does.
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It tells you, like, hey, you're okay, you're you're you're totally fine.
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And even in the moment, he did not feel anything about it.
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But yet, but yet, when I brought it to the light, all of a sudden the enemy had no more hold onto it.
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And I I'm just I'm obviously using a football analogy, but it happens multiple times all the time, is people get comfortable with walking away.
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People get comfortable in their own skin and they begin to blame something on somebody else.
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And so they just walk away from it.
00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:34.559
So, what are like, you know, you've talked about a couple of things you do for kind of like create some like mental toughness, discipline in your life.
00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:41.440
Like, what are some things that you feel like practically like that they can do today to kind of like physically help with?
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Does that make sense?
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Like, what for example, the one I'm thinking of, and Caleb, you kind of taught me this, is like at the gym, not putting your hands on your hips, not putting your hands above your head, not sitting down, because that really does nothing for you.
00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:02.319
And it just teach teaches you this mental discipline to get through something physically hard.
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And it's like this this little training piece for when you're actually dealing with like a life thing that's hard.
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Yeah.
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I would say two things in that one, it's it's hard to mentally, physically, and spiritually, spiritually know how you handle that until you're in the you're in the moment.
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So begin to learn how to put yourself in those moments.
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Like do that.
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So physically put yourself in the moment.
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Something to do, that's hard.
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And so, like Sydney was saying, like I think it all begins with the first thing with me is do you believe that the Lord is a liar or he's telling the truth?
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I think you have to start there.
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And if you if you don't start there, I think it'll it'll kind of go off on tangents of what you see is right in your own eye, okay?
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But do you think the Lord is telling the truth in the Bible or a liar?
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So if you think he's telling the truth, then you better know what he said and you better know what he has told you to go do.
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If you think he's a liar, then don't read anything.
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Then do whatever you want to.
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But if you sit here and say, I believe that the Lord is telling the truth, then know what he has told you and what he has promised you and act like you know that that is true.
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Like when somebody tells you that, hey, you're ugly.
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Well, that's why I tell my daughter, hey, that she's beautiful and brave and she's a daughter of the most high, and that the Lord is never going to leave her side.
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Like I, those are things that like I'm instilling in her now.
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But at some point she's got to tell herself that.
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It can't just be me.
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When I go to the gym or when I'm working out somewhere, physically I'm gonna get tired.
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I'm gonna get tired.
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Now, is again is it against the law to lay down on the ground when you're totally exhausted?
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No, everybody else actually is doing that.
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Like, is it against the law to like bend over after I just got finished running and like hold my knees and get my breath and then stand back up?
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No, everybody is doing that.
00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:51.759
Is it against the law to, and is it uh against the gym rules to put my hands on top of my head so that I can breathe better?
00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:55.039
Actually, it probably would help you to breathe better if you put your hands on your head.
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Like, no, these are all things that there's nothing wrong with them.
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But here's the thing if I do not bend over and grab my knees, am I gonna die?
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Nope, I'm not.
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I'm gonna be fine.
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It's just gonna, it's just gonna be terrible for the next few minutes.
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Like I just have to slow, slow down.
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I have to breathe right.
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I have to know, hey, I'm in extreme pain right now, but I'm gonna be just fine.
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And so it teaches me like, oh, I can I can get through this, I can handle those.
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So physically it teaches me those things, but mentally you have to have those moments too, where like I've seen the faithfulness of the Lord last week.
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I've seen the faithfulness in the Lord and the the Holy Spirit and how it moved in people and the adrenaline rush that it gives people.
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I've seen that multiple times.
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So it's not like, well, I got to think back 10 years ago when something awesome happened.
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It's like I saw that last week.
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I saw that days ago, I saw that minutes or hours ago.
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I can rest on these things, and I know no matter what door I walk into, I know that he will give me peace.
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There's mental moments of snapshots I've taken in my life where I've seen people walk through something terrible.
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And at the lowest part of their life, they begin to praise the Lord.
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And I know that is powerful.
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And I've seen those things happen.
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And it's people that did, when it got to something tough, they didn't quit on their faith, they didn't quit on their team, they didn't quit on their marriage.
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Like they stuck through when it was highly difficult and unpleasant to do.
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And it wasn't like somebody was just saying, hey, well, I just want to feel better.
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And so I'll find, I'll have this void inside of me and I'll just fill it with something in this world.
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It was people that said, I want to be healed.
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That's what I want.
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I don't want to just feel better.
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I need to be healed.
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And so it that came from an attitude of like, I'm not gonna quit.
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I'm not gonna give up.
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I'm gonna be watchful, I'm gonna stand firm in my faith, I'm gonna act like a man and I'm gonna be strong.
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And you go from that mindset.
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And that's not something that just happens when you wake up.
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It takes time, it takes moments, it takes dedication to get to that point.
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I would say, too, like very practically what Caleb's talking about, like what's right in front of you?
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Like just whatever it is right in front of you when you're listening to this.
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If it's driving in a car, would you drive well?
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If you're about to go to practice, do practice well.
00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:57.039
If you're sitting there and you're procrastinating a paper, do that well.
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Like whatever is right in front of you, do that well.
00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:11.599
I think about just a couple of situations that I've had with uh students in the past couple of days where I was texting a girl last night that's dealing with some stuff with friends, and she was like, I just gosh, I'm so nervous to go to school tomorrow.
00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:19.599
Her thing that I told her to do was you need to get up and you need to go to school and you need to be on the offense and be kind to that person that's unkind to you.
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You know, I think with laziness, one of the best ways to overcome laziness is to continue to endure, to continue to get up and to continue to do, to not just be a hearer of the word, but a doer of the word.
00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:40.160
I also think about a conversation I had on Sunday with one of our students that's walking through a, he's having a hard time understanding a tough passage in scripture.
00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:46.400
And I said, you can go sit outside right now and you can skip this entire time of life groups, or you can come in and you can fight.
00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:53.359
It doesn't mean that you're gonna understand absolutely everything, but you can come and you can sit and you can learn and you can fight to understand.
00:33:53.599 --> 00:34:07.039
So I think with this idea, you know, sorry, I use these extreme examples of Isaiah, sorry, not Elijah, Isaiah and Hosea, but you think about their faith, Daniel, David, all these examples that you have in scripture where the Lord asked them to do something hard.
00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:10.639
Jonah, my goodness, where the Lord asked them to do something hard.
00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:13.840
You can run like Jonah, or you can run to it.
00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:16.960
You know, think about how many examples that we have in scripture.
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Daniel, my word.
00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:21.760
Daniel is literally his life's on the line, and he continues to pray.
00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:26.559
He continues to go up and he does what he does every single day by going up to the window and praying.
00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:31.920
So I would say, whatever it is right now that's right there in front of you, do it well.
00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:41.039
Give it everything that you've got, not just your emotion, give it your best, give it your eyes, give it your your feet, give everything that was right in front of you, and do it well.
