WEBVTT
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Yayo, I think I might need a little more battlefield coffee over here.
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That was great.
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That was good coffee.
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And their breakfast was great.
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So good.
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I don't make it there that often, but the burrito bowl with all that cheese on top, when we're done here, I think it might be nap time.
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I'm not sure.
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I think I need to walk around the church a couple of blocks just to lose some calories here because that was a lot.
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We do we do full staff meeting right after this.
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Maybe we can do like a peripatetic kind of like we just all go out in the parking lot, we just walk around, and I don't know who's gonna carry the calendar with them, but I'm sure Faith can do everything.
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I'm sure she can carry our calendars and all the stuff.
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But that was a great breakfast, though.
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That breakfast burrito was extremely good.
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Great coffee.
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I should have gotten a refill before I left.
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Yeah, did too.
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It was fun.
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We made a friend yesterday at church because uh she found uh the table she'd been listening to the podcast, and so you know that's one of those humbling things that we started this for for our people for a little bit of a discipleship moment throughout the week.
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And if you're watching, wondering why are they doing this?
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That's why for a little discipleship moment as we debrief sermons and life throughout the week.
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And so it was great that we made a new friend yesterday, also.
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It was so good to it was encouraging to see that she came because of the table.
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She came to church, and that's and that's just the beauty of this, is like we want to reach people for Jesus.
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And I'm so glad that this podcast, bro, one person.
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So that's what matters.
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There you go, yeah.
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It's just those those uh little moments in life, Nick.
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You know, we we found out a great thing that our wives don't often listen to this.
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I guess they uh they hear us enough.
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Yeah, they're thinking enough of that.
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So, you know, it it's it's what it is.
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It's the little things in life.
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I don't think my wife knows what I do for a living.
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Yeah.
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See, here's the thing.
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This is gonna be our marker now.
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No, if they've listened to this, because if we're talking about them, yeah, we'll find out.
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We love them to death.
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We'll find out.
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It's a lot of fun.
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So uh yeah, yesterday, uh, I know for me, we dabbled in the end of 1 Kings 16, just the idea of who Ahab was, and it said he it was no light manner for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam and his father, saying he was able to grab those sins and he went all in.
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He took it all the way in and he built um temples and all of this to Baal and Asherod.
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So he just turned his back all the way on God.
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And so then we picked up um Elijah coming onto the scene.
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And I love in this first part of Elijah, because we'll be talking about him again this coming week.
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But I love what we find in the beginning of Elijah, because he goes to King Ahab, he says, Hey, King, because you have turned your back on God, he told you in Deuteronomy 11 at the beginning of all this, before Israel was you know fully built, he told you at the beginning, if you turn your back on me, I'm gonna shut up the heavens, and there won't be rain, there will not be dew, nothing.
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And so that's what happened at the beginning there of 17.
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He said, Hey, Ahab, there's not gonna be any more rain until my word, until then God allows Elijah to speak into that.
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And so then God said, Hey, why don't you come over here?
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Let me take care of you for a little while.
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And so he takes them um out east and he goes by this creek and he finds this idea of of rest and provision and this beautiful moment that we were able to talk about a little bit yesterday of before you step out publicly, take care privately.
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Take care privately, take care of your you know, your relationship with God on the inside, and God provided everything for him.
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He had the water there, the ravens brought him food.
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How cool is that?
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I know.
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Hey, ravens bring him food.
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So I was talking with some folks uh yesterday because ravens are actually an unclean animal in the Old Testament, and God uses them a couple of times, which then I think arcs to the New Testament, and you jump to to Peter, rise, kill, and eat.
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Anything I make is clean.
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So I think it it it it continues the beautiful arc of the entire uh narrative of scripture and who God is.
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But yeah, how great if a bird were just to say, hey Yayo, here's a hamburger.
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Yeah, oh that'd be so good.
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Some tacos.
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Oh, now we're talking.
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Yeah, no, that'd be that'd be that'd be so good.
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Something I see here is that God teaches um Elijah that he needs to depend on him first.
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You know, we we uh we were talking in this in this part of the message that God works with you in the private before he works, makes you know in the public, right?
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So he works in your private life.
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And one of the things that we see just in this part of is that God works with him uh to show him who he is.
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Like he stops the rain, but still gives him water before he stops the rain, right?
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And one of the things I I asked the church yesterday, I was saying to them, look, what God may use yesterday to bless you may not be what he'll use today to bless you.
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And that's what we see here in this this first part where he provides water and then the next day is dry.
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It's dry.
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And sometimes we want God to continue blessing us for six months more, and God is like, no, we that's what you need for today.
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That's what you need right now.
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So before we get into those secondary provisions, because I I I kind of worded it as yesterday's provisions might not be tomorrow's provisions.
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And so I want to spend some time there, but let's let's sit in this private life for a little bit.
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We talked about this, I forget when, a couple of weeks ago, about how you start your day, about uh not beginning with zero, as Luis put it a little bit back.
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And so even this morning, it was a beautiful morning, and I knew it was gonna be a crazy busy day.
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And so I had to make sure I just sat out on my back porch and was reading through the Psalms a little bit.
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And you know, last night was one of those nights I had a lot on my mind, and so I was restless, and I kept having to remember, Cameron, what did you preach just this morning?
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You know, and before you step out of these things, you gotta you gotta give the private moments over to God for Him to build into that.
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Uh I think I was telling you earlier that I I've been up since 5 a.m.
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And one of the things that I do when I get up at 5 a.m., I get my coffee ready, go outside.
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And I my house is right beside an old Baptist church.
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So when I look to my right, I can see that that cross.
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I don't know how you call those things.
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The steeple.
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The steeple right there.
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And I'm just sitting down like, God, just use me today.
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I want to be with you.
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Let me be in your presence 24-7.
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Because yeah, the week will start, and I start kind of worrying and freaking out about all the things I have to do.
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I need to go to Manassas, I need to go to Maryland, then I need to come back to Fredericksburg, then I need to do this, and make sure I'm home by 5 p.m.
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and cook for the family, or or make sure the kids.
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I mean, my brain just starts going around.
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If you're like me, I can easily be in a I'm a control freak.
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If if I allow my nature to take over, I'm a control freak.
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Because I want to be in charge, I want to manipulate, I want to I want to I want to be in control of these things so that I can help control the outcome, is ultimately why my control freak comes out.
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And so it's these moments like this morning where you have to begin with the private and say, God, you're in control of all things.
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Yeah.
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God, you're in control of my life.
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God, you're in control of Chancellor, you're in control of this nation, you're in control of this world, and God, it's all yours.
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Yeah.
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You know, it's all held in in your right hand, though the those seven stars we find in the book of Revelation in the in the powerful hand of Christ.
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And so it's all his.
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And so I know any of the biggest decisions in life or the hardest times, and we have to remind ourselves, though, in the good times too, to keep retreating into those private moments.
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Jesus did it.
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Yeah, a lot.
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Jesus got away.
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How many times did he retreat into the private to spend time with God the Father?
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So many times.
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And one of the things I was saying yesterday is just because you post something on Facebook that is spiritually doesn't mean that's private.
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Wait, you saying stuff on social media doesn't fully count.
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Exactly.
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I don't listen, yeah.
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I will say that to the church.
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Like your private with God is when you are intimate with God and not just praying, but grabbing the word of God, praying, worshiping, that alone time with God, that intimate moment.
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And I was being honest with the church, just because you post it doesn't mean you are really doing it.
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And see, I didn't know you spoke on that yesterday, because you know, me as been you're a little more.
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Let's just, you know, you know, so I didn't know you spoke on that yesterday.
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And I was thinking about that this morning.
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I was thinking about that this morning, and um I was like, how many times do you see this posted on somebody's story?
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And it even ran through my mind.
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I was like, hey, this is a really cool photo.
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I could post this, and it's like, no, Cameron, this is your once you do that, yeah, it's no longer your private moment with God.
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Even in my mind, I was thinking, I was like, oh, I can post that and that'll be great because I can tag Chancellor Baptist and they can repost it for the church, and it's an encouraging moment in my mind.
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But it was that pause of no, Cameron, as soon as you release this, it's not your private moment with God anymore.
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Yeah, that's interesting because then it's like now and now you're working.
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Yeah.
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Versus And is it the showmanship of oh, look you what I did this morning.
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I'm the pastor, spiritual person, right?
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Yeah, which is nothing wrong if you post something, right?
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Um but there's things that is you and God.
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It's like there's this me and my wife.
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Correct.
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Correct.
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You know, we're gonna post this on social media, but there's a lot of stuff we won't post on social media, and yeah, and those those moments, you know, those moments.
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We had another conversation about pizza toppings and it got out of hand.
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Yeah, you know, some things we will not post on social media, but but yeah, no, I I was sitting in that this morning.
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Yeah, um, again, it was just it was a beautiful morning, uh, uh, a perfect, I had I had a light jacket on, you know, and it was just a perfect morning.
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Yeah.
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It's like as soon as I release this, it's no line.
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So we have to we have to continue to drive ourselves into the private.
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Yeah.
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And it all begins right there.
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Yeah, and one of the things I also challenged the church yesterday was like, just like you have your private time with the Lord, you and your family also need to have your private time with the Lord as well.
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When was the last time you and your family got together and prayed for each other?
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I know yesterday, Sunday, I was telling the church that I woke up early in the morning so my wife and I can get coffee outside.
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And we were talking about jobs, we were talking about things that are happening, and we pray.
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Right?
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That was a moment that we had to make that happen.
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If not, I I can do it because Monday comes.
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Life continues.
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Yeah, life continues.
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So we have to schedule those moments with our family, with our kids.
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There's moments where I take my boys on dates.
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It's just me and my son.
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Hey, let's do this together.
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And those moments of dates, we're talking about life.
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How's it going?
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How are you doing with God?
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Like trying to build those intimate moments with you.
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See, I I like your thing about the generational element, you know.
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So Gavin, he's he's 12, about to be 13.
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And so I realized quickly, hey, this time is is shrinking.
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Suddenly he's gonna have a uh a car and he'll be doing all these things.
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Little does he know.
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I'm not buying him a car, it's gonna be a moped, he'll figure it out.
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And um he can walk, he he can walk, he can maybe ride a bike, I don't know.
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And uh, you know, and so what we've started doing to spend time together, because I think it's important families, parents, kids, uh husband and wife, how how often do husbands and wives not spend that beautiful time together?
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But um, I've started to take him on uh meet dates, and so we'll we'll go somewhere and get a steak.
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And so um just you know, spend time together.
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And so I actually I asked him, we were gonna do another one.
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We're about to have a trip for a pastor's conference next week in Guatemala.
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Life is kind of crazy, so I'm gonna be out for a little while.
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And so I know in a few weeks I asked him, I said, Hey, do you want this to be the whole family or just the guys?
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And he said, Is it okay if it's just the guys?
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And of course, Sarah loves it, she understands that she's all for it.
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She cheers that on, but um, you know, we don't get many moments like that, and so that that's that way to invest in your kids.
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Yeah, invest and that's part of that private part, right?
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Like, uh we need to do this as a family with the Lord and and model that example, like we were just talking yesterday, also, that and see if I remember this right, uh some generations will tolerate things, others will normalize it, and then others will take it beyond.
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Yes, we were talking where it started with Solomon at the beginning of 1 Kings, and and he's he he he caused this split to happen because he didn't follow God, and then it jumped over to Jeroboam, that split with Jeroboam Rehoboam, and from Jeroboam who then caused Israel to sin, that you brought that out, and then it just continued on through these other kings.
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I forgot how many there were like eight kings.
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Yeah, there was it was like 60 years, I think, based on the map that we ruled, I think, for 17 days, which wow, that was that was a good run.
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Yeah, 17 days.
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You know, and then it ended with Ahab.
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So so go back, one generation normalizes it.
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The next one, no, one generation tolerates it, tolerates it.
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The next one normalizes it, and the other one could make it worse.
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And that's where we land with Ahab.
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That's when we land with Ahab, where he makes it worse.
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Solomon tolerized, I I hope I said that word.
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Tolerated.
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Tolerated that's okay.
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You can bring it.
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Although I like tolerized.
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Yeah, toleration.
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I think we should normalize the words.
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We should normalize that one.
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I like that one.
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So tolerate it, right?
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He allowed his wives to bring their gods and everything, and then we see his son, Real Boom, uh, start normalizing all that stuff.
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And then Jeroboam continues on, yeah.
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And then Ahab just all out embracing these false gods, not even caring about the word of God and his expectations.
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But it took Elijah.
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Elijah became a voice for the next generation as he was able to stand up to Ahab as he stood up to the 450 prophets of Baal, the 400 prophets of Ashrah, they didn't even show up.
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Yeah, you know, it was only the fucking those guys.
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Come on, you know, get out of here.
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And so the 450 prophets of Baal, he stood up against them, he taunted them.
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And but it was this voice of the next generation of who is God?
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Yeah.
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And he brought the truth back.
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But it all began in private, and then what we were talking about earlier, yesterday's provisions don't hold on to them for tomorrow's provisions.
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Yeah.
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That we like to look over our shoulder, but our God is a God of new wineskins.
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And so, what does that mean as we continue to look forward to tomorrow?
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Yesterday was comfortable.
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I know what happened yesterday.
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Yeah, I know the the good, the bad, the ugly from yesterday.
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I know my feelings, I know all the things, I know what people said, what I said.
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And so yesterday, I know what happened.
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Yeah, I'm comfortable there.
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Yeah, I've got it.
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Yeah, check accomplished, done.
00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:09.360
I'm good, I'm set.
00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:10.879
Tomorrow, I don't know.
00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:12.480
Yeah, what's gonna happen tomorrow?
00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:16.080
And that's where God works with Elijah, right?
00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:28.399
Like the the it's it stopped raining, there's no water, there's nothing else, and then a elderly woman with a child becomes his next um blessing.
00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.840
Yeah, he said, God said, Hey, you're gonna go here uh and there's gonna be a widow there waiting for you.
00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:34.639
She didn't know it though.
00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.279
She had no idea.
00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:35.919
She didn't know it.
00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:36.720
She had no idea.
00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:38.240
Oh, which there's a whole other side of that.
00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:51.039
What if we or someone else's blessing that we don't even know that God has told others to say, hey, there's this, there's gonna be this guy at Battlefield Country Store with a cup of coffee, and you're supposed to go and say whatever.
00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:56.879
Because she had no idea that that Elijah was gonna come and say, Hey, why don't you get me some water and make me some bread?
00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:59.919
Because remember, she said, Hey, I only have a little bit left.
00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.039
I'm about to go make one loaf, and then my son and I are gonna die.
00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.279
If we don't eat, yeah, and that was it.
00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:11.519
She had no idea that God was using her for the blessing of Elijah and the generations to come.
00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:19.679
And that's very important here because God works and God works mysteriously.
00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:22.480
You don't know where the blessing will come from.
00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:27.519
Yeah, and that's why we need to always be centered in Jesus and in God 24-7.
00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:32.320
Because the blessing can come from the one person you less expect it from.
00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:32.799
Right?
00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.960
And this widow, I mean, both of them came, they they blessing.
00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:37.679
What did God do?
00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:39.759
He continue overflowing.
00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:42.399
And in especially in this day, widows had no rights.
00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:43.200
Yeah, no rights.
00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:49.600
They didn't have property typically, and so she would have been the last and the least of this community.
00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:56.159
And so the last person someone would be asked to help lead in such a capacity.
00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:00.799
Now, there was a house apparently that she had, because he he lived in the upper or upper floor.
00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:06.400
But but in this culture, she would not have been of any form of stature, yeah, any form of status.
00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:06.880
Yeah.
00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.559
And that's exactly who God used.
00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:15.680
I used that person, and and then what happens there after that blessing, then a challenge, a trial happens.
00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.720
The kid dies.
00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.519
Yeah.
00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:18.079
Yeah.
00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:22.880
And she's upset, as any mother would be and should be.
00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:24.160
Hey, hey, you already saved me.
00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:27.039
You you brought about this unlimited amount of food, remember?
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:31.680
Because he said that the oil, all the flour, it won't be empty until the rain comes.
00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.519
And so they had seen this miracle.
00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.359
And so she thinks, you've got me.
00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:36.000
This is great.
00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.720
And then why does God allow bad things to happen?
00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:43.920
That's a good question.
00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:58.640
And based on what I see in Elijah, is that God wanted him to see who he is, to trust him completely, and to see that even when you don't know what to do next and you don't know what's going to happen, God already knows.
00:17:58.960 --> 00:17:59.119
Yeah.
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.160
And Elijah was upset.
00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:01.200
He said, Oh, yeah, he was mad.
00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.880
He cried out, I don't have it right in front of me.
00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:08.000
But it was basically the God, why would you allow this boy to die?
00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:09.119
But he didn't give up.
00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:10.160
He didn't give up.
00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:10.799
So what do you do?
00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:16.240
He went and he laid down on the boy, and as he was praying, the the boy came back to life.
00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:20.240
And so in this spiritual trial, he he never gave up on God.
00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:24.960
God is big enough for us to say, God, yeah, what's going on with this?
00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:26.960
He already knows it's in our heart.
00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.440
He he knows what's here.
00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:35.599
I think he wants us to, in faith, put things before him, even if it's uh God.
00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:37.680
It sounds hard.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.599
God, what are you doing?
00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:40.559
And God, how dare you?
00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.680
Can you teach me through that?
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:46.400
As long as it's a state of humility, of God teach me in this, we keep our eyes on God.
00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:48.799
It's the God, what is this?
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.400
And that's what Elijah was doing.
00:18:50.799 --> 00:19:00.559
And and that's uh some that's a very important thing for us to see is that when the problem comes, when the trial comes, when the story comes, who do you take it to?
00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:03.440
Do you take it to complain or do you take it to God?
00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:06.559
And Elijah shows that he took it to the take it to God.
00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:08.960
I mean, he was upset, but he still took it to him.
00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:13.039
And I love that how this part ends because the kid comes back to life.
00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:13.359
Yes.
00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.240
He comes back to life.
00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.799
But look what the widow says.
00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:22.960
Then the woman told Elijah, now I know for sure that you are a man of God.
00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.880
She'd already seen these other miracles happen.
00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:31.920
Yeah, I wonder with the food if she was like, well, maybe he's just like some kind of like but we do too.
00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:32.240
I don't know.
00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:34.640
How many blessings do we see each and every day?
00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:36.319
And maybe we put it on ourselves.
00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:38.079
Look at what I just did.
00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:39.599
Look at what I just did.
00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.799
Yeah, I got lucky.
00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:42.079
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:42.640
I got lucky.
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:43.200
That's exactly what I'm saying.
00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:56.480
I love the confidence of Elijah in the three very different situations where his confidence is in the Lord, like that when he def, you know, when he completely embarrasses the prophets of Baal, he's he's almost he's kind of smug almost.
00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:59.599
Like he's like, God's gonna strike you down, it's not even a problem.
00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:03.039
And then there's this more kind of resolute moment with the food.
00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:04.799
The widow, she's content to die.
00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:06.799
She's already decided that she's already turned her face together.
00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:08.319
We're gonna eat our last morsel.
00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:15.279
And then he's distraught and frustrated with the child, but he still has that confidence that goes on with who the Lord is and what he's doing.
00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.240
So let me tell you a story.
00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:16.960
I didn't use it yesterday.
00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.039
I've used it before on a Sunday morning, so I didn't yesterday.
00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:20.799
I don't know if you've heard the story, Yayo.
00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.200
And so I have a friend in Guatemala.
00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:29.440
Her name is Romalda, whose son Ronnie, we met years and years ago, and she lives in the Guatemala dump community.
00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:31.599
You've probably heard this one, Nick, but I don't think you have.
00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:34.400
And so we met them early, early on.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:40.880
Several kids, uh, one of their young girls, uh Jennifer, has grown up and has a has a beautiful baby now.
00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:51.119
And um, one of the first times we met her, we were giving her food and praying with her in her house, and she was telling me about Ronnie, who it was diagnosed with leukemia as a child in Guatemala City Dump.
00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.359
There's no medicine, there's no anything there.
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:58.640
You know, there's more help now, but over a decade ago, man, just not good at all.
00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:12.720
And she was telling me about a time that um he died and he was just without breath, he was laying there on the ground as as a young boy, and she did exactly what Elijah did.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:22.079
She said, I just laid on my child and I prayed and I prayed and I prayed, and Ronnie came back to life.
00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.319
Wow.
00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:31.200
And it's those moments of miracle we're standing in their house and those holy goosebumps, and you're like, What's happening here?
00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:42.960
You God, you brought Ronnie, who was sitting right there, like God, you brought Ronnie back to life, and he's just looking at us like nodding his head, and it's like those little moments that you don't ever expect.
00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:45.279
Like you're like, oh, does this just stay within scripture?
00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:48.240
No, it jumps out of scripture, and it still happens today.
00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.240
Do you have faith to believe in that?
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:54.880
Like I was blessed to be when I I didn't see it, but I was blessed to be in a house where it happened, and I love them.
00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.559
They're my family, and I believe them.
00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.200
Yeah, God still works that way today.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.200
The issue sometimes we put God in a box in today's culture.
00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:06.400
Yeah, well, that happened in the Old Testament, or that happened in the New Testament.
00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.200
No, that's not.
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:09.839
Yeah, it's not gonna happen here because it's 2026.
00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:12.000
Uh, guys, God does not belong in the box.
00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:12.480
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:19.839
We need to stop putting God in the box because God continues to work, He continues to do miracles because He is a way maker.
00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.920
Yeah, and you know, I remind people that in Scripture, people died.
00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:29.119
Yeah, not everyone was raised from the dead, people died.
00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:35.200
You know, it was uh what was even Joseph's bones that were were brought and buried there at Shechem, we talked about.
00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:37.839
Well, he died, and it was his bones.
00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:45.200
So even within scripture, these powerful people of faith died, they still die from dust to dust.
00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:52.400
And so even in those moments where God doesn't answer it like we want him to answer it, he's still in charge.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:56.160
And that's where I think those the element of the new provisions.
00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:58.720
Do you trust that he is there with you tomorrow?
00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:14.079
If everything went away today, if you got a call that your house burned down, someone stole your car, if you hear that, it sounds like a herd of elephants above us, a bunch of kids just ran by.
00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.519
You know, it's the honest question.
00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:26.079
Like if all of a sudden you woke up and you had nothing, your your bank account was gone, which was we were told happened to somebody in our church.
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:31.839
And they said their business account this week was tapped out, and so they were needing to hear this element of new provisions.
00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:35.279
And so someone had hacked in and stolen their money from their business account.
00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.200
And and so, you know, Lord protect them.
00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:39.839
But they were here on Sunday too.
00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:45.119
Their family, they were worshiping, leading the way, trusting in God's provisions.
00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:45.440
Yeah.
00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.559
Tomorrow.
00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:51.599
And I think that's hard for us to let loose sometimes of the way he has worked in our life.
00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.440
We we hold that gratitude.
00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:55.599
Thank you, God, with what you have done.
00:23:55.839 --> 00:24:04.000
Thank you for who you are, thank you for how you've blessed me with the acknowledgement that tomorrow he might be blessing us and talking to us in a different way.
00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:05.680
And we have to be open to that.
00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:06.079
Yeah.
00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:10.400
Uh what he used yesterday may not use that today or tomorrow.
00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:14.640
I have a pastor friend of mine that used to say, What brings you here won't get you there.
00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:15.680
I love that one.
00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:22.319
You know, there's no God will put people in your life that will bring you here, and he'll bring other people in your life that will get you there.
00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:22.880
Right.
00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:26.400
And we have to be okay with that, and that's the beauty of walking on water.
00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:32.000
Because we gotta walk on water, and walking on water means trusting, even though you don't even know what's happening.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.440
Just continue to trust.
00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:35.200
And if you doubt, that's okay.
00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:38.880
God will put his hand and pick you back up, right?
00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:46.240
Um, so one of the things going back to this verse, then the woman told Elijah, now I know for sure you you are a man of God.
00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:49.599
My question I asked the church yesterday, how do they know you?
00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.480
Do they know you as a man or woman of God?
00:24:53.119 --> 00:25:04.799
Or do they know you as yes, grumpy oh, Yayo Spinoza, oh grumpy old this, who's always cursing, who's always talking back, who's goes to church, but on Monday something else.
00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:06.160
Like, who are you here?
00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:18.160
Well, like Nick was saying earlier, in each of these scenarios that were very different, as as as Elijah's faith was growing, as his roots were growing deeper, like he just he remained focused on God in those things.
00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:22.880
Different emotions, same same faith, same focal point.
00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:32.480
And I was using the the Eugene Peterson quote in his book, the long obedience in the same direction, that no matter what comes our way, we are we're just trotting towards heaven.
00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:35.440
And someone asked me about what that what does that mean in the in the same direction?
00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:37.599
I said, Well, I think it's just towards heaven.
00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:37.839
Yeah.
00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:45.200
Because that's this life is just going that direction, and yeah, and we're we're never fully sanctified, living like Jesus in this life.
00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:57.039
And so it's just all the emotions, the ups and the downs, things we can't control, the life, the death, the hunger, the fullness, that it's just this it's this trod towards heaven, and we try our best to please God each and every day.
00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:00.160
And one of the things that we have to remind people is that we live in a broken world.
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:03.519
We live in a world where bad things are happening because of our sin.
00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:08.319
We live in a world where the devil, the devil owns it, in other words.
00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:15.039
We are just here temporary, we're going, running that race, like Paul would say, so we can go to our heavenly fathers.
00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:18.880
And that's why we are the light of the world here in this world.
00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:21.920
And we have to have that, remind ourselves of that.
00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:25.200
Yeah, and I hope we're shining brightly through that.
00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:43.920
And so as we get ready to close, one of my one of my thoughts uh I was gonna kind of end with here is because as we're looking at yesterday's, yesterday's provisions, today's provisions, tomorrow's provisions, and we spend that time in the private, uh, hopefully every day, just to be able to be poured into by our Heavenly Father.
00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:50.480
But don't let yesterday's sins keep you from today's forgiveness.
00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:56.319
And don't let yesterday's successes keep you from today's blessings.
00:26:56.559 --> 00:27:03.200
Because God, each and every morning, it's this it's this beautiful reminder of how good God is.
00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:09.519
And so who knows what incredible Mount Caribbean moments He has in store for you tomorrow and in the future, yeah, yo.
00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:14.160
And and we just look forward to every every good and perfect gift that comes from above from our Father.
00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:17.519
And um, I'll tell you what, one good gift we had today was this coffee, my friend.
00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.480
That's a good coffee.
00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.759
That's a good gift.
00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.480
Thank you, Father.
00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.920
Yes, amen.
00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:08.320
Yayo, I think I might need a little more battlefield coffee over here.
00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:08.800
That was great.
00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:09.839
That was good coffee.
00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:11.439
And their breakfast was great.
00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:12.080
So good.
00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:18.399
I don't make it there that often, but the burrito bowl with all that cheese on top, when we're done here, I think it might be nap time.
00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:19.120
I'm not sure.
00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:24.640
I think I need to walk around the church a couple of blocks just to lose some calories here because that was a lot.
00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:26.879
We do we do full staff meeting right after this.
00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:36.240
Maybe we can do like a peripatetic kind of like we just all go out in the parking lot, we just walk around, and I don't know who's gonna carry the calendar with them, but I'm sure Faith can do everything.
00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:39.520
I'm sure she can carry our calendars and all the stuff.
00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:41.600
But that was a great breakfast, though.
00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:44.000
That breakfast burrito was extremely good.
00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:44.880
Great coffee.
00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:46.320
I should have gotten a refill before I left.
00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:47.119
Yeah, did too.
00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:47.840
It was fun.
00:00:47.920 --> 00:01:01.600
We made a friend yesterday at church because uh she found uh the table she'd been listening to the podcast, and so you know that's one of those humbling things that we started this for for our people for a little bit of a discipleship moment throughout the week.
00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:04.480
And if you're watching, wondering why are they doing this?
00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:09.519
That's why for a little discipleship moment as we debrief sermons and life throughout the week.
00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:12.239
And so it was great that we made a new friend yesterday, also.
00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:17.760
It was so good to it was encouraging to see that she came because of the table.
00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:22.879
She came to church, and that's and that's just the beauty of this, is like we want to reach people for Jesus.
00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:26.159
And I'm so glad that this podcast, bro, one person.
00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:26.959
So that's what matters.
00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:28.000
There you go, yeah.
00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:30.319
It's just those those uh little moments in life, Nick.
00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:34.640
You know, we we found out a great thing that our wives don't often listen to this.
00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:37.120
I guess they uh they hear us enough.
00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:38.879
Yeah, they're thinking enough of that.
00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:45.200
So, you know, it it's it's what it is.
00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:46.560
It's the little things in life.
00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:48.799
I don't think my wife knows what I do for a living.
00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:49.599
Yeah.
00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:50.480
See, here's the thing.
00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:51.920
This is gonna be our marker now.
00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:56.560
No, if they've listened to this, because if we're talking about them, yeah, we'll find out.
00:01:56.879 --> 00:01:57.439
We love them to death.
00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:58.000
We'll find out.
00:01:58.480 --> 00:01:59.359
It's a lot of fun.
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:18.400
So uh yeah, yesterday, uh, I know for me, we dabbled in the end of 1 Kings 16, just the idea of who Ahab was, and it said he it was no light manner for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam and his father, saying he was able to grab those sins and he went all in.
00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:25.680
He took it all the way in and he built um temples and all of this to Baal and Asherod.
00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:28.719
So he just turned his back all the way on God.
00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:32.719
And so then we picked up um Elijah coming onto the scene.
00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:38.319
And I love in this first part of Elijah, because we'll be talking about him again this coming week.
00:02:38.639 --> 00:03:01.759
But I love what we find in the beginning of Elijah, because he goes to King Ahab, he says, Hey, King, because you have turned your back on God, he told you in Deuteronomy 11 at the beginning of all this, before Israel was you know fully built, he told you at the beginning, if you turn your back on me, I'm gonna shut up the heavens, and there won't be rain, there will not be dew, nothing.
00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:05.360
And so that's what happened at the beginning there of 17.
00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:13.759
He said, Hey, Ahab, there's not gonna be any more rain until my word, until then God allows Elijah to speak into that.
00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:17.599
And so then God said, Hey, why don't you come over here?
00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:19.759
Let me take care of you for a little while.
00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:38.879
And so he takes them um out east and he goes by this creek and he finds this idea of of rest and provision and this beautiful moment that we were able to talk about a little bit yesterday of before you step out publicly, take care privately.
00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:46.159
Take care privately, take care of your you know, your relationship with God on the inside, and God provided everything for him.
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.560
He had the water there, the ravens brought him food.
00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:49.759
How cool is that?
00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:50.400
I know.
00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:52.800
Hey, ravens bring him food.
00:03:52.960 --> 00:04:04.639
So I was talking with some folks uh yesterday because ravens are actually an unclean animal in the Old Testament, and God uses them a couple of times, which then I think arcs to the New Testament, and you jump to to Peter, rise, kill, and eat.
00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:06.159
Anything I make is clean.
00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:13.439
So I think it it it it continues the beautiful arc of the entire uh narrative of scripture and who God is.
00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:17.199
But yeah, how great if a bird were just to say, hey Yayo, here's a hamburger.
00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:18.399
Yeah, oh that'd be so good.
00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:19.040
Some tacos.
00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:19.920
Oh, now we're talking.
00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:22.079
Yeah, no, that'd be that'd be that'd be so good.
00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:27.920
Something I see here is that God teaches um Elijah that he needs to depend on him first.
00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:38.160
You know, we we uh we were talking in this in this part of the message that God works with you in the private before he works, makes you know in the public, right?
00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:40.720
So he works in your private life.
00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:46.160
And one of the things that we see just in this part of is that God works with him uh to show him who he is.
00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:50.399
Like he stops the rain, but still gives him water before he stops the rain, right?
00:04:50.639 --> 00:05:01.120
And one of the things I I asked the church yesterday, I was saying to them, look, what God may use yesterday to bless you may not be what he'll use today to bless you.
00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:07.279
And that's what we see here in this this first part where he provides water and then the next day is dry.
00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:08.000
It's dry.
00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:16.079
And sometimes we want God to continue blessing us for six months more, and God is like, no, we that's what you need for today.
00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:17.040
That's what you need right now.
00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:24.480
So before we get into those secondary provisions, because I I I kind of worded it as yesterday's provisions might not be tomorrow's provisions.
00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:29.040
And so I want to spend some time there, but let's let's sit in this private life for a little bit.
00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:37.360
We talked about this, I forget when, a couple of weeks ago, about how you start your day, about uh not beginning with zero, as Luis put it a little bit back.
00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:42.800
And so even this morning, it was a beautiful morning, and I knew it was gonna be a crazy busy day.
00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:48.560
And so I had to make sure I just sat out on my back porch and was reading through the Psalms a little bit.
00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:57.600
And you know, last night was one of those nights I had a lot on my mind, and so I was restless, and I kept having to remember, Cameron, what did you preach just this morning?
00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:04.480
You know, and before you step out of these things, you gotta you gotta give the private moments over to God for Him to build into that.
00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:08.399
Uh I think I was telling you earlier that I I've been up since 5 a.m.
00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:14.079
And one of the things that I do when I get up at 5 a.m., I get my coffee ready, go outside.
00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:18.160
And I my house is right beside an old Baptist church.
00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:21.279
So when I look to my right, I can see that that cross.
00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:22.720
I don't know how you call those things.
00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:23.279
The steeple.
00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:24.240
The steeple right there.
00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:27.279
And I'm just sitting down like, God, just use me today.
00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:28.480
I want to be with you.
00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.879
Let me be in your presence 24-7.
00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:38.000
Because yeah, the week will start, and I start kind of worrying and freaking out about all the things I have to do.
00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:45.199
I need to go to Manassas, I need to go to Maryland, then I need to come back to Fredericksburg, then I need to do this, and make sure I'm home by 5 p.m.
00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.439
and cook for the family, or or make sure the kids.
00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.079
I mean, my brain just starts going around.
00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:53.360
If you're like me, I can easily be in a I'm a control freak.
00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:56.800
If if I allow my nature to take over, I'm a control freak.
00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:06.000
Because I want to be in charge, I want to manipulate, I want to I want to I want to be in control of these things so that I can help control the outcome, is ultimately why my control freak comes out.
00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:12.399
And so it's these moments like this morning where you have to begin with the private and say, God, you're in control of all things.
00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:12.800
Yeah.
00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:14.879
God, you're in control of my life.
00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:23.199
God, you're in control of Chancellor, you're in control of this nation, you're in control of this world, and God, it's all yours.
00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:23.600
Yeah.
00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:31.920
You know, it's all held in in your right hand, though the those seven stars we find in the book of Revelation in the in the powerful hand of Christ.
00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.600
And so it's all his.
00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:45.759
And so I know any of the biggest decisions in life or the hardest times, and we have to remind ourselves, though, in the good times too, to keep retreating into those private moments.
00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:46.879
Jesus did it.
00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:47.680
Yeah, a lot.
00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:48.879
Jesus got away.
00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:54.240
How many times did he retreat into the private to spend time with God the Father?
00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:56.639
So many times.
00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:05.279
And one of the things I was saying yesterday is just because you post something on Facebook that is spiritually doesn't mean that's private.
00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:10.240
Wait, you saying stuff on social media doesn't fully count.
00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:10.879
Exactly.
00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:12.240
I don't listen, yeah.
00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:14.079
I will say that to the church.
00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:25.600
Like your private with God is when you are intimate with God and not just praying, but grabbing the word of God, praying, worshiping, that alone time with God, that intimate moment.
00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:30.480
And I was being honest with the church, just because you post it doesn't mean you are really doing it.
00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:35.679
And see, I didn't know you spoke on that yesterday, because you know, me as been you're a little more.
00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:39.120
Let's just, you know, you know, so I didn't know you spoke on that yesterday.
00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.360
And I was thinking about that this morning.
00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:48.320
I was thinking about that this morning, and um I was like, how many times do you see this posted on somebody's story?
00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:49.519
And it even ran through my mind.
00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:51.200
I was like, hey, this is a really cool photo.
00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:59.200
I could post this, and it's like, no, Cameron, this is your once you do that, yeah, it's no longer your private moment with God.
00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:08.720
Even in my mind, I was thinking, I was like, oh, I can post that and that'll be great because I can tag Chancellor Baptist and they can repost it for the church, and it's an encouraging moment in my mind.
00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:16.639
But it was that pause of no, Cameron, as soon as you release this, it's not your private moment with God anymore.
00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.879
Yeah, that's interesting because then it's like now and now you're working.
00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:21.440
Yeah.
00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:26.720
Versus And is it the showmanship of oh, look you what I did this morning.
00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:28.879
I'm the pastor, spiritual person, right?
00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:31.279
Yeah, which is nothing wrong if you post something, right?
00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:33.519
Um but there's things that is you and God.
00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:35.279
It's like there's this me and my wife.
00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:36.639
Correct.
00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:37.440
Correct.
00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:47.360
You know, we're gonna post this on social media, but there's a lot of stuff we won't post on social media, and yeah, and those those moments, you know, those moments.
00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:50.399
We had another conversation about pizza toppings and it got out of hand.
00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:55.600
Yeah, you know, some things we will not post on social media, but but yeah, no, I I was sitting in that this morning.
00:09:55.679 --> 00:10:04.159
Yeah, um, again, it was just it was a beautiful morning, uh, uh, a perfect, I had I had a light jacket on, you know, and it was just a perfect morning.
00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:04.320
Yeah.
00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.200
It's like as soon as I release this, it's no line.
00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:11.440
So we have to we have to continue to drive ourselves into the private.
00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:11.759
Yeah.
00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.080
And it all begins right there.
00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:23.919
Yeah, and one of the things I also challenged the church yesterday was like, just like you have your private time with the Lord, you and your family also need to have your private time with the Lord as well.
00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:27.519
When was the last time you and your family got together and prayed for each other?
00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:34.879
I know yesterday, Sunday, I was telling the church that I woke up early in the morning so my wife and I can get coffee outside.
00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:38.960
And we were talking about jobs, we were talking about things that are happening, and we pray.
00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:39.919
Right?
00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:42.960
That was a moment that we had to make that happen.
00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:46.399
If not, I I can do it because Monday comes.
00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:48.399
Life continues.
00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.440
Yeah, life continues.
00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:53.039
So we have to schedule those moments with our family, with our kids.
00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:55.279
There's moments where I take my boys on dates.
00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:56.480
It's just me and my son.
00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:57.679
Hey, let's do this together.
00:10:57.759 --> 00:10:59.759
And those moments of dates, we're talking about life.
00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:00.720
How's it going?
00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:02.240
How are you doing with God?
00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:05.440
Like trying to build those intimate moments with you.
00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:08.399
See, I I like your thing about the generational element, you know.
00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:11.840
So Gavin, he's he's 12, about to be 13.
00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:14.799
And so I realized quickly, hey, this time is is shrinking.
00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:18.559
Suddenly he's gonna have a uh a car and he'll be doing all these things.
00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:19.279
Little does he know.
00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:21.919
I'm not buying him a car, it's gonna be a moped, he'll figure it out.
00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:26.960
And um he can walk, he he can walk, he can maybe ride a bike, I don't know.
00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:40.960
And uh, you know, and so what we've started doing to spend time together, because I think it's important families, parents, kids, uh husband and wife, how how often do husbands and wives not spend that beautiful time together?
00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:47.759
But um, I've started to take him on uh meet dates, and so we'll we'll go somewhere and get a steak.
00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:50.799
And so um just you know, spend time together.
00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:53.200
And so I actually I asked him, we were gonna do another one.
00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:56.960
We're about to have a trip for a pastor's conference next week in Guatemala.
00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:00.000
Life is kind of crazy, so I'm gonna be out for a little while.
00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:05.200
And so I know in a few weeks I asked him, I said, Hey, do you want this to be the whole family or just the guys?
00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.120
And he said, Is it okay if it's just the guys?
00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.159
And of course, Sarah loves it, she understands that she's all for it.
00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:17.279
She cheers that on, but um, you know, we don't get many moments like that, and so that that's that way to invest in your kids.
00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:19.759
Yeah, invest and that's part of that private part, right?
00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:37.200
Like, uh we need to do this as a family with the Lord and and model that example, like we were just talking yesterday, also, that and see if I remember this right, uh some generations will tolerate things, others will normalize it, and then others will take it beyond.
00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:58.799
Yes, we were talking where it started with Solomon at the beginning of 1 Kings, and and he's he he he caused this split to happen because he didn't follow God, and then it jumped over to Jeroboam, that split with Jeroboam Rehoboam, and from Jeroboam who then caused Israel to sin, that you brought that out, and then it just continued on through these other kings.
00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:00.559
I forgot how many there were like eight kings.
00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:09.440
Yeah, there was it was like 60 years, I think, based on the map that we ruled, I think, for 17 days, which wow, that was that was a good run.
00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:10.320
Yeah, 17 days.
00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.039
You know, and then it ended with Ahab.
00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:17.200
So so go back, one generation normalizes it.
00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:22.639
The next one, no, one generation tolerates it, tolerates it.
00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:26.320
The next one normalizes it, and the other one could make it worse.
00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:27.759
And that's where we land with Ahab.
00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.759
That's when we land with Ahab, where he makes it worse.
00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.600
Solomon tolerized, I I hope I said that word.
00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:34.159
Tolerated.
00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:35.600
Tolerated that's okay.
00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:36.240
You can bring it.
00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:37.200
Although I like tolerized.
00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:37.840
Yeah, toleration.
00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:39.120
I think we should normalize the words.
00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.080
We should normalize that one.
00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:40.799
I like that one.
00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:42.240
So tolerate it, right?
00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:52.399
He allowed his wives to bring their gods and everything, and then we see his son, Real Boom, uh, start normalizing all that stuff.
00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:55.679
And then Jeroboam continues on, yeah.
00:13:56.559 --> 00:14:03.360
And then Ahab just all out embracing these false gods, not even caring about the word of God and his expectations.
00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:05.519
But it took Elijah.
00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:16.639
Elijah became a voice for the next generation as he was able to stand up to Ahab as he stood up to the 450 prophets of Baal, the 400 prophets of Ashrah, they didn't even show up.
00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.639
Yeah, you know, it was only the fucking those guys.
00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:20.720
Come on, you know, get out of here.
00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:25.200
And so the 450 prophets of Baal, he stood up against them, he taunted them.
00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:29.759
And but it was this voice of the next generation of who is God?
00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:30.240
Yeah.
00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:31.600
And he brought the truth back.
00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:40.879
But it all began in private, and then what we were talking about earlier, yesterday's provisions don't hold on to them for tomorrow's provisions.
00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:41.120
Yeah.
00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:46.159
That we like to look over our shoulder, but our God is a God of new wineskins.
00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:49.759
And so, what does that mean as we continue to look forward to tomorrow?
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:51.279
Yesterday was comfortable.
00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:52.720
I know what happened yesterday.
00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:56.000
Yeah, I know the the good, the bad, the ugly from yesterday.
00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:00.080
I know my feelings, I know all the things, I know what people said, what I said.
00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.399
And so yesterday, I know what happened.
00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:04.159
Yeah, I'm comfortable there.
00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:05.759
Yeah, I've got it.
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:07.759
Yeah, check accomplished, done.
00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:09.360
I'm good, I'm set.
00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:10.879
Tomorrow, I don't know.
00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:12.480
Yeah, what's gonna happen tomorrow?
00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:16.080
And that's where God works with Elijah, right?
00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:28.399
Like the the it's it stopped raining, there's no water, there's nothing else, and then a elderly woman with a child becomes his next um blessing.
00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.840
Yeah, he said, God said, Hey, you're gonna go here uh and there's gonna be a widow there waiting for you.
00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:34.639
She didn't know it though.
00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.279
She had no idea.
00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:35.919
She didn't know it.
00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:36.720
She had no idea.
00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:38.240
Oh, which there's a whole other side of that.
00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:51.039
What if we or someone else's blessing that we don't even know that God has told others to say, hey, there's this, there's gonna be this guy at Battlefield Country Store with a cup of coffee, and you're supposed to go and say whatever.
00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:56.879
Because she had no idea that that Elijah was gonna come and say, Hey, why don't you get me some water and make me some bread?
00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:59.919
Because remember, she said, Hey, I only have a little bit left.
00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.039
I'm about to go make one loaf, and then my son and I are gonna die.
00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.279
If we don't eat, yeah, and that was it.
00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:11.519
She had no idea that God was using her for the blessing of Elijah and the generations to come.
00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:19.679
And that's very important here because God works and God works mysteriously.
00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:22.480
You don't know where the blessing will come from.
00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:27.519
Yeah, and that's why we need to always be centered in Jesus and in God 24-7.
00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:32.320
Because the blessing can come from the one person you less expect it from.
00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:32.799
Right?
00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.960
And this widow, I mean, both of them came, they they blessing.
00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:37.679
What did God do?
00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:39.759
He continue overflowing.
00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:42.399
And in especially in this day, widows had no rights.
00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:43.200
Yeah, no rights.
00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:49.600
They didn't have property typically, and so she would have been the last and the least of this community.
00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:56.159
And so the last person someone would be asked to help lead in such a capacity.
00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:00.799
Now, there was a house apparently that she had, because he he lived in the upper or upper floor.
00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:06.400
But but in this culture, she would not have been of any form of stature, yeah, any form of status.
00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:06.880
Yeah.
00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.559
And that's exactly who God used.
00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:15.680
I used that person, and and then what happens there after that blessing, then a challenge, a trial happens.
00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.720
The kid dies.
00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.519
Yeah.
00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:18.079
Yeah.
00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:22.880
And she's upset, as any mother would be and should be.
00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:24.160
Hey, hey, you already saved me.
00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:27.039
You you brought about this unlimited amount of food, remember?
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:31.680
Because he said that the oil, all the flour, it won't be empty until the rain comes.
00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.519
And so they had seen this miracle.
00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.359
And so she thinks, you've got me.
00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:36.000
This is great.
00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.720
And then why does God allow bad things to happen?
00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:43.920
That's a good question.
00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:58.640
And based on what I see in Elijah, is that God wanted him to see who he is, to trust him completely, and to see that even when you don't know what to do next and you don't know what's going to happen, God already knows.
00:17:58.960 --> 00:17:59.119
Yeah.
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:00.160
And Elijah was upset.
00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:01.200
He said, Oh, yeah, he was mad.
00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.880
He cried out, I don't have it right in front of me.
00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:08.000
But it was basically the God, why would you allow this boy to die?
00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:09.119
But he didn't give up.
00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:10.160
He didn't give up.
00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:10.799
So what do you do?
00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:16.240
He went and he laid down on the boy, and as he was praying, the the boy came back to life.
00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:20.240
And so in this spiritual trial, he he never gave up on God.
00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:24.960
God is big enough for us to say, God, yeah, what's going on with this?
00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:26.960
He already knows it's in our heart.
00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.440
He he knows what's here.
00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:35.599
I think he wants us to, in faith, put things before him, even if it's uh God.
00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:37.680
It sounds hard.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.599
God, what are you doing?
00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:40.559
And God, how dare you?
00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.680
Can you teach me through that?
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:46.400
As long as it's a state of humility, of God teach me in this, we keep our eyes on God.
00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:48.799
It's the God, what is this?
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.400
And that's what Elijah was doing.
00:18:50.799 --> 00:19:00.559
And and that's uh some that's a very important thing for us to see is that when the problem comes, when the trial comes, when the story comes, who do you take it to?
00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:03.440
Do you take it to complain or do you take it to God?
00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:06.559
And Elijah shows that he took it to the take it to God.
00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:08.960
I mean, he was upset, but he still took it to him.
00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:13.039
And I love that how this part ends because the kid comes back to life.
00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:13.359
Yes.
00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.240
He comes back to life.
00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.799
But look what the widow says.
00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:22.960
Then the woman told Elijah, now I know for sure that you are a man of God.
00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.880
She'd already seen these other miracles happen.
00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:31.920
Yeah, I wonder with the food if she was like, well, maybe he's just like some kind of like but we do too.
00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:32.240
I don't know.
00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:34.640
How many blessings do we see each and every day?
00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:36.319
And maybe we put it on ourselves.
00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:38.079
Look at what I just did.
00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:39.599
Look at what I just did.
00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.799
Yeah, I got lucky.
00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:42.079
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:42.640
I got lucky.
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:43.200
That's exactly what I'm saying.
00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:56.480
I love the confidence of Elijah in the three very different situations where his confidence is in the Lord, like that when he def, you know, when he completely embarrasses the prophets of Baal, he's he's almost he's kind of smug almost.
00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:59.599
Like he's like, God's gonna strike you down, it's not even a problem.
00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:03.039
And then there's this more kind of resolute moment with the food.
00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:04.799
The widow, she's content to die.
00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:06.799
She's already decided that she's already turned her face together.
00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:08.319
We're gonna eat our last morsel.
00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:15.279
And then he's distraught and frustrated with the child, but he still has that confidence that goes on with who the Lord is and what he's doing.
00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.240
So let me tell you a story.
00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:16.960
I didn't use it yesterday.
00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.039
I've used it before on a Sunday morning, so I didn't yesterday.
00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:20.799
I don't know if you've heard the story, Yayo.
00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.200
And so I have a friend in Guatemala.
00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:29.440
Her name is Romalda, whose son Ronnie, we met years and years ago, and she lives in the Guatemala dump community.
00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:31.599
You've probably heard this one, Nick, but I don't think you have.
00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:34.400
And so we met them early, early on.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:40.880
Several kids, uh, one of their young girls, uh Jennifer, has grown up and has a has a beautiful baby now.
00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:51.119
And um, one of the first times we met her, we were giving her food and praying with her in her house, and she was telling me about Ronnie, who it was diagnosed with leukemia as a child in Guatemala City Dump.
00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.359
There's no medicine, there's no anything there.
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:58.640
You know, there's more help now, but over a decade ago, man, just not good at all.
00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:12.720
And she was telling me about a time that um he died and he was just without breath, he was laying there on the ground as as a young boy, and she did exactly what Elijah did.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:22.079
She said, I just laid on my child and I prayed and I prayed and I prayed, and Ronnie came back to life.
00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.319
Wow.
00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:31.200
And it's those moments of miracle we're standing in their house and those holy goosebumps, and you're like, What's happening here?
00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:42.960
You God, you brought Ronnie, who was sitting right there, like God, you brought Ronnie back to life, and he's just looking at us like nodding his head, and it's like those little moments that you don't ever expect.
00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:45.279
Like you're like, oh, does this just stay within scripture?
00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:48.240
No, it jumps out of scripture, and it still happens today.
00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.240
Do you have faith to believe in that?
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:54.880
Like I was blessed to be when I I didn't see it, but I was blessed to be in a house where it happened, and I love them.
00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.559
They're my family, and I believe them.
00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.200
Yeah, God still works that way today.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.200
The issue sometimes we put God in a box in today's culture.
00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:06.400
Yeah, well, that happened in the Old Testament, or that happened in the New Testament.
00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.200
No, that's not.
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:09.839
Yeah, it's not gonna happen here because it's 2026.
00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:12.000
Uh, guys, God does not belong in the box.
00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:12.480
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:19.839
We need to stop putting God in the box because God continues to work, He continues to do miracles because He is a way maker.
00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.920
Yeah, and you know, I remind people that in Scripture, people died.
00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:29.119
Yeah, not everyone was raised from the dead, people died.
00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:35.200
You know, it was uh what was even Joseph's bones that were were brought and buried there at Shechem, we talked about.
00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:37.839
Well, he died, and it was his bones.
00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:45.200
So even within scripture, these powerful people of faith died, they still die from dust to dust.
00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:52.400
And so even in those moments where God doesn't answer it like we want him to answer it, he's still in charge.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:56.160
And that's where I think those the element of the new provisions.
00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:58.720
Do you trust that he is there with you tomorrow?
00:22:58.799 --> 00:23:14.079
If everything went away today, if you got a call that your house burned down, someone stole your car, if you hear that, it sounds like a herd of elephants above us, a bunch of kids just ran by.
00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.519
You know, it's the honest question.
00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:26.079
Like if all of a sudden you woke up and you had nothing, your your bank account was gone, which was we were told happened to somebody in our church.
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:31.839
And they said their business account this week was tapped out, and so they were needing to hear this element of new provisions.
00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:35.279
And so someone had hacked in and stolen their money from their business account.
00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.200
And and so, you know, Lord protect them.
00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:39.839
But they were here on Sunday too.
00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:45.119
Their family, they were worshiping, leading the way, trusting in God's provisions.
00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:45.440
Yeah.
00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.559
Tomorrow.
00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:51.599
And I think that's hard for us to let loose sometimes of the way he has worked in our life.
00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.440
We we hold that gratitude.
00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:55.599
Thank you, God, with what you have done.
00:23:55.839 --> 00:24:04.000
Thank you for who you are, thank you for how you've blessed me with the acknowledgement that tomorrow he might be blessing us and talking to us in a different way.
00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:05.680
And we have to be open to that.
00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:06.079
Yeah.
00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:10.400
Uh what he used yesterday may not use that today or tomorrow.
00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:14.640
I have a pastor friend of mine that used to say, What brings you here won't get you there.
00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:15.680
I love that one.
00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:22.319
You know, there's no God will put people in your life that will bring you here, and he'll bring other people in your life that will get you there.
00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:22.880
Right.
00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:26.400
And we have to be okay with that, and that's the beauty of walking on water.
00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:32.000
Because we gotta walk on water, and walking on water means trusting, even though you don't even know what's happening.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.440
Just continue to trust.
00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:35.200
And if you doubt, that's okay.
00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:38.880
God will put his hand and pick you back up, right?
00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:46.240
Um, so one of the things going back to this verse, then the woman told Elijah, now I know for sure you you are a man of God.
00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:49.599
My question I asked the church yesterday, how do they know you?
00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.480
Do they know you as a man or woman of God?
00:24:53.119 --> 00:25:04.799
Or do they know you as yes, grumpy oh, Yayo Spinoza, oh grumpy old this, who's always cursing, who's always talking back, who's goes to church, but on Monday something else.
00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:06.160
Like, who are you here?
00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:18.160
Well, like Nick was saying earlier, in each of these scenarios that were very different, as as as Elijah's faith was growing, as his roots were growing deeper, like he just he remained focused on God in those things.
00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:22.880
Different emotions, same same faith, same focal point.
00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:32.480
And I was using the the Eugene Peterson quote in his book, the long obedience in the same direction, that no matter what comes our way, we are we're just trotting towards heaven.
00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:35.440
And someone asked me about what that what does that mean in the in the same direction?
00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:37.599
I said, Well, I think it's just towards heaven.
00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:37.839
Yeah.
00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:45.200
Because that's this life is just going that direction, and yeah, and we're we're never fully sanctified, living like Jesus in this life.
00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:57.039
And so it's just all the emotions, the ups and the downs, things we can't control, the life, the death, the hunger, the fullness, that it's just this it's this trod towards heaven, and we try our best to please God each and every day.
00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:00.160
And one of the things that we have to remind people is that we live in a broken world.
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:03.519
We live in a world where bad things are happening because of our sin.
00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:08.319
We live in a world where the devil, the devil owns it, in other words.
00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:15.039
We are just here temporary, we're going, running that race, like Paul would say, so we can go to our heavenly fathers.
00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:18.880
And that's why we are the light of the world here in this world.
00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:21.920
And we have to have that, remind ourselves of that.
00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:25.200
Yeah, and I hope we're shining brightly through that.
00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:43.920
And so as we get ready to close, one of my one of my thoughts uh I was gonna kind of end with here is because as we're looking at yesterday's, yesterday's provisions, today's provisions, tomorrow's provisions, and we spend that time in the private, uh, hopefully every day, just to be able to be poured into by our Heavenly Father.
00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:50.480
But don't let yesterday's sins keep you from today's forgiveness.
00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:56.319
And don't let yesterday's successes keep you from today's blessings.
00:26:56.559 --> 00:27:03.200
Because God, each and every morning, it's this it's this beautiful reminder of how good God is.
00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:09.519
And so who knows what incredible Mount Caribbean moments He has in store for you tomorrow and in the future, yeah, yo.
00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:14.160
And and we just look forward to every every good and perfect gift that comes from above from our Father.
00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:17.519
And um, I'll tell you what, one good gift we had today was this coffee, my friend.
00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.480
That's a good coffee.
00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.759
That's a good gift.
00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.480
Thank you, Father.
00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.920
Yes, amen.
